Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 21/Chapter 5

Synopsis
The truck caravan where Touma and Lessar are staying makes a stopover on a snow-laden town. Here, the two enjoy the familiar taste of burgers and fries while they talk about their next plan of action. Lessar knows that the caravan will not reach Fiamma's base, which is 40 kilometers from the town, and they will have to use the underground train lines to reach the target, especially now that even the ones from the Elizalina Alliance who are helping them sneak into the caravan are now preparing to head back.

After the two talk about the flow of people in times of war, Lessar decides to end the topic and focus more on the real issue at hand, which is defeating Fiamma of the Right. However, Lessar cannot help making shenanigans out of a simple meal, and it made a stain on Touma's pants as the meat from Lessar's burger ends up slipping out.

Shiage manages to reach the privateer base. Here, a mercenary with blue clothes and a giant sword laid waste on the entire base after a short conversation with Shiage. Shiage himself does not know much about the man who called himself Acqua of the Back aside from his unbelievable strength that destroys tanks and armored vehicles with ease and wrecks concrete bunkers. That mystery remained even as he, Digurv and Glickin watch his attacks.

Meanwhile, Glickin discovers a different force coming this way; unlike the privateers that lacked any seriousness, the modern-looking force immediately reminds Shiage of Academy City forces. However, since Shiage himself is being pursued by Academy City, he is forced to the decision of parting ways with his Russian companions. After thanking Acqua and telling him to stand down and allow the Academy City forces to deploy there, he assures the two about Academy City's intentions. Shiage then returns to the ruins of the town with Digurv and Glickin before heading off alone to reunite with Rikou. Here, he plans to travel to the Elizalina Alliance to escape from Academy City's soldiers and return to Russia to begin the search again. Because he is still hesitant to receive help from the village that he just rescued, Shiage decides to "steal" the car that was offered to him by a villager.

Within the Elizalina Alliance, Accelerator manages to recharge the battery to his electrode and is trying to understand the pieces of parchment he retrieve earlier. A soldier who works as Elizalina's bodyguard is unable to help in his plight, especially as he throws away words like "magic" and "spells" like it was commonplace. Accelerator soon asks about Elizalina, and he learns that she is a magician that trains people into becoming magicians, a Sorcerer; again, the terms used by the soldier helped little in making Accelerator understand those terms.

Because of the circumstances involving the pieces of parchment, Accelerator is forced to wait until Elizalina's condition improves, but the soldier also advises him to bring Last Order to the nearby hospital to recover better, although the odds of getting an open bed is low due to the war situation. To repay for the soldier's hospitality, Accelerator decides to sweep the building of spies that are going to jeopardize Last Order's safety.

In St. George's Cathedral, Stiyl Magnus solely confronts Index that is currently in John's Pen Mode. Even with rune cards supporting his Innocentius, John's Pen Mode Index simply destroys everything in her path and even causes Stiyl to fall down the spiritual vault of the church below. However, in Index's current status, Stiyl is forced to flee as she gives chase. Shiage is immediately pursued by Powered Suits and is forced to push the car into a dangerous escape down snow-laden roads. Although the border to the Elizalina Alliance is only 500 m away, Shiage is still in danger of being caught by the Powered Suits. After cutting through the forest, plowing down the chain-link fence lining the border and officially entering Elizalina Alliance, Shiage thought that they are safe. However, the Powered Suits defied the possibility that they are encroaching border rules and continue their pursuit, pinning down Shiage and Rikou in the car that is now wrapped with chain-link fence. Then, the Powered Suits are consumed by fire launched from elsewhere, and a figure steps on the hood and peels away the roof of the car. To Shiage's surprise, Accelerator is standing in front of him, urging him to tell everything he knows.

Later, Accelerator takes Shiage and Rikou to Elizalina, who had just woken up from an emergency surgery. Shiage learns from Accelerator that the Elizalina Alliance has special recovery techniques that do not exist in Academy City, and Elizalina confirms this. However, she admits that she can only help Rikou, and Last Order's situation is more difficult; Elizalina explains that Rikou's condition can be handled by removing the toxins in her body (i.e., the Body Crystal), but Last Order is continually being administered toxins that prevent long-term recovery. The good news overjoys both Shiage and Rikou, and this joy only worsens the disappointment in Accelerator. He leaves as soon as Elizalina tells him that the parchment will take time to be interpreted, and instead visits another hospital where Misaka Worst is confined in. Although Worst hasn't warmed up to Accelerator for sparing her, the Level 5 urges him to cooperate about looking for better leads related to the parchment pieces. Worst refuses, but Accelerator reminds her that her fate as a clone will be the same because they will remain disposable unless something is done. The Third Season clone stubbornly stays uncooperative until Accelerator opens a possibility for her to be useful through the Dark May Project. Misaka Worst sees it a worthy opportunity and decides to agree.

Then, Misaka Worst asks Accelerator about his plans after leaving the darkness behind. Accelerator is unsure as he is still looking for it, but he is determined to fight back the darkness that has been manipulating him for a long time. At that moment, Accelerator offers his hand to Worst, who initially did not take the gesture seriously but received it anyway.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Kamijou Touma
 * Lessar
 * Hamazura Shiage
 * Acqua of the Back
 * Digurv
 * Glickin
 * Takitsubo Rikou
 * Accelerator
 * Last Order
 * Index Librorum Prohibitorum
 * Stiyl Magnus
 * Elizalina
 * Misaka Worst