Toaru Majutsu no Index II Episode 23

Synopsis
FUZE Kazakiri has been suppressed. Hyouka Kazakiri returns to normal.

Touma rushes to her side, still careful not to touch her, and watches as Hyouka wakes up. She realizes that extent of damage that Academy City has sustained, and feels the responsibility on her shoulders. Despite the fact that Hyouka feels bad about what happened, Touma shows an expression of relief upon seeing her unharmed. After lifting Hyouka's spirits, he decides to use the time remaining for Hyouka to reunite with Index and to assess the status of his friends.

Meanwhile, Index finds himself with Last Order and Accelerator both unconscious. She is still puzzled as to what just happened — especially what sprouted from Accelerator's back, which she found similar to Telesma — and to add, Misaka Mikoto wants Index to spill the beans on what just happened. Despite Mikoto's questions, she leaves for the nearest hospital.

Moments later, several mechanical units surround Accelerator as he regains consciousness. He soon receives a telepathic message from a person accompanying the mechanical units. The mysterious person asks him to seal a deal with him: for Accelerator to join forces with him. Accelerator immediately rejects the offer, but the mysterious person remains calm and asks him to reconsider his choice.

Accelerator decides to ask one more question before he decides to rethink his answer: "Who ordered the involvement of Last Order in this incident?" The mysterious person admits to know the answer, but also tells Accelerator that it might be yet another scapegoat. With this, Accelerator decides to let them do what they wish.

With a greeting into the dark side of Academy City, the mysterious person fires a gunshot.

Acqua stops a few kilometers from Vento's previous battlefield and contacts someone on the phone. It is revealed to be another member of God's Right Seat: Terra of the Left. Acqua reports on the status of the operation and asks for necessary actions to be done. Terra advises them to wait for the perfect moment to strike and orders the troops of the Roman Catholic Church to retreat. Acqua, however, prefers a display of sheer might than strategic offense.

After their conversation, Acqua exposes his inner doubts towards the true weakness — or rather, strength — of Academy City. Despite the dubious reuse value of the "fallen angel" and the extent of damage of Academy City, he thinks that there is much to the city than expected...

The next day, Heaven Canceller confronts Aleister Crowley on one concern: he warns Aleister to keep his hands off his patients. Aleister playfully asks him about what would happen if he would do otherwise, and Heaven Canceller just points out Aleister's role as a patient, like several of his patients in his hospital. In response, Aleister tells him that his actions will no longer be interrupted.

With that, Aleister cuts the line.

A few days later, things appear to have returned to normal.

At A Certain High School, it is lunchtime. After the others have run to the cafeteria, Touma brings out his own lunch. Himegami Aisa accompanies him with her own boxed lunch, and the blunt girl with the hime-cut proceeds to comment on Touma's preparation of his boxed lunch.

Touma decides to stop Aisa's comments by offering a potato, which she instantly accepts. However, as Touma returns to eating, Aisa's face shows an uncomfortable expression. She appears to have choked on the potato and asks help to Touma, who offers his hand to loosen the clogged potato. Touma's gentle approach did not work at first, and when he puts force into it, he unexpectedly unhooks Aisa's bra.

Touma receives a sharp right hook to his stomach and curls up in pain as an embarrassed Aisa flees.

Fortunately (or unfortunately), another girl accompanies Touma: Fukiyose Seiri. She decides to eat a bland but nutrient-rich bread, much to Touma's disappointment, and Touma offers a potato to her, which she instantly turns down. Seiri also reminds Touma that she wears a front-hook bra.

Soon, several of their classmates talk about what is going on outside the school and its effects on their academic schedule. According to them, travel restrictions will cause their next field trip to be canceled, and might also affect Ichihanaransai. Also, midterm exams might also be affected because of the faculty (who are Anti-Skill members as well) will be deployed as defense forces.

Seiri soon mutters that a war might be coming, and it would affect the prices of commodities like meat, vegetables and petroleum products.

Touma then picks up an idea: "How about having hot pot before the prices rise?"

The very mention of the word "hot pot" creeped throughout the classroom almost immediately, and the take out between close friends becomes a class dinner trip.

(missing part due to problems in streamed version)

At the middle of the feast with the entire class, Komoe voices out her worries, especially with the impending war that would involve Academy City. However, neither Seiri, Touma or Aogami worry about such things, and instead focus on their hearty dinner. Especially Touma, who although pampered too much by Seiri, has to take care of Index, who is taking the meat by storm. Unfortunately, Touma is yet to get his share of meat.

Touma later leaves to get a whiff of fresh air and is joined by Tsuchimikado. The agent of Necessarius assures him that the war is not entirely Touma's fault, but because of various mistakes that built up over time. Nonetheless, Tsuchimikado warns Touma on what's to come, with tougher battles that might get him killed.

Touma knows this, and upon clenching his fists, he declares that... he will learn English.

This warranted him a strong blow from a disappointed Tsuchimikado.

Elsewhere, Accelerator prepares himself for his new job — as a member of GROUP. As he fails to find the perfect gun to suit him, he is accompanied by the boy "known as Unabara Mitsuki and is not". Mitsuki relays the improvements of the electrodes on Accelerator's device and also tells him that there is an incoming mission for them.

(missing part due to problems in streamed version)

Adapted From

 * Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 13
 * Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS

Major events

 * The invasion of Academy City by the Roman Catholic Church ends.
 * Kazakiri Hyouka returns to normal.
 * Accelerator, Etzali, Tsuchimikado Motoharu, and Musujime Awaki are recruited into GROUP and are forced to defeat Komaba Ritoku's Skill-Out.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Kazakiri Hyouka
 * Index
 * Accelerator
 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Vento of the Front
 * Acqua of the Back
 * Heaven Canceller
 * Aleister Crowley
 * Himegami Aisa
 * Fukiyose Seiri
 * Aogami Pierce
 * Tsuchimikado Motoharu
 * Tsukuyomi Komoe
 * Yomikawa Aiho
 * Sphynx
 * Etzali in the form of Unabara Mitsuki

New Characters

 * Terra of the Left (voice-only)
 * Fiamma of the Right (referenced-only)
 * Komaba Ritoku

Abilities

 * Fuse KAZAKIRI - Kazakiri Hyouka
 * Appearance borrowing - Etzali
 * Move Point - Musujime Awaki
 * Redirection - Accelerator, level 5

New Abilities
No new abilities were introduced during this episode.

Locations

 * Academy City
 * Academy City Outer Zone
 * The hospital the Heaven Canceller works in.
 * Windowless Building

New Locations

 * The Strange

Trivia

 * This episode would mark the second appearance of the spiky-haired girl with glasses and the girl with the headband since their debut back in episode 8.
 * The fact that Tsuchimikado drinks alcohol was not addressed in the episode, unlike the light novels.

Referbacks

 * The Strange, the bastion of Skill-Outs is introduced in the Toaru Majutsu no Index for the first time since their debut back in episode 15 of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun anime.

Quotes

 * Kazakiri:"Why did this all this happen?It's all my fault.Why am I only one unharmed?If I can't be with everyone, why I was born?I'm just a monster that can only exist thanks to all the espers.Even though she called me a friend...Even though I thought I'd become a little more human...I'm sick of its all!Please punch me and end it all!Why...Why are you smilling?"
 * Touma:"Because I'm relieved.I don't why I have this power in my right hand.But I'll cut this hand off beforw I use it to make any of my friends disappear.You protected everyone.You did you best to protect everyone.Isn't that the human you wanted to be?Be proud, look forward.You continued to fight and saved people you didn't even know.There's no reason to be disappointed."
 * Touma:"You'r right...Actually,I think it's a miracle that I've gotten this far.I've been too naive.I've let everyone else deal with the other world.But I can't do that anymore.I have to take my own steps into the new world."