Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator Manga Chapter 008

The eighth chapter of the Toaru Kagaku no Accelerator manga was released on July 26, 2014. It features the battle between Anti-Skill and the DA rogue group as the extermination of DA continues.

Synopsis
In an unknown place, there is a conference occurring between the colleagues and superiors of Hishigata, reporting on how Branch 05 of their DA is also under attack. Despite their better equipment, the rate of the attacks on them will crush every branch. Another one says that he would like for them to gather their forces to get a definitive attack and force their enemies to negotiate with them. But another one of them says that they still don't have enough to attack the Windowless Building, and should go for the Anti-Skill headquarters instead, and another one agrees, as theirs and Anti-Skill's forces are about equal.

Finally, one of them asks Hishigata if he has finished the weapon that would "settle things on the battlefield", saying that he should send it out. Hishigata says it is not working now that Esther has escaped and that they have failed in taking Last Order to act as its core. He tells them that he has told them to do something about it already, and says that they're the ones who keep failing. The person on the other line says that he doesn't care if it collapses partway through as they need everything they can get. Hishigata says that, in spite of those setbacks, if he can get his hands on a Sister he should be able to pull it off. He then asks about the hostage, Misaka 10046, to which the man on the other line realizes that Hishigata needs her for the weapon that will "settle things on the battlefield". He then quickly gets to it, but then says that the base of Branch 03 was destroyed in a mysterious explosion and their comrades transporting the hostage were attacked. He says that he will send reinforcements immediately, saying that the units will gather at Seiin High School's Sixth Chemistry Building and hold out there. He then tells Hishigata to quicken his completion of the weapon.

After the end of the conference, Hishigata tells Hirumi, a girl connected to several mechanical tubes, that it is about time for them to cut their ties with DA.

Meanwhile, the remnants of DA's Branch 03 are locked in furious firefight with a group of Anti-Skill, which Yomikawa Aiho is part of. There, they receive the order in transferring Misaka 10046 to Seiin High School. Though the leader is reluctant, he is forced to do so and orders the use of the Tarantula. He tells his men that it will only last 30 minutes after activation and that they need to use that time to get Anti-Skill out of their way and carry their hostage to the high school's Sixth Chemistry Building. They nod and the cease their firing. Seeing this, the leader of the Anti-Skill unit orders his men to advance. With their shields the advance, including Aiho, into the dark tunnel where the DA is held up. Suddenly, there is a flash of light, "eyes" look out from the darkness, and an instant, a torrent of shots are fired toward the Anti-Skill, ripping through their shields like paper and shredding their bodies into meat. All of the Anti-Skill forces are taken aback at this event and this drastic change in the flow of battle as a mechanical behemoth comes barreling down at them, the Tarantula cometh.

Major events

 * Hishigata and Hirumi are revealed to have their own allegiances other than DA.
 * DA commanders follow with Hishigata's request in obtaining the Sister clone captured by the Branch 03 of DA in order for him to complete his weapon that will "settle things on the battlefield" to help them turn the tide of the extermination campaign against them.
 * Extermination of DA continues as Anti-Skill engages the remnants of Branch 03 of DA in a firefight. The group releases the Tarantula mecha, in order to buy them enough time to regroup in Seiin High School.

Characters
In order of appearance:
 * Yomikawa Aiho
 * Hishigata
 * Esther Rosenthal (referenced-only)
 * Last Order (referenced-only)
 * Misaka 10046 (referenced-only)
 * Hirumi

New Characters
No new characters were introduced this chapter.

New Abilities
No new abilities were introduced during this chapter.

Locations

 * Academy City
 * Sector 3's Warehouse District (referenced-only)

New Locations

 * Seiin High School (referenced-only)
 * Sixth Chemistry Building (referenced-only)

Trivia

 * Focusing only in the struggles between Anti-Skill and DA, this would mark the first time no esper abiliy or magic is used in any of the Toaru Majutsu no Index manga.
 * This chapter marks the first time Accelerator neither appears nor is referenced in his own series.

Referbacks
No referbacks were introduced this chapter.

Cultural references
No notable references to culture were shown this chapter.

Unanswered Questions

 * What does Hishigata need Esther for and why does he need Last Order as a core for his "weapon'?
 * What is Hishigata and Hirumi's agenda that is separate from DA?
 * Is the Tarantula a Coffin as well?

Quotes

 * Hishigata: "It's probably about time to cut our ties with these justice-loving idiots. Once we get the Sister, it's goodbye. Isn't that right, Hirumi?"―to Hirumi.