Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 040

"Clique, Part 1" (派閥①) is the 40th chapter of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun manga series.

Synopsis
August 27th: Kongou Mitsuko begins her days at Tokiwadai Middle School, and immediately becomes lost. Getting directions from Shirai Kuroko, the two manage to offend each other and immediately start to argue (thus setting the basis of their relationship for the rest of the series). Refusing help from Kuroko on getting back, Mitsuko is once again completely lost.

Meanwhile, Misaka Mikoto is looking for a way to politely ditch Unabara Mitsuki, who is accompanying her against her wishes. On meeting Mitsuko for the first time, Misaka successfully uses meeting Mitsuko as an excuse in order to leave Mitsuki behind. However, when Mitsuko asks for Mikoto's name, Mikoto mistakenly thought she wanted to know Mitsuki's instead of her own, and gave it as such. Mitsuko thus believes Misaka is Unabara Mitsuki (海原美月）. On learning Mitsuko is a transfer student, Mikoto decides to give Mitsuko a tour of the school, with Mitsuko never knowing Mikoto's real name.

After an eventful tour, Mitsuko begins to notice Mikoto is greeted by everyone she meets, and realizes she is someone who is admired by all. On reaching the internal dormitory, Mikoto abruptly leaves in order to make her own dormitory curfew. Mitsuko is left dejected, feeling she and Mikoto were still just pretending to be friends.

September 1st, the first day of the new school term: Mitsuko is once again lost in the school building and accidentally bumps into Wannai Kinuho and Awatsuki Maaya. Mitsuko quickly becomes acquainted with the pair, and the two swim club members suggest Mitsuko joins a faction to better adjust to the school. Mitsuko however after seeing Shokuhou Misaki's faction move past decides instead she wants to form her own faction.

Later, on September 14th, Mitsuko tries to recruit Kuroko into her new faction. Kuroko however not only refuses but warns Mitsuko about the foolishness of such a move as she would simply be crushed by the existing factions and the academy's most power espers.

Adapted From
The scene where Mitsuko tries to recruit Kuroko is adapted from the Prologue of Index Volume 8.

Characters

 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Shirai Kuroko
 * Tokiwadai Dorm Supervisor

New Characters

 * Kongou Mitsuko
 * Ekaterina
 * Etzali (disguised as Unabara Mitsuki)
 * Sakashima Michibata (cameo)
 * Wannai Kinuho
 * Awatsuki Maaya
 * Ringlet curl girl (cameo)
 * Shokuhou Misaki (cameo)

Locations

 * Academy City
 * School District 7
 * Tokiwadai Exterior Dormitory
 * Tokiwadai Interior Dormitory
 * School Garden
 * Pasticceria Manicagni
 * Tokiwadai Middle School

New Locations

 * Horus Pet Salon
 * Lime B (Teddy Bear shop)

Abilities

 * Electromaster - Misaka Mikoto, Level 5
 * Railgun

New Abilities

 * Aero Hand - Kongou Mitsuko, Level 4

Trivia

 * This chapter is the first one in Railgun manga that does not emply a date as the title (except for the extra chapters).
 * In this chapter, there is a great leap relative to the timeline of Index Novel: the chapter starts before Volume 5 of Index novel (possible during or even before Volume 4), and its ending coincides with the prologue of Volume 8. That means, the plots concerning Mikoto and Kuroko in Volume 5 and Volume 6 simply totally does not appear in the Railgun manga.

Quotes
''"Are you prepared to take that ludicrous attack head-on?" ''