Thanks to Index, Hy?ka returns to normal and, despite blaming herself for the chaos she caused, T?ma ensures her she also protected the city's populace. As Acqua retreats with Vento and the rest of her men from Academy City, Accelerator is captured by the City's security forces. As the city recovers from Vento's attack, Tsuchimikado and T?ma's class have dinner at a sukiyaki restaurant where they later talk about how a war will be coming to Academy City. Meanwhile, the City's Board of Directors punishes Accelerator for his actions by making him join a special Team called GROUP which compose of Tsuchimikado, Awaki and the mage who disguised himself as Mitsuki Unabara. After increasing the time limit of Accelerator's powers, GROUP first mission is to neutalzie the threat pose by the Skill-Outs, gangs of Level 0s lead by Ritoku Komaba, who are taking advantage of the lack security in the city after the AntiSkills are forced to defend the city's outskirts to prepare themselves for more attacks by the Catholic church. As Accelerator and Awaki begin their attack at the Skill-Out's home turf, Awaki comes across Ritoku.