Accel World: Dusk Robber

by Reki Kawahara

  “A... bit... too fast...”

  He inquired half in a scream, but the returned reply was relaxed.

  “Oh? Are you an idiot, this can’t even go half as fast as your flight.”

  “B... but, a bike, like this.”

  Haruyuki had not even got on a electric scooter before in the real world. Of course he rode four wheel cars like the family car his parents owned before the divorce, or the taxi that he rode many times, but electric automobiles have no engine sound, and of course you cannot feel the wind from inside.

  But this old style bike, even though a virtual world polygon object, seemed completely different from current vehicles that prioritize energy efficiency and safety.

  This kind of substitute, was roaring noisily along the real world’s roads just twenty years ago, which he completely could not believe. The rider wearing just a helmet with flesh body exposed, sitting there without a seatbelt or airbag.

  “Th... this, how fast can it go!”

  Since Haruyuki could not see the meter from his position, he shouted an inquiry, then again heard the slow response.

  “This is not a racer type, so it can only put out around 200[7].”

  “Two... two hundred...”

  After screaming ‘If there is an accident I will dieee’ in his brain, Haruyuki suddenly realized.

  It was this kind of vehicle.

  This machine, other than putting out speed, did not think of anything else. The engine that turns while exploding the valuable fossil fuel without thinking of waste, the complicated transmission, and the desperately thick tires, were all designed to just run fast. The image of this then assembled.

  So to speak, it exists as a pure embodiment of the longing for speed.

  As if to resist the destiny of living while stuck on the ground, moving at least a little faster, ignoring everything else. With that longing, a human without wings created this machine.

  Haruyuki forgot about his fear, and turned his wide open eyes towards the light yellow sky.

  Then he saw from high above, flying in a small flock, were Pterosaur like Enemy silhouettes.

  ‘—— I.’

  ‘I did not understand anything about the power of the wings I was given.’

  ‘A tool for fighting, an advantage for winning, I had only thought of it like that. But those silver wings were not a level up obtained special skill, or enhanced armament bought with points. It was created by my heart, something that should be the foundation of the avatar named Silver Crow. As my salvation, longing, and hope.’

  ‘I had forgotten about that, and... just saw it as a tool, so... that’s why, for sure, it was that easily robbed from me. At this point... when did it become like this ——’

  Realizing something so important as that.

  So that Ash Roller right in front of him would not notice it, Haruyuki desperately swallowed his sobbing.

  Already, he was no longer afraid of the 200km per hour speed. Instead of that, the engine that continue to desperately roar right under him, he thought it was a very admirable and reliable existence.

  On the Inokashira Road, the bike curved south to avoid the city center, then again headed east.

  When they entered the Minato district, Haruyuki finally asked the question that he should have asked at the start.

  “Ah... where, are we going?”

  “You can already see it. There.”

  Looking towards where the tilted helmet pointed, he saw that in between the rough standing huge rocks, there was a faint, long and slender silhouette ahead.

  That was probably a steep rocky mountain, no, it was more like a «Tower». From the ground, it drew a line straight up, and extended far above into the sky.

  To match the building at that place in the real world, Haruyuki thought and drew the south part of Tokyo in his brain, then after a few seconds finally arrived at the answer.

  “Wha... th, that, is that the «Old Tokyo Tower»...?”

  “Very yes.”

  Putting aside the weird English instant reply, he dug out his dim knowledge.

  The Tokyo Tower in Minato, Shiba park that sent television signal to the area around the capital, its job was given to the «Tokyo Skytree» built in Sumida, Oshiage over thirty years ago.

  It continued to operate as an observation deck for a long time after, but easily over 333 meter highrise buildings were constructed one after another in the Tokyo area, so near the beginning of 2030, its use as a sightseeing spot was also over. Right now even the elevator is stopped, and it is kept as a historic building that was forbidden entry.

  Looking at the slowly nearing sharp tower, it seem like the old Tokyo tower exist in this Unlimited Neutral Field as a solid rock, with no internal reconstruction. That meant, standing alone in the wilderness, was a 300 meter high rock pillar.

  “Th, that place, is something there?”

  After he inquired in a daze, Ash Roller strangely mouthed ‘Ah, Umm’.

  “Nn, well, that, something. There is a person I want you to meet.”

  “Person...?”

  —— Not «Guy», «Bastard», or «SOB»?

  “Err, ah, I will say it right out, my «Parent».”

  “Y, yes!?”

  That shocked him to the bottom of his heart, and Haruyuki shouted.

  “A, Ash-san’s «Parent»...!? That means... mo, more spectacular? Bearded face, sunglasses, leather vest, with tattoos and beer belly.”

  “What do you bastard think I am.”

  Haruyuki wasn't sure why, but after that yell, his back trembled.

  “...Let me tell you this, if you run your mouth like that while facing that person, regret will be the least of what you will have. That person already retired from the «Duel» front line for a long time, so you probably didn’t know... long ago, the name «Astro» or «ICBM» would make you shake in fear.”

  The word from the strange ending sentences that Ash Roller said because of fear, Haruyuki repeated it in a whisper.

  “I, ICBM...?”

  “That’s right. Ah, also, another one... «Icarus» was also a nickname.”

  “...Th, that does not seem to be too scary though.”

  “Well yea. That seem to be used after the retirement. That person was... before you appeared, the Burst Linker closest to the sky in the accelerated world.”

  Almost at the same time as Haruyuki taking in a breath, the bike stopped with a cloud of dust.

  In front of his eyes, from the dry reddish ground, a 90 degree triangle kind of straight rock pillar stood in there.

  The diameter was about 20 meters. Almost completely circular shape, and for sure there was not something like stairs or entrance anywhere. The old Tokyo Tower that was entry forbidden in the real world, was probably recreated in this form.

  He looked around trying to find that person called ICBM or Icarus, but could only see a turtle like silhouette moving slowly far away. ‘It can’t be’, he inquired while thinking that.

  “Err..., that person?”

  “Are you an idiot, that is an Enemy. I am waiting for the wind to stop.”

  “Wi, wind?”

  After being told, even though he did not notice it while riding fast on the bike, but to be sure, due to the «Wilderness» stage’s geographical effect, somewhat strong winds were blowing. But that was not for a duel, so what was it for ——.

  The instant that he thought that. The wind that continued to howl without a break, suddenly stopped.

  “All right, going! Hold Me Tight!!”

  To Ash Roller’s sudden shout, after Haruyuki was taken aback and wondered what he was saying, then he realized the reason for the instruction.

  After opening the throttle to full, the bike’s front wheel was brought up, and Haruyuki on reaction put his arms around Ash Roller’s trunk. The engine roared in high pitch, and the rear wheel kicked up dust. The front wheel bumped into the straight rock wall with a thump, and without giving him time to think ‘What, no way’.

  T
he American bike with two person riding on it, started climbing the cliff that rose perpendicularly.

  “Uwa... Uwawawawa!?”

  And screamed ‘That’s unreasonableee’ inside his chest, while Haruyuki freshly predicted that the bike would do a backflip and fall off in the opposite direction.

  However, as if the tires were stuck to the wall surface with some kind of mysterious attraction, the bike climbed the straight wall without any wobble. After five more seconds, he relaxed, and finally realized it.

  This, was Ash Roller’s ability, «Wall Surface Travel». If he thought about it, then he would remember seeing many times that bike was ridden and freely drove around building walls in duels. However, he did not know that even without a running start, it could climb the wall for such a long time. Saying it another way, right now Ash Roller was idly exposing the upper limit of his ability to Haruyuki who belongs to an enemy legion.

  But, Haruyuki still could not grasp his true intent, and held his breath while staring at the top of the tower.

  Indeed, it could not put out the same speed as on the ground, but the bike strongly climbed the wall rumbling in low gear . Taking a glance downwards, he saw that the ground was far enough already so far below that its color changed into something more hazy.

  When he was flying with his own wings, this height was nothing to him. But right now the area around his stomach suddenly shrunk, and Haruyuki hurriedly looked back. He could finally see the tower, which had a flat surface, with the edge drawing a beautiful arc in the yellow sky.

  They would reach there in about ten seconds. At that time, he felt that a wall of air came pushing from the left side in a howl.

  “Shit! Wind Shiii —— it!!”

  With the profane outburst, Ash Roller tilted the handle, and shifted the bike’s path from the left side. The gust of wind that came blowing right after, relentlessly hit the side of the bike.

  “Fly Hi —— igh!!”

  “Gyaaaaaa!!”

  As if riding on the wind, on top of the bike that flew straight up, Haruyuki and Ash Roller used all their strength to grasp the air like crawl swimming. Maybe that had some kind of effect, while the front shifted by inches, they reached the parabolic top, the bike’s rear tire that fell down next, landed around 5cm from the tower’s top edge.

  “I, I am not riding this a second time! I will never ride something with less than four tires ever again!!”

  Rolling off the seat, Haruyuki held the hard rock with both hands and legs firmly, then yelled that. As for Ash Roller, while still looking across from the bike, annoyingly shook his right index finger with a chit.

  “Don’t seem to understand, You. The bike is fun because it can fall.”

  “Earlier was not about just falling or whatever!”

  After screaming that with shoulder shaking breath, Haruyuki shook his head, then he finally looked at the surroundings.

  The top of the rock pillar that substituted for the old Tokyo Tower in the real world, became a 20 meter diameter round space at almost exactly the same shape as the bottom.

  However, the appearance was completely different from the lower part.

  ‘Sky garden’, those kind of words suddenly appeared in his brain. All over the area, soft looking grass shone in a fresh green color. There was a small spring in the center, and the sparklingly, rippling water could not be any clearer.

  In the center of the spring, a small floating island drifted —— and then above it, Haruyuki saw something unexpected.

  Wavering like a mirage, was a slowly spinning oval of blue light. It was a «Portal». From the Unlimited Neutral Field, it was only method available to return to the real world.

  ‘Why in this place?’ He was surprised, but most portals were set at large train stations or tourist spots like landmark buildings. Then it existing in old Tokyo Tower might not be strange, but to use this portal, it would be someone like Ash Roller who could climb straight walls, or someone like Silver Crow who could fly, although that was not possible anymore.

  After returning his view while tilting his head, he saw another unexpected thing on the garden’s opposite side.

  A home.

  Small like a toy, a cute home, was built standing surrounded by numerous flowers. The walls were painted pure white, with the pointed roof being deep green. Along with the green ivy hugging the wall, that was a beautiful scene that could be mistaken for a page from a picture book.

  While watching without words, suddenly that house’s door opened with a slight ‘creak’ sound.

  At that moment, beside him, Ash Roller quickly jumped down from the bike, and took a rigid standing position.

  That would mean, the person who was coming out from there, would be Ash Roller’s «Parent». Probably macho in leather like a Hell's Angel. It was somewhat a mismatch in dwelling, but he would not be surprised if a huge Harley came rumbling out of that door, Haruyuki decided resolutely.

  However, in the end he was astonished from the bottom of his heart.

  What rode out with ‘squeak squeak’ sounds, were for sure two wheels. But not in a line, they were side by side. The spoke was of ultra fine silver wires, and the tires were not rubber, but about 1cm wide silver wheels. What rode above those wheels, also made with silver wires, was an elegant chair.

  It was a wheelchair. Without engine or muffler, a vehicle opposite of the rugged American bike.

  And then the person sitting there, had the appearance that was 10,000 light years away from Haruyuki’s expectation.

  That was without doubt a duel avatar. Both arms on top of knees were smooth with hard looking bluish gloss, and the lowered face chin area also, was a sharp mask shape.

  The reason he could not see anymore of the face, was that the avatar was wearing a wide brim hat. It was not like Chiyuri’s avatar, «Lime Bell»’s witch like pointed hat, instead was a pure white bonnet type. The body was also covered with a similar white one piece dress.

  ‘...What, a female person?’

  As if to confirm Haruyuki’s shock, the swaying wind shook the long hair under the hat. The hair that extended all the way to the waist, which drew you into clear blue —— no, it was the color of a very clear autumn sky.

  Again, with wheels squeaking, the wheelchair slowly started moving forward. Even so, the avatar’s hands were still lowered on top of the knees. Somehow the wheelchair seem to be setup with some kind of self-propelled mechanism.

  On the brick path that was laid surrounding the spring in the lawn, the wheelchair approached with slide like movement, and stopped at a place about two meters from them. The hat was lightly lifted up, and the avatar’s true face was exposed. It was an appearance that you would never thought was «Parent Child» with the End of Century rider, Ash Roller, so Haruyuki stood still and stared at it.

  Common to female type duel avatars, it was a mask shaped face with only lense type eyes fit on it. However, the face without nose or mouth, Haruyuki thought it was more beautiful than any similar type avatars he had seen before. Glowing well on her pale blue skin, the avatar’s faint madder red shinning jujubee eyes first looked at Haruyuki, then Ash Roller next.

  “It’s been a long time, Ash. I now understand that you haven’t forgotten about me, so I am happy.”

  “Lo, long time no see, mistress. Forgot, no way, nottt possible.”

  To Ash Roller who made the most respectful salutation, Haruyuki unfortunately did not have the room to correct him with ‘Isn’t it “Mega Longtime”?’. Since the sky color avatar again poured her gaze onto Haruyuki.

  “...You are Silver Crow, right?”

  After being called with the swaying wind like graceful voice, Haruyuki also immediately bowed his head. For some reason, he acutely felt that he had to do that.

  “Ye, yes, nice to meet you. I am Silver Crow.”

  “Nice to meet you. My name is «Sky Raker». I am happy we met, Karasu[8]-san.”

  Feeling that she glanced towards his shoulder area, Haruyuki suddenly
shrunk. From her speech, this person already knew about Silver Crow, however that name known in the accelerated world by the silver wings —— flight ability had already disappeared.

  Avoiding Sky Raker’s gentle gaze that seem to be able to see through to inside of his head, Haruyuki deeply cowered.

  However, after a bit of silence, hearing words issued by Ash Roller, made him forget his shame and looked back up.

  “Then... see you mistress, I... I, will excuse myself here.”

  “Wha... Whatt!?”

  Haruyuki quickly drew near the skeletal helmet rider that was returning to his bike.

  “Go, going back you said... I, what am I going to do!”

  “As if I would know.”

  “Would know, you said, but you brought me here!!”

  “That, was because you were hesitant, depressed, and crying. Like that, the trouble of setting up my machine with missiles would have no chance to be shown...”

  As if to remove nonexistent mud from his boots, Ash Roller scrapped the bottom parts on the stone pavement as he grumbled for a while, then suddenly changed his tone and said.

  “...Hey, Crow. I don’t know what kind of situation made you lost your wings, and you are probably thinking like this right now. Without flight you can’t win, and fighting would be useless. However... in the accelerated world, how many Burst Linkers are there that could not fly even if they wanted to, have you thought about that?”

  Taking a small breath, Haruyuki looked down at his feet on reaction. However, the sharp cutting words from Ash Roller still continued.

  “And then, after a long time fighting «Duels», anything could happen. The loss of power also. But, your wings, are not something that after losing them should be immediately given up on. If you fight lethargically like that, and finally just disappeared, then to the guys who kept looking up at your flying shape —— we would...”

  As if he could not say the rest of his words, Ash Roller fiercely kicked the ground with a thump.