Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 20/Chapter 4

Synopsis
As privateers in attack helicopters approach the town where Shiage and Rikou are currently, Touma confronts Accelerator, who still has ominous black wings on his back. Although Touma could fend off his black wings, Accelerator begins to wonder about the limitations of Touma's right hand. Because of this, he tries attacking him by simply overwhelming him by transforming his wings into numerous spikes. Even so, Touma managed to survive the barrage aside from a bloody temple, causing Accelerator to laugh hysterically as Touma defies his expectations.

Meanwhile, Digurv tracks down the location of the attack helicopters and Shiage tries to gauge their imminent enemy's strength. The words of the former Russian soldier, named Glickin, were all but uplifting for Shiage, but Digurv is certain that the attack helicopters used by the privateers are prototypes, and this fact can be the privateers' disadvantage.

Eventually, the privateers soon arrive in a V formation, and Shiage goes on the initiative by shooting on the helicopters. However, the helicopters' thick armor allowed them to survive the shelling and this forces the armored vehicle to retreat to a nearby conifer forest. The missile fired by one helicopter is intercepted by the trees, and Glickin takes opportunity to fire an anti-air missile to the helicopters. One of the three helicopters was shot down into a smoldering wreck, and the remaining privateers decide to resort to raining fire on the armored vehicle using the helicopter's gatling guns. However, due to the presence of vehicles scattered throughout the forest, the armored vehicle manages to blend in the radar, giving enough time to shoot down another helicopter using the anti-air missiles. The remaining helicopter had the option to retreat, but the adrenaline has compelled him to stalk the armored vehicle regardless. The Dover Strait battle is slowly becoming advantageous to the British forces. However, Knight Leader feels uneasy towards the seemingly one-sided turn of events. Carissa, on the other hand, decides to push harder, thinking that they can make a quick enough advance that it would leave the French astonished. The Maiden of Versailles warns Carissa about underestimating her force and eventually leaps into battle, blowing away Knight Leader in the process. Since Knight Leader's Thororm's Defense Formula is revealed to not work against weapons of royalty, the battle is locked between the Maiden of Versailles' Durandal and Carissa's Curtana Second fragments.

Accelerator continues beating down on Touma, this time by using indirect attacks to pummel down Touma. However, the Level 0 manages to come out alive, and he surmises Touma's reaction to his attacks as a form of precognition (not to be confused by the esper ability Precognition), the same thing that allowed him to survive the most powerful attacks by Misaka Mikoto before. Using this to barely avoid fatal injury, Touma manages to retaliate. Soon, Accelerator begins confronting Touma about why he is unable to save Last Order the same way he had rescued more than 10,000 Sisters from certain death. He is also angry about being unable to do the saving himself. Soon, Accelerator's wings split into a hundred spikes that were about to pierce through Touma. However, aside from a bloodied right hand, Touma was able to stand in front of the strongest Level 5.

Touma eventually responds to Accelerator's frustrations, denying that he is special and pointing out that anyone is capable of saving who is in front of them; however, Touma urges Accelerator to make the initiative in saving that person he cherishes. Touma then continues to block off Accelerator's attacks, causing the Level 5 to look at the Level 0 as "the most terrifying enemy". Touma once more urges Accelerator to make his own decision before delivering the punch that would seal the outcome of their fight. Nearby, Lessar watches as Touma fought the monster with black wings. Even with simplistic terms to describe Touma's ability, she fails to grasp what exactly happened.

Accelerator slips in and out of consciousness after the fight with Touma. In a weakened state, he sees Touma walking to Last Order and touching her forehead with his right hand, triggering some kind of reaction. Accelerator eventually loses consciousness after seeing the inexplicable event, and soon finds himself in a civilian vehicle. He is certain that although Last Order's condition has improved, it will not last for long, and the journey to look for the key to saving her continues. Soon, as he finds pieces of parchment nearby, one piece has the name Index Librorum Prohibitorum, supposedly written by Touma earlier. Accelerator sees this as a link to the key that he needs since it's the same name he heard from Aiwass before and kept the small memo as the vehicle soon enters the territory of the Elizalina Alliance of Independent Nations.

Elsewhere, the being known as Aiwass begins to show interest towards a boy and his right hand.

Back in the privateer standoff, Shiage, Digurv and Glickin find themselves struggling against the remaining helicopter that continues raining fire on the armored vehicle. As the helicopters locks its sights on them, however, a 3.5 meter-long sword marked with the name Ascalon stabs down the helicopter before it could finish off Shiage and his companions. The man who speaks in fluent English, calling himself Acqua of the Back, offers his help to the cause of Shiage and the Russians.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Accelerator
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Digurv
 * Hamazura Shiage
 * Glickin
 * Carissa
 * Knight Leader
 * Lessar
 * Aiwass
 * Acqua of the Back
 * Matthai Reese

New Characters

 * Maiden of Versailles

Locations

 * Russia

Abilities

 * Thororm's Defense Formula - Knight Leader
 * Curtana Second fragments - Carissa
 * Imagine Breaker - Kamijou Touma
 * Accelerator (ability) - Accelerator

New Abilities

 * Durandal - Maiden of Versailles

Unanswered Questions

 * Can Touma's 'precognition' and battle skill be explained purely by him gaining experience from fighting against many different kinds of opponents, such as magicians and espers? Or maybe it is as Terra and Fiamma hinted that Imagine Breaker is starting to 'awaken'? Or maybe even something else?

Quotes

 * Touma: "Does a Level 0 like me really seem that incredible?! Hero? Villain? Stop kidding around! Can’t you save someone if you’re not standing at that spot?! In front of your eyes are people that don’t wish to cry that are crying! In front of your eyes are people that can only clench their teeth while struggling and can’t even say the words ‘please save me’! Is that not enough!! Just step up already!! You don’t need special positions or reasons!! With these, you can step up and be a shield for them!!"
 * Acqua of the Back: "Stealing the enemy’s weapon and continuing to fight in order to protect the people from unspeakable cruelty and to stop the shedding of unnecessary tears is most admirable."
 * Nikolai Tolstoy: "Did you get a nuclear weapon or something? Sorry, but Russia has plenty of those."