Omega World

The Omega World or Version_Omega is the name of a Phase of the world as used in the "Final" 6th chapter of the 9th Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index light novel. It is the final recreation of the world by Magic God Othinus for the purpose of breaking Kamijou Touma's spirit. Seemingly the "perfect world", it was created after subjecting Touma to countless number of Phases where he experienced great suffering, yet failing to completely break his spirit. The Omega World ultimately does the job none of the other Phases Othinus created and ultimately leads to Touma's suicide attempt that was stopped only by the timely intervention of the Will of the Whole Misaka Network.

Principles
According to the Will of the Whole Misaka Network, Othinus has free control over life and death using two distinct methods, one for the living and the dead. Through Touma's observations, Othinus is manipulating the living and the dead based on the Einherjar spell that was now perfected using her Gungnir.

Regardless, Othinus had put a filter upon the world where everyone was saved, tragedies having been undone, and people enjoying their everyday lives. This refers not only to the people that Touma had saved in his original world but to people Touma had never met because they were already dead, like Ellis Warrior and Vento of the Front's brother, the people he had met but could not save such as Terra of the Left and Misaka 10031, as well as the people whose emotional baggages or traumas that put them in the path to becoming Touma's enemies, such as Oriana Thomson. The differences of this perfect world varied from the mundane, such as Index still being friends with Stiyl Magnus and Kanzaki Kaori and the clergy from the Anglican Church, to the profound such as Sherry and Ellis, still being children despite everyone else being their normal age. Although their personalities remained, such as the Kiharas chafing in the peaceful Academy City and forcing them to do their work that conforms with the perfect world, the interpersonal relationships between people that had been newly built up by Othinus throughout this worlld had made strange new connections, and was referred to be likely happier than in the original world. Specifically, the world was created with pleasant feelings taking precedence over "slight out-of-place" feelings. Academy City itself was different; the cityscape was a bit different because things that were unneeded in the "perfect world" were removed and new things had their taken their place, such as laboratories of the dark side that were disguised as private institutions. The city also lacked walls around it as there was no dispute between the magic and science sides.

Effectiveness
Touma, already worn down by the many previous worlds created by Othinus to break him, was effectively being broken down by the "perfect world".

It turned the tables on Touma, who initially believed that Othinus twisted the world for her own conveniences to torture Touma while ignoring the wishes of the very people it affected as an absolute evil, as well as Touma's thinking, the one that supported him throughout the countless worlds of suffering, that him returning everything to normal would be ideal. Taking advantage of his thinking, Othinus told Touma that if he insisted that the changed world and the act of changing the world was evil, then he should reject this perfect world. Further demonstrating his powerlessness, she once again uses her argument from the Beta World that the one saving people doesn't necessarily need to be Touma, but instead uses herself as the example and showing clearly to Touma that everyone had been saved using her powers as a magic god. As if to mock him or even give him an illusion of choice, she allows him to choose whether to protect or destroy, which Touma asked what else he could do since even if he does not do anything, she could save the world. The effectiveness of the perfect world, however, banked upon the people whom were related to Touma to not know of his existence, as such, no one knew who Touma was in the so-called "perfect world". Its one flaw had to be eliminated in order for it to be maintained, which was believing that those people would cast aside the perfect world just so they would not lose Touma. This was a fact noted by the Will of the Misaka Network as to be Othinus "cheating".

Othinus relied on his personality, feelings, and the need to place himself below everyone else as well. She told him that the perfect world was created on the assumption that he did not exist and his existence for any longer in the world would cause it to collapse, so he had to end his life. The effectiveness of her "perfect world" and her continued provocation of his person that showed the meaningless of his existence proved effective as Touma was willing to throw away his life just so everybody could have their happiness despite Touma himself knowing that Othinus did not remake the world out of concern for anyone. He also believed that she could just destroy the world again just so that happiness could be enjoyed even for a small while. Touma would later break and further believed that the smiles of the people in the "perfect world" had weight and his decision to kill himself had meaning, compounding his delusions that his life meant nothing.

Othinus, however, failed to account that despite surviving the countless worlds she had thrown at him, Touma was still human and had at least a sense of self-worth that was only buried by his belief that he should only prioritize others. Moreover, the fact that the Will of the Whole Misaka Network's existence was apparently unknown to her, proved to be the undoing of Othinus's plan, as she was the catalyst that aided Touma in bringing him out of his despair.

Will of the Whole Misaka Network
The Will of the Whole Misaka Network is an existence that is beyond Othinus's control. Othinus can apparently affect the living and the dead, but she cannot affect those that are beyond the living and the dead, specifically the Will of the Whole Misaka Network, a thought entity. It explained that she was a system formed from the 20,001 units and the information that was contained in the network forming her came from both the clones who were currently alive and those who had died. She said that she was "alive while dead and dead while alive". She emphasized that she cannot be called part of the living or the dead, and that since Othinus only had "software" or methods to handle those two cases, she slipped through the cracks and Othinus was unable to manipulate her.

Existing in Touma's original world, after Othinus remade the world, she remained unaffected directly by whatever Othinus was changing as she escaped the concept of life and death. Despite this, she was still affected indirectly through the Sisters, as whatever happened to them affected her, likely twisting her form every time Othinus remade the world in order for her to put Touma in despair.

Lance of Gungnir Arc
Just as Touma had his resolve in bringing back everything to normal, Othinus showed Touma a seemingly perfect world where everyone was saved and enjoying their everyday lives. She told Touma that if he insisted that the changed worlds and the act of changing the world were evil, then he should reject this perfect world. Othinus embraced Touma's shoulders from behind while holding the lance, which was within reach of his right hand. She told him that it must be right to return it to normal and that he should test out his own idea of justice by rejecting this perfect world. Othinus explained to him that the world did not need him and that even without him, everyone could be saved by using her power as the magic god. Touma then complained that it wasn't fair and questions himself about what he was doing all along. He also complained that he could not save everyone and that his actions might have caused tragedy to other people. Othinus told him that he should not blame himself and that he had done well for a mere human. Suddenly, Index approached him for her ball and Touma reached for it. He also saw Stiyl, Kaori, and other priests and nuns that he did not recognize. Index asked him what was wrong to which Touma responded that nothing was. Index then jogged away and went back to her group. Othinus allowed him to choose whether to protect or destroy, to which Touma asked what else he could do since even if he did not do anything, she could save the world. She told him that the perfect world was created on the assumption that he did not exist and him existing for much longer in this world would cause it to begin collapsing; therefore, he had to end his life. She summoned a number of ways for him to kill himself with.

After sitting on the bench for a long time, Touma rose up and began walking to Academy City where in this world, there was no reason for it to be walled off. As he walked through the city, he sees many people he knew, some only being acquaintances, some he had never met, and some he could never meet in his world. After witnessing all this and enjoining a last meal, he resolved to end his life to protect this world by ending his life. He resolved to end it by taking an elevator to the top of a forty story building and throw himself off it to his death. Before he could, someone calls out to him and just in time places a kick on his back, changing the path of his fall into a nearby window washing gondola, sighing as she sees that he was safe.

Apparently observing that Touma was in the deepest nadir of his utter despair and was about to commit suicide, she took over Misaka 10031's body and scrambled to get to Touma just as was about to jump off a building. Touma sees her and believes her to be Misaka 10032, but corrects him by saying that she was Misaka 10031, the Sister Touma referred to as the one he barely missed saving. She, however, corrects him saying that she was technically just borrowing her body, but says that since they all form a single large will together, anything she says was the same as hearing it from Misaka 10031. Touma asks what she means, to which she tells Touma that though this was the first time they have met, he had met a lot of her physical terminals. She bows her head and says that she was the will created by the whole Misaka Network.

She says all this with a smile on her face. Still in despair, Touma is asked by the Will what he would do now, though he doesn't understand. She reiterates, asking him that now that he know that the world they are in is the perfect world with nothing but happiness, what he would do now. She asks him if he was sure that he searched properly to escape the world and that if there were contradictions in Othinus's ideal world, there must have been something he could find, including her presence. However, Touma points out on how there would be no reason for him to turn the world around as it would only cause everything to collapse. The Will says that he should only talk about things when he was more positive. She compares Othinus as a dictator who had made her "home" as pleasant as possible and that was the world they were in now. However, the Will asks if there was a kindness that had to be completely eliminated in the world they were in. Touma says he understands and refers to his experiences with GREMLIN, saying that Othinus did not create the new world out of concern for people; she created the new world because it was an eyesore for her. Touma, however, still points out that regardless of this, she still saved everyone, even those who he couldn't save, and that he couldn't return everything to normal after seeing all that. He says that though it would be right, it would be evil as he would rob the happiness of those people just so he can get back his own place in the world.

The Will understands his reasoning, but asks him if he ever fought because it was the right thing to do, or if he ever punched people because they were evil. Touma hesitated to answer, to which the Will smiles, answering for him, saying that he had never used that reasoning then, and there should be no reason to allow that reasoning to crush him now. Touma points out that the reasoning will only save him, but the Will makes a rebuttal, telling him not to lie, taking Touma aback. The Will points out Touma should know that Othinus cheated to make the perfect world that could make Touma fall into despair. The answer would make this world turn out as something not so ideal that even Touma tries to deny it, saying that the world Othinus made was accomplished perfectly. Touma says that Othinus did save everyone where he could not. Hearing this, the Will asks Touma to prove that the world they were in was perfect and nothing anyone does can cause a single crack in it. Hearing her words, Touma finally admits the one thing that made the so-called "perfect world" flawed, the people there don't remember the original world.

Touma however, asks why that matters as no matter what those people think they were truly saved. He says that having their memories or not does not change that they were saved. The Will points out however that it changes everything as it would disregard all the things Touma has done so far. She tells him that he should not change the rules he used then now. She says that Othinus was afraid, not because people would find it strange that dead people were standing before them, but because that if everyone remembered the original world, everyone who was saved here would be unable to accept losing him. Touma tries to take in what the Will just said, who can only smile, apparently finding it funny that he could not understand that simple concept. The Will says that though Touma thinks that he can protect everyone's smiles by casting aside his place in the world, there are those who would not want to lose him, like her among others. Touma understood her words that despite in the darkest of situations, no matter how hopeless the situation, people could still get along. The Will says that nowhere does it say that everyone would readily accept the terms of them losing Touma in exchange of the "perfect world". She says that was what Othinus feared, everyone gathering together to save him; that was the reason she "cheated" as the Will says and made no one remember him through the happiness they have. The Will continues on how it would not make any sense if he forced them to accept it as he himself did not allow that sort of thing to happen.

Touma was in deep thought, having believed that his existence did not weigh heavily in the hearts of people after seeing everyone smiling in a world without him. He believed that there would be others who could do what he did and maybe even better. As if cutting into his own thoughts, the Will said that those possibilities of other people doing what he could do or even being better at it doesn't matter because he was still the one who had done it, the one in the right time and place who ran in and saved people. Touma could not believe it, but the Will pressed further. She said that he would be saved if he rejected this world, and that they would do for him what he had done for them; that was why Othinus cheated. Touma did not reject her words, and began thinking it all over.

He comes to the conclusion that with that result, it'll just make it even worse. Touma could not allow for them to be reminded of the original world as they'll only reject their "perfect world" just to save him. Hearing this, the Will then asked Touma a question, a question ignoring all moral dilemmas and mysteries surrounding life. She asks him if it doesn't bother him that Othinus just appeared out of nowhere and stole everything he had precariously built up.

Although the question was simple, it cuts deep into Touma's heart. He remains silent for a while, but finally trembled out the words from his lips as he cried. He says that it bothers him. Here, Touma pours all of his emotions to the Will. He bemoans his cruel fate. He curses Othinus for making his life meaningless easily through her power, and though she can easily take away and destroy the perfect world made it to crush him underfoot, she still achieved something that he could not. He says that if she were to tell him that she would return all those people who have lost their lives before she made the "perfect world", then he would probably reject it based on a random ideal or another, like saying their deaths had meaning or she can't toy with people's lives so easily. However, since she has already done it, to return things to normal now would be no different from killing the people that are happy now with his own hands. He states there would be no excuses for that, to return to the normal would mean to kill the people in this "perfect world," so he asks what good would come out of destroying the "perfect world". He questions if he could really return to the old world he pictured in his head, if he could ever face the people who are living their normal lives who are ignorant of what happened. He wonders if he could really just smile when he knows the truth. Here, he admits he cannot do those, even if he defeats Othinus, nothing would remain for him either way, he can't return to normal. He says that no matter what happens there is no way for him to succeed, stating that if he doesn't fail in whatever he chose to do, he will still have complaints and will eventually fall apart, giving him no reason to fight. He ponders why he should destroy the miraculous "perfect world" again. He questions why they could not just accept Othinus' victory if every path leads to destruction, why they could not just let the number of people saved decide it. Since Othinus saved more, there was nothing else he could do, there was nowhere he could go to.

The Will listened to him, relieved that he was not a perfect saint after everything she had said to him. Touma asks what the Will is asking him to do, remarking on how if he defeats Othinus and return the original world, the weight of his win destroying the happiness of the people in the perfect world would crush his heart. The Will says that he might be right, but she asks him why he feels the need to place himself below everyone else. Touma does not however understand her. She tells him that there is nothing wrong with prioritizing himself just this one time. She says that there is nothing wrong in saving himself when he should save others equally. It is something that he can easily weigh and pass judgment on. The Will says that is how he has always lived, using the Level 6 Shift experiment as an example the killing of 20,000 clones could have been justified when faced as an issue of good or evil, but he never allowed people to weigh the numbers against each other. Touma agrees, but says that if he returned to the normal world, he fears that he would be destroyed, as he would be forced to smile to everyone who knew nothing of the "perfect world," the weight of his sin bearing down upon him. The Will, however, counters that it only means that he shouldn't hide the fact that he has seen the "perfect world" and face the fact that he couldn't save everyone. Hearing that, Touma smiled a bit as he felt as the issues at hand were gradually coming into view. Touma concludes that they would kill him, but the Will says that then he should tell them everything and apologize. She reassures him that he can return everything back to normal as that it was what he had always done when great tragedies built hatred in his powerful enemies' hearts. Finally, Touma questions if it was really fine to oppose the perfect world for nothing more than his desires, to which the Will says he can. She says that if there is no way to the original world, then he should merely destroy it all and build those relations back up from the beginning, even if the relationships will never be the same. The Will encourages him however, saying that she'll by his side as she was the one who urged him, when the the world treats him as an enemy, she'll be by his side to help reclaim his shattered circle of friends, just the two of them.

Seeing this now, Touma speaks as he cries, saying that though it may be conceited and will not make everyone happy, he wants to go back. Thus ends Kamijou Touma's darkest hour thus far. The Will shrugs and in a carefree manner tells Touma to surprise Othinus. Touma stands up and goes out of the dorm room door, and says that it is time to fight a god.

Touma confronts Othinus at the schoolyard of A Certain High School. Othinus, irritated that Touma was still there and alive when he should have already killed himself after accepting the perfect world that required him to not exist, decided that she will just kill him if she cannot break him and that she might achieve more stable control if she transferred the Imagine Breaker to a more fragile container and then break it; thus, the battle between a man and a god began.

Excerpts
