“Hey, hey, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!!”
That shout resounded throughout the entire battlefield.
At the same time, there was the deep roar of a V-Twin Engine. Then a shrill squealing sound, and another shout.
“With such a cheap wall, you’ll never stop the great me!!”
“No way!?”
Haruyuki frantically looked at his surroundings. Faded buildings, characteristic of the «Weathered» stage, were collapsed everywhere, thereby making a barricade of rubble. The ones who had destroyed them were Haruyuki and Takumu, who was fighting a little further away. They had determinedly destroyed the buildings by using this stage’s characteristic of having very fragile geographical features, and filled in the surroundings roads with their rubble.
The objective of this was to weaken the mobility of the biker-user «Ash Roller» in the three-player team on the attacking side of the territory battle. Their aim had been successful, and there were no longer any routes that would allow him to move on his bike from the current front line to the position that Sky Raker was protecting at the back—is how it should have been, but.
“W-Where are you!?”
Haruyuki desperately searched for the source of the roaring engine sound.
After several seconds, he quickly found it. However, Haruyuki didn’t move immediately, but instead fully opened his eyes and mouth wide while standing bolt upright.
A gunmetal American motorbike was moving from right to left on the opposite side of the one-sided two-lane main road. However, its speed was too slow. That was not because it was avoiding the rubble covering the road, but rather because it was impossible to avoid it in the first place, since the height of the rubble reached up to nearly two meters—so it was being carried instead.
The huge motorbike, with its rider on it, was being carried on the right shoulder of a short-statured avatar not even half as tall as the bike, who stepped over the rubble barricade with great effort. Ash Roller was merely straddling the seat of the bike as it swayed on top of the shoulder and repeatedly gunning the accelerator.
“……T-There’s no point to revving the engine like that!!”
After instinctively letting out that retort with all his strength, Haruyuki finally noticed that this wasn’t a situation where he could sit back and watch. Their aim was to cross over the mountain of rubble and reach its base. It would become troublesome if they got there.
“I-I won’t let you!”
Shouting that, Haruyuki charged towards the opposite side of the main road. Then, the short-statured avatar carrying the bike glanced at him, and immediately after—
“Big Bro Ash! Forget about me and go—!”
While shouting out those somehow excessively cool words, he threw the bike forward. It was an incredible feat of physical strength compared to his size.
Leaving aside the fact that Ash Roller seemed to have gotten a younger brother at some point, the American bike he rode crossed over the summit of the barricade while emitting a particularly shrill exhaust sound.
“Your heart, is Giga Buuuuurning!!”
Along with one of his usual incomprehensible shouts, he landed on the asphalt and made an extreme dash with his bike while letting out white smoke from his rear wheel.
Saturday, June 8, 5:30 PM. They were in the middle of a 3-vs-3 battle to defend the 3rd Battle Area of Suginami. Kuroyukihime and Chiyuri were having a break, so the «Nega Nebulas» side consisted of Haruyuki, Takumu and Sky Raker. The opposing attacking side consisted of three members of the Green Legion «Great Wall» led by Ash Roller.
There was a considerable gap in level composition between the two teams, with Haruyuki’s team having levels of 8-5-5 and the enemy team having levels of 5-5-3, but Brain Burst was a game where that kind of difference could be easily overturned with a single moment of negligence. While gritting his teeth for having let that «single moment» happen by allowing Ash to break through the barricade, Haruyuki tried to chase after the fast bike. —However.
“I won’t let ya pass here!!”
Along with a cry that made Haruyuki wonder whether that kind of tone was for constructing a certain character or was simply natural, a shadow jumped down in front of him. It was the avatar that had carried Ash Roller’s bike.
His name was «Bush Utan[1]», a Level 5 player with dark green armor. He was shorter than Silver Crow by several centimeters, but he had a robustness that didn’t give off that impression. The reason for that were his strangely-developed arms. His overall silhouette made one think of a certain kind of primate due to the way his hands almost grazed the ground when he bent forward, but even so, he wasn’t an opponent to be made light of.
Haruyuki responded back while glaring cautiously at those two huge arms pointed at him.
“…Guys that say lines like that are never able to hold others back!”
He then quickly bent forward and went into a super-low dash.
Bush Utan was a brute strength-specialized avatar that poured all of his potential into his two huge arms. If Haruyuki received a direct punch from him, he would be blown away by damage equal to a 2 level difference, but Utan’s speed was not that great. Besides, Haruyuki didn’t intend to fight here in the first place.
After instantly shortening the distance between them with a ground-chafing gallop, Haruyuki jumped up with all his strength, since the enemy’s focus was turned downwards. He vibrated his wings for only a moment in order to preserve his special technique gauge, and then passed over the enemy’s head with a long jump instead of flying.
Utan tried holding his hands up frantically, but he couldn’t reach him at all. During this scene, Haruyuki had the time to mentally comment to him, ‘You should have shortened the distance between us yourself and reduced my options. You should actively control the distance between instead of simply waiting…’
“——wait, owah!?”
The surprised shout that leaked out from Silver Crow’s mouth was overlapped by a thick male yell.
“Uhohoho! I’m not letting ya go——!!”
What had happened was that Bush Utan’s arms had extended. It wasn’t simply that his elbow joints had come undone. In fact, his arms had lengthened up to three times their original length and had firmly grabbed Haruyuki’s ankles with his huge palms—
“Funnuuuussu——!”
Since he was about to be thrown right to the ground, Haruyuki fully opened his wings reflexively and released all the propulsive force they contained.
“Nuooh!”
The state of equilibrium was momentary. No matter how strong Utan was, his actual weight was still in the light-weight category. Haruyuki flew up blindly while having the primate-type avatar hanging from his legs. Since it had turned out like this, he thought of ramming into Ash Roller like this while still carrying him, but at that instant.
“Uho!? S-Scary!!”
After hearing a pitiful cry, the speed of his flight weakened with a jerk. When he frantically looked down, he saw that Utan had released only his left hand from Haruyuki’s leg and was holding onto a handrail on a building’s roof instead. Since both his arms were stretching to the limit, it was as if the primate avatar was fastened to the middle of a long rope.
“You, l-let go!”
“N-No way!”
Haruyuki tried flapping his wings desperately, but the grip on his left ankle showed no signs of loosening at all. Takumu’s «pile» might have been able to cut off Utan’s arm, but he was still fiercely fighting the third member of the enemy team somewhere a little further away and sounds of clashing could be heard from there intermittently.
While reluctantly continuing this tug of war in the air, Haruyuki cast his gaze around and looked at the western side of the main road. At that instant, he inadvertently blurted out.
“Oh no…!”
The big American bike had already dashed more than ten meters ahead and was trying to plunge into the small plaza at the end of the road. There was a circle that emitted a lavender-colored light with a tall flagpole at its center installed in the plaza. The black color on its flag was proof that it was the «base» of Haruyuki’s team.
Bases were selected spots that dotted various places on the territory battle field, and if a team occupied one, their special technique gauges could be recharged endlessly within the circle. In other words, territory battles in Brain Burst consisted of nothing more than pushing forward while occupying one base after another and assaulting the enemies’ bases.
The base Ash Roller was aiming for was currently only being protected by Sky Raker. As a Level Eighter, her ability was naturally guaranteed, but her unique fighting style could be a huge advantage or disadvantage depending on its compatibility with the enemy.
And according to Haruyuki’s diagnosis, the wheelchair-user Sky Raker and the bike-user Ash Roller were part of the same category, and as a result he judged that Raker was at a disadvantage. Her wheelchair’s abilities as a vehicle-type Enhanced Armament were naturally outclassed by far in nearly all aspects by Ash Roller’s bike.
Heading towards the delicate silver wheelchair that stood alone in front of the plaza and the graceful female avatar that sat on it, the motorbike rushed forward raging and roaring loudly.
“Masteeeeeer!”
The skull-headed rider let out a yell, which was for some reason mixed with tears.
“Today…I will…surpass you, master[2]……!!”
Haruyuki gaped his mouth open in the air. Certainly, Sky Raker was Ash Roller’s mentor and «Parent», but his words just now were the kind only spoken when on the verge of the final battle after many twists and turns. This was still only the third time that Ash Roller’s team had participated in the territory attacks today, and moreover this should have been the first time this Parent and Child fought head-to-head.
On top of her wheelchair, Raker was smiling beneath her wide-brimmed hat, and spoke after shaking her long sky-colored hair.
“You’re a hundred years too early, Ash.”
And then, she held out her left hand straight in front of her and made the gesture of «Come and get it» by turning her palm upwards and motioning with her fingers.
“Toooooo!!”
Ash responded to that with a sharp yell. He jumped up from his seat and stood up straight with his right foot on the handlebar and his left foot on the back end of his seat. This was—the original technique where one controlled the bike like a surfboard called «V-Twin Fist», named by Ash Roller himself.
Although Raker showed no signs of panicking even when she saw that move, Haruyuki gritted his teeth once again. This put Raker at even more of a disadvantage. Since Raker couldn’t stand up from her wheelchair, her hands no longer reached up to Ash Roller’s body. And a bare-handed attack against the bike would cause damage to herself instead.
“Master! Giga-Thank you for everything until nooooooooow!!”
He used the sole of his boot to push down on the full throttle lever, and the bike went into one final burst of acceleration while gushing out flames from its muffler. Right at the instant when the huge grey front tire was on the verge of hitting the wheelchair hard—
Raker’s left hand gentle brushed against the silver wheel on her left side at a blurred speed. Raising sparks from the ground, the wheelchair did an extremely fast and sudden back dash.
—It’s impossible, there’s no way to get away!
Haruyuki inwardly shouted that at Sky Raker, who was his master as well. Although the wheelchair, which could only be moved by turning its wheels by hand, had incredible dashing speed due to its ultra-light weight, it only lasts for a moment. The bike will immediately catch up to her after going backwards and send her flying.
At the same time as Haruyuki held his breath while expecting that outcome.
With utter abandonment, Sky Raker stretched herself forward while just barely dodging the bike’s front wheel, and touched the bike’s handle bar with her left hand—
And then lightly grasped the bike’s brake lever.
Although it looked like a casual action, Haruyuki could tell that she had put unbelievable strength into it, as terrible sparks came out from the front wheel’s rotor disk. What would happen to a bike that had only its front brakes locked and with such force as well?
“O-Owaah!?”
Faster than Ash Roller could let out a yell, the entire American bike instantly went into a handstand on its front wheel and shifted into the so-called “jack-knife” state[3]. It rose up with the momentum and flew through the air while spinning, until it crashed into the wall of a building ahead.
It seemed that the shock of impact exceeded the durability of the Enhanced Armament motorbike, as it then exploded in a burst of magnificent flames.
However, Ash Roller himself had, thanks to standing on his seat, been thrown up in the air without being engulfed in the explosion.
“Noooooooooooooooooooooooo—!?”
He reached the peak of his ascent with a scream, stopped for an instant, and then started falling back down. And right beneath him was Sky Raker, who was dashing forward with her wheelchair again.
“Make that two hundred years.”
Along with that smiling comment, she shot her left palm upward with so much force that the air burned. The palm strike splendidly caught the back of Ash Roller’s dark leather rider jacket, and released an impact that could be felt all the way up to where Haruyuki was far away.
Due to the critical blow dealt to the core of his body combined with the damage from the long fall, Ash Roller’s HP gauge quickly disappeared.
“As expected of master…Forgive me, Tera-Nothing.”[4]
Leaving those mysterious words, the skull rider avatar burst and scattered into pixels. Haruyuki and Bush Utan simultaneously murmured as they watched Sky Raker dust off her hands.
“S-So powerful……”
“Way too strong……”
They exchanged glances. Since Raker had splendidly repulsed Ash and protected the base, there was no longer any meaning in continuing their tug of war.
Without saying anything, Haruyuki suddenly made his wings vibrate at high speed by consuming his entire remaining special technique gauge. The ascending force this produced made Utan’s arms creak and grate.
“T-That’s useless! Burn, my biceeeeeeeeeeps!!”
Utan pumped up his left arm that was grabbed onto the building handrail and his right arm that was holding Haruyuki’s ankle, and tried to pull back Haruyuki with pure physical strength—and at that instant.
Haruyuki changed the flight direction of his silver wings by 180 degrees, and went into a diving posture. Inevitably, this caused Utan to pull Silver Crow towards himself with all of his arm strength.
“Wha…hey, wait a minute.”
His words were erased by the sound of being hit by a violent dive kick.
Like that, the two of them fell to the ground like heavy lumps. Since Utan released his grip on Haruyuki’s from the shock of impact, it showed that he still had a long way to go before he could fight Haruyuki at point blank hand-to-hand combat.
As his HP disappeared in a rush, Utan exited the stage with parting words of surrender just like that of his big bro’s.
“I-I’ll pay ya back for this tomorrow~~~~~!!”
……Tomorrow?
Haruyuki had a bad feeling about those words somehow, but he put it aside for the time being and hurried over to the front lines in order to assist Takumu.
Fifteen minutes later in real world time—
Having protected the First to Third Battles Areas of Suginami this week as well, the five members of Nega Nebulas gathered in the center of the field that had served as the stage for the last battle, and congratulated each other for a good day’s work.
Sitting down on a nearby slab of concrete, Haruyuki let out a long breath, feeling comfortably fatigued, and spoke to Sky Raker next to him.
“Even so…I didn’t think that Ash Roller’s bike could be taken down through such a method…”
In the past, Haruyuki had defeated Ash by lifting the rear wheel of his bike and cancelling its propulsive force, but the method of grasping the brake lever while it ran and then blowing it away was far more smart, speedy, and most of all, interesting and cool.
However, Raker shook her head with a wry smile.
“Unfortunately, that method can only be used when Ash is standing up straight on his bike.”
“Ah…I-I see…”
Certainly, a rider’s hands usually do not separate from the handles. After he gave a thoughtful hum, this time it was Kuroyukihime who spoke up with wry laughter in her voice.
“Before that, if you don’t synchronize your speed with the bike using a Raker-class dash when you touch it going at full speed, you would receive damage instead.”
“Ah…I-I…see…”
As Haruyuki dropped his head, Chiyuri and Takumu let out unreserved laughter. The jet-black avatar also laughed for a while, but then added, “But, well”.
“Perhaps if you flew at full speed, you might be able to do the same thing as Raker. You should look into the possibility.”
“Yes!”
After Haruyuki energetically nodded, the legion leader looked around at her subordinates and spoke.
“If there’s nothing else to discuss, let’s talk about the matter of tomorrow. I think you’ve all already received a text message with an outline of it from Haruyuki-kun, but I’ll have him explain it again here.”
“U-Understood.”
After frantically standing up and facing the four other people sitting down side by side, Haruyuki started explaining the outline of the big event tomorrow—the «Hermes Cord Traversing Race».
He explained about how it was not necessary to specifically go to the Sky Tree, and that if they gathered and Direct Connected together at Haruyuki’s home, the «Transporter Card» item would teleport them to the bottom station of the space elevator.
About how they couldn’t change the driver of Shuttle-1 since Silver Crow had already registered for it, and so the rest of them would be passengers that protected their shuttle or attacked the shuttles of the rival teams.
About how, since their HP gauges were locked while in the race, the Level 9 Black Lotus would not be in danger either.
After somehow managing to explain that far while stumbling over his words, Haruyuki suddenly hesitated. He wasn’t able to decide on the spur of the moment whether he should mention how Blood Leopard of «Prominence» had registered for Shuttle-2, and how she was looking forward to meeting Sky Raker again.
However, he immediately decided to remain quiet about it for now. The exchange between Leopard and Raker could only be understood by the two of them.
Therefore, Haruyuki sucked in a deep breath and then finished with “That’s all!”.
“Good work.”
Kuroyukihime said that and then immediately stood up in Haruyuki’s place as he sat down.
“You should have learned this from Haruyuki-kun’s mail as well, but an event known as the «Grand Castle Capture Race» also occurred one year ago as well. I think Raker already understands, but…”
Suddenly stopping her words, the Black King struck her right hand’s sword on the ground.
“Back then, I was completely cut off from the Global Net and was hiding from the assassins of the kings, so I felt veeeeeeeeeery mortified about not being able to participate.
“I truly did too. I sent a bitter call of resentment all the way to the Grand Castle from on top of the Old Tokyo Tower back then.”
Raker smiled gracefully as she said that, making Kuroyukihime nod in agreement and the other three legion members straighten their backs nervously. While sharing the thought of «Raker-sensei is truly scary», they wouldn’t have been surprised if several duel avatars had actually become paralyzed from the grudge and malice contained in Raker’s message back then.
“Anyway. As a result, I would like to dispel last year’s regret in tomorrow’s race without fail. Takumu-kun and Chiyuri have also gladly agreed to enter, and above all, Haruyuki went through so much trouble to get us the right to participate by noticing the possibility of a new stage appearing and going all the way to the distant Sky Tree. I will allow no excuses for putting this to waste.”
After Kuroyukihime spoke, Haruyuki frantically shook his head and hands.
“N-No, really, I merely came up with a trifling idea…The one who guessed the location and time of the portal’s appearance was senpai…”
“That idea was very important. Although the ten participation slots were apparently all quickly filled, it seems most of the registered teams were people that bought an expensive piece of information at an NPC shop in the Unlimited Neutral Field. There were only one or two people besides Haruyuki-kun who realized it on their own.”
“H-Heh…So that’s how it was…”
Then, that NPC information may have had its announcement on the portal’s appearance slightly delayed. In that case, Haruyuki, who guessed it from scratch by himself, and probably Pard-san were the first people to reach the Hermes Cord.
In that case, he was really grateful to Chiyuri for inviting him to the Shinjuku Government Office the other day. If he hadn’t gone there, the news about the space elevator would probably not have come to mind in the first place. And of course, he was also grateful to Kuroyukihime for giving him advice during their Dive Call. It truly was good to have comrades…As Haruyuki idly thought that—
“……Wait a moment, Lotus.”
Sky Raker lightly raised her hand, and moved her wheelchair forward as its wheels squeaked. She turned the wheelchair around with a smooth motion and faced all the other legion members.
“I’ve also been looking forward to this kind of event very much. As someone who cut off social interaction in Accel World for a long time, I’m thankful every day that I can fight alongside the members of this legion…of the reborn «Nega Nebulas» once again. If possible, I would like to join forces with everyone and aim for the goal of the race tomorrow as well. However…”
She cut off her words for an instant, and dropped her gaze down to her legs wrapped within her long white dress.
“…According to what Crow said, there are only four seats for crew members in the shuttle, and it seems there isn’t any other loading space. Therefore, I would have to remain fixed on a seat without my wheelchair. If I do that, this avatar of mine will just serve as an ornament. If I will just increase the carried weight without doing anything and slow down the shuttle’s speed, it would be better if I didn’t board it in the first place.”
“N-No way!”
Haruyuki reflexively cried out and tried to deny Sky Raker’s words.
However—
If Raker were a long range type avatar, she could sufficiently play the role of attacker even while fixed onto her seat. But, just as her vivid sky-blue color indicated, she was a pure close range type. Most likely, in order for close range types to play the role of attacker in the race, they needed to be able to jump over to other shuttles. For Sky Raker, who uses a wheelchair instead of legs, doing that would of course be impossible.
Watching as Haruyuki grit his teeth hard, Raker spoke gently.
“Karasu-san[5], don’t worry about it. Even if I’m not there, I believe that you can surely reach the top at the top with you, Lotus, Pile and Bell.”
—No, that’s wrong.
I wanted to take you…to take you especially to that pillar reaching up to the sky. There’s something I want to tell you, in that world above that covers the entire length of the 4000 km long space elevator. To tell you a certain thought that cannot be expressed on the ground, where it is weighed down by gravity…
At the same time as Haruyuki thought that in his mind, Kuroyukihime also spoke in a pain-filled voice.
“…Raker. Your avatar’s body weight is probably lighter than Crow’s. There won’t be much difference in the loading weight of the shuttle whether you board it or not. Besides, even if you can’t move from your seat, it’s enough if you just act as a defender…”
“You can’t do that, Lotus.”
Raker decisively stopped her.
“Your…and Nega Nebulas’ activities should, first and foremost, be for the sake of toppling the other kings and allowing you to reach Level 10. If you end up in first place in tomorrow’s race, you’ll surely be given a considerable amount of Burst Points. That will certainly allow you to get closer to your final objective. In that case, you shouldn’t fuss over me and reduce your chances of victory even slightly…Isn’t that right?”
Her words were far too logical, and more than that, far too painful. Most likely, in Sky Raker’s heart, she had clearly regulated her own role, due to having a big limitation to her movements. She values her power when it can help the legion’s activities. But conversely, she absolutely won’t participate in a battle where she will be a burden.
In other words, it was like this.
Sky Raker had already given up on Brain Burst for herself. She had responded to Kuroyukihime’s request and returned to the legion, but her only motive was to help Kuroyukihime. She was strongly forbidding herself from feeling the thrill and excitement of «duels», and the joy of talking through fists. Like a punishment that she will bear forever.
—That’s wrong.
Haruyuki once again whispered that in his mind.
It was Haruyuki’s goal to make their legion master Kuroyukihime reach Level 10 as well. He was always wishing to be a knight that would continue to properly protect his king until that time came.
He had no greater priority than that, but he did have a wish that was compatible with it.
To play and enjoy the fighting game known as Brain Burst.
Duels must not be fought out of bitterness or pain. They must not be done as work for earning points. There only lies darkness that casts a deep shadow even over the real world down that path, like with the «Acceleration Research Society».
Of course, Haruyuki didn’t believe that Sky Raker would fall into such darkness either—but, if she still hadn’t forgiven herself, she would never be able to enjoy Brain Burst.
However, Haruyuki didn’t have a way to convey his thoughts and feelings right now at this place. It seemed to be the same for Kuroyukihime and Takumu, as both of their avatars were stiffened like rocks and were merely looking down.
Sky Raker tried to break the silence that engulfed everything other than the ticking time count, which showed 10 minutes until the field disappeared, by speaking with a gentle smile. However, an instant before she could speak.
“Raker-nee-san.”
Without warning, Chiyuri addressed Raker with the name she had come to call her by.
“What is it, Bell?”
“There’s…something I’ve always been thinking about, but……”
Speaking in a voice as if she were wavering over something, but still expressing a firm will at its core, Lime Bell stood up. She took several steps, and stood before Raker. She took a deep breath, displayed an unusually serious expression on her mask—
“If you’re okay with it, Nee-san, I’d like to try out returning your legs to normal with my power.”
And she said that.
The instant he heard her words, Haruyuki widened his eyes. Chiyuri’s—Lime Bell’s power, the special technique «Citron Call», had the effect of «reversing time». It turned back the time of an avatar or objected she targeted with it.
In ordinary duels, it was used as only a «fake healing ability» that restored the HP gauges of her allies. But, the technique’s possible applications didn’t stop at that, as proved by the role it played in the battle against Frost Horn and Tourmaline Shell the other day. Since enemies could move and escape from the technique, it was quite difficult to use it on them, but if it succeeded in hitting, it was possible to even force Enhanced Armaments summoned by the enemy to disappear.
As such, Citron Call was a special technique even rarer than the actual healing ability in a certain sense—however.
“B-But…Chiyu.”
Haruyuki reflexively broke into the conversation.
“Raker-san definitely lost her legs more than three years ago. Could you really turn back time that far back…?”
Chiyuri then tilted her pointy witch hat and answered while moving her index finger as if thinking it over.
“Well…My «Citron Call» has two modes. Mode 1, which consumes half of my special technique gauge, rewinds the state of a duel avatar I target according to the seconds that have passed in the game. This is what I usually use for healing HP.”
Then she held up two fingers and continued.
“…And Mode 2, which consumes an entire full-charged special technique gauge, rewinds avatar status effects besides level-ups…in other words, according to each individual permanent change caused by external factors. Like Enhanced Armaments bought with points, or parts and techniques stolen from other avatars, it cancels those kinds of changes one by one. This is what I used to restore Haru’s wings before.”
“So it…undoes permanent changes.”
Kuroyukihime whispered that. She gave a short nod, and thoughtfully applied the ridge of her right hand’s sword to her mask’s lower jaw while sitting.
“It sounds simple, but when you think about it, it’s an unbelievable power. It’s surely the natural enemy, no, the divine punishment towards stealing-type ability users…”
“But, since it can’t apply negative interference on the status data of others who have not been made the technique’s target, items that legally belong to people other than the target cannot be returned. That’s why I wouldn’t have been able to return Haru’s wings if I used it on Haru himself. Also, since it’s easy to escape from the technique itself, it is difficult to use on an enemy during battle, Lotus-senpai.”
As Haruyuki tried with difficulty to understand the rules of this slightly complicated technique, Takumu spoke up next.
“Chii-chan, what is the maximum number of permanent changes that «Citron Call Mode 2» can cancel by reverse order of when they occurred?”
“Err…I haven’t actually tried it, but considering how my gauge decreases, I think the max is up to three changes.”
“Three…huh. —Raker-san, have you received any other status changes since losing your legs?”
After a short pause, the sky-blue answered Takumu’s question.
“……Since I did an exchange of Enhanced Armaments with Karasu-san before…if that counts as two changes, then that would make the loss of my legs exactly the third change in reverse order.”
The instant he heard those words, Haruyuki reflexively asked.
“U-Umm, master. What about that wheelchair…?”
The silver wheelchair Sky Raker sat on was the same kind of Enhanced Armament item as Ash Roller’s bike. Haruyuki was wondering whether the acquisition of this counted as a permanent change.
But Raker shook her head lightly and spoke while quietly striking her chair’s wheels.
“I acquired this right before I threw away my legs.”
She said that casually, but the meaning hidden in those words was huge.
In other words, when she had asked Black Lotus to cut off her legs, Sky Raker had predicted that the body part loss damage might become eternal, or perhaps had resolved herself to it. In other words, the damage she received was not something within the limits of the normal game system—it instead fell under the higher-ranked logic of that system…
“Bell.”
Calling out to Chiyuri, Sky Raker’s voice interrupted Haruyuki’s thoughts. As the gazes of the four other people present gathered on her, the Burst Linker that was still living as half a hermit spoke in an infinitely gentle tone.
“Thank you. I gratefully accept your feelings…But, even if it isn’t successful, don’t blame yourself for it. The cause and effect of all this lies only within me, after all.”
Haruyuki felt like those words were half directed to Black Lotus at the same time as Lime Bell. The black crystal avatar’s body stiffened for a moment, and then she turned her face down slightly.
Chiyuri broke the silence that fell onto the stage with a firm voice.
“I understand, Raker-nee-san. But, I will definitely return your legs to you. And, Haru.”
She suddenly turned her gaze and pointed her fingers at the blinking Haruyuki.
“I think that the confirmation message for acquiring an Enhanced Armament will probably come out for you while I use my technique, but you must absolutely cancel it. It’ll make things troublesome later if you don’t!”
“Y-Yeah, understood.”
Haruyuki nodded, and then Chiyuri turned her gaze towards the upper right with a glance. She was probably checking that her special technique was still charged up to the base from the territory battle earlier. She then turned her face back down and took a step forward.
While Lime Bell took one or two steps forward, Kuroyukihime, Takumu and Haruyuki stepped back.
When the fresh green-covered avatar stood two meters in front of the wheelchair, she lifted the huge bell attached to her left arm and pointed it straight up towards the sky.
She leaned back her wide-brimmed pointy hat, and sucked in a huge breath. Her slender body bended slightly.
“Then, let’s do it……«Citron»……”
At the same time as she started speaking the technique name, she made her bell do a huge counter-clockwise spin in the air. A magnificent ringing sound poured over the field. Although she normally spun it twice when healing the HP of Haruyuki and the others, Chiyuri drew a circle in the air with her bell twice more, and then—
“……«Call»!!”
With a loud shout, she swung her left hand straight down.
A yellow-green ribbon of light and a chord like that of an angel’s band was released from the big bell and wrapped around Sky Raker. Her long sky-blue hair and the skirt of her white dress fluttered back strongly, and exposed her legs hidden beneath them. There existed nothing at all beneath her round knee parts, as if they had been designed that way from the beginning.
As Sky Raker shut her dark red eye lenses and grasped her hands together in front of her chest, her entire body glowed lime green for a moment.
[DO YOU ACQUIRE ENHANCED ARMAMENT «GALE THRUSTER»?]
Haruyuki quickly pressed the [NO] button of the window that appeared, which was flickering in and out irregularly unlike usual. It was a sign that something was being returned to Sky Raker. Immediately after, Raker’s body glowed strongly once again. This probably meant that Chiyuri’s ability had rewinded back to the second item transfer performed between Haruyuki and Sky Raker.
Haruyuki once again admired how truly unbelievable it was. Usually, it went without saying that only GMs[6] had the exclusive right to cancel item and money transactions in net games. Due to that overwhelming authority, GMs were often compared to God. However, since Brain Burst had no so-called GMs, Chiyuri could be called the only one to have obtained the power of God—though only a small fraction of it—in Accel World other than the game’s mysterious developer…
Haruyuki’s momentary thinking was blown away by the third flash.
“……!!”
The three observers held their breaths together and merely widened their eyes.
In the midst of the strongly surging green light, they definitely saw small light blue particles attached Sky Raker’s knees. They extended downward while rapidly increasing in number. They joined together into thin cylindrical forms with a taper, increased in density, drew the vague form of legs—
*FUU*
And then disappeared like visibly melting grains of ice.
Immediately after, the green light also faded and grew more indistinct along with the sound of bells, before vanishing.
In the center of the once again silent field, Lime Bell staggered as if she had used up all her energy. However, Black Lotus instantly moved in and caught her back.
The yellow-green avatar whispered in a hoarse voice while hanging her arms powerlessly at her sides.
“……Why…Why…Why…didn’t they come back…?”
The one that answered her was Sky Raker as she quietly fixed the hem of her skirt.
“It’s not your fault, Bell.”
She shook her head slightly while giving a consoling smile.
“This result proves that the logic of the system whose priority is higher than the usual game system is responsible for the disappearance of my legs. The «Imagination Control System»…in other words, the «Incarnate System»…”
Haruyuki sucked in a sharp breath. As a bigger reaction, Black Lotus drew back her right leg while still holding Lime Bell. Her V-shaped mask quickly turned away.
Facing the stock still Chiyuri and Kuroyukihime, Sky Raker calmly spoke.
“Since Bell has still only heard the rough outline of the «Incarnate System», it may be hard for her to understand, but…three years ago, I tried to raise the altitude limit of my flight through mind power. I wanted my hand to reach the sky in exchange for sacrificing my legs, and I made a contract with God…no, the Devil. My wish was only slightly granted. My altitude limit increased by only 100 meters…and my legs did not return after that no matter how many times I Dived into the duel field. It is my own mind power that keeps my legs from reappearing. Even I no longer understand how to undo it. That’s why it’s not Bell’s fault that it won’t return to normal…much less your fault, Lotus.”
—If you pursue mind power, you will definitely lose something in exchange for gaining something.
Blood Leopard of the Red Legion had once said that to Haruyuki. Back then, Sky Raker’s image might have been in Leopard’s mind when she said that.
In response to those words, Haruyuki answered with the following. ‘I want to believe. I want to believe in the Incarnate System—and in Brain Burst itself.’
That must not be made into a lie. Definitely. For the sake of that as well, Haruyuki had to bring Sky Raker to the top of the Hermes Cord.
“……Raker-san.”
Haruyuki called out to her with a quiet but resolute will in his voice. He gazed straight at her dark red eye lenses, and spoke.
“I think that the strength of a team…of one’s comrades is not decided just by their avatar’s fighting power. Their power of observation, their judgement…no, more than that, I think the feeling of doing your best because you’re all together is what’s most important. You support us, Raker-san. Just by having you with us, we can become much, much stronger. That’s why…that’s why.”
Haruyuki could only speak up to there with his limited conversational skills. Even so, he somehow expressed what was inside his heart, and when he gripped his hands tightly, the big hand of Cyan Pile suddenly hit his shoulder from behind.
“It’s just as Haru says. Raker-san, you are an irreplaceable battle force in this legion.”
Chiyuri also gave a big nod to Takumu’s words.
“That’s right, Nee-san! We’re the strongest when the five of us are gathered together!”
And lastly, Kuroyukihime took a step forward.
“That’s how it is, Raker. It’s just as everyone says.”
The leader of Nega Nebulas quietly spoke in a tone which expressed the pain hidden at her core.
“I said it to you before. I need you. At any time…I will simplify it for you. In tomorrow’s race, if you’re not there, we four won’t be able to do our very best. Just that is reason enough for you to participate.”
Although it was quite high-handed, they were words that contained direct penetrating power.
Sky Raker widened her eyes for a moment, then gave a faint bitter smile—and shook her white hat as if to say “Really now”.
“Lotus, the way you talk like that hasn’t change since we first met.”
She looked down and lightly stroked her knee with her right hand.
“…Things that are lost won’t return again. But, there are also surely things that continue to shine without being spoiled…The right to believe that, no, to wish for that to be so may still be left in me as well……”
Her whisper, hardly loud enough to be a sound, flowed out quietly from beneath her hat. At the same time, Haruyuki felt has if he saw a single grain of light escape into the air.
However, when she raised her head, Sky Raker only gave her usual gentle smile.
“……Thank you, Lotus, Pile, Bell…and Crow. I accept all your feelings. —However.”
Then, her expression became mischievous.
“Since I’m going to participate, you’ll have to throw away naïve thoughts like getting second or third place. We’ll either win completely, or burn out in the sky.”
*HII*
Watching Haruyuki as he straightened his back, Takumu and Chiyuri let out unreserved laughter.
—You two don’t know how scary this person can truly be!
While shouting that inside his mind, Haruyuki also eventually managed to form a smile—though it was a little stiff—from the bottom of his heart.
“Hey, hey, heeeeeeeeeeeeeeey!!”
That shout resounded throughout the entire battlefield.
At the same time, there was the deep roar of a V-Twin Engine. Then a shrill squealing sound, and another shout.
“With such a cheap wall, you’ll never stop the great me!!”
“No way!?”
Haruyuki frantically looked at his surroundings. Faded buildings, characteristic of the «Weathered» stage, were collapsed everywhere, thereby making a barricade of rubble. The ones who had destroyed them were Haruyuki and Takumu, who was fighting a little further away. They had determinedly destroyed the buildings by using this stage’s characteristic of having very fragile geographical features, and filled in the surroundings roads with their rubble.
The objective of this was to weaken the mobility of the biker-user «Ash Roller» in the three-player team on the attacking side of the territory battle. Their aim had been successful, and there were no longer any routes that would allow him to move on his bike from the current front line to the position that Sky Raker was protecting at the back—is how it should have been, but.
“W-Where are you!?”
Haruyuki desperately searched for the source of the roaring engine sound.
After several seconds, he quickly found it. However, Haruyuki didn’t move immediately, but instead fully opened his eyes and mouth wide while standing bolt upright.
A gunmetal American motorbike was moving from right to left on the opposite side of the one-sided two-lane main road. However, its speed was too slow. That was not because it was avoiding the rubble covering the road, but rather because it was impossible to avoid it in the first place, since the height of the rubble reached up to nearly two meters—so it was being carried instead.
The huge motorbike, with its rider on it, was being carried on the right shoulder of a short-statured avatar not even half as tall as the bike, who stepped over the rubble barricade with great effort. Ash Roller was merely straddling the seat of the bike as it swayed on top of the shoulder and repeatedly gunning the accelerator.
“……T-There’s no point to revving the engine like that!!”
After instinctively letting out that retort with all his strength, Haruyuki finally noticed that this wasn’t a situation where he could sit back and watch. Their aim was to cross over the mountain of rubble and reach its base. It would become troublesome if they got there.
“I-I won’t let you!”
Shouting that, Haruyuki charged towards the opposite side of the main road. Then, the short-statured avatar carrying the bike glanced at him, and immediately after—
“Big Bro Ash! Forget about me and go—!”
While shouting out those somehow excessively cool words, he threw the bike forward. It was an incredible feat of physical strength compared to his size.
Leaving aside the fact that Ash Roller seemed to have gotten a younger brother at some point, the American bike he rode crossed over the summit of the barricade while emitting a particularly shrill exhaust sound.
“Your heart, is Giga Buuuuurning!!”
Along with one of his usual incomprehensible shouts, he landed on the asphalt and made an extreme dash with his bike while letting out white smoke from his rear wheel.
Saturday, June 8, 5:30 PM. They were in the middle of a 3-vs-3 battle to defend the 3rd Battle Area of Suginami. Kuroyukihime and Chiyuri were having a break, so the «Nega Nebulas» side consisted of Haruyuki, Takumu and Sky Raker. The opposing attacking side consisted of three members of the Green Legion «Great Wall» led by Ash Roller.
There was a considerable gap in level composition between the two teams, with Haruyuki’s team having levels of 8-5-5 and the enemy team having levels of 5-5-3, but Brain Burst was a game where that kind of difference could be easily overturned with a single moment of negligence. While gritting his teeth for having let that «single moment» happen by allowing Ash to break through the barricade, Haruyuki tried to chase after the fast bike. —However.
“I won’t let ya pass here!!”
Along with a cry that made Haruyuki wonder whether that kind of tone was for constructing a certain character or was simply natural, a shadow jumped down in front of him. It was the avatar that had carried Ash Roller’s bike.
His name was «Bush Utan[1]», a Level 5 player with dark green armor. He was shorter than Silver Crow by several centimeters, but he had a robustness that didn’t give off that impression. The reason for that were his strangely-developed arms. His overall silhouette made one think of a certain kind of primate due to the way his hands almost grazed the ground when he bent forward, but even so, he wasn’t an opponent to be made light of.
Haruyuki responded back while glaring cautiously at those two huge arms pointed at him.
“…Guys that say lines like that are never able to hold others back!”
He then quickly bent forward and went into a super-low dash.
Bush Utan was a brute strength-specialized avatar that poured all of his potential into his two huge arms. If Haruyuki received a direct punch from him, he would be blown away by damage equal to a 2 level difference, but Utan’s speed was not that great. Besides, Haruyuki didn’t intend to fight here in the first place.
After instantly shortening the distance between them with a ground-chafing gallop, Haruyuki jumped up with all his strength, since the enemy’s focus was turned downwards. He vibrated his wings for only a moment in order to preserve his special technique gauge, and then passed over the enemy’s head with a long jump instead of flying.
Utan tried holding his hands up frantically, but he couldn’t reach him at all. During this scene, Haruyuki had the time to mentally comment to him, ‘You should have shortened the distance between us yourself and reduced my options. You should actively control the distance between instead of simply waiting…’
“——wait, owah!?”
The surprised shout that leaked out from Silver Crow’s mouth was overlapped by a thick male yell.
“Uhohoho! I’m not letting ya go——!!”
What had happened was that Bush Utan’s arms had extended. It wasn’t simply that his elbow joints had come undone. In fact, his arms had lengthened up to three times their original length and had firmly grabbed Haruyuki’s ankles with his huge palms—
“Funnuuuussu——!”
Since he was about to be thrown right to the ground, Haruyuki fully opened his wings reflexively and released all the propulsive force they contained.
“Nuooh!”
The state of equilibrium was momentary. No matter how strong Utan was, his actual weight was still in the light-weight category. Haruyuki flew up blindly while having the primate-type avatar hanging from his legs. Since it had turned out like this, he thought of ramming into Ash Roller like this while still carrying him, but at that instant.
“Uho!? S-Scary!!”
After hearing a pitiful cry, the speed of his flight weakened with a jerk. When he frantically looked down, he saw that Utan had released only his left hand from Haruyuki’s leg and was holding onto a handrail on a building’s roof instead. Since both his arms were stretching to the limit, it was as if the primate avatar was fastened to the middle of a long rope.
“You, l-let go!”
“N-No way!”
Haruyuki tried flapping his wings desperately, but the grip on his left ankle showed no signs of loosening at all. Takumu’s «pile» might have been able to cut off Utan’s arm, but he was still fiercely fighting the third member of the enemy team somewhere a little further away and sounds of clashing could be heard from there intermittently.
While reluctantly continuing this tug of war in the air, Haruyuki cast his gaze around and looked at the western side of the main road. At that instant, he inadvertently blurted out.
“Oh no…!”
The big American bike had already dashed more than ten meters ahead and was trying to plunge into the small plaza at the end of the road. There was a circle that emitted a lavender-colored light with a tall flagpole at its center installed in the plaza. The black color on its flag was proof that it was the «base» of Haruyuki’s team.
Bases were selected spots that dotted various places on the territory battle field, and if a team occupied one, their special technique gauges could be recharged endlessly within the circle. In other words, territory battles in Brain Burst consisted of nothing more than pushing forward while occupying one base after another and assaulting the enemies’ bases.
The base Ash Roller was aiming for was currently only being protected by Sky Raker. As a Level Eighter, her ability was naturally guaranteed, but her unique fighting style could be a huge advantage or disadvantage depending on its compatibility with the enemy.
And according to Haruyuki’s diagnosis, the wheelchair-user Sky Raker and the bike-user Ash Roller were part of the same category, and as a result he judged that Raker was at a disadvantage. Her wheelchair’s abilities as a vehicle-type Enhanced Armament were naturally outclassed by far in nearly all aspects by Ash Roller’s bike.
Heading towards the delicate silver wheelchair that stood alone in front of the plaza and the graceful female avatar that sat on it, the motorbike rushed forward raging and roaring loudly.
“Masteeeeeer!”
The skull-headed rider let out a yell, which was for some reason mixed with tears.
“Today…I will…surpass you, master[2]……!!”
Haruyuki gaped his mouth open in the air. Certainly, Sky Raker was Ash Roller’s mentor and «Parent», but his words just now were the kind only spoken when on the verge of the final battle after many twists and turns. This was still only the third time that Ash Roller’s team had participated in the territory attacks today, and moreover this should have been the first time this Parent and Child fought head-to-head.
On top of her wheelchair, Raker was smiling beneath her wide-brimmed hat, and spoke after shaking her long sky-colored hair.
“You’re a hundred years too early, Ash.”
And then, she held out her left hand straight in front of her and made the gesture of «Come and get it» by turning her palm upwards and motioning with her fingers.
“Toooooo!!”
Ash responded to that with a sharp yell. He jumped up from his seat and stood up straight with his right foot on the handlebar and his left foot on the back end of his seat. This was—the original technique where one controlled the bike like a surfboard called «V-Twin Fist», named by Ash Roller himself.
Although Raker showed no signs of panicking even when she saw that move, Haruyuki gritted his teeth once again. This put Raker at even more of a disadvantage. Since Raker couldn’t stand up from her wheelchair, her hands no longer reached up to Ash Roller’s body. And a bare-handed attack against the bike would cause damage to herself instead.
“Master! Giga-Thank you for everything until nooooooooow!!”
He used the sole of his boot to push down on the full throttle lever, and the bike went into one final burst of acceleration while gushing out flames from its muffler. Right at the instant when the huge grey front tire was on the verge of hitting the wheelchair hard—
Raker’s left hand gentle brushed against the silver wheel on her left side at a blurred speed. Raising sparks from the ground, the wheelchair did an extremely fast and sudden back dash.
—It’s impossible, there’s no way to get away!
Haruyuki inwardly shouted that at Sky Raker, who was his master as well. Although the wheelchair, which could only be moved by turning its wheels by hand, had incredible dashing speed due to its ultra-light weight, it only lasts for a moment. The bike will immediately catch up to her after going backwards and send her flying.
At the same time as Haruyuki held his breath while expecting that outcome.
With utter abandonment, Sky Raker stretched herself forward while just barely dodging the bike’s front wheel, and touched the bike’s handle bar with her left hand—
And then lightly grasped the bike’s brake lever.
Although it looked like a casual action, Haruyuki could tell that she had put unbelievable strength into it, as terrible sparks came out from the front wheel’s rotor disk. What would happen to a bike that had only its front brakes locked and with such force as well?
“O-Owaah!?”
Faster than Ash Roller could let out a yell, the entire American bike instantly went into a handstand on its front wheel and shifted into the so-called “jack-knife” state[3]. It rose up with the momentum and flew through the air while spinning, until it crashed into the wall of a building ahead.
It seemed that the shock of impact exceeded the durability of the Enhanced Armament motorbike, as it then exploded in a burst of magnificent flames.
However, Ash Roller himself had, thanks to standing on his seat, been thrown up in the air without being engulfed in the explosion.
“Noooooooooooooooooooooooo—!?”
He reached the peak of his ascent with a scream, stopped for an instant, and then started falling back down. And right beneath him was Sky Raker, who was dashing forward with her wheelchair again.
“Make that two hundred years.”
Along with that smiling comment, she shot her left palm upward with so much force that the air burned. The palm strike splendidly caught the back of Ash Roller’s dark leather rider jacket, and released an impact that could be felt all the way up to where Haruyuki was far away.
Due to the critical blow dealt to the core of his body combined with the damage from the long fall, Ash Roller’s HP gauge quickly disappeared.
“As expected of master…Forgive me, Tera-Nothing.”[4]
Leaving those mysterious words, the skull rider avatar burst and scattered into pixels. Haruyuki and Bush Utan simultaneously murmured as they watched Sky Raker dust off her hands.
“S-So powerful……”
“Way too strong……”
They exchanged glances. Since Raker had splendidly repulsed Ash and protected the base, there was no longer any meaning in continuing their tug of war.
Without saying anything, Haruyuki suddenly made his wings vibrate at high speed by consuming his entire remaining special technique gauge. The ascending force this produced made Utan’s arms creak and grate.
“T-That’s useless! Burn, my biceeeeeeeeeeps!!”
Utan pumped up his left arm that was grabbed onto the building handrail and his right arm that was holding Haruyuki’s ankle, and tried to pull back Haruyuki with pure physical strength—and at that instant.
Haruyuki changed the flight direction of his silver wings by 180 degrees, and went into a diving posture. Inevitably, this caused Utan to pull Silver Crow towards himself with all of his arm strength.
“Wha…hey, wait a minute.”
His words were erased by the sound of being hit by a violent dive kick.
Like that, the two of them fell to the ground like heavy lumps. Since Utan released his grip on Haruyuki’s from the shock of impact, it showed that he still had a long way to go before he could fight Haruyuki at point blank hand-to-hand combat.
As his HP disappeared in a rush, Utan exited the stage with parting words of surrender just like that of his big bro’s.
“I-I’ll pay ya back for this tomorrow~~~~~!!”
……Tomorrow?
Haruyuki had a bad feeling about those words somehow, but he put it aside for the time being and hurried over to the front lines in order to assist Takumu.
Fifteen minutes later in real world time—
Having protected the First to Third Battles Areas of Suginami this week as well, the five members of Nega Nebulas gathered in the center of the field that had served as the stage for the last battle, and congratulated each other for a good day’s work.
Sitting down on a nearby slab of concrete, Haruyuki let out a long breath, feeling comfortably fatigued, and spoke to Sky Raker next to him.
“Even so…I didn’t think that Ash Roller’s bike could be taken down through such a method…”
In the past, Haruyuki had defeated Ash by lifting the rear wheel of his bike and cancelling its propulsive force, but the method of grasping the brake lever while it ran and then blowing it away was far more smart, speedy, and most of all, interesting and cool.
However, Raker shook her head with a wry smile.
“Unfortunately, that method can only be used when Ash is standing up straight on his bike.”
“Ah…I-I see…”
Certainly, a rider’s hands usually do not separate from the handles. After he gave a thoughtful hum, this time it was Kuroyukihime who spoke up with wry laughter in her voice.
“Before that, if you don’t synchronize your speed with the bike using a Raker-class dash when you touch it going at full speed, you would receive damage instead.”
“Ah…I-I…see…”
As Haruyuki dropped his head, Chiyuri and Takumu let out unreserved laughter. The jet-black avatar also laughed for a while, but then added, “But, well”.
“Perhaps if you flew at full speed, you might be able to do the same thing as Raker. You should look into the possibility.”
“Yes!”
After Haruyuki energetically nodded, the legion leader looked around at her subordinates and spoke.
“If there’s nothing else to discuss, let’s talk about the matter of tomorrow. I think you’ve all already received a text message with an outline of it from Haruyuki-kun, but I’ll have him explain it again here.”
“U-Understood.”
After frantically standing up and facing the four other people sitting down side by side, Haruyuki started explaining the outline of the big event tomorrow—the «Hermes Cord Traversing Race».
He explained about how it was not necessary to specifically go to the Sky Tree, and that if they gathered and Direct Connected together at Haruyuki’s home, the «Transporter Card» item would teleport them to the bottom station of the space elevator.
About how they couldn’t change the driver of Shuttle-1 since Silver Crow had already registered for it, and so the rest of them would be passengers that protected their shuttle or attacked the shuttles of the rival teams.
About how, since their HP gauges were locked while in the race, the Level 9 Black Lotus would not be in danger either.
After somehow managing to explain that far while stumbling over his words, Haruyuki suddenly hesitated. He wasn’t able to decide on the spur of the moment whether he should mention how Blood Leopard of «Prominence» had registered for Shuttle-2, and how she was looking forward to meeting Sky Raker again.
However, he immediately decided to remain quiet about it for now. The exchange between Leopard and Raker could only be understood by the two of them.
Therefore, Haruyuki sucked in a deep breath and then finished with “That’s all!”.
“Good work.”
Kuroyukihime said that and then immediately stood up in Haruyuki’s place as he sat down.
“You should have learned this from Haruyuki-kun’s mail as well, but an event known as the «Grand Castle Capture Race» also occurred one year ago as well. I think Raker already understands, but…”
Suddenly stopping her words, the Black King struck her right hand’s sword on the ground.
“Back then, I was completely cut off from the Global Net and was hiding from the assassins of the kings, so I felt veeeeeeeeeery mortified about not being able to participate.
“I truly did too. I sent a bitter call of resentment all the way to the Grand Castle from on top of the Old Tokyo Tower back then.”
Raker smiled gracefully as she said that, making Kuroyukihime nod in agreement and the other three legion members straighten their backs nervously. While sharing the thought of «Raker-sensei is truly scary», they wouldn’t have been surprised if several duel avatars had actually become paralyzed from the grudge and malice contained in Raker’s message back then.
“Anyway. As a result, I would like to dispel last year’s regret in tomorrow’s race without fail. Takumu-kun and Chiyuri have also gladly agreed to enter, and above all, Haruyuki went through so much trouble to get us the right to participate by noticing the possibility of a new stage appearing and going all the way to the distant Sky Tree. I will allow no excuses for putting this to waste.”
After Kuroyukihime spoke, Haruyuki frantically shook his head and hands.
“N-No, really, I merely came up with a trifling idea…The one who guessed the location and time of the portal’s appearance was senpai…”
“That idea was very important. Although the ten participation slots were apparently all quickly filled, it seems most of the registered teams were people that bought an expensive piece of information at an NPC shop in the Unlimited Neutral Field. There were only one or two people besides Haruyuki-kun who realized it on their own.”
“H-Heh…So that’s how it was…”
Then, that NPC information may have had its announcement on the portal’s appearance slightly delayed. In that case, Haruyuki, who guessed it from scratch by himself, and probably Pard-san were the first people to reach the Hermes Cord.
In that case, he was really grateful to Chiyuri for inviting him to the Shinjuku Government Office the other day. If he hadn’t gone there, the news about the space elevator would probably not have come to mind in the first place. And of course, he was also grateful to Kuroyukihime for giving him advice during their Dive Call. It truly was good to have comrades…As Haruyuki idly thought that—
“……Wait a moment, Lotus.”
Sky Raker lightly raised her hand, and moved her wheelchair forward as its wheels squeaked. She turned the wheelchair around with a smooth motion and faced all the other legion members.
“I’ve also been looking forward to this kind of event very much. As someone who cut off social interaction in Accel World for a long time, I’m thankful every day that I can fight alongside the members of this legion…of the reborn «Nega Nebulas» once again. If possible, I would like to join forces with everyone and aim for the goal of the race tomorrow as well. However…”
She cut off her words for an instant, and dropped her gaze down to her legs wrapped within her long white dress.
“…According to what Crow said, there are only four seats for crew members in the shuttle, and it seems there isn’t any other loading space. Therefore, I would have to remain fixed on a seat without my wheelchair. If I do that, this avatar of mine will just serve as an ornament. If I will just increase the carried weight without doing anything and slow down the shuttle’s speed, it would be better if I didn’t board it in the first place.”
“N-No way!”
Haruyuki reflexively cried out and tried to deny Sky Raker’s words.
However—
If Raker were a long range type avatar, she could sufficiently play the role of attacker even while fixed onto her seat. But, just as her vivid sky-blue color indicated, she was a pure close range type. Most likely, in order for close range types to play the role of attacker in the race, they needed to be able to jump over to other shuttles. For Sky Raker, who uses a wheelchair instead of legs, doing that would of course be impossible.
Watching as Haruyuki grit his teeth hard, Raker spoke gently.
“Karasu-san[5], don’t worry about it. Even if I’m not there, I believe that you can surely reach the top at the top with you, Lotus, Pile and Bell.”
—No, that’s wrong.
I wanted to take you…to take you especially to that pillar reaching up to the sky. There’s something I want to tell you, in that world above that covers the entire length of the 4000 km long space elevator. To tell you a certain thought that cannot be expressed on the ground, where it is weighed down by gravity…
At the same time as Haruyuki thought that in his mind, Kuroyukihime also spoke in a pain-filled voice.
“…Raker. Your avatar’s body weight is probably lighter than Crow’s. There won’t be much difference in the loading weight of the shuttle whether you board it or not. Besides, even if you can’t move from your seat, it’s enough if you just act as a defender…”
“You can’t do that, Lotus.”
Raker decisively stopped her.
“Your…and Nega Nebulas’ activities should, first and foremost, be for the sake of toppling the other kings and allowing you to reach Level 10. If you end up in first place in tomorrow’s race, you’ll surely be given a considerable amount of Burst Points. That will certainly allow you to get closer to your final objective. In that case, you shouldn’t fuss over me and reduce your chances of victory even slightly…Isn’t that right?”
Her words were far too logical, and more than that, far too painful. Most likely, in Sky Raker’s heart, she had clearly regulated her own role, due to having a big limitation to her movements. She values her power when it can help the legion’s activities. But conversely, she absolutely won’t participate in a battle where she will be a burden.
In other words, it was like this.
Sky Raker had already given up on Brain Burst for herself. She had responded to Kuroyukihime’s request and returned to the legion, but her only motive was to help Kuroyukihime. She was strongly forbidding herself from feeling the thrill and excitement of «duels», and the joy of talking through fists. Like a punishment that she will bear forever.
—That’s wrong.
Haruyuki once again whispered that in his mind.
It was Haruyuki’s goal to make their legion master Kuroyukihime reach Level 10 as well. He was always wishing to be a knight that would continue to properly protect his king until that time came.
He had no greater priority than that, but he did have a wish that was compatible with it.
To play and enjoy the fighting game known as Brain Burst.
Duels must not be fought out of bitterness or pain. They must not be done as work for earning points. There only lies darkness that casts a deep shadow even over the real world down that path, like with the «Acceleration Research Society».
Of course, Haruyuki didn’t believe that Sky Raker would fall into such darkness either—but, if she still hadn’t forgiven herself, she would never be able to enjoy Brain Burst.
However, Haruyuki didn’t have a way to convey his thoughts and feelings right now at this place. It seemed to be the same for Kuroyukihime and Takumu, as both of their avatars were stiffened like rocks and were merely looking down.
Sky Raker tried to break the silence that engulfed everything other than the ticking time count, which showed 10 minutes until the field disappeared, by speaking with a gentle smile. However, an instant before she could speak.
“Raker-nee-san.”
Without warning, Chiyuri addressed Raker with the name she had come to call her by.
“What is it, Bell?”
“There’s…something I’ve always been thinking about, but……”
Speaking in a voice as if she were wavering over something, but still expressing a firm will at its core, Lime Bell stood up. She took several steps, and stood before Raker. She took a deep breath, displayed an unusually serious expression on her mask—
“If you’re okay with it, Nee-san, I’d like to try out returning your legs to normal with my power.”
And she said that.
The instant he heard her words, Haruyuki widened his eyes. Chiyuri’s—Lime Bell’s power, the special technique «Citron Call», had the effect of «reversing time». It turned back the time of an avatar or objected she targeted with it.
In ordinary duels, it was used as only a «fake healing ability» that restored the HP gauges of her allies. But, the technique’s possible applications didn’t stop at that, as proved by the role it played in the battle against Frost Horn and Tourmaline Shell the other day. Since enemies could move and escape from the technique, it was quite difficult to use it on them, but if it succeeded in hitting, it was possible to even force Enhanced Armaments summoned by the enemy to disappear.
As such, Citron Call was a special technique even rarer than the actual healing ability in a certain sense—however.
“B-But…Chiyu.”
Haruyuki reflexively broke into the conversation.
“Raker-san definitely lost her legs more than three years ago. Could you really turn back time that far back…?”
Chiyuri then tilted her pointy witch hat and answered while moving her index finger as if thinking it over.
“Well…My «Citron Call» has two modes. Mode 1, which consumes half of my special technique gauge, rewinds the state of a duel avatar I target according to the seconds that have passed in the game. This is what I usually use for healing HP.”
Then she held up two fingers and continued.
“…And Mode 2, which consumes an entire full-charged special technique gauge, rewinds avatar status effects besides level-ups…in other words, according to each individual permanent change caused by external factors. Like Enhanced Armaments bought with points, or parts and techniques stolen from other avatars, it cancels those kinds of changes one by one. This is what I used to restore Haru’s wings before.”
“So it…undoes permanent changes.”
Kuroyukihime whispered that. She gave a short nod, and thoughtfully applied the ridge of her right hand’s sword to her mask’s lower jaw while sitting.
“It sounds simple, but when you think about it, it’s an unbelievable power. It’s surely the natural enemy, no, the divine punishment towards stealing-type ability users…”
“But, since it can’t apply negative interference on the status data of others who have not been made the technique’s target, items that legally belong to people other than the target cannot be returned. That’s why I wouldn’t have been able to return Haru’s wings if I used it on Haru himself. Also, since it’s easy to escape from the technique itself, it is difficult to use on an enemy during battle, Lotus-senpai.”
As Haruyuki tried with difficulty to understand the rules of this slightly complicated technique, Takumu spoke up next.
“Chii-chan, what is the maximum number of permanent changes that «Citron Call Mode 2» can cancel by reverse order of when they occurred?”
“Err…I haven’t actually tried it, but considering how my gauge decreases, I think the max is up to three changes.”
“Three…huh. —Raker-san, have you received any other status changes since losing your legs?”
After a short pause, the sky-blue answered Takumu’s question.
“……Since I did an exchange of Enhanced Armaments with Karasu-san before…if that counts as two changes, then that would make the loss of my legs exactly the third change in reverse order.”
The instant he heard those words, Haruyuki reflexively asked.
“U-Umm, master. What about that wheelchair…?”
The silver wheelchair Sky Raker sat on was the same kind of Enhanced Armament item as Ash Roller’s bike. Haruyuki was wondering whether the acquisition of this counted as a permanent change.
But Raker shook her head lightly and spoke while quietly striking her chair’s wheels.
“I acquired this right before I threw away my legs.”
She said that casually, but the meaning hidden in those words was huge.
In other words, when she had asked Black Lotus to cut off her legs, Sky Raker had predicted that the body part loss damage might become eternal, or perhaps had resolved herself to it. In other words, the damage she received was not something within the limits of the normal game system—it instead fell under the higher-ranked logic of that system…
“Bell.”
Calling out to Chiyuri, Sky Raker’s voice interrupted Haruyuki’s thoughts. As the gazes of the four other people present gathered on her, the Burst Linker that was still living as half a hermit spoke in an infinitely gentle tone.
“Thank you. I gratefully accept your feelings…But, even if it isn’t successful, don’t blame yourself for it. The cause and effect of all this lies only within me, after all.”
Haruyuki felt like those words were half directed to Black Lotus at the same time as Lime Bell. The black crystal avatar’s body stiffened for a moment, and then she turned her face down slightly.
Chiyuri broke the silence that fell onto the stage with a firm voice.
“I understand, Raker-nee-san. But, I will definitely return your legs to you. And, Haru.”
She suddenly turned her gaze and pointed her fingers at the blinking Haruyuki.
“I think that the confirmation message for acquiring an Enhanced Armament will probably come out for you while I use my technique, but you must absolutely cancel it. It’ll make things troublesome later if you don’t!”
“Y-Yeah, understood.”
Haruyuki nodded, and then Chiyuri turned her gaze towards the upper right with a glance. She was probably checking that her special technique was still charged up to the base from the territory battle earlier. She then turned her face back down and took a step forward.
While Lime Bell took one or two steps forward, Kuroyukihime, Takumu and Haruyuki stepped back.
When the fresh green-covered avatar stood two meters in front of the wheelchair, she lifted the huge bell attached to her left arm and pointed it straight up towards the sky.
She leaned back her wide-brimmed pointy hat, and sucked in a huge breath. Her slender body bended slightly.
“Then, let’s do it……«Citron»……”
At the same time as she started speaking the technique name, she made her bell do a huge counter-clockwise spin in the air. A magnificent ringing sound poured over the field. Although she normally spun it twice when healing the HP of Haruyuki and the others, Chiyuri drew a circle in the air with her bell twice more, and then—
“……«Call»!!”
With a loud shout, she swung her left hand straight down.
A yellow-green ribbon of light and a chord like that of an angel’s band was released from the big bell and wrapped around Sky Raker. Her long sky-blue hair and the skirt of her white dress fluttered back strongly, and exposed her legs hidden beneath them. There existed nothing at all beneath her round knee parts, as if they had been designed that way from the beginning.
As Sky Raker shut her dark red eye lenses and grasped her hands together in front of her chest, her entire body glowed lime green for a moment.
[DO YOU ACQUIRE ENHANCED ARMAMENT «GALE THRUSTER»?]
Haruyuki quickly pressed the [NO] button of the window that appeared, which was flickering in and out irregularly unlike usual. It was a sign that something was being returned to Sky Raker. Immediately after, Raker’s body glowed strongly once again. This probably meant that Chiyuri’s ability had rewinded back to the second item transfer performed between Haruyuki and Sky Raker.
Haruyuki once again admired how truly unbelievable it was. Usually, it went without saying that only GMs[6] had the exclusive right to cancel item and money transactions in net games. Due to that overwhelming authority, GMs were often compared to God. However, since Brain Burst had no so-called GMs, Chiyuri could be called the only one to have obtained the power of God—though only a small fraction of it—in Accel World other than the game’s mysterious developer…
Haruyuki’s momentary thinking was blown away by the third flash.
“……!!”
The three observers held their breaths together and merely widened their eyes.
In the midst of the strongly surging green light, they definitely saw small light blue particles attached Sky Raker’s knees. They extended downward while rapidly increasing in number. They joined together into thin cylindrical forms with a taper, increased in density, drew the vague form of legs—
*FUU*
And then disappeared like visibly melting grains of ice.
Immediately after, the green light also faded and grew more indistinct along with the sound of bells, before vanishing.
In the center of the once again silent field, Lime Bell staggered as if she had used up all her energy. However, Black Lotus instantly moved in and caught her back.
The yellow-green avatar whispered in a hoarse voice while hanging her arms powerlessly at her sides.
“……Why…Why…Why…didn’t they come back…?”
The one that answered her was Sky Raker as she quietly fixed the hem of her skirt.
“It’s not your fault, Bell.”
She shook her head slightly while giving a consoling smile.
“This result proves that the logic of the system whose priority is higher than the usual game system is responsible for the disappearance of my legs. The «Imagination Control System»…in other words, the «Incarnate System»…”
Haruyuki sucked in a sharp breath. As a bigger reaction, Black Lotus drew back her right leg while still holding Lime Bell. Her V-shaped mask quickly turned away.
Facing the stock still Chiyuri and Kuroyukihime, Sky Raker calmly spoke.
“Since Bell has still only heard the rough outline of the «Incarnate System», it may be hard for her to understand, but…three years ago, I tried to raise the altitude limit of my flight through mind power. I wanted my hand to reach the sky in exchange for sacrificing my legs, and I made a contract with God…no, the Devil. My wish was only slightly granted. My altitude limit increased by only 100 meters…and my legs did not return after that no matter how many times I Dived into the duel field. It is my own mind power that keeps my legs from reappearing. Even I no longer understand how to undo it. That’s why it’s not Bell’s fault that it won’t return to normal…much less your fault, Lotus.”
—If you pursue mind power, you will definitely lose something in exchange for gaining something.
Blood Leopard of the Red Legion had once said that to Haruyuki. Back then, Sky Raker’s image might have been in Leopard’s mind when she said that.
In response to those words, Haruyuki answered with the following. ‘I want to believe. I want to believe in the Incarnate System—and in Brain Burst itself.’
That must not be made into a lie. Definitely. For the sake of that as well, Haruyuki had to bring Sky Raker to the top of the Hermes Cord.
“……Raker-san.”
Haruyuki called out to her with a quiet but resolute will in his voice. He gazed straight at her dark red eye lenses, and spoke.
“I think that the strength of a team…of one’s comrades is not decided just by their avatar’s fighting power. Their power of observation, their judgement…no, more than that, I think the feeling of doing your best because you’re all together is what’s most important. You support us, Raker-san. Just by having you with us, we can become much, much stronger. That’s why…that’s why.”
Haruyuki could only speak up to there with his limited conversational skills. Even so, he somehow expressed what was inside his heart, and when he gripped his hands tightly, the big hand of Cyan Pile suddenly hit his shoulder from behind.
“It’s just as Haru says. Raker-san, you are an irreplaceable battle force in this legion.”
Chiyuri also gave a big nod to Takumu’s words.
“That’s right, Nee-san! We’re the strongest when the five of us are gathered together!”
And lastly, Kuroyukihime took a step forward.
“That’s how it is, Raker. It’s just as everyone says.”
The leader of Nega Nebulas quietly spoke in a tone which expressed the pain hidden at her core.
“I said it to you before. I need you. At any time…I will simplify it for you. In tomorrow’s race, if you’re not there, we four won’t be able to do our very best. Just that is reason enough for you to participate.”
Although it was quite high-handed, they were words that contained direct penetrating power.
Sky Raker widened her eyes for a moment, then gave a faint bitter smile—and shook her white hat as if to say “Really now”.
“Lotus, the way you talk like that hasn’t change since we first met.”
She looked down and lightly stroked her knee with her right hand.
“…Things that are lost won’t return again. But, there are also surely things that continue to shine without being spoiled…The right to believe that, no, to wish for that to be so may still be left in me as well……”
Her whisper, hardly loud enough to be a sound, flowed out quietly from beneath her hat. At the same time, Haruyuki felt has if he saw a single grain of light escape into the air.
However, when she raised her head, Sky Raker only gave her usual gentle smile.
“……Thank you, Lotus, Pile, Bell…and Crow. I accept all your feelings. —However.”
Then, her expression became mischievous.
“Since I’m going to participate, you’ll have to throw away naïve thoughts like getting second or third place. We’ll either win completely, or burn out in the sky.”
*HII*
Watching Haruyuki as he straightened his back, Takumu and Chiyuri let out unreserved laughter.
—You two don’t know how scary this person can truly be!
While shouting that inside his mind, Haruyuki also eventually managed to form a smile—though it was a little stiff—from the bottom of his heart.
