Toaru Majutsu no Index Light Novel Volume 16/Chapter 2

Synopsis
The members of the Amakusa gather in a nearby hospital, where they lick their wounds after their swift defeat against Acqua of the Back. Meanwhile, Index worriedly looks over Touma as he goes through the ordeal, and the sight worsens Tatemiya Saiji's feeling of helplessness. Itsuwa is most devastated by what happened, but Saiji was enraged at Itsuwa's disillusionment, seeing it as ironic considering that she was supposed to protect Touma but was rescued by him instead. There, Saiji pushes Itsuwa to deal with their defeat and fight on for Touma's sake and sent the same message to the members of the Amakusa. Although still devastated, Itsuwa joins her comrades as they decide to face Acqua of the Back once again.

Acqua stayed in the nature park inside District 22 and spoke to the Pope about the actions against Touma. He ends his conversation when Academy City sends out Mimosa and several unmanned Powered Suits to take him on. As he quickly takes care of the hostiles, on the other side of the globe, Orsola Aquinas relays some findings regarding Acqua of the Back to Sherry Cromwell, revealing that Acqua was a mercenary that became a Knight of England against his wishes.

While they are waiting for Orsola's intelligence about Acqua of the Back, Saiji and the Amakusa spend the night preparing for the second battle against Acqua. Itsuwa's intense aura can be felt by everyone, and Saiji relied on Orsola's call to calm down the tension in the air. Orsola then sorts out the information she got about Acqua, revealing his real name as William Orwell, and he was a magician-mercenary with a history of successful victories in many battles. Hearing more about his weapon of choice and his combat style reveals no weaknesses to exploit, leaving them with "taking him on directly" as the only way to defeat him.

By 3 AM, Acqua had taken out the unmanned threats brought to him by Academy City. However, he is joined by the Amakusa, who suggests that the negotiations for Touma's right arm has broken down. An enraged Itsuwa deals the first blow against Acqua, and despite the fear Saiji and the others have towards Itsuwa's rarely seen side, they continue supporting her from a distance, using various Amakusa-style spells to match Acqua's combat capabilities. However, as Itsuwa prepares to deal the finishing blow, Acqua comes out unscathed due to his ability as a member of God's Right Seat, Divine Mother's Mercy. Foreseeing the failure of their decisive blow, Saiji uses an escape spell to retreat.

With little time to spare, Saiji allows the Amakusa to recover before deciding to plan an attack against Acqua's status as a Saint, again with Itsuwa as the main attacker. Then, they head to the lower levels of District 22, with traps set to delay Acqua's advance. However, Acqua uses the water facilities in his way to unleash an attack against the Amakusa. Itsuwa manages to break away just as the rest of her group were able to gather once again. As she continues to clash with Acqua, Itsuwa sets up the "favorite" maneuver of the group, the Saint Destroyer, in an attempt to destroy Acqua by using his Sainthood against him.

Acqua manages to survive the attack due to his status as a member of God's Right Seat, and prepares to end the fight by crushing Itsuwa in a column of water. But it was interrupted when someone whom Acqua refers to as the "master (of the Amakusa)" appears in the battlefield, a woman named Kanzaki Kaori.

Between the Lines
A boy witnesses a girl being taken by an organization called the Knights of Orleans, whose history involved Joan of Arc and avenging her death. Despite being too weak to lift his body, a mercenary says words that would later give him the strength to pick up a sword and defend the girl. Later, the Knights of Orleans were destroyed by the mercenary.

Characters
By order of appearance
 * Tatemiya Saiji
 * Index Librorum Prohibitorum
 * Itsuwa
 * Acqua of the Back
 * Matthai Reese (voice-only)
 * Sherry Cromwell
 * Orsola Aquinas
 * Ushibuka
 * Kanzaki Kaori

New Abilities

 * Water rune magic - Acqua of the Back
 * Saint Destroyer - Amakusa-Style Remix of Church

Quotes

 * Tatemiya Saiji: “The savior that you cared so much about was treated like that right in front of you, his body all battered badly. Being like that in front of him…you aren’t planning to do anything? That guy really went all his way to risk his life for such a woman? If so, that guy’s sacrifice was in vain, really in vain. The outcome is obvious. Didn’t that idiot do something idiotic to save another idiot? Is that not how it is?”
 * Tatemiya Saiji: “(…You’re really an idiot. Even if it’s God, a girl in love will still charge on.)”