Astral Buddy Manga Chapter 011

"This Time for Real" (今度こそ本気で) is the eleventh chapter of Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Gaiden: Astral Buddy, released on May 26th 2018.

Synopsis
In the past again, Junko and another girl asks a girl with complex machinery affixed on her head who the girl that helped Junko was. She reveals that it was Shokuhou Misaki. She says that she is amazing, though grown-ups are always around her and even gets special lessons. Young Junko wonders if she is from a different lab as she didn’t recognize her. The girl with Junko asks that they should visit her, and Junko agrees. However, she suddenly tells her to move away after touching her as she doesn’t want to hurt her with her powers. The girl with the headgear simply laughs.

Junko and the girl later meets up with one of the researchers. She thanks them for keeping the girl with the headgear company as she cannot meet other people often. The girl that is with Junko asks the researcher where Misaki is and that she wants to meet her. The researcher how plainly tells her to mind her own business and go back to her powers development. The researcher then leaves as Junko consoles the girl.

Back with young Ayu, she receives a report in her powers development and finds that she has plateaued in her development. Meanwhile with young Iruka, her powers have become more powerful, making light bulbs shine more brightly. Young Rakko, who was watching her sister, is saddened as he is still a Level 0 and hasn’t developed. Iruka kisses her older sister and reassures her that she will get an amazing power someday. Ayu sees this as well and gives off a smile, she pats Iruka and Rakko on the head and that “believing” is the most important part of esper development, though she says it in trepidation.

And it is revealed that her worries were not unfounded. The researcher from before notes that though the Parameter List has shown some promise for some of the girls, it would be a waste of money and effort if tried making them Level 5s. Another researcher says the third laboratory, Ideal, wants to create excellent specimens and not Level 5s, while the first laboratory can handle can handle the sensitive and hard to handle girl (Misaki). As the other scientists discuss another experiment with another girl, the female researcher looks at a report of a card-sized Testament.

Back with Iruka in the present, she recalls how she has been steadily progressing in powers, but no matter how she approached Junko she would stay away, and how despite wanting to surpass Junko and become a Level 5, she has failed. And then, Junko has arrived, and Iruka welcomes her.

As Junko converses with Iruka on the Queen’s whereabouts and how she managed to find the Queen using her cellphone and her moving somewhere else, she noticed that the girl in the spats is not there with them. Iruka says that Junko need only to get the location of her Queen from her. Hearing this, Junko says that she will not hold back. Before she fights, Junko asks if Iruka was in Clone Dolly, to which she says she was and could not forget. Junko says that since Iruka is targeting her and not the Queen, the only common point they have was that they are both from Clone Dolly. However, Junko is baffled by Iruka’s actions, to which Iruka says it’s a mystery. With that, Iruka says that she wants to save the Queen then they will have to fight to the death in the abandoned factory.

Iruka points her laser pointer at Junko as she closes in. She attacks again, but this time Junko blocks the attack with her metal-plated suitcase. As Junko closes in with her makeshift shield. Iruka simply cuts her bag in half and forcing Junko to back away. Iruka reveals to Junko that she is using a military flashlight, and using her powers allows her to amplify it, turning into a light saber. Her power: Wave Conductor, allows her to freely control sound and light waves, amplify and concentrate them. Junko recalls her loss in the archery competition, and that was likely how she was defeated. Junko notes to Iruka how she can progressed quite a bit since Ideal, making Iruka blush and then laugh, glad that Junko has been watching her.

However, Iruka also notes that she also knows about Junko’s power as well, and that she is weak to swords and bows. Iruka warns her not to take her lightly or she will die. With that, Iruka uses her laser pointer to attack Junko, forcing her to dodge and admit that it is difficult to fight against Iruka. Junko says that if she was as powerful an Electromaster as Misaka Mikoto then she could probably interfere with the particles of light, though she has trouble discharging electricity. Junko hopes that she can outlast the battery of Iruka’s laser. However, Iruka reveals that she has several more laser pointers on her person, and that Junko shouldn’t bother waiting for her to run out of ammo and that combined, it can last 48 hours. Iruka says that if Junko takes that long then who knows what happens to the Queen. Having limited options, Iruka lifts an I-beam and tosses it toward. Iruka is impressed by what Junko has done, and tries to attack as Junko continues tossing more I-beams at her. Having no choice as she can’t dodge them at all, Iruka uses her flashlight to cut a beam apart. Suddenly, Junko jumps above with a beam in her hand. She slams it the floor, but Iruka manages to cut it down. As Junko falls, she manages to go behind Iruka. Junko and Iruka are a match for each other, not being able to land a hit at all and just dodging each other’s attacks. However, it is tougher on Junko as she is in range of Iruka’s sword. As the fight draws on, Iruka’s flashlight runs out of power, but compensates by using her laser pointer to attack Junko in rapid-fire. However, it breaks the laser pointer, as Junko is once again in a distance away from Iruka.

Junko learns that Iruka can’t use the flashlight and laser pointer at the same time, and that rapid fire breaks the laser pointer, as such she needed so many spares. With that, Junko needs to find a way to close range with her.

Major Events

 * Junko begins her battle against Iruka.

Characters
By order of appearance:
 * Ghost Girl
 * Hokaze Junko
 * Yumiya Iruka
 * Mitsuari Ayu (flashback)
 * Yumiya Rakko (flashback)
 * Shokuhou Misaki (flashback)

New Characters

 * Toomine (unnamed)

Abilities

 * Ghost Girl's ability
 * Rampage Dress - Hokaze Junko, Level 4

New Abilities

 * Wave Conductor - Yumiya Iruka

Locations

 * Academy City
 * Clone Dolly Third Laboratory: Ideal (flashback)

Trivia

 * Indian Poker cards are revealed to be miniature-Testaments.

Referbacks

 * The Parameter List is referenced.
 * Junko recalls her defeat in the bow competition against Iruka because she heard a sharp sound.
 * Junko references how Misaka Mikoto might be able to interfere with the particles of light though she could not as she has trouble discharging electricity, is likely a reference to Mikoto being able to bend slightly Mugino Shizuri's Meltdowner beams during their fight, which Junko and Iruka's fight parallels.

Cultural References

 * Iruka names her lightsaber flashlight the for being "double-bladed."

Unanswered Questions

 * In the flashback, who was the researchers talking about regarding a subject whose brain may break? And what experiment are they exactly conducting?