PROLOGUE

The Same Usual Every Day.

The_Beginning_of_The_End.

It was said that to understand someone, one just needed to look at their bookshelf.
A pile of manga.
The date was August 8th. Kamijou Touma had looked around the room, and found that
he could not find any book that wasnt manga not only on his bookshelf, but also
throughout the house. Thus, in order to save face, Kamijou Touma had decided to head
to the train station of Academy City to buy some reference books.
That was his intention.
To think that one reference book costs 3,600 yen
Kamijou Touma muttered as if he just lost terribly in a great battle. And according to the
shop attendant, all the reference books were sold at half price until yesterday in order to
promote the summer exams.
(Such misfortune)
It was really unfortunate.
However, that was basically Kamijou Toumas everyday life.
Besides, he was a very popular guy simply because his friends felt that with him around,
he could absorb all of their bad luck like a lightning rod.
The problem was that it was a precarious situation right now.
No matter what, he must avoid the label of being a person with only manga on their
bookshelves. Of course, that wasnt normal; an ordinary person wouldnt think about
that unscientific sort of judgment.
However, Kamijou had a big reason why he had to care.
1

It was because Kamijou Touma had lost his memory.

Of course, it wasnt like he had forgotten everything. He didnt forget the meaning of the
traffic lights, and he didnt forget how to use a cell phone.
What he had lost were his memories; his knowledge was still present.
It meant that even though he remembered how to use a cell phone, his mind began to
wonder about things like Eh? Where did I put my cell phone? or Hold on, since when
did I get a cell phone?
His knowledge was like a dictionary.
For example, ones knowledge may know that an apple was a fruit of the Rosaceae
deciduous tree that bloomed in the spring and bore a ball-shaped fruit. However, one
had to eat the fruit to decide whether it tasted good or not. That was because his brain
didnt have a diary-like memory stating that he ate a delicious apple on a certain day.
He was told that the reason was because the episodic memory part of his brain that
governs recollection, rather than the semantic memory part that governs information,
was destroyed. However, that was not the main issue.
The problem was that Kamijou Touma wanted to know what sort of person he was
before he had lost his memory.
Even if he had to follow that baseless explanation of understanding himself by checking
his bookshelf.
However, that didnt mean that Kamijous expression was that of pain.
Besides, Kamijou wasnt alone, and he hadnt been thrown into some unknown world.
He didnt lack either food or clothes, and he did have friends that he could call
companions.
Touma!
On the way back home in summer, a girl who was beside the half-dead Kamijou cried
out in anger at facing that sudden shopping spree (basically, Kamijou used more than a
thousand yen to go for what was called an assault).
She was about thirteen or fourteen years old, and one could tell that she was a foreigner.
Her waist-length hair was silver, and her skin was as white as snow. Her eyes were green
like emeralds.
However, what made one realize most easily that she was a foreigner was her outfit.

She wore a Christian nuns habit that was uniquely white and with gold lacings. It
seemed like the gold-outlined cups that upstarts enjoyed using.
The girls name was Index.
Of course, that wasnt her real name, but it was the name everyone used to call her.
Kamijou met that girl in the hospital.
No, from Kamijous perspective, he met her at the hospital, but it seemed that he had
already met her before he lost his memories. Even though Kamijou couldnt think of
anything related to the girl no matter how much he tried to recall, he didnt really want
to say that out loud.
On the day when he had first met the girl, she cried tears of happiness for Kamijou as
she stared at him on the bed.
However, those tears were shed not for the current Kamijou, but for the pre-memory
loss Kamijou.
Kamijou couldnt bear to break the happiness in the girls heart. In order to protect the
warmth in the girl, Kamijou Touma had to continue to act as if he had never lost his
memories.
It was a complicated feeling
It was as if Kamijou Touma had become two people.
However, the girl with the alias Index didnt seem to notice the conflict within Kamijous
heart (though to be fair, he didnt want her to realize it). From a position lower than
Kamijou by a head, she looked up and stared unhappily at Kamijou.
Touma, what could we have done with 3,600 yen?
Dont say it.
What could we have done?
The girl asked again. Just as Kamijou stuffed his ears and shut his eyes while shouting
Dont say it! to escape from reality, he suddenly realized that the girl who was walking
beside him wasnt looking at him.
Curious, Kamijou stared at where Index was looking at, and found that the shop sign of
an ice cream shop was spinning in front of him.
It was August 8th, and since it was a hot summer afternoon, there was a heat wave
floating above the floor, and Indexs habit was long-sleeved and was most likely hot
3

I understand your feelings, but isnt spending 3,600 yen too much?
Hmph.
Index seemed to be unhappy with those words as she turned to look at Kamijou.
Touma, I never said that Im hot or that Im about to get heatstroke. Of course I never
thought of spending other peoples money to satisfy myself, so I never thought of eating
ice cream at all.
I know nuns dont tell lies, but you dont have to be so sweaty and give me those
abandoned puppy eyes, right? Cant you just tell me that you want to eat ice cream in an
air-conditioned room? The weathers so hot, yet youre still wearing that nuns habit that
doesnt even consider the impact of weather. You may get heatstroke like that.
Though Kamijou sounded really generous, that was just him saving face. The amount of
money in his wallet wasnt going to change. Of course, it didnt mean that he couldnt
even buy ice cream, but if he did that, he wouldnt have enough money to take a ride
back. Academy City was one-third the size of Tokyo, and to Kamijou, who had just
recovered from a heavy injury, and the weak Index, it wasnt a place that could be
trekked easily. Though the term weak girls may be a bit sexist, there werent that many
girls who could walk one-third the size of Tokyo.
However, Index seemed to be unhappy for some reason as she started to get even
angrier.
She frowned and said, Touma, this clothing is a materialization of Gods protection; I
never thought about it being hard to wear, being hot, being troublesome, or whether
there should be a summer or winter version.
Right.
Being righteous and being kind were two different models, and Kamijou Touma
understood that cruel reality clearly.
And there was something really weird. Why were there safety pins all over that nun
habit that had such an extravagant design?
And besides, Im still a nun-in-training. Besides cigarettes and wine, even coffee, red
tea, fruits, sweets, iced items Im forbidden from taking any of these luxury items.
Oh, I see. At first, I thought about saying that eating ice cream is a good way to relieve
the summer heat.

If some people decided to implicate some religious reasons, it was impossible to force
them to change their minds.
Kamijou again stared at the signboard of the ice cream shop.
Since thats the case, alright. Its not like we need to eat it
Before Kamijou could finish speaking, a hand suddenly grabbed him at a sonic boom
speed. Kamijou, unable to resist the huge force exerted by that girls fingers, had to turn
his head around.
Its its true that Im still in training and that Im forbidden from having any excessive
stuff.
Then no way.
But since Im still in training, it means that I cant completely follow a saints standards,
right? So, in this situation, there might be a case where some ice cream accidentally
went into my mouth. Isnt that right, Touma?

Though Kamijou really wanted to lecture her badly, the force exerted by the girls fingers
was becoming stronger, seemingly hinting him to not say any more. However, the naive
Index didnt know that silence may be even worse than talking back.
At that moment
Hey, sorry to disturb you all in this important conversation, but whos that girl, Kamiyan?
A mysterious fake Kansai accent came from behind.
Looking behind, it was a weirdo whose voice was even weirder. He was 180 centimeters
tall, and had blue hair and earrings he was too weird to be a weirdo.
Did the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma really have such a friend?
Kamijou couldnt help but think, (Even though I dont know what I have with that
person since I completely lost my memories, I should at least choose my friends better!)
Kamijou felt like he was lecturing others as he cursed himself.
Hm, whats up, Kami-yan? Why are you looking at me like you just saw a stranger? Did
the summer heat cause you to lose your memories?

What?
Kamijou was shocked. Aogami Pierce, however, raised his hand and waved it about.
Im just joking, man~. This memory loss thing is a special privilege only to those
unbelievable Denpa Otome 1, right?
Then, Aogami Pierce put his hand on Kamijous shoulder (though its ridiculously hot).
Hey, Kami-yan, whos that girl? How do you know such a small girl? Is she your
cousin? Doesnt look like it. Her silver hair doesnt look like its inherited from your
genes!
The biggest problem with that guy was that his whispering was so loud that it wasnt
even a whisper.
Kamijou broke out in cold sweat, worried about whether the girl beside him would go
crazy because of the word small but luckily, it seemed that wasnt the case.
From the way I see it, this girl should be only asking directions from you, right? But
with your English still in country-isolation mode, that may be rather hard for you Hold
on, is that girl from an English-speaking country?
Kamijou also didnt know what he was talking about. And to Index, perhaps she was
rather used to having others call her small. She seemed like she didnt mind at all, only
glaring viciously at the sun that was burning down. Maybe she was so hot that she didnt
want to say anything.
Speaking of which, Kami-yan, I dont know where you met this girl, but dont feel
relaxed by this alone. Besides, you gained sixteen years of trust and good-man
performances, so you should know that a simple meeting with a girl isnt possible. Isnt
it like that in love comedies? The one with the crush is always someone like a young
mother! Haha~ if such an event happens, all hope is gone! Its really pitiful thinking
about it.
Kamijou heaved a sigh of relief. It was a good thing that this wasnt the case in those oldfashioned dramas.
At that moment, Aogami Pierce said, Hold on, is that a cross-dressing trap? Isnt her
chest a little too small?
Immediately, Kamijou seemed to hear the girls blood vessels explode.

or Denpa Otome means wave girl. Denpa is a term to coin someone who has a really strange or
eccentric behavior without any apparent reason, hence the wave made me do it; you might recognize the word
as it is also the name of a novel, where the titular character is actually quite weird.

Kamijou forced himself to not make a blood-curdling cry.

It seemed like though the girl could endure being called young, she couldnt take being
called a boy.
Kamijou seemed to hear her barely maintaining her smile as she gnashed her teeth.
(Such misfortune!)
Just as Kamijou wanted to shout that
Hey, Kami-yan. How can real good men like us be good friends with a 3D girl? Therell
definitely be a Bad End. I can see it: just as Kami-yan takes off the final piece of clothing
from the girl and goes into the R18 moment, you finally find out the truth, and roll off
the bed in shock.
Youre joking, right? Dont tell me you really feel this way!
Eh? Is she really a girl? How uninteresting! With a happy expression, Aogami Pierce
said, So your encounter must be abnormal, right? Kami-yan, though youve always
been a good guy nobody loved, you cant just kidnap a girl, you know? Such
foolhardiness will get flamed on those image boards when you leave them there.
Idiot stop making such a joke! Whod do such a thing!? Actually, Kamijou didnt
remember how he had met her. This person right here is just a freeloader! Everything
was done under negotiations on both sides, sergeant-dono!
Freeloader? Freeloader? Kami-yan, you just added a just to an extremely precious
freeloader girl? Kami-yan! Youre like an elementary school kid who just ate too many
snacks and forgot the essence of rice!
Shut up! How can I express it except with a just!? Since when can those romantic
scenes happen so often in real life!? Do you know how Kamijous finances are in a crisis
because of this person right here!? Even a zashiki warashi is better than her!
Just when Kamijou was shouting out that conversation, he suddenly realized something.
Of course, the girl Index who was nearby had heard all of it.
Ah.
Kamijou looked back with an expression of terror.
Index was smiling. She was revealing a Virgin Mary-like smile, but her face was as green
as a honey dew. This was bad. Not knowing what the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma
did, he didnt know if he could calm Index down in that situation.
7

(If I was able to, then the loss of my memory was really a pity,) Kamijou thought.
Touma.
Index spoke while revealing a perfect smile.
(Its all over,) Kamijou thought, but he could barely respond.
...What is it, sister-sama?
Im a nun affiliated with the Anglican Church. Repent now or forever hold your peace.
The nun drew a cross in front of her chest, and clasped her hands together.
As the smile was too perfect, one could tell that it was an act.
Kamijou unknowingly wanted to clutch his head and cry out.
This was a bombno, it was an unexploded bomb.
(If I handle this carelessly, it may explode, and this will be the end of my life!)
Kamijous instincts were telling him that.
(What should I do, what should I do? Ah! Thats it, ice cream! Use ice cream to distract
her!)
Extremely confused now, Kamijou forgot how he should talk as he could only point
crazily in the direction of the ice cream shop in front of him. Looking puzzled, Index
looked in the direction Kamijou was pointing at, and then stopped. Then, she revealed a
puzzled look.
Just as Kamijou heaved a sigh of relief, thinking that he had managed to divert her
attention, he suddenly saw something.
There seemed to be a piece of paper on the automatic door.
The paper read:
To our customers, due to interior renovations, we will be suspending our business for
the time being. Were sorry for any inconvenience.
With his mind thinking of a Bad End, Kamijou slowly turned his head towards the girl
beside him.
The girls smile instantly vanished.
8

Just as Kamijou shouted Such misfortune!, the savage beast-like Index pounced.

In the end, they had a compromise and agreed on buying shakes from a cheap fast food
restaurant.
Of course Index wouldnt be satisfied by that, so Kamijou had tried to use the incentive
of being able to enjoy the food in an air-conditioned room to please her. However, the
shop was actually crammed full in the afternoon.

Holding the tray with both hands, Index looked unhappy again and remained silent.
There were three shakes on the tray, one vanilla, one chocolate, and one strawberry.
Though Kamijou really wanted to shout Are you that thirsty?, he didnt dare to retort
out of fear that his life would be at risk.
(Such misfortune,) Kamijou thought.
Index, whose mood had improved somewhat after getting three shakes for herself, was
currently facing a tough situation where the shop was completely filled with customers.
However, the weather was so hot that they couldnt just stay outside. They had finally
managed to enter a shop with the air conditioning on, so who would want to go back to
the streets to stand under the sun?
The nearby female high school students didnt seem to realize Kamijous despair as they
continued to talk about extremely ordinary topics.
Yo, yo! I heard that Anzai used telepathy during the last exam! Is it true?
I heard that they even organized a teachers meeting because of that, so it should be
true. But I also heard that everyone at the meeting agreed that psychic powers are a part
of the curriculum, so its not considered cheating.
Uu, thats despicable! Nyaaa!! Then I want to use my power as well!
Isnt your power Pyrokinesis?
Cant I just set fire to the teachers back and force him to spill out the answers?
Perhaps to a lot of people, such a conversation may have been a bit too out of the
ordinary. But this was Academy City, and that was a very common part of their everyday
life. As the 2.3 million citizens of the city had some sort of power, it could be called a
large-scale power development group.

In fact, Kamijou was an esper. He was the boy called the Imagine Breaker, with the right
hand that had the ability to negate any supernatural power, even if it was a miracle of
God.
Touma, I really want to sit down, Index said in an emotionless tone.
(Scary.)
The expression of the nun was telling him that if he didnt comply, she would again leap
over and bite him.
Kamijou shouted Affirmative!, and rushed to a shop attendant who was sweeping the
floor.
Haa, if there is no other way then how about sharing a table?
The shop attendant merely revealed a cruel, professional smile and pointed to a corner
by the window.
Share a table? Kamijou looked over at where the finger was pointing.
Uuu!?
There was a four-seater table over there, and in that shop that was like a peak-hour train
station, a huge space appeared between the crowd like a huge hole.
And over there
On that table
Was a shrine maiden.
The shrine maiden was sleeping with her face on the table.
There was shiny black hair that was like a jellyfish scattered all over, covering the shrine
maidens face.
(Wha)
(Whats with this scenario?) Kamijou cried out deep within.
(Not right, somethings not right.)
Kamijous misfortune radar was warning him.

10

(Dont get involved with her, dont get involved with her, youll definitely be
unfortunate! When that happens, it wont be something thats going to be solved with a
loss of memory!)
Of course, Kamijou Touma was an unlucky person, but it wasnt like he wanted to be one.
He closed his eyes and made his decision.
(Alright, lets go home! Id rather get bitten by Index than get involved with such a
person.)
Having made that conclusion, Kamijou turned back to look, and found that both of them
had already disappeared.
?
Kamijou looked around.
Ack!
As expected, under the suggestion of the other shop attendant, Index had already sat
opposite that mysterious shrine maiden. That girl really lacked an awareness of danger.
Or was she a philanthropist? As for Aogami Pierce who was beside them, his eyes were
gleaming.
(Are nuns and shrine maidens really that attractive to you?)
He really wanted to run away.
But he couldnt. If he turned his back on Index and ran away, Index may leap at him like
a lion and swallow him whole. And seeing Aogami Pierce whose eyes were glittering, he
felt that it was too dangerous to leave that girl alone.
But most importantly
Index, who had a gulp of strawberry shake in her mouth, was happily waving him over.
Kamijou had a thought that he shouldnt wreck that expression.
Nonetheless, there was still a mysterious shrine maiden sleeping at the table.
Kamijou carefully approached the table. At that moment, the shrine maidens shoulders
jerked.
Sp

11

Her mouth moved. The shrine maidens mouth moved. Kamijou had a bad feeling. A
very bad feeling. Why? Having lost his memories, Kamijou definitely couldnt remember
anything, but he had a feeling that he experienced something similar before.
Kamijou gulped down his saliva, waiting for the shrine maiden to say something.
The shrine maiden spoke.
Spent all my money on food and ruined myself.

12

CHAPTER 1
A Tower of Glass.
The_Tower_of_BABEL.

Part 1
It was a windowless room.
There were no doors, stairs, lifts, or corridors. For being part of a building, the room
didnt have any functions. There was no way to enter the building except via a Level 4s
Teleport ability. It could be said to be the strongest stronghold.
A single magician stood within the Calculate Fortress building thats strength easily
surpassed that of a nuclear shelter.
His name was Stiyl Magnus.
Stiyl, who was well-versed in runic magic, especially flame magic, was also an Anglican
priest. It could be considered an exception to see a fourteen-year-old well-versed in
magic that could kill other magicians.
Actually, he wasnt supposed to be there.
That didnt refer to the building, but to the city as a whole. He was one of the members
of the 0th Parish of the Anglican Church, Necessarius, and the Academy City he was in
was a purely scientific environment that rejected all ideas of the occult and produced
espers through drugs, body manipulation, and hypnotism.
His current presence there was as unnatural as mixing a tarot card into a poker deck.
However, there was a reason for him to be there even though he shouldnt be.
He was currently acting as a representative of the Anglican Church to negotiate with
Academy City on equal standing. However, as a representative, he had some character
flaws.

13

He was a man who would kill without hesitation.

He could order flames to swallow a living person without hesitation.

But even so, that sort of person was still unable to get used to the scene in front of him.
The space was too large to be called indoors, and there was supposedly no lighting, but
the room seemed to be filled with starry-like lights. That was because the walls had been
set up with numerous screens and flashing buttons. Equipment of all sizes, thousands of
cables, and tubes were gathered at the center of the room like blood vessels on the floor.
There was a huge cylinder in the middle of the room.
It was four meters in diameter and over ten meters in height. The cylindrical container
that was made of reinforced glass had red liquid filled inside it.
It was said that this color represented a weak alkaline recovery fluid. Of course, to the
magician Stiyl, that scientific thing wasnt part of his specialty, so he wouldnt be able to
understand even after listening to it.
Inside the beaker was a human wearing a green surgical cloak that was floating upside
down.
There were no words to describe him except human. The silver-haired human
looked masculine yet feminine, adult yet childlike, and saintly yet sinful.
Had he obtained all the possibilities that a human could only wish for? Or had he given
up on all the possibilities that a human had?
Either way, one thing that could be certain was that only the word human could
describe him.
Everyone who came here would observe me and make the same response as you
The human in the cylinder spoke. He sounded masculine yet feminine, adult yet
childlike, and saintly yet sinful.
But why let a human do this when machines can do so?
In other words, that was how that human existed.
His own life could be maintained by machines, so it was meaningless for him to do
anything. That human who seemed like he had extended his lifespan to 1,700 years
was now right in front of Stiyl.
14

Stiyl felt fear.

He wasnt afraid of Academy Citys scientific technology that could run a life for humans,
but the way that human existed. As he could use machines to maintain his life, he
could abandon his body of flesh without hesitation and leave himself to machines.
It was really terrifying to see a human who was twisted enough to live on like that.
I suppose you should know why I called you here The board chairman of Academy
City, the human Aleister who was floating upside-down, said with a stern tone, The
situation has become complicated right now.
Seeing Aleister say that, Stiyl inadvertently frowned. That was because he couldnt
imagine that human in front of him actually saying something that showed weakness
like the situation has become complicated right now.
Its regarding Deep Blood, am I correct?
Stiyl, who normally neglected honorifics, used them with Aleister.
Of course, it wasnt just because he was a representative of the Church, but also because
he knew that once Aleister detected hostility from him, he would be diced up. It was not
an overall issue of hostility; even if it were misunderstanding or misconception, if
Aleister decided it, Stiyls life would end.
That was because he was in the main base of the enemy, the command center of 2.3
million espers.
Fuu. Noticing Stiyl trembling, Aleister said, It wouldnt be a problem if only espers
were involved, because thats one of the espers I had. As long as any citizen in this city
creates a commotion, there are about 70,632 ways to deal with it and cover it up

On hearing that, Stiyl didnt really have any special feeling about it. He wasnt really
interested in what emergency procedures Academy City had, since he didnt really
understand how the Science side worked.
What has complicated matters is that one of your people has taken part in this when
he shouldnt have.
Thus, Stiyl was only thinking of that.
Deep Blood. It came not from Academy Citys Bank, but from a record in The British
Library. From the wording, one could imagine that it was used to kill a certain living
thing that may or may not exist. Nobody knew what kind of ability it was nor whether it
was genuine. All that was known was that a girl had such an ability.
16

In particular, the girl with the Deep Blood ability was being held prisoner by a magician.
The situation was that simple.
Fu. Since this enemy right now is from outside Academy City, this has gotten somewhat
troublesome. Aleister continued to remain upside down and said, Of course, its not
hard to send out 2.3 million espers to beat one or two magicians. But this isnt the main
issue. The main issue is that if we do this, it will mean that we scientists took down
magicians.
Academy City and Necessarius each controlled their own world.
Science and the occult they were only able to have their standings today because each
side controlled technologies that the other side didnt have. If Academy City, which
controlled espers, declared that they had defeated a magician, the people on the Magic
side wouldnt sit back and do nothing.
For example, if fighter jets with the latest technology crash-landed in enemy territory,
the wreckage may reveal the secret technology.
It seems like it would be difficult for you to send in reinforcements, Stiyl said calmly.
Espers and magicians working together such a thing may be too precarious. It was
already a huge problem between the Science side and the Magic side when they wanted
to decide who should lead the charge. That was because they could use the excuse of
checking their sides battle abilities to spy on the other sides technology.
Thinking about that, Stiyl had a question. Two weeks ago, he had come to Academy City,
and had a battle with an esper. Why had that battle been allowed silently? Perhaps
without Stiyl knowing it, Academy City and the Anglican Church had an agreement. Or
maybe because that boy was viewed as a Level 0 with very little importance.
The situation at the moment, however, was different.
Most of the espers and magicians involved in this were considered important people.
I see. So thats why you specially asked me, an exception, to be here.
Stiyls expression didnt change, seemingly only confirming something.
In other words, Stiyl Magnus was an exception. There would be problems if espers from
the Science side defeated magicians from the Magic side. However, there wouldnt be
any problems if Stiyl, who was of the Magic side, defeated a magician. And Stiyls
superior also felt that the magician must be defeated by a magician for the sake of
cleaning house.

17

This is the blueprint of the battlefield in question.

It was unknown what technology was used as an image appeared in the darkness.
It was a wireframe-model seemed like it was drawn using computer graphics. Depicted
was what seemed like an ordinary building. However, what popped up was a location
diagram of the battlefield.
The words Misawa Cram School were written on the corner of the diagram.
Through the initial building blueprints and all sorts of satellite images, we managed to
analyze the interior layout. Aleisters voice didnt have any cadence in it. But we cant
see any magic equipment. Besides, its not like we understand anything about magic.

But this Misawa Cram School is somewhat unique.

Aleister began to explain.
Actually, Academy City was an educational enterprise that was made of hundreds of
schools of different sizes. Also, the Curriculum included some paranormal stuff like
esper development.
It was said that the reason Misawa Cram School that had catered to all levels in the
country would set up a school in Academy City was to learn the secrets of the esper
development that was exclusive to Academy City. That had all the makings of a huge
corporate spy incident.
However, the Misawa Cram School that didnt know anything about esper powers
development still had a weird feel to it. They were a form of Science Worship that used
science and technology known only to them as a reason to say that they were chosen
humans, and took people in using those juvenile ideas as a new religion.
A certain branch school in Academy City had even begun to run wild and ignore the
Misawa Cram School Groups orders and on top of all that, they imprisoned the girl
referred to as Deep Blood in accordance to their teachings.
But why did Misawa Cram School imprison the Deep Blood? Are they similar to a 16th
century cults teachings where there is a dogma to submit themselves to Cains
descendants with the aim of achieving immortality?
No. Misawa Cram School has no particular fixation in possessing Deep Blood. They
simply desire a unique esper whose power cannot be duplicated so anyone would have
done.

18

?
Levels in Academy City are decided by academic and supernatural ability. Thus, they
wanted to take the Deep Blood and examine her. As long as they can say that they
managed to duplicate a super rare ability, those students who lament that they have
ordinary abilities or are Level 2 or 3 would be attracted by it Good grief. Even with a
brain transplant, it is impossible for them to change their developed power.
However, that also sounded strange to Stiyl. Even if having a rare ability granted status
in Academy City, how could anyone in this place covered with science believe in that
certain living thing that belonged to the occult?
Just as Stiyl was thinking about that, Aleister already said out the answer casually.
Anyway, things are more valuable when rare. As long as this basic logic exists, there can
still be some talking points. There are many espers besides the Imagine Breaker with the
truth behind their powers unknown. Some espers even have such tremendous power
that nobody even seen them get serious before.
Anyway, if it was just the Deep Blood being imprisoned, things were actually easy. Like
what Aleister had said, if there were conflicts in that city, there were 70,632 ways to deal
with it.
But that wasnt the problem.
It was because before the problem was settled, a magician had come in from the outside
world and entered Misawa Cram School. His aim was Misawa Cram School. Also, he
didnt even destroy Misawa Cram School, but controlled it. So things became that
complicated.

Stiyl stared silently at the location diagram of the Misawa Cram School.
From the diagram, he couldnt see anything that had been modified by magic. The
tension that was like charging straight into the darkness struck Stiyl in the back. Though
it was uncomfortable, Stiyl was already used to it. This time, it was a simple battle of life
and death, nil or one.
However, he was rather happy that he was the only one in that city that had 2.3 million
espers.
Not quite, Aleister said, seemingly seeing through what Stiyl was thinking.

19

Perhaps there was a device that could read peoples thoughts through temperature or
blood flow.
I do possess an esper who is a natural enemy of your people.
Stiyl froze immediately.
Imagine Breaker. The boy who had fought a battle of life and death against Stiyl two
weeks ago. Any supernatural power; not just magic, but esper powers and miracles from
the territory of God, would be negated on contact with his right hand. That power could
be considered an exception among exceptions.
But didnt you say that you cant use espers to beat magicians?
You dont have to worry about that.
Aleister said in a tone as if he had memorized it.
Firstly, hes a Level 0, so he doesnt carry any valuable information. Even if I let him go
work with you, theres no fear that hell leak information on our secrets.

Secondly, his brain isnt so smart that he can understand the technology of the Magic
side and duplicate it. Thus, even if he goes along with you, your technology wont be
understood by us.
(That old fox)
For the first time, Stiyl harbored some hatred for Aleister.
(What is that human in front of me thinking of?)
Stiyl really didnt understand. No matter what, Imagine Breaker definitely shouldnt be
classified as a weak Level 0. Stiyl had experienced that in his battle.
It was true that the workings of Imagine Breaker wasnt something that could be
understood with just one or two looks, and he definitely couldnt duplicate it and bring it
back to the Church. However, it should be the same for Academy City. No, at least Stiyl
hoped that it was the same for time. If Academy City had a way to duplicate that
Imagine Breaker ability, the Church wouldnt have any existence. Even sacred treasures
from a millennium ago would be destroyed on contact with his right hand.
But Aleister didnt seem to be treasuring that precious Imagine Breaker at all.
It was like he was giving a saint in training all sorts of trials.
20

It was like using a heavy hammer to strike a hot metal used to form a sharp powerful
sword.

And more importantly, that boy had the knowledge of 103,000 grimoires with him. Was
that really alright?
His inner thoughts were conflicting with his words. Though Stiyl was harboring such
suspicions, he was not showing it on his face.
Also, he was careful not to show it. If it was regarding that girl, Stiyl didnt want to raise
any sort of issue.
Deep Blood.
Stiyl muttered. His expression was like a scholar who had found something that he was
unable to explain.
Does Deep Blood really exists? If it does, that means
Stiyl was unable to continue on.
Deep Blood. If that existed, then that certain living thing that it must kill must also
have existed. In other words, if he believed in the existence of Deep Blood, it meant that
the existence of that certain living thing was a fact.
Hm, the occult is not our specialty, but your peoples field. But, even your world has to
admit that something that truly defies common sense exist, right?
(Of course,) Stiyl cursed in his heart.
The magic power that magicians used could be described as something like gasoline. In
other words, using their lifespan and mana, as crude oil, by regulating ones breathing
and the flowing of ones blood and by meditating, it was refined into the easier-to-use
gasoline.
Thus, magicians werent all powerful. No matter how they searched for even high-skilled
magic, the amount of gasoline was finite.
However, that creature didnt have such a limitation.
This certain creature had the ridiculous characteristic of being immortal, which meant
that they had infinite magical power. Even if the earths resources would run out one day,
the magical power of this certain creature would never run out.

21

Cains descendantsvampires.
They definitely werent the weak creatures depicted in the stories that could be dealt
with using the cross and sunlight. Actually, one vampire was enough to cause a nuclearlevel global calamity.
Hm.
In the huge container, the human was still floating upside down, staring dully at Stiyl.
Speaking of which, do you know what we refer to when we say esper powers?
No.
Stiyl couldnt possibly understand it, and neither did he think that Aleister would tell
him. That was because the moment he knew the enemys secrets, it would mean that he
would lose the chance to get out of there alive.
Actually, its just a difference in knowledge, Aleister said casually, Have you heard of
Schrdingers Cat? Its the most famous animal abuse case in the world.
?
Ill omit the detailed account but in short, it seems that this reality has the property of
being distorted by those who see it. Although, the microscopic and macroscopic laws of
physics also differ so it is not possible say it is a rule.
In this world, the laws of physics can be seen as microscopic and macroscopic. Which
were called micros and which were called macros? It was said that those were also
within Aleisters range of research.
I dont really get what you mean.
Its alright, you dont have to. If you do, I have to kill you right now, Aleister
nonchalantly said. Speaking of which, Im the one who really doesnt understand. Is
there really a Deep Blood? And whats the difference? Its like the cat in the box.
Aleister said that espers were changing like how litmus papers changed colors.
The main point wasnt to marvel at how the litmus paper changed color from red to blue,
but to consider why, whats the reason behind it, and think if there was any way to
manipulate that rule. Though Aleister controlled 2.3 million espers that were enough to
declare war on the entire world, to him, that wasnt the aim, but a mean.
Stiyl was trembling.

22

That human in front of him was something who believed that machines could replace
all human actions.
To that human, which were mechanical?
To that human, which were human?
However
The human spoke.
The human that looked masculine yet feminine, adult yet childlike, and saintly yet
sinful made an expression which could be considered a smile, and said, If you say
that Deep Blood proves the existence of vampires, just what on earth does the Imagine
Breaker prove?

Part 2
Kamijou Touma was at a loss for words.
The no-smoking zone of the second level of the fast food restaurant was packed full with
people. Kamijou Touma, Index, and Aogami Pierce were sitting at a four-seater table.
(Hm, so far so good.)
Spent all my money on food and ruined myself.
(But why is there a shrine maiden lying on a table in such a crude shop and actually
saying such ridiculous words!?)
The shrine maiden was about as old as Kamijou and was wearing a typical shrine
maiden outfit. The waist-length hair made her look like a textbook example of a shrine
maiden.

The heavy presence was like that in an elevator.

(What should I do?) Kamijou wondered.

23

At that moment, he suddenly noticed Index and Aogami Pierce staring at him.
W-what is it?
Kami-yan, when someone talks to you, you should oblige and reply, right?
Thats right thats right! Touma, you cant just back away on just seeing the
appearance. You must follow Gods teachings and stretch out, amen!
...Wha, Bah! Are you joking!? We should at least settle this by rock, paper, scissors to
make it fair! Or rather Index, you think that Ill lose from the beginning arent you? Why
you, dont stopp making a cross over your heart with such a humble face!
In the end, the trio had decided to play rock-paper-scissors to decide the martyr.
Rock, rock and scissors. Kamijou lost.
In conclusion, Kamijou Touma really was misfortunate.
Erm, hello?
Kamijou, who was the only one that chose scissors and was all confused, could only talk
to the shrine maiden. The shrine maidens shoulders jerked.
Ah, erm what did you mean when you said spent all your money and ruined yourself?
(Its best to maintain a natural conversation,) Kamijou thought. (Since that shrine
maiden did say that, shes probably hoping someone would ask her why.).
As I had a lot of economical coupons, and a hamburger cost 580 yen
Uh huh.
For Kamijou, who had lost his memory, he had forgotten what a hamburger tasted like.
However, he knew that hamburgers had only a meat patty and some rotten lettuce, and
was a poor persons bad friend.
So I went ahead and ordered thirty of them.
You were being too economical, idiot.
As Kamijou retorted on reflex, he had noticed the shrine maiden suddenly stopped
moving. Because of her silence, one could tell that she gave off an aura of emotional hurt.

24

Awkward. He had not expected her to react to his perfectly honest words and because of
that the atmosphere became super awkward.
Ah, I didnt mean it like that. I actually wanted to say idiot, but why did you order so
many? I just meant to make the conversation go smoothly. I might be blunt, but its a
proof of my friendless, I dont have bad intentions! And the sister and blue-haired dude
behind us, dont look over here with those eyes!!
Unable to withstand the pressure, Kamijou started to shout crazily.
Frustration meal.
The corpse-like shrine maiden that had stopped moving suddenly spoke such words.
Ha?
Train fare back home, four hundred yen.
Facing those suspicious words from the shrine maiden, Kamijou could only swallow his
saliva. Kamijou didnt have any memories of taking a train, but he knew that taking a
train or a bus in Academy City was extremely expensive.
What has four hundred yen for a train ride back has to do with a frustration meal?
My total fortune, three hundred yen.
And the reason is?
Overspending, lack of planning.

So thats why Im having a frustration meal.

Kamijou barely managed to swallow the words you idiot that was about to come out of
his throat.
After careful consideration, he said, But why dont you use that three hundred yen for
the train ride? If thats the case, you can cut the distance until its just a hundred yen
distance. If not, why cant you just borrow a hundred yen from someone?
That ideas good.
Why are you staring at me like that? Or rather, dont turn your expectant look to me!!

25

Kamijou frantically let his body back away from the shrine maiden as much as possible.
He had already spent 3,600 yen (meaninglessly just to buy a reference book), and even
bought three shakes just to calm Index down, so even though it was just a hundred yen,
it was a heavy burden to him.
Speaking of which
The shrine maiden who then lifted her face up was unexpectedly beautiful.
She was a little different from the foreigner Index. She had skin that was as white as a
Japanese person which was even more visible under the black eyes and hair. Though her
eyes lacked emotion, it also meant that she was not aggressive. Even if she wanted
someone to be with her, she gave the feeling of comfort. It could be said to be a
tremendous encompassing power.

Index scowled and glared at him.

Y-youre kidding. Kami-yans actually talking to a girl to actually be talking to a girl he
just met for the first time... it cant be true!
Aogami Pierce grumbled angrily, truly attempting to ruin Kamijous reputation.
Shut up, Aogami Pierce! Gather at the back of the gym later, you business contact
bastard! As for you, find a way to get a hundred yen by yourself and go home!
Transmission complete!
What do you mean? Kami-yan, its strange to end the talk here! For a man who for
sixteen years was in the group of dejected losers, how did you become acquaintances
with girls of such unique attributes like a sister and a shrine maiden within two weeks!?
What? What kind of galge is this, sensei?!
Aogami Pierce cried out in confusion and Kamijou truly desired to reward him with a
punch. However, as they sat diagonally, he could not do so. Just examining the positions
of their seats was enough to see how misfortunate Kamijou was.
One hundred yen please.
The shrine maiden lifted her head and stared with a complicatedly pained expression.
She continued.
No good
No good. Dont lend to those that dont lend

26

 The shrine maiden pondered for a while and said, So stingy. Wont even lend a
mere one hundred yen.
Whos the idiot who doesnt even have a hundred yen!?
Kamijou inadvertently retorted back.
Kami-yaaan, how can you respond like that so naturally? As one who has the fate of
being in the group of dejected losers, you should not be able to respond normally in
front of a beauty!
Aogami Pierce let out a voice that seemed like it was squeezed out from the bottom of
hell.
Beauty.
The shrine maidens eyes waved, causing one to wonder what she was thinking about.
Lend me a hundred yen since Im beautiful.
Geh! Shut up, you terrible woman! An ill-natured woman who sells her own looks to get
money, isnt a beauty at all! It was futile in the first place since I just bought three shakes
so I dont have any money to spare!
Th-thank goodness, Kami-yan. You still think that a beautiful girlss heart must be pure,
so you havent left the 2-D world?
...In other words, Touma. If you didnt get me this shake you would have handed her
100 yen and settle the issue. Thats what youre saying, right? Humph.
The stares and cries of outrage began to surface and they far surpassed Kamijous
computing abilities.
Kamijou grabbed his head, wondering which point he should settle first. At that point,
Index, slurping the shake with a straw, was glaring at the shrine maiden with hostility.
Humph. Seeing that youre wearing red pants, I suppose you do divinations, right? So
shrine maidens who do divinations will also sell their faces, right? I even heard that the
term shrine maiden was a hidden way of calling a whore in the Heian period, right?
Kamijou jumped up and shouted on hearing that, and Aogami Pierce was going crazy for
some reason, shouting Hahaha, a sister and a shrine maiden are going at it!.

27

Just as Kamijou intended to force Aogami Pierce to shut up, the shrine maiden spoke.
Im not a shrine maiden.
What?
The black-haired girl who looked exactly like a shrine maiden and whose photo could be
used for an entry in an encyclopedia said such words, causing everyone to stare at her.
Eh, if youre not a shrine maiden, what are you?
Kamijou, who became everyones representative for some reason, asked that.
Im a magic-user. 2
..
Everyone sank into silence. The sounds of the cable broadcast in the shop seemed too
far away. For some reason, though Kamijou had lost his memory, he had a strong feeling
that he had experienced this before. But more importantly, why was Index trembling
over there? Kamijou cried deep inside.
Index slammed onto the table with both hands.
Before the shakes on the tray could even jump up, Index roared.
What kind of magic-user? Kabbalah!? Enoch!? The School of Hermes, Mercuriuss
Vision, or Modern Astrology!? Dont just declare yourself something as vague as a
magic-user and tell us your specialty, school, magic name and order name you idiot!
???
You cant call yourself a magician without even knowing all of these! In the first place,
since youre a divination shrine maiden, you should at least brag about being an oriental
astrologer from the Onmyoudou!
Okay. Well then, Ill be that.
Well then!? Did you say well then just now!?
Index slammed both her hands on the table for a second and third time.
Kamijou sighed while he looked around him. Though the shops interior was bustling, it
could be said that Indexs manner of heating up was a little too much. He had to quiet
her soon.
2

The term used here is a generic word for anyone who can use magic rather than a proper magician.

29

Haa, Ive understood well that this shrine maiden isnt a shrine maiden but a magicuser so quiet for a bit.
Wha-!? Touma, your attitude is clearly different from when you first met me!
Ugaah!
Index glared in Kamijous direction and seemed like she would vigorously bite him at
any moment. The reality was that the memoryless Kamijou had truly forgotten about his
former days. However he couldnt possibly tell her sorry, I lied about my memories.
If she herself thinks that shes a magic-user, let her be. Since shes not trying to harm
someone or trick someone, dont mind it.
Uu, when I wanted to prove that magic was real, my clothes got stripped off.
Ha?
Nothing! I didnt say or think anything!!
With a face that matched her grumbling noises, Index vigorously turned to look the
other way. Things seemed fine but underneath the table, someone was repeatedly
trampling Kamijous foot. Things were not fine. No matter how one thought about it,
there could have only been one culprit.
Ah.
Index, who had turned her head aside, seemed to notice something.
Kamijou thought the shop attendants were unable to just watch the horseplay on display
and felt like they would hand out a red card.
At that moment
(Hm? People?)
Feeling something was amiss, he realized that the table the four of them sat at was
surrounded by about ten people.
...
Kamijou wondered why they didnt notice them up until now.
Perhaps it was the same distance as the distance between the customers and the
attendants who were asking for orders. The ten people stared over in their direction,
looking like they wanted to surround the table. It was amazing that no one had noticed it.
30

Also, though shop was crowded, no one had noticed the anomaly. In other words, their
presence had disappeared to such an extent that they looked like a troupe of assassins.

They were all dressed in the same suits and they were all in their twenties or thirties.
If they were in a train station during rush hour, they could make people basically fail to
remember their faces and names. However, their expression didnt carry any emotions
at all, and because of that, they ended up being unable to mix into the surroundings.
(What emotionless expressions. Their eyes...?)
Kamijou wondered where he had seen that expression before. Then, he looked back
around the table.
In front of his eyes was the shrine maiden whose name he didnt know.
Her expression was still emotionless even with ten men surrounding them.
One hundred yen more, said the shrine maiden.
She spoke as she silently stood up. Her attitude was as casual as meeting someone for a
planned arrangement, showing her unwariness of them.
One of them backed away and made a path. Another one respectfully handed over a onehundred-yen coin on his palm to the shrine maiden without saying anything.
Eh? Ah, so you know these people? Kamijou said, not understanding the situation.

The shrine maiden looked around herself for a bit, seemingly pondering something.
Mm, theyre cram school teachers.
It was a nonchalant tone.
The shrine maiden walked to the first level. The ten men silently followed behind like
shadows and bodyguards.
The familiar buzzing and wired music seemed to be heard from afar, as the volume was
becoming softer.
When everyone had left, Aogami Pierce finally spoke.

31

Hold on, why did salary men cram school teachers take care of her if shes a pupil?
Theyre not elementary school disciplinary officers.

Part 3
It was a summer evening.
In order to forget about that mysterious shrine maiden and those men clad in suits,
Kamijou and company decided to play hard and go back home like elementary school
students after school and dispersed after 5PM.
Aogami Pierce said bye-bye like a child and disappeared into the evening streets.
Aogami Pierce did not live in a student dormitory like Kamijou but was living the rare
life in a boarding house at a bakery. It was said that he stayed there because the bakery
uniform resembled a maid outfit.
Kamijou and Index were alone near a large department store along the main street in
front of the station.
Kamijou sighed.
Just as the idea that both of them were alone had appeared in his mind, there was a
numbing tension spreading throughout his entire body.
There was no need to mention why.
Whats the matter, Touma?
Facing a question with such an innocent smile, he could only answer that it was nothing.
He carefully maneuvered to avoid being found out and sighed.
It was because they lived together.
And they were even secretly living in a boys dormitory.
And most importantly, the person acted just like a little girl.
It was several days since he had returned from the hospital and she slept beside Kamijou
everyday as if it were normal. However, her sleeping habits were terrible. Perhaps it was
because of her dislike of the heat that she would reveal her feet or bellybutton from her
pajamas. There was no choice but to shut himself in the bathroom and lock the door in
order to avoid an incident. Because of this, Kamijou Touma was recently sleep deprived.

32

Could it be that I am like one of those hopeless cases that gets reported on in the
news?
A completely exhausted Kamijou muttered to himself. How would the Kamijou Touma
before he lost his memories have viewed the situation? In fact, the source of the two of
them living together was the Kamijou Touma before he lost his memories. What the
heck were you doing without me knowing, Kamijou Touma! He roared in his heart.
Ah!
Walking halfway, Index suddenly stopped, seemingly seeing something.
Eh? Feeling depressed, Kamijou stared where Indexs gaze was directed. At the base of
a windmill turbine sat a corrugated paper box with a kitten purring inside.
Touma! Ca
No way!
Kamijou interrupted Index before she could finish.
...Touma, I havent said anything yet!
Were not raising it
Why why why why cant we raise Sphinx?
Because our student dormitory doesnt allow us to have pets and I dont have any
money! Also, dont already give it a name! And what, Sphinx?! Dont give that name to a
Japanese calico cat!!
Why dont you keep a cat! Do as you are told! 3
???...Hah! Dont think Ill listen to you if keep on uttering English words!
No way! Kaukaukaukaukaukaukaukaukaukaukaukaukaauu!!
Even with such a strange Stand-like screaming attack 4, no means no! Now look, didnt
the stray cat get scared and run into the alley!?
Its all Toumas fault!
Mine!?
3
4

This was spoken in English.

A reference to Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.

33

Gugyah!
The two shouted at each other in the summer evening.
Kamijou casually thought. How did the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma treat this girl?
was his question. There probably isnt a sure answer to those feelings.
That was happiness.
But at the same time, it was slightly lonesome.
After all, the girl was not looking at the current Kamijou. What made her completely at
ease and the person she wanted to show her extraordinary smile to was the pre-memory
loss Kamijou Touma.
It was a painful thing to say.
Even so, Kamijou still intended to struggle on.
Humph, the Japanese shamisen are made from torn off cat skins! Why must this
country only do harsh things to cats!?
Dont overtly criticize other countries cultures, you idiot! In fact, dont you English
folks also love to gather together and chase down foxes, right!?
Wha... Fox hunting is the Great Britains tradition and pride!
Shouting halfway, Index suddenly noticed something and moved away.
W-What? The cat? Youve gone back to that cat from earlier!?
Kamijou looked around. However, the shadow of the cat couldnt be seen.
Thats strange, Touma it seems that a flow of magic power is being gathered nearby.
Index stared at Kamijou and muttered.
...The attribute is earth, color is green. This ritual... uses the earth as a medium to
introduce magic power and acts through conscious intervention...
It seemed like a monologue of the contents of her deep thought were leaving her mouth.
What the hell? As Kamijou examined the situation, Index spoke one word.
...Runes?

34

Spinning around and showing a sharp glint in her eyes reminiscent of the cutting edge of
a knife, Index began to run vigorously towards the back alley of the gap between the
buildings on the side of the road.
W-, hey, Index!
It looks like someone has set up a magic circle. Ill go investigate it Touma, so go back
first! As soon as she said that, Indexs figure disappeared into the interior of the back
alley.
She told me to go back first, but
Kamijou thought that she was quite the mysterious girl. He thought it but he could not
simply leave her behind. This was because a girl went into a really shady back alley by
herself. He thought her encounter rate with an incident was like in a mid-grade RPG of
poor quality.
Misfortune reared its head again and Kamijou sighed.
He raised his foot to follow her into the alley. But, at the same instant, a voice came from
behind him.
Its been a while, Kamijou Touma.
His foot, about to step into the alley, stopped.
It was because he heard the words Its been a while. For Kamijou, those were
essentially taboo. He remembered information like the Japanese language or first
grade mathematics. However his recollections were different. He remembered nothing,
not even the trivial from when he bought a game to the important like how he scored on
his end-of term exams.
As he could not remember names and faces, hearing something like Its been a while
caused him to only give his most sincere false smile.
For the sake of protecting a certain girls happiness, Kamijou Touma would never let
others realize that he had lost his memories.
He turned to look behind him.
Ah.
As expected, Kamijou had no recollection of the man standing there.
He was more of a teenager than a man but for a man over two meters tall, the term
teenager could have been a stretch. He wore a black priests robe and, like Index, he
lacked the pale white skin of the Japanese.
35

Though he was a priest, the smell of perfume was overwhelming. His long hair was dyed
red, his ears were pierced, every one of his fingers was decorated by rings and under his
right eye was a barcode tattoo. This fallen impression he gave was like that of a depraved
monk or even a heretic.
He couldnt possibly recall him. Or rather, he didnt want to recall this boy.
Humph. Not even a greeting, even though we havent met for a while? Hm, thats fine
too. Thats how our relationship should be. We cant just act like comrades after working
together once. The priest with the foul smelling perfume spoke earnestly.
(Just what is this guy...?)
While pondering the strange existence of the priest in front of his eyes, Kamijou felt
more of a strong sense of discomfort towards the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma who
was acquainted with this suspicious-looking human....
Kamijou glanced and ran towards the back alley in his line of sight. Index had jumped
into that alley all by herself. He was too busy to waste any leisure time with this
suspicious priest...
Ah, dont worry about that girl. I just used Opila runes over there so she probably just
detected the flow of magic power and went to take a look.
Kamijou was stunned.
Runic magic. A magical language that the Germanic people adopted in the second
century A.D. Essentially, they were words of power such as Kenaz. With Kenaz on
paper, flames would form over.
(Whats going on?)
Kamijous throat couldnt even make any voice.
It was not because of the priest in front of his eyes talking about some strange runic
magic.
It was because such ridiculous knowledge flowed naturally from his own head without
any sense of discomfort.
It was clearly abnormal. It was like running a rusted motorbike into the middle of a clear
river, like a gaping-wide hole in a world devoid of abnormalities.
It had mixed into a world where green meant go and text messages cost money. The
abnormality was mixing together with everyday life!
What kind of world did the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma live in?
36

For the first time, Kamijou Touma trembled at the true nature of his own self.
Hm?
The scented priest seemed to see something in Kamijous eyes and closed one eye and
smiled.
Kamijou couldnt understand what was going on. He couldnt even afford to match a
conversation with others. He could only ambiguously smile and suppress the nebulous
feeling. As Kamijou smiled, the red-haired priest pulled out what appeared to be a card
and spoke.
Stop smiling all the time. Do you want me to kill you?
The red-haired priests smile was like melted wax, as his face extended sideways.
A chill.
The knowledge that the pre-memory loss Kamijou had was telling him that there was
danger.
Without having the time to think, Kamijou raised his right hand.
Quickly raising his right hand before his own eyes, as if he were blocking light shining
into eyes, at the same instant, flames burst out of the priests right hand. As if gasoline
was spewing out from within the priests hand, in that moment a shining crimson flame
sword was produced.
The priest did not wait even one second.
Without any hesitation at all, without a shred of mercythe flame sword was vigorously
swung down towards Kamijous face.
The instant the flame sword clashed, it simultaneously swelled up and exploded like a
balloon and the flames scattered all around. The atrocious sound of the flames
absorbing oxygen echoed. The three thousand degrees Celsius flaming hell that formed a
vortex that enveloped all nearby exhausted itself.
With a boom, the flames did not completely stop. They shined but, in an instant,
extinguished as if freezing and then breaking.
Ha hah
Kamijou didnt frantically lower the right hand that had protected his face as he
continued with his heavy breathing.
Imagine Breaker.
37

The unusual power of unknown identity that dwelled in Kamijous right hand. Whether
it was a supernatural power or even one of Gods miracles, it would be negated on
contact.
Hah hah!
Seeing the stiff, trembling, and immobile Kamijou, the priest finally smiled.
Thats it. That face. Shouldnt the relationship between Kamijou Touma and Stiyl
Magnus be like this? Dont make me repeat myself, our relationship isnt such that we
could call each other comrade after working together once.
The priests smile stretched larger as if it would rupture and melt.
However, Kamijou couldnt respond. It was not that he feared the abnormal power that
dwelled within him. Neither did he fear the priest named Stiyl Magnus. Indeed, there
was but one issue.
What bothered him was that he could actually respond in time to block the attack, a
flame sword at that without a thought. In other words, he feared his knowledge.
It was really scary.
What... are you
Kamijou frantically took two or three steps back because the knowledge of the prememory loss Kamijou Touma was telling him that his life was in danger.
Kamijou deduced that there was no spare time for him to be concerned with the enemy
within. Right now, he had to do something about the enemy on the outside.
doing? You bastard!!
Perhaps, as a result of the knowledge imprinted in his mind, Kamijou growled and
entered a fighting stance of no particular style. He was in fact quite surprised he was
accustomed to fighting.
On the other hand, the magician that looked like a priest chuckled.
Hm? I just want to tell you a secret.
(What nonsense are you spouting?)
Just as Kamijou was thinking that Stiyl pulled out an envelope.
It felt like it had a lot of information.
38

(Is he really thinking of giving me secrets?) Kamijou frowned. (This guy just created one
huge explosion on this one-direction three-lane road that as wide as a runway. And now
hes trying to tell me a secret?)
(?)
Thinking about that, Kamijou suddenly realized something.
There was a huge explosion, and yet the surroundings hadnt been involved in the
commotion.
(!?)
No. It was only now that Kamijou realized the truth.
Rather than a lack of commotion, there was a lack of people. On the said road as wide as
a runway, there were department stores lined up on either side. But, giving it thought,
there were no people or cars, only Kamijou and Stiyl.
The windmill turbines were still rattling, echoing through the empty street like a
skeleton laughing.
Far away, he could hear the siren ringing from the empty crossing.
I just said it before...
Perhaps trying to break the silence of the night coast, Stiyl chuckled.
...I used the Opila rune.
Ehwaz (Go), Stiyl said and flicked the large fan-mail like envelope from his hand with
his index finger. The thick envelope spun like a Frisbee and slowly landed on Kamijous
hands.
There were mysterious characters on the envelope, looking like they wanted to seal the
documents inside.
Gebo (Receive).
The moment Stiyl had muttered that, the words on the envelope started to glow. The
seal opened right down the middle as if it was sliced apart by a knife.
Do you know of a university prep school by the name of Misawa Cram School?
Stiyl asked as if singing. A vast number of documents flew out of the envelope one by
one, which likewise each seemingly having runes engraved on them, flew out of the
39

envelope and, almost like a magic carpet, only the needed documents gently floated in
front of Kamijous eyes.
Misawa?
Kamijou Touma had memory loss.
Not having any memories, he had no choice but to scan the name through his own
knowledge. However, he still had no impression of the name Misawa. It had seemed that
the pre-memory loss him lacked interest in university entrance exams.
It seemingly boasted to be the university prep school with the largest market share in
this country, you know?
Stiyl said with melancholy.
A university prep school, as the name may have implied, was tuition based. Repeat
students who failed their university entrance exams gathered there to study.
However, the university prep school in Academy City had another meaning. It was to
provide to those individuals who already had the potential to enter college but chose to
spend a year to study.
A piece of paper floated in front of Kamijou.
It seemed that Misawa Cram School held not only university prep schools but active
prep schools for those students yet to take an exam.
...So, why are you telling me about this Misawa Cram School? Is there a discount
offered when you introduce it to friends?
Kamijou asked Stiyl with a look that obviously showed that he didnt trust him.
That was because he couldnt imagine any relationship that priest that reeked of cologne
would have with a prep school.
Its like this, Stiyl nonchalantly explained, A girl was imprisoned there, and its my
duty to save her.
Stunned, Kamijou stared at Stiyl.
It wasnt because of the scary word imprisoned, but because he was suspecting
whether that man was serious. Of course, even if Stiyl was crazy, it was nothing to
Kamijou. However, that guy could use flames like weapons, so it would be dangerous if
he went berserk.
Hm, I thought that you would understand if I showed you the information.
40

Stiyl lifted his index finger up. The envelope that was in Kamijous hands let out printing
paper that continued to fly around Kamijou like snowflakes.
One of them was the rough sketch of Misawa Cram School.
However, apparently there was a discrepancy with the sketch of the drawing in regards
to the exact size of the drawing when comparing measures with infrared and ultrasonic
scans taken from the outside. It was obvious that there were irregular hidden rooms in
several places as if the building was worm-eaten.
The second was a chart of Misawa Cram Schools electricity bill.
However, after examining the charge for all of the rooms and all of the electrical goods,
the charges did not match up. It was obvious that a large amount of electricity was being
used in this building as if it was being hidden from human eyes.
The next one was a checklist of people going in and out of Misawa Cram School.
However, it was clear that both students and teachers were purchasing large number of
groceries. Some investigators pretending to be garbage collectors examined the interior
of all of the garbage cans but the numbers there did not match up either. It was obvious
that someone in the building was living off the food being brought in.
And the last sheet of paper was
A report of a sighting a month ago, regarding a girl walking into the Misawa Cram
School building.
According to the student dormitory manager, from then on the girl never returned to
her room.
As of now, it seems that Misawa Cram School has turned into a new religion that is
centered on Science Worship, Stiyl said nonchalantly.
Science Worship? Kamijou frowned in surprise.
Youre, talking about those things, right? Beliefs such as Gods true identity being that
of an alien that came aboard a UFO or trying to make a clone using the DNA of a saint,
right...?
The idea that science and religion didnt mix was rather shallow. In the western world,
there were many doctors and scientists who were Christians.
However, if such a relationship were forced, it was a fact that there would be a lot of
terrible things. Besides, it was common for those people that had the most advanced
technology to produce poison gas and explosives.
41

Academy City, which was the leading power in scientific technology and also a learning
and education hub, would normally be extremely careful with such science and religious
stuff. Besides, if the places that were supposed to be for educational purposes had some
problems, the place would immediately become a brainwashing plant.
I dont know what theyre teaching. Honestly, Im not even going to pretend to know
what kind of religious cult that Misawa Cram School has degenerated into. As of the
current time, it has already been dissolved.
?
To put it a bit more extreme, Stiyl continued on, not looking like he cared much,
Misawa Cram School got taken over. The science-crazy, bogus religious group was
consumed by a real, authentic magicianno, an alchemist of the Zurich school, to be
precise.
An authentic one?
Yeah, I know it sounds suspicious coming from me but... wait a minute.
What is it?
Since when did you become so perspective? Are you basically ignoring me because
you dont understand at all?
Kamijou was shocked.
It wasnt like what Stiyl was saying was off-mark. He was truly listening to Stiyl and was
trying to understand and respond to the unfamiliar terms.
But it was because he did so that Stiyl felt that something was amiss.
It was as if a certain person had realized that the current Kamijou Touma was somewhat
different from the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma.
(Dont realize it, dont realize it!)
The current Kamijou didnt know what relationship this magician had with that girl. But
no matter how distant their relationships were, Kamijou didnt want to let others know
that he had lost his memories.
Kamijou saw it. He saw it in the hospital room. He saw the girl in the white nuns habit
crying. The tears of happiness for the boy who was treated as the pre-memory loss
Kamijou Touma.
He could not allow that girls salvation to be destroyed.
42

For this reason, Kamijou would deceive the world. He would even deceive himself.
What? You give me that just because I so happened to be listening attentively? Are you
a masochist or something? Are you the type that wants others to interrupt your words
left and right?
But right now, the current Kamijou didnt know how different he was from the prememory loss Kamijou. It was like walking while looking at a map; even though he knew
he was walking the wrong way, if he looked around and found desert everywhere, he
couldnt tell where the right path was.
For a while, Stiyl stared suspiciously at Kamijous face.
Fine, whatever. Its not a problem that this conversation is going well anyway.
Stiyl finally reverted back to the original conversation.
The main point is the reasons why that alchemist took over Misawa Cram School. Of
course, the simplest reason is that he probably feels that its convenient to just use
Misawa Cram School as a base. Most of the students may not have realized that the
principal of this prep school has changed.
However, Stiyl then exhaled lightly and said, The most important reason why the
alchemist took over was Deep Blood who was captured Misawa Cram School.
Deep Blood?
Kamijou had never heard of that name before, and neither did he have any such
knowledge about that. However, the name itself already sounded terrifying.
Originally, it seems that Misawa Cram School confined her to perform the duties of a
shrine maiden. In actuality, their idea wasnt wrong. Its a viable method to use a shrine
maiden as a sacrifice to summon higher level beings.

But this Deep Blood was already targeted by the alchemist, its just that Misawa Cram
School took her away first. No, perhaps to him, it cant be helped. His original plan
should be to abduct the Deep Blood without anyone noticing and escape Academy City.
However, because the Misawa Cram School blew things out of proportions, his plans
were ruined.
So he forcefully took back what belongs to him from Misawa Cram School?
It was like a master thief making all sorts of preparations to steal something from an art
gallery, only for terrorists to occupy the building. The thief then stole the painting he
had wanted to steal from those destructive maniacs who didnt understand the value of
43

those paintings, only to find that the art gallery had been packed with police. Unable to
do anything, the master thief then had to build a barricade at the entrance of the art
gallery and hide inside.
Thats right. For the alchemist, the acquisition of that would be his dearest wish.... No.
If I say that, in that case it would be better to say that it is the dearest wish for the
entirety of magicians. Or maybe even all of humanity.
???
Kamijou had no idea what he was talking about and made and revealed a puzzled face.
Its an ability thats purpose is to kill a certain living thing. No, not only that. It offers
the only chance of capturing that certain creature alive to prove its existence.
Kamijou still didnt understand.
Well, if I have to use Christian terminology, this certain creature is known as Cains
descendant. Stiyl chuckled, and then he said in a whisper, Basically, theyre vampires.
He finally said it.
Are you kidding me?
Hearing such words, that was the first response Kamijou gave.
Vampires. Kamijou didnt know where the legend about them originally started.
However, according to the depiction in games and manga
Vampires were afraid of crosses and sunlight.
Vampires would die when they were hammered with a stake.
Vampires would be reduced to ash after they died.
Those bitten by vampires would become vampires.
...He only knew those facts. And, for some reason, the information that Kamijou knew
were from manga and games (and fighting games at that). In reality, the cross was
useless.
Those who can think that its a joke are considered lucky.
Stiyl gnashed his teeth and looked away.
As of then, the flame manipulating magician seemed to fear something.
44

Humph. Since Deep Blood exists in order to kill vampires, the talk cant continue if
there are no vampires to be killed. Its like how the bad guys exist for the sake of the
ally of justice. Its a vicious cycle but this is absolute. ...Well, if possible I dont want to
admit it.
...What do you mean? Do these fictional vampires actually exist?
Kamijous heart was still denying it.
However, the man in front of him was still as stern as ever, making him unable to brush
that off.
Nobody has ever seen a vampire, Stiyl Magnus looked like the embodiment of selfconfidence as he said in a chant like tone, Because everyone who saw one died.

Of course, Im not going to believe in such things so easily. The troublesome thing is
that nobody ever saw a vampire before, but the existence of Deep Blood confirms the
existence of a vampire. Nobody knows how strong they are, nobody knows how many
there are, nobody knows where they are, nobody knows nobody knows nobody knows
How can we deal with them when we dont even know anything about them?
Stiyl continued to chant on, but Kamijou, who still couldnt accept the term vampire,
still couldnt understand anything about that. In the end, he could only think that it was
like they were dealing with hidden terrorists all over the world.
But on the other hand, its because no one knows about the truth behind them that
theres all sorts of unknown possibility.
Stiyl sneered cynically.
Kamijou Touma, have you heard of the Tree of Sephirot? I suppose you havent,
right?
Do you think that you can ruin my pride like that?
Whatever. Anyways, the Tree of Sephirot depicts the soul level of God, angels and
humans on a class status diagram. To put it simply, humans can climb up the ranks by
training, but at some point, they wont be able to climb up any higher.
Youre treating me like an idiot, arent you? What are you trying to say?
Is your pride hurt? What Im trying to say is there are some disciplines that humans
cant reach no matter how much they try. However, humans do want to continue their
ascent no matter what. Magicians became magicians because they want to surpass a
humans limits. If so, what must humans do to surpass this limit? Stiyls expression
45

looked like he was about to rip his sneering expression apart. Its simple. They just
need to borrow the power of anything other than humans.
Kamijou couldnt say anything.
The so-called vampires are immortal. Even if you stab their gouged out hearts with a
magic sword they can continue to live. When alls said and done, I wonder if a living
magic tool can still feel things? Stiyl easily continued, The authenticity of the words is
not important. Even if there was a slight possibility, the scholar would test it.
In other words, this was what Stiyl meant.
The existence of the vampires wasnt important. What was important was that some
people believed that they did exist and made a fuss out of it. Since someone blew things
up, someone else would have to settle it. That was the crux of the situation.
In other words, nobody knows whether vampires exist or not, right?
It was common to see it in action films; a bunch of people fighting over some ancient
treasure that nobody knew whether it existed or not. However, it was stupid for such
things to happen in real life.
Thats because, dealing with the existences that we dont know if they truly exist is
originally our job. Stiyl chuckled cynically. It looks like both Misawa Cram School and
the alchemist were serious. They seriously want to have discussions with a vampire. For
that purpose, they needed the essential trump card called Deep Blood.

Even so do you know about Deep Bloods past? Its rumored that the girl originally used
to live in a mountain village in Kyoto. But, one day, the village was annihilated. The last
villager who reported on the case was seemingly in a state of disarray, saying that a
monster would kill him. When the rescue arrived, all they found was an empty village, a
single girl standing completely still and fiercely blowing white ash as if it were a blizzard
seemingly covering the entire village, or so it was said.
Ash.
It was said that vampires would turn into ash after they died.
Its true that vampires are existences that we dont know if they truly exist.. But try to
think about it more carefully. Deep Blood is the power to kill vampires. If thats the
case, Deep Blood must first encounter vampires in order to work. As for those who wish
to encounter vampires by all possible means, the best way is to restrain Deep Blood But
then, the big question is how to control the possessor of the absolute power to kill
vampires.
46

It was a completely supernatural discussion.

It was dangerous to listen on, Kamijous instincts were telling him. If he continued to
listen to that person, his common sense would be twisted. And Kamijou had a
premonition that if that kept up, it may end up in a state where he couldnt reverse it.
In order to end that conversation, he clearly raised a suspicion.
Alright, you told me so many secrets, what do you want to tell me now?
Ah, thats right. We dont have much time, so lets end this quick. Stiyl nodded twice
and said, Basically, I have to charge into Misawa Cram School and save Deep Blood.
Kamijou simply nodded in response.
Dont nod away like that. Youre coming with me.
..
Huh!? Bastard, what did you just say!?
That was an accurate description of the situation. Also, the conversation just now was
the briefing. Do you still remember everything? The papers are engraved with the Kenaz
flame runes and are due to burn up after you see them so itll be bad if you forget.
Wai!
(Are you kidding me!?)
This Stiyl in front of him was a person whose power was most suited for killing and was
a merciless killer. If he was going into some enemy alchemists stronghold, it wouldnt
be surprising to see him get involved in a killer incident.
Also, one more thing, Stiyl casually replied, I suppose you dont have any rights to
refuse. If you dont obey, well take away Index from you.
!
For some reason, those words were etched deeply inside Kamijou.
The knowledge was afraid. The remnants of the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma
seemed to be afraid of something.
Necessarius has given you the role of being shackles for the purpose of preventing
Index, whose collar has been removed, from betraying the organization. However, if in
the case that you alone dont abide by the will of the Church, your effectiveness cannot
be anticipated. Stiyl sighed. But well, if you become of no more use to the Church,
47

personally it would be very good for me. Id really thank you if you could do it. As there
is no meaning in having useless shackles, I would also retrieve that girl without
hesitation.
That was a threat.
If he didnt obey, they would take that girl away from him.

He was trembling. His heart was beating away like a wooden stake being hammered in.
Kamijou Touma didnt have any memories. The one who had met that girl was the prememory loss Kamijou Touma, and it had nothing to do with the current him. The reason
why his heart was beating so crazily and his brain was unable to think must have been
because of the remains of the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma, and it had nothing to
do with the current him.
But
For some reason
Bastard. Are you serious?
Why did he believe so strongly that his anxiety was a correct response?
Kamijou wondered.
It was true that Index first met the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma, and the one Index
trusted and smiled at wasnt the Kamijou who was currently standing there
But even so, it was alright.
He once saw the girl in the white room, crying as she saw the battered and fatigued
Kamijou.
In order not to make her cry.
Even if he had to fool the entire world, even himself, it was alright. Kamijou already
swore to adhere to his own lie!
Humph.
Stiyl nonchalantly looked away.
His expression was like an actors whose role got stolen; it was inexplicable.

48

If you want to deal with me, wait until we deal with the alchemist hidden in Misawa
Cram School first. Also, I forgot to mention it, Deep Bloods real name is Himegami Aisa.
Theres a photo here, and its best that you take a look. Itll be bad if you cant even
remember the face of the person youre going to save.
A photo slipped out of the envelope.
The photo seemed to be powered by Stiyls runes as well as it danced in the air and
stopped right in front of Kamijou.
Kamijou stared at the photo.
(Deep Blood. What kind of face does the esper that holds such a dangerous name have?)
There he found the face of the shrine maiden he had met during the day.
Eh?
Kamijous breathing froze.
The person in the photo, which looked like it was and ID photo taken from a student
handbook and then enlarged, was certainly Himegami Aisaand the face of the shrine
maiden he had met during the day.
Kamijou recalled what Stiyl had said.
Originally, it seems that Misawa Cram School confined her to perform the duties of
a shrine maiden
He recalled what the girl had said during the day.
Im not a shrine maiden.
Kamijou recalled what the magician had said.
A girl was imprisoned there, and its my duty to save her.
He had remembered Himegami Aisas words.
Mm, theyre cram school teachers.
!
(But why?)

49

Kamijou wondered. According to Stiyls explanation, Himegami Aisa should be

imprisoned in Misawa Cram School. If that shrine maiden really was Deep Blood, why
could she enter a fast food restaurant and eat hamburgers?
Train fare back home, four hundred yen.
(Did she escape?)
The only possible reason why the imprisoned Himegami Aisa would be outside was
because she had escaped from Misawa Cram School.
My total fortune, three hundred yen.
If that was the case, it could explain why Himegami had so little money on her. Besides,
if she had escaped without bringing much money then the money would gradually be
less if she took trains and buses.
But why did she appear at a fast food restaurant, Kamijou wondered. Since she escaped
from Misawa Cram School, how could she be standing around over there?
Frustration meal.
Ah!
Suddenly, Kamijou recalled that.
What if, she couldnt run any further because she ran out of money? When she couldnt
run any further, was she at least trying to make a final memory?
The girl wished for a hundred yen.
So if she just had a hundred yen more, she could escape from the control of Misawa
Cram School?
In that case.
The girls one and only wish.
Who the hell was the idiot who refused her?
So thats why Im having a frustration meal.
Damn it
Also, Himegami didnt resist when she was surrounded by the cram school teachers.
Obviously, she must have wanted to resist. How could she be so willing to go back like
that after escaping from Misawa Cram School?
50

Anyone else would have chosen to run away.

If she hadnt been able to escape with her own power, she would have asked others for
help.
However
Asking for help would mean that, the people who were asked to help would get involved.
Damn it all!!
Kamijou was extremely unhappy about it. He was so frustrated that he couldnt think.
He was outraged that Misawa Cram School didnt treat that girl as a human and locked
her up. He was revolted at the alchemist who had snatched the girl away. He was
infuriated by Stiyl who had said that Deep Blood was the ace used to keep the vampires
in check.
But the one that Kamijou was extremely vexed about was Himegami Aisa who had
sacrificed herself to save Kamijou.
Thats because this was wrong. If Kamijou had just given her a hundred yen, he could
have changed the girls fate. However, the girl was actually willing to sacrifice all the
hard work she put in to escape from Misawa Cram School just to save a boy who sent her
back into despair. That was wrong.
He did not know what type of new religion it was. But she was just a single girl. He
could not imagine what sort of treatment someone confined to such a place would
receive. He did not want to imagine it.
That pain was originally something Kamijou was supposed to taste.
(Dont just involuntarily burden yourself)
Kamijou bit his lips, and the taste of blood was felt on his canines.
(with someone elses misfortune!)
In reality, this was the root of Kamijous frustration, a fact that made his mind boil.
Kamijou didnt have any memories.
However, how Himegami viewed herself was that she had always felt that it was alright
even though everyone was treating her as a tool.
Ignoring her own pain to help others, and thinking that this was a form of happiness.
A girl who could still smile even after taking the pain from others.
51

In the past, Kamijou had seemed to meet such a girl before. Why couldnt he remember?
Kamijou was really vexed with himself.
He had to save her.
What should he say? Kamijou Touma wasnt going to be able to relieve the anger in him
if he didnt punch that selfish and stubborn Himegami Aisa.

Between the Lines 1

The girl was standing in the middle of the sea of ash.
It was a story of ten years ago.
One of the thirteen Knight Squads of England, 1st-Lancer, was assigned the mission of
gathering enemy information before any others.
This time, the enemy territory was a mountain village located at Kyoto. They had to find
the reason why the magical flow had become abnormally large, and eliminate any
threatening things. That was their main aim.
It had been over six hours since they lost contact with the village.
It had been over three hours since the police who went there to investigate
disappeared.
As every member of the squad could guess, the village in question was completely
wrecked. However, that wasnt something rare to them. England had the British
Museum which was known as the Arsenal. That bloody altar contained spiritual
treasures stolen from all over the world.
Compared to the raging soul of some ancient emperor that resided in some treasure,
that mission wasnt too dangerous.
In fact, the supplied equipment were also the usual Surgical Armor and cross-shaped
spears; not even Longinus Replicas. Though the Surgical Armor were simply defenses
possessing magical power that increased the bearers mobility by twenty-fold, they were
still first class spiritual items that their superiors saw as more than enough.
However, there was something everyone was curious about.
The last survivor who called said something like this
Help me... thats not... human thats
52

Of course, nobody had believed him.

The higher-ups of the Church didnt believe that, and didnt give the knights proper
equipment.
But the truth was, all of the members of the veteran 1st-Lancer were feeling an
unpleasant pressure somewhere within them.
Though there were many remaining records in the British Museum, nobody had actually
seen it before, and nobody caught that certain creature. As for this creature, it seemed to
exist for some reason, it was a mystery as to why so many people wouldnt admit its
existence.
That was because if they had admitted that such a creature existed, the world would
have been destroyed.
The terrifying thing wasnt the power of this certain creature. If they couldnt match its
power, humans could use ways other than brute force to beat them. They could also
create all sorts of tools and weapons to beat them.
The terrifying thing wasnt the immortality of the certain creature. If they couldnt even
kill the enemy, they just had to find ways other than killing them to beat them. For
example, they could just freeze them under the ice of Antarctica or dice the immortal
flesh up into two hundred pieces and stuff them into bottles.
Those werent the problems.
The problem was the rumored vast amount of magic power those certain creatures had.
The magic power in magic was gasoline, to put it simply. By refining the crude oil in the
body such as lifespan and life-force, one would produce the easy to use gasoline. For
humans, who had limited lifespan from the very beginning, the differences between
strong and weak magic were nothing more than differences between skillful and
unskillful refining.
However, it was different for those certain creatures.
Fundamentally, the digits of the lifespan and life-force being used as crude oil was
different. No, rather than a difference of digits, their life-force was literally infinite. Of
course, this also lead to a difference in the amount of usable magic. A pistol with a
limited number of bullets could not compete with an endless missile attack.
Thus, the members were just laughing at their insecurity, but they couldnt get rid of it
completely.
Just like that, he passed through mountains and reached that age-forgotten village. Just
as they saw the scene over there, their hearts felt like they were squashed.
53

Pure white ash was spread all around.

That seemingly age-forgotten Eastern wasteland was covered by a layer of white ash like
snow. The roofs of the huts, the earth in the fields, the narrow channels were all covered
with a layer of ash.
Ash.
Was that the remains of those certain creatures?
But that wasnt what they were shocked by. If they were real corpses, the number
definitely wouldnt be limited to just ten or twenty. But looking at that amount of ash,
the members were unable to believe their eyes.
In the middle of it all stood a girl.
She was an Eastern black-haired girl, about five or six years old. But on seeing that cute
face of hers, the knights who specialized in eliminating radicals still couldnt stop their
hearts from beating wildly.
Because among the scene of dancing ash, where the remnants of the certain creature
formed a living hell
That girl still remained unharmed.
The wind started to blow, and the ash started to rise.
The ash that covered the entire wasteland scattered about, but only the area around the
girl wasnt affected by what seemed like a holy sanctuary. It felt like the dead ash was
still afraid of her and was trying to avoid her.
I
The girl spoke.
I killed again.
It was like she was describing her everyday life.

54

CHAPTER 2
The Witch-Hunter Moves Along With the Flames.
By_The_Holy_Rood...

Part 1
Kamijou stared at the expression of this girl called Index.
His knowledge was complaining. She had a perfect memory, which meant she wouldnt
forget anything she memorized. It was because of that that she was able to memorize
103,000 grimoires.
However, that ability could be a double-edged sword. If she couldnt forget, it meant
that she wouldnt be able forget what she wanted to forget. All the meaningless
memories, from a department store brochure three years ago to everyones face in a
peak hour, would be stored in her brain, and she couldnt forget to erase them.
Thus, she had to use magic to wipe her memories once every year. If she didnt do that,
she would die of the overwhelming burden in her brain. But right now, she was smiling
in a carefree manner beside Kamijou.
According to her, the one who saved her from that predicament was Kamijou himself.
However, Kamijou couldnt remember what he had been thinking or what he did.
Then, Kamijou started to think.
He just said goodbye to Stiyl and brought Index back to the dorm. But next, Kamijou
had to head to the battlefield called Misawa Cram School.
Of course, he definitely couldnt bring Index along. If so, it was best that he not tell
Index that he was going to the Misawa Cram School.
But if he couldnt come up with a reason to get out of the house, Index may start to feel
suspicious and perhaps even want to come along.
Touma?
His palms were sweaty.
55

It was a precarious situation. No matter what, he must never let Index come along.
Hey, Touma?
If so, it was obvious what he had to do.
Right now, Kamijou had to hide his insecurities, and launch a barrage of attacks.
Im going off to that Super High-Tech Primary Culture Institution for a bit. Eh? You
want to go too? I dont think so! Youre not good with machines and dont know how to
use the Super Magnetic Equation Cerebral Cortex Detector! Youll get trapped by the
doors auto-lock! Since its Security Level 4, if they examine your Base and find an
unregistered Exon, youll get Biri Birid. Biri Biri Minus Ion Beam!!
Gyawaah!
As expected, under the bombardment of technobabble, Indexs head was letting out
steam.
That was to be expected. Besides, Index, who didnt have any knowledge of modern
technology, may nod her head back in response when she would hear a vending machine
at a train station say welcome.
Then Ill say this first. Dinners in the fridge, just microwave it and you can eat it. Dont
put the spoon in the microwave, or youll start a fire. And dont you open the freezer
door to cool yourself.
Eh? Ah, uu I dont seem to be really capable of using a microwave.
Maybe one may suspect how one could misuse a microwave. However, Index did
microwave a sauce pack of a convenience store bento, and it exploded. She also had
tried to heat up a half-boiled egg, and it exploded. She had even microwaved a bento for
too long, and it exploded. In the end, it seemed to her that no matter how she used the
microwave oven, it would explode. Perhaps she thought that using a microwave was a
sure-fire way for an explosion.
(Seems like shes not suspecting anything at all.)
Kamijou stared at Index, who was staring at the microwave and narrowing her wide eyes,
giving the look that she wouldnt fail again. He heaved a sigh of relief.
Then, he realized it.
Hey! Whats hidden inside your clothes? More accurately, near the stomach!
Eh?
56

Index froze.
She turned to Kamijou and said, No, nothing at all!? I swear upon our Father in Heaven
that sisters dont tell lies!
The moment she said finished, the abnormally large stomach let out a mi cat cry.
Guruahh! Was that all your piety was worth? Didnt you just break the oath you made
with all of your heart!? Hurry up and get that stray cat hidden in your clothes out!
Perhaps it was because he was talking to Stiyl and was too nervous that he didnt notice
it. It was likely that the reason Index had stayed in the alley for so long wasnt that she
wanted to look for the source of the rune, but rather that she wanted to look for that
stray cat.
Uu! T-Touma, this piece of clothing is called the Walking Church, right?
So what?
And a church should open its arms without any conditions to any lost sheep! Therefore,
I will protect Sphinx, who was lost on the streets, Amen.

Kamijous lips seemed somewhat numb as he said, So, you mean that youll raise the
cat inside the clothes, right? I understand! So the kitty litter and its excrement will be
shoved down your collar, right?

Th-thats fine! Ive decided that Sphinx will be sheltered by the church!
Uwaah! To the person who thinks before she acts, at least consider the one being taken
care of!
Its all right as long as I treat it as family!
I dont want to be treated like a dad by the cat!
Though he really didnt want to do it, Kamijou really felt like dumping the cat while
heading to Misawa Cram School No, he actually wanted to do it, but if he really did so,
Index would want to get the cat back and would keep following Kamijou all the way.

58

Idiot, Touma is an idiot! Ill raise this child!

Say that when you can earn money for yourself.
But dont worry! Even though I called you an idiot, it was only in hiragana! 5
Listen to me! Or rather, I have no idea what youre saying!
But on the other hand, if he agreed to it, Index would agree to him.
(What can I say, such misfortune.)
Kamijou sighed. Calculating the funds needed to raise the cat, it seemed necessary to
reduce the number of meals each day. Truly, why did Index choose this time to adopt a
cat?
...Fine.
Hm? Touma? What did you say?
............Guess theres no choice. Lets keep it.
But, well...
It seemed that those few words could make Index cry out tears of joy. It was worth it to
be able to see Index show such an expression.
He thought so, however...
Ahh, our Father in Heaven! Your warm light of love has finally reached the heartless,
cruel, cold-blooded, snake-eyed Toumas heart! Thank you for saving this stray cats
innocent soul, I wont forget this for the rest of my life.
Something prevented Kamijou Touma from being fully satisfied.

Part 2
After exiting the dormitory room, he saw Stiyl, who he had said goodbye to a while back,
scattering card-like things all over the place.
What are you doing?
5

This joke only makes sense when viewing the original Japanese text. Index calls Touma an idiot and is written in
the text using hiragana as opposed to kanji. Index seems to think that it lessens her insult. Of course, there's no
way Kamijou can know what she is talking about.

59

As you can see, I am building a temple in this place by putting barrier. Stiyl said as he
worked. While we are being occupied at Misawa Cram School, I cant make a definite
promise that some other magician wont lay their hands on Index. Well, even though I
think it is a mere consolation, I feel more optimistic leaving Innocentius behind in order
to buy that girl enough time to run away.
Innocentius.
Though Kamijou didnt have any memory, his knowledge was telling him that that was a
humanoid-shaped ultimate weapon made of three thousand degrees Celsius flames that
had automatic tracking ability. The weakness was
It can only be used inside the barrier of scattered runes and will be unable to maintain
its form if the runes are destroyed, is it?
Ill tell you this, Upon his words, Stiyls ears twitched. That does not mean my true
strength is inferior to you in any way. It was only because by chance there was a
geographical problem. If there were no sprinklers in that place then...
Eh? Did we fight before?
Kamijou only had knowledge and no memories. Therefore, even though he knew how to
beat Innocentius, he didnt know where that knowledge came from.
Ku So you meant that that incident had no value in remembering? Seemingly
misunderstanding, Stiyl continued on, Fine then, I wont squabble with you over that.
After I stick this rune up, the boundary will be complete, and we can head towards
Misawa Cram School How troublesome. I have to set up a boundary to keep off
magicians, but I cant make it too strong or else that girl will notice it.
Despite muttering a complaint, Stiyl looked very happy somehow.
Thus, Kamijou somewhat realized something.
Do you like Index?
Buh!? Stiyl blushed as if his heart had stopped. W-W-what are you suggesting all of a
sudden!? Sh-Shes a target of protection and in n-no way an object of romantic
interest!
Kamijou chuckled and ended the conversation.
That was because Kamijou felt that if he continued to delve deeper into that, he would
be digging into his own grave. The main point wasnt whether the current Kamijou
Touma liked Index or not, but that the current Kamijous feelings mustnt be any
different from the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma.
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Kamijou didnt know how the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma viewed Index nor how
he had interacted with her.
If Kamijou said anything now that conflicted with the pre-memory loss him, Stiyl would
realize that he had lost his memory.
(Its like there are two of me)
Kamijou sighed deeply in his heart. It wasnt really accurate to say that there were two of
him. It felt more like ridiculous joke where an imposter that had changed places and was
desperately acting like the real one.
Before we charge into Misawa Cram School, lets talk about our enemy.
Stiyl said that, perhaps trying to prevent Kamijou from asking on.
As they exited the student dormitory and walked on the night street, Kamijou listened to
Stiyls description.
The enemys name is Aureolus Izzard.
Stiyl first introduced the enemys name.
Speaking of Aureolus, theres a person youd think of hm? What, are you surprised
after hearing an excessively famous name? But he is simply a descendant and doesnt
have power to the extent that is heard in the legends.
? Who is this Aureolus?
...I see. You are completely unfamiliar with magic side. But even so, you have at least
heard things about Paracelsus, right?
???
Ku... Hes the most famous alchemist in the world! said Stiyl impatiently.
While walking down the evening street, Kamijou asked, So, is this guy absurdly strong?
The August sunset was burning. The large number of windows, windmill turbines,
everything was dyed orange red. Kamijou thought that it looked just like a faded
photograph. Perhaps that was because their conversation didnt seem so realistic.
That itself isnt a big deal... But, whats worrying is that he might possess something to
subjugate Deep Blood. I dont want to consider it but... the worst case scenario is that he
might be using Deep Blood to tame those certain creatures.

61

More than Aureolus Izzard, it seemed like Stiyl was more mindful about those creatures.
But Kamijou couldnt really understand. Even if the conditions were unique, he
shouldnt be treating the enemys ability as second priority.
Oi, is that alright? I dont know how irregular those vampires and Deep Blood are but
shouldnt we give priority to the enemy leader? When fighting in the scene of a fire, the
opponent will give a hard blow if we only focus on the sea of flames.
Hm? Ahh, if thats the case, there is no need to worry about it. Aureolus name may be
first-class but their power has become weak. In the first place, there is no occupation of
alchemist in the magical world. Stiyl spoke nonchalantly. Divination, Alchemy,
Summoning. These sound like your worlds Language, Mathematics and History.
Language teachers wouldnt try to abolish Mathematics, right? In order to call oneself a
magician, the standard is to generally dabble in everything and afterwards discover a
specialty that suits themselves.
Stiyl also mentioned that the reason Aureolus Izzard had become an alchemist was
because he wasnt talented enough for the other roles.
And also, alchemy is an incomplete field of research.

Even if Stiyl said so, Kamijou didnt have any idea of that at all. That was because to
Kamijou, alchemy was only a fraud that was widespread in the sixteenth century and
would come up with scams to fool royalty and other sorts of knowledge similar to a
history calendar.
Alchemyespecially the late Zurich branch of alchemy can be said to be a subset of the
Hermes school. Normally speaking, the main motivations are to turn lead into gold and
create an elixir of immortality, and so on
Stiyl sounded unmotivated, perhaps because it was out of his scope of expertise.
Those were nothing more than experiments. Theyre like what youd call a scientist;
always looking for theorems or laws. Scientists dont care about what they get from
the test tube because it wasnt their aim. Its the same as that. The true nature of
alchemists is not to create but to know.
...Its like how Einstein was only researching on the Theory of Relativity, and the atomic
bomb was just a by-product of the research?
If one viewed it from that angle, scholars were really arrogant, never thinking of what
their creations would do to society.

62

Thats right. But, besides researching the formula and principle, alchemists have an
ultimate goal. Stiyl paused. To be able to simulate the entire world in ones head.
...
If one can understand all the laws of the world, one can imagine the world in the brain.
Of course, if even a single law is wrong, the simulated world in the brain will have flaws.
??? What do you mean by that? Are you talking about a Dummy Skill?
It was said that on the primitive islands in the South Pacific like Fiji and Melanesia, one
had to have the talent to be able to accurately predict the weather the next day with just
a single glance to the sky in order to be a leader.
Though such weather forecast ability seemed esper-like, it was just a result of
calculating wind currents, cloud shapes, temperatures and humiditys in the brain. The
island leaders never realized that their brains were calculating. Instead, they believed
they listened to the voice of the wind to predict the weather.
What Stiyl meant was similar to that example in meaning.
It was true that in the leaders mind, they may have completely simulated tomorrows
weather. However, that imaginary world would be miles away from the actual one, if
there was a tiniest error in their supposedly-perfect formula.
...Hold on, but what can such an ability do? Are they trying to create some sort of
calculator that can get everything in the future like a weather report?
No.
Stiyl said nonchalantly.
What if they can bring out what they thought of into the real world?
That was really a shocking proclamation.
For example, spells that involve ectoplasm, or spells that uses Telesma to summon
angels; its not uncommon to see one pull the thoughts in the brain back to reality in the
magic world.
Stiyl folded his arms in front of his chest and said, Thus, its important to have an
ability to use the brain to accurately imagine the real world. Basically, with this power,
one can control the world. Any gods or devils will bow down to that person.
...Hey.

63

Of course, it is very difficult to do this. The flow of the river; the flow of clouds; the flow
of humans, the flow of bloodthere is a vast number of laws in the world. Amongst
them, if even one of them is incorrect it would not be possible to produce a world in the
head. A distorted world is the same as a distorted pair of wings because they would
immediately self-destruct and vanish.
(That should be similar to a computer program.)
No matter how perfect the program was, if someone forgot to code a single line, there
would be an error, and the program wouldnt run.
On the other hand, if he really somehow did it, wouldnt no one be able to go against
him? If he could alter the entire world, we would absolutely be unable to win.
Perhaps, deep within him, Kamijou refused to believe it.
But he was right, humans couldnt defeat the entire world. That didnt mean that the
gods or devils were strong or not; no, that wasnt that case.
The point was that the entire world also included the people living in the world,
including Kamijou himself.
A simplest example. There was a mysterious mirror that could reflect everything it
showed into reality. In that situation, no matter how strong Kamijou was, once the
opponent pulled out an identical Kamijou duplicate, the end result was that the
duplicate would die off together with the real one.
But Stiyl didnt look that anxious.
I said it before, just relax. Alchemy is an incomplete field of research.
Huh?
Let me put it this way. If I want you to explain everything in the world, including every
grain of sand on the beach or the stars in the night sky, how long are you going to take? I
dont think you can finish explaining after one or two hundred years, right?

Thats the situation. The spell itself is completed. However, in order to complete the
incantation a humans lifespan is too short, Stiyl continued as if spitting it out, For
that reason, it seems that they undertook various endeavors. For example, they tried
shortening the spell a little by omitting the unnecessary parts; dividing the hundred part
spell into tens then continuing the spell from parent to child with each generation
casting a little bit of the spell at a time.

64

But even so, there hadnt been a case of success.

From the beginning, a completed incantation would have lacked any useless sections.
From parent to child and child to grandchild... Passing down the incantations in such a
manner would result in a distorted incantation like in a telephone game.
However Saying up until there, Stiyl finally showed some battle intent and said, If
those were living things that dont have any limits in lifespan, they can recite finish the
super long incantation. Perhaps its because of this, that certain creature is a rather huge
threat to magicians.
(Perhaps that was also an aim of why the enemy decided to get a vampire,) Kamijou
thought.
To a scientist, it was painful when they knew an answer yet couldnt prove it.
And if their bodies of flesh couldnt fulfill it
Couldnt they just get some creature that could surpass a humans limits?
Its true that this alchemy is still rather threatening, but right now, Aureolus Izzard
shouldnt be able to do this. The most he can do is to create a few things and turn this
Misawa Cram School into a fortress, and then set up numerous traps to prevent
outsiders from entering.
...?
Kamijou felt that something was not right. Why was Stiyl so confident?
Hey, do you know that Izzard guy?
Of course we do. We were from church organizations after all, Stiyl casually said. I
belong to the Anglican Church, and he belonged to the Roman Catholic Church. We did
meet each other before even though our sects were different. Of course, we arent
friends.
To Kamijou, it was really hard to imagine the terms Church and magician together.
Necessarius, the organization Stiyl and Index were affiliated to, was aimed at studying
magic for the sake of killing magicians. However, they were heretics among the heretics.
Even if the Anglican Church was recognized to have such an organization, the Roman
Catholic Church of a different denomination couldnt possibly have a similar
organization...

65

After hearing Kamijou question that, Stiyl frowned and said, Necessarius is an
exception amongst exceptions, other Churches do not have similar organizations.
Stiyl sighed and continued.
But even if were exceptions amongst exceptions, the Cancellarius job he was tasked to
do should be a unique example among unique examples. Basically, he writes grimoires
in place of the church. Even though its a grimoire, the purpose is of the complete
opposite. Its like some teaching guide for which line in the Bible can be used to handle
the spells those witches use. Stiyl stretched his arm out and shook it about. Of course,
its not rare to see people of the church write grimoires as teaching guides, and those
Pope Honorius III or the King James Is grimoires are rather famous.
...I see. So thats why you said that Aureolus Izzards power isnt really much.
Thats right. He may be knowledgeable about this, but he cant fight. Its like a quiet
social club member thats not in a sports club. However, hes another tough opponent.
Thats because hes one of the few Cancellarii of the Roman Catholic Church and had
much power. The Roman Catholic Church is planning to fight hard against him in order
to punish him for being a heretic.
No, I dont mean that. Im saying that that Aureolus should be something worth
mentioning with the name of top religious people and kings, right? Are you jealous of
him?
...I can treat that as a taunt, right?
Im up for it if you want to fight me, but dont mistake me as your opponent now.
Kamijou stared forward and said, We arrived at our battlefield.
Kamijou and Stiyl stopped walking.
Under the seemingly flaming sunset, the building awaited them.

66

Part 3
I gotta say.
Kamijou looked up at the building and muttered.
It could only be described as a strange building. The building itself was rectangular and
nothing special. However, there were four of such twelve-story-tall buildings, each
taking a corner of a cross junction and forming a square grid. Also, the linked pathways
were actually overhead like an overhead bridge above a road as they linked the buildings.
(Such a building plan should defy the Land Area Planning Adjustment Project, right?)
Kamijou thought as he looked up at the corridors in the sky.
Basically, the authority of the sky was of the lands owner. In other words, the area
above the roads should be a public area.
Never mind, thats not important.
Kamijou muttered and again stared at the Misawa Cram Schools Academy City branch.
Examining the building, it was implausible for people to associate it with the term
Science Worship that was outside of normal understanding. It truly seemed like an
ordinary cram school: there were students walking in and out on occasion. It was
nothing abnormal.
Anyway, our initial target is the fifth level of the South Buildingbeside the restaurant.
There seems to be a secret room over there, Stiyl said casually.
The location diagram was incinerated after Kamijou read it. In that case, had he
memorized the entire map?
A secret room?
Yeah. It should be some trick that uses some illusion or distortion to make people
unaware of this secret rooms existence. This buildings interior is like a kids toy blocks,
there are many spaces.
Stiyl stared at the building and said, I could find seventeen secret rooms just by
looking at the location diagram. And the one beside the restaurant on the south
buildings fifth level is the closest one to us.
Oh, but that doesnt look like those ninja houses that are booby-trapped.

68

Kamijou muttered, and Stiyl muttered viciously.

Yeah, sure doesnt look like it.
Eh?
Kamijou turned his head to look back at Stiyl. Stiyl stared at the building that looked
like it had penetrated the sky and the earth, and after a while, shook his head and sighed.
Nothing. In fact, as an expert, I cant find any abnormalities, nothing at all even after
looking at it as an expert.
Though Stiyl had said that, he wasnt looking relaxed at all. The expression was that of a
doctor who managed to spot something wrong through an X-ray, but was unable to spot
the source of the illness.

It was suspicious, too suspicious. Though he didnt know what was going on inside, it
was way too suspicious.
Stiyl just said that he couldnt find anything wrong inside; he never said that the
building was safe. Inside that building, there may be numerous mines hidden, it was just
that they never found out. Maybe there was really nothing. They couldnt even confirm
that, so they were basically staring at a black box.
To be honest, was it really safe to enter a building that a magic expert couldnt even tell
whether it was safe?
Of course we shouldnt.
Stiyl replied without even dragging it on.
But we can only go in, right? Our aim is to save people and not to kill. I would be really
grateful if I could just burn everything from the outside.
Stiyls words must be more than half serious.
Hold on What do you mean we can only go in? Are we going to go in through the
main entrance like that? No tactics? Like no way to avoid being detected or beating the
enemy safely?
What, dont tell me you have some ideas?

69

! Are you kidding me!? Are you really going to charge in like that? How is that any
different from charging into a building thats occupied by terrorist!? Even if its like
cheap action film, cant you think up a plan that could take out one or two enemies!?
Hm, using a knife to carve an AnsuzGebo rune can hide a persons presence.
Then do it! Hurry up and do it!
Listen to me! Stiyl said with an irritated tone. Even if we get rid of our presence or
become invisible, I will leave a signal that says: Stiyl Magnus just used magic.
What?
You have no concept of magic power at all. Seems like I have to explain it to you. Stiyl
sighed and said, For example, what if theres a painting that only has red coloring on it?
Psychologically, I think thats a bad omen.
Shut up and dont butt in. This red coloring is an indication of Aureolus magic in the
entire building. What if I color this painting with blue coloring?
I dont really understand, but youre basically a walking transmitter, right?
Thats sort of correct, but its more than you think.
Stiyl continued as Kamijou was about to ask why.
Your Imagine Breaker is like an eraser that removes the red color. If ones painting is
being eaten into, anyone will realize that somethings amiss. I wont be detected if I
dont use magic, but your ability is always active.
...Then what? Our situation is that were two people with transmitters hanging from
our waists, so it doesnt matter which plan we use and we might as well ring the doorbell
of a building filled with terrorists first?
And thats why youre here. Unless you want to die, use your right hand to shield
yourself from the beehive.
The hell, youre acting like this is somebody elses problem! Isnt it because youre
completely useless that I have to do all of this!?
Ahahah, no need to be so nervous. Its just alchemists magic. Your right hand that
managed to block an attack from St. Georges Dragon should be able to handle it. And
its useless to rely on me. I sent Innocentius to protect that child, and right now, I can
only use a flame sword.

70

Waaaaahhh!! You really didnt think this through!

Well then, what are you going to do? Are you just going to watch or are you going to go
in?
...!
Kamijou stared at the exitthe automatic doors werent looking abnormal.
In fact, Kamijou really didnt want to enter that place. That was to be expected. Who
wanted to enter a battlefield that the enemy booby-trapped and was waiting? Besides, it
was a main stronghold of a fanatical religion that nobody knew the truth about.
However
Because of that, they had to enter.
If men trembled before the sight of such a place, how could they allow a girl to remain
inside simply because she was called Deep Blood?
Lets go, The magician Stiyl Magnus said.
Without saying anything, Kamijou walked towards the automatic doors.
After entering through the glass doors, the scene inside was extremely normal.
There was a lobby made entirely of glass that brought in a large amount of sunlight. The
lobby was considerably large, being three stories high. This was what the prep school
called the exterior. Rather than facilities for the students, it was a place for attracting
visitors who wanted to enroll so it was not unreasonable for decorations to be
extravagant.
At the back of the lobby were four elevators lined side by side. Among them, the one at
the end was used for bringing in large packages as it was slightly bigger than the rest. A
little bit away from where the elevators were lined up was a staircase. As it wasnt
showing off, it must have accomplished the bare minimum of being an emergency
staircase.
Perhaps because it was evening, it was currently a long and well deserved break time for
ordinary schools. There were students that headed towards the outside in order to
purchase food and were coming and going through the lobby.
Kamijou and Stiyl werent really attracting attention, perhaps because the manager
hadnt memorized every students appearance. And even if they were discovered to be
outsiders, since they were just in the entrance hall, others would think that they were
just transfer students who were there to settle the administration.
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(Forget about me, does this guy even look like a student?)
Kamijou sighed. Though the person beside him could be considered a teenager, he was a
priest that smelled of cologne, had red-dyed hair, earrings, rings, and such a ridiculous
build. But never mind, since a cram school was a service, they wouldnt reject any
customers.
Anyway, looking around, they couldnt find anything wrong.
The people who were walking around seemed to be normal.
Eh?
Therefore, the only abnormality was extremely obvious.
At the four elevators, between the first and second from the right, there seemed to be
some human-shaped robot lying there, or rather, placed there. The limbs were severely
twisted, and it looked like a pile of scrap metal that made one think that it got into some
serious traffic accident.
In terms of build, it was similar to a suit of Western armor. However, the figure was
extremely modernistic like a fighter jet. It had quite an intrinsic design, and the texture
that was reflecting a silver light didnt seem to be of an ordinary metal hide.
There was an eighty centimeter long rod dropped nearby; perhaps it was a piece of
equipment for the machine.
On the objects right wrist was the word Percival that perhaps represented its name. At
first glance, one could tell that the robot could not fulfill its original purpose.
The supposed limbs were severely twisted while a slick tar-like black oil oozed from the
dysfunctional limbs.
The rusty smell in the air caused Kamijou to frown.
What in the world is that?
First of all, where did this robot come from? The security robots and cleaning robots in
Academy City look like large metal cylinders. Kamijou had never heard of such
humanoid machines in Academy City that simultaneously lacked mobility.
Second of all, why did this thing break down? Though Kamijou knew not how functional
the machine was originally, it was akin to the aftermath of a traffic collision. There
would have been no need for such force, correct? What had occurred in that cram
schools hall?

72

And finally
(Why hasnt anyone nearby noticed it?)
The final point made Kamijou feel that something was amiss.
Everyone there didnt even treat that robot as something that should be talked about,
not even looking at it at all. That feeling didnt feel like they deliberately refused to look
or remember, but something that wasnt necessary to be noticed like a stone on the road.
It was like
That damaged robot just mixed into their everyday life.
What? Theres nothing here. Anyway, either we find Himegami or beat Izzard. Wisdom
is telling me that its better to move. Stiyl said casually.
Ah oh.
Kamijou finally managed to look away from the robot. That was because nobody other
than himself noticed the robot, so Kamijou had a feeling that he just saw a phantom.
But that wasnt a phantom.
That robot really existed in front of Kamijous eyes.
What? Are you interested in that thing? Oh well, thats true. It may be considered rare
to you.
Stiyl seemed to finally notice what Kamijou was looking at.
W-well yeah Eh? Hold on, robots should be something from our Science side, right?
On hearing Kamijous words, Stiyl immediately frowned.
What are you talking about? Thats just a corpse.
What?
Kamijou couldnt understand at all.
Divine protection granted by the Surgical Armor and a Heavenly Bow Replica. This
here should be one of the thirteen Knights of the Roman Catholic Church. Theyre
probably here to execute the heretic but it looks like they were crushed. Really. Knights
were an English specialty and these guys that just love to copy ended up like this. Stiyl
shook the cigarette in his mouth. Tch. Speaking of which, that man in formalin is too
sneaky. There was already another Church helping out and he still made us enter
73

separately. Was he deliberately trying to make us fail? Its true that the ones here to
settle this mess are elites of the Church and itd be good if he could get even one of them
killed...
Stiyl muttered angrily. But Kamijou didnt understand what was going on, so he
basically ignored it.
Kamijou chose to stare at the thing that was lying on the floor next to the elevator. The
limbs were twisted, it was a pile of scrap metal that looked like it got into some sort of
serious accident, the silver metal body was crushed, there was a reddish-black oil oozing
out from it. The wreckage of a robot.
No.
What if that wasnt reddish-black oil, but something even redder and blacker?
No
What if that wasnt a robot, but a human in armor?
Why are you so surprised? Stiyl said it as per normal. This is a battlefield. Whats so
strange about seeing one or two corpses on the way?

Kamijou was speechless.

He already knew. He should have known. This was a battlefield where people killed each
other. The enemy had already set up traps for intruders like Kamijou, and was waiting
for them to walk in. Also, Kamijou and Stiyl had no intention on negotiating with a
vicious enemy.
Thats right, they should have known it.
But even if they should have known it, Kamijou was still unable to ignore it.
Damn it!
Kamijou dashed forward. Though he didnt know what he could do, maybe bandage up
here and there, the amateur Kamijou didnt even know the correct emergency procedure.
Besides, with the armor severely damaged like that, he couldnt tell whether the person
was alive or not. Also, Kamijou couldnt think of any ways to get that person out of the
twisted armor.
Even so, there was no clear proof that the person inside the armor was dead.

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If so, perhaps he could still save the person inside the armor if he worked quickly.
Kamijou spent only ten seconds to run from one end of the hall to the other. As the
casualtys face was completely covered by the helmet, Kamijou couldnt see his
expression. He could only hear the slight air flow between the gap of that metal-block
like helmet.
(Hes still breathing!)
As Kamijou felt relieved, he realized that he could not move the body carelessly and
considered calling for an ambulance until he heard the sound of the metal doors of an
elevator sliding apart.
Many similar-aged teenagers walked out of the elevator, failing to notice that person at
all. Its like they just saw a normal scene as they continued to talk about things like how
the food in the restaurant was expensive and so nauseating, and to go and get some from
a convenience store.
You guys!
They should be saving the injured. Though he knew that, Kamijou was still unable to
maintain his silence.
He inadvertently tried to grab a nearby student on the shoulder.
What are you doing? Hurry up and call an ambula!
However, he stopped before he could finish.
Thats because Kamijous hand had been forcefully dragged forward.
No
It wasnt enough to describe it as a drag. It was like using a hand to grab a driver seat of
a moving truck; it was of a completely different level of impact.
Wha!
His arm was nearly dislocated.
But what really shocked Kamijou was that the student didnt grab Kamijous hand at all.
The hand that was placed on the shoulder felt like a balloon that was tied onto a car.
Also, the person didnt even seem to notice that Kamijou had put his hand on his
shoulder. Nobody in the hall had even reacted to Kamijous roar.

75

They were just like the twisted armor in front of them.

Whats going on?
Kamijou remembered the feeling on the hand.
While he expected the texture of soft fabric clothing, his hand felt like it passed through
extremely hard glue. Forget the students shoulder, Kamijou could not reach the
clothing.
It should be this kind of a boundary, just like a front side and back side of a coin. The
people on the front side of the coin are the students who dont know anything, and cant
detect us people on the back side. And as for us people on the back side, the intruders
from outside, we cant interfere with the students on the front side who dont know
anything. Watch.
Stiyl sounded like he was chanting as he raised his finger and pointed at a girl who
walked out from the elevator.
On the floor, dark red blood was overflowing from the armor and spreading out like a
puddle of water. The girl proceeded to walk on the puddles.
...
Kamijous eyes were following the girls back. Her feet werent soiled at all, and there
was no reddish-black footprints. That pool of blood looked like one huge pile of
hardened plastic.
Hm.
Stiyl nonchalantly removed the chewed cigarette from his mouth and pressed the
burning red tip of the cigarette against the plastic elevator button.
However, the plastic button wasnt even burned, let alone melted.
I see, so the entire buildings on the front side of the coin? I guess thats how it should
be, since this is more suitable to be a fortress that protects against magic. Kamijou
Touma, it seems that with our power alone, we may be unable to open even the single
door, even the automatic entrance doors. Were stuck.

A boundary.

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Though that term was really alien to Kamijou, who resided in the Science side, since it
was a type of supernatural power, wasnt that the chance for Kamijou Touma to step up?
Kamijou clenched his fist tightly.
Imagine Breaker. If a supernatural power came in contact with that right hand, it would
have been negated, even a miracle of God. It was a unique power among unique powers.
Kamijou clenched his fist and raised it high up into the air.
He then slammed his fist hard onto the floor, wanting to smash the boundary into
pieces
Thats right, he hammered it down, but he just let out a dull sound.
Hah! Myaah! Aaaah!?
What are you doing?
Seeing Kamijou roll about on the floor like that, Stiyl seemed like he couldnt take it and
sighed.
Its probably like my Innocentius. If we dont destroy the core of the magic, we wont be
able to break out of this boundary. And most likely the core should be safely placed
outside the boundary. The people who are locked inside will then be unable to get out.
Hmm, we have some trouble now.
Kamijou was really somewhat puzzled about what they should do now, and said,
Damn it, so what should we do? We got a casualty here and we cant call a doctor nor
send him out
We dont have to do anything. That persons dead.
Dont say stupid things! Check his pulse! Hes still alive!
Yeah. Hes definitely alive if we go by heartbeat. But, his fractured ribs punctured his
lungs, his livers crushed, his pulse is faint he cant be saved in this situation. His name
might as well be corpse.
It was unknown whether he had found that out through the rune magic, but Stiyls
words were as cold-hearted as a doctor declaring that a patient got a terminal illness.
!!

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Whats with that expression? You knew that right from the start, right? Even if hes
breathing, he cant be saved.
Immediately, Kamijou pulled Stiyls chest up with both hands.
He couldnt understand it. Kamijou couldnt understand it. How could that person in
front of him remain so calm? Why could he say such words even in front of a dying
person?
Move aside! This person doesnt have much
But Stiyl calmly pushed Kamijou aside.
We dont have much time. Ill let you cast, what you think is pity, on the dead. Its a
priests job to send the dead to heaven. You, amateur, shut up and watch.
...
Releasing his hands, Kamijou finally realized. Stiyl, whose back was facing Kamijou and
staring at the knight who was bordering on the edge of death, was
(Hes angry?)
It was really hard to imagine that from his usual mockery, but it couldnt be mistaken.
Right now, Stiyl Magnus wasnt a magician. His back seemed to bring about some static
electricity, as everything that touched his back figure seemed to be deflected away. Yes,
this was the back of the priest Stiyl Magnus.
Stiyl didnt do any special ritual.

He just said something really intelligible. Kamijou didnt understand what it meant as it
was of a foreign language.
The words came out of the priest, and not a magician.
Though Kamijou didnt know how much significance it was, but the knight who wasnt
able to move trembled as he raised his right hand and stretched it out at Stiyl like he
wanted to capture something in the air.
...
The knight said something as well.

78

Stiyl nodded his head. Kamijou didnt know what that nodding meant, but the knights
body seemed to relax from the tension. It was like he handed over what he wanted to
hand over He didnt have any worries left, relaxing as he let go in relief.
The knights right hand dropped.
The metallic right hand landed on the floor. It sounded like a knell.

As a priest, Stiyl Magnus finally drew a cross in front of his chest.

At the point of death, there was no difference between an Anglican and a Roman
Catholic. The last rites were still the last rights.
And then, Kamijou finally realized something.
This was a real battlefield.
Lets go!
Stiyl Magnus spoke once more as a magician rather than a priest.
Seems like we have one more reason to fight.

79

Part 4
He was feeling really bad now.
Anyway, their initial goal was to look into the gaps all over the buildingthe secret
rooms. And the nearest secret room was in this buildingnear the fifth level of the
South block. Thus, both of them were moving up the stairs.
(Why do I feel like shit?)
Kamijou wondered as he climbed up the narrow emergency staircase. At first, he
thought it was because of that knight. Then, he thought it was because that staircase was
narrow and dark.
However, there was also another physical reason besides that psychological reason.
My legs
Kamijou looked down at his legs that were showing fatigue for some reason.
The front and back sides of the coinsthe magician who knew everything from the back
side, yet couldnt interfere with the citizens on the front side. Stiyl said before that this
was the rule of the game. Also, that entire building was on the front side.
That meant that the impact caused by the stepping on the floor would be reflected back
onto the feet.
Basically, it was like the difference between punching people and punching a concrete
wall. As they were walking on an overly hard floor, the fatigue build-up was two to three
times faster.
We can only pray that the enemy is in the same situation
Stiyl seemed to be bothered by the fatigue that arrived too early. Though Stiyl was really
huge, it seemed like he hadnt done much physical training and wasnt used to physical
activities.
Che if I had known, we should have taken the elevator.
Were on the back side of the coin, how can we press the button thats on the front side
of the coin? If you can, teach me.

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Suppose we do enter the elevator as the door opened. What would you do if students on
the front used it? Wed be crushed if a lot of them walked in.
The people on the back side of the coin couldnt interfere with the people on the front
side of the coin.
For example, even if a car on the back side of the coin slammed hard into a person on
the front side of the coin, the car would be wrecked while the human would be
completely fine.
If the elevator was crammed full of people
It would be like a raw egg that was in a crammed train, it would be crushed.
(Ugh, this is really getting more and more depressing.)
Kamijou lowered his head dejectedly. He was already tired, and with the dark and
murky thoughts, he started to feel that he should give up.
Think about happy things, hurry up and think of something happyKamijous heart was
in urgent need of rest.
Then he did.
Oh yeah, what about phones?
What?
You just mentioned the front side of the coin and the back side of the coin, right? Will
phones work? Kamijou said as he pulled out the phone.
Though he had said that, Kamijou realized that this was just an excuse he made for
himself. As too many abnormal things had happened, Kamijou had to do some normal
things or he may go crazy.
As for who to call, Kamijou didnt need to think at all.
His roomin other words, a girl who was in his room waiting for him. Just as Kamijou
intended to call, he realized something.
Hold on, wouldnt the enemy detect this call signal and attack us?
Who knows? But our existence may have been discovered. We did enter from the front
door.

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If so, why werent we attacked?

Who knows? Maybe thats because theyre overconfident, or maybe they intend to
destroy us in one move. That alchemists that kind of person. Right now, he should be
preparing all sorts of means to prepare a counterattack.

(In that case why was this guy so composed in this situation?)
However, since their whereabouts were likely exposed, there was no need to be careful.
Kamijou decided to brazenly make the call.
The phone rang three times.
(So it wont work?)
The phone rang six times.
(Looks like Ill have to give up.)
The phone rang nine times.
(Hurry up and pick up!)
Though he was feeling impatient, Kamijou didnt want to hang up the phone. While
waiting, Kamijou had another thought. What if that wasnt related to the front side of
the coin or back side of the coin, but Index was unwilling to pick the phone up?
Or what if it isnt that she wont but she cant?
It couldnt be that something happened to Index?
(In!)
Just as a mysterious chill rose up Kamijous stomach...
The phone was picked up.
Hya, Hyai! This is Index Librorexcuse me, Im sorry. This is Kamijou speaking!
Hello!?
Indexs somewhat absurd voice could be heard.

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Hey, let me ask you, Kamijou lethargically asked as if he had just tried a wrong
method of slimming. Is this the first time youre picking up a call?
Uweeh!? This, this voice is Toumas. Eh? Do all the voices in the phone sound the
same?
Then, a knocking sound could be heard.
It should be a puzzled Index tilting her head and knocking the receiver against the floor.
Index! Stop knocking the machine whenever you feel that it has a problem! Thats what
an old granny would do to fix something!
Thats strange, the only one who should be saying such stupid words is Touma.
Kamijou retorted deep inside.
That was to be expected. It should be Indexs first time picking up a phone (but it
seemed that she had seen others pick up the phone before, judging from her greeting). It
seemed like she was walking around frantically in front of the phone, but the phone
continued to ring, so she had to pick up the phone.
The magic expert who had knowledge of 103,000 grimoires didnt understand anything
about science at all, and that amused Kamijou. However, he remembered something
else. Kamijous knowledge was telling himself that Index didnt have any memories
since she only had one years worth of memories.
Such a funny action was actually a deficiency caused by the loss of memories. Thinking
about that, it was really heart aching.
Nyai? Touma? Why must you deliberately use such a troublesome, exaggerated and
excessive and unfriendly thing to the phone? Did something serious happen?
Ah, nothing
It seemed like to Index, the telephone wasnt something ordinary.
Ah, is it because one of the two lasagnas in the refrigerator was Toumas!?
You ate it? Oh well
Before Kamijou could continue, the voice could be heard again.
Ah, there was pudding in the fridge!

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You ate it!? That was my pudding!

But there was only one!
Cant you spare any thoughts for the master of the household! Thats black honey
pudding! One costs seven hundred yen! Kamijou cried. Oh, oh well. Never mind, I
almost went out of topic. Since the call connected, never mind.
Eh? Touma, are you looking for me for something?
Ar. Im just testing if I could get to you through the phone. Im hanging up.
???
(Right now, Index should be tilting her head in confusion, right?)
Ah, oh yeah. Did you know, Index? For every single minute you use the phone, your
lifespan will be shortened by one day accordingly?
Waahhh!
The phone line was cut. It seemed like the entire receiver dropped onto the floor.
Such a simple minded person.
Having taken revenge for his pudding, he muttered to himself after hanging up the
phone.
However

The magician beside him looked like he wanted to say something.

W-what is it?
Nothing. Stiyl sighed, and continued. Its just that I feel that you might be too relaxed.
This is a battlefield, and yet youre chatting away nonchalantly with a girl. I dont really
care if you die because of carelessness; in fact, Ill be dancing in joy, but please dont
drag me down.
Are you jealous?
Gu nuu
Stiyl remained silent, and it seemed like he burst about sixty percent of his blood vessels.
Kamijou began to understand how he should handle the person in front of him.
85

Yeah, thats right.

The shock Stiyls words gave to Kamijou was even more than what he had expected.
Kamijou didnt know why he was so affected.
However, Stiyl said, Dont be mistaken. Im not treating that child as a target of
romance.
Without looking at Kamijous face, Stiyl continued.
You should know that up until now, that child had to erase her memories once every
year or else she would die. If so, you can imagine how many people were in your
position.

There were people that tried to become her father. There were people that tried to
become her brother. There were people that tried to become her close friend. There were
people that tried to become her teacher. Stiyl elaborated. Its like that, just that simple.
I failed in the past and you succeeded. Thats the only difference between you and me.
Stiyl stared at Kamijous face.
It looked like he was facing an impossible future.
However, Ill be lying if I say that I dont care. Stiyl sighed, and continued. Besides, I
didnt really get abandoned by Index, its just that she forgot. If she recovered her
memories, shed come running at me to hug me.
Kamijou couldnt say anything.
(If theres a person, a very important person to me that lost her memory, not knowing
anything, and somebody just steps in and accompanies her, how would I feel? Can I still
remain calm?) Kamijou asked himself.
No, that wasnt just a problem of somebody else standing beside her.
Wouldnt he feel that he got betrayed by that important person?
But that person in front of him still believed in himself, thoroughly following his belief.
That was how strong he was.
Kamijou looked back at his phone. That meaningless five minute conversation; someone
actually gave up everything he had to protect that person who was most important to
him, even after knowing that he couldnt turn back.
86

Those peoples hearts

Were all crushed under his own feet. What right did the current Kamijou have to keep
that girl all for himself?
(I dont know.)
If that were Indexs only wish, Kamijou would protect it until the end.
But the main point was that Index had merely forgotten. How could a girl who didnt
know that she had other options be expected to make decisions?
(I dont know. But Kamijou Touma really saved Index.)
Yes. If that was the case, he had to take up the burden of saving her.
It was like giving cat food out of enthusiasm, but not bringing it back home even after
knowing that it would die of hunger. Instead of giving it the hope that it may find a
home, it was better to give her despair right from the beginning.
However
(The one who saved her isnt the current Kamijou Touma)
In the end, they were back at the starting point.
(What Index needs is the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma.)

Part 5
After climbing up to the fifth level, Kamijou and Stiyl arrived onto the corridor.
The location diagram of Misawa Cram School was memorized completely in Stiyls brain.
There was a reason why they had come to that level. That was because from the
parameters of the location diagram and the actual measurements done through the
infrared and ultrasonic means, there were errors in the spaces.
In other words, could it be that there was a hidden room here?
According to the diagram, it should be right here.
While walking down the middle of the straight corridor, Stiyl lightly knocked on a wall
that didnt look abnormal.

87

Even if were here, if we cant open it, we have to give up, right?
Yeah.
Even if it wasnt a secret room, to Kamijou and Stiyl, who were on the back side of the
coin, they couldnt even open a door on the front side. If they wanted to enter the room,
they could still wait until a student on the front side of the coin opened the door and
then slip in. However, if it was a secret room, there may not be students going in and out
so often.
But its best to check the situation out. No matter how strong the boundary is, the one
who set it up is Aureolus. We can just force him to remove the boundary by threatening
himor by killing him.

Kamijou inadvertently stared at Stiyl.

This is a battlefield, and Aureolus was the enemy they must beat; Kamijou understood
that. Thinking about the imprisoned Himegami Aisa and the knight Aureolus had killed,
one could imagine that the current situation was really precarious.
But even so, Kamijou still couldnt just say things like kill Aureolus. It was because the
way Aureolus had taken down that knight could also be considered proper self-defense.
However, the magician in front of him was different.
He said kill him, not beat him or stop him. He just said kill him, with no
ambiguity in the words.
They headed down the closest wall closest to the secret room. Then, both of them
arrived at a student cafeteria. It seemed like they were mixing the distances between the
people in the wide room to hide the existence of that small secret room. That used an
illusion, and there were no doors at the entrance of the student cafeteria.
Trying to prevent themselves from getting caught in the crowd, Kamijou and Stiyl
walked into the cafeteria.
They concluded that it was a bad idea to stay in a place with lots of people.
This was because, the individuals on the back could not interfere with the people on the
front. Boys fought for the few available seats and the girls carried trays of food and
chatted away as they walked. People rushed about like bulls. Unlike a corridor, the
movements in the wide cafeteria were unpredictable. Kamijou and Stiyl were carefully
avoiding the crowd.
Since it was evening, many students were in the cafeteria.
88

It was actually a refreshing experience for others to be unable to see him. It was
different from moving in a traffic jam. Those who had gone through that should realize
that the surrounding people would consciously try to avoid them to prevent themselves
from knocking into each other.
The hidden room contained a counter and behind it a small kitchen. The large freezer
and utensils made the kitchen feel even more cramped, causing others to be ignorant of
the spaces actual size.
...Hm. Its my first time actually seeing a scientific religion but it doesnt look like much.
It thought theyd at least put up the picture of some bishop.
Stiyl looked around with a bored look.
Its true that it doesnt look dangerous.
Kamijou looked around.
In the realm of science, there was an indicator of the level of religious fanaticism. For
example, there was the level of taking in gold from the believers, the expansion level,
when they forced new believers in, the absolute orders level, where believers would
accept all orders even if they ended up having to self-destruct, the dangerous items
creation level of creating poison gas or explosives, and so on. The religions with higher
points would be counted as a more dangerous religious science.
From the science viewpoint, Misawa Cram School wouldnt really be a dangerous
religion. As the members were students, they couldnt possibly take in too much money.
And since it was a cram school, that place wasnt suited to create any chemical weapons.
However
No, this really is a deadly scientific religion.
Kamijou said with disdain.
Though it was a cafeteria that had many students gathered there, the atmosphere was
unexpectedly heavy as if they were taking an elevator. That was to be expected, Kamijou
thought. That was because everyone there may be talking loudly, but the content of the
conversations were anything but. They could only talk about things that belittled others,
like how many people they beat in the last mock exam, how many marks theyve
increased, or about how they couldnt understand how there were trash who wouldnt
study during exam time just to make themselves happy.
Kamijou looked at a poster on the wall of the cafeteria.

89

It was an extremely ordinary cram school poster. Written on it were two extremely
different sentences, If you study hard now, you will get into a good school and have a
great future for yourself assured, and If you dont study now, youll end up at the
bottom and meet misfortune.
(Thats not that different from chain mail.)
Chain mails were prank mails that promised good fortune or unhappiness with things
like If you send this mail to seven people within seven days youll be happy forever. If
you dont youll be unlucky. Such threatening intents were no different from radical
religions.
Humph, the motto of this school should be something like those who study here
should be extremely smart, right? Besides, the teachers must be brainwashing the
students, telling them things like this is something that will definitely be tested, Ill tell
you that, those who didnt study here in the summer vacation are inferior people or
something like that, right? Kamijou muttered, infuriated.
Really, he felt disgusted.
Kamijou was really disgusted that he could actually slightly emphasize with them.
Exams tend to be involved in superstitions. Regardless of their sedulousness, students
tended to attempt unscientific foods that increased concentration or would even bring to
the exam hall talismans for becoming the top scorer.
It was a deficiency called anxiety.
The scientific religion of that Misawa Cram School used a knife and stabbed it into that
gap.
Hm, seems like you got caught by the fanatical poison gas, eh? But dont forget our aim;
we have to find where the secret entrance is.
Oh, okay okay! I got it!
Kamijou took a deep breath and tried to calm down.
Then, he turned to look around the entire cafeteria.
Immediately, about eighty students in the cafeteria turned to stare at him.
At first, Kamijou thought that he spoke too loudly and ended up attracting everyones
attention.
Well, doesnt look good here is this the first safety?
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So even after hearing Stiyls serious voice, Kamijou was still unable to react.
Ah, eh?
Havent you understood the situation? The people on the front side of the coin
shouldnt be able to see us on the back side of the coin. I see, so the area around the
secret room has such an alarm system?

Kamijou looked around.

About eighty students were definitely looking at Kamijou and Stiyl. The human looking
action disappeared, and everyone was standing around blankly with glass-like eyes.
D-dont tell me
Kamijou looked around. It was true. Eighty students were now on the back side of the
coin. And that meant
Magician!
Just as Kamijou shouted out meaninglessly, Stiyl abandoned Kamijou and jumped back.
However
The wings of the seraph shines brightly, and the bright light is a pure white color that
reveals all sins
One of the students who were standing around started to mutter something ambiguous.
The pure white color is the proof of purity, the mark is the result of ones actions
Another voice overlapped the first one.
The result is the future, the future is time is uniform
A second voice, a third, a fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth, eleventh,
twelfth, thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, sixteen, seventeen, eighteen, nineteen!!
Uniformity is all, all is created by the past, the past is the cause, cause is one. One is sin,
sin are humans. Humans fear, fear is guilt. Guilt resides within oneself. If in oneself
there is something one despises, the wings of the seraph shall reveal your sins and purge
it from within!
An eighty-person chorusno, rather, a verbal maelstrom of the battle that was created
by the several thousand people in that building echoed throughout.
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On every single students forehead was a ping-pong sized bluish-white glow. Maybe the
things were starting to gather as they floated about in the air and landed on the floor
beside Kamijou.
Then, like a strong acid fizzing and explosives giving off white smoke.
He would merely be burnt if he only touched one, but
Hey! Imagine Breaker! Time for you to step up!
What? Hey!
As soon as he looked back, Kamijous field of vision was completely filled by hundreds of
bluish-white orbs that were closing in.
U, wahso many, how do I block them all anyway!?
Kamijou chased after Stiyl and overtook him, dashing madly to the exit. Stiyl, who had
thought that Kamijou would act as a shield, panicked somewhat as he dashed behind
Kamijou and out of the cafeteria.
W-what are you running away for!? Youre the shield! Your right hand was able to fend
off Dragon Breath? And youre not using your right hand ability while running away
with your back exposed!? Are you crazy!?
What are you talking about!? I dont want to hear that from someone using me as a
shield!? This isnt a case of quality but quantity! How can I fend them off with just a
single right hand!?
It was like fighting with someone that had four arms. Even if he guarded against two of
them flawlessly, the other two could still wave at him. An individual power wasnt going
to match up to a groups.
A large number of balls moved out of the entrance and then rushed out of the floodgates
as if the cafeteria was filled completely with water. Kamijou and Stiyl could only run
down the corridor.
Che, but speaking of which, this may be a replica, but to be able to replicate the
Gregorian Chant, it seems like I underestimated that Aureolus Izzard.
Whats with that Gregorian whatever?
Originally, it was the ultimate weapon, a grand spell that required 3,333 monks in a
cathedral and gathered their prayers. Its like focusing sunlight on a magnifying glass,
and can magnify that power, Stiyl gritted his teeth and said, Though its a replica now
and they have only about two thousand students, but as the saying goes in this country,
pile up sand and you can build a tower. The power cant be underestimated.
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Kamijou was stunned.

Even though he knew that he couldnt understand what Stiyl had said, basicallydidnt
it mean that he was fighting against two thousand people now?
This was a battlefield, and he was in the midst of the enemys camp. He could
understand all that in his brain. But on thinking that this meant that he was fighting
against two thousand people, he started to feel a sense of despair.
Then theres no way we can beat that head on! Though its big here, well still get caught
in this building if were going to play hide-and-seek with two thousand people!?
Not quite, Stiyl said as he continued to look in front. The main emphasis is the core.
The Gregorian Chant requires the simultaneous control of two thousand people, or else
it wont work. If we can find the synchronization core of these two thousand people and
destroy it, we can destroy the Gregorian Chant.
Both of them continued to run down the long corridor, and finally arrived near the
staircase. At that moment, they saw that there was a large number of bluish-white balls
flooding in.
They were attacked on both sides.
The stairsmove it!
Kamijou and Stiyl frantically ducked under the stairs beside them. Kamijou intended to
inquire whether they should go up and down the stairs, but he realized something was
amiss.
You youve been looking so calm up until now. Do you have some sort of secret plan?
Thats right. To someone who had finally managed to escape from the claws of death,
Stiyl was really being too calm.
Hm, I do have a secret plan. Its just that Im wondering whether I should use it now.
Are you kidding me!? If you have it, hurry up and use it!
Stiyl happily looked at Kamijous face.
Facing that abnormal smile, Kamijou inadvertently held his breath, becoming even
more alert.
At that moment though

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Stiyl pushed Kamijou down the stairs.

Wha
Before Kamijou could react, he lost his balance and tumbled down the stairs. The
numerous bits of pain surrounded him at the same time, and he couldnt even let out a
cry. It was like if he let out a voice, he would bite his tongue.
Bad luck, scarecrow
Stiyls happy voice could be heard from above. While dazed, Kamijou could see Stiyl
running in the opposite direction, which was upstairs. Then, the flood of balls came over,
splitting upstairs and downstairs, and like a water flow, it naturally moved down at
Kamijou!
That bastard!
Kamijou barely dragged his body that was in pain and ran downstairs.
What Stiyl had said passed through his mind.
This was Aureolus hideout, it was filled with his magic power. It was like a picture that
was only covered in red. If Stiyls blue coloring was used, the enemy would realize that
something was not right.
But on the other hand, if Stiyl didnt use magic, nobody would detect his presence.
However, Kamijous situation was different. His Imagine Breaker continued to erase the
red coloring. Stiyl could decide when he wanted to use magic, but Kamijou was like a
transmitter that was always working.
Basically, the reason Kamijou was brought there was to be a decoy that was to be
abandoned.
He thought that Stiyls lack of planning was too rash, but to think that there was such a
reason behind it.
(Damn it! Eh, hold on, something doesnt seem to be right.)
Kamijous heart was ringing an alarm. However, he didnt know why that alarm was
ringing, not at all.
Since it wasnt something that Kamijou, who didnt have any memories, could think of.

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It meant that this was the pre-memory loss Kamijou, the knowledge part telling him
something.
At that moment, another fresh set of footsteps interrupted Kamijous thoughts.
And it was coming from below, blocking off his getaway.
!
The flood of ball-like things continued to close in, but Kamijou couldnt possibly stop.
He dashed down and peered downstairs.
There was a girl downstairs waiting for Kamijou. A girl he had never met before, one
whose uniform he didnt even have an impression on.
Perhaps she was a candidate who was older than Kamijou by one or two years. Black
braids, round glasses, the girl looked like she couldnt even fight, let alone use magic.
The flames punish sin, Purgatory governs the flames. Purgatory was created to burn
sinners, as the only violence God recognizes.
But what came from her cute lips made him really unhappy. It was like the sound of
rusted gears.
Every time she said something, the orb of bluish-white light between the girls eyebrows
would increase in size bit by bit.
It seemed like the front and back sides of the coin were flipped around. The girl who
should be on the front side of the coin was now a magician and standing on the back
side of the coin. Perhaps every student in Misawa Cram School was the same now.
But on the other hand, Kamijou could easily knock the girl down now.
(I can win this!)
Kamijou clenched his right fist. Though he definitely couldnt beat numerous thousand
people, one or two of those ball objects werent much of a threat. Kamijou clenched his
fist even tighter, as if he was trying to confirm the existence of his Imagine Breaker.
Then, with a cracking sound
The girls face exploded as if firecrackers were placed underneath her skin.
What?

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Just as Kamijous shocked, the girls fingers, nose, and the inside of her clothes let out
mini explosions one after another. Though the explosions were so small that they only
burned holes that were a few centimeters wide on the skin, but
Violence is the affirmation of death. Affirmation, is... recognition. Re... cog ni
Every time the girl said a single word, her body would start to crack. Her talking lips
were cracking as well, and blood flowed out of her lips as it seemed like her insides were
severely damaged. Even so, the girl continued to talk. No, it was more like she couldnt
talk. It felt like she was being controlled by a machine and yet also like a frog being
electrocuted. Her leg muscles were twitching, ignoring the frogs will.
(Dont tell me)
The anxiety rose up Kamijous stomach. His knowledge was telling him something. Not
knowing where it was coming from, the ridiculous knowledge was telling him something.
Espers couldnt use magic.
Though espers and magicians were similar in that they could use supernatural power,
the concept was different.
The circuit in espers was different from that of an ordinary person. Even if they tried to
imitate a magician, they couldnt use magic.
However, this was Academy City.
All students there had undertaken the esper development Curriculum.
Then, assuming that
What would happen when espers who couldnt use magic tried to use magic?
Stop it
Kamijou muttered, forgetting his own situation now.
The circuits were different, his knowledge was telling him that. Kamijou didnt know
anything about the basis behind magic, but that feeling may be like a generator that was
to be powered by batteries, and forcefully charged with alternating current.
Though the current flowed and the circuit worked, such a crazy method would end up
burning the circuit.
Stop it! You should know that your own body is in trouble!!

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He even forgot to clench his fist. Right now, even though it felt like he was being pointed
at with a gun at his head, he still dashed down the stairs without any care.
tion, rest wit thin. Within refers tothe world. Connect your inner self with
the outside world.
The girl that was muttering suddenly let out a deep voice, and went silent.
The bridge between her eyebrows exploded. The bluish-white orb that she had
summoned disappeared, leaving behind a fresh red wound.
The voice just now may be a fatal wound. The girls body swayed about and tumbled
towards the stairs.
Kamijous mind was telling him.
A human body was heavy. Even a petite girl could be really heavy if she was treated as
luggage. If he carried that several kilograms of weight about, he definitely wouldnt be
able to avoid the flood of orbs.
Kamijous mind was telling him.
Also, that girl was an enemy. He couldnt get any benefits even if he saved her, and he
may even be attacked. If he considered his life as the biggest priority, he should just
leave that enemy behind and run away.
Kamijous mind was telling him.
The most important thing was that a severely wounded person like her couldnt possibly
be saved. Anyone could tell that her wounds were fatal. Besides, her soul got poisoned
by Science Worship.
()
Hearing the voices in his mind caused Kamijou to inadvertently gnash his teeth.
Stop messing around!
Even so, Kamijou still rushed down the stairs and reached his hand out to save the girl
who was about to collapse on the stairs.
It was true that the girl was heavy. It was already hard for him to escape, and now that
he was carrying someone, he definitely wouldnt be able to escape the flood of balls. It
was true that this girl was an enemy, he understood that clearly. It was true that the girl
was severely wounded and was even more wounded emotionally. Kamijou understood
that without anyone needing to tell him.
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Even so
Even then, there was no reason to abandon a girl who was wounded, to let her get
involved in the flood of orbs that was coming in from behind. Even if he looked around
the entire world, he couldnt find a reason to allow that.
It was likely that this girl didnt intend for that to happen.
She had probably thought that this would be just an ordinary cram school when she
enrolled, and soon got brainwashed by religious science unknowingly, before being used
as an abandoned pawn without knowing it.
Kamijou remembered the knight who had fallen in front of the elevator.
Any kind person couldnt possibly leave him alone injured, even if he was an enemy.
Guu damn it!
The girl that collapsed on Kamijous chest was a lot lighter than what he had expected.
However, that was when she was viewed as a person. If she were viewed as luggage, she
could be considered extremely heavy. Also as they were midway down the stairs,
Kamijou couldnt maintain his balance as he almost fell down.
Carrying the bloodied girl, Kamijou intended to continue running down the stairs as he
looked behind.
At that moment
()
The flood of orbs had already arrived in front of Kamijous nose like a landslide.
Kamijou frantically used his right hand to knock away the balls in front of him, while
carrying the girl with his left hand and rushing down the final steps. However, an
unconscious person was a lot heavier than what Kamijou had expected. It felt like a
metal ball was tied to his feet as he swam.
He wanted to jump, but his body was tied up by the gravity.
Just that little lag caused the thousands of orbs to form a vortex around Kamijou.
...Agh!
Kamijou reflexively shut his eyes and began to think.

98

With the girl under his protection in mind, he could block a few orbs with his body, but
it was impossible with thousands chasing them. Kamijous body would be eaten away by
the orbs like metal in acid, devoured by uncountable worms.
Uh?
That didnt happen. After a while, nothing happened.
There was a strange feeling that time had stopped. Kamijou didnt dare open his eyes
recklessly. He was in some strange fantasy that the moment he opened his eyes, time
would start to flow again.
Even so, he had to open his eyes.
With a fearful feeling that was similar to someone removing the wires of a timed bomb,
Kamijou carefully opened his eyes.
Ah?
But even after opening his eyes, Kamijou still didnt understand what was going on.
It felt like time had stopped. That was because the phenomenon now could only be
explained by a time stoppage. The numerous orbs in front of his nose nearly swallowed
him full. However, the vortex of orbs seemed to be paused in a record as they remained
in mid-air.
After a while, the seemingly impatient orbs finally started to move.
However, they werent swallowing Kamijou whole, but dropping down onto the floor
like an apple in the hand being dropped slowly. The orbs that landed on the floor then
vanished as they sublimed.
Then, a set of footsteps could be heard.
Kamijou didnt understand the situation. Even though he didnt, he knew that the
footsteps were coming from downstairs. Looking for the answer, Kamijou stared
downstairs as he looked for the source of the footsteps.
The stairs were linked downstairs to the entrance of the corridor, and the sunset sun was
shining on the dark emergency stairs.
Over there
Deep Blood Himegami Aisa was looking up like she was watching from the bottom of a
well.

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Part 6
At that moment, Stiyl Magnus was seeing the used-up flame sword vanish.
Rune cards scattered about in the air like sakura petals.
He was in a corridor that was a level above Kamijou. It was an ordinary long corridor,
but Stiyl knew that the core of the Gregorian Chant was over there.
He was a magician. To him, detecting the flow of magic was his specialty, so it wasnt
difficult at all. Even though the magical power of the students there was extremely weak,
with the power of two thousand people being managed at a single point, it was hard not
to detect the core.
I see. So this is considered hidden, huh?
Smoking casually, Stiyl muttered.
The hiding on the front side of the coin was considered an absolute defense to the people
on the back side of the coin.
Thus, the people on the back side of the coin couldnt even do anything to things on the
front side of the coin, even if it was just removing a Christmas wrapper.
Thus, by putting a core into an ordinary wall, an absolute defense would be formed.
Even if the enemy magician found the place, as long as the enemy couldnt touch the
core, it should be safe.
But first, I have to cover the core in this wall up first.
Stiyl looked bored as he puffed out smoke. His flames didnt have any shape. For
example, if there were some slight distortions in the walls and windows that created a
gap not even a millimeter wide, he could let his 3,000 degree Celsius flames flow
through.
The knowledge on the front side of the coin wasnt suited for the back side of the coin. If
he wanted to create a perfect defense, the best option was to put the core into a plastic
bag and tie the bag up.
Anyway, without even seeing the core, Stiyl destroyed it.
Thus, it seemed like he had managed to destroy the Gregorian Chant.

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Speaking of which, Stiyl shook the cigarette in his mouth and said, Looking at this
bloody path, it seems like even the alchemist has fallen after we havent met for so long.
The real bloody road should be made with ones own blood, right?
An esper and a magicians circuits were different. If espers even tried to use magic, the
unstable magic power would rip through the blood vessels and nerves in his body.
In fact, there were many fallen students on that corridorincluding the area around his
feet. Some were still trembling, and some couldnt move anymore. It was unknown
where the thick smell of rust came from. Looking around in the rooms, there should be a
hellish sight ten times worse than what he described.
Even Stiyl was amazed at his own bitterness; perhaps he still harbored some human
feelings.
(That guy really seems to believe in me.)
Recalling that esper boy, Stiyl looked like he couldnt take it anymore.
At that moment, Stiyl could hear a very clear sound of footsteps coming over from the
other side.
Not anxious, not intending to suppress the volume, not intending to hide the killing
intent, and yet not intending to hide and make the killer blow.
If there was a need for an illustration, it was like facing an enemy and intending to
attack, and yet knocking on his door; it was extremely daring and arrogant. Absolute
confidence. It was a declaration of war with a firm belief that he would win, and also like
a declaration of victory.
The owner of the footsteps said, Naturally, its true that by using the fake Gregorian
Chant, I can lure you to where the core is no matter where youre hiding.
The footsteps never stopped, and he continued.
Certainly, there should be two intruders wheres the other one? Clearly, was that
familiar of yours swallowed by the Gregorian Chant?
Ill be really happy if he really got swallowed, Stiyl said. But that guy has a longer life
than what you expect. Also, hes not such a cute thing like a familiar.
Stiyl chuckled and turned to face the owner of the footsteps who was ten meters away.
His eyes were no longer smiling.

102

That set of footsteps came from a pair of Italian leather shoes. The long legs above the
shoes and the two meter tall frame were wrapped in an expensive, white Western suit.
He was an eighteen year old male named Aureolus.
He had dyed green hair to symbolize his control of one of the five elements, earth, while
the slicked hairstyle made the Caucasian male all the more unique.
Perhaps others would be laughed at if they wore such a ridiculous getup, but to the
middle-aged looking man, his clothes were appropriate.
What now? What do you intend to do luring me here when you arent good at fighting?
You should know that you alone cant stop me. Or rather, how many magical tools do
you have on you? You Curio Dealer?

Those words seemed to be taboo to Aureolus.

For an alchemist to step onto the front lines and fight, he had to equip himself with
weapons and spiritual tools. Aureolus must use tens, even hundreds of magical tools just
to match up against Stiyl.
Idiot. Cant you tell that I dont have any magical tools on me?
I guess so. Besides, this entire building itself is like a sacred citya huge magic tool in
itself. Even if you dont use any magical tools to protect yourself, the surrounding
environment will automatically help you. Hm, the problem is, why did you come out? If
you just stayed put, the sacred city would have fought for you. And even if you come out,
youre just relying on the power of the sacred city. So what are you doing here? Or rather,
what can you do here?
Bastard
You appear to have a face that is suddenly surging with motivation but, unfortunately I
have no business with you. Thats all there is to it. After using children with somewhat
swollen heads to hinder me, it cant be helped if you get hurt, right? At any rate, a sin
was carried out in this sanctuary, would it be too cruel of me to have you request your
own punishment?
You solemn bastard!
Like a snake slithering out of a hole, swoosh, a cold knife shot out of Aureolus right
sleeve.

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(An arrowhead?)
Stiyl frowned. Though it looked like an arrowhead, it was about the size of a dagger. Just
as Stiyl thought that this was a hidden throwing weapon
Limen
Aureolus raised his right hand with a sway. As if he was raising a sickle shaped weapon,
the point of the edged tool glared at Stiyls face...
Magna!!
Immediately, the huge arrowhead flew out like a bullet at Stiyls eye with a golden chain
attached at the end.
...!?
Just before the projectile hit him, Stiyl instantly twisted his body in order to avoid it. If
he had thought it was just a normal edged tool, then right now his skull would truly have
been pierced through.
Indeed, the bottom of the gigantic arrowhead was furnished with a golden chain.
Stiyl bent his body downwards and the snake-like golden arrowhead flew overhead. A
second golden chain flew out of Aureolus sleeve, ripped through the air and grazed
Stiyls face.
Tch.
With the sound of a fruit being sliced open, the tip of the arrowhead stabbed into the
back of one of the fallen students.
()
Stiyl wondered what to say.
(?)
Like a knife piercing a balloon, the students body burst into bits and fluids.
It was as if someone just used a strong acid to corrode the huge body, but yet somewhat
different. That was not an ordinary liquid, but shiny golden
Pure gold that had melted due to high heat.
The chain rewound back with a swish, and the arrowhead flew back into Aureolus sleeve.
104

Naturally, why would you be so shocked?

Aureolus again raised his right hand and said, Im an alchemist, and I suppose, that you
know how I got this name.
Stiyl couldnt reply.
The representative magic called alchemy, which was theorized to be able to convert lead
into pure gold, truly existed.
However, if such a project was to be carried out using modern materials, it would take
seven trillion yen and three years.
It could be said to be a spell with a hefty price.
However, Aureolus had actually managed to use that magic in less than a second.
It was incomparably fast, and it could be said that nobody could surpass that record.
Anyone who gets touched by my Limen Magna will be forcefully converted into pure
gold. It cant be defended against nor avoided. Now, show me your ace, your Innocentius.
Im really interested in seeing whether the shapeless flames can be converted into gold.
The gold dagger snuck out like a snake from the alchemists right sleeve.

But Stiyl didnt say anything.

Its like he couldnt believe what was happening in front of him, completely rooted to the
spot.
Hm, Inevitably, its to be expected that you would be shocked after seeing my Limen
Magna. But dont get killed by me so easily. Im not satisfied yet. That attitude of yours
five seconds ago cant be compensated even if you die ten thousand times.
Surprised, Stiyl Magnus muttered like a child who just saw a ghost, So, why must you
do just a meaningless thing?
What?
The alchemist was shocked.

105

Whats so surprising about these words? The main point of magic is to experiment, and
not get results, isnt it? Even if an expert can make a magic drug within five seconds,
whats the difference if the drug effects are the same?
Looking like he just saw something really dumb, Stiyl sighed and said, Its the same
with what you did. Limen Magna? How stupid. How is this any different from spraying
strong acid on someone?
Just
I know that youre really trying hard, but its too much of an overkill to use Innocentius
to beat this. Besides, its watching a house, and I have no need to use it here.
Just shut up!!
Trying to shut of the mockery, Aureolus let out the Limen Magna from his right sleeve.
The arrowhead flew out, showing the alchemists rage. As the attack and rewinding
speed were too fast, it looked like the afterimages of several gold lasers. At the barrage of
ten attacks every second, the magician Stiyls body of flesh and blood couldnt keep up to
that speed at all. In the end, among ten shots, six of them stabbed through the face and
the abdomen like a sewing machine head.
The rune cards owned by Stiyl danced about in the air.
However
And whats with this? Havent you realized that youre just a magic tool?
His upper body got pierced through like a hive, and there was an arm-sized hole that
could pass through the face. However, Stiyl Magnus extremely bored and
unenthusiastic tone could still be heard.
What are you saying!?
Extremely stunned, Aureolus continued to fire the Limen Magna. Stiyls tattered upper
body continued to be pierced, and the lower body that was originally unhurt was now
being pierced through as well.
However
Using basic materials and a Germanic cross to create a soul, it really does look like what
the Roman Catholic priests would do. But I just want to look for the real Aureolus Izzard.
Will the Aureolus Dummy please step aside?
Stiyls body was swaying about in the air, gradually becoming transparent, looking as if
it would disappear anytime soon. But even so, he continued to remain standing.
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What are you saying!? These words defy the basic premises! Obviously I created Limen
Magna. Or else where would this power come from?
Of course it came from the real Aureolus Izzard. I believe youre starting to feel that
somethings wrong, right? Alright, let me ask you a question, Aureolus Dummy. Why did
you start to learn alchemy?
Do you need to ask that? Aureolus raised the Limen Magna and said, The aim of
alchemy is only to seek the truth. And I specialize in humans. Maintaining a humane
concept and seeing how high I can reach, this is the answer I seek.
For example, by consuming belladonna, it was capable to accelerate the speed of
assimilating and reciting incantations, even if it caused physical damage. Another
example was the possibility to hibernate for thousands of years by entering the frozen
mass of the South Pole.
But what Aureolus had wanted to know wasnt that breakthrough that was made by
sacrificing oneself for humanity. What he had wanted to know was how humans could
maintain their form and pride, and how much it could be ascended to. That was his aim
in alchemy.
Aureolus, who was the descendant of the famous so-called magician-doctor Paracelsus,
had that as his goal in life. That was also what he was most proud of.
If thats the case, why do you want to get near vampires that are said to surpass human
concept?
But the magicians words crushed all his belief.

Humph. See, you dont understand. You dont understand anything at all. You dont
know what Aureolus Izzard is doing, and you dont know what Aureolus Izzard is
thinking of doing. Youre just a fake that only has his basic ideas in his mind, so you
cant understand why Aureolus Izzard would go against his initial beliefs and do all that.
If he really didnt know anything, how could he be the real Aureolus Izzard?
The magician that should be battered really badly was actually talking in an even more
arrogant tone than the alchemist.
Also, about that Limen Magna of yours, since magic exists for research, how can
Aureolus Izzard be so proud that he completed such a spell? Only a kid will be happy
about being cured after taking a flu medicine, right?

107

U ah
There were too many points Aureolus could argue about.
However, Aureolus couldnt stop himself from listening. That was because the words the
magician had said were like a jigsaw puzzle that patched up all the deficiencies in his
heart. Thus, he really couldnt ignore it.
I can say it as many times as you want. Youre a fake. Im only looking for the real
Aureolus Izzard and not you. Though its really too easy to destroy one or two of these
security functions of yours, Im not too willing since you have a familiar persons face.
Get away as far as you can.
Aureolus Dummy couldnt take it anymore.
It wasnt about whether he was a fake. The main point was that he spent a lot of effort
just to create that one and only spell. How could it originate from somebody else?
Aureolus Dummy intended to use his full power to crush the enemy in front of him, and
raised his blade.
Also, you should understand this clearly. How can the real Aureolus Izzard lose so
easily?
The voice came from behind.
At a moment, the warm stove-like air brushed past Aureolus Dummys face. Then, at a
place that was empty, Stiyl Magnus appeared.
(A mirage!?)
Aureolus Dummy immediately tried to back away.
That so-called mirage was a phenomenon that was caused by the expansion heat,
causing a refraction of light. Thus, he could do things like letting his body seemingly
melt into the air or let himself look like he was at a place where he really wasnt at, just
like a movie screening.
It was a fake image that was speared through many times by the Limen Magna. The real
Stiyl had hid himself in the air and sneaked behind Aureolus Dummy.
Aureolus Dummy seemed to see through Stiyls tactic thoroughly in an instant.
It was through that he could avoid his attacks by moving about.

108

However
The illusion that was speared by that Limen Magna seemed to cause a false sense in
Aureolus Dummys mindat that less than a second moment, the image overlapped
with his body, and that was the biggest mistake.
If he stopped thinking, he would show fatal holes.
Just as Aureolus Dummy dragged his thoughts back to reality, the flame sword appeared
on Stiyls right hand. The flame sword swung directly down and hacked Aureolus
Dummys left hand and leg away.
The cut was extremely smooth like a hot knife cutting butter.
The parts that were sliced by the three thousand degrees Celsius flame werent even
bleeding.
U ah.
But what dominated Aureolus Dummys mind wasnt the pain of the body.
Also, you should understand this clearly. How can the real Aureolus Izzard lose so
easily?
The magicians words echoed in his mind, shaking his brain. That was right, Aureolus
Izzard was definitely invincible and overwhelming. He had never known what failure
was, what retreat was. He could only be called a perfect saint.
But what was with his ugly state now?
Right now, how was he any different from a frightened cat that used all sorts of tools to
protect himself and trembled on taking every single attack?
A-aaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!
Aureolus Dummy finally lost all sanity.
Even after losing a hand and a leg, Aureolus Dummy still used the Limen Magna.
!?
Stiyl remained wary of the golden arrowhead and raised his flame sword. However, the
Limen Magna flew off in a completely unexpectedly place. The students who were
gathered all over the floor were stabbed by the Limen Magna.

109

Immediately, the entire floor was filled with molten gold.

Then, Aureolus Dummy stabbed the Limen Magna into the molten gold and activated
the Limen Magna. Perhaps the Limen Magna had the ability to manipulate pure gold
like magnets attracting iron sand, as the molten gold splattered all over the place.
Of course, it included the area surrounding Stiyl Magnus.
Tch!
Stiyl casually blocked the splatters of molten gold. He then let his flame sword explode.
Though the numerous droplets of gold couldnt be blocked altogether, a storm could
send them flying.
Stiyl again created a new flame sword and sliced the surrounding smoke apart.
He didnt see any signs of Aureolus Dummy, who may have escaped during the
explosion. Stiyl hesitated on whether he should chase after him, but decided to give up.
Right now, the corridor in front of him was covered completely with high temperature
lava-like molten gold. It was five meters long, and he would be burned if he couldnt
jump over successfully.
It seemed like he could only make a detour. But luckily for him, Misawa Cram School
was made of four buildings, and each building was linked through an overhead corridor.
(Theres no place I cant get to as long as I dont mind making detours.)

Part 7
It looks bad, but the injuries arent serious. Treatment will suffice.
Deep Blood Himegami Aisa spoke calmly. Kamijou had dragged the Misawa student, the
girl with braids, onto the corridor.
B-but shes covered in blood!
Kamijou placed the girl on the floor, and couldnt help but roar on seeing her. That
unknown schools summer uniform was already dyed fresh red. Her face, hands and
other exposed parts of the skin were damaged and looked like a layer of plastic was
wrapped over them.

110

Only her skin that was damaged caused damage to the capillaries. Had her arteries
ruptured, it would have been worse. The blood would gush out like a fountain.
How do you
(Youre not a doctorand even if youre are, you need to thoroughly check this. How can
you make such a prognosis like that?)
Im more informed about the flow of blood than others.
Kamijou was stunned and automatically recalled the name of Himegami Aisas ability.
Help me.
However, Himegami herself didnt seem to notice Kamijous reaction, probably because
she was giving emergency treatment. She began to undress the wounded girl in front of
the boy.
Uwah, hold on
Dont overreact. That would be too disrespectful to the injured.
Though Kamijou was panicking about something else, but thinking about it, there was
something wrong about thinking about a girls naked body at a time like that. It was like
how a doctor who would get excited on seeing a patients naked body would get fired.
What Himegami did next could be compared to doctors and paramedics.
She first used a handkerchief to stop the bleeding thoroughly, and since she couldnt
stop the bleeding at the wrists with the cloth, she used Kamijous belt to tie them and
stop the blood flow. The abdomen muscles that were ruptured were sewn together by
the injured girls hair and some needles from a sewing box.
Kamijou couldnt do anything. He could only follow Himegamis directions and lift the
hands higher than the heart or use the handkerchief to press the wound down. But
doing that caused his hands to be stained in blood. It wasnt because he hurt others, but
because he was saving others, and that was a remarkable feeling in him.
Anyway, shes alright.
Himegami, whose shrine maiden outfit had gotten stained in blood, said that as if it
were nothing.
We managed to stop the blood. Itll take fifteen minutes for the blood to clot, and at
that time, the wounds will patch up. However, the sterilization is incomplete. Even
though there wont be any danger in the next two hours, its better to send her to the
hospital just to be safe.
111


Kamijou again stared at the injured person on the floor. The girl was about as old as
Kamijou, but her wounds were so serious that it was hard to imagine that.
Psychologically, she shouldnt be faring any better as well.
Its true that he should be happy that they managed to save her life.
However, she lost everything, and that bothered Kamijou.
We did what we could, now we can only leave it to Academy Citys technology.
Kamijou stared at the girls face as he said that, As the wounds were created from the
inside, the damaged skin was stuck on her flesh like damaged plastic sheets.
Only plastic surgery will be required. She just needs the skin on the arm.

Himegami Aisa merely replied according to modern medicine knowledge. However,

Kamijou still found it unbelievable that the skin from the arm could be used for the skin
of the face.
Speaking of which, youre amazing just now. Are you a certain doctor that operates
without a license? 6
Im not a doctor.
Just as Kamijou was about to ask what she was, Himegami replied.
Im a magic-user.

Kamijou recalled that she did say something like that, and said, Eh, on what basis are
you like a magic-user?
I have a magic wand.
H-hey, hold on! Thats a police baton!
New material.

Reference to the Black Jack manga.

112

Stop messing around!

Kamijou, who was loudly criticizing such ridiculousness, finally realized that he could
only do so because the injured person before him was safe.
Kamijou collapsed onto the floor.
Just that caused Kamijous remaining strength to be seemingly released. It was a really
comfortable feeling, and one could even find it weird that nobody was crying.
In some unknown place that couldnt be seen, lots of people were killed. Even if they had
saved one or two people, that hellish sight that was even worse than what he saw now
should be even trivial.
But no matter what, it was still something that was worth being happy over.
If she needs a hospital
No matter what happened, they couldnt let that injured person remain there. No matter
how they intended to deal with Misawa Cram School and Aureolus Izzard, they had to
call for an ambulance first.
Im going back. We cant leave the wounded here. And its better to let the ambulance
wait at the entrance.
Mm, thats true. Theres not just one casualty. We can cut down on the time it takes to
take them to the hospital by calling the ambulance here first.
Stop talking about it like it doesnt involve you.
?
Himegami stared at Kamijou with an inexplicable look. Perhaps it was because she had
been locked up for so long that her mind had no considered running away.
Eh, what I mean is that you dont have to be locked up over here. Lets get out of here.
In fact, we came here to save you.
Himegami was unresponsive, and only revealed a frozen look of surprise.
What is it? Did I say something weird?
Himegami said in a soft voice, Why?
What why? Do I need a reason to save others?

113


Himegami was shocked again, remaining stiff.
And that time, it seemed like she blushedor maybe that was just a feeling.
But, I
Himegami Aisa seemed like she intended to say something.
But at that moment, there seemed to be the sound of something being dragged about as
it interrupted Himegami. Then, there was a heavy breathing sound. Though he didnt
hear any talking, one could feel the negative feelings of hatred and anger in his
breathing, and it seemed to echo in his mind.
Damn it! Damn it! Absolutely, Why am I so injured! Hes supposed to be material, yet
hes dragging me downkuku, hoho, dragging me down? Dragging me down? Thats
interesting, isnt it, Aureolus Izzard! You dont even have any rear leg for others to pull!
Kuku! Kukuku! You bastards looked down on me! Inevitably, Im going to melt you all
down!
An abnormally loud male voice could be heard, sounding like echoes that got blasted too
loud.
Then with an extremely loud swoosh, with the sound of something being dragged, the
sound of something being could be heard, and the man escaped down the stairs and
made it to the corridor.
U-
Kamijou was inadvertently stunned. That was a green-haired foreigner in white Western
suit. However, his left hand and leg were sliced off on the joints, and there was a slanted
golden stick attached to the damaged parts, one of which was used as a crutch. It should
be painful, but the man didnt look in pain at all. Perhaps he had a lot of anesthetic in
him, as all the anger, hatred, happiness and craziness overwhelmed his pain. The sweaty
face was obviously showing an exaggerated expression.
Also, the mans right hand and the prosthetic left hand.
His hands looked like they were dragging rubbish, grabbing the collars of bloodied boys
and girls. Three on each side, six altogether.
Wha whats going on?
The man stared at Kamijou with bloodshot eyes, and said, Kid, what are you doing
here? Only magicians are allowed to be here! Are you an intruder? That flame
magicians friend?
114

Three meters away, the man continued to let saliva fly, but Kamijou stood his ground.
You these people.
Naturally, these are just materials! Alchemy requires materials! Why are you looking at
them? Thats too strange! Aureolus Izzard and his Limen Magna is standing before you.
Why are you still looking at the materials!? I should be perfect!! Why are you so
unhurried!? What am I lacking!?
The name Aureolus Izzard shocked Kamijou, causing him to back away.
However, Himegami Aisa, who was beside him, maintained her expression.
Poor thing If you didnt realize the truth, you could have continued being Aureolus
Izzard.
Ku!? Damn you!!
As Aureolus Dummy growled, a large golden arrowhead flew out from the remaining
right sleeve. It spun around the alchemist quickly, and the gold chain looked like a
boundary.
The arrowhead pierced through those bloody students that Aureolus Dummy was
dragging around.
The six students that were stabbed through by the arrowhead were immediately melted
into something golden. That wasnt an ordinary fluid. The mercury-like metallic shine
hissed, and the steaming sound that sounded like a beast breathing proved that this
fluid was molten metal.
What Do you know what youre doing, you bastard!?
But on seeing that, Kamijou Touma was only worried about the students that were
melted.
Facing Kamijou, who completely ignored his killer technique, Aureolus Dummy was as
angry as ever.
Of course... Accept your fate!
With that cry, the golden arrowhead and chain started to spin around the alchemist even
faster, The surrounding golden dirt was flying in mid-air like a tornado. It looked like a
wall, yet like a tsunami, and yet like a meteor landing on the sea. It whipped up waves
around Aureolus Dummy and extended out to the ceiling.

115

At that moment, from the corner of his eye, he could see Himegami moving.
She silently bent down and carried the injured girl away before backing away. Though
she was staggering back unsteadily, she wasnt anxious at all. It was like she was clear
about what she wanted to do, that if she backed away, she could get away from the
attack range.
Luckily, the fluid formed by the molten metal wasnt like water, but a sticky fluid that
was like melted chocolate. Even if a tsunami crashed in, there wouldnt be too much
splash damage.
Kamijou followed Himegami, who was carrying the girl, and backed away.
But at that moment, a hole appeared in the golden tsunami from whence a golden
arrowhead lunged with terrifying speed.
!?
Though he wanted to dodge it, Kamijou was backing away and couldnt obtain balance
under such a situation. He could only choose to use his right hand to grab that attack
that was flying at him.
The sound of muscles ripping could be heard in his hand.
The golden arrowhead wasnt so easily caught. It backed away and returned back to the
golden storm. The palm that got cut felt hot, like it got scalded on a hot metal plate.
After a while, the golden tsunami started to rise.
Kamijou jumped backwards and then rolled away, before finally avoiding that scalding
molten metal attack.
The golden sea separated Kamijou and Aureolus Dummy, and the width was about three
meters.
(Damn it, I dont have any feeling in my hand!)
Kamijou gritted his teeth. It was hard for him to clench his five fingers on the right hand.
The right hand that could negate any miracle couldnt even deal with a small knife.
What whats going on?
But after the tsunami of gold subsided, Aureolus Dummy, who appeared again, seemed
to be more anxious that Kamijou. One could even say that he was more than confused
now.

116

The golden arrowhead in Aureolus Dummys hand started to disintegrate like it was
made of sand.
The Imagine Breaker of Kamijous right hand started to work.
That arrowhead should be something that was imbued with some supernatural power,
so it had gotten destroyed after Kamijous hand had touched it. The wound on Kamijous
hand was caused by the blade just before it got destroyed.
Naturally, Whats with your right hand? Certainly, Why cant it change? Inevitably, My
Limen Magna is the pinnacle of alchemy! Its a miracle that two schools of thought,
Bohemia and Vienna, gave up on after thinking that it couldnt be fulfilled! This is
unbelievable! Entirely, What did you use to negate my theory!?
(Limen Magna?)
Kamijou felt that the wound was pulsating according to his heartbeat.
He inadvertently frowned.
(Was the change he talked about referring to that molten metal?)
Ha, how satisfying! Haha! This is satisfying! Youre really interesting there, boy! Whats
with that secret of the human body? Let me, the magic doctor, dissect your body and
solve all the questions!!!
Aureolus Dummy swung his right hand across, revealing a new arrowhead. It was aimed
between Kamijous eyebrows, matching the killing intent in the alchemists eyes.
(Its coming!?)
Just as Kamijou frantically used his right hand to cover his face, the arrowhead almost
touched Kamijous forehead. He quickly used his right hand to knock it aside, and the
fist felt like it got sliced as a sharp pain can be felt.
Tch!
Aureolus Dummy wanted to use the gold chain to counterattack, but it got affected by
Kamijous right hand before he could catch it, and it shattered like glass.
Another golden arrowhead appeared in Aureolus Dummys right sleeve.
As Kamijou was intending to dodge

117

The golden arrowhead continued to fire out like a machine gun from Aureolus Dummys
suit.
It was fast. The firing, the wrecking, the preparing of the next shot; All those actions
took less than a fifth of a second. That wasnt something that a human could handle
anymore. However, he couldnt choose to run away like that.
He couldnt even turn his back on others, as the tiniest slip-up would allow the
arrowhead to spear through his chest or other critical areas.
Luckily, though the arrowhead was moving fast, the trajectory was relatively simple. It
would continue to shoot out in a straight line. It was a lot easier to predict the trajectory
than against a boxer who could send in straight punches and hooks.
Ku ahh!!
So even though Kamijou knew that his right hand would get cut, he could only choose to
use his right hand to deflect them. Seeing the arrowheads changing ability, it seemed
like he would be melted into gold if he used anything other than his right hand to block
it.
Thus, after a while, there were remains of arrowheads and chains all around Kamijou.
Haha, hahahaha! Such an interesting human specimen! Its not using a chant that
absorbs the magic power, not the Lance of Longinus! It just used a bare hand to destroy
all my Limen Magna!
Seeing that he couldnt kill the enemy no matter how many times he attacked, Aureolus
Dummy still seemed really happy as he laughed. He was like an adventurer who had
reached some mysterious place that no one entered before.
Its not enough! Haha! Boy! Thats not enough to test your limits!
The golden arrowheads destruction and regeneration speed increased more than two
times. It continued to rip the air and fly at Kamijou.
Kamijous right hand was already stained in blood, and he couldnt even clench his fist.
(D-damn it! My fingers may be sliced!)
Just as Kamijou felt that scary thought invade his body, the golden arrowhead
unexpectedly missed, and it flew past the slow moving Kamijou.
The enemy missed was much too optimistic a thought.

118

Standing behind Kamijou was Himegami Aisa, who was carrying that injured girl.
Hime!
Kamijou turned his head about, trying to cry out. But facing the arrowhead that passed
him, that was too slow. The golden arrowhead was aimed between Himegamis
eyebrows. Aureolus Dummy seemed like he got mentally confused, and couldnt even
show mercy on the Deep Blood he had worked so hard to get.
In front of him was a shocked look on Himegami Aisas face.
Just as Kamijou wanted to shout out, the arrowhead could be heard piercing flesh.
There was a cry of shock, and Kamijou wasnt clear about whether he was the one who
made it.
He couldnt even tell, because the scene in front of him was too pitiful and unexpected.
The golden arrowhead didnt hit Himegami Aisa.
The thoroughly injured girl that Himegami was carrying, the girl that couldnt possibly
move a finger, actually pulled her hand out to protect Himegamis face.
The golden arrowhead landed deeply into her soft hand.
But the girl didnt reveal a look of pain, instead using her other hand to gently push
Himegamis chest. Himegamis body swayed and took a step back, separating from the
girl.
The girl seemed to be muttering something. It was an extremely weak voice, and one
couldnt hear what she had said.
But the girl smiled.
That wasnt a smile for herself. That was a feeble smile that was forced out to comfort
others.
Then, just like that, the anonymous girl got transmuted into molten gold.
For that moment, Kamijou seemed to shout something.
Kamijou didnt even know what he was shouting. He nearly burst his throat. The
alchemist also seemed to be taken aback, probably due to luck or lack of it, and the
golden chain stopped rewinding for a while.

119

Kamijou used his hand to grab the golden chain, not with the sure-kill right hand, but
with the left hand.
Kamijous instincts were telling him that only the arrowhead could carry out the Limen
Magna. The chained parts shouldnt have any ability to carry out the Limen Magna. If
the chain had a similar ability, the enemy wouldnt have shot the arrowhead straight out
but would instead swing the chain. Thats because if he did that, the attack range would
obviously be wider.
Ugh!
Aureolus Dummy naturally wanted to pull the chain back to himself. The chain was
being held straight like a rope in a tug-of-war match. However, Kamijou used his foot to
hold it tight.
Aureolus Dummy himself was the one who ended up being pulled.
And in front of him was the scalding molten gold that he created!
Guoaaaahhh!!
Stepping into the golden fluid, Aureolus Dummy tried to back away, but he couldnt do
it. That was because the golden chain became a bind, causing him to be unable to move.
Aureolus Dummy roared and released the chain that was hidden in his suit. He finally
managed to drag himself out from the molten gold. Although it was only two seconds,
that caused smoke to come out from below his foot.
Perhaps knowing that he couldnt use the chain as a bind, Kamijous bloodied hands let
go of the chain.
Now, should he run, or should he attack?
Just as Aureolus Dummy was hesitating, he saw an unbelievable sight.
Kamijou bent his body down, looking like he wanted to increase his jumping ability to
the maximum and jump over the golden stream to attack the alchemist opposite.
Letting go of the chain didnt have anything to do with locking Aureolus in place.
As for the leaping distance, anyone could have told him it was impossible
The golden stream between Kamijou and Aureolus Dummy was three meters wide. He
may be able to jump over it if he did a running start, but he definitely couldnt do that
without a running start.
Even so, Kamijous eyes didnt have any hesitation.
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It was like saying that it was alright even if he failed and jumped into the molten gold,
that he must beat the enemy in front of him before his body got burnt.
That intense emotion that was unrestrained caused Aureolus Dummy to feel that he was
in danger.
The next moment, Kamijou jumped without hesitation.
It seemed like a suicidal jump, but the direction wasnt at Aureolus Dummy.
But at a window on the corridor that allowed the shining sunset in.
Kamijous foot landed on that slightly protruded platform and he then flew towards
Aureolus Dummy!
!
Just as Aureolus Dummy frantically tried to counterattack, Kamijou had already
jumpedfrom a position much higher than the floor and above Aureolus Dummy.
Aureolus Dummys survival instincts were telling him to quickly attack back and use the
golden arrowhead to shoot that guy down. But just as the alchemist frantically raised his
Limen Magna, he realized something.
Kamijou Touma jumped over Aureolus Dummys head.
If he used the Limen Magna to shoot him downthe scalding hot molten gold would
rain down on Aureolus Dummy!
Apparently, I didnt foresee that!!
The action, pride, and even the burn on his foot, he couldnt even care about them now.
Aureolus Dummy frantically rolled back and avoided Kamijous attack, running away.
Compared to the shame of losing to an ordinary person who wasnt even a magician,
what Aureolus Dummy couldnt take was a great fear.
He could only run with his battered legs in the darkness, crashing about as he ran.

Part 8
Aureolus Dummy continued to tread through the corridor. It felt like that corridor was
long, and that there was no end to it.
122

After the chain was grabbed by that boy, Limen Magna had lost all its power, but that
wasnt much. The golden arrowhead was just a tool that was materialized. Limen
Magnas actual identity was actually that of the entire Misawa Cram School base.
Even if the tools magic supply got cut of, as long as the main body was supplied with
magic power and the shape of the tool was recreated, he could use it again.
Thus, that wasnt the reason why Aureolus Dummy ran away.
The reason why he had run away was because of the power of that boys right hand. It
seemed to be limitless. No matter how much he absorbed magic power from the main
body and into the golden arrowhead, it still continued to get eroded by that boys right
hand. If that kept up, the main body would have ran out of magic power. Such a crisis
sent chills down Aureolus Dummys spine.
Ku, damn
But Aureolus Dummy was still thinking of the next step. Whether it was Stiyl or that boy,
even though Limen Magna was ineffective against them, they would still try to avoid the
molten gold as much as they could.
In other words, if theres so much gold that they cant hide, they wont be able to do
anything. Ha, I have 1,982 materials beside me, naturally, thats definitely more than
enough to get rid of them!
Though this place was huge, they were still within a building. If he poured out a large
amount of gold like a dam bursting from the top level, he could easily flood all the
corners below.
Just imagining it alone was fun. Just imagining it was enough to sweep aside all
unhappy feelings.
Haha! Destroy destroy! Destroy destroy destroy destroy! Thats right! I cant die!
Theres still Deep Blood and all sorts of research materials thats incomplete! How can I
die!? No, not just this! There are still fifty thousand human specimens in the world
worth researching on! Haha! Its only a pity for that boy, I have to kill him before I can
even understand the secrets in his body!
Luckily, he had summoned all the students in the cram school onto the back side of the
coin, and now he just needed to gather these materials. At that point, he just needed to
pierce the Limen Magna through them. But after thinking about it, the core of the
Gregorian Chant replica that could manipulate all the students actions had been
destroyed by Stiyl.
Regardless of anything, these guys are against me

123

The anger ripped through the air like a hot blade.

But the sound of footsteps behind him sounded like a sharper blade.
!?
Anyone could tell that Aureolus Dummys back seemed to shrink after hearing the
footsteps.
Normally, ordinary people would choose to run away when they were afraid. That was
normal. Everyone wanted to run away, they didnt want to endure those irritating and
painful events. If possible, they wouldnt even want to look at it.
However, those footsteps didnt even allow Aureolus Dummy to act on the primitive
instincts that was so associated with ordinary people. That was because the footsteps
contained killing intent, bringing a sense of despair. It seemed like if he looked away, his
body would be diced into a hundred pieces.
Thus, Aureolus Dummy could only choose to turn back. His heart was telling him to run
crazily without even looking, his mind was already unable to endure such pain anymore.
But Aureolus Dummy could only turn back like a puppet being manipulated.
Over there, right over there.
Ten meters away, stood Kamijou Touma, looking like a savage beast that had just
escaped from an experimental lab.
Wh-whats going
Aureolus Dummy didnt understand. He was supposed to be perfect, so why could
someone force him into such a state?
But in reality, Kamijou Touma was standing over there.
...Enough screwing around, you bastard.
Kamijous muttering caused Aureolus to frown. It was the voice of one standing in the
midst of icy cold rain. Onlookers would have been confused as to who had pushed whom
into despair.
Kamijou saw hell. He saw people die right in front of him, and he understood that some
place where he couldnt see, a lot of people must have died, but at least he managed to
save an injured girl. However, that alchemist in front of him just took away the only
saving grace in his heart.
But as for that, Kamijou didnt say anything, and of course he didnt have any views.
That was because if he had the time to talk, he might as well do something else.
124

Kamijous eyes were glaring at the enemy.

His eyes were filled with burning iron-like killing intent.
Hii-.
Aureolus Dummy frantically raised the Limen Magna. That action wasnt out of battle
intent, but instead out of fear. However, that action caused Kamijou to be even more
determined.
He didnt say anything. Kamijous feet exploded with strength as he dashed at Aureolus
Dummy.
Filled with fear and anxiety, Aureolus Dummy shot out the golden arrowhead at
Kamijous face to prevent him from closing in. Kamijou crouched down like a spider and
easily dodged it, even taking a step forward.
!?
Aureolus Dummys anxiety continued to increase. However, even if the anxiety caused
the Limen Magna to be less effective, it could still regenerate six times within a second.
Aureolus Dummy easily recovered the arrowhead into his hand, and shot it again at
Kamijous face.
Having bent down, Kamijou had no other place to go.
However, Kamijou used his right fist to smash an uppercut at the abdomen. The golden
arrowhead and chain immediately shattered. The perfect counterattack looked like it
was predicted right from the beginning where the arrowhead would fly to.
Bending down his body was an act. If there was no way to retreat, and with that huge of
an opening, the enemy would definitely attack there. A straight attack that was
straightforward was way too easy as compared to fighting in the alleys where anything
goes.
Ten meters distance, dodging the first attack alone wasnt going to cover the distance.
Thus, Kamijou had thought of that tactic. That was because if he could dodge the second
attack, he could get near the enemy!
Agh!
Stunned, Aureolus Dummy roared with a twisted expression and tried to fire the third
attack. However, before that could happen, Kamijous right fist landed on his face. Then,
without slowing down, and even though he was one head shorter than the enemy,
Kamijou used his forehead to smash into the enemys jaw.

125

Having taken two direct hits in the head, Aureolus Dummy couldnt help but tumble on
the floor. He wanted to roll away to avoid the attack, but Kamijou wouldnt allow him.
He stomped hard onto the golden prosthetic and moved his foot to pull it out.
Like the sound of a fruit being crushed, the wound that was barely patched up let out a
ripping sound.
Gyyyyyaaaaahhhh!!
Aureolus Dummy screamed out in pain and released the Limen Magna at Kamijou, who
was intending to sit down on him. However, Kamijou actually used his left hand to grab
the golden chain so as not to destroy it.
It seemed like he never thought that he would turn into gold if he made the slightest
mistake.
Kamijou then twirled his left hand and tied the golden chain on his arm.
The Limen Magna attack was completely sealed. Then, Kamijou looked down at the
alchemists face from above.
(Stupidly if this keeps up, Ill get killed)
Aureolus Dummys judgment was quick. He chose to cut the golden chain that was
linked to the inside of his suit. Having maintained his balance with the resistance of the
chain, Kamijou swayed. Using that opportunity, Aureolus Dummy rolled away and
escaped from Kamijous clutches. Aureolus Dummy was crying out in his heart. The
Limen Magna that he so believed in wasnt destroyed, but abandoned under his own will.
His own belief had been wrecked.
He expected that he should be able to save his life if he gave up everything. It could be
said that it would be all for naught if that didnt work. But in front, Aureolus Dummy
couldnt run away any further. Thats because his prosthetic leg had been ripped out,
and he couldnt even walk.

Kamijou raised the golden chain and whipped it on the crawling Aureolus Dummy like a
whip. The heavy hit caused all the air in Aureolus Dummys lungs to be forced out,
causing him to roll about on the floor in pain.
Kamijou silently closed in on the alchemist and stepped on his back, proceeding to wrap
the chain around its former masters neck. He could have then hanged him by pulling on
the chain. What he could not do was break the neck because Kamijou was right-handed,
not left.

126

Kamijou didnt carry any emotions to his own actions. Or rather, he couldnt. His mind
and blank and hot, and reality was nothing to him.
I gya sp-spare me.
However, those words caused Kamijous brain to seem like it was dunked in cold water,
causing him to lose all his anger.
It was an unreasonable request. How many people had that person killed? Thinking of it,
one could tell that there was only one choice. Even in those superhero special effects
movie that were shown to children, nobody would hesitate over killing such a person.
But Aureolus Dummy was inhuman.
He knew he couldnt run, but he continued to reach his arm out and struggle.
Kamijou started to recall. The knight who was abandoned in the hall, the students who
still continued with the incantations of the Gregorian Chant even with their bodies
breaking, and the anonymous girl who had turned into molten gold while protecting
Himegami.
He knew that there was only one choice.
Kamijou wordlessly tugged at the golden chain.
But in the end, he could only choose to let go.

Aureolus Dummy continued to climb away on the floor. He could only escape from that
person who had caused his downfall, wondering about the misfortune that happened
around him, and relieved that he was still alive.
He was still a human. There was no way Kamijou could have killed him.
Aureolus Dummy didnt even know what floor he was on.
Though he had managed to roll down a few levels, he didnt even have any more
strength to roll. There was no strength left in his body. His back was resting on the wall
of the dark emergency staircase, and he was staring at the remaining hand.
Ever since he had gotten punched by that boy, he started to feel that the strength that
was supporting him seemed to be taken away. That sense of powerlessness seemed like a
certain magic source was cut off from him.

127

It was then that Aureolus Dummy truly realized.

He wasnt a human. If the boundary wasnt there to provide him with energy, he
couldnt even stand up.
It was like Limen Magna, a tool that was among numerous substitutes.
Ahh
Aureolus Dummy sighed as the feeling in his fingers gradually faded, and yet he was
feeling satisfied.
What is that? No matter whether it was Limen Magna or this body, magic would be
negated on contact. What is that boys right hand? Thinking about that, Aureolus
Dummy was like a teenager who was looking through a telescope, his eyes sparkling
with the thirst for knowledge.
The greatest question in his heart was: How much can a person maintain and raise his
form and pride?
Aureolus Dummy seemed like he had seen the answer. It wasnt just because of that
boys abnormal power. It was also because that even though the boy had such a power,
he would get angry and feel sad like a human.
Thinking about it, it seemed like his tragic fate was nothing.
That was because a scholar who knew the answer didnt need to live on and think.
Footsteps were heard.
Aureolus weakly looked up the stairs, and saw Stiyl standing there.
Naturally, I can see you havent gotten sick of killing me? The alchemist mocked
himself and said, Even if you leave me alone, Ill certainly die anyway, so why do you
still want to kill me?
Yeah. Its true that I have no interest in killing you. Besides, that child didnt interact
with you, Stiyl said with an uninterested tone. Speaking of which, theres a member of
the thirteen knights that was killed. I suppose you didnt do that, right?
Aureolus Dummy leaned on the wall and stared up at Stiyl.
Aureolus Dummys weapon was Limen Magna. Even though it could turn everything
into gold, it cant possibly turn the Surgical Armor of the knight in a vented shape like
that.

128

Humph, speaking about that. Certainly I never killed any of them.

What?
Inevitably, since I lost, you can just go ahead and think of the reason. Aureolus
Dummy smirked and said, Speaking of which, since youre not interested in me, why
are you here? Naturally, cant I just die alone?
Its the complete opposite, idiot. Im here to send you off. Can you endure yourself
dying off like that?

For a while, Aureolus Dummy stared blankly at Stiyls face.

Then, he smiled.
It was a rarity for the man, but he smiled.
Though he was a fake, Aureolus Dummy was a scholar. And right now, he was extremely
satisfied that he had managed to obtain the answer to a humans biggest limit.
However, there was still some time until Aureolus Dummy died off.
Less than ten minutes.
Aureolus Dummy was a scholar. In that spare time, he would think of a new question to
think about. They were research topics that were waiting for him to ponder about.
However, Aureolus Dummy didnt have time to ponder about them.
To a scholar, it was hell to have a doubt yet be unable to research it before dying. That
was definitely an unhappy feeling and regret that couldnt be avoided.
That is why Stiyl had said that.
Before you find that sweet question and ponder hard into it, let me send you off while
your mission is complete.
Humph. Aureolus Dummy smiled. I cant tell if you are an angel or the devil.
These are two beings of similar natures, the only difference is where they take their
orders from.
Stiyl slowly walked down the stairs.

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Fortis931 I prove why my name is the strongest here.

Stiyls black coat flipped out, and numerous rune cards scattered out like sakura petals.
Magic name, huh?
Seeing Stiyl walk down the stairs, Aureolus Dummy muttered to himself. If so, what was
his magic name?
Aureolus Dummy began to recall.
Oh, I remember.
Honos628 My honor is for the world.
Having finally remembered his name and purpose, Aureolus Dummy narrowed his eyes.
Do I need to make a final prayer for you as a priest? alchemist?
Walking down the stairs, Stiyl Magnus spoke as he arrived in front of the alchemist.
Stop dragging this on. Youre just a mere magician.
The moment Aureolus Dummy replied, Stiyls flames entered him through the mouth,
quickly burning through the insides of his body.
The flames burst out from all the openings. The abdomen then started to break, splitting
him into two parts. Large amounts of flames continued to spur out, causing Aureolus
Dummys upper body to shoot out like a rocket.

Part 9
At that moment, in a certain student dormitory, or rather, a certain student dormitory
bathtub, the girl Index, who was watching the house, was exchanging looks with the
stray cat Sphinx.
That calico cat seemed like it was a domestic cat, so it didnt have a cute personality. It
didnt chase after a thrown ball of yarn, it continued to nest under a table even after its
name was called, it would snatch other peoples food when eating. The last point was
really a serious thing. To Index, who had a voracious appetite, it was significant that
Kamijou Touma cooked for her.

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It seemed like she had to train it. Having decided to stop giving the gentle treatment, she
was now battling with the calico cat who was covered with bubbles. On a side note,
Index read through Kamijous elaborate explanation on how to use the automatic hot
water supply in the bathroom, and gingerly managed to work it out.
(But, where did Touma go?)
There were a few questions in her mind. The first was what was said during the
conversation. It wasnt because Kamijou had said that he just wanted to test whether the
phone could work, but that Kamijou actually said to forget it even after having his
pudding eaten.
Speaking of which, it was the same for the shampoo-bubble covered cat whose fur was
standing up.
Basically, Kamijou wouldnt do anything he didnt like.
Even if he knew that there was no other way, if he really didnt want to do it, he would
think of another way to solve it.
Such that Kamijou didnt even pursue those two things that he didnt agree with. That
was really too weird.
Having made up her mind, Index nodded her head. She walked out of the bathroom and
put on her nun habit called the Walking Church. At the corridor, before she even opened
the door, she realized that even if she wanted to question Kamijou she had to know
where he was. Of course, calling Kamijou was not an option. To be honest, Index didnt
know how the phone worked at all, and since the Kamijou residence phone had a fax
function, there were so many buttons that Index didnt know how to start using it.
Would she give up? Just as Index was about to return back to the room, she suddenly
saw something.
There was something that looked like a tarot card stuck on the wall.
It was the rune card that the magician Stiyl Magnus used.

Index stared at the card with distrust.

Something was definitely going on. He had definitely left Index alone to deal with
something alone.
Index recalled it. A few days ago, she met that teenager who didnt have any feelings.
The despair and anxiety Index felt caused her to be extremely restless.
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Run. She could only run.

Luckily, Index had the knowledge of 103,000 grimoires in her mind. She knew the
workings of Stiyls magic. The runes required magicians to continuously provide magic
power and maintain it.
For example, when a soul was lost, there would be something thin string-like that linked
the soul and the body. Though Index couldnt use magic, she could trace the magic
power, so she wouldnt get lost.
Just like that, Index ran off to the battlefield without even locking the door.
She didnt know that such an act would bring about the biggest trouble.

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CHAPTER 3
The Master Has Shut Off the World Like a God.
DEUS_EX_MACHINA.

Part 1
Stiyl Magnus was heading to the top level of the North block.
Perhaps Kamijou, who he had sent out as bait was attracting a lot more enemies than
what he had thought, as Stiyl practically faced no resistance. He hid himself completely,
checking every entrance of the secret rooms, and grasped the situation inside.
It seemed Deep Blood Himegami Aisa wasnt imprisoned inside.
Having checked all the dirt and magic traces left behind at the entrance, it seemed like
whether it was the front side of the coin or the back side of the coin, it looked like
nobody entered in.
There was nobody around, subordinates, soldiers or even Aureolus himself. Such an
environment was definitely not going to watch a prisoner who may escape any time.
If that had happened, things were a lot more complicated. That meant that Himegami
Aisa wasnt imprisoned, but because she was willing to help out Aureolus Izzard. If that
was the case, it seemed like he had to face that terrifying unknown ability of Deep Blood.
(Damn it, why are espers so hard to handle?)
Thinking about it, Stiyl suddenly thought of that boy who was sent out as bait.
To Stiyl, it was painless even if that boy dies. From the beginning, Stiyl had told him that
he wasnt his ally, and he made it clear that he was using him as a shield.
But when that boy had been pushed down, he still looked like he was betrayed.
It was an expression that showed that he had been backstabbed.

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Stiyl had definitely attacked him with the flame sword in their first meeting, and even
after dragging him to this deadly battlefield, why did that boy see him as a comrade?
That caused Stiyl to be uneasy.
Though it was just a little prick, it was making Stiyl uneasy for some reason.
(Damn it, why are espers so hard to handle!?)
Stiyl started to dash down the narrow emergency staircase.
Though it was a meaningless thoughtsince he treated that boy as bait, he wouldnt be
able to convince himself if he didnt have some level of accomplishment to it. What little
humanity left in Stiyl was arguing.
I dont understand at all, what are you so anxious about?
An icy voice could be heard from behind Stiyl.

Stiyl came to an abrupt stop.

He was running down the narrow emergency staircase. If anyone had brushed past him,
he would have surely noticed it. If so, why was there someone behind him?
The mans voice felt like somebody who had appeared out of thin air.

He slowly turned his head around. He knew what would happen if he let the enemy get
behind him without him knowing.
Behind Stiyl Magnus stood

Hm, so its over here?

As the orange sunset mixed with the purple night, Index arrived in front of Misawa
Cram School. Though it looked ordinary, that made it all the more strange. Index was
tracking down the owner of the runes at the student dormitory. However, after the
magic trail went behind the wall of that building, it got cut off.

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Basically, that building was definitely abnormal, yet it was forced to look normal. The
intentions were clear.
Like how people had magic power, this world had its own power.
In Christianity, it was known as Gods Blessing. In the magic cabal known as Stella
Matutina which formed the model for modern Western magic, it was known as Telesma.
But the concept with the most accurate nuance would be the ley lines in the Eastern feng
shui ideology. As the name suggests, these were lines spread all across the world that
distributed power like blood vessels distribute blood.
Of course, just as peoples magic power is similar to gasoline refined from their life force,
the worlds power has little strength on its own. (Then again, its strength obviously far
exceeds that of a humans magic power because a planets lifespan is so much longer
than a humans lifespan.) But a temple or sanctuary could be used to convert it to the
gasoline-like Ley which provides massive amounts of energy.
The power that filled this world was like air, ordinary people (including magicians)
couldnt feel it. Only those specially trained diviners or feng shui masters could feel the
force.
However, there was no such force in that stack of four buildings in front of her.
Though the power of the world was normally undetectable like air, once it became a
vacuum, breathing would be impossible. It was the same there, Index felt something
strange that couldnt be compared.
It was like some magic tower of death was sliced into cubes, becoming the largest
tombstone in the world.
Perhaps that was to prevent the magic power from escaping within, but that was too
extreme.
Though Kamijous right hand was capable of destroying the power of the world, it was
not a large problem. If the power returned to the soil like falling leaves, it rejoined the
cycle of life in the form of destruction, perfectly natural. Before Index realized the
Walking Churchs destruction, she had not realized how harmonious the hand was with
nature.
But the magic tower was different.
It was like a city of stone and steel formed after cutting down a forest through forced
methods. It was an ugly representation of urbanization.
Why didnt that runic magician realize it?

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Perhaps that was because the rune magician himself was a walking refining machine of
vast amounts of magic power. It was like people who were used to eating heavy tasting
stuff, their tongues couldnt differentiate the slightest changes in taste.
But Index couldnt refine magic power. Thus, she could clearly feel that light change.
This isnt a boundary to prevent enemies from invading, but a boundary to prevent
enemies from escaping. Hm, its like those Egyptian pyramids
The white nun muttered as she walked through the automatic doors.
She had no reason to head back.
It was because this was such an abnormal place that she had even more reason to bring
that boy back.
The moment she stepped in, she felt that the atmosphere was different. It felt like
moving from under a hot sun to a shop with a really strong air-conditioner. The lively
and peaceful street was now a cold-blooded battlefield with the ominous presence of
death permeating. And that wasnt a false sense, for deep inside the wide room, at the
wall near the lifts, was a dead knight who was wearing Roman Catholic tools.
Index cautiously approached the knight and observed him.
The knights Surgical Armor was imbued with magic that could absorb physical attacks.
However, as the main emphasis was to focus on defense, the weakness of that
equipment was that it was even more unable to withstand the magic attacksbut that
enchanted armor was forcefully destroyed by a powerful physical attack, thus someone
obviously ignored the defensive attribute.
(Either someone doesnt know anything about magic or hes just really crazy.)
Of course, just looking at that building that looked like a pharaohs tomb that got flipped
through, one could tell that the former couldnt be true. If that was the case, this would
be troublesome. Those who could destroy the enchanted Roman Catholic Church armor
through physical force alone are either those who could summon archangels with
Telesma or those who specialize in making metal golems.
In any case, this was not the kind of place that boy should be in. The smell of death here
was too strong for an amateur who did not know the basics of magic to wander about.
At that moment, there seemed to be something clashing. Index turned around, and
there was an entrance to a flight of emergency staircase beside the lift. There seemed to
be the sound of something being dragged, and the sound of heavy breathing.

136

Whos
Before she could finish her question, the thing climbed out of the emergency staircase.
That thing couldnt be called human, nor it could be called an object. That was because it
was no longer a human. Its lower body had gotten ripped off, the left arm was blown off
to nowhere, and the right side of the face was blown away. Even the remaining left side
had been burned to charssuch a thing that could still move couldnt possibly be called
a human.
Only half of the face that was burned off was still moving.
Unbelievably, that looked like the thing was tilting his head and pondering about
somethingjust as Index was thinking about something really unimportant, that thing
used a hand to support itself and got ready to fly over.
!
Without saying anything, the thing flew over immediately, and Index could only
frantically backtrack. However, Index tipped over the knight and tumbled over. The
thing that immediately lost its target fell off and looked like it was about to land on
Index.
At that moment
Be crushed!
A stern mans voice could be heard in that icy space.
Suddenly, the wall at the elevators ripped apart like a paper door, and a mans hand
reached out from within. That large hand looked like it was catching a ball as it grabbed
the head of that thing that was charred.
Then
In front of Index, who was lying on the floor, that things body exploded like what the
man had declared.
It was like ash that was gathered together being crushed. That thing started to show
three cracks on its body, and it started to break up into blocks. It then split up into
snowflakes-like pieces, and before it landed on Indexs face, it disappeared into thin air.
Open!
Another voice could be heard. The elevator doors that were ripped out from the inside
opened sideways. The twisted metal elevator that shouldnt be open actually opened.
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An ultimate magic that forced the surroundings to become reality based on ones own
words.
It cant be
Facing a puzzled and mumbling Index, a tall and lean man walked out of the lift, looking
rather nonchalant. His green hair was combed back, and he was wearing a white Italianmade Western suit and high-classed leather shoes.
Hm, its been a while, but I dont think you remember me. Inevitably, you cant
remember the name Aureolus Izzard, but to me that should be somewhat lucky.
The man who seemed to be talking casually had numerous marks on his forehead that
looked like mosquito bites.
It was acupuncture, an Asian healing technique that seemed out of place with
Westerners. In truth, this was false pretense. For example the founder of Stella Matutina,
a Western magic organization, loved Buddhist concepts.
But even if you dont remember, I should say what I have to say. Its been a while, Index.
It seems like you forgot about me. Im really happy that you havent changed.
The mans hand reached out at the lost Index, blocking her eyes.
It was the hand of a human or perhaps a monster that crushed the charred creature.
Index could not move as she responded.
I-it cant be Ars Magna?
The man responded with a gentle smile.

Part 2
Lets go back, said Kamijou
Unable to get past the flowing gold, Kamijou could only make a detour through the four
buildings and return to Himegami.
That person called Aureolus was beaten. I didnt kill him, but hes done. He cant fight.
Hes wounded, and his hearts dead. So, lets go home.

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There was nothing left to protect. The students of the Gregorian Chant couldnt be saved,
and he dueled that alchemist. There was no reason for Kamijou to remain there. He just
wanted to escape from that battlefield that was filled with death and go home.
He wanted to go home, he wanted to have dinner with Index. It was alright if he could
just get away from there.
(As long as I can see her, I can go back to the normal world. Before I cant leave the
battlefield, before I get used to this world thats full of killings and death, its over if I
cant get back to the original world.)
Kamijou thought blankly, but clearly.
However, an evil figure landed in Kamijous fragile heart.
First, according to Stiyl, Index had to have a memory wipe every year.
Second, according to Stiyl, Index had to find new partners every year.
Third, according to Stiyl, Index was ignorant of those facts.
That could be easily imagined. The Index who was smiling that year wasnt the Index
Kamijou was familiar with.
There were too many people around Index who needed her.
Though he didnt say it, Stiyl Magnus did imply that when he said that.
Dont be mistaken, that child doesnt belong to you.
...Ugh
A sudden groggy feeling caused Kamijou to use his hand to support himself off the world.
He had a feeling that if he treated that child as nothing special, it seemed like he
wouldnt be able to return back to his ordinary world.
(Such an ugly possessive attitude.)
Under such critical circumstances, any sense of self-defeat may become an impulse that
would lead to self-sacrifice or suicidal actions. Kamijou took a deep breath to calm
himself down, trying to force himself not to think about that. That was because he
realized that if he continued to think on, his mind would crumble.
(Anyway, better get Himegami out of here.)

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Kamijou sighed as he thought that.

That Aureolus Izzard was definitely a fake.
Himegami Aisa said that matter-of-factly.
What?
A body double. Ive seen the real person before, so I know that. The real one wouldnt
kill indiscriminately.
Every word Himegami said etched into Kamijous mind.
Thats right; thinking about it carefully, something was amiss. The alchemist was
definitely using Misawa Cram School as a hiding place, but still caused the students to
self-destruct through the Gregorian Chant. If that was the case, wouldnt he have lost his
disguise?
But even so, Kamijou was still unwilling to believe reality. Right now, he couldnt calm
down and think. It was because he was about to go back that he could remain so calm.
And now he was unable to accept the fact that he was going to step back onto the
battlefield.
Hold it, hold it right there! What do you mean by that? I just beat Aureolus Izzard!
I said it before, thats a fake, Himegami said without hesitating. The real body should
have many needles with him to stab in. Those without needles are definitely fakes, and
the real one isnt so weak.
Kamijou couldnt admit it, and neither did he want to. Right now, all his thoughts were
focused on going home, and right now, Kamijou couldnt admit that another enemy
existed.
But the real one shouldnt be interested in anything else other than what he wanted. I
dont think he will stop you if you want to go back.
Himegamis calming tone finally soothed Kamijous rampaging mood.
However, what Himegami had said seemed strange.
Hold on, youre coming along with me, arent you? Since hes aiming for you, how can
he let us go?
Why?

140

What why?
The question isnt about why cant he let us go, but why must I go along with you.
What?
Kamijou was shocked, unable to say anything. Right now, even if they beat the enemies,
Himegami still didnt intend to escape from Misawa Cram School.
Dont be mistaken. I have my own aim. My aim doesnt involve to escape from here. On
the contrary, my goal can only be achieved here. No, I can say that without that
alchemist, it is possible that it cant be fulfilled.
Himegami didnt sound lost, and one may even think that she was Aureolus friend.
Kamijou wondered what was going on.
Those hostages who were imprisoned or watched may have some mysterious sympathy
for the criminals. There were cases of such things in psychology. Was Himegami
someone like that?
But no matter what aims you have, that guy didnt treat you as an ally, right? If youre
one, why are you imprisoned here?
I was imprisoned before he took control of Misawa Cram School.
Himegami said without wavering.
Do you really want to know how I was treated here? Do you want to know why are there
so many secret rooms here? I dont think you can handle the truth.

Ever since that alchemist came here, the secret rooms were never used again. Im just
staying here, and I dont feel the need to go out. And if I randomly do so, Ill attract
that.
Kamijou recalled what Stiyl had said to him before they entered Misawa Cram School.
Though this looked like an ordinary building, it had a perfectly disguised boundary.
Deep Blood.
It was even treated as a legend in the magic world. A girl who was said to have the ability
to instantly kill vampires. Perhaps
Then what? Dont tell me you hide here to avoid conflicts with them?
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My blood has the power to attract them with a sweet scent and also kill them. Lure
them, kill them. Im like a carnivorous plant; colorful and deadly. Such is my nature.
Kamijous eyes widened.
Even when Stiyl had mentioned about vampires, he was filled with disgust and fear. And
this Himegami Aisa actually had a powerful ability to kill vampires. However, when
Himegami said that, it sounded lonely, like cold rain was pouring on her.
Do you know what vampires are like?
Being asked that, Kamijou couldnt possibly know the answer. What he could think of
were those evil vampires in storybooks who would attack others. In fact, the term
vampire didnt feel realistic to Kamijou.
The same
However, Himegami actually replied like that.
Theyre no different from us. They cry, smile, get angry, get happy, laugh for others,
and act for others. All of these peoplewithout exceptionare killed.
Himegami sounded like she was bleeding.
All her happy memories were shattered in front of her. Only those people who had
experienced such hell could say such words.
Academy City is a place to research on powers. I thought that I could come here to
analyze the secrets of my powers. If I know the source of that power, I can get rid of it.
However, I cant find a way to remove it.
Himegami said.
I dont want to kill anyone. I decided that Id rather kill myself than to kill others.
That was why
The girl called Deep Blood complained in a lonely manner.
But that
Please dont try and convince me. And its not a bad thing. Aureolus said before that he
can create an even simpler boundary. Its a boundary that takes the appearance of
clothes, called a Walking Church. If I put it on, I can go about on the road and not be
afraid of luring that creature.

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I have my goals, Aureolus has his own goals. We need each other to fulfill our own goals.
So its alright. Aureolus will fulfill his side of the bargain and not hurt me. Ill explain it
to Aureolus for you if you want to leave the battlefield alone.
Kamijou couldnt agree with it.
He couldnt understand the burden on that girl. He didnt know how to save the girl in
front of him. He didnt know what to do.
Tell me something.
Because he didnt know, he asked.
Since you dont want to attract vampires, why was it that you were eating outside when
we first met?
Its simple. Aureolus needs me because he wants a vampire. If I continue to stay inside
the boundary, I cant get one.
But isnt that completely different from what you wanted? Dont you not want to hurt
vampires? If so, why would you accept that order
Mm, but Aureolus promised me that he wont hurt them even after he gets them. He
just wanted their help.
What. I thought that you worked so hard just to escape from Misawa Cram School.
But even if I intended to escape, why are you here?
Of course Im here to save you. Do I need a reason?
Seeing Kamijou arguing like that, Himegamis eyes widened.
It looked like she had forgotten that her birthday was today, yet she got a birthday
present.
Unbelievable. But dont worry, I wasnt imprisoned. You can relax and go back, there
wont be any problems.
Himegami smiled.
Aureolus said that he wanted to save someone, but he cant do it with his own power, so
he needs the power of a vampire, so I agreed to help him. This is the first time I agreed
to use this power not to kill, but to save others.
...
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Were those words true? Even if Himegami wasnt lying, it was unknown if Aureolus was
lying to her. Besides, Aureolus was a killer, the mastermind who created that battlefield
of killing. What Himegami had said was really too different from the current situation.
And even so
Even if Aureolus Izzard was like what Himegami Aisa had said.
...That wont do.
Eh?
If Aureolus Izzard is just as what you said, that he hasnt become a monster, that hes
still barely a human, you cant let him continue on doing these wrong things. Though I
dont think that people cant be saved when they do the wrong things, if Aureolus is to
continue on like this, hell reach a point where he cant turn back.
Himegami remained silent.
Actually, she should have realized it. What Aureolus wanted was starting to be different
from what ensued in reality. Just looking at that battlefield alone, it was a whole lot
different from not hurting anyone.
Necessarily, on what basis do you refute my ideas?
A mans voice could be heard, interrupting Kamijous thoughts.
The inexplicable ringing-like sound immediately interrupted Kamijou and Himegamis
conversation, causing everyone to become silent.
It sounded like a whisper to the ear, but the owner of the voice didnt seem to have
transferred that voice through physical means, not through air.
Footsteps could be heard from behind Himegami.
But that was a long corridor that was more than thirty meters away.
There shouldnt be anyone there.
There shouldnt be anyone there at all, but in the blink of an eye, Kamijou saw someone
appear right in front of him.
There couldnt possibly be any hiding spaces.
And the man seemed like he was never hiding in the first place.

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You...
Kamijou started to suspect his own eyes.
The man that had appeared out of thin air should be the Aureolus Izzard that he beat
down, but his limbs were intact, and there wasnt even a single scratch on him.
(Did he use some special skill to heal himself?)
Kamijou wondered that, but that was illogical.
Even if he could heal his wounds, the personality wouldnt change. Though the person in
front of him looks the same, the atmosphere was completely differentlike a twin
brother with a completely different personality.
And the pressure.
Aureolus was definitely thirty meters away from him, and yet Kamijou could already feel
such an overwhelming pressure. It was like the enemy had already stabbed into his ribs.
Despair. The only thing that could describe that person in front of him was that he was
really strong.
(Dangerous!)
Kamijous instincts were telling him that.
(This person is dangerous!)
Inside that boundary, he was definitely someone that couldnt be beaten! But because of
that, Kamijou decided to step forward to protect Himegami. That was because from the
beginning, there was never an option to save himself by sacrificing others.
However
Calmly, dont interfere. I will come to you now.
Before Kamijou could even step forward, Aureolus had already covered the thirty meter
distance and appeared between Kamijou and Himegami.
What?
Seeing Aureolus suddenly appear in front of him, Kamijous mind was unable to
comprehend what just happened and froze. It wasnt that the person was fast, but that
he just went in from out of nowhere. To give an example, it was like editing a film.

145

Naturally, you may be wondering about what just happened, but I have no obligation to
answer, The alchemist said calmly, Himegamis blood is something thats very
important, so I cant hand her over to you. Im here to reclaim her.
The word reclaim started to spin around in Kamijous blank mind.
...Damn it! You bastard!
At that point, how could he run away? Anyway, he had to get close to the imprisoned
Himegami and the mastermind Aureolus. Kamijou then started to rush forward, and his
distance to Aureolus was about two meters.
However
In any event, The alchemist calmly stated, You shall not touch me.
Immediately, there was a drastic change.
At first, it looked like nothing had changed. But it was because nothing seemed to
change that something didnt feel right. Kamijou was running at Aureolus with full force.
However, the distance didnt close up, and it felt like he was running at a setting sun at
full speed. No matter how much he ran, he couldnt close in on the distance in front of
him.
It was like a corridor that was expanding infinitely, as Aureolus and Himegami seemed
to be backtracking from him.
Kamijou started to feel anxious. He remembered the power of the Imagine Breaker
ability in his right hand. Any supernatural power could be negated, even if it was Gods
miracle. However...
(Buthow am I going to make that effective!?)
Certainly, Tell me, Aureolus said with an emotionless voice, Why would I be unable to
turn back?
Kamijou felt a chill and stopped, not daring to approach Aureolus. His body was even
telling him that he would be in danger if he tried to close in.
Aureolus stared at Kamijous face without any emotion. That looked like a stuffed insect
staring pins right at him.
Suddenly, Aureolus pulled out a thin needle that was as thick as a hair from his white
Western suit. There was a faint smell of antiseptic from it. Aureolus used the needle to
stab it into his neck, as if he was hypnotizing himself.
Such an action seemed to be declaring Kamijous death, causing him to back away.
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However, Aureolus pulled out the needle, threw it away, and said, Unfortunately,
youre boring, boy.
Suddenly, Kamijou was shocked that he couldnt pull away from Aureolus no matter
how he tried to run away. In such a mysterious situation, it seemed like he couldnt go
forward or backwards.
Kamijou was unable to react to the enemy in front of him, causing his heart to almost
burst. Aureolus silently reached his hand out at some place far away from Kamijous
heart and looked like he was about to grab something. Its like he was about to dig the
heart out.
Diss
Just as the stern alchemist was about to say something.
Wait!
Himegami suddenly appeared between both of them and called out, interrupting them.
Kamijou was stunned. Himegami actually dared to stand in front of Kamijou to protect
him from the real alchemist who had such an overwhelming power.
(Idiot! Bastard...! Dont joke with me!)
Kamijou frantically reached his hand out to push Himegami away, but he couldnt even
close up a centimeter of distance. It was like watching a child who didnt know anything
confront a robber armed with a machine gun. Kamijou was starting to tremble due to
the danger.
However, Kamijou suddenly realized something, and that was Himegami Aisas title.
Deep Blood.
The vampires that even Stiyl so feared were killed by her. The legendary mysterious
power. Over there, she could be called the biggest ace. With her power, perhaps they
could turn the situation around.
(Is there a chance of victory...?)
Did she have a chance? If she didnt, she shouldnt be doing that.
However, Aureolus was merely looking uninterested at Kamijou, who was thinking.
He didnt seem to care about the biggest ace, Deep Blood.
Obviously, at this point, you might harbor a sense of hope, which is expected. However,
Deep Blood is no match for me. Aureolus said coldly. Naturally, you might wonder
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how the name Deep Blood came to be. Hm. Yes. She certainly has the power to kill
vampires but have you ever wondered, considering its so powerful, why its limited to
vampires? Why dont they call her Overkiller?
(Dont tell me.)
As his last hope got taken away, Kamijous thoughts started to narrow.
Essentially, Deep Blood is an ability exclusively effective on vampires. The truth is none
so extravagant. Its simply a unique type of blood. Her sweet-smelling blood lures
vampires to her and when they consume but a drop of her blood, they disintegrate. The
terrifying thing is the fact that it lures each and every vampire. They drink her blood
knowing they will die. Its only effective against Cains descendants, vampires; not
humans.
Aureolus elaborated as he obtained another needle, stabbing this one as well into his
neck. What was its effect? The rather emotionless alchemist seemed somewhat excited.
Hm, are you going to argue by attacking me? But how are you any different from me?
In the end, youre still like me, you need the power of Deep Blood.
Aureolus words etched mercilessly into Kamijous heart.
He knew that he had no hope left, but he still wanted to struggle even if the will in his
heart extinguished.
However
Thats no such thing. That person doesnt know the definition of Deep Blood, and
doesnt even know what vampires are like. He just came here today to save a stranger he
just met today. We havent even been formally introduced, and yet he couldnt leave me
behind.
The one who said that to Aureolus wasnt Kamijou, but Himegami.
She opened her arms wide, acting as a shield to protect Kamijou from the verbal attack.
Aureolus Izzard, what do you want?
Hearing Himegami say that, Aureolus eyebrows twitched.
Are you going to get ordinary people involved in this, people who arent magicians nor
alchemists, and kill them on some ridiculous basis? Is that going to satisfy you? Is that
your goal?

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If that kind of meaningless act is your objective, then I shall quit. I know I cant beat
you, but I have the right of choosing to bite my own tongue to end my own life.
Himegamis eyes never wavered.
It was almost hard to tell who the king of that fortress was. A very honest expression of
patience.
Aureolus again pulled out another needle and stabbed it into his neck.
Necessarily. We cant waste time on such things, The alchemist said with a casual tone.
Theres a lot of things we need to deal with. Whats more troublesome than the intruder
is how to deal with Index. Its easy to beat others, but to be honest, I still cant handle it
well.
Hearing Aureolus say that nonchalantly, Kamijou nearly stopped breathing.
(Hold, hold it. Index? Dont tell me, she came here!?)
Kamijou wanted to grab Aureolus, he must change the situation no matter what.
However, the distance between both of them couldnt be closed up. The alchemists hand
that was put down raised Kamijou again.
Himegami stepped forward at Aureolus, showing a defiant look.
However, the alchemist casually said, Dont worry, I wont kill him.
He pulled out the needle from his neck, and said, Young man, as for what happened
here
(Damn it, what kind of a sick joke is this! How can I back away now!)
The alchemist seemed to have seen through Kamijous heart and smiled.
He then said, Forget about everything that happened here.

Part 3
The sun had set.
?
Kamijou got up from the seat and looked around. A seat? Looking around, he found that
he was inside a student bus. Looking around, it didnt seem to go past the dormitory
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Kamijou was staying in. The name of the last stop was District 17: Before Misawa Cram
School.
Normally speaking, the last rides of the trains and buses were at dismissal time, 6:30PM.
It was rare that this bus would go out at midnight. Perhaps it was a bus meant for the
cram school.
Misawa Cram School?
Kamijou tilted his head. Was that the name of the cram school? Kamijou pondered, but
couldnt get the answer. He couldnt possibly go to a cram school. Kamijou Touma
couldnt even write his holiday assignments, let alone prepare for exams.
In a moment, the term memory loss sent chills down Kamijous spine. He thought that
he had just lost memory of what happened before, but as things stood, it may be worse
than what he expected.
Better check it out at the hospital.
Muttering to himself, Kamijou decided to first alight the bus. Besides, he didnt know
where the bus would go to. After he alighted at the nearest bus stop, he found that the
surrounding scenery was still foreign to him.
He didnt have any problems with his balance, and it wasnt like he really wanted to
sleep. On first glance, he seemed really healthy, but it was safer to do a check-up at the
hospital since he did lose several hours of memories.
(If I want to go to the hospital, I will need a health insurance card. Better go home first.
Is the hospital still open at this time? Do I need to call for emergency services? Hold on,
how am I going to explain it to Index? Wouldnt she feel weird that I would want to go to
the hospital all of a sudden? And would she be angry that she hasnt eaten dinner even
at such a late time?)
Thinking about it, Kamijou decided to walk back to the dormitory. However, there was
no bus that went towards his dormitory.
(Such misfortune.)
Just as Kamijou was thinking about that
It felt like something was calling out to him.
?
Kamijou tilted his head, looking puzzled. Thats strange. Why was it that it seemed like
he had forgotten something important? It was like not turning off the gas before going
out on a holiday, a sense of danger that couldnt be resolved. What was going on?
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Kamijou thought about Misawa Cram School that he never went to before, and muttered,
Never mind. If I cant remember, its probably not important.
After making that conclusion, he continued to move forward.
Right now, the most important thing was how to calm down Index, who was angry that
she had nothing to eat. Seemed like he could only calm her down with a black honey
pudding that cost seven hundred yen. That unexpected cost really bothered Kamijou.
(I really shouldnt have bought the 3,600 yen reference book.)
Kamijou sighed and scratched his head with his hand.
His right hand that could negate any supernatural powers, even a miracle of God.
With the sound of his skull breaking, the days memories rushed into Kamijous brain.
!
Kamijou frantically turned around to look.
The scene was already covered by the darkness of night. As the station was far away
from there, he couldnt see Misawa Cram School from there. How long had it been since
then? He couldnt find Stiyl, Himegami, or even Aureolusand of course, Index.
Aureolus had said forget about everything, and Kamijou really forgot about everything.
He had forgotten about the Misawa Cram School that became a battlefield, he had
forgotten about Himegami being taken away by Aureolus, and he had forgotten about
what the alchemist saidsomething about taking Index away.
Damn it!
He didnt know what had happened during the past few hours. It was okay for Stiyl to
remain inside Misawa Cram School, right? Thinking about that, Kamijou started to run
towards Misawa Cram School.
As he continued to run towards Misawa Cram School, Kamijou, whose brain was in a
mess, completely missed something. Even though he continued to run forward, he
wouldnt end up meeting with other people. In fact, there was no one else on the road.
Though it was night, it was a downtown area in Academy City, so it was really strange
that he hadnt met anyone yet.
(Whats going on?)
Sensing that anomaly, Kamijou already saw Misawa Cram School that stood high in the
night sky.
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There was no one on what was supposed to be a busy street. Kamijou experienced that
before. It was similar to the Opila runes that Stiyl had used in the evening.
But this time, it wasnt that no one was around.
What surprised Kamijou the most was that there were people surrounding Misawa
Cram School.
(What the hell?)
Kamijou stopped and turned back to look. Slightly far away, he could see a few people
around. However, it was impossible to tell if they were male or females, as they were
completely covered skin-tight silver armor.
There was no one around, which made that even more suspicious looking. From that
angle, he could see three people in armor. If they were surrounding the four buildings of
Misawa Cram School, there should also be a few of their comrades.
(What? Who are these strange guys? Some people from the Church?)
Mindful of these people, Kamijou decided to approach one of them. Perhaps the
situation had changed while Kamijou had lost his memory like an idiot.
Hey, what are you people doing? Are you members of the Church?
At that moment, Kamijou remembered the knight who had died in front of the elevator.
Those people were wearing similar armor to that dead knight.
One of them responded, shocked to hear the term Church.
Im one of the members of the thirteen Knights of the Roman Catholic Church,
Lancelot Vittorio Cassera. He seemed rather impatient. Oh, so youre a survivor of the
battlefield? We saw him walk out from here. Youre really lucky. If you dont want to die,
get further back.
Kamijou wondered what nonsense that person was spouting as he checked the entire
armor.
We dont wish to cause unnecessary damage. Well use the Gregorian Chant to carry out
a holy incantation bombardment. This is a mean that we decided on after considering
everything, in order not to increase the damages.
Kamijou was shocked by those words.
The Gregorian Chant. The students in Misawa Cram School had used the same spell.
According to Stiyl, that spell had originated from the Roman Catholic Church.
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It was supposed to be the ultimate weapon of the Roman Catholic Church. 3,333 monks
were to gather outside a cathedral and chant out that huge spell. It could multiply the
power of that spell like sunlight being focused on a magnifying glass.
Stiyls words entered his mind again. The replica itself already had such power, so how
much power would the original one have?
Bombard Are you kidding me!? How powerful is that thing!? How many people will
be involved inside!? Are you going to blow the entire building up!?
Youre right. This holy spell that gathers 3,333 monks at the greatest holy place in the
world, the Vatican Church can accurately turn anything in the world to dust. Besides, if
we leave the tower of this heretic, itll be harmful to our pride.
What nonsense are you spouting!? There are countless innocent students inside! And
Stiyl and Himegami are still inside! Even Aureolus
Aureolus had just wanted to summon a vampire so that he could save someone.
Besides, how big will the damage radius be, blowing up that huge building? Rubble will
fly out like cannonballs in a six hundred meter radius!
As long as the goal is correct, the means are justified! The bloodshed of today shall be
the foundation for tomorrow!
Kamijous mind started to boil because of those words; he was unable to remain calm.
What that person had said just now was totally different from what he had said before.
He told Kamijou to run away so as not to cause unnecessary deaths, yet he didnt care
about the lives of the people inside Misawa Cram School. That didnt make sense at all.
Are you kidding me! Isnt your comrade inside there as well?
Percival has martyred himself in another land. The blood he shed shall be created for
a better tomorrow.
Kamijou remembered the knight who had died beside the elevator.
The armored man whose words were intelligible and filled with madness. It seemed like
he completely lost his ability to think calmly.
Damn it, wait a minute! One hour, no thirty minutes will be fine!
We have no need to listen to your views! Begin the attack now!
The fully-armored man who called himself Lancelot raised the large sword into the sky.
The sword gave off a red glow, and Kamijou thought that it was like an antenna.
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Just as Kamijou intended to stop him, the antenna was swung down.
Revelation 8:7
So began the coordinated ritual.
The first angel sounded his trumpet, and there came hail and fire mixed with blood,
and it was hurled down onto the earth!
Perhaps due to the effects of magic, a horn could be heard from the glowing sword like a
beast howling, echoing throughout the night.
Immediately, all the voices vanished.
All the clouds that were floating in the night sky were scattered away.
From far away, it looked like lightening. A huge pillar of light that descended from the
sky. However, that pillar of light was red. It looked like thousands of fire arrows mixed
together to form a huge spear as it struck one of the four buildings of Misawa Cram
School.
The crimson pillar pierced the roof to the basement.
The tower was crushed to half of its original height like a squashed aluminum can. The
glass shattered and interior decorations flew about in chaos.
It wasnt over. Though one of the four buildings had been hit directly, the neighboring
two buildings were also affected, pulled down by the overhead bridges, leaving the
remaining unaffected building there like a tombstone.
Such an act of madness left Kamijou dumbstruck.
The building got twisted, cracks appeared on the walls, and people were falling through
the gaps like dust patted off pants. A large number of rubble utterly devastated the
surroundings like a meteor shower. The only silver lining was that there was no one else
around because of the people clearing field.
Shit, dont screw with me...
Kamijou gritted his teeth. There was Stiyl, Himegami, many students and teachers,
Aureolusand perhaps even Index inside.
Dont screw with me, you bastards!!
Kamijou dashed forward like a cannon, but not at the person who was in armor. There
was no time to bother about him. Kamijou wanted to check the bombardment site.
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However, the storm of dust prevented Kamijou from moving forward. He couldnt see
anything in front, he couldnt open his eyes. Even so, he continued to run forward. He
just hoped that all that was just a joke.
But at that moment, something changed.
?
At first, what Kamijou felt was that all the dust that was blocking his sight was scattering.
The large amount of dust flew forward like it got hit by a strong windto what was
supposed to be the wreckage of Misawa Cram School.
!?
No, not just dust. Even the rubble that flew everything was floating in midair, and the
crumbled walls flipped back up. The pieces started to come together like a jigsaw puzzle,
looking completely smooth like it got renovated.
It was like a rewind of a show. The collapsed towers were standing back up, and the
people who fell were re-absorbed back through the cracks. Most of the damage to the
buildings were repaired, and soon, all the four buildings of Misawa Cram School looked
like nothing had happened as they remained there. Even the neighboring buildings that
had been hit by rubble reverted back to what they were before, making one wonder if his
memory had gotten manipulated.
(Hold on. Reverting things to normal Dont tell me!)
Kamijou looked up at the sky. At that moment, the red lotus divine spear that was shot
out from the sky to the roof of Misawa Cram School appeared there. Anyone could tell
where the spear was aimed at. It really was an eye for an eye.
Ah, ahh
Turning back to look, the person in full armor was moaning, his knees seemingly giving
way as he collapsed onto the floor. It seemed like he should know how powerful a real
Gregorian Chant could be.
Whats going on? Kamijou looked up at the night sky. Even the seven Level 5s in
Academy City couldnt possibly create such a miracle.
(Thats the enemy...)
Aureolus Izzard.
(Thats that guys real ability)

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Facing such a terrifying enemy, how were they going to fight him? Kamijou stood
around blankly, his mind in a blank state.
Shit!
Kamijou got rid of all his fears and still dashed off to Misawa Cram School.
Arriving in front of the automatic doors, Kamijou hesitated to move on.
With fear and trepidation, Kamijou passed through the automatic doors and returned
back to the battlefield.
The interior of Misawa Cram School hadnt changed, and because of that, Kamijou
started to have goose bumps. Not only that, all the students inside were unharmed as
they continued to listen to the lessons.
The students should have been injured by the Gregorian Chant and melted by the Limen
Magna, but it looked like nothing happened.
Passing through a certain classroom on the corridor, Kamijou saw something and
stopped.
(That girl!)
Sitting a seat in the very back of the wide classroom was a girl that Kamijou recognized.
She had braided hair and glassesshe was the girl who was turn to gold by Aureolus
Limen Magna when she protected Himegami.
She was over there.
It was like nothing had happened right from the start, that she was living in a very
ordinary world.
!
Such a peaceful scene struck fear in Kamijou. Under Aureolus magic, life and death,
fortune or misfortune, normal and abnormal, all those were basically reshuffled.
Though Kamijou didnt know where he should go at all.
After arriving at a straight corridor, Kamijou finally saw a familiar face.
What? Why are you looking so panicky?

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The person who had betrayed him and used him as bait, and yet could smile so
shamelessly; Stiyl Magnus, who he really loathed. But right now, it was really an
incomparable relief to Kamijou.
Hm. The fact that youre here means... this place really is Japan? No wonder Ive been
seeing so many Asians this whole time, but what is this? This bizarre barrier structure
seems to have a familiar smell of magic power but...
Stiyl ignored Kamijou completely as he continued to mutter. It seemed like he had
gotten his memory wiped like Kamijou. No, he may have forgotten the objective of
Misawa Cram School as well. It seemed like his memory had been wiped more than
Kamijous.
He could recover Stiyls memories by using his right hand to touch Stiyls head, but
Kamijou was worried about something else. Wouldnt he erase the fact that Stiyl got
revived from the bombardment right now?
Though the right hand was completely ineffective when Aureolus had ordered that he
shall not touch him, since this was something that involved Stiyls life, he couldnt just
casually leave it as it is.
Hey! What block were you in?
What?
Just tell me!
??? Should be the North block. Why?
Kamijou heaved a sigh of relief. Only the North block was untouched after the
bombardment, meaning Stiyl had no need to be revived.
After confirming that, the rest was simple.
Hey! Stiyl! Let me teach you a charm thatll erase your doubts.
I believe that Kanzaki is a specialist in Oriental charms.
Just do as what I say. Its simple. Close your eyes and stick your tongue out!
???
Stiyl looked rather suspicious, but still followed what Kamijou had instructed.

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And then, Kamijou declared, Congratulations Heres a souvenir for actually using me
as bait and escaping by yourself!
Eh?
Then, Kamijou slammed an uppercut at Stiyls chin with his right hand.
The lost memories were back. At the same time, Stiyl bit his tongue and rolled on the
floor.

Part 4
Aureolus Izzard was standing at the highest level of the North block.
The highest level was called the principals office, and it was a large place that covered
the whole level. As this was a cram school, it looked more like a directors room than a
principals office.
Aureolus ignored all the luxurious decorations inside the room.
He was facing outside the window, his back facing the glamorous room. However, the
night scene below wasnt in his eyes.
What Aureolus was looking at was his face that was reflected on the window.
(The road taken was really long.)
He just needed one single sentencejust one single sentence like Revert back to
normaland the entire building would stand back up like a living thing. But having
witnessed all that, Aureolus didnt even twitch his eyebrows. He looked at the face and
sunk into deep thought.
He wasnt like that in the past.
Though he wasnt really a person who could really express his own feelings well, he was
still a human who could show emotions.
Right now, he wasnt even showing any emotion. It wasnt that he was calm or that he
just ignored it. It was that he had no time to be bothered with it.
(Its alright even if it became like this.)
Even if he knew about it right from the beginning, he couldnt relax for a single second,
for he had to fight against the entire world in order to achieve his goals.
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Aureolus Izzard did all of that just to save a single girl.

On a black ebony table behind Aureolus, there lay a girl.
Index Librorum ProhibitorumIndex.
It had been three years since the time when he had first met that girl who didnt even
have her own basic name.
At that time, Aureolus Izzard was a Cancellarius of the Roman Catholic Church.
Though he was a member of the Church, he was in charge of writing grimoires, so his
situation was rather unique among the special ones. His job was to decode the modern
witchcraft, find ways to counter them and record them down in books. He believed that
through this, he could protect ordinary innocent people from being hurt by those
witches.
And in fact, the grimoires Aureolus had written did help a lot of people.
However, the Roman Catholic Church had used those grimoires as their trump cards.
Pagan cults, and even other sects of Christianity like the Anglican Church and the
Russian Orthodox Church didnt even know about those trump cards. They had even
warned others that they should convert to Roman Catholicism if they wanted to be
protected from witches.
In the end, the alchemist did find a way to fight the witches, but there were many who
couldnt benefit from it, being harmed by them.
It was like how a patient could have been treated had he went through an operation, yet
was left alone. It was unreasonable.
Aureolus couldnt take that. He originally believed that the trump card he had created
could save others.
After a while, Aureolus decided to smuggle the books that he wrote out.
He came to the country of England, the country of magic where witch rampancy was at
its most serious. Aureolus was extremely careful about disguising himself and
successfully managed to keep contact with the Anglican Church through underground
means.
Over there, he met the girl that definitely could not be saved.
On first glance, he knew that. Even though he had set himself the task of saving the
entire world, he could tell that the girl in front of him couldnt be saved.

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The girl possessed 103,000 grimoires from all over the world, and any ordinary person
who read those grimoires would go crazy. However, that girl who possessed such evil
grimoires still smiled on, even though she knew that she couldnt be saved.
The reality was that girl couldnt be saved. From the beginning, the human held the 103,
000 grimoires wasnt strong. The girls body and mind were encroached by the poison of
the grimoires wisdom and consciousness.
In order to extract the deadly poison, every year the girls memories needed to be erased.
At that point, the alchemist saw the limits of his knowledge.
The girl who always had misfortune forced onto herself yet could smile for others. If he
couldnt even save her, how could he even talk about saving the whole world?
The alchemist started to write grimoires just to save the girl, continuing to believe that
he could save everyone in the world without exception. Every time he finished writing
one, he would head back to the Anglican Church. Even after ten times, and even after
twenty times, Aureolus still wouldnt give up and continued to write grimoires.
Just as he had lost count of how many grimoires he had written, he suddenly realized.
Why did he continue not to give up, why did he continue to write grimoires?
Thus, Aureolus realized it.
Actually, right from the beginning, he knew that this girl couldnt be saved. Even so,
Aureolus wouldnt give up, only using the excuse that he was providing grimoires to visit
that girl.
It was really an ordinary story.
The story of the alchemist who wanted to save the girl, but in the end had to be saved by
the girl.
Understanding that, he was at his end. Aureolus couldnt hold the pen anymore. Since
he had realized that he couldnt even save a girl, Aureolus lost all faith in his ability and
confidence in writing.
Unable to save, unable to savehe was unable to save others like that.
Even so, he decided that he had to save that girl no matter what, and so he chose to walk
down the path of darkness.
There was only one reason why he chose to fall into darkness.

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If Aureolus could obtain power to save everything, why couldnt he save that girl in front
of him?
Thus, Aureolus chose to go against the Roman Catholic Church, Christianity, and the
entire world. But even so, he couldnt save that girl. Even if he had used up all the
knowledge of the Hermes and Zurich schools of thought, he definitely wouldnt be able
to save that girl. He thought that he could just learn the complete anatomy of a human
and cure every disease. He thought that he could just learn the makeups of the brain and
cure every emotional scar. However, that girl couldnt be saved.
He couldnt even save that girl through faith or technology.
If so
What was wrong with relying on the power of Cains descendants, those whose power
surpassed all human understanding?
For that motive, he could betray anyone and make use of anything. Even Deep Blood.
Just like that, the alchemist went off the path of righteousness. The alchemist who had
once wished to save others more than saving himself was now a pitiful shadow of what
he was.
...
But Aureolus Izzard didnt realize it.
There was a girl watching him from behind silently. The girl called Deep Blood was like
him, just wanting to save someone as she chose to stand there. However, Aureolus
Izzard didnt realize it.
The story was not over
The savior hadnt arrived yet.

Aureolus Izzard reflected the Gregorian Chant? How is that possible?

Just when Stiyl was having a game of tag with Kamijou through a flame sword, he was
shocked by what he had heard from Kamijou.
Its true! It was like a video rewind! The damaged towers reverted back to normal!
Kamijou spoke while running down the corridor.

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Stiyl seemed to have gone further in than Kamijou, but before he could find Aureolus
hiding place, he could only waver about in the building.
If thats the case, dont tell me but current alchemy cant possibly go to that extent.
Stiyl anxiously exhaled out the smoke of the cigarette and muttered.
He even used chants like you shall not touch me and forget about everything that
happened here. Is magic really that all-powerful that you can say anything and it
appears!?
It can't be. Magic is proper field of knowledge with strict theories and laws. If there
was something that ridiculous that went against the rules, no one would want to
honestly research magic.
Then what did I just see? Everything really went as what he wanted.
As what he wanted; such an irritating term. Makes me think about Ars Magna.
Frowning on hearing the term as what he wanted, Kamijou suddenly remembered
something.
Didnt Stiyl mention about using the world as a means to project ones own thoughts
the final aim of alchemy that nobody could achieve yet?
Hold, hold on. Then that guy already mastered the most powerful spell in alchemy?
Thats impossible! Stiyl said in a rare violent tone. I said before, Ars Magna isnt
something that can be achieved through human means. Though the incantation itself
exists, it cant be completed even with one or two hundred years of non-stop incantation.
The incantation itself doesnt seem to have any elements that can be cut short, and they
cant possibly hand it down one at a time. Thats because like a telephone game, the
incantation will get even more twisted each time. Thus, humans with such a limited
lifespan cant possibly know that kind of magic!
Stiyls rejection may seem logical to those who understood the logic of magic.
However, the magician was trembling. Its like he just saw something really unbelievable.
...Youre right. Kamijou started to ponder from another perspective. If he could really
do anything as he pleased, we dont have to be alive. He doesnt need to use the
Gregorian Replica or even a dummy. Couldnt he have just told us to die?
He didnt even need the power of vampires or Deep Blood. If one was required, he could
have just created a vampire. Besides, if everything he wanted could be projected into
reality, why was there a need for vampires?
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Speaking of which, whats the aim of that guy? I heard that he wanted to save someone,
but he just ended up killing people mercilessly. Right now, even Index got involved in
it did the stress of blowing this case out of hand get to him?
What? That child too?
I just heard him talk about it, but I never actually saw her. Maybe he was just dreaming
or something.
Consolationperhaps trying to console himself, Kamijou said that in an easygoing
fashion.
But Stiyls expression was a lot more serious than before, seemingly bitter as he spat the
cigarette away.
Tch! I see whats going on. He isolated himself for three years just to study alchemy,
and now he has no understanding of current events. Stiyl stuffed a new cigarette into
his mouth, before continuing. I know what he wants. Its the Index.
What?
Kamijou couldnt understand that at all. This should be completely unrelated to Index.
Listen, Kamijou Touma. Index had to have her memories erased every year. In order
words, every year, her relationship with others would change, and she had to have new
partners every year.
So what about that?
This year, its you. It was me two years ago, and
Stiyl said rather vengefully.
The partner three years ago was called Aureolus Izzard, and they were teacher and
student.
Kamijou was shocked.
The fates of all the companions were the same. They tried to prevent Indexs mind from
being erased, but would surely fail Stiyl said with disdain, Of course, he met the same
fateand it seems like he couldnt accept it.
...What do you mean by that?
Its simple. Us companions who were with her werent abandoned by Index. Its just
that she couldnt remember. If thats the case, they just needed to cure Indexs mind and
make her remember them. Wouldnt they be able to bring her back to themselves?
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Kamijou felt his heart being hammered in by a stake.

He didnt know why he was so affected by it. It should be a good thing that Indexs mind
was healed. It was an inexplicable and invisible impact. Just as Kamijou continued to
think about it
He remembered the smile.
The smile that was shown to others. Why did it carry such a heavy impact to him?
...But it wont happen. Stiyl spoke quietly. Just like how erasing someones memories
is already a huge sin, changing memories is as well. He must know this or hes
completely lost his senses.
Stiyl voice was much too soft.
As Kamijou turned around to face Stiyl and hear more clearly, Stiyl simply exhaled
smoke and calmly shook his head.
Its nothing. Im just saying that guy cant save that child.
Why?
Kamijou failed to make the connection, his mind focused on the idea of his omnipotence.
If he could take away peoples memories or revive the dead, what could he possibly not
do?
The reason is simple. The one who ruined his goal was you.
?
Didnt you save her already? How can someone whos saved be saved again? Its just
that simple. Theres nothing more to it.
Hearing that, Kamijou finally understood.
Aureolus Izzard was Indexs partner three years ago. Ever since he had lost Index, he
never had any contact with her, so he didnt understand the current situation.
In other words, Aureolus
Were here. He even deliberately opened the door for us nicely.
Stiyl looked forward.
The highest level of Misawa Cram School North blockthe huge doors leading to the
principals office were open, looking like they were inviting Kamijou and Stiyl in.
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Part 5
It was a wide space.
This used to be the room that the ex-branch principal of Misawa Cram School, who was
also the founder of the religious science, stayed in. Though the room was luxurious, it
still lacked class, reflecting those twisted desires. It was like walking into a restaurant
that showed proper etiquette yet wouldnt think for the clients; it was really annoying.
On seeing Kamijou walk into the room, Himegami seemed to be rather shocked.
However, Aureolus didnt show any reaction. He looked like he had expected that to
happen.
There was a severe emptiness in the place, an emptiness that was like looking at an old
and yellowish photograph.
This wasnt the idea of the alchemist.
Perhaps to him, there was nothing in the world he couldnt do.
But because of that, nothing seemed real to that man.
Like an esper with the Marionette ability, when he saw others smile, he felt no
happiness. When he saw the perfect smile, it was as significant to him as the flick of a
finger.
It was the same logic.
To someone who could create everything, what he created didnt hold any significance.
That atmosphere didnt feel like that of a battlefield.
Anywhere Aureolus Izzard appeared in would become an empty battlefield.
Obviously, I can see that you have deduced my goal, The alchemist said calmly, If
thats the case, why do you want to stop me? Isnt your runic magic meant to save
Index?
Aureolus glanced down.
On the luxurious table lay the sleeping silver-haired girl.
Kamijou wanted to dash forward, but was stopped by Stiyls long arm.

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Its simple. This method wont be able to save that child. Its like seeing an operation
that will definitely fail on her. However, this child isnt that worthless.
Not necessarily. Thats just your envy. I can understand that. Though we were
comrades who had the same dreams crushed, you are unhappy that I surpassed you. I
dont find that funny, however. I always had this feeling.
Stiyl frowned.
That was because Aureolus Izzard had said it so naturally, without any hint of sarcasm.
In the past, Indexs mind was overloaded with so much information that she had to
have her memory erased every year. That was to be fated, something a human body cant
defy, Aureolus sternly said, However, by using a power other than that of humans, I
can solve this problem. After I got this conclusion, I found it all the more unbelievable.
Why is it that nobody suggested that we could borrow the power of vampires?
...
Vampires have the power of immortality. They can store infinite amounts of memories
in the brain thats similar to that of humans. However, I never heard of a vampire
breaking his head due to information overload, The alchemist said, Necessarily,
vampires really have such an attribute. No matter how much memories they hold, they
wont lose their wills.
Humph. I see. So you intend to interact with vampires and ask them to teach the
method to you? Stiyl shook the cigarette in his mouth and continued, For safety sake,
let me ask you first. If this method cant be used on a human, what do you intend to do?
Clearly If a human body cant do itIll move the Forbidden Library outside a human
body.
Aureolus answered without any hesitation.
That meant
Turn her into a vampire? Che! Which Christian in the world will be happy about being
a descendant of Cain? This is a common mistake we people have. If we want to save
someone, the most important thing is that we have to remove our own thoughts and
think from their viewpoint, right? I only learnt that recently.
...Absolutely ridiculous. Such thinking is merely fake kindness. This child once told me
at the last moment that she definitely doesnt want to forget me. Even if she defies the
teachings, even if shes willing to give up her life, she doesnt wish to forget all these
memories. She told me all these with her body unable to move at all, not even realizing
that she was cryingall of this while holding a smile!
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Aureolus Izzard seemed to grit his teeth.

Of course, Kamijou didnt know what he was thinking about or recalling.
Seems like you dont intend to change your mind no matter what. If thats the case,
though its a little cruel, I have to use my trump card.
Stiyl suddenly turned to Kamijou and said, Hey! Current partner! Tell him! Tell this
wreck in front of you what kind of a fatal defect he has?
...What?
Aureolus finally turned to look at Kamijou.
Kamijou couldnt tell which part of what Stiyl had said angered Aureolus.
Why are you stuck in the past?
This time, Aureolus Izzard looked perplexed as he stared at Kamijou.
Thats the case. Index got saved, not by you, not by me, but by the current partner.
What you couldnt achieve then was achieved by this guy, Stiyl revealed a cruel smirk
and said, This only happened a week ago. Ah, its to be expected that you didnt know.
You were away from that child for three years, so you didnt know that the child got
saved.
Thats impossible
Yeah. I can understand that you cant believe it. Besides, even I who witnessed it
couldnt believe it as well. No, I didnt want to believe it as well. This is a declaration to
myself, that child will never come back to me again.
Preposterous! This is impossible! How can there be a way to save Index! And its one
that possesses a human body! And besides, this guy here isnt a magician nor an
alchemist. Just what can he possibly do?
As for that, since it involves Necessarius no, since it concerns the pride of the
Anglican Church, Id rather not spread the tale. But I can only tell you this Stiyl
exhaled the smoke cruelly and said, This guys right hand has an ability called Imagine
Breaker. Basically, its a terrifying ability that shouldnt belong to any ordinary person.
The alchemist was shocked.
He couldnt remain calm. The alchemist stared at Kamijou.

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...Hold on a minute. That means

Thats right. Its been tough on you. I heard you betrayed the Roman Catholic Church
and hid underground for three years? It seems like all these were a waste of time. Hm, I
can understand the pain of not getting anything back in return. However, this child is
living a happy life with her partner as you so wished.
Ha
The decisive sentence.
Everything that was supporting Aureolus Izzard crumbled. He started to laugh
maniacally.
Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha hahahahhahahahahaha!!!
...That person had completely lost it.
Kamijou thought about that, blankly but definitely. But unexpectedly, the eyes started to
let out a flow. Thats because in front of the alchemiston the huge table, something
moved. A girl, the sleeping Index started to regain her consciousness because of
Aureolus mad laugh.
She was perhaps the last barrier for Aureolus mental sanity.
Index widened her eyes slightly, saying softly like a thread being held by a hand.
...Touma?
But what she saw wasnt the Aureolus Izzard in front of her.
She didnt care who, when, where, how she was taken there. She didnt even care about
her current state, and she wasnt thinking about what had happened to her when she
was unconscious.
She smiled. She was smiling happily.
Its only because Kamijou Touma existed in her sights.
Ah
Kamijou inadvertently backed away.
Kamijou was happy that Index was showing that attitude. Index didnt care about
anything else, only Kamijous expression. The act that was like a kitten opening its eyes
made Kamijou feel that this was irreplaceable.
169

But that scene also brought a sharp cold.

Behind Index, the alchemist who was supposed to be the leading man got completely
forgotten by the girl he had protected. His face was as stiff as though he just saw the end
of the world.
Kamijou really couldnt face that reality.
Aureolus Izzard was once the male protagonist. He had betrayed the Roman Catholic
Church, renounced his beliefs and became an alchemist, all just to save that girl in front
of him.
But what he got was the worst outcome.
Even if it was Kamijou Touma, had he taken just one wrong step, he may have faced a
similar fate.
The girl in front of them was a pure holy girl that was beloved by people all over the
world.
But because she was a holy girl, she could only love a male protagonist.
Such a simple purity that bordered on cruelty actually caused the most damage.
I should be perfect!! Why are you so unhurried!? What am I lacking!?
Suddenly, Kamijou remembered the body double he had beaten.
So that wasnt just a flimsily-made copy. In fact, that dummy actually portrayed the true
character of the man Aureolus Izzard.
Ugh
Aureolus Izzard couldnt say anything.
He smiled a frozen, twisted smile as if hed barfed air.
Right above Index, Aureolus raised his hand.
That looked like a blade of a guillotine, but even so, Index hadnt left Kamijou. That
caused the alchemist to be even more enraged, and the arm he raised seemed to insert
even more force.
Index!

170

Immediately, Kamijou thought of running towards Index, but because he was too
anxious, he couldnt decide on which foot he should step forward with first. The
alchemist was laughing maniacally. Right now, Kamijou was the male protagonist to
him.
Kamijou raised his right hand, but it was too late. He couldnt make it in time. Just like
that, the alchemists arm
Never swung down.
Kamijou inadvertently stopped.
Uu
Above Indexs head, Aureolus arm that was raising what looked like a guillotine was
trembling.
Uu uuuuuu!
But he couldnt move.
He had lost everything. He became an alchemist, and even betrayed his past allies just to
save a single girl. But that girl was already saved by a stranger he didnt even know of,
and she didnt even look at the man who had given up everything just for her.
If it were Kamijou in that situation, could he still rely on Index?
Could he convince himself that he wasnt betrayed?
Even so, Aureolus Izzard couldnt bring himself to hurt Index.
To that alchemist, she was that important to him.
...
Kamijou couldnt move.
Kamijou Touma didnt have any memories. Though others had said that he had saved
Index, he didnt remember how he did it, and how he felt when he had saved her.
Just like that, Kamijou Touma earned the trust of others by saving someone when he
had no recollection about it.
Seeing that man in front of him, Kamijou seriously wondered if he had the right to keep
her for himself.

171

But Aureolus turned around and glared sharply at Kamijou.

That man could sentence anyone to death with just a single sentence. Kamijou knew
that this was a death glare, but deep inside, he could understand his feelings. Right now,
Aureolus was unable to calm himself down. It was just that he couldnt bring himself to
kill Index, and having lost all his sights, he was rampaging.
In such a situation, who would be the scapegoat, who?
Thinking about it logically, one could tell that this was naturally to be expected.
Slam to the ground, intruders!!
An angry roar that sounded like an explosion could be heard.
Immediately, Kamijou felt the weight of numerous heavy hands pushing down on him,
like a bank robber who had his gun taken away and crushed onto the floor. The term
intruders should also include Stiyl, and in the corner of his eye, the red-haired
magician could be seen flattened on the floor as well.
Uu ugh
The feeling of almost having all the intestines flip inside made Kamijou feel like
vomiting. He used the right hand that felt like it got sucked by a strong magnetic force
and dragged it forcefully to his chest, bit by bit. If he could use his hand to touch his
body, perhaps he could be released like how he got his memories back.
Ha, haha, hahahaha! I wont kill you so easily! Let me enjoy this a little more! I wont
do anything to Index, but I wont be able to maintain my sanity if I dont take it out on
you guys!
The alchemist pulled out a thin needle that was as slim as a hair, held it with trembling
hands, and aimed it at his body. He then stabbed it in like he was pressing a button
inside the body.
Then, he tossed the needle aside like he was scratching off a poisonous bug that was
nibbling at his flesh.
Those actions were like signals to declare the commencement of an attack, as Aureolus
again glared at Kamijou.
Wait.
At that moment, Himegami Aisa stood between them.

172

It was the same position when she had protected Kamijou, but there was a decisive
difference that time. What Aureolus valued was not Himegami Aisa, but Deep Blood.
Since his aim, which was Index, couldnt ever be obtained, was there a reason to
maintain such a simple mean!
Hime
But Kamijou was unable to say anything to stop her.
The image Himegamis back presented was that she was really worried. Not just for
Kamijou, but also for Aureolus, whose sanity was crumbling. Though she didnt say it
out, Kamijou could feel that she wanted Aureolus to calm down before he went down the
road of destruction.
Facing that, who could state that cruel truth?
Out of the way, woman
But that was the greatest failure.
Kamijou saw the eyes that looked like gun barrels. Those were serious-looking eyes.
Kamijou moved his right hand, or rather, he tried to. If he didnt step up, Himegami
would definitely be killed. Slowly, bit by bit, inches by inches, he continued to drag that
right hand that was stuck on the floor. He then used his teeth to touch that ace right
hand like he was about to eat his own right hands index finger.
With the sound of the bones breaking, his body regained its freedom. It was a good
chance! Kamijou frantically got up. Now he just needed to knock Himegami aside and
shut Aureolus up.
Die.
At that moment, Aureolus Izzard said that, and time seemed to stop.
Assassinated, strangled, poisoned, shot, beheaded, slaughtered, hacked, beaten up,
burned, nipped, crushed, ganged up, frozen, drowned. No one would be able to tell the
method of how Himegami was killed.
No wounds, no bleeding, no illnesses.
She just died.
It was like a battery without power. If there was really a soul, the soul would be drawn
from the flesh, leaving an empty shell.
Himegami didnt even cry out.
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She swayed about, her head tilted back as she collapsed back. In other words, Kamijou
saw Himegamis face when she fell. Slowly, slowly. Himegamis face that couldnt be
seen was revealed in front of his eyes.
Her twisted face was still smiling.
She looked like she was about to cry, but she still held back her tears. All of that wasnt
because of surprise or shock. Himegami was already prepared. That expression was of
regret, regret that she couldnt fix something that was pre-determined.
Himegami Aisa had already known that she would end up like that when she blocked
Aureolus.
Even so, she still held a single bit of hope and tried to stop him.
The girl no one needed was viewed as a simple object until the very end. Like how the
alchemist had never understood how to be a protagonist, Himegami Aisa had failed to
become a heroine till the bitter end. Like an unappreciated background, she was dead
and worthless. Such was the fate of Deep Blood Himegami Aisa.
Seeing that, who could remain silent?
(Dont)
Kamijous eyes had completely ignored the existence of the alchemist. He just ran
forward at Himegami Aisa, who was about to collapse onto the floor. There was no
reason at all. He just had a feeling that if he let her fall onto the floor, that spell of death
couldnt be reverted back.
screw with me, you bastard!!
Right before Himegami landed on the floor, Kamijou finally managed to carry her body
with both hands. Himegamis body was extremely light, so light that it was like
something important was taken away from her.
In his arms, Himegamis body was unbelievably soft.
But through the right hand that was carrying Himegami, a weak but definite beating of
the heart could be sensed.
Wha... my Ars Magna was negated by your right hand? The alchemists expression
froze. Impossible. Certainly, Himegami Aisas death was already decided. Does that
right hand contain some sanctuarys secret art!?

Kamijou didnt reply.

174

That was enough. Those things werent important. It was like how he had somehow
managed to get back the memories, why he could negate the order to die using his right
hand, that wasnt important at all.
The most important thing was that Kamijou definitely couldnt forgive that man in front
of him.
Though he could pity him, though he could feel his feelings, though he got hurt by Index
yet couldnt bring himself to hurt her, all those things that the man just did made
Kamijou think that there was no reason to go against him.
But it was different now.
Even when he saw the most important person to him actually betray him, even when he
saw the most important person to him get taken away from him, even when he couldnt
vent his anger out and even scold himself.
But on facing someone who really cared for him
How could he just vent his own anger on her to satisfy himself? Kamijou definitely
couldnt agree with that.
Kamijou didnt understand the pre-memory loss Kamijou Touma.
What kinds of memories he had, what kind of past he had, what kinds of ideas he had
for the future. What he liked, what he hated, what he had protected in the past, what he
wanted to protect in the future.
But there was one thing he could be sure of.
Kamijou Touma would never agree with what that alchemist, no, what that human did.
The two Kamijou Toumas who were on their own paths finally arrived at a common
understanding.
All right, Aureolus Izzard. If you think you can do anything you want...
Kamijou Touma gently placed Himegami Aisa on the floor, and then stood up. He wasnt
making any sounds, but the static electricity-like anger on him felt like it would be
deflected on a single touch.
Without holding back at all, he declared, ...then let me destroy that screwed up illusion
of yours!
It was nobody elses voice. It was the voice of the Imagine Breaker, Kamijou Touma.

175

Between the Lines 2

Thats why I wanted to be a magic-user.
It was a story of ten years ago. On a certain night, a mountain village at Kyoto was
attacked by a vampire. It happened so suddenly, without warning, without a trace.
An ordinary village that didnt even need a police station became a living hell at night.
The young people who tried to fight off the vampires died off one by one, until they
couldnt even tell who was a vampire and who was a human. The companions who were
supposed to be working together ended up in the mire of killing each other.
Before the sun rose, there were two kinds of people. The first were the dead, and the rest
were vampires.
How? Why did I survive for so long? The girl thought in her young heart. Vampires were
everywhere, the familiar aunts and uncles who had once said goodbye to her at night.
The vegetable uncle who once told her its late, hurry up and go back bit her neck.
The moment the bite landed, the vampire turned into ash.
Yuzu, who once told her that we will play together tomorrow, bit her neck.
The moment the bite landed, the vampire turned into ash.
Her mother, who once told her to run away, bit her neck.
The moment the bite landed, the vampire turned into ash.
Thus, the vampires started to realize it. It was like a counter to the vampire, as long as
they bit that girls neck, the vampires would die. That had nothing to do with the girls
will. The girls blood was like acid; as long as it remained in their mouths, the vampires
would melt off and die.
Even so, everyone couldnt help but bite her neck.
The girl silently stared at the villagers who became ash that scattered in the wind.
Thus, what could she say?
Im sorry.
Every vampire said that to her.

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Some said that they didnt want to become vampires, some said that didnt want others
to become vampires like them. They believed, that only by turning into ash, were they
able to be redeemed.
The vampires turned into ash.
Sorry. We shouldnt have let you bear this sin.
Until the end, they continued to weep, unable to reveal smiles, unable to be redeemed.
Unknowingly, the entire village got covered in ash.
The village was peaceful. As no one was around, it was peaceful. Even the vampire who
instigated this didnt exist. It was unknown when the vampire bit the girl, and now he
got mixed into the ash.
The girl started to realize.
The vampire who had attacked the village was a victim as well. The girl whose ability
could kill vampires in a single hit must have caused that vampire to be terrified.
Trembling every day with nowhere to go, he could only choose to kill the girl, but he
didnt have the power to kill the girl.
Having exhausted all options, the vampire thought of turning the entire village into
vampires to increase the forces.
However, even an entire village full of vampires were easily killed by the girl.

(So, I wanted to be a magic-user.)

(I want to save those that cant be saved. I want to save those who were abandoned.
Whether they are victims or sinners, even if they died, I want to pull them out of hell.
The only magic-users who could do these things that defy logic were those that appear in
picture books.)
No matter what, she must become a magic-user. She always dreamed of being one. Her
mind only thought about becoming one. Therefore, when she met the alchemist, the
dream that was impossible to fulfill suddenly had a short-cut, making the girl excited.
That night, she was so nervous that she couldnt sleep. It was a comfortable form of
tension.
But now, the alchemist stood in front of the girl.
Out of the way, woman
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The dream she always wanted got cruelly crushed by the mouth that twisted so much.
Die.
At that moment, she couldnt even tell what she was thinking. The girl was unable to
maintain her own consciousness. Under such circumstances when she couldnt tell what
was going on, the girls consciousness got dragged into the dark abyss.
But at that moment
screw with me, you bastard!!
She seemed to hear a boy roar.
It wasnt that of the magician nor the alchemist. It was just that ordinary boy.
The boy was really angry.
Not because of what the alchemist did, but because of the girls death.
He looked really stunning to the girl.
For some reason, she seemed to feel that the dream she couldnt fulfill was standing
right there.

179

CHAPTER 4
The Deadly Seven.
Deadly_Sins.

Part 1
Both of them were standing on the faded but extremely wide space.

Kamijou completely ignored the weakly breathing Himegami Aisa as he had no way to
look down at her. There was no time. She had used all her strength, and even risked her
life just to stop someone. Thus, if he really wanted to think for her, he should hurry up
and stop him for her. And that person was right in front of Kamijou.
They were more than ten meters away from each other.
Facing a man who could turn whatever he said into reality, that was truly a distance that
really sent despair into people.

Even so, Kamijou stepped forward.

There was no reason to stop walking, there was no reason to head back. It wasnt
because he had gotten involved in this that he could only choose to fight. Kamijou just
followed what he wanted to do.

Thus, there was no need to talk, nor was there a need for signals.
The battle between the esper and the alchemist began. The goal was just to defeat each
other.
Phew!

180

Kamijou exhaled slightly and charged at Aureolus like he exploded. Aureolus didnt do
anything, and merely pulled out a needle and stabbed it into his neck.
The distance between both of them was only ten meters. If he dashed at full speed, he
only needed four steps.
Suffocate.
But the moment Kamijou took the first step, he lost his momentum.
Kamijou felt that his neck got tied up by something that felt like steel wires, and
inadvertently bent down. He felt like someone in pain after taking in poison, as Kamijou
used the right hand to grab his throat.
He did use that method to get back the memories Aureolus took away from him. He also
used that method to get back Himegamis life after she was ordered to die.
But even now, Kamijou hadnt regained his breathing.
It felt like something was stuck deep inside his throat, unable to breathe at all.
(Calm down, calm down!)
Kamijou released the right hand that was stuck on the neck, and heard his throat letting
out a weird sound.
(What did he just say? Use a rope to tie the neck? No wait! Its more ambiguous he
told me to suffocate!)
Then, Kamijou used a finger of the right hand that was released and stuffed it into his
mouth like he was trying to force himself to vomit out something he already ate. Just as
the finger reached deep into the throat and as an urge to vomit rose up in him, the
sound of glass breaking could be heard, and Kamijou regained his breathing.
All that took merely five seconds.
But, against Aureolus, who could turn any sentence into a weapon, they were five
seconds of toying.
Aureolus stabbed the needle into his neck, and nonchalantly pulled it out and threw it
away.
Be electrocuted.
The moment the alchemist finished speaking, bluish-white sparks surround Kamijou in
all directions.
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Before Kamijou could even feel his body freeze, the vortex of electric sparks burned the
air and rushed at Kamijou.
(...!?)
Kamijou raised his right hand.
Of course, that action wasnt planned by Kamijou.
But the only right hand that stretched out acted as a lightning rod, absorbing all the
electric sparks.
The sparks that touched the right hand looked like a snake that had just swallowed
poison as they trembled in the air and vanished silently.
(I can dispel it)
But to Kamijou, the excitement far surpassed the tension, and his heart started to race.
On the other hand, the alchemist narrowed his eyes. He again pulled out the thin hairstrand-like needle and stabbed it into his neck.
Be strangled and be crushed.
For a movement, the floor waved up and down like the surface of the water, and then
numerous ropes flew out from the floor, choking Kamijous neck hard. At the same time,
a rusted car fell down from the ceiling that was waving up and down.
(I can dispel it!)
But Kamijou merely waved his right hand, and the ropes that were tied around his neck
broke off like a paper bag that was soaked. The rusted car turned into coarse sugar-like
powder and disappeared into thin air.
Aureolus pulled out the needle on his neck like he was scratching off a poisonous bug.
(I can dispel it! That should be enough! My right hand dispels this guys attacks! If he
attacks verbally, it means therell be an attack. Its nothing if I deal with it calmly!)
Since Aureolus was the type of person who attacked through commands, it meant that
one could guess the attack through what he said. It was like a few card games that tested
responses. For example, once he heard the word electrocuted, he would be able to
guess what kind of attack that was.
It didnt take even a second to predict the attack.

182

But in normal fighting, there wasnt even one second of space. To a boxer, it took only
0.3 seconds just to launch a punch. Though each hit Aureolus released was extremely
terrifying, the speed wasnt any different from an ordinary punch.
Knowing that, there was no fear of not knowing what attack would come. For example, it
was like while children were fighting against each other, a kid delinquent just rushed in
with a knife.
Aureolus seemed to have seen through the confidence that Kamijou was showing on the
face and frowned.
I see. Truthfully that right hand can even dispel my Ars Magna without exception.
But the alchemists words didnt seem to lose any confidence, and Kamijou started to
feel puzzled.
However for sure; that would mean that no negation effect would occur as long as it
doesnt come into contact with your right hand, hm?
Hearing what Aureolus Izzard had said, Kamijou felt his body go numb.
Form a pistol in my hand. Load with magic bullets. Application is firing. One will
suffice
The alchemist seemed rather happy as he stabbed the needle into his neck.
As Aureolus gently waved his hand, a sword appeared. At first impression, it was a
rapier that a fairy tale prince would use, but was slightly different. Where the hilt should
have been was a flintlock. It was a sort of gun with a strange projectile.
(The attacks coming.)
Kamijou tensed up.
Begin to fire at a speed that surpasses human motion recognition.
Looking like he was trying to rip the air, Aureolus swung the rapier across. At that
moment, a gunpowder explosion sound could be heard. The next moment, Kamijou felt
that something just brushed past his face. After that, bluish-white bullets hit the wall
behind him and exploded.
...!
It was actually nothing much. The musket trigger was merely fired. But how could a
human eye capture a magic bullet that ripped through the air? Kamijou raised his right
hand, unable to move. The destructiveness of the bullet was easier to understand, so it
actually made one more nervous than some esper power or magic.
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It was of a completely different speed from the Limen Magna the dummy had used.
It had nothing to do with magic or esper powers. A magic bullet couldnt be dodged or
defended against by a human flesh.
So it ended up being some sort of a killer blow.
Aureolus revealed a very satisfied look and pulled out the needle in his neck before
tossing it away.
Mass produce the previous process. Simulate firing with ten hidden rifles.
After saying that, ten muskets appeared on Aureolus hands, five on each side. The
metallic-fans like array were held in Aureolus hand.
If those guns were fired, Kamijou Touma would definitely be unable to avoid them or
dodge them.
(Got to run!)
So Kamijou decided to run away before the firing. Though he knew that it was a useless
struggle, Kamijou still frantically tried to roll behind.
However, he suddenly realized something.
Behind Kamijouat his feet, there was still Himegami who was barely breathing. Even
further behind, Stiyl was unable to move at all as he remained lying over there.
Idiot! Why are you standing still!? Stiyl roared out in shock.
Preparations complete. Ten hidden rifles: fire simultaneously.
After Aureolus gave the command, ten blazing bluish-white bullets hit Kamijou.
The metal knuckle like attacks covered Kamijous body.
The word fire failed to describe the speed. The high-speed sniping was untraceable
while even editing a recording of it.
U argh!
Luckily, the magic bullets werent fatal. Kamijou got hit by the old-style bullets all over
his body, and blood spilled out all over the place. He flew back, bouncing on the floor
like some rubber ball and finally crashed into something before he finally stopped.
Looking closely, it was actually Stiyls body, and Kamijou got pushed like seven meters
away.
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Though his body and bones were in such deep pain that it felt like it was broken, there
werent any parts that were immobile.
Of course, that wasnt because they were lucky. The alchemist had already warned that
he wouldnt kill him so easily.
Aureolus seemed to be rather happy with that outcome and raised his hand at Kamijou.
Che. What kind of joke is that? You seem like you really can distort reality with your
words.
But before Aureolus could say anything, Stiyl cut him off.
Having his attention diverted, the alchemist turned to look at Stiyl.
Humph. Ars Magna is the pinnacle of alchemy. It may be hard to obtain, but if I
continue to pursue it, naturally it will become something that can be obtained.
Thats impossible! Though Ars Magna is in theory completed, the incantation is way
too long. It cant be completed even with one or two hundred years! The incantation
cant be shortened, and the passing on method will become a telephone game that
causes an error in the ritual itself!
Stiyl said and gave a look at Kamijou.
Kamijou nodded his head. He understood it. Since Aureolus method of attack was to
turn everything he said into reality, they just needed to divert his attention and make
him have no intention to attack in order to be safe.
Stiyl continued to distract Aureolus and gave some hints to Kamijou.
While Im buying time for you, think of some ways to counter this!
Thats actually a blind spot. Aureolus didnt realize it at all and continued, Humph, I
wont be able to complete the ritual within one or two hundred yearsthats for one
person to chant it, right? From father to son, from son to grandson, such a passing down
method will end up with an error like a telephone game thats the logic, but theres no
need to pass it down, right?
What?
Stiyl frowned slightly.
At that moment, Index said dejectedly, Its the Gregorian Chant. By manipulating two
thousand people to make them chant it at the same time, the speed of chanting it will be
at least two thousand times. Even a ritual that takes four hundred years to complete can
be finished in about seventy days.
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It wasnt passed down in order, but chanted at the same time.

Kamijou stared at Indexs face. At first, he thought that she had said that based on the
knowledge of the 103,000 grimoires in her brain but then he realized: In the world
when no one had ever managed to complete the Ars Magna, how could there be another
who could write a book describing this? She just used the current knowledge she had to
deduct that.
In fact, I thought that there would be a multiplying effect in the spell that would cause
it to drastically increase. But I only managed to increase it by 120 times, so it wasnt
really successful.
Kamijou gathered the consciousness that was gradually slipping away and looked
around.
He could still move his body, and he was only seven meters away from Aureolusnot
too far away.
If he could dodge Aureolus attack, he could attack him anytime.
120 times you finished it in only half a day?
Stiyl no longer sounded like he was acting around.
But this is the main base of espers. If these people with different body structures use
the Gregorian Chant, they should have exploded and died!
Kamijou continued to look around.
However, there wasnt anything that could be used as a weapon there. Kamijou
rummaged through his pockets and felt something. Though he couldnt use it as a
suitable weapon, it was something hard and icy cold.
Two shots.
If he could just dodge two of Aureolus verbal attacks, he may be able to dash right in
front of him.
Why cant you notice it? Aureolus tilted his head and said, Cant I just repair spoiled
items? Just like a collapsed building.
For a moment, Kamijou stopped and stared at Aureolus.
Aureolus nonchalantly said, Ah, didnt I tell you? Today is not the first time those
students died.
Bastard
186

Kamijous thoughts blanked due to anger.

Thats right. Im not so stupid as to not to realize my own sins thats right, I brought
failure onto myself. But even so, I still believe that theres someone I needed to save. In
the end, I ended up with this unexpected outcome.
Aureolus pulled out the needle and tossed it aside like he was drawing out poison.
You bastard!
Before Aureolus gave the order, Kamijou had already stood up.
He grabbed the hard thing in his pocket.
Naturally, Aureolus prepared to give the next command to crush Kamijou, who was
standing up.
But before Aureolus could speak, Kamijou already grabbed the phone in his pocket and
threw it at Aureolus.
Wha?
For a moment, Aureolus was truly stunned. At that moment, Kamijou started to run.
A cell phone definitely couldnt beat an alchemist.
That was a means to create time to close the distance. As expected, he got distracted by
it.
Abort the throw, turn it into a meaningless thrown pebble!
In such a short time, Kamijou closed in. The next hit, if he could defend against
Aureolus next hit, there was a chance of turning this around!
Bring a pistol to my hand. Usage is shooting. Finish according to the preparations!
But on the other hand, that meant that if he was unable to dodge this attack, it was over.
Aureolus released the ten musket swords. The empty weapons dropped onto the floor.
Those sounded like some secret code as the alchemist had musket swords in his hands
again.
Kamijous tense face was twitching. Just as Aureolus was about to say that crucial
word
Innocentius!
187

Stiyls roar stopped Aureolus.

Kamijou was stunned and turned to Stiyl. That was impossible, right? Wasnt that thing
to be used with the runes all over the room?
Besides, Innocentius should be stationed in the student dormitory in order to protect
Index.
It seemed like that was a bluff.
A completely meaningless bluff that was meant to extend Kamijous life slightly.
Aureolus cannon-like eyes turned to glare at Stiyl.
Float into the sky, Priest from London.
Aureolus said softly as if it was a preparation for an execution. The moment he had
finished saying that, Stiyls body floated into the air like it lost gravity until it reached
near the ceiling. Kamijou inadvertently stopped. If he could use Imagine Breaker, he
could negate Aureolus command. However, anyone could tell that Kamijou and Stiyl
were too far away from each other.
You idiot! Its too easy for you to beat Aureolus! That guys weakness is the needle! You
should be clear about that medical stuff
Stiyl growled as if he was trying to free the frozen Kamijou.
Aureolus glared at Stiyl with razor sharp eyes.
Explode from the inside, runic magician.
A mysterious yet awkward sound could be heard.
As what Aureolus had commanded, Stiyls body expanded like a balloon. Then, it quickly
exploded from within. Blood, flesh, bones, internal organs and all were scattered all over
the place.
At that moment, the blood and flesh were scattered all over the ceiling, revealing a large
oval shape. The entire room was covered in flesh and blood, and it looked like some
large observation museum. It could be said to be a piece of art that was created from the
magicians flesh and blood.
!
And the most terrifying thing was that the blood vessels were still intact, and the heart
wasnt damaged. It looked just like a train map, as the naked heart sent out blood
188

through the long blood vessels into all the internal organs, and then back into the heart
again.
He wasnt dead yet.
Even though he became like that, the man Stiyl Magnus was still alive.
Rune cards scattered about like sakura petals, which originated from the magicians
pockets.
Index, who was sitting on the table blankly, fainted as she saw that image that was too
cruel.
D-damn it!
Kamijou frantically tried to think as he tried to prevent that situation that was too
terrifying from paralyzing him, trying to hold back the voice that was about to cry out.
Until the end, Stiyl never asked Kamijou to save him, that man knew that he would end
up like this, yet he chose to say those important words to Kamijou. Since that was such a
huge hint, Kamijou must think this through thoroughly.
You idiot! Its too easy for you to beat Aureolus! That guys weakness is the needle!
You should be clear about that medical stuff
Kamijou tried to think through what Stiyl had said.
(Needles medical stuff?)
Speaking of which, Aureolus had been using his hand to reach into his neck frantically.
He was stabbing the needles into his own neck. Was Stiyl referring to that?
Academy City, which used drugs as part of the esper development program, had vast
pharmaceutical and medicinal knowledge that couldnt be compared to the outside
world. Like coming up with English words during an English mini-test, Kamijous mind
was starting to think about what he knew about acupuncture.
If one viewed it from the acupuncture therapy standpoint of regulating breathing,
mysterious Eastern medicine and other factors, basically, the effect was to stimulate the
nerves and make them work to reduce pain or control the internal organ functions. In a
time when there was no anesthesia, that could be said to be an important method of
treatment that was similar to magic.
(But, what about it?)
Kamijou tilted his head and wondered. In fact, from how modern operations didnt use
acupuncture, one could tell that acupuncture wasnt really effective in humans and
189

couldnt stimulate the body and mind like anesthetic. The most it could do was stimulate
Endorphin secretion to excite one, removing anxiety in people
Anxiety?
Change the contents. Stop shooting the hidden rifle. Use the bayonet to eliminate the
intruder.
Forgetting to run forward and standing around blankly, Kamijou heard Aureolus words
and recovered. The musket swords that were aimed at Kamijou with a sign of death were
spinning in the alchemists hand.
Even so, Kamijou started to feel suspicious about it and couldnt ignore it. After one
suspicion was formed, a chain reaction would occur, forming even more suspicions.
(Thats right. Its too weird).
Himegami, Stiyl, either way, the alchemist had just said something like die or explode
to kill them. If he could really can do anything he wanted, why couldnt he just give an
even simpler command to Kamijou like the ability of the right hand is to disappear?
(Thats right, somethings not right!)
And if he could really do anything he wants, why did he need vampires or Deep Blood?
If he could really create anything, why couldnt he create vampires using his own power?
(Thats right. Theres something wrong with that!)
Also, if Aureolus Izzard could let anything he wanted happen, why didnt Index turn to
look at him?
If lets say
Aureolus Izzards almighty Ars Magna didnt change reality through his words, but
through his thoughts?
D-dont tell me, I see
No wonder Stiyl once said that it was too easy for him to beat Aureolus.
Because Aureolus understood the power of the Magic side, Stiyl, Index and Himegami
were all familiar with Aureolus, so Aureolus understood those peoples power, and they
couldnt beat him.

190

But Kamijou was the only exception. They had just met today, and he didnt know how
strong that stranger was.
Impossible. Certainly, Himegami Aisas death was already decided. Does that right
hand contain some sanctuarys secret art!?
Aureolus was certainly nervous at the time.
To someone who could do anything he wanted, the anxiety in his heart meant
I get it, so its like that
Kamijou blankly muttered. It was nothing impressive. It was simple after he knew the
truth.
However
Humph, it seems that the source of your confidence is that mysterious right hand of
yours.
Aureolus nonchalantly stared at the spaced-out Kamijou and pulled out another needle.
He stabbed it into his neck, and said, If thats the case, Ill start by cutting off your right
hand. Hidden rifle, rotate-fire your blade!
There was no sound at all.
The moment Aureolus swung the right hand, the musket sword spun and attacked
Kamijou at a terrifying speed like a rotating electric fan blade. Kamijou was barely able
to see the trail of the musket sword.
He couldnt even see what flew over.
One moment earlier, the musket sword was on the alchemists hand.
One moment later, it severed Kamijous arm and stabbed into the wall behind.
It felt like a heated knife that sliced through butter, as Kamijous right arm was just
sliced neatly down the shoulder.
His right arm was rotating in the air.
There was no pain, and he didnt even feel hot. Kamijou just blankly stared at the right
arm that got sliced off.
(My right hands been sliced off?)
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Kamijou stared at his right arm that was spinning in the air.
(An omnipotent person who can crush my heart with a single sentence)
His mind wasnt distorted due to pain or fear, he just continued to think of a question.
(...chose to slice off my right hand?)
He compiled all those suspicions and formed an answer.
(Hes definitely someone who can do anything he wants)
After a while, fresh blood finally gushed out of the sliced off part.
(...yet he cant do anything to the power of my right hand?)
He still couldnt feel pain. He still didnt feel hot.
(He could only slice off my right hand to take away my Imagine Breaker ability?)
The arm that was spinning in the air hit something hard and dropped onto the floor.
After a while, he got belief though the answer that he got from all those suspicions.
After he knew what to do, the rest was simple.
Kamijou seemed to hear something flip in his mind.

Part 2
Ha ha hahahahahahahahahhahahahhahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahaha!!!
For a moment, facing that completely unexpected response, Aureolus inadvertently
backed away.
The boy who had his right arm sliced off was actually sneering.
(Did he go crazy due to pain and fear!? No, thats not right.)
His smile was a confident one, a very natural smile that indicated the belief that he
could win.
But to remain normal in that critical situation was the most abnormal thing.
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(What... whats going on...?)

Aureolus was feeling more unhappy than afraid.
Though he didnt know what that boy was thinking about, the victor was already decided.
If that was the case, there was no need to continue making himself unhappy.
Aureolus decided to kill him, and thus he impatiently threw away the needle on the neck
and said, Hidden rifle to appear in my hand, Load with magic bullets, One will be
enough.
He swung his right hand, and as according to his command, a Western sword with a
rapid-fire musket pistol appeared in his hand.
Aureolus seemed rather satisfied with his perfect magic and then commanded, Usage is
crushing. Following the original design concept of the rifle, fire your blade to crush the
preys head to pieces!
Aureolus squeezed the trigger. The magic bullet that was compressed with gunpowder
flew toward the eyeball of the maniacally laughing boy.
Though it was a low-velocity projectile, it would still pierce the brain if it hit the eyeball.
That wasnt a speed that a human could dodge, and it wasnt a power that humans could
defend against.
The boy couldnt do anything, just stare and watch his brain get splattered like a tomato.
But nothing happened.
What...?
Aureolus started to suspect his own eyes. The boy didnt do anything, but the blue magic
bullet that was shot precisely actually grazed past the boys face for some reason and hit
the wall behind.
(Did I miscalculate the distance? No...)
Aureolus again commanded, Repeat the previous command. Usage is strafe firing.
Simultaneously fire ten hidden rifles!
The ten hidden rifles that appeared out of thin air fired out bullets like a bouquet of
flowers.
However...
What should be an accurate hit of ten magic bullets all grazed past the boy, leaving him
without any damage.
194

(A misfire! How can that...!)

Aureolus was stunned as he stared at the boy who had escaped from death twice.
The boys shoulder was bleeding, an unbelievable amount of fresh blood was gushing
out from the sliced off area. The blood splattered on the boys face, covering it with
blood.
But the boy was still something.
It was as if the darkest part of the body was gushing out from the sliced off part of the
arm.
The boy didnt do anything except smile.
Aureolus decided to give the command for a third time and kill the enemy in front of
him.
(But he didnt do anything. He managed to evade Ars Magnas attack twice!?)
As he was having doubts, the alchemist stopped what he was doing.
He knew the power of his spell the best. That wasnt just an attack that could be evaded
through luck.
(Dont tell me hes planning something that I didnt foresee!?)
The boy seemed to be laughing from deep within, and he stuck his tongue out to lick the
blood on his lips like it was sauce.
Even a fallen vampire would not have reveled in its own blood!
(What is that guy...!?)
Thus, Aureolus couldnt stop the anxiety from forming within him.
(What on earth is this guy? He can still fight? With that body? Even without his right
hand!? Thats impossible! Thats totally illogical! This guy will die just from the intense
blood loss! Its alright, theres no problem! There should be no problem! There should
be no problem. But!)
Thats right, the moment anxiety was created in his own heart.
The boy had lost his right hand, and by right, should have lost all his powers. That pitiful
image of him seemed to be muttering something. He was sneering, staring at the
alchemist and laughing.
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Ku, ah. Ugh, Damn you... You cant live under the watch of my Ars Magna! Deploy a
countless number of guillotine blades and quickly dismantle that body!
The moment he finished speaking, numerous huge guillotines appeared on the ceiling
above the boys head like the cracking of the surface. Each one of them was an execution
blade that weighed over a hundred kilograms. Facing those huge blades that would fall
due to gravity, Kamijou just sneered, not intending to evade or defend.
(Its alright! He cant get away from this! It will hit! Hell die when hes hacked! I gave
such an order! I gave an order, I gave an order, I gave an order! It should be alright!
Theres no need to worry!)
Aureolus continued to repeat that in his heart over and over and over again. As long as
things went according to what he thought, that boy would die. However, even though he
would definitely die, the doubt continued to widen in his heart. It was like what he
silently wished just now was just to cover up the huge anxiety in his heart.
In fact, like what Aureolus had wished for, the infinite number of huge guillotines
appeared above Kamijous head.
This time, they hit with certainty.
However, as soon as they made contact, the guillotine blades broke and scattered into
very small pieces as if they were crafted with sugar.
The boy laughed.
While looking at the distressed alchemist, he seemed to have fun ridiculing his
compassion, cynicism, affection, disdain and happiness.
The boy was still laughing. His expression seemed to be stating that he had already seen
through that attacks weakness.
(Damn it, why...!?)
The alchemist had no hesitation as he glared at Kamijou like he wanted to pierce him
through.
Die, immediately b
But before his roar stopped, a doubt crept into his mind.
(Can I really kill him with just that word?)
Using trembling hands, he tried to pull out the needle, but he caused the numerous thin
needles to drop onto the floor.
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However, the alchemist had no time to worry about that.

Aureolus Izzard was trembling as he stared at Kamijou. The once sharp look was now as
blunt as a rusted blade. Unbelievably, both legs werent following his command as they
backed away. He seemed to step onto something, and some of the numerous needles
that were scattered on the floor got squashed.
Ars Magna could make any wish become a reality.
But on the other hand, once Aureolus thought that he couldnt win or that he couldnt
beat that person, that would happen as well. It could be said to be a double-edged sword.
That was the reason why he couldnt create vampires and Deep Blood as he so wished.
Basically, it was because there was a doubt within his heart that he couldnt create
something like that, so he couldnt create that in real life.
Every order that Aureolus gave was like a bullet. If he were to just think, there would be
a lot of random thoughts mixed into it. Thus, the order may be ambiguous and may not
happen.
Thus, he needed to say out the command to gather his concentration like he was firing a
bullet. It was like how when memorizing English words, it was easier to recite it out.
His Ars Magna wasnt some spell that turned anything he said into reality, but a spell
that turned what he wished for into reality.
But right now, Aureolus Izzard lost control of his verbal ability. Before he could think
the ambiguous thought into word, he instinctively created reality. It was like a handgun
that fired on its own without the owner controlling it.
In order to prevent that situation, Aureolus prepared a countermeasure.
(Shit, wheres my needles? Why did they land on the floor!? I used that to cure my
anxiety in order to prevent that! Without that)
Shocked, Aureolus held his breath.
(If I dont have that, what will happen? Stop? No! Stop thinking! If I continue to think,
everything will become irreversible!)
The more he thought of running away, the more his thoughts sank. He knew that, but
Aureolus couldnt stop it. If he stopped, it meant that he admitted everything. Like a
rolling snowball, Aureolus doubts lost control, and lost all meaning.
The boy in front of him didnt say anything.
He didnt say anything as he silently walked towards Aureolus.
197

Such an act made Aureolus even more anxious.

He couldnt stop that boy, he didnt know what to do in order to stop the boy. That was
why Aureolus couldnt do anything except wait for the boy to close in like a scarecrow.
Next, he found that the boy was already in front of him.
Both of them were facing each other with the table in between, and Index was lying on it.
Such an image was too much of an irony.
Even at that point, the alchemist seemed like he got glared at by a snake as he couldnt
move.
(Thats right! Stiyl, Index, Himegami Aisa. I know all these people! So I know their
power and knew that they arent a match for my Ars Magna! Only this boy is different! I
only met the boy for the first time, I dont know his power, so I wont know if Ars Magna
is effective on him!
Hey!
He suddenly heard the boys voice. Aureolus looked like a child being lectured as he
trembled.
The boy said, You didnt think that you could get rid of my Imagine Breaker just by
slicing off my right hand, did ya!?
He bared his fangs, and his eyes seemed to have a reddish glow.
The boy seemed to have said that happily from deep within the bottom of his heart.
(W-wait! ...Stop thinking...! ...don...anxiety...now I need...!)
Aureolus could only pray, but he still couldnt stop his thoughts.
Immediately...
An abnormal change seemed to appear on the sliced off part on Kamijous right shoulder
that was spurting out blood like a fountain. The blood flow started to increase, and it
looked like a transparent glass statue had fresh blood spilled all over it, as an
unbelievable object started to shape itself.
What rushed out from the severed part on Kamijous right arm wasnt a human arm.
It was a jaw.
And it was a savage looking two-meter-large head that could only be seen in ancient
legendthe head of a huge and almighty Dragon Strike.
198

The dragon head that should be transparent was dyed with blood. The boy raised it and
swung it, and slowly opened the chin that had a row of saw-like teeth on it.
It was like it was saying that this was the real identity of the right hand.
The teeth were bared.
On first glance, it may look like nothing happened, but in aspects that were invisible, it
was starting to change. The presence of the alchemist that once dominated the entire
room disappeared. It felt like the lead was forcefully switched.
(What...!?)
Aureolus looked up. He saw the disgusting human constellation observatory that was
formed by Stiyl Magnus flesh and blood start to gather from all over the room.
It felt like the explode command had gotten revoked.
(Dont tell me, hes reviving!? Like what happened to Himegami. The people who were
destroyed can!)
The moment Aureolus had thought of that, Stiyl shaped himself and landed on the floor
unharmed.
Aureolus felt like his spine was stabbed by someone with an icy pillar.
Of course, Stiyls revival was caused by Aureolus own anxiety.
(Hold on This is just my anxiety Calm down As long as I remove my anxiety
I can definitely let this ridiculous monster disappear!)
Trying hard to hold off the feat that was about to break through his heart, Aureolus tried
to make his final resistance. That should be some monster that Aureolus had created
from his anxiety. So as long as he calmed himself down and remove that anxiety, the
mystical beast that resided in the boys body should disappear.
But the transparent Dragon King was silently glaring at Aureolus with both eyes.
Just like that, Aureolus vision started to fade due to fear.
(Impossible... the opponent will)
The moment he had thought that, the jaw of the Dragon King widened to the maximum
and completely swallowed the alchemist head first

200

EPILOGUE
Deep Blood of Corruption.
Devil_or_God.

I think this every single time but you have a comparatively fantasy-like body, you
know?
In the pure white hospital room, the middle-aged looking doctor who looked like a frog
said that to Kamijou.
...
Kamijou didnt know what to say as he could only lie on the bed, lowering his head as he
looked at the arm that was held in plaster.
The right hand that was cleanly severed by Aureolus's Ars Magna was repaired neatly for
likely the best. The cells near the sliced area were undamaged and, after a day of
emergency treatment, the arm itself was successfully reattached.
A pinky sliced off by a delinquent can be reattached, was the type of information that
Kamijou had. However, no one had imagined that such a major reassembly of the arm
was possible. However, with such disgusting information in his mind, Kamijou truly did
not understand what kind of person he was before he had lost his memories.
On a side note, youve been hospitalized twice within ten days, and naturally, you
became a topic for discussion among the nurses. Dont tell me you have a nurse fetish?
...What are you talking about? I wouldn't have ended up on the operating table for
dangerous thoughts like that.
Really? Pity, I thought I finally found a compatriot.
Kamijou wordlessly stared at the frog-faced doctor.
(Did this guy choose to become a doctor because of such a reason?)
If that were the case, he really wanted to change doctors. Basically, he wanted to press
the emergency call button.
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Hn? Please dont be mistaken though. I prefer to do it than to be done. And I prefer the
delivery platform to the operation table
Shut up! Nobody wants to listen to the specifics! And stop demonstrating it to me,
thats disgusting! Why isnt a nurse taking care of me!?
Like that, Kamijou actually pressed the emergency call button.
The doctor gave a look of despair and said Im going then before walking out of the
patients room. Whats going on? Why did he look like he really found that to be a pity?
Immediately after the doctor left, another person walked in.
It was a man who couldnt fit into the Japanese culture, Stiyl Magnus.
Though I dont want to get close to you or be friends with you at all, I came here out of
courtesy.
...Let me ask you. Why are you jumping about as if nothing happened? Can you tell me
why?
Stiyl unhappily puffed his cheeks and chose not to say anything.
If there was a need to compare them to see who should have more tact about injuries,
there was none more than that patient.
All his flesh and bone got broken and scattered, and yet he didnt even have a blood
vessel broken. His organs were scattered all over the place, yet he could survive through
blood circulation. Not everyone could have such a precious experience.
I actually wanted to more or less thank you for this time but thinking about it, theres
no need for that. What you did was basically just to let Aureolus self-destruct.
Humph, this is all thanks to this Kamijou Toumas perfect acting skills!
Thats right. Kamijou Touma didnt have the power to beat Aureolus Izzard.
But the magic Aureolus used was able to change reality according to ones thoughts.
After that, it was easy; he just needed to make Aureolus himself think
That Aureolus Izzard definitely couldnt beat Kamijou Touma.
In order to achieve that, Kamijou called a bluff No, speaking honestly, Kamijou didnt
even remember about the fact that he had lost his right arm. Though he thought that he
should be acting somewhat properly, the actual scenario was more like his mind went
blank due to sharp pain and shock. According to what some suicidal people would say,
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excessive blood loss would bring about ecstasy, which could probably explain that
mysterious smile of his.
Of course, the truth couldnt be detected. Since he had to act, he had to pull it up to
eleven.
Speaking of which, its really unbelievable that we were able to survive. I got my arm
cut off, you became a human flesh planetarium. It feels like we again start to appreciate
the value of life Hey, why do you look like youre about to laugh?
Nothing. Seeing your attitude, I just thought that you didnt realize that I was secretly
helping you.
Seemingly looking down on others, Stiyl smirked.
After your arm got sliced off, you managed to dodge Aureolus bullets without even
dodging, remember? How do you think that happened?
...Huh?
Your acting did fool Aureolus. But at the beginning, Aureolus couldnt have believed it
right away, right? After your arm got sliced off and you started bluffing him, the main
reason why he started to be fooled by your acting was because you managed to dodge his
attack twice, wasnt it?
Um
Kamijou stared blankly at Stiyl like a fool.
You still dont understand even after I said so much? Basically, the reason why
Aureolus attacks failed the first two times was not because of your acting but because I
used my magic to create an optical illusion on Aureolus.
What?
Kamijou stared at Stiyls face in surprise.
Stiyl merely said casually, Whats so surprising about that? I specialize in fire magic.
Using hot air to create a mirage and manipulating the refraction of light to create an
optical error, thats not hard for me.
...No way! Im not surprised about that! At that time, werent you blown to pieces and
floating in midair!? That human flesh planetarium! You were in such a condition but
you could still use magic!?

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Human flesh planetarium is an interesting description but, this is none to strange, is

it? I was alive the whole time so of course I could refine life force to create magic power.
Its a good thing my rune cards were scattered all over the floor when I exploded.
Kamijou blankly stared at Stiyls Magnus face.
Though that incident involved vampires and Deep Blood, he was still the scariest one.
But you dont have to worry about that. I suppose you should know the sin you
committed in this incident, right? Im here today to talk about the developments after
Misawa Cram School.
Sin.
Kamijou turned to look at the right hand covered in plaster that had once housed a
dragon's jaw. Though that was a self-destructive illusion caused by Aureolus own
anxiety, the one who had forced Aureolus down the path of self-destruction was
definitely Kamijou himself.
Sigh, no need to show such an expression. What Aureolus imagined was a mental
image of a Dragon King, not a physical one. It was just like a ghost. Though the body
couldnt touch it, something that will swallow a soul will be similar to that.
???
It simply means that you didnt harm Aureolus physically but his spirit was broken.
...Is that something worth bragging about?
Of course it is. In terms of the conclusion, we just took away Aureolus Izzards memory
and settled it. In this battle against the magician who defended so strongly, the final
casualty was merely that one member of the thirteen Knights in front of the lift. In the
two thousand year history of magic, this is the third time such a happy ending occurred.
(Is this really something worth being happy?) Kamijou wondered.
He suddenly remembered something. The Gregorian Chant of the Roman Catholic
Church should be safe, right? Perhaps Stiyl, who had his memory erased, couldnt
remember it.
...And then? What happened to the memory-less Aureolus Izzard?
(Is he in this hospital?) Kamijou wondered.
Oh, is there a need to mention it? I killed him.
He said so matter-of-factly that Kamijou suspected whether he had heard it incorrectly.
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Whats with the expression? Listen. Aureolus Izzard first betrayed the Catholic Church
and became an alchemist. Then, he imprisoned Deep Blood and turned Misawa Cram
into his fortress. He basically rebelled against the entirety of Academy City and the
Christian sects that were wiped out trying to hunt him. Hes someone with a huge
bounty on his head. Of course, Necessarius, which mostly carries out witch-hunts and
includes me and Index, had a mission to kill him.
Stiyl seemed rather impatient in the room that didnt allow smoking.
Look. Going against so many organizations in the world, can Aureolus Izzard who lost
his memory even fight against them? To put it simply, since Aureolus Izzard doesnt
have any memories and doesnt have anything to protect, does he have the will to go
against the entire word?
...
Aureolus definitely wont be simply killed off like that. The enemies will kill him
through even cruel methods, and most importantly, Aureolus Izzard is the only
magician in the world who managed to cast the Ars Magna spell. Of course, a lot of
organizations in the world will interrogate Aureolus severely to get this secret skill. But
the worst of all is that since Aureolus lost all his memories, he cant even give a
testimony, Stiyl said reluctantly, Thus Aureolus had only two options. One is death,
and the other is a painful hell. If you ask me, Ill definitely choose the former without
hesitation at all.
However, Kamijou still couldnt accept it.
I still cant accept it. I still cant. Even if this is the only path left, we cant just treat
taking away someones life as a good thing. If we didnt bother about human lives, why
did we charge into Misawa Cram School?
Thats right. The motivation that made Kamijou fight was because there were so many
things he couldnt agree with. Deep Blood which had been treated as some sort of a
trump card, the students who had been treated as sacrificial items because of the
Gregorian Chant and the Limen Magna, and Aureolus who had killed Himegami in a fit
of rage. Because of those people who didnt respect the value of life, Kamijou chose to
move forward and not away from the battlefield.
And until the end, if they accepted that somebodys death was a good thing, Kamijou
wouldnt be able to accept the guilt that was brought about by his fists.
...
And even though Aureolus was somebody who was unforgivable, he wasnt someone
who was atrociously bad.
At that time, despite the fact he could do anything, Index had never returned to him.
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Even if there were a possibility of rejection, he was unwilling to give her to command,
proving the sliver of humanity in him.
Thats why I said that youre too nave. Stiyl Magnus looked away and said in a calm
tone, When I said that I killed him, I didnt necessarily meant that I took his life away,
right?
Stunned, Kamijou stared at Stiyls face.
With a disinterested tone, Stiyl avoided Kamijous gaze and said, Listen, Aureolus
Izzard lost all his memories. If I can just reshape his face, wouldnt it mean that his
appearance and character are completely different? This person cant be called Aureolus
Izzard. Wouldnt it mean to the world that Aureolus Izzard is dead?
............Are you actually a good guy?
What do you mean by that? Im a priest of the Anglican Church after all. And since I
specialize in flames, its not hard for me to burn the face and treat it to make another
face.
............Youre really a great guy!
Hm? I'm really surprised by that response... What the hell!? Why are you suddenly
hugging me!? Stop standing on your tiptoes and trying to forcibly stroke my head!!
Just as Kamijou and Stiyl were tugging at each other in the room, the hospital room
door opened, and Index walked in without knocking.
Touma! Theyre selling honeydew-flavored chips at the shops! Its so interesting, I
wanna buy it! But I dont have money! ...Eh?
Index stopped.
She saw the struggling magician and the truly touched Kamijou Touma as he tried to
touch the magicians head.
All three of them froze.
The world stopped.
...Touma. Sorry for interrupting you.
"W-wait. This is strange. Why are you looking away? Hey, don't just leave without
responding!!

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Kamijou cried out as he tried to pull Index as she tried to leave the room. In that
situation, he couldnt say to the young girl, Sorry Index, Im interested in you but it
would go against social norms!
Kamijou wondered with confusion how he would settle the matter.
...
Stiyl Magnus watched the two of them.
Kamijou and Index, who were arguing with each other, seemed to be rather happy.
It was as if those two were in their natural environment.
Stiyl Magnus watched those two.
He didnt feel envious, nor did he hate them. The reason he had chosen that path was
because he had wanted to protect that smile on Indexs face. Stiyl looked satisfied at the
face of the girl who he was protecting.
Fu. Well, the next mission awaits me. I should be off now.
Stiyl spoke with a bored voice but showed a somewhat satisfied face.
Index again stared at Stiyls face and frantically hid behind Kamijous back. She was just
like a private investigator who was trailing others as she peeked at Stiyls face from
behind.
Stiyl didnt feel anything special about it, and raised his foot as he prepared to walk out
of the room.
That was the consequence of what he had chosen.
Erm.
Just as Stiyl was about to step out of the room, Index spoke up.
Stiyl turned, expecting to find Index angry at him for dragging Kamijou Touma into the
Misawa Cram School incident. There was no reason for her not to scold him.
"For the time being, I'll say this. Thank you."
Instead, Index thanked him.
If Touma knew that it would be like that in the building, Touma will run in even if he
was alone. So its great that you were around. Andeh? Whats wrong?
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Its nothing.
Stiyl chuckled as he said that.
Then, without saying anything again, Stiyl turned his back and silently walked out.
Kamijou felt like he just saw Stiyl smile for the first time.
Touma.
Kamijou turned away from the door and looked at Index. She seemed to be rather
unhappy that Kamijou wasnt focused on her, as Index puffed her cheeks and stared at
Kamijous eyes.
Seeing Index like that, Kamijou inadvertently smiled.
The battlefield at Misawa Cram School was cruel but he still managed to survive.
However, Kamijou Touma had a realistic experience as he remembered a doubt he had
left on the battlefield.
The Dragon Kings jaw that came out of the severed right arm.
It was supposed to be a monster created by Aureolus Izzard's anxiety due to his fear of
Kamijou.
That was the logical analysis. But, in that situation, had Aureolus Izzard truly imagined
that there was a transparent dragon head exploding out of Kamijous right shoulder?
Though the probability was low...
What if, just what if, that monster was unrelated to Aureolus power?
(...Thats impossible.)
However, Kamijou remembered Himegami Aisa. Deep Blood Himegami Aisa was a girl
with a unique power that could only work on vampires.
Considering that her power capable of killing vampires had caused so many incidents to
revolve around her, how valuable was Imagine Breaker, Kamijous right hand, that
negated even miracles of God?
No, before all of that
What on earth was Imagine Breaker?
Touma! Honeydew-flavored potato chips!
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Indexs words caused Kamijou to snap back into reality.

A-ahhh. Okay okay... since its honeydew-flavored, it should be sweet, right?
Kamijou tried to match what Index was saying and answered ambiguously.
Things were fine for now. No matter how unexplainable that power was, so long as he
could use it to protect the girl before him, there was little else to ask for.
That's why, things were fine for now.
For now.

Touma, Touma. Wasnt there a girl called Himegami Aisa in that building?
While walking down the corridor leading to the shops, Index suddenly asked that.
Ah, that Denpa Kei 7 who liked to pretend to be a magic-user? What about her? Hm?
Index, whats with you? You mentioned her, so why are you looking so unhappy?
...Touma, you fought for Aisa this time, right? Not for me, but for Aisa!
What?
Stunned, Kamijou tilted his neck. For some reason, Index, who had said such ridiculous
words, looked rather unhappy as she deliberately puffed her cheeks in front of Kamijou.
Nothing. Its nothing, Index muttered some word, and then continued, Ah, also, it
seems like Aisas staying in this hospital. I just spoke to her.
Oh, Kamijou merely responded passively.
(Oh yeah, what will happen to Himegami?)
She didnt want to attract vampires again, but the boundary on Misawa Cram School
shouldnt exist now. Though it was apparently possible to replace it with a Walking
Church like the one Index wore, the Aureolus Izzard that had promised to make one no
longer existed.
I talked to her for a long time, and decided to keep her in the Church.
7

or Denpa Kei is similar to the term Denpa Onna used in the prologue, kei goes for someone who is an
incredible fanatic of something, for example Akiba-Kei refers to someone who is in love with Akiba products (an
otaku); in this case Denpa Kei means that Aisa loves to act strangely (denpa) with no apparent reason at all

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...For some reason, I know what happens next but is it okay if I say it first?
Gah! Even though I went to the trouble being the storyteller! Id actually prepared this
for a long time but Touma is a complete drama killer! You really don't know how a script
goes! If it was Shakespeare, he might have stabbed you!
Stop laughing while you talk about stabbing.
Kamijou sighed, and then he said the answer that anyone could predict.
You were only going to say, the Walking Church is also a type of Church.

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AFTERWORD

To the readers who read the first volume, its been a while.
To the brave souls who read from the second volume, its nice to meet you.
Im Kamachi Kazuma.
Its now time for the afterword. According to some readers, the first thing they would
read is the afterword. In other words, the afterword is the second synopsis. Anyway,
please read the afterword, and if you like it, you may bring it to the counter to buy it.
However, please let me remind the readers who like to read the afterword first. The
following content does include some plot details, so to the readers who havent read the
main content, its best that you do not read it first.
The following content of the afterword is written to those readers who read the
afterword at the end and the brave souls who dont care about whether they know the
content beforehand.
The main concept behind this volume is bad end.
To be direct, Aureolus Izzard is a failed version of Kamijou Touma. When I was writing,
I thought that if Kamijou Touma failed in the first volume, he would have become such a
person. The reason I created Himegami too was to create a tragic girl who can never be
the female protagonist.
As the story went on, the killing atmosphere is extremely intense. However, whats
different is that in the first volume, even if they were enemies, at least they would listen
to the main character before fighting. However, in this volume, even the second female
protagonist doesnt like to listen too much, let alone the big bad.
As for magic, the story revolves around the keywords Ars Magna.
Even though in the story, I made it to be the real essence of an alchemist, that was
actually made up by me. In fact, it was said that the Bosnian sect of alchemy (who
created the concept of turning lead into gold) appeared in the late Roman Empire time,
but Ars Magna was created in the seventeenth century, so the time difference between
them was really huge. The seventeenth century was the time when alchemy was
widespread, and it was also the time when fake magicians used it to fool the nobles to
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get money. In other words, Ars Magna was like a new religion that rode the wave of
alchemy.
In fact, the goal of Ars Magna wasnt to create gold or make an immortal elixir. The
concept was that Humans are incomplete gods. In other words, through training and
making one complete, humans can become gods. It really fits the standpoint of a new
religion. From the term God thats used now, one can find that such alchemy was
mixed into Christian culture.
In the story itself, the spell Aureolus used to do whatever through the thoughts in his
mind was closer to the Zurich alchemist sect. This sect mixed in some psychiatric views
of Jung, and the goal was to do alchemy in the mind, which really sounded ambiguous.
Also, theres another alchemist sect called Vienna, but this sect included some sexual
magic rituals that were really erotic and shouldnt be included in Dengeki Bunko
(laughs).
One reason why alchemist sects were so abundant was said to be because the nature of
alchemy itself was a mystery. But in fact, perhaps the commonly accepted reason what
that alchemist lied to the rich that they could turn lead into gold, but couldnt make
them and had to give all sorts of excuses to appease their anger.
After writing so much, in the end, what did I want to say?
What I wanted to say was that after researching so much into alchemy, I really used very
little information.
In order to increase Indexs role, I even wanted to add a kitchen alchemy trick plot. But I
guess I shouldnt include such a minor subplot.
Finally, I want to thank the related personnel in this story.
Miki-san, whos in charge of editing, is someone really intimidating who forced me to
write a story within seventeen days. He still followed me through until the end of this
story that has loopholes all over it, and Im really grateful for him.
As for Haimura-san, the illustrator, actually, I never met him once. A comrade I never
met, though that sounds cool, I really want to meet him and thank him. Anyway, let me
rehearse it on paper. Thank you, Haimura-san.
And to the readers who bought this book, thank you for your support. I hope that we can
meet next time. At this point, let me put my pen down.
Misaka Mikoto didnt even have a chance to appear in this volume (tears).
-Kamachi Kazuma
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