Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS2/Chapter 4

Synopsis
The day after White Day, a young man by the name of Haratani Yabumi is walking aimlessly in the shopping district when 5–6 Skill-Out members drag him into a back alley. They proceed to beat him up, and take his wallet and cellphone, while scheming on using the latter as a digital credit card since it did not have a credit limit. As Yabumi wonders how to get out of this potential financial disaster, someone suddenly shouts at the Skill-Out members, telling them they lack guts.

In response, one of the thugs merely shoots him with a gun, causing him to collapse to the ground. While Yabumi questions what happened, the figure rises up completely unharmed. He lectures them about shooting someone without warning and that the shooter lack guts, telling the shooter that he’s just a kid that throws a tantrum easily. Confused, the shooter just continues shooting at him, although it is completely ineffective. Unsurprisingly, the shooter angrily asks why he won’t die, to which the person replies about his guts again. The mysterious person finally reveals himself to be Sogiita Gunha, the 7th-ranked Level 5 of Academy City, causing multi-color explosions appear behind him when he shouts his name.

Dumbfounded by this spectacle, the Skill-Out whisper among themselves on what to do, and somehow comes to the conclusion that since Gunha is the lowest ranking member of the seven, then he must be the weakest, and therefore they can handle him. However, Gunha claims that the rankings were not relevant and that the important thing is guts. Before he can finish speaking though, they try to gang up on him with a variety of weapons, to zero effect. Eventually irritated by their actions, Gunha retaliates by throwing his attackers into the air with another explosion. Despite having already defeated the thugs, Gunha continues to berate them for doing whatever they wanted the entire time, saying that he will now show them what true guts looks like.

At this time, another man calling himself Yokosuka the Organ Crusher appears out of the darkness, who introduces himself as the leader of the men Gunha just defeated. Threatening Gunha for sticking his nose where it doesn’t belong, Yokosuka says that this was now an anti-esper battle. Much to Yokosuka’s irritation however, Gunha farts before he can finish. After remembering what he was trying to say, Yokosuka continues to threaten Gunha, but Gunha interrupts yet again and shouts Amazing Punch. Somehow, the punch connects despite being more than 10 meters away from him. Still conscious, Yokosuka asks what Gunah did, to which Gunha replies that what he did was the true worth of him being the 7th-ranked level 5. He explains that he can create an unstable wall of psychokinesis in from of him and uses the stimulus of his own fist to destroy it, launching an explosive after-effect from a long distance. He proudly refers to this ability as the 'Attack Crash'.

Yabumi finally speaks up after hearing Gunha's explanation, saying that what he said was impossible. He tells him that applying a stimulus to a field of psychokinetic power shouldn’t have that kind of reaction, and backs up his claim by stating that he is chosen field of study is in psychokinesis. With both Gunha and Yokosuka silenced by Yabumi’s claims, Gunha then lowers his gaze and proceeds to ask what and how he did it. Yokosuka berates him for treating his special move in such a half-assed way, and that he should think about how the people who received the punch feel.

After seeing Gunha punch Yokosuka for complaining about this, Yabumi cannot feel happy about being saved. Although his legs are shaking, Yokosuka tries to stand up to Gunha again, impressing Gunha with his guts. Although Yokusukua doesn’t have the strength left to fight or even run away, he asks Gunha with a smile that he should at least finish the fight with some extraordinary attack unlike the boring sounding Amazing Punch. Despite having requested for him to use something that can be worth losing to, Gunha simply launches yet another Amazing Punch at him.

Characters
By order of appearance:

New Characters

 * Haratani Yabumi
 * Sogiita Gunha
 * Yokosuka

New Abilities

 * Self-labeled "Attack Crash" - Sogiita Gunha, Level 5

Locations

 * Academy City

Referbacks

 * Skill Out plays a primary role as the antagonists during the Skill-Out Uprising.

Cultural References

 * This chapter takes place one day after.