Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08

Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 08 was first published on January 10, 2006. It features for the first and only time Shirai Kuroko as the protagonist of a novel. It also features the Accelerator in another heroic after the events of the 5th volume.

Publisher's Summary
Tokiwadai Middle School. The girls' school that every schoolgirl in Academy City envies. Of course, all of the students attending this school can be called "Onee-sama" in their own right.

One of those "Onee-samas", Misaka Mikoto, has just finished her Physical Education class, and takes a shower to douse off sweat and to cool off from her tiring class, only to hear a voice from a girl from the shower stall beside hers.

Shirai Kuroko. Member of the committee that protects public order in Academy City, Judgment, and a Level 4 Teleporter. She would later invite Misaka to join her in shopping.

This is the beginning of Kuroko's long, long day. The day when she finally sees the truth behind Misaka Mikoto.

When Misaka Mikoto and "that guy" cross paths, Shirai Kuroko's story shall begin!

Prologue: One of Five Fingers — A_TOKIWA-DAI's_World.
September 14.

Tokiwadai Middle School's System Scan has been scheduled, and among those who participate are Teleporter Shirai Kuroko and Kongou Mitsuko, an Aero Hand. As Kongou considers forming a student faction of her own, only to have the idea shattered by Misaka Mikoto, who is conducting her System Scan as well.

Chapter 1: After School of Girls — After_School_of_Angels.
Mikoto decides to join Kuroko to the School Garden's shopping district. As Kuroko adds more seductive underwear to her wardrobe, Mikoto's childish tastes are soon exposed. Their afternoon of shopping soon ends, and Kuroko receives an urgent call from Judgment.

Meanwhile, news of various countries outside Academy City launching shuttles to outer space began to break out.

Between the Lines
Touma is preparing dinner for him, Index, and her calico cat Sphynx. Index is soon interested to find out what the symbols used in weather reports are, and while Touma explains in science's perspective, Index tries to convert it into magical knowledge. Touma soon finds himself defending their dinner from a sudden attack.

Index is confused about the weather prediction system of Academy City... which seems to be losing its perfect accuracy.

Chapter 2: Girls Facing Off — Space_and_Point.
Kuroko handles a case that doesn't concern the school: a robbery that involves a certain luggage bag. However various clues reveal that this might not be a simple robbery. The Teleporter decides to act alone to apprehend the suspects. The task seems easier than expected, but the tables are turned when she faces a humiliating defeat by a "more powerful" Teleporter. The user of Move Point escapes with a vital piece of Academy City's fastest supercomputer.

Between the Lines
After almost losing his abilities as an esper after his rescue of Last Order, Accelerator suffers defeat of the most unusual kind as he is forced to take a bath with the playful Misaka Clone #20001. They are staying on Yoshikawa Kikyou's place, with Yomikawa Aiho serving as the guardian of the two. Although a bit annoyed that she has to do babysitting, Aiho doesn't complain about the task, though she would need to leave them behind for some Anti-Skill work.

Chapter 3: The Light that Conceals the Fragments — "Remnant"
With links to the incident that involves rumors of the "strongest Level 5" being defeated by a Level 0 spread, Kuroko continues her investigation. All this while keeping everything a secret to Misaka Mikoto, who was a key person in a certain experiment.

To Kuroko's surprise, however, Mikoto has once confronted the Move Point user Musujime Awaki, and this made her decide that the only way to solve things is to dive into the heart of the battlefield.

Between the Lines
In spite of recovering from her injuries, Misaka Clone #10032 decides to act immediately as the race to retrieve the remaining remnants of the Tree Diagram has reached the Misaka Network. 10032 decides that she should move to retrieve the Remnant, even if it would damage her body in the process. And the only way for her to help is to call a certain someone back into the battlefield.

Misaka Clone #10032, despite the injuries in her body, rushes to Kamijou Touma's dormitory room, bringing a request: to save her and the remaining MISAKA Clones.

Chapter 4: The Mediator — Break_or_Crash?
While Mikoto continues on her search for Awaki's location, the user of Move Point moves to higher ground to lose the Electromaster. However, someone else managed to find her — Judgment's Shirai Kuroko. Another fight started between the two Teleporters, which still ends with Awaki victorious, but only until she loses her grip on her psychic abilities.

Shirai is rescued from Awaki's out of control ability, and Awaki manages to escape the scene, only to face the "strongest" esper, Accelerator.

Epilogue: Each of Their Every Day — One_Place,One_Scene.
Due to the extent of her injuries, Kuroko is taken to a hospital, where she would stay to recover. She had to slap Kamijou Touma for visiting her at the worst possible time, and now, she is experiencing heaven at her Onee-sama's side. Meanwhile, Accelerator is staying to recover as he is a patient as well. News about the destruction of the Science Organization has reached him, which turns out to be related to Amai Ao, the scientist involved in the SISTERS experiment.

Kuroko apologizes to Mikoto for being weaker than her Onee-sama, but regains her determination to protect Mikoto despite the gap in power.