Toaru Majutsu no Index: Miracle of Endymion Manga Chapter 004

Hope and Conspiracy (「希望と陰謀」) is the fourth chapter of the Toaru Majutsu no Index: Miracle of Endymion manga, released on May 11, 2013 in Monthly Shōnen Gangan.

Synopsis
Down, down, Touma goes to follow that mysterious girl. Meanwhile, Arisa's performance is cut short with the lights going out, inciting yelps and confusion among the people.

Down below, Shutaura face off against a silent assailant wearing a mask. She comes to ask him wherefore he is there, but receives no reply. The fighting continues, and she is forced to user her explosive machinery. And there was silence, yet it was a mere moment. The man comes out unscathed from out of the smoke and strikes down Shutaura. Just then, a metal pole comes forth and strikes the masked man. It is Touma with a metal pole defending the person he suspected. With his found polearm, Touma occupies the man. Shutaura is confused by his appearance, but there is not a time to mull it over for hers subordinate, Crow 7, comes calling. He tells her that several bombs have been planted. Hearing of this surprises both Touma and Shutaura, the latter tells the man on her connection to evacuate everyone. With Touma distracted, the masked man disarms him, and Touma is forced to block an attack from the man. But with a sound of breaking glass, the man's hand is shattered by the mere touch of Touma's right hand. He is of supernatural origin. Touma tries to question him, but the man tries to get away. With the masked man distracted, Shutaura gets the opportunity to use her explosives on him, and he is consumed by a ball of fire though remains unscathed. Still questioning, Touma punches the man in the face, and his masked his broken to reveal his cold gaze. The man staggers, but takes out a trigger. Shouts come from Shuatura, but it is too later, for their sight is torn apart by an explosion.

Up above, Mikoto and company is rocked by the explosion. Mikoto tells Kuroko to get everyone inside. Kuroko aways with Ruiko and Uiharu in an instant. Steel rafters fall down upon Mikoto and Arisa, and the former is forced to use her electromagnetic powers to protect them. Not a moment later, another rafter falls down towards the audience, much to her horror. Arisa's eyes widen as it falls in a crash. And yet, when they open their eyes, and when the smoke came clearing away something happens. Kuroko arrives again, and tells the people that she is of Judgment, asking if anyone is injured. But there was narry a scratch upon them, and there Kuroko declares their close call as a miracle. Indeed, everyone celebrates the event. And yet, a strange sense of foreboding surrounds Arisa as they cry out their cheers.

Back underground, Shutaura comes to only to find Touma lying upon her chest. She tries to reproach him but discovers that he has been knocked out and bleeding, out of trying to protect her. Shutaura then supports Touma as they walked out of that underground place. As Shutaura hears reports from her subordinate that Arisa is safe and that there were no casualties as Touma wakes up. Touma asks about the explosion and what happened to Arisa and the others, but Shutaura says that everyone is fine. Touma smiles and contentedly says that it is a miracle. Shuatura gnashes her teeth at the word and pushes Touma to the wall, telling him that miracles are just coincidences given value by people. Touma smirks, but asks if she has listened to any of Arisa's songs, as even she may start believing in miracles. However, Shutaura tells Touma that she cannot comprehend music due to a certain accident, despite having her other audio faculties intact. This surprises Touma, and apologizes. Shuatura then introduces herself to him, and then asks why he is apologizing as she is satisfied with who she is. She tells Touma that because of her disability, she will not be led astray by songs or the word miracle. There, the sun shines bright in the afternoon air, as the two finally escape that underground place.

Later that evening, Arisa looks up on reports of the recent explosion she was in, and all she could hear is the word "miracle" being thrown around by the people. Arisa is visibly shaken, but then Touma comes along and finds her, asking if she is all right.

In a small park, Arisa refers to the people speaking of miracles, saying that if it were a miracle the explosion wouldn't have occurred in the first place. Arisa then says that she used to think that she was luck, but says that she is no longer sure. She says that she was part of a major accident and that she has no memories before three years ago. Arisa confides to Touma that her name was given to her by the people in the institution she was in and she has nothing that is really of her own. However, she states that when she sings her heart grows warm, and that something grows within her. She concludes that she feels that she can regain something she lost as long as she has her songs.

Touma smiles, saying that he understands her feeling of not having a past, but tells that her that she at least have something to believe in, saying that he is sure that she'll be fine and that she can regain whatever she has lost. Arisa thanks Touma, saying that she'll do her best, and asks him if he will watch her, to Touma says he will.

The next day, Ladylee gets an interview confirming that Endymion's opening ceremony is the day after tomorrow. She then states that her company will go all out to show something that will look like a miracle.

Meanwhile, Arisa performs another concert, while Shutaura and Ladylee looks on. Ladylee talks of miracles, to which Shutaura says she doesn't believe in them. Ladylee says that she is boring. She tells her that Orbit Portal's greatest selling point is miracles as it survived due to the Miracle 88. Shutaura shouts that Miracle 88 isn't miracle, but Ladylee corrects her, saying that all the passengers survived so it should be one. Tired of their small debate, Ladylee says that she hired her for her combat ability, and that she won't ask for her beliefs as well.

Angered, Shutaura hastily excuses herself. Suddenly, from behind Ladylee, a blank-eyed woman and the man from before, the man in the mask appear. Unperturbed, Ladylee laughs, saying that all the preparations have been completed, and now her hopes and dreams will finally come true.

Adapted From

 * Toaru Majutsu no Index Movie: Miracle of Endymion

Major Events

 * A bombing instigated by Ladylee and her subordinate occurs in a mall in School District 7. Miraculously no one is injured or killed.
 * Both Shutaura and Arisa separately confide to Touma that they have both been in an accident.

Characters
By order of appearance:
 * Shutaura Sequenzia
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Meigo Arisa
 * Misaka Mikoto
 * Uiharu Kazari
 * Saten Ruiko
 * Shirai Kuroko
 * Ladylee Tangleroad

New Characters

 * Crow 7

Abilities

 * Imagine Breaker (referenced) - Kamijou Touma, Level 0.
 * Teleport - Shirai Kuroko, Level 4.
 * Electromaster (Railgun-variant) - Misaka Mikoto, Level 5.
 * Meigo Arisa's miraculous voice
 * Earth Palette - Shutaura Sequenzia, Level 4

New Abilities

 * Automaton - Ladylee Tangleroad.

Locations

 * Academy City
 * Endymion
 * School District 7

New Locations
No new locations were introduced during this chapter.

Trivia

 * Taking only into account the events that have occurred in the manga adaptations, this would be the second time Touma picks up a weapon, and the first time Touma actually uses one in combat.
 * Touma saying that Shutaura as an "immovable class-rep type" maybe a reference to Fukiyose Seiri, who has a remarkably similar design to her, a fact that is even commented upon by the character design artists Haimura Kiyotaka.

Referbacks

 * Touma references his memory loss from several chapters back in the Toaru Majutsu no Index manga that runs in the same magazine as the Toaru Majutsu no Index: Miracle of Endymion Manga

Cultural References
No references to culture were introduced in this chapter.

Unanswered Questions

 * What accident or accidents did Shutaura and Arisa got themselves involved in?
 * Why is the man in the mask under the employ of Ladylee.

Quotes

 * Shutaura: "Don't speak that word in front of me!! The coincidental results just so happen to lean in that direction. This is nothing more than coincidental quantum deviations and people's desire for some invisible hand. People are lazy and stupid. What we truly need is order." - said to Touma regarding miracles
 * Shutaura: "Why are you apologizing? I am satisfied with who I am. Thanks to this, I will not be led astray by songs or the word miracle." - said to Touma.
 * Arisa: "A miracle... It sounds so weird. If there really was a miracle, wouldn't there never have been an explosion in the first place?... I used to think I was lucky, but now I'm not so sure. It seems I was in a major accident once... I have no memories before three years ago. My name was given to me by the people at the institute I have nothing that is really my own. But when I sing, my heart grows warm... and something grows within me. I feel like I can regain something I lost... as long as I have my songs." - said to Touma.
 * Touma: "I kind of understand that unease of not having a past... But... you at least have something to believe in. So I'm sure it'll be fine. I think you can regain whatever it is." - said to Arisa.