Accel World: Floating Bridge in Starlight

by Reki Kawahara

  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 object 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 avatar 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[31] 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.

  Chapter 6

  After using the command “Burst Out” to return to the real world from the territory battle field, Haruyuki hesitated before opening his eyes as he felt gravity press down on his body.

  He stayed still like that for about 10 seconds, but then finally raised his head up.

  Currently 6 PM, his home’s living room was so deathly silent that the conversation and laughter that he exchanged with the others just a moment ago on the other side seemed like an illusion.

  The room was quite gloomy since the lighting was off. The sliver of the evening sky that could be seen from the gap between the slightly opened curtains was a dull lead color. The only thing moving within his field of vision was the thin second hand moving languidly on the analog-type clock on the wall, which was practically just an accessory in this day and age.

  Haruyuki let out a small sigh and slumped back his body on the sofa.

  Their legion tried as much as possible to Dive for the weekly territory battles on Sunday after gathering together in real life, but when they didn’t have the spare time to do so, they instead participated from each of their respective homes and neighborhoods. Although a single battle in Brain Burst took only 1.8 seconds to finish, having to fight defensively in more than ten consecutives battles, at the very minimum, made it come out to closer to ten minutes when you included the intervals between battles. Today had turned out to be one of those days they each Dived separately, due to Kuroyukihime being unable to leave the student council room. —Of course, Sky Raker was the only one that participated from a separate location almost every week, due to her house being close to Shibuya.

  Haruyuki could never come to like participating in the territory battles from his home by himself. The reason was simple. It was because, when he Bursted Out after having been absorbed in fighting ten consecutive fierce battles and sharing the joy of victory or regret of defeat with his friends, he always felt an intense loneliness when he suddenly woke up alone in his empty home.

  It wasn’t the kind of extreme loneliness at being completely alone that he’d felt before he’d met Kuroyukihime last autumn and received t
he Brain Burst program from her. Rather, that would have been more comforting if it were so. Back then, when he ran out of school as soon as school finished every day and returned home as if running away, he would keep immersing himself in the world of games, anime and comics that filled his room. Just talking with others in the real world—no, just being in the same place as other people was painful to him back then.

  Almost eight months.

  It had only been that long since he had become a Burst Linker. And yet, Haruyuki now felt from the bottom of his heart that he wanted to meet with his friends in the legion that he had just parted with a few minutes ago. No, he didn’t care if it was with Niko, Pard-san, Ash Roller, or even Frost Horn. He wanted to exchange fists in a «duel», to comment on battles as part of a lively gallery, to meet with others in real life and talk about trivial things.

  “……What happened to me?”

  Murmuring that, Haruyuki buried his face in a sofa cushion. Suddenly, some window opened in the center of his vision along with the default sound effect of his home network, but he hit the confirmation button with his right hand right away without looking at the contents. It was probably an automatic fixed message from his mom anyway about how she would be late tonight again. He quickly forgot about it and imagined the continuation of the question he’d asked within his mind.

  —Have I become stronger, or weaker?

  Considering how his fear towards other people had decreased, it could be said that he had become stronger. However, that had also increased his dependence on others at the same time.

  When he’d been alone every day, there was nothing else he could lose.

  But now, Haruyuki feared from the bottom of his heart that the personal relations he had obtained in these last eight months would break.

  In particular, the one thread that was firmly connected to the very bottom of his heart and extended straight outwards from there, shining like black silk—

  Even though he knew this kind of thinking was dangerous, he couldn’t stop himself. He tightly shut his eyes while lying face-down on the sofa within his gloomily-lit living room, and continued thinking with his arms folded over his head.