Will of the Whole Misaka Network

The Will of the Whole Misaka Network (ミサカネットワーク総体), abbreviated as the The Whole (総体) in the original text and referred to as Will in the Baka-Tsuki translations, is a character introduced in Shinyaku Toaru Majutsu no Index.

She is a single organic system, a thought entity, created from the gathering and consciousness and egos of 20,001 Sisters. A non-corporeal character, she possess other Sisters in order to give out timely advice to the protagonists in times of need.

Personality
She is quite energetic, making jokes and being able to talk continuously to Kamijou Touma even without him replying to all what she has to say.

In spite of this she is quite wise, she is able to tell what Accelerator is up to and warns him of its dangers of what he is thinking, as well as the entire conversation she had with Touma that led to him in stopping his suicide attempt and face Othinus. She knows how to play cards right, knowing that Touma will eventually fall into despair if she did not encourage him to discard the perfect world and return to his own world before Othinus remade it. She can be blunt, as what she showed to Accelerator when she took over Last Order but at the same time be caring as what she has shown to Touma.

She has a unique way speaking apart from the Sisters as she doesn't refer herself in the third person or describes her actions or emotions. Instead she talks like a typewriter, using key names, such as "/return" to make a new sentence, "/escape" when asking a question, or "/backspace" when using the "but" conjunction.

Background
As she is formed from the consciousness and egos of 20,001 Sisters, it is likely that she has been existing since the first clone was born. As she is formed from their consciousness and egos, she has recorded the state of mind of the over 10,000 Sisters that have died in their final moments, and even probably even a few seconds after their deaths. This gives her a unique perspective as she can truly "understand the feelings of the dead." Moreover, she has somehow recorded the words and actions of people Touma knew.

She states that she "fills" the network, implying that she isn't the network herself, just an entity born from the Sisters that are connected to the network. This is backed up by Accelerator's observations, and is referenced by Accelerator to be different from an angel-like being and Aiwass, referring to her as a "third existence". She normally leaves external interferences to the individual Sisters.

World War III Arc
To save Last Order, Accelerator and Misaka Worst analyzed Index's song that was stored on Misaka's network. Misaka Worst mentioned that the single large will of the network had noticed something wrong with the song.

Ichinanaran Festival Arc
She observes Thor's reprimanding Touma during his depression after being deceived and used by people, and likely observed his battle with Touma as well. His treatment of Touma however annoyed her, making her want to challenge him into a lightning competition.

She apparently observed Accelerator's actions and despair during his battle with the returned Kakine Teitoku, forcing her into action. When Accelerator returns with Last Order and Yoshikawa Kikyou back to Yomikawa Aiho's residence. Accelerator is deep in thought, feeling restless about the convenient solution that has transpired during the events, as well as the secrets of Academy City, thinking that he could sacrifice himself and expose the rottenness of the City's core. As Last Order enters the room Accelerator is in, he discovers Last Order has been possessed by an existence which he refers to as the "Will of the Whole of the Misaka Network". Here, the existence berates Accelerator for thinking that he could go the easy way out, destroy the peaceful life he has, and then go to hell once everything is put in order, by throwing himself into a fight to approach the secrets of Academy City. The existence tells that his anxiety regarding forgetting what he needs do by growing relaxed in his new life is unfounded. As he is a monster, the existence tells him that it is most comfortable for him to have an easy conflict, violence, and victory, is only naturally for him. However, the existence states that his calculation power was not given to him just so he can take the easy way out.

The existence states that he must struggle for someone's sake, struggle in the way that is most difficult, and threatens him that if he took the easy road and become a monster, then the existence will throw him into a hell several sizes larger than his imagining. The existence concludes that despite leaving Last Order and Misaka Worst, the existence is rather much interested with Touma and is concerned for his well-being as of late. With that, the "e-mail" ends and Last Order collapses to the floor.

Shifting and Fluctuating World
After Othinus remakes the world, she remains unaffected directly by whatever Othinus is changing as she escapes the concept of life and death. Despite this, she is still affected indirectly through the Sisters, as whatever happens to them affects her, likely twisting her form every time Othinus remakes the world in order for her to put Touma in despair.

She is somehow unable to come close to Touma until he is swept into the Version Omega world or the "perfect world" in the story, where all 20,000 Sisters survived, apparently saved by Accelerator. Apparently observing that Touma is in the deepest nadir of his utter despair and is about to commit suicide, she takes over Misaka 10031's body and scrambles to get to Touma just as he jumps off a building. She calls out to him and just in time places a kick on his back, changing the path of his fall into a nearby window washing gondola, sighing as she sees that he is safe. Touma sees her and believes her to be Misaka 10032, but corrects him by saying that she is Misaka 10031, the Sister Touma refers to as the one he barely missed saving. She however corrects him saying that she is technically just borrowing her body, but says that since they all form a single large will together, anything she says is the same as hearing it from Misaka 10031. Touma asks what she means, to which she tells Touma that though this was the first time they have met, he has met a lot of her physical terminals. She then bows her head and says that she is the will created by the whole Misaka Network.

She later takes him to Touma's student dormitory. She explains to Touma that Othinus has free control over life and death using two distinct methods, one for the dead and one for the living, though she doesn't wholly understand. She says that since she is a system formed from the 20,001 units, and the information that is contained in the network forming her has both the Misakas who are currently still alive as well those that have died, making her "alive while dead and dead while alive" as she put it. She emphasizes that she can't be called part of the living or the dead, and that since Othinus only have "software" or methods to handle those two cases, she slipped through the cracks and cannot manipulate her. She however states that she is uncertain as it is related to laws from outside of Academy City. However, Touma is silent throughout her explanation and tries to rouse him up. Touma finally talks, and tells that the "software" Othinus uses to manipulate the living and dead is based on the Einherjar spell. He says that originally she was only able to move dead bodies without them rotting, but she has perfected it now using her lance. Hearing things about magic, she says that she doesn't truly understand. Moreover, she asks him to stop responding to only direct questions as he is talking to a girl. Touma did not rejoice on the fact that there was something or someone that escaped Othinus calculations in her remaking the world. Touma then asks why she was there, to which the Will becomes exasperated in his attitude remarking on how she now knows what Thor felt when he came by to fight Touma. However, she says all this with a smile on her face. Still in despair, the Will asks what he will do now, though Touma doesn't understand. She reiterates, asking him that now that he know that the world they are in is the perfect world with nothing but happiness, what he will do now. She asks him if he is sure that he searched properly to escape the world and that if there are contradictions in Othinus' ideal world, saying that there must something he can find and that her very presence must be something. However, Touma points out on how there would no reason for him to turn the world around as it will only cause everything to collapse. The Will then says that he should only talk about things when he is more positive. She compares Othinus as a dictator who had made her "home" as pleasant as possible, and that was the world they were in now. However, the Will asks if there was a kindness that had to be completely eliminated in the world they were in. Touma says he understands and refers to his experiences with GREMLIN, saying that Othinus did not create the new world out of concern for people, she created the new world because it was an eyesore for her. Touma however, still points out that regardless of this she still saved everyone, even those who couldn't save himself, and that he couldn't return everything to normal after seeing all that. He says that though it would be right, it'd be evil as he would rob the happiness of those people just so he can get back his own place in the world. The Will understands his reasoning but asks him if he ever fought because it was the right thing to do, or if he ever punched people because they were evil. Touma hesitated to answer, to which the Will smiles, answering for him, saying that he has never used that reasoning then, and there should be no reason to allow that reasoning to crush him now. Touma points out that the reasoning will only save him, but the Will makes a rebuttal, telling him not to lie, taking Touma aback. The Will points out Touma should know that Othinus cheated to make the perfect world that could make Touma fall into despair. The answer would make this world turn out as something not so ideal that even Touma tries to deny it, saying that the world Othinus made was accomplished perfectly. Touma says that Othinus did save everyone where he could not. Hearing this, the Will asks Touma to prove that the world they were in was perfect and nothing anyone does can cause a single crack in it. Hearing her words, Touma finally admits the one thing that made the so-called "perfect world" flawed, the people there don't remember the original world.

Touma however, asks why that matters as no matter what those people think they were truly saved. He says that having their memories or not does not change that they were saved. The Will points out however that it changes everything as it would disregard all the things Touma has done so far. She tells him that he should not change the rules he used then now. She then says that Othinus was afraid, but not because people would find it strange that dead people were standing before them, it's because that if everyone remembered the original world, everyone who was saved here would be unable to accept losing him. Touma tries to take in what the Will just said, who can only smile, apparently finding it funny that he could not understand that simple concept. The Will says that though Touma thinks that he can protect everyone's smiles by casting aside his place in the world, there are those who would not want to lose him, like her among others. Touma understood her words, that despite in the darkest of situations, no matter how hopeless the situation, people could still get along. The Will says that nowhere does it say that everyone would readily accept the terms of them losing Touma in exchange of the "perfect world". She says that it was Othinus feared, everyone gathering together to save him, as is the reason she "cheated" as the Will says and made no one remember him through the happiness they have. The Will continues on how it would not make any sense if he forced them to accept it as he himself did not allow that sort of thing to happen.

Touma is in deep thought, having believed that his existence did not weigh heavily in the hearts of people after seeing everyone smiling in a world without him. Here, he believes that there would be others who could do what he did and maybe even better. As if cutting his own thoughts, the Will says that those possibilities of other people doing what he could do or even being better at it doesn't matter because he is still the one who has done it, the one in the right time and place who ran in and saved people. Touma could not but the Will pressed further. She says that he will be saved if he rejected this world, and that they will do for him what he has done for him, that is the reason why Othinus cheated. Touma does not reject her words, and begins thinking it over. Touma however says that with that result, it'll just make it even worse. Touma cannot allow for them to be reminded of the original world as they'll only reject their "perfect world" just to save him. Hearing this, the Will then asks Touma a question, without all moral dilemmas and mysteries surrounding life. She asks him if it doesn't bother him that Othinus just appeared out of nowhere and stole everything he had built up.

Although the question was simple, it cuts deep into Touma's heart. He remains silent for a while, but finally trembled out the words from his lips as he cried. He says that it bothers him. Here, Touma pours all of his emotions to the Will. He bemoans his cruel fate. He curses Othinus for making his life meaningless easily through her power, and though she can easily take away and destroy the perfect world made it to crush him underfoot, she still achieved something that he could not. He tells that if she were to tell him that she would return all those people who have lost their lives before she made the "perfect world" then he would probably reject it based on a random ideal or another, like saying their deaths had meaning or she can't toy with people's lives so easily. However, since she has already done it, to return things to normal now would be no different from killing the people are happy now with his own hands. He states there would be no excuses for that, to return to the normal would mean to kill the people in this "perfect world." And so Touma asks what good would come out of destroying the "perfect world". He asks if he could really return to the old world he pictured in his head. He asks if he could ever face the people who are living their normal lives who are ignorant of what happened. He asks if he could really just smile when he knows the truth. Here, admits he cannot do those, even if he defeats Othinus, nothing would remain for him either way, he can't return to normal. He says that no matter what happens there is no way for him to succeed, stating that if he doesn't fail in whatever he chose to do he will still have complaints and will eventually fall apart, giving him no reason to fight. He asks why he should destroy the miraculous "perfect world" again. He asks why they couldn't just accept Othinus' victory if every path leads to destruction. He asks why they could not just let the number of people saved decide it. And since Othinus saved more, there is nothing else he can do, there is nowhere he can go to.

The Will listened to him, relieved that he was not a perfect saint after everything she had said to him. Touma asks what the Will is asking him to do, remarking on how if he defeats Othinus and return the original world, the weight of his win destroying the happiness of the people in the perfect world would crush his heart. The Will says that he might be right, but she asks him why he feels the need to place himself below everyone else. Touma does not however understand her. She tells however that there is nothing wrong with deciding prioritizing himself just this one time. She then says that there is nothing wrong in saving himself when he should save others equally. It is something that he can easily weigh and pass judgment on. The Will says that is how he has always lived, using the Level 6 Shift experiment as an example the killing of 20,000 clones could have been justified when faced as an issue of good or evil, but he never allowed people to weigh the numbers against each other. Touma agrees, but says that if he returned to the normal world he fears that he would be destroyed, as he would be forced to smile to everyone who knew nothing of the "perfect world," the weight of his sin bearing down upon him. The Will however says that it only means that he shouldn't hide the fact that he has seen the "perfect world" and face the fact that he couldn't save everyone. Hearing that, Touma smiled a bit as he felt as the issues at hand were gradually coming into view. Touma says that they will kill him, but the Will says that then he should tell them everything and apologize. She says that he can return everything back to normal as that it what he has always done when great tragedy built hatred in his powerful enemies' hearts, he solved it all one by one. Finally, Touma asks if it was really fine to oppose the perfect world for nothing more than his desires, to which the Will says he can. She says that if there is no way to the original world, then he should merely destroy it all and build those relations back up from the beginning, even if the relationships will never be the same. The Will encourages him however, saying that she'll by his side as she was the one who urged him, when the world treats him as an enemy, she'll be by his side to help reclaim his shattered circle of friends, just the two of them.

Seeing this now, Touma speaks as he cries, and says that though it may be conceited and will not make everyone happy, he wants to go back. Thus ends Kamijou Touma's darkest hour thus far. The Will shrugs and in a carefree manner tells Touma to surprise Othinus. Touma then stood up and went out of the dorm room door, and says that it is time to fight a god.

The Will of the Whole Misaka Network sits alone in Touma's dormitory. As Othinus continuous remaking of the world, and finally the resurrection of the entire Sisters, has twisted her form. And though he will not cease to exist, the Will change into something else. Misaka 10031 was glowing as the Will's existence is peeling away from her body like flower petals floating in the air. The Will thinks about the ace in her sleeve that she could say to Touma to encourage him: To save her before the world crushes her and letting him hear the voices of the dead Sisters she has recorded. With those reasons, Touma would have fought Othinus and restored the original world no matter how many enemies he would have made, and would have willingly accepted the burden of all those sins to save her. However, she knows that Touma would eventually crumble if he was to fight for that reason, as such she wanted him to stand firm. With that she says farewell to the perfect world, and tells Touma that she will meet her not in the next world, but in the original world.

VS the World
After Touma decides to protect Othinus from the wrath of the world, in an unknown place, the Will writhes about and said to no one in particular that she did not expect everything that is happening and that Touma would not be Touma if he didn’t exceed her expectations.

Despite this, she is worried enough for Touma when Accelerator is sent by Academy City to kill him Othinus to take control of a nearby Sisters clone in Denmark. She arrives some time later after Accelerator and Touma’s battle. Accelerator wakes up buried in snow and notices that Touma and Othinus are already nowhere to be seen. The clone that the Will of the Misaka Network took control of shows up in from him. She says that she was very worried for Touma and had used her ticket to take control of the clone but it discovers much to her relief that it already has been resolved. She also concludes that Accelerator didn’t go all out during their fight and that if the news about the #1 Level 5 of Academy City was defeated, the others would not bother attacking Touma anymore due to the higher-ups fear of losing the rest of the Level 5s. She also comments that Accelerator has matured enough knowing that he can also gain something by losing. Accelerator then asks her how long will it be next time he would see her again to which she responds that she has no physical body and she mustn’t be presumptuous enough to think about actually joining in. She then tells Accelerator the difference between him and Touma that he looks at the clones as representatives of good while Touma just sees them as people, and that he needs to do something about it first. With that, the Will leaves the body and the unconscious clone falls on Accelerator. He then wonders what he is supposed to do with an unconscious girl, much to his annoyance.

Abilities
Simply being a collection of consciousness and egos existing within the Misaka Network, she seemingly has no apparent powers other than recording the memories of the Sisters in the network. Also, the Will can apparently take control of any living Sister, even Last Order. This temporarily changes the Sister's personality to that of hers. Moreover, since she brags about fighting Thor in a lightning battle, it can be assumed she has access to their powers as well. However, she states that though she can control the Sisters, apparently she cannot control Misaka Worst who is part of the Third Season since she is like someone who just hacked in.

Quotes

 * (To Accelerator, from NT6): "Struggle for someone’s sake /return. Struggle in the way that is truly hardest for you /return. …If I wanted to, I could dredge up the memory data for the dead units that still remains on the network and provide definite yes or no answers /return. But /backspace doing that would be a waste, so I won’t /return. Let’s leave it at the feelings of the dead being only known by the dead /return. And if you take the easy road out and became a monster, I will throw you into a hell several sizes larger than you are imagining /return."
 * (To Touma, from NT9): "I am the large will created by the whole of the Misaka Network /return. Nice to meetcha☆ /return."
 * (To Touma regarding the people he saved if he rejects the perfect world, ibid): "You would be saved /return. Getting your just deserts doesn’t have to be a negative thing /return. The path you have walked so far would save you /return. Everyone might worry over the issue, cry their eyes out, and occasionally get into fights over their precious people, but they would definitely save you in the end /return. …After all, they’re not bad people /return. Even if they got a little twisted and went a bit nuts in the past, they weren’t too insane for you to find a foothold toward reaching an understanding /return. So in the very, very end, everyone would rush to you /return. If they knew you were about to be crushed by all the smiles in the world, they would cast it all aside and join you return. They would do exactly what you have done all this time /return."
 * (To Touma, ibid): "Hey, are you even listening /escape? Please don’t tell me you think you’ll be praised as a good listener if you just sit there silently /return. Cause it has the opposite effect /return. You need to try to drag the conversation out of me /return! Excuse me, sensei /escape? This guy’s silence is too much for me /return."
 * (To Touma, ibid): "I was the one that urged you on, so I’ll stick with you if they get mad at you /return. Even if they treat you like an evil demon king, we can start out as just the two of us /return. And then you can work to gradually reclaim your shattered circle of friends /return. It won’t be easy, it will leave scars on the most sensitive part of a person, and it will directly affect the survival of people around the world /return. But /backspace, it will all work out in the end /return. I’ll stick with you until it does☆ /return."
 * (To Accelerator, from NT10): “The difference between you and Kamijou-chan is that one of you views us as an embodiment of good and the other truly views us as nothing but human /return. They may seem similar at first, but they’re completely different and it isn’t something you can consciously overcome /return. Maybe it’s like focusing too much on eliminating discrimination and instead trapping the person in the role of ‘victim’ /return. If you truly intend to face ‘us’, then you have to do something about that first☆ /return.”