Chapter Summaries

Jiang Rui recalled why Aleister hated prophets and learned that Aleister wanted him to look after Floran, an immortal insect-like being imprisoned in the Windowless Building. Jiang Rui refused, while Aleister warned that Floran had become interested in him and might eventually escape to seek him out.

• Jiang Rui used Great Sage to recover Aleister’s history and learned that a prophecy by his teacher had preceded his daughter’s death, turning him against magic and prophets.
• Aleister accused Jiang Rui of coordinating the R'lyeh members across different factions, and Jiang Rui denied the accusation while telling Aleister to kill the other former members if he got the chance.
• Aleister asked Jiang Rui to look after Floran, but Jiang Rui refused because her drive to gather information could make her devour people’s brains.
• Aleister explained that Floran could remain inert in complete isolation but had recently become interested in Jiang Rui and might escape the Windowless Building to find him.
• Jiang Rui warned Aleister to keep Floran under close watch and considered seeking help from other magicians, while Aleister noted that nobody had managed to kill her.

Jiang Rui left Russia with the Newborn Light group and asked them to help him locate Reviunya Baadobwi in England. Back in Academy City, he considered how to deal with Floran and decided that killing an existence protected from death could be worth the effort.

• Jiang Rui warned Aleister that he would keep helping him because he wanted to see how Aleister died, then left Russia with Kinuhata Saiai and the others.
• Jiang Rui woke Ruiko Saten and Nine Tails and went with them to catch up with Leisha's group, whose car had run low on fuel.
• Jiang Rui explained that Leisha's group had used far more fuel because Prolis's spell increased engine wear, then said he was going to England and asked them to find Reviunya Baadobwi.
• Belov agreed to report Jiang Rui's plans to England's higher-ups, and Jiang Rui teleported the car and Kinuhata Saiai's group away in a black vortex.
• In Academy City, Jiang Rui ignored a call from Shirai Kuroko and thought about Floran's threat to the people around him.
• Jiang Rui considered asking Gremlin for Cinderella's help with Floran, but decided that killing Floran could be valuable because it might break the world's rules.

Jiang Rui and the others traveled to England by helicopter, where their discussion of magical schools and the nature of magic gave the esper girls a glimpse into the magical world. He encouraged them to learn enough to defend themselves someday, and Leisha recognized his Steel Severing Sword.

• Nine Tails and Jiang Rui brought the group to a hidden evacuation point, where Prolis and the others revealed an underground platform and a helicopter.
• Jiang Rui discussed the Rosicrucian School, the Golden school, Newborn Light, and the different magical traditions with Leisha and the others.
• The group boarded the expanded helicopter and flew toward England, while Saten Ruiko excitedly watched the scenery and Nine Tails fell asleep on Jiang Rui's shoulder.
• Leisha joked that they were time traveling, prompting a discussion about how magic could create effects that seemed impossible and why the espers should not underestimate it.
• Jiang Rui urged Frenda and the others to learn about magic so they could protect themselves in the future, and Leisha recognized his Steel Severing Sword.

Shirai Kuroko tried to discover why Misaka Mikoto had been acting strangely, while Jiang Rui returned from his mission and discussed Kihara Tsumiki’s allegiance. The chapter left Kihara Tsumiki quietly helping Jiang Rui by withholding information from Aleister, as his team realized she might be changing sides.

• Shirai Kuroko worried when she could not reach Jiang Rui, then saw Misaka Mikoto return and suspected she was hiding something.
• Shirai Kuroko learned from Kazari Uiharu that Ruiko Saten had gone to Russia on a mission with Rimuru, then spotted Misaka Mikoto on the street.
• Jiang Rui returned home and again invited Kihara Tsumiki to join him, but she postponed her answer and said she had not informed the Chairman about his whereabouts.
• Kihara Tsumiki revealed that the tracker was in Kinuhata Saiai’s phone, and Jiang Rui destroyed the phone after finding it.
• Jiang Rui explained that Kihara Tsumiki had chosen Kinuhata Saiai’s phone because Frenda’s contained important contacts, then told the two women to pretend nothing had happened.

Jiang Rui arrived in England with Nine Tails and his companions, where the Knights Faction received them and offered help with Bardway. As they set out toward the Second Princess, Her Highness the Spider Queen stopped their car and insisted they visit her first.

• Shirai Kuroko secretly followed Misaka Mikoto after watching her assemble a high-tech energy rifle.
• Jiang Rui's group reached London by helicopter, and Belov explained that the British Museum was guarded by the Knights Faction.
• Jiang Rui questioned Belov about Edinburgh's political position and considered pursuing Curtana to gain attribute points.
• Leisha left to report their arrival, while Jiang Rui told the Knights Faction's delegation he wanted to explore England before meeting Ghost Blade.
• The knight captain said Ghost Blade and the Second Princess could help Jiang Rui with Bardway, and the group followed the knights toward a car.
• Her Highness the Spider Queen stopped the car and told Jiang Rui to visit the princess before meeting the Queen.

Shirai Kuroko mistook two Misaka Sisters for Misaka Mikoto and pursued the one carrying a gun, while Second Princess Kerrisa discussed England’s factions and warned the Captain not to interfere with Ghost Blade or Spider Queen. Jiang Rui traveled to Buckingham Palace with Ghost Blade, Nine Tails, and Spider Queen, learning how Spider Queen had joined the Royalist Faction.

• Shirai Kuroko overheard Misaka 9865 and Misaka 9866 argue about an experiment and Lord Rimuru, then chased the gun-carrying Misaka Sister.
• Kerrisa told the Captain that First Princess likely distrusted Spider Queen and ordered him not to interfere with Spider Queen or Ghost Blade, whose rivalry benefited England.
• Kerrisa and the Captain agreed that she was suited to be a general rather than Queen, while Kerrisa secretly planned to sacrifice herself to save England.
• Jiang Rui squeezed into a car with Ghost Blade, Nine Tails, and Spider Queen as they traveled toward Buckingham Palace.
• Spider Queen explained that she had joined the First Princess after Ghost Blade tried to make her his subordinate, and Nine Tails struck Ghost Blade when he complained about women.

Jiang Rui arrived at Buckingham Palace seeking Bardway’s help in preparing for Floran’s possible escape, but declined a meeting with the First Princess and headed toward the Second Princess instead. Meanwhile, Shirai Kuroko followed a Misaka Sister to an abandoned research site, where she spotted Accelerator just as a girl fired a sniper rifle at him.

• Jiang Rui told Ghost Blade and Kitagawa that Floran might emerge from the Windowless Building and that he wanted Bardway’s theoretical spell as a backup plan.
• Jiang Rui chose to meet the Second Princess and told Kitagawa to let Limeia approach him later if she had something to discuss.
• Jiang Rui scanned Buckingham Palace with his senses while Frenda questioned Saten Ruiko and Kinuhata Saiai about R'lyeh and its members.
• Shirai Kuroko tracked a Misaka Sister to an abandoned research site, lost sight of her, and searched the area from a raised platform.
• Shirai Kuroko spotted Accelerator eating on a platform and saw a brown-haired girl fire a sniper rifle at him.

Shirai Kuroko intervened in Accelerator’s experiment to save a Misaka Sister, but Accelerator attacked her and pursued them after she teleported the injured girl away. The chapter left Kuroko pinned and badly hurt, unable to concentrate enough to teleport herself or escape.

• Shirai Kuroko teleported behind Accelerator to stop a bullet, but Accelerator reflected it into the chest of a Misaka Sister who looked like Misaka Mikoto.
• Shirai Kuroko treated the wounded Misaka Sister and identified herself as a Judgment officer, then teleported steel needles into Accelerator’s arm and carried the girl away.
• Accelerator chased Shirai Kuroko through the abandoned laboratory, while she used repeated teleports to put distance between them.
• Accelerator caught up and struck Shirai Kuroko, leaving her injured and unable to focus on teleportation.
• Accelerator pinned Shirai Kuroko against a wall and mocked her as she struggled to reach her steel needles.

Accelerator cornered Shirai Kuroko and Misaka 9866, who sacrificed herself to help Kuroko escape before a massive explosion drew Aleister’s attention. Meanwhile, Jiang Rui rejected Kerrisa’s proposed scheme to win Bardway’s favor and insisted they would force Bardway to cooperate if necessary.

• Accelerator revealed that Misaka 9866 had tracked Shirai Kuroko and threatened to kill Kuroko if she would not leave.
• Misaka 9866 stepped between Accelerator and Kuroko, and Kuroko tried to attack him with steel needles, but Accelerator reflected her teleportation.
• Misaka 9866 detonated the energy in Accelerator’s Ion Storm, causing an explosion that shook the Seventh District as Aleister and Aiwass watched.
• Kerrisa offered Jiang Rui and Ghost Blade help with Bardway, then suggested they could use their connection to the royal family to influence her.
• Jiang Rui rejected Kerrisa’s indirect approach and said they would beat Bardway until she agreed to help.

Jiang Rui left Kerrisa after learning where to find Bardway, while Kerrisa hoped his plans would buy England time to pursue independence. Back in Academy City, Aleister showed Jiang Rui a live feed of Shirai Kuroko trapped with two wounded Misaka Sisters in Accelerator’s Ion Storm, and Jiang Rui rushed to the scene with Kihara Tsumiki.

• Kerrisa offered Jiang Rui support in Academy City and revealed Bardway’s location, while Jiang Rui questioned how much influence she could actually provide.
• Kerrisa hoped Jiang Rui’s actions would destabilize Academy City long enough for England to gain independence from its dependence on the scientific city.
• At home, Jiang Rui watched Himegami Aisa sweep until Aleister projected a live feed of Shirai Kuroko’s fight with Accelerator.
• Jiang Rui ordered Aleister to give him the incident’s coordinates, then took Kihara Tsumiki with him to the Seventh District.
• Shirai Kuroko sheltered two badly injured Misaka Sisters from the Ion Storm, but Accelerator found them and threatened to kill them if she tried to escape.

Jiang Rui arrived during Accelerator’s attack on Shirai Kuroko and the Misaka Sisters, rescued the injured, and confronted Accelerator while Kuroko learned he had participated in the experiment. The chapter left Accelerator asking what Jiang Rui meant when he said his main body was not there.

• Jiang Rui pulled Kihara Tsumiki onto a floating slab of ice and checked the condition of Kuroko and the Misaka Sisters.
• Jiang Rui trapped Accelerator with a sword formation, froze Kuroko’s wounds, and sealed two injured clones in ice coffins.
• Shirai Kuroko asked Jiang Rui to save the clones, then admitted she had risked herself for her beloved sister.
• Accelerator accused Jiang Rui of overseeing the experiment, and Jiang Rui told Kuroko that Misaka Mikoto knew he had participated.
• Jiang Rui offered to take Kuroko and the clones away and promised to invite Accelerator to a celebration party after his mission.
• Accelerator asked Jiang Rui what he meant by saying his main body was elsewhere.

Jiang Rui revealed his Spirit Gear avatar to stop Accelerator and then confronted Shirai Kuroko about her reckless attempt to help Misaka Mikoto. At Heaven Canceler’s office, he learned that two Sisters had little time left to live, while Kuroko demanded to see him and threatened to accuse him of taking advantage of her.

• Jiang Rui transformed into his blue dumpling avatar, explained Spirit Gears to Accelerator, and persuaded him to let Shirai Kuroko and the others go in exchange for a magic book.
• Jiang Rui healed Shirai Kuroko and explained that Misaka Mikoto’s life had been endangered by the clone experiment, but Kuroko still insisted on helping her.
• Jiang Rui took Shirai Kuroko to Heaven Canceler’s office and told her to reflect there for two days while he discussed the injured Sisters.
• Heaven Canceler said the two Sisters had been saved but had only a few days left to live, and Jiang Rui asked about using magic to restore their vitality.
• Heaven Canceler told Jiang Rui that Kuroko wanted to see him and threatened to tell Misaka Mikoto that he had taken advantage of her, prompting Jiang Rui to react angrily.

Jiang Rui told Shirai Kuroko that magic was not a suitable path for her and suggested she develop an instinctive teleportation defense instead. He then examined Heaven Canceler’s analysis of the Vampire Slayer’s blood and suspected Himegami Aisa was a vampire Gemstone with an unusually pure bloodline.

• Shirai Kuroko asked Jiang Rui to teach her magic, but he explained that her esper ability would cause backlash and urged her to develop her existing Teleportation instead.
• Jiang Rui suggested that Shirai Kuroko train herself to teleport attacks away automatically when they touched her skin, and told her to seek advice from Kinuhata Saiai about autonomous abilities.
• Jiang Rui left Shirai Kuroko, who squealed and curled into the bed after he revealed that Misaka Mikoto had slept there the previous day.
• Heaven Canceler gave Jiang Rui the Vampire Slayer’s blood analysis, and Jiang Rui used Great Sage to interpret the report.
• Jiang Rui concluded that the blood’s unusual properties suggested Himegami Aisa was essentially a vampire Gemstone with exceptionally high bloodline purity.

Jiang Rui encountered Shokuhou Misaki but ignored her attempt to control him and left her frustrated. As Shokuhou turned her attention to investigating Tory, Yinyin Qingcao explained to Fiery Sky that Rimuru’s protection gave their group a recognized place in Academy City’s power structure.

• Jiang Rui decided to store Himegami Aisa’s blood for later and thanked Heaven Canceler for the test report.
• Shokuhou Misaki learned that the Absolute Power Project had moved to the fourth-ranked Level 5 and became suspicious about Tory’s connection to it.
• Shokuhou Misaki altered a researcher’s memories to end her experiment early, then tried to use her remote on Jiang Rui when she spotted him outside.
• Jiang Rui resisted Shokuhou Misaki’s ability, hurried away, and refused to pursue her for points, while she failed to catch him and decided to investigate Tory.
• Yinyin Qingcao told Fiery Sky that other factions treated Academy City as Rimuru’s territory and that accepting his protection meant following its rules.

Jiang Rui recruited Yinyin Qingcao to organize Academy City's supernatural factions and tasked her with punishing a director who had ordered an assassination. He then discovered that Shirai Kuroko had vanished from the hospital and set off for Tokiwadai to confront her.

• Aleister told Jiang Rui that a director had been assassinated by a supernatural being from R'lyeh and asked him to restrain the city's magicians.
• Jiang Rui visited Yinyin Qingcao at home and learned she wanted to remain in Academy City to hunt a Saint.
• Jiang Rui offered Yinyin Qingcao authority over an Anbu armed group in exchange for serving as his subordinate in this world and keeping him informed when she used his name.
• Jiang Rui ordered Yinyin Qingcao to investigate and kill the director behind the assassination, frame Abasti, and circulate evidence to prevent panic among the other directors.
• Jiang Rui returned to the hospital, found Shirai Kuroko missing, and learned from Heaven Canceler that the two sisters were fine.
• Jiang Rui headed to Tokiwadai, vowing to make Shirai Kuroko pay.

Jiang Rui visited Misaka Mikoto to check on Shirai Kuroko, then returned to Academy City as Shokuhou Misaki began investigating him. As Aleister accelerated his plans and ordered Kihara Tsumiki to reveal Kuroko’s dangerous encounter to Mikoto, Kihara Tsumiki struggled with her divided loyalties and confronted Jiang Rui about the approaching conflict.

• Jiang Rui’s group searched Ireland Island for Bardway while Leisha and the others headed back toward Scotland, and Saten Ruiko practiced magic during the drive.
• Jiang Rui went to Tokiwadai to find Shirai Kuroko, but Misaka Mikoto said Kuroko had left for an ability testing facility; Jiang Rui covered for Kuroko by claiming he had come because of a Judgment incident.
• Shokuhou Misaki reviewed her reports and decided that the Fourth-ranked Level 5 could be a useful lead, while Yinyin Qingcao and Fiery Sky discussed how Misaki’s investigation might help them.
• Kihara Tsumiki told Jiang Rui that she had changed his order and informed Aleister, while Jiang Rui admitted he wanted to frustrate Aleister, Shokuhou Misaki, and his new subordinate.
• Aleister and Aiwass discussed accelerating the Artificial Heaven plan despite the Imaginary Number District needing another half month to be completed.
• Kihara Tsumiki revealed that Aleister had ordered her to tell Misaka Mikoto about Shirai Kuroko’s dangerous encounter, then grabbed and teased Jiang Rui after he complained about Aleister.

Jiang Rui encountered Levinia Bardway on a Northern Ireland beach, where her attack sparked a clash with Nine Tails. Bardway initially contained Nine Tails’ assault with her World Tree ritual, but Nine Tails escalated by unleashing stellar power, leaving the outcome uncertain as darkness swallowed the scene.

• Jiang Rui wondered about the declining number of Transcendents and Fa Hai’s low ranking before Levinia Bardway confronted him on the beach.
• Bardway kicked Jiang Rui, tested his resistance, and prepared to attack with her Tarot Card Ritual.
• Nine Tails launched a lethal black-vortex attack, but Bardway blocked and began assimilating it with her World Tree ritual.
• Nine Tails darkened the sky and briefly affected Earth’s rotation, alarming Bardway, Frenda, and Kinuhata Saiai.
• Bardway reinforced the World Tree with seven Major Arcana as Nine Tails gathered stellar power and prepared a Starburst.
• Jiang Rui warned Nine Tails to raise a barrier if necessary, and a wave of darkness swallowed the scene.

Jiang Rui and Nine Tails’s clash with Bardway devastated part of Ireland Island, but Bardway revealed that Dawn Light wanted to observe him as a potential route to controlling the world’s core. Back in Tokyo, Jiang Rui left Aleister’s accelerated plan to Kihara Tsumiki, who agreed to approach Misaka Mikoto the next day before teleporting Jiang Rui to a garbage disposal center.

• Nine Tails’s attack erased about one-twentieth of Ireland Island, and Bardway accused Jiang Rui of nearly destroying it.
• Bardway explained that Dawn Light had come to observe Jiang Rui as a leader and a possible path to controlling the world’s core.
• Jiang Rui learned that Aleister had moved his plan ahead of schedule and asked Kihara Tsumiki to handle the matter while Nine Tails was away.
• Kihara Tsumiki decided to visit Misaka Mikoto the next day, saying Mikoto joining Jiang Rui’s faction could make her own future easier.
• Jiang Rui asked Kihara Tsumiki to postpone the visit so he could sleep, and she teleported him to the villa district’s garbage disposal center.

Jiang Rui negotiated with Bardway over Black Dwarf and Floran, demonstrating his technological weapons and giving Kinuhata Saiai a powerful pistol. Bardway agreed to help deal with Floran and considered staying in Academy City, while Jiang Rui’s mention of danger to her sister made her suspect England’s magicians were plotting against Patricia.

• Jiang Rui offered to help safeguard Black Dwarf if Bardway helped him deal with Floran, but Bardway distrusted him and questioned his interest in the technology.
• Jiang Rui summoned a high-tech pistol, fired it at the sea, and gave it to Kinuhata Saiai with an earpiece and instructions.
• Jiang Rui hinted that Patricia might be in danger, prompting Bardway to suspect English magicians and promise to watch for a threat.
• Jiang Rui offered to guarantee Patricia’s safety in Academy City and keep Aleister from disturbing Bardway, and Bardway said she would consider staying there.
• Bardway agreed to help Jiang Rui deal with Floran, while she reserved judgment on the Academy City arrangement.

Jiang Rui used Nine Tails’ warehouse to choose gifts for his team, giving Frenda a bomb blueprint and Saten Ruiko a powerful magic-and-technology weapon. Bardway recognized the Hextech Gun as a rare, mass-producible Spirit Gear, while Jiang Rui was left hoping Ruiko would grow into the costly gift.

• Frenda asked Jiang Rui for a reward, and Nine Tails gave him access to her warehouse through an intelligent wristband while warning him that gifts would add to his debt.
• Jiang Rui gave Frenda a blueprint for an Anti-Magic Information Pulse Bomb that could disable electronics and magic arrays, and she eagerly went off to study it.
• Jiang Rui gave Saten Ruiko a Hextech Gun that could gather magic power, shift between a blade and firearm, and help restore her body by draining an enemy’s magic.
• Bardway examined the Hextech Gun, recognized it as a Spirit Gear that synchronized with and boosted its user’s magic power, and praised Jiang Rui as Ruiko’s teacher.