Accel World: Floating Bridge in Starlight

by Reki Kawahara

  “……What is this? Explain. What is that power?”

  When Rust Jigsaw groaned that out in a hoarse voice, Haruyuki glanced at him through his thick visor—and whispered.

  “Is it already over? Then, disappear.”

  And then, he casually swooped down to attack right from the front.

  This wasn’t a «duel» that risked the pride of Burst Linkers, nor a mere «battle»; it would be better to call it «carnage», no, more like a «mechanical action».

  Unable to use his right arm, Jigsaw tried to attack Haruyuki with the saw blade of his left arm and kicks from his two legs, all imbued with mind power, but all his attacks were completely seen through by the Enhanced Armament’s prediction ability and Haruyuki’s own instincts. Haruyuki merely moved the minimum distance to dodge with his wings and tail, and then effortlessly chopped up the enemy avatar with Qatars on both his hands.

  In a certain sense, this fight may have been the completed form of the «Aerial Combo» that Haruyuki had aimed for. However, there was not a trace of excitement, aesthetics, or pride in it. It was merely an ugly slaughter that unfolded in space 3,500 km above the ground.

  First, Haruyuki cut off his left arm. Then his right leg. Then his left leg. And finally, his right arm that was supporting his avatar on the tower.

  Having finished slicing apart the enemy in ten seconds, Haruyuki grasped and pulled out the head and torso portion from the lump of wreckage of the avatar that was once Rust Jigsaw as it started falling downwards.

  Although he should have been feeling extraordinary pain, Jigsaw still retained the energy to let out a thin laugh.

  “Kuku…ku. Praise yourself for now. But…my objective has already been completed.”

  Although he was mostly uninterested, Haruyuki tilted his head and listened to Jigsaw’s words.

  “No, in a certain sense, even the revival of that «armor» will probably be beneficial for us. Tremble in fear. From this moment on, this world you people believe in will start to deteriorate. The false sense of order will be lost, and the original chaos will cover everything. Despair—at the beginning of our revolution, and…”

  *GUSHA*

  Without listening till the end, Haruyuki crushed Rust Jigsaw’s head with his hands. The avatar exploded in a bust of red light, and the Burst Linker that had destroyed the Hermes Cord Traversing Race exited instantly from Accel World.

  ——No.

  The destroyer, in the true sense of the word, might be Haruyuki himself now. He no longer cared about even the race that he had wanted to protect so badly just a few minutes ago.

  ……It’s not enough. Just this much isn’t enough at all.

  Muttering that in his mind, Haruyuki glanced around at his surroundings. Of course, there was no one around. But, the energy and destructive impulses that swirled through his entire body wouldn’t quieten at all; rather, they seemed to burn inside him vigorously.

  I want to fight. I want to thoroughly defeat and crush many, many more enemies with this power.

  When Haruyuki looked directly upwards in search of enemies—the last surviving spectator stand came into his view.

  The hundreds of gallery viewers, leaning out from their seats, all uniformly showed dazed and dumbfounded expressions. As they rustled, quiet conversation came and went across space between them.

  “Huh…Isn’t that the «Armor of Catastrophe»…?”

  “No way, I heard that it was completely annihilated not long ago.”

  “But…what else besides that «armor» could possess that kind of unreasonable ability…?”

  “But, its appearance is different from when I saw it in the Unlimited Neutral Field…”

  —If you want to know that much. You should confirm it for yourselves with your own bodies. Confirm the overwhelming power of this legendary berserker, «Chrome Disaster».

  Underneath his visor, Haruyuki gave an insane-looking smile.

  He slowly unfolded his wings. He bent and folded his long tail in the shape of an S, and sunk down his body.

  He was going to kick off the ground and fly towards the countless prey—but just before that.

  Something softly touched the wings on his back.

  It was memories. The memories of countless duels that had sunk into his metallic fins, which should have only been a piece of propulsion equipment. In particular, the recollection of his battle with the Black King Black Lotus last night in Haruyuki’s room flashbacked for just an instant within his darkness-dyed wings.

  From far, far away, he recalled a gentle voice.

  ……I’m proud of you……

  Suddenly, the talons on his feet strongly held down on the tower’s steel plates with an unconscious motion. His body, which had been about to fly up, was pulled back down with a jerk.

  ——I.

  In the center of his consciousness that seethed for battle, a thought like clear water fell into it.

  ——The strength I sought…wasn’t…blind carnage like this…

  A white ripple spread through the interior of his mind. For an instant, a part of his black-shining armor trembled unstably.

  —Don’t resist. Don’t be afraid. This is what you wished for.

  Someone whispered to him irritatingly at the back of his head.

  —Now, release even more anger. Destroy everything before your eyes. And devour. Consume. If you do, you can obtain even greater, greater, greater unlimited strength.

  ——Devour? I…I never wished for such a thing…

  ——The reason I wanted to get stronger…wasn’t for myself. For the sake of the people I care about…In order to protect my meager, but warm «family»…And, in order to continue chasing after the same dream as the person I care about more than anyone else, I……!

  Suddenly, several fuzzy faces appeared in his vision. Those smiling faces which gazed at him kindly were closed in by black waves from every direction, trying to blot them out.

  —Then devour them. Devour them and turn them into power. Other people are unnecessary. Break them. Destroy them. I am the incarnation of catastrophe. I am the symbol of fear. I—am «Chrome Disaster»!!

  In response to that voice, which sounded like a cracked bell.

  Haruyuki strained all his will and shouted back.

  ——No! No!! I…I…!!

  “I am Silver Crow————!!”

  The instant he released that cry from beneath his visor—

  The heavy armor covering his entire body lost its hardness as if becoming liquid metal. With a swish, it flowed down towards the soles of his feet, and Silver Crow’s original helmet was exposed. However, the darkness-colored metal didn’t disappear. It coiled around his silver armor, and tried to once again resolve back into the armor.

  “Uu…oooooh……!”

  Clenching his fists tightly, Haruyuki resisted it. He tried to push away with all his might the darkness-colored metal surge trying to control both his avatar and his mind.

  But, after just a few seconds. His resistance was in vain, as the cruel shining metal started to return from the tips of his limbs.

  Its power to control exceeded the limits of a normal item by far, as if it were a genuine «curse». Not a digital code encoded within the server, but someone’s consciousness itself. And it was trying to merge with Haruyuki’s mind.

  Although he couldn’t guess just what kind of logic could cause that kind of phenomenon to occur, the reality was that Haruyuki had been struck by a strong interference in his thoughts, even if it were only for a few minutes. When he fought with Rust Jigsaw, Haruyuki had been half not himself. If he fell into the same state again, then this time he might really direct that frightening power at his comrades—and at his important person.

  Yes, just like the fifth generation Disaster, Cherry Rook, who had hunted down his own «Child», Scarlet Rain.

  “Disappear…disappear…disapeeeeeeear!”

  He desperately squeezed out his voice from between his clenched teeth. However,
the armor had already been restored up to his elbows and knees. It was unlikely that its momentum would stop.

  —Then, there’s only one thing left I can do.

  Raising his right hand, with its shining sharp claws.

  Haruyuki pointed their tips towards the center of his chest.

  The instant he was about to pierce through his central core, one of the most critical points of a duel avatar, with his five fingers dripping with a darkish mind power aura while he was still in his normal state.

  He heard a voice shout his name from far away.

  “Haru————!”

  Raising his head with a jerk, he looked downwards across the space elevator.

  There, he saw a scene he could never have imagined.

  Heading towards Haruyuki, with her right extended out as far as possible, was a fresh green-colored avatar—Lime Bell. Carrying her on her back and flying straight at him while releasing jet flames from her booster was a sky blue-colored avatar, Sky Raker. And desperately following right behind them with only one linear wheel remaining was the No.1 shuttle.

  “…Don…Don’t come! Don’t come here, Bell, Raker-san!!”

  Haruyuki shouted in a daze. He lost his mental concentration for an instant, and the speed of the armor’s restoration increased.

  “Get away! I…I can no longer…hold this thing…back……!!”

  An aura of darkness spurted out from Haruyuki’s entire body.

  Sharp metallic clangs resounded once after another, and the Armor of Catastrophe covered his chest and torso from his shoulders. Now only his neck and head remained. The heavy metal rapidly gathered there as well, and tried to make a crude helmet. A thin film of grey covered his vision.

  If this helmet visor fell over him—Silver Crow would probably disappear completely.

  However, Sky Raker’s rush forward didn’t weaken. Her speed increased even further, and she flew right at Haruyuki.

  On her back, Lime Bell swung her left hand’s bell straight forward.

  She swung the large bell, shining dazzlingly in the sunlight, around counter-clockwise once, twice. Three times. And then, four times.

  Finally, she swung it down straight towards Haruyuki—and Chiyuri shouted in a voice clearer than the noise of the stars.

  “Citron Caaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaall!!”

  An angelic orchestra released the sound of solemn bells. Following those beautiful chords, shining ribbons of transparent green light flowed out from Bell.

  Unsteadily flickering words appeared on the thin layer covering his vision. «Attack Prediction/Normal Special Technique, Range Unknown/Power Unknown/Effect Unknown, Degree of Threat/100».

  Haruyuki’s left arm moved by itself and tried to release a surge of darkness towards the ribbons.

  However, Haruyuki strained his will power to the point that his brain burned, and grasped his left arm with his right arm in order to hold it back.

  Immediately after, a pure lime-green light wrapped around Haruyuki’s entire body.

  His dark metal armor split apart all over as if it were being cut off by the ribbons of light. The heavy metal dissolved into fluid once again and was pushed back all the way to the base of the tail on his back. Due to the power of Chiyuri’s special technique «Citron Call Mode 2», which forcefully rewinds an avatar’s state, the equipment of the Enhanced Armament was being canceled.

  —GU…RUOOOOOOOH!

  A fierce beastly roar filled his head. It was the sound of an overwhelming anger and frustration. And contained within those feelings—was some slight fear.

  —Disappear. Disappear! I don’t need you! I already have a far more proper power to get stronger on my own! That’s why…you should just disappear————!!

  As if pressed by Haruyuki’s shout, all of the metal finally gathered into the tail that had first appeared, and then vanished. Within the fresh green light, Haruyuki raised his now freed arms, grasped the tail extending out from his back, and put all his strength into pulling it out.

  His entire avatar creaked and a terrible pain pierced through his back. But, he didn’t let up his strength. Sickening cracking sounds resounded, and the thick tail between his hands waved wildly as if it were another living creature entirely.

  —Fool.

  The voice, its volume now weaker than before, whispered on his back.

  —In the depths of your heart, you wish to fuse completely with my power. Because you are the only one that has been able to fuse with me so strongly since I was removed from my original creator.

  In response to the voice, Haruyuki firmly retorted back.

  —Even if that is true. Even so, I reject you. I deny you. For the sake of the people who gave me the power that allows me to do so, I refuse you!!

  At the same time, Haruyuki concentrated all of his remaining willpower into his hands gripping the tail.

  And released it as light.

  “La…ser…Sword!!!”

  A clear metallic sound resounded through all of space, as two silver swords crossed together.

  The pure white swords of light that crossed together cut off the heavy metal tail from the middle.

  The howl of a wild beast resounded one final time—and then a system message appeared in his upper left vision. [YOU DEFEATED «THE DISASTER»].

  The final remaining fragment of the tail dissolved away as if blown out by the sunlight, and disappeared.

  As Haruyuki slowly started falling down towards the Earth after having used up all his strength, the flying Chiyuri and Fuuko stopped him by gently cradling him in their arms.

  It seemed that his consciousness had ceased functioning longer than he thought.

  When Haruyuki opened his heavy eyelids, the reflective jet-black visor of the Black King Black Lotus was right before his eyes.

  “Se…npai…”

  Murmuring that, he raised his head slightly. He was in the front passenger seat of the stopped No.1 shuttle. Haruyuki was lying sideways on the bench seat, and his upper body was being supported by Lotus’ knees.

  When Kuroyukihime noticed that Haruyuki had regained consciousness, she slowly nodded once. A quiet, slightly trembling voice came out from her mask.

  “……You came back, Crow. You truly did your best…You really…came back…”

  “Sen…pai…”

  The instant he heard her, Haruyuki’s voice also trembled intensely.

  “I’m…sorry. I…I……”

  “Don’t say anything now. You used all your strength and fought the enemy you had to fight. For now, that’s enough…”

  “…That’s right, Karasu-san.”

  Sky Raker turned around from where she sat in the cockpit and extended her hand to him. She smoothly patted Haruyuki’s helmet and whispered.

  “You protected the race from the hands of that destroyer. No one in Nega Nebulas…no, no one in Accel World can condemn that battle.”

  “………”

  As Haruyuki’s chest suddenly felt flooded and he tried to look down, Takumu also spoke out from the backseat where he’d been sitting since before.

  “That’s right, Crow. Besides, I’ve known since long ago how reckless you get when you lose your temper. I just thought ‘Ah, there he goes again’ when you flew off to chase the No.10 shuttle as well.”

  “Ahaha, that’s true! And so, we cleaned up your mess afterwards just like always!”

  Hearing Chiyuri laugh happily from next to Takumu, Haruyuki couldn’t help but retort.

  “I-I didn’t particularly ask you to clean up after me!”

  “Ah, geez. Saying that kind of thing. You say that, even though Raker-nee-san and I worked so hard back there.”

  “Uu…S-Sorry…I’m indebted to you two…”

  Hearing this exchange, the other four laughed together all at once. Slightly afterwards, Haruyuki added in his own laughter as well.

  After calmly talking for a little while, Chiyuri looked around at the shuttle and raised her voice.

  “Ah, but
, it’s such a shame that we can’t reach the goal even after Haru worked so hard! Geez, even though it was just a little further ahead…”

  At those words, Haruyuki lifted his body off Kuroyukihime’s knees and confirmed the state of the shuttle. Certainly, just as Chiyuri had said, this shuttle couldn’t run anymore. The section that had been directly exposed to Rust Jigsaw’s incarnate attack was all rusted and in tatters, the front right wheel had been completely blown away, and the left wheel was also crackling with sparks; rather, the shuttle had done well to reach where he had been fighting with Jigsaw from the place where its right wheel had blown out.

  “…Well, it can’t be helped.”

  Kuroyukihime lifted her right hand sword and spoke.

  “The fact that that guy didn’t manage to win the race at least should be enough for us to be happy about……Besides, after this, Accel World will most likely become so hectic that no one will have time to think about this event……”

  The last half of Kuroyukihime’s words were whispered quietly, and Haruyuki was about to ask what she meant by that—but then.

  That shout resounded loudly from beneath them on the tower.

  “Hey, hey, heeeeeeeeeeeey! It’s too early to give up heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeere!!”

  “Nowah!?”

  Haruyuki turned around while exclaiming in surprise. There, he saw the forms of two shuttles climbing the tower with a great deal of effort while letting out weak sparks from their linear wheels. It was without a doubt the Green Team and Red Team machines that he thought had already retired.

  Ash Roller was sitting in the cockpit of the shuttle running in the lead. However, Bush Utan and the other Green Legion members who should have been sitting in the backseats were nowhere to be seen.

  And the one operating the shuttle following behind it was the crimson leopard-headed avatar—Blood Leopard. But she was also on the shuttle alone, with no sign of her four long range shooting team members present.