Chapter 23: Revenge

(A/N): before we started our chapter, I noticed there was so much confusion about what happened in the previous chapter, so I am here to explain. In the current events, we have three majority arcs happening at the same time. We have the Misaka level 6 shift arc from the Railgun series, we have the Daihasei Festival Arc in the Index arc, and finally, we have the Nectar arc from the Accelerator series. I didn't take anything from the Nectar arc and I focused on both arcs from railgun and index. I can't explain in detail because that will take forever to write. You could just search a little in Toaru Wiki and you'll understand everything. I'll just write what you need to know. Dolly: is a character introduced in Toaru Kagaku no Railgun. She is a clone of Misaka Mikoto, a prototype for the Sisters for their mass production. She is a childhood friend of both Shokuhou Misaki and Kouzaku Mitori. Somehow all her memories and knowledge were transferred suddenly to Misaka-10000 which usually doesn't happen without 10000 permission. That was the reason for the sudden shift in Misaka-10000's personality because that was dolly technically. Croce di Pietro: is a powerful magical artifact owned by the Roman Catholic Church that can forcefully subjugate a territory and its inhabitants under the will and dominion of the Church. It is one of the church's Ten Holy Artifacts and is considered to be the highest spiritual tool in legends comparable to that of the holy items left behind by the Son of God, and a secret weapon of the Roman Catholic Church. In this arc, both Oriana and Lidvia were trying to bring the academy city under the will and dominion of the Church using Croce di Pietro. Oriana Thomson: is a character introduced in Toaru Majutsu no Index. She is a magician who was born in England and works as a mercenary. A woman who truly wants to help people, she originally served as one of the main Magic side antagonists of the Daihasei Festival Arc in Index, along with Lidvia Lorenzetti. Lidvia Lorenzetti: is a character introduced in Toaru Majutsu no Index. She is a radical amongst the Roman Catholic Church known as Mardi Gras lit. "Shrove Tuesday". She is known for evangelizing to people that the Church would normally reject, and has invited converts to further carry out her evangelism. She is also one of the main Magic side antagonists of the Daihasei Festival Arc in Index, alongside Oriana Thomson. If you're still confused about something just ask. /////////////////////////////// The beating sunlight was starting to grow a little weaker now that it was 5:03 PM. The only things at the sidewalk-facing stop were a simple enclosure made of metal pipe pillars and a sheet-iron roof. The self-driving bus sat motionless at the stop and Oriana Thomson glanced around as she left the bus. This wasn't the short pause to let some out and others in. The AI controlling the bus had brought it to an emergency stop because it had gone to the last stop, before going back from where it came. Once the bus was completely out of sight, Oriana thought. (Well, well. It looks like Kanzaki Kaori isn't coming after all.) She quietly sighed. (I checked a few times for people tailing me but never saw a thing. Damn. That anti-Saint page I thought up is useless. The thing won't do much against regular magicians, after all...Now what? I feel so frustrated, so dissatisfied. Ah well, life is long. Maybe I'll bump into a Saint sometime down the road.) She remembered the black-haired girl whose upper body she'd destroyed. The female student whose hidden cross had been broken along with her shaved-off flesh. "..." She decided to focus on her mission and leave the extra useless thought to later times, her eyes analyzed the area as she headed toward her destination. District 23. A unique district, the entirety of which was occupied by space and aerospace development-related facilities. Aside from the international airport being open to the public because of guests from abroad who came to watch, its whole area on the map was just white—in the sense of no noteworthy places at all. There, they developed not only civilian aircraft but also jet fighters and unmanned helicopters to retain air supremacy in Academy City. Even during the Daihaseisai, its security was probably still top-class. School District 23 is divided into three areas the usually open international airport and its terminal station. The aviation and space development area and a privately owned area and right at the center of that area is the Ironhide Institute of Aviation Technology. (That's strange...) Oriana casually glanced around. The security had changed. The terminal had a good amount of Anti-Skill members stationed there, hidden by so many people with big luggage. However, they'd all been moved quite suddenly. More precisely, it sort of felt like they had raised the security. It didn't mean that she would have to beat a hasty retreat from the station, but she couldn't help noticing that they were all moved to a pretty meaningless spot in terms of security. It had created more blind spots in their net as a whole as well. Glass panes, mostly white, were on the walls and ceiling, making the inside of the station bright from the sunlight. Inside, Oriana continued to think. District 23 was a special district even among those in Academy City. Apart from the international airport and roads connected to the terminal, everything else was completely off-limits. It was easy to get to the terminal station, but getting any farther in was absurdly difficult. This was why she'd been going back and forth between the terminal and the airport for a while, waiting for her chance, but... A subtle hint of magic brushed against her senses. In the lower part of her field of vision, she noticed a girl seated at the far end of the terminal area, among passengers waiting for their trains. Despite the dim light from the setting sun and the station lights, the area where the girl sat remained shrouded in shadows, making it challenging to discern her features. In a sudden moment as the girl's eyes fixed on Oriana, the girl spoke. "It took Misaka quite some time to hack into every camera back there to track you down. But now, here we are..." Oriana remarked as the girl rose and began to approach her, her hair undergoing a rapid transformation, turning a striking shade of white in the process. "You're...I see...so you're the abnormal clone from the rumors" Oriana brought a flash card to her lips, "What about taking that outside, says Misaka..." "..." Oriana bit off the flash card and then quietly said, "Lidvia? Brace yourself. We have a problem" The reply came in the form of letters imprinted directly on her retinas. They appeared at the bottom of her vision like movie subtitles. "...Hasn't the scheduled time passed?" "Well, I'd like to take it easy, but there's this clone from the rumors blocking my path, and she appears rather upset for some reason." "...Can you avoid getting into a confrontation with her?" "Well, I could try... W-where is she?" "What are you mumbling about? Follow Misaka. The exit is this way, says Misaka as she leads the way." As quickly as Misaka disappeared from Oriana's view, Misaka called out from behind. She briskly moved ahead, leaving Oriana behind without even acknowledging her presence. She walked towards the exit. "...When did she... ", beads of sweat appeared on Oriana's pale face, before sighing with a wry smile "...It seems there's no escape from that monster, Lidvia." "Can you deal with her?" "It depends on the situation. The good news is that she seems to be heading to the designated location." "Are you certain you can buy enough time?" "Not sure," Oriana replied, her gaze fixed on the large clock on the platform. "But I can handle myself even when there's a potential saint-level enemy." Oriana shifted her attention away from the electronic sign and made her way to the exit stairs leading up from the platform. Misaka was just a few steps ahead of her, her long white strides waving behind her. "Then I will speak to you again soon." "Yep. You get ready too, Lidvia. We're bringing down Academy City right here. Like pushing an ignorant, radiant maiden down into the mud." Part 2: A train roared into the subway platform. The hunk of iron and steel steadily slowed, but Tsuchimikado Motoharu didn't even glance at it. His eyes were on his allies—Kamijou and Stiyl. "Talked to the big guys. Got them to change up the security detail in District 23 a bit. Getting them all out of the district was a bit much to ask, though. We're just slipping through the gap they make while moving from point A to point B..." Tsuchimikado went on to explain that they'd ordered those in charge of the satellites to change the video processing systems on them. While that switchover was happening, the eyes in the sky would be temporarily blind. Kamijou thought back to the person Tsuchimikado had been talking to this whole time: the board chairman of Academy City. (...Aleister, huh?) The conversation had been over the phone, so Kamijou couldn't hear the person's voice. But they were equal, if not higher, than Tsuchimikado, who was fluent in both science and magic. Just that fact made it easy to imagine the person would be in a very deep place in the world. Such a deep place that Kamijou Touma, an amateur high school student, wouldn't even be able To peek inside. "They're using the star chart for the night sky for this, so right after sundown is when they're most likely to activate the Croce di Pietro. Right now, it's five twenty-five PM. It'll take about ten minutes to get to District 23's terminal, nya~. We never figured out a clear time limit, but it'll probably be between six and seven PM. Oriana would probably try her best to survive against the abnormal clone for the longest period, so the Croce di Pietro would be activated. At the shortest...that means we'll have only twenty-five minutes after we get to the station." "Tsuchimikado, I don't know the whole thing about the little Imouto and how she has anything to do with the magic side, so I'll get my answers after we deal with that. But for now, what confuses me is why you guys are talking like Oriana's life is in danger against the little Imouto. We faced Oriana, and she's a hell of strong. Even Biri Biri would struggle against her. So why all this fear about her facing the little Imouto?" "Kami-yan, there is so much you don't know so I'll give you what you need to know now. The abnormal clone is the opposite of the rank 3 esper Misaka Mikoto, she doesn't have anything against killing her enemies, and as Style explains to you, If she kills Oriana, a war would start against the academy city. Second, even if Oriana somehow wins, that also would be A No No situation, because there is a chance the abnormal clone would turn into...well that will be bad so we have to stop their fight as fast as possible" Stiyl took the cigarette out of his mouth and tossed it into an ashtray in the smoking area. "Just so I'm sure, you have a plan to stop their fight, right?" "Hah! Of course, I have, and I already sent the solution to the location. We just have to arrive on time to stop Lidvia and Croce di Pietro from being activated." "That so?" said Stiyl idly. He wasn't asking for a reason. He just wanted to make sure he was willing to do this. "From six to seven. That's our time limit, huh..." After Kamijou listened to them, he asked, "So this whole game of cat-and-mouse is over, then." "They're probably thinking the same thing. No objections from me—now we just have to give it everything we've got." The train completed its gentle deceleration and stopped. The announcement came through the station as the metal doors opened automatically to the left and right. The people on the train started to flood out of the train car. Kamijou's group, however, wouldn't be stopped by the wave. It parted around the three of them so they wouldn't run into one another. "...Once we get on this train, there's no going back. The only thing waiting for us is a death match with Oriana and Lidvia. Are you fully prepared for this, Kamijou Touma?" Kamijou stayed quiet for a moment. All sorts of things had happened today. He'd smelled blood, tasted sand, run around the city, fought a magician, fell for several tricks, saw someone injured before his eyes, realized he couldn't do anything for her, gritted his teeth, and kept his fists tightened. "...Yeah." He nodded, taking all that in. He stepped toward the opened train door. All three of them boarded the train. The doors automatically closed, and the train slowly, gently. Left the platform, proceeding into the subway tunnel. Part 3: The sky was already showing deep orange colors, and the sun beginning its descent. The asphalt ground seemed as if someone had taken a blackboard eraser and wiped away all the nature that was originally there. There were no signs of plant life, nothing to block the wind. A gentle breeze brushed against her cheek, carrying with it a faint scent of machine oil, one of the unique characteristics of this country's cities. Above, an explosive sound ruptured the relative silence. She looked up to see a passenger aircraft flying unusually low. Many airplanes were coming and going, most likely due to the Daihaseisai. Despite the activity above, there was nobody around her. At least, that's what she hoped. Her shadow was the only one etched onto the asphalt, gradually lengthening as the sun sank toward the horizon. Soon, it was joined by another shadow, belonging to a certain teenage girl with long white hair. They stood there, facing each other in an empty expanse, neither of them saying a word. The first reason for their solitude was that this wasn't the sort of place you'd invite someone to. The second reason was that the Daihaseisai, a world-scale sporting event, was currently underway. It would be far more meaningful to spend the day at a field or stadium than to venture to a desolate spot like this. "Did this Onee-san do anything to make the little lady angry at her?" Oriana was first to talk, not interested in making a small conversation to break the awkward silence with a stranger, but to gain some time for her mission. "...Himegami Aisa, a mere higher school girl has been attacked by a woman named Oriana Thomson. Do you have any idea about that, asks misaka..." "...I see so she was your friend huh...I am sorry but it was just an accident, I thought she was a threat so I had to take her down...I hope you don't hold a grudge against me" "You're dead." As Misaka spoke, an explosion of dust occurred behind her, and she launched herself toward Oriana. "Was my apology that bad to make you even angrier?" Oriana taunted. She bit off a flash-card page and crushed it between her teeth. Her spell activated. Oriana began to shine in a pale blue light as she raised her arms and twirled in place like she was showing off clothes she'd just bought. A moment later... An enormous sound erupted from Oriana. The air around her, within a sphere, churned and an enormous, invisible hammer shot towards Misaka, defying the distance. It spun clockwise as it hurtled toward her. "..." With a cracking noise, the massive hammer connected with Misaka's electromagnetic field. The sheer force caused a shockwave, making the ground tremble beneath them. Misaka's boots skidded against the concrete as she fought to hold her ground against the relentless attack. "Not bad, but I am not finished yet!"Oriana Then crushed another flash card in her mouth. An orb of Flames the size of a basketball appeared in her right hand. And she sent it toward Misaka who was still holding the giant hammer. The orb of flames struck the ground as The fiery explosion illuminated the area, casting dramatic shadows as debris flew in all directions. Misaka was sent tumbling through the air by the force of the blast. She landed several meters away, her body scorched and her clothing singed. Oriana watched the girl on the ground and smiled thinly, "How embarrassing if you asked me, you lay there as a corpse even though you were here to take your revenge" "...Is that so..." Misaka stood to her feet slowly, the burns on her body had already disappeared, though her clothes were still scorched in several areas, leaving a large section from her chest to her thigh exposed. "Alright, that's the spirit. Let's see how much you can take," Oriana said as she fingered the ring of flashcards in her hand. An electric field crackled around Misaka as she stood still this time, waiting for whatever Oriana was planning. Oriana moved back, creating some distance between them, and simultaneously crushed a flashcard in her mouth. A spell activated. This magic conjured an unnatural blue wall of flame, which burst out of the ground between the two of them. Misaka looked puzzled. "?" As Misaka braced herself for what would come next, an explosion rocked the air from the other side of the flame wall. Without a second thought, her instincts kicked in, and she darted nimbly out of the way of the incoming projectiles—something akin to bullets. And it wasn't just one shot; several bullet projectiles were sent toward her, but she dodged every single one. Without more thought, she decided to approach the wall of flames, ultimately choosing to go through it. However... "Catch!" As Misaka bravely passed through the fiery barrier, she discovered an unexpected twist on the other side. Instead of an open space, she found herself entangled in a flaming spiderweb. This web seemed to be made of boiling oil with a consistency similar to slime. Misaka's body made contact with the treacherous substance. "GHII!!" "It was an obvious trap, and you fell for it..." Oriana's mocking voice reached Misaka from outside the burning web. But before Oriana could claim victory, Misaka slowly raised her flaming right hand and punched the ground beneath her. "!!" As Misaka's flaming fist met the concrete ground, an explosion of immense force erupted. A shockwave rippled through the ground, causing a massive crack in the reinforced concrete beneath her. The ground shattered, and the boiling oil web was sent flying in all directions. Oriana was caught off guard by the sudden eruption, and she jumped several meters away, narrowly dodging the fragments of debris. Misaka, covered in flames herself, emerged from the chaos. Her clothes were charred, and her body was scorched, but she stood tall. As the fire went out, the burns on Misaka's body started to heal, and she took a deep breath before speaking. "Game time is over, says Misaka" Her words merged with a cracking sound in the air around her, and the next moment, she disappeared from Oriana's vision. "Damn it!!" But Oriana didn't wait till she could see her again. She swiftly crushed a flashcard between her teeth with a single breath, as though she were pulling the pin out of a grenade. A wall of stones started to surround her, but it wasn't enough. She didn't see where the attack came from before the next thing she knew was that she was sent flying 50...100...200 feet away. An exploding wave deafened her ears as she rolled violently on the cold concrete ground. With heavy breaths and torn clothes, she raised her gaze to the dimming sky, just in time to see Misaka coming toward her. She didn't know she was there, but her senses told her. She swiftly jumped out of the way, and in the next moment, the ground where she had been was destroyed. She hadn't been fast enough, as several fragments of debris hit her, making her once again roll on the ground in pain. With blood dripping from her face and heavy, labored breaths that could be heard from afar, Oriana watched as Misaka approached slowly from the chaos, a huge cloud of dust behind the clone. "I-I will not fall until I give everything..." With a weak voice barely above a whisper, she took another flash card and crushed it between her teeth. Misaka came to a sudden stop, waiting for Oriana's next move. It wasn't because she was afraid of what kind of attack the foreign woman had, but because she wanted to crush any hope Oriana had of winning. She was planning to show the hell to Oriana before finishing her. The card began to flutter down to the floor, and as it touched the cold concrete, mountains of ice spears appeared, hurtling toward Misaka as quickly as the wind. Each of the ice spears was at least 20 meters high (65 feet). "Is that all, Asks Misaka" Misaka didn't flinch or hesitate. She reared back her fist, charging it with electricity, and with a swift and powerful punch, she shattered the oncoming ice spears. The ice shattered into countless fragments, scattering like sparkling dust in the setting sun. Misaka raised her bleeding fist, showing it to Oriana. "...Lidvia, how much time did I buy?" "...46 seconds..." Oriana's lips twisted into a smile. "I see... It seems I failed my mission..." A stifling silence fell, broken only by Misaka's slow footsteps as she approached Oriana. "...You did good work. Don't worry; I'll take it from here," Oriana didn't say anything more; she simply nodded, her gaze fixed on the ground. Not long after, She was able to see Misaka's foot in front of her, a silent testament to the impending end. Misaka, without a trace of emotion in her voice, inquired, "Any last words?" Oriana slowly raised her face to meet Misaka's gaze. Her words were clear and unapologetic. "I'm not asking for forgiveness or mercy. I'm only making sure you know one thing. It was an accident, and I don't regret anything. For the sake of my goal, I am ready to die." Misaka's patience wore thin. She clenched her fist, her resolve unwavering. "Misaka said last words, not a lecture." Without hesitation, Misaka launched her fist toward Oriana's face. Oriana closed her eyes, accepting her impending fate but... One second passed. Three seconds passed. Five seconds passed. Nothing had happened yet. Instead, Oriana felt something warm running down her face. Slowly and hesitantly, she opened her eyes to an unexpected sight—a different person stood before her. Gazing at her back, she was a tall woman with long black hair, tied up in a ponytail that reached her hips. She was dressed in a short white T-shirt, knotted at the bottom. She was dressed in a short white T-shirt, knotted at the bottom. "Kanzaki Kaori?" Oriana recognized the woman instantly. After all, who didn't know one of the Saints? She also noticed something in Kanzaki's right hand. It was now clear from where that warm feeling had originated—it was the blood of the clone's hand. As Oriana turned her gaze away, she saw Misaka standing several steps away, holding the place of her amputated right hand, Blood seeped from between her left-hand fingers. "Kanzaki, why did you..." "Don't misunderstand my motivations," Kanzaki interjected, her gaze fixed on Misaka. "I saved you for the sake of world peace." Oriana was taken aback by Kanzaki's unexpected response. She hadn't anticipated someone like Kanzaki to come to her rescue, especially given the circumstances. Misaka, still recovering from her injury, was equally surprised but didn't protest. She looked at Kanzaki with curiosity. "Misaka thought we were already on good terms, says Misaka" "We are if you stop now," Kanzaki responded as she watched Misaka grow a new hand in place of the amputated one. "Request denied, replies Misaka" Kanzaki's eyebrows furrowed. "You don't know the consequences behind what you're about to do." "And so you are!"