Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume SS2/Chapter 2

Synopsis
Kanzaki Kaori meets with the owner of a jeans shop in London. After feeling disappointed that the man refuses to sell his pants to someone who wants one leg trimmed, the two converse about a stranger who slashes the jeans of passersby in the area. Soon, they stumble upon a similar scene outside, where a man and his pants fall before a woman dressed with a bikini and several pieces of metal as armor. The scantily clad woman, who identified herself as a Valkyrie, explains that she is currently in her journey to amass enough men to create a Magic Cabal on her own. With Kanzaki's patience tested by the Valkyrie's eccentric personality, the Saint decides to begin a confrontation, but she quickly discovers that the so-called Valkyrie is able to match her speed and power. Soon, the Valkyrie uses a magic spell called Nine Support to overwhelm and pin down the jeans shop owner with the charms of women. Since Nine Support relies on the man's vulnerability to sexual desire, Kanzaki decides to punish the jeans shop owner for making himself vulnerable before returning to the Valkyrie.

As soon as Kanzaki finds out that it was the Valkyrie's penchant for sadist play that motivated her to become the Jeans Slasher, her desire to take out the Valkyrie only intensified.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Kanzaki Kaori

New Characters

 * Jeans Shop Owner
 * Jeans Slasher
 * Theodosia Electra (referenced only)
 * Stiyl Magnus (referenced only)

Referbacks
This chapter is set four months before Index's first encounter with Kamijou Touma. At this point, Index is still under the supervision of Kanzaki and Stiyl.

New Abilities

 * Nine Support - Jeans Slasher

Cultural References

 * The Jeans Shop Owner mentioned the Gold Rush of the late 19th Century during his short conversation with Kanzaki about her plans to buy a pair of jeans and to have one leg cut off.

Unanswered Questions

 * What was the conclusion of the encounter between Kanzaki and the Jeans Slasher?

Quotes

 * Jeans Shop Owner: “How horrid! This proud English gentleman has had all his pride taken from him so he doesn’t even have the willpower to fix his beard!!”