Last time on The Rumour:

A hellish rumour has spread through Academy City!

"It seems as though that boy, Kamijou Touma-kun is apparently looking for a girlfriend."

Kanzaki Kaori, in London, having heard this rumour realises that with those words alone, there is enough there for her to finally do something she has been unable to do before, despite thinking hard about how to accomplish the goal she had set herself.

Kanzaki herself had never once experienced such a debt to anyone before. Sure, there were times she had accumulated such and she had yet to repay that debt but the nature of the debt she owed Kamijou was so strong and unusual Kanzaki herself had been at odds with how to solve it.

And in her own lack of assertiveness in satisfying that debt, they had only accumulated more and more.

The debt she owes Kamijou Touma had been something she has never once found a way to properly satisfy without equivalent exchange. However, knowing Kamijou, the thought of giving her life for his was not something he would be willing to accept. Yet, with the rumour, the problem she had so faced was something she could finally see a solution to.

Giving her life.

It did not have to be literal in the sense she would lose it.

In fact, she could 'give' it in a different way.

Yes.

Giving it entirely to Kamijou Touma through the method of being his girlfriend.

The desire to fulfil the debt Kanzaki owed Kamijou was one that fuelled her actions, even if she did not fully understand why exactly the prospect of not fulfilling the debt bothered her so much. Not looking into her emotions that deeply, Kanzaki pondered a question that bothered her about the rumour itself.

(Given the timing…it seems the rumour was only released in Academy City a day after those of us in London were notified of it. As if someone were waiting for us on the Magic side that would come in response to the rumour to arrive before releasing it to the Science side where it would be most relevant. The timing, chaos and the clash between Magic and Science here is premeditated. So, who is really behind this? Who uncovered the rumour and who benefits from this chaos?!)

Those questions never once came with an answer as she was attacked by Leivinia Birdway, someone who also came into Academy City for the same reason she did: looking for Kamijou. Through the power they held, they realised there was no way they could fight using normal means and hence, they did not. Using supersonic movements and using her complete capabilities as a Saint, the two clashed with Kanzaki managing to launch Birdway away from her with her superhuman strength.

There were no words as Kanzaki lifted up a leg and smashed it into Birdway's chest, the superhuman strength behind the blow blasting the small girl back.

Yet, the stress of such a battle pushed down on Kanzaki's body in such a way she could not fully recover from the wounds of the battle. Tired and steadying herself, the girl tried to catch her breath, but in the face of such an attempt, it was the attack that came next that Kanzaki had to respond to fast.

Suddenly attacked, the only thing Kanzaki could do was view the opponent…and note with a heavy heart how familiar the opponent they were. But, with the emotions and the desires of her heart, there was no way she could afford to lose against this new opponent.

Given the state of her body, Kanzaki was at the disadvantage. But even so, the desire to fulfil the debt she had to fulfil yelled at her to get up and face the girl, the underclassman as it were, in front of her. Kanzaki trembled, the stress on her body not fully recovered and the wound of her hand only making it more difficult to focus but she still stood.

She panted, speaking slowly.

"I won't hate you for this. But know I cannot let you win. So, I apologise for the actions I am about to take."

"As do I."

Itsuwa of the Amakusa Church responded with those simple words.

That was the only thing needed.

The actions both girls took were not ones where they would hate each other for it. What was happening here and now was a race to find one person and the elimination or the bypass of the opponents and the rivals in the way was natural given what was at stake. There were hidden and heartfelt feelings behind each and every girl acting now and for this alone, there was no resentment and hate directed at others for managing to overcome them.

That only showed their resolve and strength paled in the face of someone else that had the same feelings as them. There was surely hate and negative emotions, but they were directed at oneself instead of others. For this alone, Kanzaki Kaori did not hate her opponent in Itsuwa and she only hoped the girl did not hate her for the actions she was to take either.

This was nothing more than a race to get the prize at the finish line. There was a question that had to be asked and an answer that had to be received. That was all everyone wanted and that was all they needed but it was a desire strong enough to move the girls and make them strive forward for the things they wanted.

But words were not what were needed.

It was actions.

And they took them.

There was no time to waste as the emotions and the desires of both magicians of the Amakusa Church and Necessarius were let out, their hearts on the table and on their sleeves as they moved to strike the other with nothing but honesty and their own selfishness driving them onwards.

And now, let the next part of the story begin!

Itsuwa of the Amakusa Church was a maiden in love.

It was a statement undeniably true and while there were numerous forms of embarrassment and emotions that came with such, never for a moment did Itsuwa ever think such a statement or such wording would come with shame. She held those words in her heart, treasured them and, even if other people knew of them, knew she could hold her head high and state them without fear of being afraid.

The story of the boy and the girl being connected was not something anyone had to look so deep into for Itsuwa. In fact, voicing the reasoning as to why exactly Itsuwa was a maiden in love was only going to reveal how simple she was and perhaps how little thought she had put into her own emotions.

But she did not care.

She knew the feeling within her heart and she knew the words she would use to describe it.

Itsuwa of the Amakusa Church had fallen in love with a single boy.

And the reason was for it was not complicated, not something she had to stress about and not something she could deny after everything was said and done and when looking at her own heart. Like something out of a novel, Itsuwa had never thought it would happen in real life, let alone to her.

Yet it had and the effect it had on her was so powerful there was no way she could refuse it.

It had been love at first sight.

It was stupid.

It was naïve, childish and in the face of the other girls fighting in the burning Academy City, it was probably the reason that held the least amount of worth and the smallest amount of consideration. But Itsuwa did not care, only knowing the small beating in her heart she could not deny.

They had originally been enemies, fighting over Orsola Aquinas and the Book of the Law, the misunderstandings created by the Roman Catholic Church placing them as enemies and on the opposite side of the battlefield. Even if they had never once fought properly against each other, the fact Kamijou Touma had even been in that battle in the first place had been a mistake.

He had been brought in merely through twisting his arm while Itsuwa had resolved herself to fight for what she believed was right and for the person she had in her mind, the Priestess who had left them, Kanzaki Kaori, and also the girl standing in front of Itsuwa now. She had a strong reason to be involved, to fight and to charge into the fray no matter what it was going to be heading her way.

But although that was her resolve, the one who had fought the hardest when nothing was expected of him was that one single boy who had been brought in by twisting his arm. When he had been given the ticket to leave, he had not and had stayed with everyone, going further than anyone else and never once looking back.

In the final battle of that incident, Kamijou Touma had decided to raid an entire Church by himself and had challenged 250 of the Catholic Church's battle nuns for the sake of saving someone he had no connection to, had no obligation to save and had nothing to do with. Despite being someone who had no connection to the incident and had no role to play in it, Kamijou had landed the finishing blow and resolved everything.

He had brought to an end to the persecution of the Amakusas.

He had protected someone he did not have to protect.

He had been wounded when he did not have to be.

The least was expected of him and yet, he gave more than everyone else.

It was overwhelming. It was physically blinding and when looking at the things Kamijou had gone through and hearing stories of him, Itsuwa had stared at that single boy without realising the change in her heart. Looking back on it now and trying to rationalise what Kamijou had done was nothing unusual for him and was just the norm did nothing to try and 'logic' her way out of her feelings.

They only made them stronger.

He would fight for anyone and anything. When he saw suffering, he would waste no time in trying to set things right and allow people the chance to live with their smiles they had once lost. When given a situation where someone was crying, Kamijou would not turn his back, staring at the situation head on and realising within his heart what he had to do, even if he did not know how to do it.

Nothing was expected of him and yet, he gave everything, no matter the cost to himself.

Even if no one else understood her and she was seen as simple, Itsuwa of the Amakusa Church only had one question for those who challenged her and her feelings.

How was she not supposed to fall in love when she saw something like that?

When she looked at someone fighting their hardest and bleeding for someone else when no one would blame them for running away, how was she supposed to just ignore that? How was she supposed to look at someone like that and think to herself that was just normal and there was nothing else to think about?

She could not.

Itsuwa knew that there was no way she could so easily blow off those actions of Kamijou Touma with such cheap words. And as a result of that inability to do so and looking at what he had done when he was laying his heart to bear no matter the judgment he would receive and no matter the cost, there was only one truth that had gripped the heart of that single girl.

She had fallen in love.

It had been love at first sight.

Nothing complicated, nothing crazy and heavy on the mind when analysing feelings, only simple, just as the girl Itsuwa was with her personality and the way she held herself. It was only normal and that suited the small and shy girl perfectly.

But even if that was her reasoning behind her feelings, that did not make them any less important. She was not going to look down on them, reject them and the feeling she got when she was in the presence of Kamijou and merely having him standing by her side was enough to make her wish that time would stop so she could live in that one small moment with the two of them forever.

She had been satisfied with the status quo. Itsuwa had been fine with those unchanging days where she and Kamijou had the chance to be by the other's side for as long as they wished and for the enjoyment they got out of the other.

But it had been destroyed like the illusion it was.

Destroyed by the simple rumour that had made its way to England and the Necessarius dorm.

Namely that Kamijou Touma was looking for a girlfriend.

If Itsuwa was honest, the first thing that came through her when she heard that news was not enjoyment. It was not a chance to leap at something nor was it the chance for something to be gained when she had wanted it at all costs. No, for that pure girl and for the emotions running inside of her and her head, the only thing that came through her when she heard that rumour was terror.

Pure terror in the knowledge that she could possibly lose the status quo and the time she loved so much, spending time with that one boy, no matter how rare it was.

If Kamijou was looking for a girlfriend, then what did that mean of her days with him? Did that mean they would crumble as someone else took her place and she forced herself to cast herself aside because she did not want to impede on the boy and his lover? Itsuwa knew that if that was the case then she would crumble internally and that her heart would shatter. Of that she was entirely sure and the mere thought of it was enough to send shivers up her spine.

The opposite case was naturally the result she wanted. After all, the idea she was the one who was going to be spending time by Kamijou's side as more than what she was now made her heart ache with longing unlike nothing she had ever felt before. But at the same time, the darkness within her own heart tormented her, laughed at her and made her realise the darkness that lay within such.

What would change if she was to grasp that rumour and if she was the one going to be by Kamijou's side? How would the relationship they currently had transform and how would it affect them? Would they be more open? Closed? How would they express their feelings?

But more importantly…

What would be lost if they became boyfriend and girlfriend?

The thought terrified her. Whether someone else took the position or whether she did herself, the only thing this rumour did for Itsuwa was throw everything she had treasured with that spiky haired boy into the air and send it crumbling to the ground. The air they held and the time together they spent was nothing more than a joy to her and while she should have been happy in that she had the chance to accelerate her connection with Kamijou further, she could not blindly view it as such.

What would change as a result of this rumour coming to fruition? And in what way?

Itsuwa did not know the answer to the latter.

But she knew the answer to the former.

And that was it was going to transform their relationship in some way that Itsuwa was terrified to see it through to the end.

Perhaps she was a coward for such. Perhaps, for the fact that she wanted to stay stagnant and where she was, she was someone fine being lukewarm instead of boiling hot. She was fine with everything being average and for that part of her personality, Itsuwa could only view it with disdain.

Was her personality and lack of progress going to forever possess her? Even now, the hot towel plan suggested by the rest of the Amakusa was something she still clung onto in the hopes of trying to get her way into Kamijou's heart at her own speed and through her own techniques. But given that her intentions were not made obvious, neither were the emotions coursing through her heart.

Why was she like this? Why was she satisfied with what she had now when it could be better and there could be something to change it? The fact she had grown so accustomed to and so reliant on the status quo partially made her sick but for the life of her, the only thing she felt right now was that the status quo had been thoroughly shaken.

She could no longer leave it alone in the face of this rumour. She could no longer just leave things be and think the status quo was going to remain forever. It was bound to break someday and the fact she had felt that it would last forever was ridiculous. What was happening now was merely the inevitable sped up by a proper stimulus.

No matter what Itsuwa wanted and no matter how much she valued the status quo, it was simply not going to remain.

And for the terror of being unable to face that change in what she had already with Kamijou, she now felt sadness race through her heart as she stood within Academy City. A sadness that only occurred as a result of what was going to happen filling her head.

Something was going to change with her and Kamijou Touma. And the fact it was going to when she treasured their time together so much made her want to break down and cry on the spot. The fact she was going to lose what she loved so much threatened to make her break down into tears.

But Itsuwa did not.

She was not going to limit her feelings and think they were something she had to be ashamed of. She had been caught up in the midst of the moment and because of such, she needed to do what everyone else was doing: properly and thoroughly investigate this rumour at the very source.

Which meant that when she had heard the rumour in England, there had only been one port of call that could possibly be sought after: getting to Academy City and confirming the rumour from the source.

Was Kamijou Touma truly looking for a girlfriend?

The moment Itsuwa asked that question, something precious to her was going to change. In what way was unknown and even though she loved the time they spent together now and the relationship they had, the fact that this one simple question could entirely unravel the closely knit tapestry that were her close kept feelings and what they had now, Itsuwa knew the only way she was going to accept asking that question was to do it in person.

She was going to change something.

So, she had to be the one with the resolve to face what she was going to change.

The only way Itsuwa felt she could do so appropriately was through facing and asking Kamijou Touma that question while looking him directly in the face.

There was going to be an answer and a change in some way, Itsuwa knew that. And despite her heart going into the best case scenario and making her face warm, it was using her head that Itsuwa went through the possible options and the scenarios once she asked that question.

If the answer was 'no', then despite Itsuwa having her beloved status quo back in her hands, there was going to be a change. It was clearly be awkward and there would be the obvious implication that Itsuwa was asking for more personal reasons but where Itsuwa managed to resolve things from there and take things was up to her. But, if the answer was no, then even if Itsuwa was going to change things by making everything awkward, she would still have that status quo she longed for in her hands.

Itsuwa hated that part of herself, for realising she was somehow OK with everything staying as it was. The part of her that wanted to take things at her own pace was now showing itself in the worst possible way and consequently, there was truly nothing Itsuwa felt she could say that would redeem her for that part of her slow relationship progress.

The only other case then was the one Itsuwa dreaded and also hoped for, a contradiction of emotions that tore at her head and made her question what she truly wanted.

If the answer was 'yes'…

Then how would things change?

The simple idea of her and Kamijou standing together doing something as bold as holding hands made her want to throw herself into a river to cool herself off but it was the reality of the situation that made Itsuwa simulate the possible situations such a response would create for her.

If the answer was 'yes', then what? Itsuwa did not know. The only thing she knew was that if she wanted herself to be the one to grasp the chance to become the one by Kamijou's side and change things, either for better or for worse, then she needed to be the one to ask that question to Kamijou first. She needed to be the one to reach him and pose that question right to his face.

If she did not, then her relationship with him would change for the worse. She would hold herself back, as someone else would be the one in the position of 'girlfriend' in this first come first served system. Her status quo and the time she loved spending by the side of Kamijou was going to be removed and she was going to lose everything she felt and held dear.

Itsuwa knew she would have to take that with a brave face. But in truth, even she did not know if she was going to be capable of that when she was alone and lost the person who made her feel unlike she had ever felt before. She knew what this feeling was and for the life of her, she never wanted to let it go.

But with the rumour, it was entirely possible she had to.

Meaning that if she wanted to remove herself from the possibility of losing this status quo, what she needed to do was be the first one to ask Kamijou that question of whether this rumour was true. If she was and the rumour was true, then the chances of her being the one to cast herself aside did not exist.

Her relationship and the status quo with Kamijou would change. And it would do so as she embraced the possibility open to her as a result of her being the first one to arrive and ask Kamijou that question. But the only way that even existed for her was if she was the one to arrive and ask Kamijou and confirm the rumour first.

There were no re-dos or restarts.

Only a one-shot chance at this.

And because of that, it was all or nothing.

Itsuwa had to be the one to ask and validate this rumour herself, no matter what she felt and wanted with the status quo. No matter if she acted or not, it was going to be destroyed around her and it was with that terrorful realisation that Itsuwa had not wasted any time when she had heard that rumour in England yesterday.

So she had stolen a jet and flown all the way to the City of Science, all so she could see a single boy and ask him something that was going to change or threaten what she loved forever. Itsuwa was going to place it all on the line, just so she could ask Kamijou Touma one thing, all so she could learn about what was going to happen to the peace and the status quo she shared and loved with that spiky haired boy.

Just because her reasoning for loving that boy was not as strong or complex as anyone else's, that did not make it any less powerful.

Because, for the way her heart beat in the presence of that spiky haired boy, she could not merely pass off her emotions as being in the spur of the moment or merely an illusion. They were true, they existed within her and they made her feel unlike she ever had before.

Itsuwa had never known love could feel like this.

And for the life of her, she was going to be the first one to reach Kamijou so she could determine what was the outcome of the feelings within her heart.

But even then, she knew she was going to have competition.

Naturally, the first rival had come from the Priestess who had managed to hop onto the plane Itsuwa had stolen. Literally.

When she was taking off, the Priestess Kanzaki had not even wasted any time leaping from the tarmac while the plane was lifting off and managing to cling to the underside as the plane moved. All attempts to throw off the woman as the plane had crossed over the continents of Europe and Asia had been met with no result despite Itsuwa pulling off manoeuvres that would have left most fighter pilots gawking.

But even more so, it was the fact Kanzaki had managed to stay on that had truly made Itsuwa realise the threat this rumour was going to be and just what was going to be involved if she wanted to protect the feelings within her.

After all, by no means was she going to be the only one who had feeling for the spiky haired boy she wanted to see once more and ask something of. That much was evident from the girls running around in the City covered with flames and the destruction everywhere. Shouts erupted through the air as it was clear there was more chaos than just where Itsuwa was. But for the sake of her love, the only thing she was focusing on was the greatest rival she felt she had in this moment.

It seemed fitting the rival Itsuwa had chosen to challenge was that of Kanzaki Kaori, a Saint. It was as if the world was telling her that if she wanted to pursue the feelings in her heart, then she had to have the resolve to fight even the strongest of magicians.

Yes.

In the end, if she wanted to make Kamijou Touma happy and if she wanted the chance to simply stand by his side, then this was what she needed to have the resolve to do: take on a Saint and even be willing to fight a God for the sake of those emotions and feelings.

Facing the biggest threat to the chance of being the first one to reach Kamijou, Itsuwa stood in the same crater Kanzaki and Leivinia Birdway had caused in their tiny war they had had with each other. The use of supersonic movements and Kanzaki's God Breaker had worn her down more than usual meaning Kanzaki was not going to be able to utilise her full power when it came her prowess as a magician.

Not only that, but there was one other advantage Itsuwa had over the Saint.

The Saint Destroyer Spell.

Although it was used as a formation with the rest of the Amakusa Church for the full use of its power, the fact that it was Itsuwa standing across from Kanzaki was what made it important. After all, even though the spell was to be used in conjunction with the rest of the Amakusa, the only one with the capabilities of using the spell in the first place was that timid girl standing across from the Saint now.

Being the only one with the capability of using it, without the support of her comrades helping her fuel the spell and strengthen it, the only thing the spell was going to be useful for was for holding someone with the attributes of a Saint in place for less than a few seconds, not being enough to kill them.

But for Itsuwa and the rival she had determined to being the biggest threat in reaching Kamijou Touma first, Kanzaki being hit by the Saint Destroyer Spell causing her to become immobile for a few seconds given the lower output was enough for Itsuwa to take the chance given to her.

However, there was a problem with that.

It was only in theory.

Itsuwa had yet to even use the Saint Destroyer spell against Kanzaki and because of that, the tension in the air as the two members of the Amakusa Church stared each other down was practically electric.

Kanzaki, in her battered state, was holding the unsheathed Shichiten Shichitou in front of her, panting heavily and sweating. The heat of the flames and the smoke rising into the air was clearly getting to her. The same was said for Itsuwa who felt a drop of sweat roll down her cheek as she stood in front of Kanzaki.

More than just the prospect of facing a Saint, Itsuwa unleashing her intention of facing off against the Priestess of the Amakusa Church earned her more than just a simple lecture. It was tantamount to blasphemy but even so, Itsuwa did not waver whatsoever as she stood across from Kanzaki.

They had already said what they needed to. Within their words was enough to hint at the feelings and the desires of both girls when it came to Kamijou Touma and the rival status they had placed upon the other. They did not understand the feelings of the other party nor did they entirely have to: what they only needed to know was whether the girl across from them was an enemy or not.

And they had all the confirmation they needed.

Itsuwa of the Amakusa Church, given the strain put onto Kanzaki as a result of her fight against Birdway and her God Breaker form, was an enemy Itsuwa could defeat. That was the only thing she felt in her head as she held up the Friuli spear, more than ready to use her Saint Destroyer spell to incapacitate the woman.

But by no means was it going to be easy.

They could have stood there, as if in a Western shootout at noon, forever. But for the things on the line and the fact it was the important status quo between Kamijou and Itsuwa that was going to be destroyed, it was more than enough for Itsuwa to realise she could not let this status quo last anymore.

So she did not.

And she did so by leaping forward with the Friuli spear in hand.

And likewise, Kanzaki Kaori reacted.

She rose her nodachi to meet the spear in mid-air, sparks flying off where the contact was met and Kanzaki grunted from the weight put behind the blow. Given her strength as a Saint, the fact she was showing such a reaction to the blow of a normal magician was enough of a confirmation: her previous battle had provided too much strain to her body to make her operate at peak performance.

That was the only thing Itsuwa needed confirmation of.

Despite having jumped out of a plane several hundred metres in the air when she had entered the airspace of Academy City when some strange esper had fought Kanzaki on the body of the plane, the strain Itsuwa was facing was far less than that of Kanzaki. And for that alone, the advantage in this battle and who held it was obvious.

Itsuwa didn't even need the Saint Destroyer spell in this case; that was how strained Kanzaki was looking when it came to the pressure applied to her now. So there was nothing holding her back.

Itsuwa let the Friuli spear go slack in her hands as she dropped to the ground, the slow movements of Kanzaki barely even registering it as Itsuwa sprung forward, spinning and landing a kick to the kneecap of Kanzaki. She cried out, buckling a small bit where Itsuwa grabbed the Friuli spear and spun it around, tearing the nodachi from her opponent's grip and slamming the butt of the spear against the face of Kanzaki.

The Saint cried out, thrown to the ground where she breathed heavily: the fight with Birdway had clearly been more than she could take. Itsuwa stood above the Saint, holding the spear above her, the tip pointed right at the Priestess's face.

She had already apologised for what she was going to do. She already knew what was driving her and Kanzaki to action and it was because of that alone that there was no hesitation in the movement whatsoever.

But Itsuwa had forgotten one important thing.

"Don't…"

They weren't called Saints for nothing.

"…Think I'm going to be taken out so easily!"

Kanzaki roared, grabbing something on the ground and throwing it right towards Itsuwa, the girl going wide eyed as the stone was thrown with so much force despite the strained muscles of Kanzaki that the moment it collided with Itsuwa's head, she was physically thrown back. Like she had been hit with a shotput, the stone shattered against her skull and threw her backwards, blood streaming from her forehead and entering her eye as she landed on the ground, stunned.

There was the sound of metal scraping against something and it was only because of the damage transference charm that took damage to part of her clothes that was the reason she had even stayed conscious after that blow to the head. She felt the warm air of the City hit her thigh indicating where her clothes had torn but it was of no concern. Instead, the only thing she had to do was react to the blow coming.

She rolled to the side, just as the back end of the Shichiten Shichitou hit the ground, the kindness of the Priestess shown even in that blow. With the Friuli spear being on the opposite side of where Kanzaki was, the position Itsuwa held seemed disadvantageous but as a magician, not being able to fight without the weapons on hand was not enough to defeat them.

Especially not a member of the Amakusa Church.

Itsuwa leaped up after rolling, her feet landing on the edge of the crater formed as a result of the fight between Kanzaki and Birdway, not wasting any time as she reached her fingers to her face and bit hard into one of them, drawing blood. It rolled down her finger and hit the ground and the moment it did, she touched the drop on the ground with that same bleeding finger.

There was nothing anyone could do; the spell had already been activated.

Energy poured through Itsuwa, the basic spell of enhanced exchange flowing through her. The concept was simple and had the basis of it inscribed within the offerings given to the gods by civilisations eons ago. It was said that sacrificing a lamb or some other animal would be enough to curry favour from the gods, but simply thinking about it, was it truly enough to bring satisfaction to those higher beings?

And yet, the belief that that type of sacrifice was needed had been passed down for years.

So, if that was the case, then what about human blood sacrificed as an offering? If the blood of an animal or something similar was enough to curry favour from the gods, then what would the blood spilt of humans be worth?

The concept of enhanced exchange: someone giving something in exchange for something of greater value. A basic spell that required little focus and little risk, it was enough to generate massive rewards when used properly.

And seen right now.

Itsuwa, sacrificing some of her own blood and using that as the medium to receive power, kicked off the ground, the space beneath her feet sinking into the ground from the force in which she kicked off. She sailed through the air, spinning and throwing forward an enhanced kick towards Kanzaki's body.

But by then the counterattack had already begun.

However, it did not happen in the form of a powerful attack.

Instead, it was the opposite.

It came in the form of no attack at all.

Just as the body of Kanzaki who Itsuwa had struck faded into mid-air, as if had never been there in the first place.

(A…mirage?!)

Itsuwa landed on the ground roughly and dove for her spear. She picked up it, rising and turning as she viewed the area 360 degrees around her before spotting something in the corner of her eye.

It was a single wire, lying on the ground. No, there was more than just one.

There were seven.

The connection in the back of her mind to the seven wires was enough to make Itsuwa grind her teeth in frustration. After all, even Itsuwa utilised steel wires much like Kanzaki and although her Seven Blades of the Seven Teachings were different from Kanzaki's Nanasen, the usage of those wires to create three dimensional magic circles was a practice not unknown within those in the magical community.

And just like now, they had been used to create a simple mirage.

The basics understanding of the battles to come hit Itsuwa head on as she gritted her teeth and looked up.

Although she knew what she was here to fight for and for what reason, she was not here to win against anyone or to feel victory in their defeat. Her purpose here was to find one boy and to ask him one question, nothing more and nothing less.

So, did she even have to focus on defeating an opponent?

The answer was no. All she had to do was escape them and wasting time trying to defeat them was a pointless exercise, not only for her but also for the person she was fighting. No one here was going to focus on fighting each other unless they had a grudge and identified their opponent as a proper threat to finding and asking Kamijou Touma the vital question.

Which meant that escape prioritised victory in this case, just as Kanzaki had done.

Itsuwa did not feel anything as she looked at the wire, not even frustration. After all, the goal of her trying to defeat Kanzaki was to eliminate a rival who had the most likely chance of finding Kamijou first, not for the point of defeating her. Whether Kanzaki was still in the running or not made no difference as long as one reality held true.

And that was whether Itsuwa found Kamijou Touma first or not.

"I…won't lose."

The was the only thing Itsuwa said as she didn't waste time looking for Kanzaki. Instead, she climbed out of the crater and ran into the burning Academy City, the only thing within her heart being the hope and the desire to be the one to reach the ever so elusive goal first.

The Anti-Skill van raced through the Academy City streets and it was only once it rammed into a streetlight that Itsuwa jumped off the roof and entered a forward roll. Sweat raced down her face as she undid the bottom of her spear and threw the detachable end using as much as force as she could at the Anti-Skill officer who was pointing a rifle at her through the glass of the window.

His eyes shone with stars that could be seen even without his helmet but exactly the nature of that Itsuwa did not care. The only thing she did was watch as the detachable bottom of the Friuli spear hit the window she had thrown it at.

She hadn't thrown it hard…and yet, the window was completely destroyed. Glass showered down onto the Anti-Skill officer holding the gun, the man crying out as the now glowing bottom of the Friuli spear hovered in the air for a single moment, Itsuwa holding her spear in both hands and thrusting it forward even though there was no target.

But even so, the detachable bottom of the spear thrust forward as well, slamming right into the forehead of the Anti-Skill man. Perhaps out of surprise or because of the pain of the blow to the head, the man slumped, unconscious. However, it was clear in the way his partner reacted that he was not going to merely let that go sitting down.

Without even making a sound., he thrust his unconscious partner back and aimed at Itsuwa with his own rifle, the girl not even batting an eye as she flung the spear to the side; the connection shared between the spear and the detachable bottom meaning the bottom was thrust to the side as well and downwards.

The man flinched, the stars in his eyes dancing all the same, but he wasted no time in pulling the trigger.

Yet, it was the airbag of the steering wheel that Itsuwa had struck with the detachable end of the spear that hit first.

The gun's barrel was flung to the side and the bullets slammed against the bulletproof armour of the van with the pitter patter of metal hitting metal, Itsuwa thrusting the Friuli spear back towards her as the detachable part was flung towards her, much like Itsuwa was bringing in a fishing line on a bamboo pole. She caught it but did not stick around, ducking into an alley and panting as she reattached the end of the spear.

She had to admit, when she had first hitched a ride on the Anti-Skill van, the last thing she had expected was for the van to go on a ride throughout the City in an effort to shake her off. But even though that was the concern in the back of her mind, it was the concern in the front of her mind that took priority, no matter how strange the Anti-Skill men with stars in their eyes were.

And that was simply that no matter where she looked, she could not find Kamijou Touma anywhere.

No, even the girls in this City seemed just as lost when it came to looking for the boy. No matter the chaos and the destruction that lay everywhere, the path the Anti-Skill van had taken was sporadic and it seemed more like the van was searching for something than actually driving for the sake of monitoring the chaos within the City.

But that in itself was strange.

When Itsuwa had spotted the Anti-Skill van, she had chosen to hitch a ride on purpose for the sake of listening into the radio feed of the peacekeeping organisation to identify where, if they had spotted where Kamijou was, he was. Yet, she had heard nothing. Nothing had been said and more than that, the men within the vehicle had not even said anything to each other as she had listened in on them on top of the van.

Hell, when they were trying to shake her off, there had been no cries of desperation to do so, only action. Either that suggested professionalism or something more sinister in the mind of the magician, the girl going back to the thought in the back of her mind.

(Could it be related to the stars in their eyes? Are they being controlled by some mind-related esper?)

The thought was interesting but only made the girl sweatdrop as she considered the thought. Exactly how many people were chasing and running around this City looking for the one boy? It seemed ridiculous but the thought itself made her mind turn back to the issue at the front of her mind.

Yes.

Where was Kamijou Touma?

He had completely disappeared.

Even if she did not know Academy City that well, the fact there were so many girls running around at once was suspicious in itself. In her freefall when she had jumped out of the stolen jet, the ant-like figures of people at her altitude had been dotted all around Academy City. While Itsuwa had considered that as nothing more than a passing thought and had restricted her search to Kamijou's home District of District 7, when she thought about it now, it was strange.

(Where is he? It's odd…like everyone here is searching for something they have yet to find. Where in the world is he? I haven't found anything in District 7 and given the amount of people searching, the fact no one has given up yet suggests he hasn't been found either.)

Something tugged in the corner of her heart as she thought that, leaning against the wall of the alley she had found herself in. Concealment was something the Amakusa specialised in and wanting to make sure she was not disturbed as she thought, she applied that very same magic, blending into the scenery and attempting to be as invisible as possible to anyone peering into the alley or passing through.

Regulating her breathing and not doing anything that would attract any attention, the girl closed her eyes and lost herself in her thoughts.

(No, calm down. If he hasn't been found yet, then the same applies to everyone else. No one has found him yet. But why?)

By no means did Itsuwa want to question why he had not been found but now she was thinking about it in a serious respect, it was not something easily denied and thrown to the side.

(No, scratch that. This has been suspicious from the start. A rumour suggesting he was looking for a girlfriend? We got the communication and intercepted it from an old system but where did it even come from? We have no idea who sent it. That and the City being what it is in and with him being nowhere to be found…)

Itsuwa felt something run down her spine as she stared up into the sky and saw the flames running rampant in the sky overhead. The heat of the smoke and the sounds of destruction filled the air but now Itsuwa thought about it and looked properly at the scene happening in front of her now, the only thing she felt was a true freezing of her heart.

(What is going on here? Magic and Science are colliding…all because of a single boy. There's something going on, I just know it. It feels like… Like we're all caught in someone's game. A game using Kamijou Touma as the lure to drag us in. Does someone profit from all this? Is there someone enjoying this as they watch on? Or did it escalate beyond the control of what everyone else was thinking?)

Itsuwa frowned as she had that thought, no matter how dark it was. Still, even though that was the case, she shook her head, rising her hand to her face and wiping the sweat from it.

(I'm thinking too much into this. A-Am I trying to place misfortune where it does not belong? Perhaps I am being too much like him than I would like.)

The fact the first face to pop into her head was that of the boy who had captured her heart made the girl blush fiercely before she slapped herself in the cheeks. Naturally, to anyone who was going to be watching in, they would have spotted and had their attention brought to the strange behaviour but in the silence of the alley, the only thing that came out was the echoes of the slap.

(Think backwards in this case. Kamijou Touma has not been found. What does that tell me? Either he's stuck somewhere where he isn't in a position to do anything about this or be found or that he's otherwise stuck with something else. The former case I can understand as to why he has been doing nothing in this chaos but the latter? I need somewhere…somewhere that satisfies the conditions I have set myself there.)

She wasn't the first and she wasn't going to be the last.

The question of where Kamijou was was central to asking what they needed of him. Itsuwa slowly tapped her foot, racking her brain as much as she could. The problem here was that she was not on the home team, Academy City being a territory she was unfamiliar with and had not really explored even during her time here.

Her feet hit something beneath her but she ignored it as she kept on tapping her foot all the same.

(So, I'm looking for somewhere someone like him would get stuck. Stuck in the sense that he's not in a position to notice what is going on or not able to do anything about this. But where in Academy City satisfies those conditions and also satisfies his misfortune?)

Although those were the criterion she had set, Itsuwa only had to rule out some options. She was late to the game and the likely locations Kamijou would likely to be hiding in had already been likely checked. Hence, from that alone, and also from the fact she had seen people in the outer Districts instead of just District 7 when she and Kanzaki had crashed landed, it suggested everyone was looking in places where they otherwise would not.

He was not at school. Nor was he at his dorm room or convenience stores. He probably wasn't in the underground mall either meaning everyone had to be more creative in where to look for him that took into account the factors Itsuwa was thinking of and also where he was likely to be given his misfortune.

The girls' shower room, the library, in prison, in some coffin located deep in the mountains of District 21, in the river running throughout Academy City; trying to find where he was for the purposes of finding him and asking him whether the rumour was true or not meant one had to creative given that the usual options had been used up. Itsuwa sweatdropped slightly, suddenly realising the latter options of what she had suggested were a serious case of life and death.

Then again, when you thought about it, this was directly related to the possibility of Kamijou Touma getting a girlfriend.

So that it be a matter of life and death for him was somehow a given.

Such misfortune.

Still, the options yet to be searched made the Amakusa magician frown as she tapped her foot, the metallic ring to it as she did so making the girl realise that if she did it anymore, she was going to give away her position. She stopped, her thoughts drifting as she used what ideas she had to discover and figure out exactly where Kamijou Touma was and confirm the rumour she had received to him.

For the sake of the time she was going to spend with him and for the status quo she treasured so much, that was the very least she had to do so she could let the desires within her heart be realised.

It ached in the knowledge it was going to take this long to find Kamijou and even more in the knowledge that the longer Itsuwa took, the greater the chances of someone else finding Kamijou before she did. While the sweat running down her face was because of the heat, the possibility it was because of the tension of being a few seconds too late was not something Itsuwa could deny.

It was a race against time and against people. She had to move fast and quickly yet also against Kamijou, wherever he was, and try to find him within Academy City.

Yet where was he?

Itsuwa had that question as she stared at what she had been tapping against.

And her eyes went wide.

The criteria she was looking for when it came to where Kamijou was hiding was the following:

1. Somewhere where he was stuck and hence could not see what was going on and interfere or because he was busy with something else. That was the only thing that justified why he would let this madness continue as it was now.

2. Somewhere where his misfortune would place him when basically Academy City was in flames and he had an army of girls after him.

And what Itsuwa was looking at seemed to suit both criteria.

As well as perhaps giving a subtle insult to him in the process.

Itsuwa frowned, something rising in her heart as she bent down and touched what she had been tapping against, whispering underneath her breath all the same.

"(…I realise there's nothing saying he is in there, even if it satisfies both my criteria. But he is the precious person who has captured my heart. I don't care if the reasoning behind such is childish or different to others…it was what drew me to him. So I won't let the world say such cruel things to you when you have done so much for others and for me. My heart...won't accept that.)"

That was the only thing Itsuwa of the Amakusa Church said as she lifted the manhole cover to Academy City's sewers from the ground using her Friuli spear.

It was time to dig through the trash.

And even if the world was hinting that Kamijou Touma was part of it, Itsuwa was not going to accept that.

Because, to her, he was merely worth his weight in gold.

"What…in the world?"

The darkness of the Academy City sewers was illuminated by the few lights intermittently set up. The smell was the most obvious thing and while there were numerous things Itsuwa had to say about her choice to enter them, since it was because of Kamijou Touma and her search for him that she did so, the possible benefits in her mind outweighed the costs.

But what she saw in front of her in the water was something she, as a magician, could not just ignore.

The water reflected the roof of the sewer which was dimly lit but seemed to have strange lines that moved in some kind of steady rhythm every now and then. While that in itself was interesting and something that seemed heavily rooted in Science, it was the single Norse rune within the water that drew the attention of the Amakusa Church magician.

Itsuwa, at a glance, knew what that rune was and what it represented.

It looked like an English letter 'F', although had the horizontal lines more slanted downwards and to the right. The way the rune moved in the water made it seem as though the rune were alive but the lines in the water that connected the top and the bottom of the rune to places further through the sewer made Itsuwa go wide eyed.

The rune she was looking at was connected with something else within the sewer. No, it was more than that. The rune itself had more importance than Itsuwa could say.

Yes.

If you knew your Norse mythology, you would recognise that rune as 'Ansuz'. Translated directly into English, the rune basically meant 'God' and was mostly associated, in the form Itsuwa was looking at now, with the head God of that polytheistic religion: Odin.

The symbol in the relative coolness, even though there was a smell, of the sewer made Itsuwa look up and around herself, feeling her heart racing through her chest. Whatever the rune on the ground was, it was clear it connected to other parts of the sewers within Academy City. How far did this stretch? Was this merely one rune and was it connected with another within the same sewer, how many runes were there and how far did they influence reach?

The possible threat and what exactly this rune was being used for made Itsuwa's heart beat in her chest in nervousness.

But even then, there was a fraction of hope.

Yes.

If there was anyone who would manage to get caught up in this magical related chaos when the City above him was attempting to burn itself down looking for him, then it was probably Kamijou Touma. It was almost poetic in a way: while the things above him were crumbling down, he was trying to protect it all beneath the City even now. The possibility Kamijou was here, even now, and trying to stop whatever magician was behind this made Itsuwa turn back and forth, not knowing where to start to look for him.

Her heart beat frantically in her chest, the girl not knowing what to do or where to even start. Now she had been given the go ahead to start her own attempt to break the status quo, the sudden appearance of the chance to do so had thrown her thoughts into a strange state of her realising she had to take action but also not wanting to in order to protect the status quo.

Yet, amidst her confused state, there was one reality she could not deny.

This rune in the sewer rate was dangerous.

Itsuwa had no idea what to think about who had made it or what it was doing here but the only thing she knew she had to do, as a member of Necessarius, was immediately move towards destroying it.

There was no holding back.

(Hoping in her heart that the noise would attract Kamijou since he was probably down here being caught in whatever mess this was) Itsuwa destroyed the rune in the sewer water without a moment of hesitation.

The Icy Night Wind spell she employed in the tip of her spear pierced the rune in the water and caused an explosion to occur underneath the water, ripping through the brick of the sewer and spraying dirty water everywhere. The brick the rune was engraved in blasted apart immediately, spraying small parts of brick everywhere with the sound echoing within the tunnel Itsuwa was in.

The girl herself stared with some shame and annoyance at her clothes and hair, realising she had not taken the proper precautions and was now covered from head to toe with the water from the sewer. Her eyes teared up and she felt herself shiver, the trembling of her body also being because of the state she was in given that Kamijou, if he had heard that noise, was sure to come running and encounter Itsuwa as she was looking and smelling.

The lack of foresight perhaps indicated her nervousness and it was with some shock and horror that she looked down at her clothes, realising they were partially see through and revealing her secret, hidden, large chest. Trembling once more and frantically looking around for some kind of epiphany in what to do, it was the sound directly behind her that attracted her attention.

He was here!?

She hadn't expected him to come so soon and yet Kamijou Touma was already here when she was smelling and looking like she was?!

Itsuwa opened her mouth to say something, to ask Kamijou to back away but even so, the one thing on the forefront of her mind and the one thing she had come here for in the first place was the thing that leaped from her mouth without her even realising it. No, it was merely the resolve and the wish in her heart for that same question to be answered so she could learn about what would happen to the status quo she loved so much that she unleashed that question without once holding back.

"Is – "

"Is – "

"Is it true you're looking for a girlfriend!?"

"Is it true you're looking for a girlfriend!?"

Itsuwa turned around and yelled that out, face entirely red but stopped as she stared at the person who had appeared behind her and had asked the exact same question.

That in itself was proof that this was not Kamijou Touma.

And as Itsuwa's heart sank into the pits of her stomach, the caution she had within her immediately rose given there was only one other party this could possibly be when it came down to it. After all, if it was not Kamijou who was here…

Then it was the magician who had caused all this.

She had appeared from the wall directly behind Itsuwa, the girl realising that the same Ansuz rune had been carved into the wall as well and was glowing, obviously giving whoever had used it a chance to transport them from one location to another, using the walls as mediums. Whether they had been alerted to Itsuwa's presence because of the sound of the explosion or because she had destroyed the rune in the water was unknown, but the reality was what was important all the same.

The magician who had been the one to carve the rune into the sewer was standing in front of her.

And yet, the immediate problem became obvious in the fact that Itsuwa knew this magician.

Black hair with yellow dye on her bangs and a pink hairband, her blue eyes shone with a fraction of disappointment. Her lacrosse uniform seemed to be properly kept but the one thing about her apart from her uniform that was odd was the spiritual item of a dragon tail that extended from beneath her skirt. Her cheeky imp like appearance was not for show, even her personality was extremely imp like and mischievous and the way she stared at Itsuwa now and licked her lips did not bode well at all for the Amakusa magician.

Without even wasting a beat, Itsuwa grabbed her Friuli spear and held in front of her while the magician leaped back, reaching her arm into the glowing rune behind her and bringing out something similar to Itsuwa; a long metal rod with blades that looked like a hand with four fingers. She did not even bother extending the bladed 'fingers' as she held the weapon in front of her, the tip of her weapon grazing the tip of Itsuwa's.

"You."

Itsuwa spat out the word and the magician sighed, grinning all the same.

"Now, now. This was definitely unexpected. I mean, you try and lure out the one you want by creating something that is sure to catch his interest but instead, you get a different fish. Not that I mind, I'm willing to try anything once. But then again, what I've really got going on is sure to knock your socks off and get his attention!"

The magician grinned and Itsuwa felt her throat go dry as she held her position, tightening her grip on the spear.

"So I can assume you're here for the same reason I am?"

"Just the question I was going to ask!" The magician grinned at the tone Itsuwa was and licked her lips. "But then again, I've just implied the answer, right? At least tell me you're happy to see me."

"I'm not. At all."

"Now, now! You know you can't say that to everybody's favourite Lessar!"

The girl known as Lessar, a member of the cabal who had created so much mess during British Halloween stepped to the side, Itsuwa matching her movements as the two spear-like weapon users turned around each other and followed the other's movements. The dirty water and the sweat that rolled down Itsuwa's body was enough to send her mind into overdrive, but even then, she knew this was nothing compared to what she might have to face in the future.

She had already faced and had Kanzaki Kaori escape from her.

Meaning that the New Light magician Lessar was going to be no match for her.

But even then, nothing was certain and the only thing Itsuwa knew was that Lessar was here for the exact same reason she was. Simply because of a single boy and a single rumour. That was the only thing that mattered to either of them and it was clear in how both girls stared at each other from the other end of their weapons, seeing the other as nothing short of a rival who they had to defeat to increase their own chances at victory.

That was all this was.

There were no hard feelings.

Only one winner and numerous losers.

And for nothing more than their own hearts driving them along to act, it was the only thing that both girls needed to justify their actions. It was not evil, wrong or irresponsible, it was simply what their hearts were telling them to do for the sake of reaching out to one single boy.

Yet, with more rivals appearing, one thing was painfully clear.

It wasn't going to get any easier from here.

And there we have it!

Before we get into the actual thoughts I had on this chapter, here is the Q & A:

whwsms: Yeah, I think last chapter was just entirely stupid in terms of what was discussed, but the fact that it was even so just shows how much thought the Delta Force put into things. But for whatever your preference was, know that there is no such thing as bad taste!

Anime-ted Life116: I can never ignore what you said! But I'm glad that you were taken on that ride, much like Oyafune-sensei! The moment you think you can give the Delta Force respect…is when they lose it! I think the hilarity of Touma's preferences is that most girls who have an interest in him are the exact opposite of those preferences in that they are younger and (relatively) flat. And hence, as you said, there are a lot of girls who would bee super mad at what his preferences were. But if he ever said what he did to those girls, he'd be living in the hospital! …So big enough to hold on your hand but not large enough that it's offputting? I think you've touched upon a nice compromise there, although those tastes are more aligned with Aogami's given that "all boobs are the best".

Guest00: Hahahahaha, well, that IS what you get for trying to make sense of what the Delta Force dishes out on a daily basis. In the sense that it makes no sense, it makes sense, I guess?

jenv-arts: Hahahaha, thanks so much! I'm totally considering doing your request, and I might get to it sooner than later given that I've gotten back into writing recently. I hope you'll still be around when it finally comes out! Until then though, enjoy the future chapters!

Animan10: Part of me feels a little bit sad that it WAS so predictable, but I guess that means I'm keeping things in character which is good. So thanks for the kind words! Still, it is what it is and I hope that you can continue to like the chapters as they keep coming!

Touma: This was sort of covered in NT10 though, wasn't it? To be honest though, if I actually did that request, wouldn't it just be a chapter of Touma ad Othinus flirting?!

Chris: Hahahahaha, I think it's because Touma allows himself to get caught up in these types of situations that things end up getting worse for him if you know what I mean. But, as you said, the irony in Touma's preferences given the types of girls that like him is sort of what makes his preferences a little bit sad in a sense given that very few girls within his harem meet them. Is Touma x Suffering the true pairing atter all?!

WwEpsilonwW: Hahahahaha, yeah; for some reason, that comment got to me as well when I wrote it. I'm not too sure why though… Thanks for the kind words!

Aminadab: I'm glad to hear that you felt everything, while crazy, was well within the realms of what the Delta Force would end up doing! But are you just agreeing with Aogami's argument because it means les punishment, hmm?!

craytherlay: The Rumour is definitely one of those short-stories that sort of exploded when it came to what happened and where things ended up going. Still, I'm glad you liked it!

Sagnik Deb: Hahahahaha, I'm glad I managed to get a laugh out of you for that!

Guest: As much as I would like to do a SAO crossover, the only thing that I have against it is that I have next to no knowledge of the series. I didn't even watch the anime. So, apart from the brief appearance of Kirito and Asuna there, there is next to no chance of me doing a crossover given how I would want to do it justice and my current inability to do so.

ArmoredCoreNineBall: When will the Delta Force learn!? I sort of want to make an unpredictable Delta Force chapter one of these days, but I'm unsure how it would go given we all sort of 'know' how it would end up. Still, I'm glad that you enjoyed it! …There's no such thing as bad taste, my friend.

KurobaraIto: He's back! And I'm glad that I managed to get a laugh out of you for that!

Guest (another one): Hnn… As much as I would like to do a Re:Zero crossover, again, my lack of exposure to the series (as I've only seen the anime) would mean that the subtleties would be lost on me. While I think a lot of readers would be fine with that, doing something half heartedly isn't like me and because of that, it's unlikely that you'd get a Re:Zero crossover from me in that sense. Apologies if I feel like I've let you down in some way.

KyuremKing: And that, my friend, is the right answer for last chapter.

filipinoboyjohncarl005: Imagine how surreal a chapter like that would be where you get to see everyone's Alternate Forms. But is that a request from you?!

Kami: For some reason, Futures Kaleidoscope was really popular… As for bringing it back, I've definitely got heaps of ideas for it and a third part is scheduled to be written. I just haven't started on it because BTL serves as a very experimental ground and there are heaps of other chapters and requests that I have to meet if you know what I mean. It's going to happen for sure. But it might take a while is all.

Rivengengen: Hahahahaha, I'm glad I could please you with the chapter! But goddamn, that type of chapter would be seriously heavy. I mean…wouldn't Touma be dead if that happened given everything he goes through? Because I'm pretty sure Accelerator would be. However, since this is a request that I can do, I'm more than happy to have a crack at it…when I get around to it.

Deathreaper355: A sequel with mentally unstable Mikoto? Isn't that basically Index right now? But in terms of meeting the request…it can be done!

madtad1: Hey man, glad to hear all your kind words. Thank you so much! As for Possible Futures Kaleidoscope, a third part is scheduled to be written at some point…! But I'm also glad that you're finding stories that resound with you in this massive series of one-shots! There are heaps on the way and in the backlog so thanks for the support - especially since I can see you're reading ACUL0 as well! I hope I can continue to give out content that you enjoy.

Aquadude: I think it Possible Futures Kaleidoscope was pretty episodic anyway, although a third part is scheduled to be written at some point. I didn't expect it to get as popular as it ended up being though!

What did you think!?

Again, while this was just another chapter in this pretty fun series of one-shots, at the same time, dealing with Itsuwa was fairly difficult in its own right. After all, in her own way, there is very little reasoning as to why she fell in love with Touma. And because of such, as I sort of sifted through what I knew of her and went back on who she is portrayed in the canon, I decided to go with the 'pure' route in that she did something incredibly simple yet at the same time extremely pure hearted in that she 'fell in love at first sight'.

In a way, you can think of that as being extremely simple, naïve and childish but at the same time, part of me hopes you don't write it off as merely that and focus on the fact that just because Itsuwa has that simple reason driving her forward doesn't mean that her feelings are going to go to waste or are any less important than any of the other heroines. For whatever you felt about this chapter, I hope the way I portrayed Itsuwa in this sense and brought a written justification of her love to the surface that you felt it really grasped her in its own way and went right to her core for who she is and what she wants and does.

In a way, I went a little bit differently with this route when it comes to her. Instead of just jumping at the chance to validate the rumour, she is more scared of what she is going to lose, loving what she has right now and not being greedy over it. In this sense, I think the girl I made her out to be was extremely pure in her own right as well as capturing some of her innocence all the same. For this alone, I hope you felt the character she was and turned out to be in this chapter really went to her core and once again nailed another great character in her own right.

Again, I would say a lot more but I think ending with this type of short and sweet comment also works as well!

And guess who gets a chapter next time!?

But in the meantime, GT 2 is on the horizon!? I'll see everyone on the other side of it, but here's to another great novel in the works and for us to read!

And as always,
Review if you please.

And I'll see you when I see you and I won't if I don't.

To Be Continued…