Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14

Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 14 was first published on November 10, 2007. It once again deals with the God's Right Seat and the aftermath of the events of the 13th novel.''

Publisher's Summary
October.

All of a sudden, the Roman Catholic Church's minions initiate a nighttime demonstration against science. And this course of action is blamed at the head of the Science Side, none other than the chairman of Academy City.

The world is put into chaos, as the C-Document flies off to the French tourist city of Avignon. In that city, Kamijou Touma reunites with the Amakusa Christians' Itsuwa, who is looking for the C-Document. The person who stands in their way would be a member of "God's Right Seat", Terra of the Left.

When science and magic cross, Kamijou Touma's story shall begin!

Prologue: An All-Too-Gloomy Church — Bread_and_Wine.
God's Right Seat's Terra of the Left is caught drinking cheap wine by Acqua of the Back and the Pontiff of the Roman Catholics Church under the nighttime sky over St. Peter's Basilica. Although the two members of God's Right Seat have a humorous exchange of remarks, they soon talk about something more serious: the plan to attack the Roman Catholic Church's enemy. And they decide to use the people in their next attack.

Chapter 1: A Too-Quick Rate of Change — In_a_Long_Distance_Country.
Yomikawa Aiho finds herself as the person in charge of demonstrating Academy City's mechanized suits. As she takes a rest from the tiring job, she watches footage of an ongoing protest march against Academy City in Toulouse, France. Not only that, there are news of counter-protests against the Roman Catholic Church in Germany.

The cause of this worldwide conflict, Kamijou Touma, is currently scolded for rowdy behavior inside the classroom alongside Tsuchimikado Motoharu, Aogami Pierce and Fukiyose Seiri. And the punishment: weeding behind the school gym. And what's unfortunate for Touma is that Tsuchimikado and Aogami manage to ditch him and Seiri. Soon, Fukiyose and Touma do their task, but this eventually becomes a chance to play a bit, and this does not go unnoticed by their teacher Oyafune Suama, and while Touma tries to ask permission to go home after the task, more misunderstandings followed.

After a tense encounter with Oyafune Suama, Touma heads home, meeting Misaka Mikoto on the way. Mikoto soon discovers that Touma has her mother's number, and before another argument begins between the two, the topic shifts to the unrest going on elsewhere around the world. As Mikoto finds herself perplexed and wanting to do something about it, Touma just keeps quiet about it.

Between the Lines
At the Tower of London, Stiyl Magnus and Agnese Sanctis are interrogating Biagio Busoni and Ridovia Lorenzetti, trying to find out what God's Right Seat is after. Ridovia agreed to give them information if it means to save more people, and if they release Oriana Thompson to help people. Stiyl notes this is something no other fanatical Roman Catholic would do.

Chapter 2: A Trigger that Becomes a Decisive Blow — Muzzle_of_a_Gun.
While Mikoto heads back to her dormitory, Touma is contacted by Oyafune's mother, who happens to be one of Academy City's 12 directors, in person. Touma is taken to a children's park, and there, Oyafune Monaka begins to speak.

She tells him that there's supernatural power at work behind the protests, that these people are forced to take action against the city. She further goes on explaining the details of the situation, like how most people are benefitting from both Religion and Science, belonging on both sides and are only involved because of the supernatural power that's driving them. She asks for his help since governments of various countries fear being dragged into the backlash, and that only his Imagine Breaker can help settle this mess by destroying the artifact that's the cause.

Then she is shot by Tsuchimikado right after. Academy City wanted a reason to go on war so what she was doing would only works against them. Tsuchimikado was asked by her to shoot her to prevent Academy City from doing further form of punishment (such as attacking her daughter). Kamijou thought that she didn't have to use this guilt trick to force him into action, all she had to do was ask. Misaka hears the shot and comes back, but they've already left after calling for help.

Between the Lines
Ridovia continues on explaining the nature of God's Right Seat, how they are imitating the Holy Virgin Mary by reducing their "Original Sin" passed down since Adam and Eve's time to gain power above that of a normal human; for example they can use to an extent a Angel's spells. She also says reducing the Original Sin is the ultimate goal of Humankind, but God's Right Seat treats this as merely a step in their goal. When Stiyl asks what are their ultimate goal Ridovia smiled and replied their goal is in their name - "God's Right Seat".

Chapter 3: Something Far Removed from Magicians — Power_Instigation.
Kamijou and Tsuchimikado board on a plane that can go up to 7,000 km/h (The same kind as what Kamijou was on when he was returned to Academy City for medical treatment at the end of volume 11) to head to France.

Tsuchimikado tells Touma they're after Document of Constantine, also called the "C-Document". It has the power to Roman Catholics believe whatever the Pope says. In this case, the Pope declared Academy City an enemy of the Roman Catholic Church. Before Tsuchimikado could finish his explanation, they reach above Avignon, so they parachuted off from there, with Touma being pushed off by Tsuchimikado. Touma got strangled by the lines on his parachute and faints, so he drifted off course and lands in a river 100m away from the original drop point, but Itsuwa rescues him before drowning. The Amakusa Christians were gathering info in France on what was causing this, and Itsuwa found Touma by pure chance since she didn't know about Tsuchimikado. They join up before regrouping with him. They go to nearby cafe to wrap things up before making a move.

Itsuwa's initial plans involve storming the Papal Palace, where it seems most likely place to be where the C-Document is housed. However, angry mobs forming around the palace makes the plan impossible for the two of them. Tsuchimikado then suggests cutting the magical pipeline connecting Vatican and Avignon which allows the document to activate. This pipeline is flow of energy that runs through the globe, and they need either Itsuwa or Tsuchimikado to alter its path away from Avignon.

Touma and Itsuwa end up at one of museums. Touma thought about breaking the link using the Imagine Breaker but was told by Tsuchimikado it might not work as there are exceptions to what the Imagine Breaker can negate. Just as Itsuwa is about to shut the pipeline using a magic circle made from common items such as water bottle, tour guide book, slippers and her panties, God's Right Seat's Terra of the Left attacks them with a giant white guillotine blade.

Touma manages to destroy Terra's attacks, but it quickly materializes, allowing Terra to attack again. While Terra comtinues his assault, Touma continues to block most of his attacks and Itsuwa jumps in, using a technique similar to Kanzaki Kaori's Nanasen, but the wires wrap around him without any damage. Terra goes through wall behind him and attacks, and the two can't do anything but to defend themselves. Terra soon displays his ability to manipulate the hierarchy of things, causing certain objects to be "weaker" than another at will, and his ability causes their fight to be at best a deadlock.

Soon, Tsuchimikado joins the fight and it gives the chance for Itsuwa and Touma to flee. Although concerned for the safety of Tsuchimikado, Touma follows Itsuwa to safety, but he sees a shocking sight outside: numerous HsPS-15 units laying siege. As Terra retreats, Tsuchimikado tells Touma and Itsuwa to head straight for the Palais de papes to stop Terra while he creates a diversion.

Between the Lines
Stiyl and Agnese leave the interrogation room in the Tower of London to discuss about what they learned about God's Right Seat. Although they might need a break after a tense interview with their captives, Agnese decides to continue, which Stiyl accepts.

Chapter 4: A Collection of Steel that Blocks Out the Sky — Cruel_Troopers.
Academy City's units are now ransacking Avignon, knocking out any rioters in the way. Touma and Itsuwa soon reach the Palais des papes, and Tsuchimikado realizes that fighting Academy City's mechanized units might be tougher than expected.

Inside the vast rooms of the palace, Touma decides to call Mikoto to ask about Academy City's intervention. According to her, there is a cult group working to create weapon of mass destruction and French government has asked Academy City to intervene, asking for their expertise in taking the weapon apart. She asks Touma where he is but their talk is cut short when Terra shows up after taking out suits that have infiltrated into palace, with the C-Document in his hand. Touma's phone falls off from his hands and the screen was shattered.

Elsewhere, Tsuchimikado manages to disable the armored units that were chasing him, but soon discovers that Academy City has HsB-02 bomber planes deployed as well. Inside one of these planes is Accelerator, and he watches as Avignon is isolated from the outside through precision-made trenches made by the plane's Earth Blade, an iron-sand attack that slices through earth with such force that it turns soil into magma. Then, the bombing stage of the operation is initiated, and Accelerator decides to focus fire on the Palace of the Popes.

In the Palace of the Popes, Touma and Itsuwa fight against Terra once again; now, he has the C-Document on his hands. While Terra manages to fend off any of Itsuwa's attacks, Itsuwa discovers a flaw in Terra's ability; however, Terra does not take heed of this as he knocks Itsuwa unconscious. Soon, Terra confronts Touma about his Imagine Breaker and the secret about his amnesia. This causes Touma to feel an even deeper urge to defeat Terra.

Touma soon discovers how Terra's Precedence ability cannot be used on many objects at the same time and tries to use this to his advantage, but it is still a challenge with Terra's Flour Guillotine as a threat. Soon, one of Terra's attacks came for Touma, but quick thinking and a fallen rifle that he picked up from the HsPS-15 suits manages to block it. Terra is overwhelmed by shock over Touma avoiding such a lethal attack, and Touma uses the chance to knock Terra out. There, Touma destroys the C-Document using his right hand.

As Touma picks up an unconscious Itsuwa, Terra comes to and asks Touma about his interest in knowing more about the Imagine Breaker. However, before Terra could say a thing about it, he was obscured by an orange beam that melted the area near Terra.

Epilogue: That Answer Leads to the Next Mystery — Question.
The roles of Itsuwa and Touma are now reversed. Itsuwa finds herself in a much more mangled mess than in her fight with Touma against Terra, and as steam covers the battlefield, Itsuwa hides as a frightening person appears to check for any remains of Terra in the location. Itsuwa uses the steam to conceal her and Touma and waits until there is no one around.

In the Tower of London, Stiyl and Agnese continue their interrogation on Ridovia Lorenzetti and Biagio Busoni. Ridovia points out that God's Right Seat exists to pursue a certain idea that alchemists and scholars have written about: "The One Above God".

Meanwhile, Terra manages to return to St. Peter's Basilica and is joined by Acqua. Acqua learns of Terra's failure to retrieve the C-Document, but Terra also brings good news of the Russian Orthodox Church joining their side. However, Acqua brings up a more grim topic: Terra's suspected use of civilians to perfect his Precedence ability. Acqua, utterly disgusted by his treatment to pagans, punished him by hitting him with one of St. Peter's Basilica's massive columns. It happened so fast that Terra was not able to use his ability in time.

Terra is left to die inside the basilica. Meanwhile, the Pope talks to Acqua about God's Right Seat's next move, now that Terra is eliminated and Vento is down for the count. The Pope then turn to Acqua himself to do the next move.

In Academy City, unknown to Touma, Mikoto hears his conversation with Terra through his phone, and a shocking revelation leaves Mikoto speechless: that Touma has lost his memories.