To Aru Majutsu no Index part 2

Chapter 4: The Paper-Thin Difference Between Self-Derision and Pride.

1

In the end, he let a river wash the ashes away.

Hamazura Shiage just couldn't throw them away in the automated kitchen waste device. He knew he had only satisfied himself in doing so and that it was polluting the environment, but he still resisted the idea of throwing what used to be a human in with the kitchen waste.

(...I'm terrible.)

He had parted with Takitsubo and was now thinking to himself while absentmindedly walking along a path on the riverside.

(I wasn't feeling for the person in the bag, I was just afraid that I could be next. I only did it because I didn't want to be disposed of that way when I died.)

"Damn it..."

He withstood the urge to ask himself if he really had to go back to Item and started back in their direction.

That was when someone called out to him.

Hamazura ignored the person and started to continue on, but the person grabbed his shoulder from behind.

Before he could turn around, a blow hit him.

He received damage to the back of his head and fell to the dirty ground.

He heard a laugh and looked over. He saw three boys he had never seen before. One of them was holding a golf club. He had been the one who had hit Hamazura.

(...!? Thieves?)

Eighty percent of Academy City's population was made up of students. At certain times, the student dorms were almost completely empty. There were some armed groups of delinquents who worked as thieves and used those times to their advantage.

"I was right. I've seen this guy before. He's from the District 7 Skill-Outs, right?"

"Weren't they destroyed?"

"Who cares? We're gonna kick his ass here."

With that they all laughed. Hamazura had kicks fly at him from all directions before he could say anything. They all did nothing but laugh.

"You know what, Skill-Out? Until just a bit ago, we had a hard time living from day to day."

"Your leader...Komaba, was it? He was a huge pain in the ass. He made it so we couldn't do our job very well."

"To make up for that, we're gonna fuck your face up so much they'll only be able to identify you as 'Boy A'. Understand?"

Hamazura wanted to say that that wasn't his fault, but a kick hit him the side. He had trouble breathing and couldn't speak.

(Damn...it...)

The unknown face within the sleeping bag came to his mind. He couldn't get the scene of the guy being burnt in the electric furnace and the ash being swept away in the river out of his mind. The fact that he too could be utterly eliminated that way and the triviality of a Level 0's life filled his head.

Then a metal pipe about the thickness of a thumb that was used for propane gas rolled along the dirty ground.

Hamazura Shiage did not hesitate.

"!!"

He grabbed the L-shaped pipe and swung it forcefully to the side.

It hit the piece of shit with the golf club in the ankle and Hamazura felt the guys' bone crack. The idiot fell to the ground screaming and Hamazura stood up covered in blood as if to replace him. He swung the pipe down again getting another blow in.

The other two delinquents yelled something, but Hamazura ignored them.

He swung the pipe down yet again on the collapsed guy and pleasant screams entered his ears.