As dusk approached and the sky began to darken overhead, Touma Kamijou, reclining in his bed stared out of his open hospital window, the blue curtains on either side flapping gently in the intruding breeze. One thought was on his mind.

He looked down at his bandaged right arm and squeezed his hand into a tight fist, feeling his knuckles pop slightly from the force. "There's no way it can be over so easily," the black haired youth murmured to himself, his dark blue eyes hard.

Despite what Misaka 10032 had told him earlier, there was no way the experiment could be over so easily.

Easily.

The thought almost made him scoff. There was no doubt about it, Accelerator was a complete monster in a fight. His powers were insane and the only reason Touma won was because of his arm. The Imagine Breaker, It and a lot of luck. There was nothing easy about that fight, every single second was a struggle to survive.

If Accelerator wasn't so physically weak, there would have been no way Touma could have won. No way, no how. And if he lost, Misaka and all the rest of her sisters would surely have been killed.

It was an arrogant thought, but he truly was the only one he could think of that could even have a chance of defeating Accelerator. His power made him completely untouchable, except for against Touma himself who rendered that power null and void with his Imagine Breaker.

And even then, it was only through luck and help from Misaka and her sisters that he managed it.

"Tch, is this unlucky Kamijou really willing to call that fight his win?" he wondered in annoyance. It galled him, that at best the fight could be called a draw, and even then it leaned more towards Accelerator, since Touma received more wounds and ended up getting help as well.

He wasn't strong enough. And that was the problem. Those running the experiment might have willingly called it off after Accelerator seemingly lost to him, but would Accelerator be fine with that? That guy could just as easily hunt the clones down himself and slaughter them, or go after Misaka herself. Or even him, and it was unlikely he would win a second battle with the albino number 1 esper.

He wasn't afraid of the master of vectors. But if any three of those scenarios played out, it would inevitably lead to him confronting Accelerator once again, and more than likely dying in the attempt to defeat him a second time. And if he died, then what would happen to Index?

There was no other way about it. "I have to get stronger," Touma whispered, his eyes straying from the window to his right arm. Idly his thoughts turned back to his encounter with Aureolus Izzard.

That dragon, what was it? Why did it appear? There was no way Stiyl was right and Aureolus made it appear in his terror of him. For one, why would he imagine a dragon just because he was terrified of Touma?

Then there was that feeling that came over him. He hadn't let on to the red haired priest, but even through the pain of having his arm cut off, he'd felt a euphoria through his body, a feeling of indomitable strength. The thought that Aureolus could control the world to his imagination had actually amused him for a moment, as if the very world itself was nothing he couldn't trample over.

On top of that, the dragon head had moved according to his will. Questions without answers, his right arm was so mysterious. All he knew, was that it wasn't an esper ability. So perhaps, was the dragon inside of him then? Like the Grimoire's within Index? They were sentient or something like that right? He remembered Index mentioning something like that to him. Was it what gave his arm the power to break through any supernatural phenomena?

Touma stared at his arm for a few more moments before sighing and sliding down further into his bed and releasing a sigh of comfort when he felt his back sink further into the soft mattress. "At the very least I'm not sleeping in a bathtub," he chuckled.

His door slid open a moment later and a familiar frog faced doctor let himself in, closing the door behind him. "Well Kamijou-chan you don't do things by have now do you?" Heaven Canceller sighed shaking his head, walking over to him with a clipboard in hand.

Touma scratched his neck sheepishly, "Ah it couldn't be helped," he admitted sheepishly, "Sorry for the bother." he bowed his head slightly towards the genial doctor before meeting his eyes.

The old man sighed again, "Honestly, I don't think I've ever had a patient quite like you," the doctor said, "You lost your memories only two weeks ago, came in a week ago having your entire arm cut off and now you're in once again after picking a fight with Accelerator. And that's not even taking into account all the times you ended up here over the years before you lost your memories."

Touma winced slightly. It really had only been two weeks huh? What kind of life had he been living prior to losing his memories? Was this kind of thing normal for him?

Heaven Canceller hummed, holding up the chart and looking it over, "As always though, it seems you're stay with us here will be much shorter than anticipated," the doctor told him, "As per usual, you're healing at an astounding rate."

That was the third time he'd heard something along those lines in two weeks. Really, what was he up to before he lost his memories? Well, whatever it wasn't important right now.

The black haired boy sighed, turning his attention to the ceiling, "Any idea how I can get stronger doc?" he asked, "If things continue on like this, I'm gonna end up dead." Asking a doctor for advice getting stronger was a long shot. But most of his success playing off not having amnesia and remembering everything prior to two weeks ago was mostly thanks to the general information and advice Heaven Canceller had given him, heck he hadn't even known what Imagine Breaker could do before the old man had told him.

"Already planning on getting into more fights are you?" Heaven Canceller shook his head, "As much as it pains me to admit it, there isn't much advice I can give you beyond the general line of train your body and perhaps learn a martial art." And it did pain him, Touma knew that much even with his limited memories. Heaven Canceller went above and beyond, always striving to save his patients lives with all that he was.

Left unsaid was what the old man had already told him two weeks ago after he lost his memories. He hadn't told the old doctor much about his Imagine Breaker beyond the bare basics of what he knew now prior to losing his memories, so he was no help in training his ability.

"It was worth a tr-" Touma began to lament, but was cut off.

"But...well." Heaven Canceller trailed off for a moment, pursing his lips tightly, "There is one possible avenue I can help you with to get stronger quickly."

"Really?" Touma blurted, eyes wide.

The old doctor sighed, "It's a process that requires your body to be augmented with an item known as Hard Taping," Heaven Canceller said, briskly continuing just as Touma opened his mouth to interject, "Quite frankly it's rather dangerous, the material is used to increase the joint power primarily in power suits, but can also be implanted within the human body. The problem is, it puts a great deal of strain on the body and only those in the best physical shape can even hope to handle it. The only reason I'm bringing this up to you at all is because you'll need it if things continue as they have for you and the fact that you're body is far more durable than it has any right to be."

Touma only gave it a second thought. But really, what other answer could he give? "I want it," the black haired boy declared, staring the older man in the eyes. At the end of the day, Kamijou Touma was not one to hesitate when a path opened for him to save people.

Heaven Canceller stared back at him seriously, "I'll warn you now Kamijou-chan, the implantation will be agonizing," he warned, "I have to connect the Hard Taping to the nerves in your joints and I cannot sedate you throughout the process."

Annoying, but he was an unfortunate guy after all so no shock there. No matter the pain he had to take, it would be worth it if it let him somewhat level the playing field between him and Accelerator even if only slightly. Until Touma was sure, the white haired teen was a danger to Misaka and her sister's lives and he wouldn't sit around waiting for him to make the first move.

"It's fine," Touma replied resolutely, "If I couldn't protect my friends just because of a little pain, then I don't deserve to call myself a man."

Heaven Canceller once again, merely sighed.

Been planning on this story for a while. This prologue is something I've finished lately as I've been working on stuff and commissions. I'm actually 6k words or so into the next chapter of Power Quaking. Not in a Hero Academia mood though. Actually, I'm not in any mood at the moment. Just a depressing amount of dealing with my sister crushing all my drive and enthusiasm.

Anyway, hope you enjoy. Later.