Toaru Kagaku no Railgun Manga Chapter 142

Charge (突貫) is the 142nd chapter of the Toaru Kagaku no Railgun manga series, released on September 27th 2022 in Monthly Comic Dengeki Daioh. The second half of the 142nd chapter was released on October 27th 2022.

Major Events

 * In the smokescreen, Hasekura fends off the attack, revealed to be the work of two masked and suited individuals who quickly withdraw before they can be fully exposed. Afterwards, Sha reads the calcium spear with her Psychometry and deduces from the lack of residual thoughts that it was likely not produced by an esper power.
 * Subsequent investigation narrows their search down to Montgolfier, a company said to be attempting to technologically reproduce esper powers, with a number of suspicious investments and assets. Faced with the likelihood that the company instigated the inter-clique conflict to illegally gather data from the Tokiwadai students, Hasekura Reiri and her clique decide to go on the offensive.
 * Denying allegations, the man greeting the clique at Montgolfier attempts to obstruct them from viewing their research and have them leave, claiming no proof, but is confronted by their analysis of the calcium spear and an esper power detecting his lies. When the man threatens to call Anti-Skill and their lawyers, Ruri produces a search warrant, revealing herself to be with Tokiwadai's Judgment branch.
 * Montgolfier's forces then attack the Hasekura clique, with the Mikagami and Sha cliques arriving as reinforcements. Meanwhile, Montgolfier's backer Antikythera monitors the battle for data and prepares to abandon their pawn. Despite encrypting their communications via esper power to conceal their involvement, their presence is detected.

Characters
By order of appearance:
 * Hasekura Reiri
 * Kessai Kiyoshi
 * Sha Danshan
 * Shokuhou Misaki (mentioned)
 * Asato Kisa
 * Mibuki Kazan
 * Yasutoba Suika
 * Amano Ayane
 * Shin'enkouji Rurikakesu

New Characters

 * Mitarai Ayane

Abilities

 * - Hasekura Reiri

Locations

 * Academy City
 * School District 7
 * Tokiwadai Middle School

New Locations

 * Montgolfier HQ
 * School District 10
 * Montgolfier's Testing Facility
 * Antikythera HQ

Trivia

 * Kakine Teitoku is in his present-day position as the #2 Level 5 at this point.

Referbacks

 * The calcium spears that Montgolfier used were designed to be identical to the ones used by Sukezawa Sena, as part of their efforts to instigate and aggravate the clique conflict for data collection. Sukezawa's calcium spears were previously seen during her battle with Yasutoba Suika.

Cultural References

 * When Sha mentions Attachment Dark Matter while reading the projectile, Hasekura wonders if it means the space stuff or the Level 5. is a hypothetical form of matter thought to account for approximately 27% of the matter in the universe. Dark matter is called "dark" because it is electromagnetically neutral, which means it does not absorb, reflect, or emit electromagnetic radiation and is, therefore, difficult to detect.
 * Montgolfier's name is the family name of the, French aviation pioneers and paper manufacturers, who invented a hot air balloon which launched the first confirmed human piloted ascent in 1783, as well as inventing the self-acting hydraulic ram and a process to manufacture transparent paper.
 * Antikythera's name is derived from the, an Ancient Greek hand-powered , described as the oldest example of an analogue computer.