Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 21/Chapter 7

Synopsis
The Elizalina Alliance of Independent Nations begins shaking as Shiage continues watching Rikou undergo treatment with Elizalina's help. Despite the tremors, Elizalina manages to finish the treatment procedure, but she tells Shiage that the drug's aftereffects require a different kind of treatment. Although Elizalina also brings bad news about Fiamma, Shiage is relieved that Rikou is strong enough to move on her own. However, it still leaves Rikou's full recovery to be fulfilled, and it requires a trip to Russia. After Rikou manages to stop Shiage from going off on his own, she stumbles upon some documents: one is about the complications involving Digurv's village and a nearby Cold War-era nuclear silo, and the plans of using the Kremlin Report to unleash a biological attack against the village. With his allies in danger, Shiage decides to return to the village to repay an unreturned gesture of help, and Rikou agrees to join him.

From within the Star of Bethlehem, Kamijou Touma is helpless in stopping the angel Gabriel (as Misha Kreutzev) in destroying everything in its path. However, he pushes himself to do anything to stop the angel's rampage. As he braves the perilous journey from one part of the Star to another, he makes an encounter with none other than Sasha Kreutzev.

From within the Elizalina Alliance, Elizalina is in disbelief as the angel continues its destruction in the sky. The sight is somehow familiar to Accelerator, who had seen "wings of light" on September 30, and he soon makes a link between the parchment, the angel's appearance and Last Order's condition. However, Elizalina also makes a similar link, except that the parchment is needed by Fiamma to complete the Star of Bethlehem and Accelerator may be at the risk of being attacked by the angel because of this. Soon, Elizalina mentions the name Index, and she advises Accelerator to flee. But, as Accelerator fully completes the dots on the importance of the parchment in the current situation, he refuses to give it up, although he ends up preparing to leave the Elizalina Alliance with Misaka Worst and Last Order, if only to avoid diverting the battle to the country.

As Acqua of the Back makes his slow advance into Fiamma's current location, Cardinal Pietro Yogdis admires the power of the archangel Gabriel from inside the Vatican. Cardinal Yogdis himself holds different thoughts about the current situation. To him, what's important is usurping the papacy from the incapacitated Pope, and he is closer to his dream as the Conclave begins. However, the riots happening within the walled city is forcing a postponement of the process to choose the next Pope and, to make things worse, the Pope himself has returned to calm the unstable crowd. With his words, the Pope, who merely calls himself Matthai Reese, marches to St. Peter's Basilica and thanks Cardinal Yogdis for looking over the followers of the Roman Catholic Church in his absence, as well as allowing the conclave to proceed despite his presence. As Matthai proceeds to look for a way to fight back Fiamma's fortress in the library below the basilica, the sheer compassion shown by the former Pope causes Cardinal Pietro to break down into tears. Although Touma is somewhat familiar of her appearance, Sasha remains suspicious about him, especially since he knows about her condition. Regardless, Touma asks Sasha about the specifics on her involvement in calling forth the archangel Gabriel. As Sasha explains what she saw in the building where the ceremony to summon Gabriel took place, Touma begins speculating if Sasha still has a link to Misha and whether touching her would have an effect. Soon enough, Touma begins using his right hand on Sasha, and after hitting the boy a few times out of embarrassment, the flustered Sasha recalls more on the ceremony. Here, she mentions a cylinder with several thin rings reminiscent of a dial padlock among the things present in the ceremony. Immediately, Touma recognizes it as the remote control used on Index and he makes a link between the remote's ability to control an entity and Fiamma using it to control Misha.

In Moscow, Bishop Tolstoy prepares to help Fiamma in fighting back the Academy City forces. However, Fiamma has already shown a lack of interest in the war between Academy City and Russia and eventually breaks down his own lies by exposing his decision to abandon Russia as soon as the Star of Bethlehem is constructed. Nikolai tries to fight back against Fiamma by threatening to dismantle the Star using the Russian Orthodox-style spells used to build the fortress. But, to Nikolai's shock, Fiamma has already gained full control of the spells maintaining the fortress whole because of the knowledge of the 200 Russian magicians Nikolai had lent to Fiamma at the start of the war, as well as the power of 103,000 grimoires that are also in his possession. In a fit of rage, Nikolai contacts Russia's top government officials and demands the "reserves", as well as the Star of Bethlehem blown out of the sky. Stiyl continues to battle Index as the fight moves into St. George's Cathedral's spiritual item vault. With the help of every magical item he could hold on to, Stiyl manages to prolong his survival. However, even with the protection of the church and the support of ally nuns, Index while under John's Pen Mode continues its rampage. To make things worse, Archbishop Laura Stuart refuses to help, and instead uses the remote control in her possession as a threat to Stiyl. Regardless of Laura's actions, Stiyl is forced to drag out his fight against Index.

Between the Lines
Misaka Mikoto finds the fortress in the sky climbing higher, and is starting to become impatient in getting to Touma. Meanwhile, Misaka 10777 tries to suggest ways in closing the gap, but Mikoto rejects the idea of using missiles and military helicopters as stepping stones to reach the fortress. Meanwhile, Misaka 10777 intercepts information about a man named Nikolai Tolstoy and a large-scale surface attack against the flying fortress involving the Nu-AD1967 or the Opasnosti, a former Soviet Union strategic nuclear warhead.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Hamazura Shiage
 * Elizalina
 * Takitsubo Rikou
 * Accelerator
 * Archangel Gabriel
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Sasha Kreutzev
 * Misaka Worst
 * Acqua of the Back
 * Matthai Reese
 * Fiamma of the Right (voice-only)
 * Index Librorum Prohibitorum
 * Stiyl Magnus
 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Misaka 10777

New Characters

 * Pietro Yogdis
 * Nikolai Tolstoy

Abilities

 * Imagine Breaker - Kamijou Touma
 * Hrungnir's Stone - Stiyl Magnus
 * Fire rune magic - Stiyl Magnus
 * Innocentius - Stiyl Magnus
 * John's Pen mode - Index Librorum Prohibitorum, controlled by Laura Stuart
 * Communication spells - Nikolai Tolstoy, Fiamma of the Right
 * Electromaster - Misaka Mikoto

Locations

 * Russia
 * Elizalina Alliance of Independent Nations

New Locations

 * Star of Bethlehem

Referbacks

 * Misaka 10777 makes a reference to the necklace Misaka 10032 received from Kamijou Touma in Volume 12.

Cultural References

 * The Russian word "Opasnosti" comes from the word "opasnost", which means "danger".

Quotes

 * Takitsubo Rikou: "Hamazura, would you wake up if I kissed you or would I have to slap you?"
 * Pietro Yogdis: "No!!!!! I-I…I will be the next pope!! It has already been decided!! You are nothing but a ghost! There is nothing left for you to do!! K-kill him. It was his fault that the Roman Catholic Church fell into such chaos!! Once I am pope, I promise you I will make you much, much wealthier than you are now!! So kill hiiiiiiiiiiiiiimmmmmmmmmmmmm!!"
 * Matthai Reese: "If you are going to carry out the papal conclave, I have no intention of stopping you. If you wish for me to take responsibility for the chaos in the church, I will willingly head for gallows. I am no longer the pope. I have come here to stop this war as a single believer named Matthai Reese."
 * Matthai: "Call me once the papal conclave begins. I’ll vote for you. You took the full brunt of all the pain and made countless extreme decisions to protect everyone’s lives, so you have what it takes. I may not be able to do much, but I will help you advance on that path. This is a fight to make sure you survive, so make sure not to die before this war is over."
 * Sasha Kreutzev: "…My second question: Do you possess the same soul as Vasilisa?"
 * Fiamma: "I use what I have at my disposal for my own goals. Buying time is difficult, Bishop Nikolai Tolstoy. And a role like that does suit you. Now you can just fight Academy City on your own and be destroyed on your own."
 * Misaka 10777: "…With #10032’s necklace and that strap, it really seems like the Academy City group has an advantage, says Misaka hinting at her need to reformulate her strategy. Long distance is tough."