Agitate Halation Project

Agitate Halation Project (『 人的資源 (アジテートハレーション)  』プロジェクト) was an ambitious project headed by Yakumi Hisako supposedly to get rid of the "heroes" of Academy City that have become a nuisance to the City.

However, in reality it was a mere coverup by Hisako presented to the Academy City Board of Directors in order to "step into" the realm of Kazakiri Hyouka and DRAGON, and beyond.

Hypothesized Catastrophe 034: Concerning Damages Caused by the Sudden and Coincidental Appearance of Heroes and a Countermeasure against Them Using a Likely Level 0
The thesis presented by Yakumi Hisako to Academy City Board of Directors, is the Hypothesized Catastrophe 034: Concerning Damages Caused by the Sudden and Coincidental Appearance of Heroes and a Countermeasure against Them Using a Likely Level 0, discusses the problem of "heroes" in Academy City and the countermeasure against them.

Objectives
The thesis provides a reasoning to why a countermeasure is necessary, as "uncertain elements referring to themselves as heroes pose a threat to the development of the advanced technology that lies at the core of Academy City." This refers to the protagonist various actions throughout the story, like a meta-reference to their various run-ins against the darker part of the science side like Misaka Mikoto stopping Therestina Kihara Lifeline, or famously the end of the Level 6 Shift.

Interestingly, the thesis defines "heroes" as a people who refers to themselves as such, which either implies that the influence of the Shading Computer on the AIM fields extend even to even determining which person refers to themselves as a hero or the thesis use the term for simplicity's sakes to refer to those whose qualities are heroic to society. Regardless, the "hero" in the thesis specifically refers to those who are affected to Agitate Halation. Furthermore, the thesis adds that "killing a hero with standard means is difficult. They possess a unique ability to suddenly reverse situations where they have an overwhelming disadvantage." It later discusses a reasonable conclusion on how to defeat them, by having them fight each other.

Proposed solution
Since the heroes posses a unique ability to suddenly reverse situations where they have an overwhelming disadvantage, the thesis states that "ability cannot help them in a conflict between two heroes." Moreover, it states that "energy caused by their collision will not always be cleanly cancelled out. It is possible it will instead influence yet another hero."

The countermeasure requires the use of a protection target that will cause the heroes to take action (agitated) in order to protect him or her, stating that although the "initial strike can lead to a happy ending," referring to the clash of heroes, "but it can also lead to unavoidable self-destruction." It references on how the protection target, though occasionally appearing from within the ranks of the powerful, they appear more frequently from within the weak. The chosen protection target will be remade into "a spokesperson who will give his or her opinions as a representative example of all the weak." The representative chosen was Fremea Seivelun.

According to the thesis, having her do an inane task like a simple card problem that relates to the desired heroes, she will affect the heroes as they wish. One of the final points in the use of Fremea as a protection target was to destroy her brain so that she holds no questions about solving the simple problems given to her, as they need only have her intelligence the same level as a dove so that she can solve the quiz in exchange for food. Essentially allowing those who intend to use her eliminate chosen heroes whenever they wish in press of a button. The paragraph later envisions on creating a world without heroes.

True nature of the Agitate Halation Project
Yakumi Hisako presented the project as a way to have the City eliminate its heroes to ensure members of the Board of Directors won't try to stop her, as her true goal was to "step into" the realm of Kazakiri Hyouka and DRAGON, and beyond. Using the Shading Computer that used the AIM diffusion fields as a medium, Hisako wanted transfer her consciousness into the AIM diffusion fields of the City as an AIM thought being. However, her true goal was to go "beyond" having the Shading Computer use other fluids instead as a medium like the winds or seas of the world, though even Hisako is unsure of this, as she even conjectures that it would also likely destroy her once Fremea is killed. Although, the killing of heroes is still included in her plan, it is utterly much less subdued with Hisako, opting to have them riot and kill each other in one blow instead of in a controlled manner. Moreover, she had no intention of allowing Fremea Seivelun to live for the purpose of the project. As she is the linchpin that held her AIM though body into Academy City, killing her will make the heroes go berserk, the corresponding effect of the heroes on the AIM diffusion fields that held Hisako's consciousness will apparently either make Hisako go beyond and transfer her consciousness and the Shading Computer to use other fluids or kill her.

Implementation
Hisako most likely approached Matsusada, a famous authority in the field of fluid mechanics, and had him help in the project, specifically the Shading Computer, as he had related the theories and applications of a Shading Computer, specifically using AIM produced by Espers as a replacement for actual fluid. Using the theories of the AIM-based Shading Computer, Yakumi Hisako manipulated the AIM diffusion fields of the espers in the city to create Shading Computer for her ambitious Agitate Halation Project, despite the dangers that were conjectured by Matsusada.

The property of "changes in pressure (in the AIM fields) and flowing back affecting the students (espers)," were primarly used to give the "heroes" of Academy City a "divine revelation". This is where the "heroes" were inputted with an artificial sense of justice and a desire to protect Fremea Seivelun, the one chosen as the linchpin for the project, by the Shading Computer. This is due to the fact that by using the AIM diffusion fields, the students and the fields can influence each other. That is why a shading computer can be built and why the city’s heroes can be controlled using it. The implementation of Agitate Halation seemingly started even before the publishing of the thesis for the Board of Directors. Regarding Fremea Seivelun becoming the protection target of the "heroes", the linchpin of the Agitate Halation Project, references the "backup plan using Skill-Out", on experiments related to her becoming compatible for the plan. Since there were no major events with her being "protected" by Skill-Out or involved with them prior to Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index other than Ritoku's planned uprising, it can be speculated that the Agitate Halation Project has been going since at least early October.

Regardless, true implementation of Agitate Halation began on November 5, where Yakumi Hisako manipulates Freshmen to attack Fremea Seivelun in order to input values of fear, anger, and joy into Fremea Seivelun's mind in order for her to attain the Agitate Halation. Moreover, it was also most likely so observe the effects of the Agitate Halation on the "heroes" such as Shiage and Accelerator. Later, with the return of the Original Kakine Teitoku, which is referenced in the thesis as the secondary plan, Fremea was apparently incorporated into influencing events through the Agitate Halation. Kakine being freed from the Original Kakine Teitoku's control and aiding Fremea Seivelun despite the harm incurred on his person, may have been an experiment to determine the capabilities of Fremea's Agitate Halation Takitsubo Rikou's AIM Stalker may have severed his connection with the Original, but it is Fremea's Agitate Halation that may have allowed the surfacing of Kakine's personality that is different from the Original Kakine Teitoku and have coerced him into helping her.

Even before the riots of the heroes in the Learning Core, Hisako apparently intended to use or affect 7,500 heroes in the City through Agitate Halation.

Drawbacks
Other than the fact that Hisako had no idea if she'll transcend and transfer her consciousness into a much larger medium for the Shading Computer, several variables have shown itself to her that can affect the project even before it was started. The most important of this is Matsusada's conjecture as espoused in his book The Future of Next-Generation Processors using Viscosity and Density, where he states that the Shading Computer when using AIM diffusion fields as the fluid should use a controlled environment like an isolated box, as the Shading Computer can endanger students when there are changes in pressure and it flows back affecting the students.The doctor warns of the possibility that anyone whose AIM diffusion field was part of the medium that the Shading Computer was built upon would be able to manipulate it. Moreover, he speculates that that the "pressure" that flows back into the esper or espers, could alter the statement of the mind producing the esper power or input information they should have not known. Matsusada refers to this as giving "a seemingly divine revelation" to them.

The danger of an esper that is part of the AIM diffusion fields that is being used as a medium for the Shading Computer being able manipulate it is later exemplified by Fremea Seivelun, whom Hisako "soaked" in Agitate Halation. This is because the shading computer uses every movement of the target fluid, which in this case AIM diffusion fields, to perform calculations. Even the smallest power producing the AIM diffusion fields that forms the Shading Computer has a connection to it.

Other dangers include Hisako severely underestimating Kamijou Touma who has been shown to be able to negate the influences of the AIM diffusion fields, as well as the gather of Level 5s in a single location. Moreover, it seems to be in her personality to blatantly ignore errors if it seems it doesn't affect her overall plan, as shown when Rensa points out the errors in the plan after Touma defeats Tsuchimikado Motoharu. Here, instead of the mutual destruction of Kamijou Touma, Tsuchimikado Motoharu, Kumokawa Seria, and Kaizumi Tsugutoshi as a result of their clash as advertised by her thesis and even predicted by her, they all survive and this fact is ignored by her.

Opponents
Not all members of Academy City Board of Directors approve of the project, as evident in the investigation of Kaizumi Tsugutoshi and Kumokawa Seria. Moreover, even Tsuchimikado Motoharu also had his own investigation regarding the project. Hisako however, noticed this fact. She begins the start of the experiment in earnest, wanting to use their "heroic qualities" in eliminating the both of them in one fell swoop. She first hires a 10-man team, consisting of former subordinates of the Spider Queen, such as Anjou Haruka, Kuromatsu Takao, and Imagawa Shiguma, to kill Tsuchimikado Maika, hidden under the guise of a tool of negotiation against him as a reprisal for his investigation of the Agitate Halation Project. Although, seeing the team as loose ends, she also added a Destroyer into it, most likely to hide their association with her. Moreover, she also intended to silence the Destroyer as well, and actually managed to have him assassinated using the Sniper Bee, though was too late to hide her involvement as Motoharu was able to get a confession out of him in his dying breath. She most likely predicted the outcome that Motoharu would intercept the grim deed planned for her sister, and would later plan revenge after hiding her away.

Billiards metaphor
The thesis uses a billiards metaphor, referring to the countless heroes as the balls, and the protection target as the cue that strikes the balls. However, the metaphor also extends its usage in the narration and even the dialogue of the characters. Initially, the thesis refers to the countless heroes of the City as the balls, while the cue is the protection target (Freme Seivelun). Later, the narration refers to the table as Academy City. The initial strike, refers to the activation of Agitate Halation by Fremea Seivelun, and though it can lead to a happy conclusion it also lead to unavoidable self-destruction. The balls striking each other refers to the clash heroes with their desire to protect Fremea, and if continuing the billiards metaphor, pocketing of a ball means destruction of a hero, and in the game of billiards there is a possibility that more than one ball can be pocketed in a single strike.

Agitate Halation Arc
The project used Fremea's ability, Agitate Halation by somehow controlling the miniature Kakine Teitoku (Beetle 05) she had strapped to her phone, telling her she was in danger and making her leave the safety of her dorm room in a supposed attempt "to flee to safety". This was the activation of her ability that began calling "heroes", to an affect that almost immediately she ran across Kuroyoru Umidori who was fleeing the trap Yakumi Hisako had set for her to use as Fremea's killer. Her appearance here dubs her as a "dark hero" called through Agitate Halation's power according to Rensa who also appeared to take and kill Fremea. Fremea flees as Kuroyoru does battle with Rensa continuing to follow the White Beetle's false instructions to head towards the Learning Core and then into The Lightning Rod tower.

By this point Agitate Halation was causing 7,500 "heroes" run through the streets causing chaos as they went forth to help Fremea, by stealing objects that could be used as weapons and attacking their owners justifying their acts of "heroism" and also by fighting among themselves as each one believed himself the "true hero" that would save Fremea. Eventually they converging on the Learning Core and started causing a riot there, which caused fires and left their workers in panic. The riot would eventually reach its height after the arrival of all the Level 5 espers, arriving at the Learning Core for their own respective reasons. Kihara Yuiitsu and Kihara Noukan later manipulated things behind the scenes in order for the riots to stop the moment Rensa was defeated by Touma there.

It was presumably brought to an end when Fremea formed the resolve that she was not going to just hope a hero will appear anymore and decided to stand against those who used her, as such demonstration of courage breaks the set paradigm that she is the "representative of all the weak", therefore causing a massive contradiction that makes the project plummet. This also results in Hisako's ability to transcend to a higher level of existence similar to DRAGON as she had planned to fail.

Aftermath
Yakumi Hisako, while not destroyed, remained in a digital form, that was eventually found by Fräulein Kreutune and mostly devoured by her. Members of the Kihara Family Kihara Noukan and Kihara Yuiitsu evaluate the results of the project and conclude there could have been factors not considered or initially seen by Hisako.

Important figures

 * Yakumi Hisako (Project head)
 * Rensa (Assistant)
 * Fremea Seivelun (Linchpin)
 * Matsusada (Shading Computer expert)

Confirmed to be affected by Agitate Halation

 * Tsuchimikado Motoharu
 * Kumokawa Seria
 * Kaizumi Tsugutoshi
 * Hamazura Shiage
 * Kuroyoru Umidori
 * Kinuhata Saiai
 * Takitsubo Rikou
 * Fusou Ayame
 * Paper Bag Bunny Girl
 * Aihana Etsu (imposter)

Unaffected but came on their own accord

 * Kamijou Touma–Referenced by Kihara Noukan that his right hand had the power to negate the AIM diffusion fields that were influencing the "heroes".

Level 5
According to Kihara Noukan, Hisako apparently didn't intend to have the Level 5s all gather in one place, and according to their behavior, they seem to have no change in their personalities when they arrived in Learning Core.
 * Accelerator–Arrived in the Learning Core to know the truth behind what happened of Tsuchimikado Motoharu, a former colleague of him. He had no intention of saving Fremea as it would interfere with Touma's actions, and instead fought the other heroes rioting.
 * Kakine Teitoku
 * Misaka Mikoto–Arrived at the Learning Core to search for Touma after tailing Misaki
 * Mugino Shizuri–Arrived at Learning Core to search for Fremea at the behest of Shiage alongside Rikou and Saiai, and showed no change in personality.
 * Shokuhou Misaki–Arrived at the Learning Core to search for Touma.
 * Number Six–Referenced by Noukan to have appeared in Learning Core.
 * Sogiita Gunha–Ran across a commotion while walking through the city, somehow finding himself in Learning Core. He was seemingly completely oblivious to the reason to the rioting, and instead used his power to literally punch fire out of burning trees. He is later forced to fight the other heroes, warning them that they could leave if they want to.