Chapter 01 01 Right Text: A spinoff to celebrate 10 years of A Certain Scientific Railgun Left Text: The Astral Buddy Arc begins!! Title: Chapter 01 02 Misaki: Why aren't I the lead!? Misaki: Talk about terrible planning ability!! Bottom: *The Astral Buddy Arc is a spinoff starring Tokiwadai students and taking place in Tokiwadai Middle School. Shokuhou-san will appear too, so don't worry. 03 Kuroko: Honestly... Kuroko: I can't believe you would escape into a dead end. Guy: Kh... Kuroko: I am with Judgment. Kuroko: Set down what you stole and place yourself in custody. SFX: Pose Guy: Shut up! Guy: You're the one with nowhere to run!! SFX: Dash 04-05 SFX: Whoosh SFX: Pop Guy: Oh? Guy: Eh...? Guy: Upside down? SFX: Thud Guy: Gweh 06 Kuroko: Further resistance will only bring more pain. Kuroko: So give up already. Judgment Girl: Ahh!! Kuroko-san! Kuroko: Oh, excellent timing. 07 Kuroko: I was just about to write up a crime scene report. Kuroko: Help me out. JG: I will NOT help you out!! JG: It's well past the promised time!! Text: Uniiiiii Kuroko: I-I haffened ahross a roffer. JG: If I help, I'll be punished along with you, so no thank you! JG: Policing outside of Tokiwadai is outside our jurisdiction. Kuroko: You're no help. JG: Honestly! JG: I'm supposed to be in charge of training, so stop breaking the rules! Kuroko: Gh. Kuroko: You have a point... 08 JG: Oh, but maybe being a bit of a loose cannon would be good for you. JG: You're a pervert and you seem to have a lot of stress. JG: You need to blow off some steam somewhere, don't you!? JG(small): Sorry for not noticing. Kuroko: Is this the mouth that doesn't know when to shut up? Kuroko(small): Who are you calling a pervert? SFX: Streeeetch JG: Fwa ha ha. Sowwy sowwy. Kuroko: Oops SFX: Step JG: But this isn't the time! JG: Leave the rest to Anti-Skill and hurry back! 09 Kuroko: Teleporting back would be faster. SFX: Whoosh JG: Eh!? JG: Ah, wait! JG: This is embarrassing! SFX: Whoosh pop Kuroko: So is this about the person of interest in that awful case? Kuroko: The one with the word "stupid" written on people's faces or on a note on their back? JG: Yes, the "Stay away from my Onee-sama" case. JG: The problem is that most of the victims are from Shokuhou-san's clique. JG: Shokuhou-san can be surprisingly caring about her friends. Kuroko(small): Uuh... Kuroko: So is the person of interest Shokuhou Misaki? 10 Sign: Judgment Branch SFX: Sparkle Junko: Ah. Junko: Welcome back. SFX: Shut Kuroko: Oh, you... SFX: Smile Junko: I am Hokaze from the 3rd year. Junko: Pleased to meet you. 11 Junko: My apologies for the trouble related to our clique. SFX: Bow Kuroko: No, no, no. Don't apologize! JG: Shokuhou-san wasn't around... JG: so Hokaze-san came instead. Kuroko: Hokaze Junko. Kuroko: I've seen her acting as the #2 in Shokuhou's clique. Kuroko: I've heard she assists that uncontrollable and laissez-faire Shokuhou Misaki... Kuroko: and effectively manages the clique in her stead. Junko: A member of the clique must use beautiful language. Junko: And refer to Shokuhou-sama as the Queen. Text: Bad JG: No, that's too embarrassing. Junko: Oh, honestly... Kuroko: Oh, yeah. You're part of her clique, too. 12-13 Junko: Anyway, there have been some concerning rumors concerning the recent incidents. Kuroko: Rumors? JG: Oh, right. We have to look into that too. JG: The culprit of the serial pranks... JG: is said to be a flying white shadow. JG: In other words, a ghost. Kuroko: ...What? JG: Like I said: a ghost! 14 JG: Hmm. But there are no records of a student dying while enrolled in Tokiwadai. Kuroko: Of course. Ghosts don't exist. JG: It's probably some kind of esper power. JG: It would be weird for a dead person to warn people away from their "Onee-sama". Kuroko: Yes, it would be weird. Junko: Do you mean the message card? Card: Stay away from my Onee-sama! JG: Yes. It's always left at the scene of the crime. Junko: Onee-sama? Junko: Does that mean the Queen? Hmm... JG: It makes me think of Kuroko-san. JG: Maybe the culprit is a pervert, too. Kuroko: Who are you calling a pervert!? JG: Ah ha ha. Sorry, sorry. Junko: You two get along. SFX: Hee hee SFX: Rustle 15 SFX: Slide SFX: Crash SFX: Jump SFX: Jump Junko: Oh, sorry. I dropped some documents. JG: No, I'll pick those up. Junko: Oh? JG: What are you doing, Kuroko-san? Kuroko: N-nothing. Kuroko(small): Just a reflex. 16 JG: Are you afraid of ghosts? Kuroko: Wha-!? Of course not! SFX: Shock Kuroko: Why would an Academy City student, and a Tokiwadai student at that, believe in something so unscientific!? JG: That's surprising. Kuroko: What are you talking about!? Junko: These are the victims, aren't they? They're all friends of mine. Junko: What a coincidence. Both: Eh? Junko: 8 are from our clique. Junko: And the other 3 are my friends. 17 Kuroko: Um, Hokaze-san? Kuroko: Could the "Onee-sama" in question... Kuroko: be you by any chance? Junko: What? 18 JG: Shokuhou-san is always wandering off... JG: so Hokaze might be closer to the clique members. Kuroko: And since the other 3 know her too... Kuroko: it's hard to imagine it's a coincidence. Junko: I get your reasoning... Junko: but me? Someone's Onee-sama? Text: My, my... SFX: Rinnng SFX: Click JG: Hello. Judgment here. JG: Kuroko-san! The rumored ghost has appeared! JG: And someone got hurt this time! Junko: What could it mean? Kuroko: What!? 19 Kuroko: "Something white" suddenly appeared and scared her, so she missed the step... Kuroko: and fortunately only got a light bruise, but that could have been much worse. JG: There was no message card this time... JG: but it had the "floating white thing" in common with the others. Right girl: Someone fell. Left girls: Was it that again? Left girls: Yes, the ghost. Kuroko: Now that someone's hurt, we can't just ignore it as someone playing pranks. Kuroko: We have to catch them and soon. Kuroko: But we lack clues at the moment. Junko: In that case... Junko: I have an idea. 20 Kuroko: I see. If they're after anyone close to you... Kuroko: we just have to show them something they would want to attack. SFX: Stir... Junko: Um...I know I suggested this... Junko: but aren't you sticking a little too close to me? Junko(small): Everyone's watching. SFX: Heartbeat heartbeat Kuroko: It wouldn't work as bait without going this far. Kuroko: We need to work up the culprit's jealousy. Junko: I-I see... Right girl: Hokaze-sama!? Right girl: Kyaaah! Left girls: Kyaaah! Kyaaah! Left girls: No way! Hokaze-san!? Left girls: What about Misaka-san!? Kuroko: I at least want to learn what their power is. 21 Junko: It might really be a ghost, you know? Kuroko: Ridiculous. They don't exist. Junko: No, no. Haven't you heard? Junko: It's been a rumor for a while. Junko: Tokiwadai's ghost stories are trending on the SNS. Junko: Spooky noises in an empty classroom, a moving sculpture in the art room, a landing that gives you a chill and anemia when you stand on it, and a will-o'-the-wisp wandering the rooftop. Junko: There's also the courtyard that makes you sneeze until you have to be hospitalized. Junko: Everyone laughed them off at first, but they've become more credible as the number of rumors rises. Kuroko: What are you talking about? Junko: The 7 Mysteries of Tokiwadai that are being formed as we speak. Junko: Everyone's having a lot of fun with it. Junko: But if this ghost really exists, I want to meet it. Kuroko: Don't be silly. 22 Kuroko: I see. The oddly wide spread of ghost stories... Kuroko: is due to the SNS stories. Junko: And if they have some business with me... Junko: they only need to say so. Kuroko: Eh? Junko: I understand it can be embarrassing. Junko: But if they would work up their courage and come to me... Junko: we could always deepen our friendship. Kuroko: No, I don't think that's good enough... Kuroko: for the culprit. Junko: Why not? Junko: I don't discriminate. Kuroko: Ohhh. 23 Kuroko: She is quite pure for this modern age. Kuroko: She is "friends" with anyone. Kuroko: She hasn't even considered the possibility that this might be love. Junko: If we meet them, I can tell them. Kuroko: I am an adult... Kuroko: Or is this the appropriate viewpoint for our age? Kuroko: I know my feelings are more mature than those of the people around me. Kuroko: It saddens me that I can't share this lovely feeling with others. Kuroko: Onee-sama...❤ Mikoto: It's so hot... Kuroko: A lovely summer memory... SFX: Rustle 24-25 SFX: Burst Junko: Shirai-san! Kuroko: Hweh? SFX: Whoosh SFX: Pop Kuroko: Wahp!? 26 Kuroko: Noooo SFX: Grab Junko: Sh-Shirai-san!? SFX: Tremble tremble Kuroko: Wh-what!? What was thaaat!!? Junko: I've lost sight of it. Card: Stay away from my Onee-sama! SFX: Land 27 Kuroko: Uuuuuh... Kuroko: How could you do this to a maiden's face? SFX: Rub rub Junko: It's all black. Junko(small): Was it ink? Kuroko: Just because I'm Kuroko is no reason to make me black! [TN: Kuroko means "black child".] Kuroko: For a supposed ghost, that was an obviously physical attack. Kuroko: It really was a fake. Kuroko(small): Just as I suspected. Junko: Hmm... It was so fast it's hard to say... Kuroko: I swear I'll catch them. Kuroko: I think it jumped out of there... Kuroko: but I don't see any kind of clue. SFX: Rustle Kuroko: Grr... 28 Kuroko: We know they're fake, but we lost them. Kuroko: This was unfortunately a failure. Text: Grr... Junko: No. SFX: Step Junko: Not all clues... Junko: take physical form. SFX: Inhale SFX: Crackle SFX: Rustle... 29 Junko: Mh! SFX: Twitch SFX: Sniff sniff sniff Junko: This way. Kuroko: Eh? SFX: Step Kuroko: W-wait, what are you doing? Junko: I've found it. SFX: Sniff sniff Kuroko: Found what? SFX: Step step Junko: Their scent. 30 Junko: It's faint, but I've found the same scent as on here. Kuroko: The message card? Kuroko: Now that you mention it, there is some kind of scent...I think? SFX: Sniff sniff Kuroko: Is this really enough to find them? Kuroko: You must have a really sensitive nose. Junko: The trail will vanish if we wait too long. Junko: Let's hurry. 31 Kuroko: It's already evening. Junko: The time of day we call dusk... Junko: is also known as the demon hour. Junko: The borderline between this world and the next blurs and you can more easily encounter OTHERWORLDLY BEINGS. Junko: So it's the perfect time to search for a ghost. SFX: Shudder Kuroko: P-please don't talk about that. Kuroko: And we're searching for a fake ghost. SFX: Float Junko: Eh? Junko: Was that...? 32-33 SFX: Vwoosh Junko: Shirai-sa- Kuroko: I won't... SFX: Whoosh pop Kuroko: fall for that again!! 34 Junko: Teleportation. Kuroko: You're stubborn. SFX: Whoosh Kuroko: Eh? SFX: Whoosh SFX: Grab Kuroko: Mgh!? SFX: Pop 35 Junko: This was the ghost! Junko: See, she has the same scent. SFX: Whack whack SFX: Wave wave Kuroko: I got perfume in the face this time? Kuroko: It really stinks... Kuroko: Achoo SFX: Step step SFX: Sniff Junko: Ah... Please stay still. 36 Kuroko: Someone's there. SFX: Sniff SFX: Slump Junko: Oh? She settled down. Junko: There's hair inside? Junko(small): Is that related to their power? Kuroko: Are they outside the range of their power? Kuroko: After them. SFX: Pat SFX: Dash Junko: Sorry. Wait here a bit. Kuroko: Achoo! SFX: Step step 37 SFX: Wind Girl: Stay back!! Girl: One step closer and I'll jump! Junko: Eh? Kuroko: Stop being silly... Kuroko: Achoo! SFX: Sniff Kuroko: Is the doll's perfume making me sneeze? 38 Girl: How could you!? How could you, Onee-sama!? Girl: Why won't you look my way!? Girl: I care so much for you, and yet you choose her!? Girl: I will erase everyone who stands between us!! Girl: And I will even eliminate Shokuhou Misaki as the greatest barrier of all! Girl: But... Girl: Why that little girl of all people!? Girl: No, I understand! Girl: She's deceiving you!! Girl: You took advantage of Onee-sama's generous heart, didn't you!? SFX: Point! Kuroko: What? 39 Girl: You thief!! What do you know of Onee-sama? Girl: I even know what color panties she's wearing today! Girl: And what happened to the Railgun!? Did you move onto Onee-sama because she wanted nothing to do with you? Girl: Goes to show how fickle you are!! Kuroko: Wha-!? Kuroko: What do you know!? Kuroko: Just so you know, no day is complete without checking my Onee-sama's underwear! Kuroko: That is just how intimate a relationship the two of us have!! Girl: Ohh? I doubt it. Girl: I've seen morrrrre than enough of her looking fed up with your attacks. Girl: Your indiscriminate affection must be a pain. Girl: I feel sorry for the Railgun. 40 Kuroko: H-h- Kuroko: How rude can you be!? Kuroko: I don't want to hear anything from a creepy coward who hides and stews in jealousy!! Girl: D-don't act like you understand! Kuroko: Oh, I understand. Kuroko: You're hoping your princess in shining armor will swoop you off your feet someday, aren't you? Text: Hah Kuroko: Your love won't get through unless you demonstrate it in your actions. Kuroko: You're still no more than a dreaming child! Girl: Whaaaaat!? Girl: This is no joke! I can't just sit here and listen to this! Kuroko: Ohhh? Was I right on the mark? Kuroko: Sorry for hitting a sore spot like that. Junko: U-um, what are you 2 talking about? Junko: Um... 41 Girl(right of bubble): What!? Kuroko(left of bubble): What was that!? Kuroko: Achoo! Junko: I-I'm sorry! Junko: Um... I'm not sure I understand... Junko: but I don't mind! Junko: You can start by apologizing to everyone you've bothered! Junko: I'll apologize with you. Junko: I'm sure they'll all forgive you. Junko: And after that, how about we have a nice long chat? Junko: We can become wonderful FRIENDS! Kuroko: Ah. 42 SFX: Depressed Junko: Fweh!? Girl: Onee-sama... You're so mean... Junko: Eh? You don't want to be friends? Girl: No!! My feelings are real, Onee-sama! Junko: Eh? Eh? Kuroko: Umm, Hokaze-san. Kuroko: Do you have a moment? Junko: Y-yes? Kuroko: Calm down and listen. Kuroko: That girl is talking about love. 43 Junko: Love??? Girl: Wait!? No! Text: Kyaaah! Kuroko: Yes. Kuroko: Love. Kuroko: She is in love with you. Text: You really are dense. Junko: She is... Junko: in love...with me? Junko: Eh? But I'm a girl. Kuroko: Gender means nothing when it comes to love. Kuroko: In fact, the greater the barrier, the fiercer it burns. Kuroko: Understand? Junko: Um, uh... Kuroko: What do you think? Kuroko: She's saying she's in love with you. Kuroko: A girl can't be dense when it comes to love! Kuroko: Think about it carefully. Kuroko: What do you think about her saying she loves you? Junko: Loves me? 44 SFX: Blush 45 Junko: Eh? Um... Junko: Uh... Junko: Aw... SFX: Steam SFX: Blush SFX: Billow Text: Aw, aw. SFX: Wave wave Kuroko: Ah ha ha... Junko: Ehh? What do I do...? SFX: Zukyuuun SFX: Wobble Girl: So cuuuuute♡ SFX: Thunk 46-47 Kuroko: Wah. SFX: Wind Girl: Eh? SFX: Tickle Kuroko: Oh, no. Kuroko: Teleport. Kuroko: No, I can't focus. Kuroko: I won't make it in time!! SFX: Boom Kuroko: Eh? 48-49 SFX: Jump SFX: Roar Kuroko: Hokaze-san!? Kuroko: I believe Hokaze-san's power... Kuroko: is a Level 4 ability to manipulate the electric signals of her cells to draw out further strength. Kuroko: That power lets her to surpass the limits of her physical abilities, and it's called... SFX: Grab Junko: Please hold on tight. Girl: Eh? 50-51 SFX: Step SFX: Jump Kuroko: Rampage Dress. SFX: Shine 52-53 SFX: Grab SFX: Snap Junko: Ow SFX: Slip Junko: Ah. SFX: Whoosh pop Kuroko: That was certainly reckless. Junko: Shirai-san! Kuroko: I'll admit I was surprised... Kuroko: but I don't dislike that. 54 Girl: I'm sorry! I'm sorry! Junko: I'm fine, so tell that to everyone you bothered. Kuroko: Achoo! Kuroko: Leave the rest to me. SFX: Sniff Kuroko: C'mon, let's go. Girl: I won't give up, Onee-sama!! Junko: Ah ha ha... Junko: Now then... 55 Junko(small): Ah. Junko: There you are. Junko: I can't believe everyone mistook such a cute doll for a ghost. Junko: They must have panicked. Junko: Sorry about that. Junko: It must have been lonely on your own. Voice: Yes... Voice: It was lonely... 56-57 SFX: Reach SFX: Float 58 Ghost: Being on my own... Ghost: was lonely. Ghost: Right, Junko-chan? SFX: Smile Text: The ghost panic isn't over!? Box: To be continued next issue. The July Issue goes on sale Saturday, May 27!!