Accel World: Dusk Robber

by Reki Kawahara

  While looking at the bell connected to her left hand, «Lime Bell»— Chiyuri tilted her head and said.

  "Somehow... isn't this color too flashy?"

  "Don't complain, such high color saturation, even if you wanted it, doesn't show up often."

  "On the other hand."

  Under the hat, the orange colored eyes narrowed in doubt.

  "...You, are Haru?"

  "...Yes. I understand what you want to say, so you don't need to say it!"

  He quickly added that, but Chiyuri shouted without mercy.

  "No way! This game's avatar, is a representation of trauma... right? Hmm, hoo, I see."

  "Leave it alone."

  After taking a glance at the body that is over half more slender than his real body, he turned his head away.

  Then, he saw that Cyan Pile had appeared there some time ago.

  The blue avatar with a pile driver equipped on his right hand, was looking down at the yellowish green avatar with a somewhat tense look.

  Chiyuri also accepted those eyes silently.

  Once— half year ago, Takumu could not endure the fear of losing that avatar «Cyan Pile», and put a backdoor program into Chiyuri's Neuro Linker.

  That virus's real objective was to use Chiyuri's Neuro Linker as a stage to connect to Umesato middle school's Local Net from the outside, and hunt the accelerated world's highest bounty, the «Black King», Black Lotus.

  However as a side effect of the virus, it made it possible for Takumu to steal Chiyuri's sight and hearing information, and he put that to use to find out Chiyuri's real feelings.

  Eventually he confessed, and Chiyuri who he apologized to went into a rage, of course. She announced the breaking of ties to both Haruyuki and Takumu, and it took a week before she talked to them again. To fulfill her presented «All she can eat of Enji shop's parfait» condition for settlement, the two of their Neuro Linker's charge limit easily dropped, but the three's relationship, was repaired to the same as before—

  That, was what Haruyuki believed, and wished it to be, but.

  The three sides of the triangle, the one connecting Chiyuri and Takumu, was still changing unstably right now, was what their looks at each other showed.

  "...Well, it is about time we start the beginner lessons."

  Trying to break through the tension, Haruyuki announced and turned towards the yellowish green avatar.

  "Chiyu, you have already heard of most of this «Brain Burst» rules from Taku right?"

  "Yeah. All I need to do is, win a lot of duels to earn points, then become level 10 to clear the game right?"

  "...D-Don't say it so simply. Well, that is right though..."

  If that person heard Chiyuri's indifferent words, what would she say, while Haruyuki shook his head thinking like that, he continued.

  "An-Anyway, to win a duel, you have to see through the opponent's weakness and fight in a way that is advantageous to you. For that reason, you have to fully grasp your avatar's abilities."

  —Unbelievable, that a day where I said such bossy words to someone would come.

  While noticing that slight realization, he moved his right index finger.

  "Around this part in your view, should be your own «Health Gauge» right? Touch that, and from the expanded window open the «Skill List»."

  Normally this was the Parent's role for Takumu, but the flow of conversation somehow had Haruyuki pointing it out to her,

  "O...Okay."

  Chiyuri, who nodded, with somewhat awkward movements extended her finger, and tapped a point in the air. Continuing, she did a few more manipulations.

  "Let's see... normal skills, three of them, and looks like one special skill. «Citron Call»...? Somehow, the left hand bell... like this..."

  While murmuring, Chiyuri followed the skill list animation silhouette, spinning the huge bell that was in front of her left elbow around twice, and finally from above coming down with a snap. But of course, nothing happened.

  "What is this, it didn't do anything."

  "To use special skills, you have to fill the blue «Special Gauge» below the Health Gauge."

  "That, how do I fill it?"

  "Damage the opponent, take damage yourself, and..."

  As he reached that point, Chiyuri lifted her heavy looking bell and raised it, aiming for Haruyuki's head, as he hurriedly added.

  "Th-That and also, you can fill it by destroying the stage. The machines around there, any of them can be destroyed!"

  "Ah, I see."

  It might be his imagination that she nodded with some slight dissatisfaction, and walked towards the steam engine sitting where the teacher's podium was, then without any hesitation, she used her left hand to hit the machine that was putting out a lot of steam.

  With a *Boom!* light explosion sound, sparks and white smoke spew out.

  "Wow, feels great!"

  With innocent sounds of joy, the pointed hat avatar started hitting and destroying one side of the gears turning the belt conveyor, as Haruyuki's back shivered while watching her. The realism of that explosion, and the stage's ultra high detail, not showing signs of being impressed even by a little, this is why girls are...

  While Haruyuki grumbled in his heart, the silent till now Takumu whispered from beside him.

  "Haru, did you notice it? Chi-chan's HP gauge, did not seem to drop at all. For the «Construction Site» machine objects, when you destroy it, you should take a little damage."

  "Ah... that's right."

  "Unlike her appearance, her defense is pretty high. «Green» is originally, the next below «Metal Color», a superior defense color..."

  With Takumu's calm analysis, Haruyuki thought of the rumored «Green King»'s iron wall legend.

  Lime Bell's armor, compared to the level 1 Silver Crow, was clearly harder. That means, Chiyuri is also a defensive type. That is completely opposite of the real person's personality, somehow.

  While thinking about those things, Lime Bell's special gauge was filled to near half while shining blue.

  "Hey Chiyu, that's plenty."

  After being called out, the avatar that turned around came walking close—

  And without a single hesitation, raised the huge bell in her left hand high.

  "Higuu!?"

  In front of Haruyuki, who screamed, and held both hands up to protect his head in reflex.

  After two half clockwise spins, the bell was suddenly covered with a brilliant yellowish green shine.

  "...«Citron Ca~ll»!!"

  With the relatively proper skill name shout, from the bell that was swung straight down, with a *Rigorigoriin* kind of magnificent sound effect, light particles that covered Silver Crow's whole body spewed out.

  "...!"

  Unable to predict what kind of damage he would take, Haruyuki held his breath and closed his eyes. Heat, impact, or some unknown name acid dissolving attack might be possible—

  "...Huh?"

  "...Oh?"

  From his left and right ear, Chiyuri and Takumu's quizzical sounds reached him, and Haruyuki opened his eyes slightly.

  As he nervously looked down at his body, it still shone the same fresh white silver color. He did not feel any pain or heat, and his HP bar did not decrease at all.

  "What is this! Nothing happened!!"

  To Chiyuri's indignant shout, he shook his head on reaction.

  "Th...That should not be it. Your skill, without a doubt hit me... your special skill gauge also decreased. Overtime damage... not that either. Delayed start damage, maybe...?"

  As he mumbled, he waited for something to happen, but a few seconds, then a few tens of seconds later, Silver Crow's HP did not move at all.

  "Hmm... this means, light and sound only, some kind of eye dazzling skill maybe. That is sort of yellow color type..."

  Haruyuki's words did not seem to ease Chiyuri's dissatisfaction, and she put her right hand to her waist.

  "That is boring! Haru, give me one of your special skills!!" />
  "What, that is impossible. Anyway, my special skill is just a Head Butt."

  "At this point, I will take even that."

  As this bargaining expanded to something that's no different from reality, suddenly Takumu said in a low murmur.

  "No... for just a dazzle skill, the decrease in the special skill gauge is way too much. Even though it was half full, all of it was used up... some kind of, there should be a more practical effect..."

  With his strong arms crossed, Cyan Pile lowered his small slits lined face.

  "Not damage, not Debuff[2]... that means... ah... wait, just maybe...!!"

  His sharp sound made both Haruyuki and Chiyuri turn their heads at the same time.

  "What is it, Taku? Did you think of something?"

  "...Well yeah, something with unbelievable feeling though... Chi-chan, with that bell, hit Haru normally."

  "Okay, understood."

  *Gochiri~n!!*

  Before Takumu's words finished or not, Chiyuri without a single hint of holding back, swung the huge bell down, and Haruyuki who took that right on his head, saw numerous stars in his view.

  "O-Ouch..."

  As he moaned, the relentless directions continued.

  "The gauge is still not enough. About three more times."

  "Okay, understood."

  *Zukazukazukari~n!!*

  ...Chiyu's bell is nice. When it hits, incredibly nice sounds come out.

  While he was thinking that and other stuff, Haruyuki abruptly fainted while laying with his arms and legs spread apart.

  For the duel fighting game that is Brain Burst, just leveling up would not majorly increase HP, Attack, and Defense. With new special skills and abilities obtained, tactics can be expanded, but if you get hit without defending like this, corresponding damage occurred. The result, after Haruyuki was hit for four times, his HP gauge decreased by about 30%, and in exchange, Chiyuri's special skill gauge again filled over half, shining blue.

  While moaning, Haruyuki somehow managed to stand up, and in front of his eyes—

  Again the bell was spun around, and yellowish green light effect shone.

  —That's strange, when I was first lectured by senpai, this «Using the mentor's body to teach skill» scene never happened.

  —Anyway, in the first place, why am I the duel opponent for Chiyu?

  As he thought about that now too late, Chiyuri's second skill-name shout, louder than the earlier one, started.

  "Citron Ca~~ll!!"

  The clear sound of a bell. A lime green ribbon of light overflowed out. And then, lightly drifting by, was a fresh citrus scent.

  That covered Silver Crow's body in layers. At that moment.

  "Uaaa...!?"

  Haruyuki experienced something which he had not experienced in the accelerated world for a few months, a shock to the bottom of his heart which made him shout out loud.

  In his view's upper left corner, his HP bar that was decreased by about 30%—

  Was slowly recovering!

  HP recovery.

  For duel fighting genre games, that is originally an impossible phenomenon. Actually, till now Haruyuki had not seen a single HP gauge recovery ability in «Brain Burst».

  No, to be exact, there might be one exception that he had seen. Three months ago, after an incredible battle and destruction, the cursed enhanced armament, «Chrome Disaster» that was annihilated. That avatar had an ability that could «Drain» the opponent's health that he ate to heal his wounds.

  However, since during the Disaster fight, they were in the «Unlimited Neutral Field» where other people's HP gauge could not be seen, this was the first time he actually saw a HP gauge recover.

  Within just about 10 seconds, his HP was returned to full, and the yellowish green light disappeared at the same time.

  However Haruyuki, and Takumu who was a bit further away, could not move or make a sound.

  What released them from their paralysis, was the dissatisfied shout from Chiyuri.

  "No way, what's that?! Your Hit Points were fully recovered!! No fair, that didn't count!!"

  "No... it's not that I am not playing fair..."

  With his raspy voice he said till that point, then looked at Takumu, begging for an explanation.

  Cyan Pile opened his blue eyes inside the small slits wide, and eventually shook his head left and right as he whispered.

  "Wh... what a thing... That right now was without a doubt, «Recovery Ability». Chi-chan's avatar is a «Healer»..."

  "What? That means a priest? That is boring."

  Continuing after the somewhat dissatisfied Chiyuri, Haruyuki who finally came out of his shock, gave his honest opinion.

  "Healer... First time I heard of it. Brain Burst has this kind too."

  However, on the other hand, Takumu whispered in a somehow fearful voice.

  "Instead of boring... it's an outrageously rare avatar. With this, Chi-chan's «Duel» debut might become very serious... Just maybe, beyond the time when Silver Crow appeared..."

  Chapter 3

  "Say what?"

  That short speech, and the continuing long silence, showed her huge shock.

  In the real world she was the Umesato middle school student council vice president, in the accelerated world she was the Legion «Nega Nebulas»' leader, also Haruyuki's «Parent», a level 9 Burst Linker, the Black King, «Black Lotus» that is who Kuroyukihime is. Yet she stared at Haruyuki's face for over 5 seconds, then finally returned the cup held in her right hand to the saucer.

  "...Kurashima-kun becoming a Burst Linker, had about fifty-fifty expectation... but of all things a «Healer»..."

  She combed up her long black hair, and leaned back onto the white painted chair as she gave a small sigh. On top of the jet black blouse, the brand new dark red ribbon gave out bewitching light.

  In these days he felt she was more and more intensely beautiful, so Haruyuki became dazed in fascination.

  2047, April 10th, Wednesday, afternoon 3:30pm.

  As usual, they were seated facing each other in the lounge beside the student cafeteria, at a table deep inside. During lunch time, this place was fully occupied, but after school in this place where you cannot connect to the Global Net, there was not anyone who was whimsical enough to stay, so right now there was not any other students here.

  Chiyuri becoming a Burst Linker, her avatar «Lime Bell»'s special ability shocked Haruyuki and Takumu, two days had already passed. At the start of school year, Kuroyukihime was swamped with student council related work, without her even able to have time for lunch, so it was today that they were finally able to talk to each other directly.

  Chiyuri's installation success from Takumu's copy, and her avatar's name, were already reported to Kuroyukihime two days ago. He really wanted to write about that avatar's shocking ability as well, but Takumu said "It's better to tell her when you directly meet her", with that strong insistence, so it was today that he explained it to her.

  After he used a small voice to apologize for the late report, Kuroyukihime finally looked back, and shook her head with a 'No'.

  "For that, Takumu-kun's judgement is correct. If there was even a slight chance, that this information was leaked to other Burst Linkers on the net, it would be a big problem."

  "It...It's to that extent?"

  "Without a doubt. The Burst Linkers in Tokyo will come gather in Suginami, before Kurashima-kun... Lime Bell joined some kind of legion, they will try to recruit her with different kind of measures taken, for certain."

  After that was said with a slight wry smile, Haruyuki was again dazed in wonderment.

  After stepping into the accelerated world for half a year yet not seeing or hearing of it, made him understand the rarity of «Recovery Ability». However, to be able to start scouting battles, that wasn't peaceful at all.

  Talking about rarity, Haruyuki's «Flight Ability» was rare in the rares. However, even with his «Nega Nebulas» tag, he was marked to be invited to another legion two
or three times.

  While feeling a huge surprise, Haruyuki mumbled an inquiry.

  "B-But... Why? She had not even debuted in an actual fight yet..."

  "Nn... about that..."

  After showing her thinking about how to answer, Kuroyukihime suddenly held up one finger.

  "You might understand if I tell you this. Seven years after the birth of accelerated world, only two Burst Linkers have appeared with «Recovery Ability». One of them, after getting past countless invitations and assassination traps, is still in good health. The other one could not endure the repeated conflict, and retired from the accelerated world due to self decision."

  "Re..."

  Retired. So that meant, erasing your Brain Burst by yourself, right?

  To the paralyzed Haruyuki, Kuroyukihime showed a slight cynical expression.

  "Well, I have to call it as, «Troubled by two princes seeking love, then finally jumping off the tower», that kind of princess-ish sickness worsen as time pass."

  "No, no way, that's too blunt..."

  Haruyuki involuntarily pulled his cheek, then Kuroyukihime said some even more dreadful things.

  "Fortunately, Kurashima-kun isn't like that type at all. On the contrary, I can't say that there would be two princes fighting over her."

  While she was laughing with "Hahaha", Haruyuki involuntarily glanced behind to check that no one was there, and quickly returned to the topic.

  "B-But, that, why just having that «Recovery Ability» can cause that much uproar...?"

  "Just imagine it. During official territory battle, you took a lot of effort to decrease the opponent's front line avatar's HP, then that guy retreated, and when he came back his HP is all full. To say it truthfully..."

  "...To continue fighting would be pointless."

  That definitely is tough. Or more like awful.

  Haruyuki nodded, then Kuroyukihime casually opened her right hand and added.

  "So it is like this. If the enemy team has a healer, you have to take that person down first no matter what. On the other hand, that kind of thinking is easily read by the other side, and they can use ambushes, pincer attacks, and other traps as much as they like."

  "...I see..."

  "To say it clearly, even right now, for the situation where the enemy contains a healer, counter strategies for it have not been established at all."