A Certain Magical Index Volume 16

AFTERWORD

To those who have been following the series one novel at a time: Welcome back.
To those who have pulled off the incredible feat of reading seventeen volumes at once:
Welcome.
I’m Kamachi Kazuma.
This afterword section will reach its twentieth anniversary soon. I should be used to it by
now, but it feels very much as inept and awkward as the main story sometimes.
The theme of this volume was “chosen ones.” The occult keyword was “Saint”. Acqua’s
spell is made up of things like the Adoration of Mary, but the basic foundation here was
the clash between Saints.
The Saint Destroyer used by Itsuwa (or rather, all of the Amakusa), as you might realize
by reading back over Volume 9, is a monumental task. I’d like you to consider the power
balance of the Amakusa on the magic side ruined now that they’ve revealed a major trick
up their sleeves. When the Saint Kanzaki suddenly returns to drastically change things as
the priestess and Tatemiya acting as the strategist, they were able to win this battle.
A few pieces of information relating to the core of the series itself showed up here and
there in this book. You might find it interesting to try going over all the information you’ve
been given so far. What information was revealed at what points, and when was that
information subverted? If you investigate, you might be able to catch a glimpse of what
might happen in the series from here on out.
I’d like to thank my editor, Miki-san, and my illustrator, Haimura-san. The book was filled
with a lot of surprisingly onerous battle sequences, which I’m sorry about. Thank you for
sticking with me.
And thanks to all my readers as well. The hidden parts of this series are somehow the only
parts that are in a huge jumble, which I apologize for, but thank you very much for
following along thus far.
It is time to close the pages for now while praying that the pages of the next book will be
opened.

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And I lay my pen down for now.
Seems like even Itsuwa is becoming a not-so-normal girl now.
-Kamachi Kazuma

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