21 - The Star of B'Tselem

Source: Crunchyroll
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(Please feel free to edit the speaker names if incomplete or inaccurate. Names are handled on a best-effort basis depending on the info on the source file. Dialogue is left as is.)
[00:01] ---
    Y-Your Holiness, what are you doing?
[00:04] ---
    Have to hurry...
[00:06] ---
    The citizens have been
    seized upon by their anxiety,
[00:09] ---
    and are starting to march on the Vatican.
[00:13] ---
    I know. You need not say anything.
[00:17] ---
    Hi there, my dandy gentleman.
[00:20] ---
    Can I assume your position
    is still the Pope of Rome?
[00:24] ---
    Is that you, Vasilissa? The cardinals
    are about to convene a papal conclave.
[00:30] ---
    They must have decided that
    my authority is already lost.
[00:35] ---
    It will take more than
    my words to put a stop to this war.
[00:41] ---
    Nonetheless, you have stood forward.
[00:45] ---
    Oh, sorry about that. I'm in the
    middle of bringing the dissenters,
[00:49] ---
    who were trying to sell out
    our beloved Sasha, to tears.
[00:52] ---
    Go easy on them. They are our brethren.
[00:55] ---
    I knew you would say that. So, how are
    you planning to bring this war to an end?
[01:02] ---
    To do what must be done.
    But not as the pope over a flock of two billion.
[01:09] ---
    I just have to do what I should
    as an adherent of Roman Orthodoxy.
[01:15] ---
    I made a promise to that
    mercenary, after all.
[01:21] ---
    It appears that the Lord still
    intends to give me more trials.
[01:31] ---
    So, what to do? A being like yourself
    has been identified within Russia.
[01:38] ---
    The Archangel "Power of God," Misha Kruezhev.
[01:42] ---
    Once the encroachment begins,
    tragedy will befall everyone in that area.
[01:49] ---
    What will you do?
[01:52] ---
    Nothing. I only undertake
    that which interests me.
[01:59] ---
    I don't mind going. But
    I do have one condition.
[02:03] ---
    Please don't take any
    action against my friends.
[02:06] ---
    As long as they arouse no interest,
    it will be my pleasure.
[02:09] ---
    If you do hurt them,
    then I will become your enemy,
[02:13] ---
    even if it means destroying us all.
[02:17] ---
    How naive of you to threaten me.
[02:20] ---
    You might instead attract
    my interest by saying that.
[02:33] ---
    Wh-What was that?!
[02:37] ---
    An angel...?
[02:42] ---
    "A Certain Magical Index III"
[02:49] ---
    "#21 The Star of B'Tselem"
[02:52] ---
    Imagine, coming all the way to Russia
    and still savoring something like this.
[02:57] ---
    Yeah, it's handy that some things taste
    the same all over the world.
[03:04] ---
    We got this far by blending in
    with the human smuggling brokers,
[03:07] ---
    but this is probably
    as far as we're getting by car.
[03:11] ---
    Let's take a different route to sneak
    into the Russian base where Fiamma is.
[03:20] ---
    What'sa madder?
[03:22] ---
    Oh... Are there really
    this many people fleeing
[03:27] ---
    to the Elizalina Alliance
    of Independent Nations?
[03:29] ---
    The opposite might be true, too.
[03:31] ---
    Nobody wants to be a citizen
    of a vanquished nation.
[03:37] ---
    Let's hurry and put a stop
    to this war as soon as we can.
[03:40] ---
    Huh?
[03:41] ---
    I mean, Fiamma is the one pulling
    the strings behind the scenes, right?
[03:44] ---
    Let's kick that bastard's ass,
    bring a quick end to the war,
[03:48] ---
    and return peace to the world!
[03:52] ---
    Right. Let's slug Fiamma good,
    and rescue Index from him.
[03:57] ---
    Now that that's decided,
    let's get a move on and finish eating!
[04:05] ---
    Now's my chance!
[04:07] ---
    Let me pay for that with my body!
[04:09] ---
    Why are you licking your lips
    with stars twinkling in your eyes?
[04:19] ---
    What is this?
[04:21] ---
    The privateer base has
    been wiped out in no time flat.
[04:24] ---
    Is he of one of those
    Academy City esper folks?
[04:28] ---
    No, he isn't.
[04:33] ---
    That takes care of that for now, I'd say.
[04:37] ---
    Let me ask you again, who exactly are you?
[04:41] ---
    Acqua of the Rear, has-been
    mercenary miscreant.
[04:46] ---
    Hmm? Something's coming this way.
[04:51] ---
    They're Academy City forces.
[04:53] ---
    It appears they're here
    to occupy this territory.
[04:57] ---
    What should we do? Drive them off?
[04:59] ---
    No. If they're just defending the village,
    we're better off not resisting.
[05:05] ---
    I'm not sure exactly
    who you're supposed to be,
[05:08] ---
    but you can't just keep shoring up
    the defenses in one spot forever, right?
[05:12] ---
    Mm-hmm...
[05:13] ---
    Then it's better to let Academy City's
    forces establish themselves here.
[05:19] ---
    The place will be occupied for now,
[05:21] ---
    but these guys will be able to
    defend the place for several months.
[05:24] ---
    Mm-hmm.
[05:26] ---
    But Hamazura, I thought you were
    on the run from Academy City.
[05:31] ---
    That can't be helped.
    This is to protect the village.
[05:34] ---
    Okay, we're getting out of here.
    Oh, I almost forgot...
[05:40] ---
    Thanks. Because of your arrival,
    myself, the villagers,
[05:45] ---
    and the girl I have a crush on
    all came away with our lives.
[05:50] ---
    I'll thank you properly someday.
[06:03] ---
    It looks like an instruction manual.
[06:05] ---
    It is?
[06:06] ---
    Do you understand it?
[06:08] ---
    N-No, just that it looks like
[06:10] ---
    a list of what appear to be
    magical conversion provisions.
[06:14] ---
    What to do to make a Roman Orthodox
    spell work in the Russian Church style.
[06:19] ---
    Huh?!
[06:20] ---
    Unlike Madam Elizalina,
    I don't know much about magical things.
[06:25] ---
    Magic? What the hell is he talking about?
[06:32] ---
    Does this mean something exists
    that I can't understand? If so,
[06:38] ---
    it could end up being the key.
[06:42] ---
    Who's this Elizalina?
[06:44] ---
    A sorceress--or was she a magician?
[06:47] ---
    Either way, this Elizalina twerp
    can decipher this parchment, right?
[06:54] ---
    Mm-hmm. If she can speak, that is.
[06:57] ---
    Right now, she's in a
    bed at a field hospital.
[07:01] ---
    I don't plan on staying here long,
    nor on doing any killing.
[07:05] ---
    When will Sleeping Beauty be up?
[07:08] ---
    If things go smoothly, one to three hours.
[07:11] ---
    All right.
[07:18] ---
    They're spies.
[07:19] ---
    If I'm going to leave the kid here,
[07:21] ---
    I have to make sure to arrange
    a nice, clean environment for her.
[07:27] ---
    The place where you guys
    stand isn't the only hell.
[07:33] ---
    This level of darkness
    is still pretty weak sauce.
[07:38] ---
    Pathetic, isn't it?
[07:40] ---
    It turns out that bailing on them
    halfway through was the best choice.
[07:45] ---
    It's all right. Right now,
    you're still fighting to keep me safe.
[07:51] ---
    So it's not pathetic at all.
[07:56] ---
    What's this?
[07:58] ---
    He says it's the key
    to the car parked up ahead.
[08:01] ---
    No, I couldn't.
[08:02] ---
    If I accept this, it will mean
    you aided us in escaping.
[08:12] ---
    He says you can start the engine
    without using the key, then.
[08:17] ---
    You don't say.
[08:27] ---
    Hamazura, they're coming!
[08:30] ---
    It's 500 meters to the border!
[08:44] ---
    W-We made it.
[08:49] ---
    You're kidding, right?!
[08:52] ---
    Is this the end?
[09:04] ---
    Accelerator?
[09:06] ---
    Tch, I'm in the middle
    of searching for spies,
[09:09] ---
    and you have to drag
    in outside problems I don't need.
[09:13] ---
    Tell me everything. I want to hear it all.
[09:24] ---
    I don't know what to say.
[09:26] ---
    I'd like to do anything I can,
[09:28] ---
    as far as restorative magic goes,
    if I wasn't so mentally exhausted.
[09:32] ---
    Restoration... magic...?
[09:35] ---
    Here's the bottom line. I can probably
    handle the girl in the track suit.
[09:41] ---
    The little girl over here
    will be more difficult.
[09:43] ---
    That's all.
[09:45] ---
    Huh? How do you mean?
[09:48] ---
    The two of them each have their
    own separate toxins built up.
[09:52] ---
    The smaller girl has toxins continuously
    injected into her on a permanent basis,
[09:57] ---
    so even if they're removed temporarily,
    they'll be replenished in no time.
[10:01] ---
    But once they're removed from
    the track suit girl, she should do better.
[10:06] ---
    S-So then, you're saying
    Takitsubo will get better?!
[10:13] ---
    She will?
[10:15] ---
    That's terrific, Takitsubo!
[10:16] ---
    Hamazura, I can't breathe.
[10:18] ---
    Sorry. But I'm... I'm...
[10:23] ---
    I'm neither surprised, rattled, nor angry.
[10:26] ---
    I could stamp my feet on the ground,
    screaming at the top of my lungs,
[10:30] ---
    but that won't change
    this situation for the better.
[10:34] ---
    Either way, I know that time is short,
    so I just have to do what must be done.
[10:40] ---
    I don't care what course
    of treatment you plan for them,
[10:44] ---
    but answer my question before
    you get to them. Can you read this?
[10:50] ---
    I'd say I could possibly read it
    if you gave me enough time.
[10:54] ---
    Want me to hold onto it?
[10:56] ---
    Nope. All I need to know is
    that you can decipher it.
[11:00] ---
    You concentrate on treating them.
[11:03] ---
    Uh...
[11:04] ---
    I don't have time to waste, either.
    I'm taking off now.
[11:08] ---
    Do you have any clues?
[11:10] ---
    If I don't, I'll find one.
[11:21] ---
    Where are the spies that I flushed out?
[11:23] ---
    They're being interrogated,
    but it isn't going very well.
[11:27] ---
    You don't say.
[11:28] ---
    Would you care to see?
[11:30] ---
    Nah, I'm going to run down
    a more reliable source of information.
[11:40] ---
    Is there something I can help you with?
[11:43] ---
    Cooperate with me.
[11:44] ---
    With what? Why? How?
[11:47] ---
    I found and recovered a number of bugs.
[11:50] ---
    They're yielding bits and pieces
    from the small timers.
[11:54] ---
    You're going to sort
    through that information.
[11:57] ---
    On what grounds does
    Misaka have to cooperate?
[12:00] ---
    Ugh... The folks back in Academy City
[12:03] ---
    are going to use the
    Misaka Network to do something.
[12:07] ---
    As they were replacing the network
    that started causing trouble for them,
[12:12] ---
    you came after the lives
    of myself and the kid.
[12:16] ---
    But yours is going to end up
    the same way--at a dead end.
[12:21] ---
    That's the way the people
    who applaud as successful
[12:24] ---
    the killing of 20,000 puppets see the world.
[12:28] ---
    You have to know it won't be used
    for any respectable purpose.
[12:33] ---
    So Misaka must work with you?
[12:35] ---
    Join forces with the most
    malicious partner there is, of all people?
[12:39] ---
    Okay then, negotiation time.
[12:42] ---
    The Dark May Project.
[12:45] ---
    You mean...
[12:47] ---
    The project that tried to enhance
    other espers' Personal Realities
[12:50] ---
    by applying the method
    I use to control my ability.
[12:55] ---
    For you to become an irreplaceable resource,
[12:58] ---
    you had to obtain a capacity
    that the other Sisters didn't have.
[13:02] ---
    What are you going to do?
    If you analyze the way I fight,
[13:06] ---
    you might find a way out of this.
[13:10] ---
    Indeed. That truly does
    sound like this Misaka.
[13:15] ---
    I'll find a lead to eliminating
    the kid's symptoms.
[13:20] ---
    You'll stumble upon a route other
    than the one where you'll only get used up.
[13:25] ---
    That's why we'll fight Academy City.
    Why we'll outwit them.
[13:30] ---
    We now have a mutual interest.
[13:32] ---
    Now that that's clear,
    stop being a baby and get going.
[13:36] ---
    This Misaka must admit,
[13:37] ---
    after being tuned solely
    to kill Academy City's 1st-ranked,
[13:40] ---
    and with everything she's been put through,
[13:43] ---
    she never imagined the day would come
    when she'd have to force a smile.
[13:47] ---
    Sorry about that. That was my mistake,
    for falling for their bullcrap.
[13:58] ---
    What was that?! When the villain
    makes a face that sheepish,
[14:03] ---
    it makes this Misaka's reason
    for being seem so much less important!
[14:08] ---
    Who are you calling a villain?
    Even after perfecting it like I did,
[14:11] ---
    I still wasn't able to keep the kid safe!
[14:14] ---
    There's not a single reason
    for me to stick with it anymore.
[14:18] ---
    Simply taking the most
    easy-to-grasp side isn't good enough.
[14:22] ---
    You and I are both monsters,
    deliberately set to evil by Academy City.
[14:29] ---
    Far from opposing them,
    mastering the ways of evil
[14:33] ---
    was simply chugging right
    on down their rails, wasn't it?
[14:37] ---
    Which is why now, I'm going to
    hit back at them in the true sense.
[14:41] ---
    So I don't care if I wind up doing
    stuff out of character for me to that end.
[14:48] ---
    Please.
[14:53] ---
    What are you, dense?! Incredible!
    That stupid deadpan look is incredible!
[15:04] ---
    I know it's Misaka's,
[15:07] ---
    but it's also your first time gripping
    someone's hand like this, right?
[15:12] ---
    No.
[15:13] ---
    Huh?
[15:14] ---
    I've done it plenty of times before.
[15:18] ---
    With a really awful kid
    who looks a lot like you.
[15:33] ---
    An attack by Academy City?
[15:35] ---
    The Russian army has also
    started attacking. This is our chance!
[15:39] ---
    We can take advantage of the
    chaos to sneak onto Fiamma's base!
[15:47] ---
    Why do you think the Russian army
    is coming to the base's defense?
[15:51] ---
    It's because Fiamma doesn't want to move.
[15:54] ---
    Either he doesn't want it
    known that he's in hiding here,
[15:57] ---
    or he's conducting some kind
    of magical operation.
[16:00] ---
    So what do we do, exactly?
[16:02] ---
    We steal a powered suit!
[16:04] ---
    If you want to applaud me, I'll listen
    to you in bed as you stroke my head.
[16:10] ---
    Hey, wait up!
[16:11] ---
    Damn it.
[16:14] ---
    Still, it's strange.
[16:16] ---
    When we snuck in earlier, there were
    a bunch of Russian Church sorcerers.
[16:20] ---
    Why wouldn't they be placed here?
[16:23] ---
    Why would they act like they're
    intentionally luring Academy City in?
[16:28] ---
    Hmm? Isn't it obvious? To invite you
    and your all-important right arm along.
[16:35] ---
    I can't have you getting caught
    in the attack and losing your right arm.
[16:40] ---
    I intentionally left a gap open
    to recover you nice and quickly.
[16:49] ---
    I always thought he got out
    of there all too readily before,
[16:52] ---
    and it turns out he was
    just letting me get away?
[16:57] ---
    Those crybaby spies sure weren't
    much of a challenge, huh?
[17:02] ---
    That was no fun!
[17:04] ---
    Deceptive practices
    are still the same as always.
[17:08] ---
    Deprive them of any chance
    they have to make sound judgments.
[17:13] ---
    What do you think of what
    that weepy bastard had to say?
[17:16] ---
    Everything about it sounded contrived.
[17:18] ---
    The Russian army was always going
    to take advantage of this war
[17:22] ---
    to invade the Elizalina Alliance
    of Independent Nations,
[17:25] ---
    which they were out for anyway.
[17:28] ---
    It's strange that they would send
    spies at all, under the circumstances.
[17:31] ---
    The circumstances were exactly
    why there was a mission.
[17:35] ---
    They had to deliver classified
    documents to designated points
[17:38] ---
    before any full-scale aerial bombing.
[17:42] ---
    Once they got there, they'd meet
    with someone who needed this.
[17:46] ---
    By which I mean someone who
    knew how to decode and use this.
[17:51] ---
    Misaka is getting puffy all over
    at such a self-serving development!
[17:56] ---
    Shut up! The designated point
[17:59] ---
    was the Russian army's frontline base,
    near the border, right?
[18:03] ---
    I'm going to go raid it.
    You can do whatever you want.
[18:08] ---
    What are you doing with Last Order?
[18:10] ---
    What would happen
    if I left you in charge of her?
[18:13] ---
    Probably stuff you couldn't bear
    to see, to ward off boredom.
[18:18] ---
    There were two remote
    control magical items for her.
[18:22] ---
    Fiamma took the one from the royal family,
[18:24] ---
    but the puritans' item is still here.
[18:26] ---
    Also, it's clear who was in possession of it.
[18:32] ---
    You're trying to use the puritans'
    magical item to keep Fiamma
[18:35] ---
    from misusing the knowledge
    in the 103,000 grimoires
[18:38] ---
    by interrupting his item, aren't you?
[18:42] ---
    Deliberately messing around with her body.
[18:46] ---
    Supposing your delusion is actually true,
[18:50] ---
    I am the head of this organization.
[18:54] ---
    How far do you think you could deal
    with this on your own?
[18:59] ---
    If that were the case,
[19:01] ---
    then at minimum,
    I would destroy the leader, right here.
[19:04] ---
    I see, I see. That's something else.
[19:09] ---
    But will circumstances stand by
    and wait for that to happen?
[19:12] ---
    What?
[19:17] ---
    Caution... Chapter 4...
    Connection by remote user confirmed...
[19:26] ---
    Automatic purge of
    risk factors now commencing...
[19:38] ---
    Don't hold back.
[19:40] ---
    If you've secured Sasha Kruezhev,
    then commit, already!
[19:44] ---
    I have finished readying the attack.
[19:46] ---
    You will not be able to
    observe the military situation.
[19:50] ---
    Academy City's trademark control
    will no longer work.
[19:54] ---
    This will become a true war.
[19:56] ---
    Whatever the case, as long as
    I achieve my goal, it will not be a problem.
[20:02] ---
    Patriarch of the Russian Church.
    You'd go to these lengths to become that?
[20:07] ---
    Never mind about me, where are you right now?
    Not on that base, I'm sure.
[20:12] ---
    Your signal has disappeared
    from those coordinates.
[20:17] ---
    You will find out very soon.
[20:19] ---
    Like it or not.
[20:33] ---
    What is this?!
[20:37] ---
    What?!
[20:45] ---
    What I was getting ready was not
    some giant magical item or facility;
[20:49] ---
    it was the space to scoop this up.
[21:12] ---
    Y-You do realize...
[21:14] ---
    just how much of a risk
    you're taking by doing this, right?
[21:17] ---
    The question of how risky
    it is doesn't matter.
[21:21] ---
    Between those who are doing their
    best to kill a run-of-the-mill high-schooler
[21:25] ---
    and those who are doing their best
    to save a run-of-the-mill high-schooler,
[21:29] ---
    which side would you want to take?
[21:31] ---
    Which side would you feel proud to take?
[21:36] ---
    Ugh, this just isn't my style.
[21:43] ---
    What is that?!
[21:53] ---
    No way. Why is he...?
[22:00] ---
    Are you kidding me?!
[22:06] ---
    The pilot is safe.
[22:35] ---
    Well now...
[22:37] ---
    ...how am I going to get up into the clouds?
[22:44] ---
    Are you...?
[22:46] ---
    "Misaka's serial number is 10777,"
[22:50] ---
    says Misaka, kindly answering Big Sister,
    who doesn't know what to say.
[22:57] ---
    I'm guessing you're with one of
    Academy City's Russian co-op outfits?
[23:01] ---
    "Since the withdrawal there is complete,
[23:04] ---
    the choice was made
    to spend some private time,"
[23:07] ---
    says Misaka, reporting her leisure-time mood
    while holding a dangerous rifle.
[23:13] ---
    Private...?
[23:15] ---
    "Big Sister, are you not on private time?"
[23:17] ---
    asks Misaka, seeking confirmation.
[23:21] ---
    Well, I'm not here on business...
[23:25] ---
    "Preview"
[23:26] ---
    Wings of ice spread across the night sky.
    A giant aerial fortress.
[23:29] ---
    Divine punishment meted out.
    What tidings do the angels and stars bid?
[23:34] ---
    Next time, "Gabriel."
[23:36] ---
    When science and magic cross paths,
    the story begins.
[23:41] ---
    
[23:43] ---