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*****
"Wait a moment."
After finishing off Huangendi, George teleported to the skies above the largest and most luxurious bathhouse in Academy City.
Kamijou Touma and Index hadn't gone to England yet. While he had been using the Eye of Detection to locate Huangendi earlier, he also happened to find the two of them.
However, at this moment, Index was bathing inside the grand bathhouse below. Since it was filled entirely with the young girls of Academy City, he couldn't just walk in directly.
Although his avatar in this world was also in a girl's body, which technically made it normal for him to enter, his true self was not female. Going into the women's bathhouse was something he definitely couldn't bring himself to do.
In any case, there was no real rush.
"The magicians of the Amakusa-Style Cross Church… it seems they're also here to protect Kamijou Touma."
Glancing down, George saw quite a number of Amakusa-Style magicians scattered around the bathhouse area.
According to Aleister, God's Right Seat needed both Index's 103,000 grimoires and Imagine Breaker, so before long they would send Fiamma of the Right into Academy City to seize them.
God's Right Seat—the most powerful secret division of the Roman Orthodox Church—consisted of only four people. Each one had inherited the power of one of the four great angels, capable of wielding devastating angelic techniques.
They were the ultimate weapon of the Roman Orthodox Church.
"They're coming out."
Expanding his spiritual sense to cover the entire bathhouse, George saw Index, Misaka Mikoto, and a well-endowed Amakusa-Style female magician finally finish their bath and emerge from the hot springs.
The three dried themselves off, changed into their clothes, and headed toward the bathhouse's buffet area.
The buxom Amakusa magician only grabbed a drink before heading outside to meet Kamijou Touma and go for a stroll.
Misaka Mikoto simply ate a little before returning to her dormitory.
Only Index, with her small frame hiding a glutton's stomach, dove into the buffet like a starved beast, devouring food with incredible speed and delight.
"Time—Stop!"
George teleported into the buffet hall and activated time magic, freezing everything within its range. He then appeared in front of Index.
"Using this kind of magic here… it really feels strange."
Looking at the scene around him—youthful girls still glowing with freshness after their bath, all frozen in place by his spell—George couldn't help but recall fragments of memories from his previous life.
But he quickly dismissed them. This wasn't the time for nostalgia.
Placing his hand gently atop Index's head, he unleashed his Twin Blue Hands technique, activating telekinesis, the Soul Extraction Curse, and the Magic Dispelling Spell in rapid succession.
Under the combined effects of these spiritual and soul-based arts, the so-called strongest defensive spell of England's Puritan Church, the "Automatic Writing," was instantly broken.
All 103,000 grimoires were copied wholesale into George's mind.
The overwhelming influx of magical theories and knowledge made the corners of his lips curl upward.
"One step closer to the level of a single-universe entity."
Once he completely absorbed the knowledge of these grimoires, not only would his magical skill increase significantly, but his individual power would also rise.
Moreover, his personal small world would be refined and perfected by using this vast magical foundation.
"Release."
Having obtained what he came for, George quietly lifted the time stop, restoring the natural flow of time inside the buffet hall.
Just as he was preparing to leave and slowly digest the knowledge of those 103,000 grimoires, his brows suddenly furrowed.
"So, they really came."
He sensed a formidable presence arriving outside the bathhouse. The Amakusa-Style magicians stationed there were swiftly subdued with almost no resistance.
However, the intruder had been careful—not a single life was taken.
"This won't do. Might as well uproot God's Right Seat entirely."
After some thought, George made up his mind.
If Aleister was correct, he would be forced to stay by Kamijou Touma's side the whole time. And what if this guy didn't leave for England for months? Was George supposed to waste all that time guarding him?
That was unacceptable.
It would be far simpler to eliminate all four members of God's Right Seat directly. That way Kamijou Touma wouldn't need to travel to England at all, and George could peacefully focus on absorbing the knowledge of the 103,000 grimoires.
From the memories of magicians he had soul-searched earlier, George had heard a rumor: if someone could completely comprehend all 103,000 grimoires, they would gain the chance to ascend on the spot and become a Magic God.
Though it was just a rumor, it was unlikely to be baseless.
Besides, he had long been curious about the angelic techniques inherited by the Roman Orthodox Church for so many generations. This would be a perfect chance to study them.
Meanwhile, on the bridge spanning Academy City's 22nd District, Kamijou Touma was strolling with Itsuwa, unaware that ordinary civilians had already been driven away by magic.
"If only the Archbishop were here, we wouldn't have to worry about any attacks."
Carrying the bag that held her magical weapon, Itsuwa spoke with some regret.
Kamijou Touma, with his hands behind his head, asked casually:
"Is Kanzaki really that strong?"
"Of course! She's a Saint! There aren't even twenty Saints in the entire world, and every one of them can crush their opponents in a single strike. Archbishop Kanzaki is invincible!"
Itsuwa's face glowed with admiration as she spoke of Kanzaki, the female Archbishop of the Amakusa-Style.
Kamijou Touma nodded thoughtfully. He hadn't expected that sword-wielding girl to be so powerful.
"Invincible against any enemy, huh? That doesn't include me."
At that moment, a burly man appeared atop the bridge, his hands stuffed into his pockets.
He tossed a uniquely shaped rosary necklace onto the ground and declared coldly:
"Source of the world's unrest—leave behind your right hand. Otherwise, I'll rid the world of you today."
"That's… the Acting Archbishop's rosary!"
Itsuwa immediately recognized it as belonging to Tatemiya Saiji, the Acting Archbishop of the Amakusa-Style. This meant the magicians stationed around them for protection had already been completely wiped out.
She drew her spiritual weapon—the naval halberd known as the "Fusō Shōsaku"—with lightning speed. But before she could even ready her stance, a crushing blow struck her from behind, sending her flying.
The man had closed the distance with terrifying speed and landed a decisive attack.
"Itsuwa!"
Seeing her spit blood, Kamijou Touma rushed forward to help, but before he could even take a step, he too was struck with overwhelming force and flung aside.
The man was so fast that Kamijou hadn't even had the chance to raise his right hand to nullify the attack.
"Touma!"
Despite her injuries, Itsuwa rose and attacked again, but she couldn't even touch the hem of his clothing.
Looking at her standing protectively in front of Kamijou, the man frowned slightly and said coldly:
"Consider this a warning. I'll give you one day. Hand over that arm willingly, or next time, I'll crush you both."
"God's Right Seat—Fiamma of the Right. Invading Academy City without permission isn't a very wise move."
Just as the man prepared to leap away from the bridge, a hand suddenly appeared on his shoulder, pressing him back down with irresistible force.
(End of Chapter)