Once again, silence.
Takumu, who was wearing his kendo clothes as he was in the middle of a rest time in the kendo club’s activities, asked in a stifled voice.
“However, master. In the first place, is it even possible? That…one application could erase the user’s, no, people’s memories…”
“—Theoretically, it’s not impossible, or so I’ve heard.”
Kuroyukihime answered while gazing at their three devices placed on top of the table.
“The Neuro Linker[49], strictly speaking, does not access brain as a biological organ.”
“Eh…t-then, how does it connect to it…?”
She turned her gaze towards the frowning Haruyuki, and looked straight into his eyes with her jet-black pupils.
“I don’t understand it perfectly either, but. In our brain cells, there are something called Microtubules[50], and the quantum light that is the essence of human consciousness is confined in there. The Neuro Linker reads and rewrites the data itself that is preserved by the spin and vector of those quantum lights. At that level, sensory information and memory information are no different than a form of data.”
“……In other words, the Neuro Linker reads and rewrites our memories in the same way as it lets us see and touch the virtual world…is what you mean.”
When Haruyuki said that as if groaning, Kuroyukihime shook her head strongly.
“It’s all hypothetical. Besides, I cannot believe, even if it is theoretically possible, that such a function would be equipped into the Neuro Linker, which is a commercial device. —I can’t believe it, but…”
—Noumi Seiji has actually lost his memories.
No one voiced it out loud, but the three of them were certainly thinking that.
After another span of silence, Kuroyukihime spoke decisively.
“It’s pointless to discuss this any further. If we want to know the answer, we have no choice but to reach Level 10 and ask the developer of Brain Burst.”
“…That’s true. That was our goal from the beginning, after all…”
After nodding, Haruyuki then timidly asked Takumu.
“…So, how does Noumi seem…?”
“He’s a completely ordinary first-year club member now. Like an evil spirit has come out of him…is the best way I can describe it. Though he was also bright and cheerful on the surface until now, so no one besides us may be able to notice the difference…”
Taking a short pause, Takumu muttered in a hoarse voice.
“Haru, I can’t help but wonder. Between Noumi now and us, which is normal, and which is abnormal…?”
“It’s already decided. We’re the abnormal ones.”
The one that made that snap declaration was Kuroyukihime.
Her next actions of leaning her body on the back of her chair and nimbly crossing her legs that were wrapped in black stockings, made her completely regain her usual dignity.
The Black King looked at each of her subordinates in turn, and added with a fearless smile.
“However, it’s the path that we chose ourselves. Isn’t that right?”
After blinking, Takumu also gave a small smile.
“…That’s exactly right, master. Oops, then I’ll be going back now. Err…about conveying the contents of this talk to Chii-chan…”
“Yeah. For the time being, we’ll conceal it from her.”
Bowing his head, Takumu stood up from his seat, picked up his blue Neuro Linker on the table, and walked away at a trot as his black hakama swayed.
Once he couldn’t be seen anymore, Kuroyukihime looked intently at Haruyuki, and whispered in a small voice by starting with an ‘Also’.
“—Even if I were to lose Brain Burst and all my memories of Accel World disappeared…I wouldn’t forget about you. I definitely wouldn’t forget.”
While feeling the sensation of something digging firmly inside his chest, Haruyuki earnestly answered back.
“Yes. Me too… Me too. I won’t forget about just you, senpai.”
“Yes, I believe you.”
Smiling, Kuroyukihime nodded greatly once, and spoke.
“Then, with this, would you say that this series of incidents is over for the present?”
In response to that question, Haruyuki hesitated for a while, and then shook his head slowly.
“No…There’s still just one more promise I have to take care of.”
“Hoh, what is it?”
Facing Kuroyukihime as she tilted her head.
Haruyuki spoke while bowing his head greatly.
“—I have a favour to ask. Please come with me to meet the person that lent me her wings…Sky Raker.”
5 PM.
Haruyuki and Kuroyukihime came out from the Umesato Middle School gate together.
They walked down Oume Highway in silence, and turned north on the way. They followed a narrow road and headed towards Kouenji Station.
After Kuroyukihime had sent a typed mail after much hesitation, the reply that they got ten minutes after consisted only of two lines of text that specified the time and location.
In order to head to the meeting place, the terrace of the south entrance of the Shinjuku Station, the two of them rode on the Chuo Line from the station.
Kuroyukihime remained in complete silence the entire time. Haruyuki had no way to guess what kind of thoughts were passing through her mind.
Since he had regained his flight ability, he had to return the Enhanced Armament «Gale Thruster» to Sky Raker. That was the promise he had made to her.
However, Haruyuki had also carelessly forgotten to ask her for her contact information in the real world. Therefore, he asked Kuroyukihime, who probably knew an anonymous address to contact her.
Strictly speaking, there was also the method of once again asking Sky Raker’s «Child», Ash Roller. However, Haruyuki dared to choose to rely on Kuroyukihime. In addition, he said something even more unreasonable to her, suggesting that they return home together, and got her to follow him to the meeting place.
Haruyuki didn’t know whether what he was doing was right or not.
However, the momentary expression that Sky Raker had shown the morning she had transferred her Enhanced Armament to Haruyuki was strongly imprinted on his memories.
I was foolish, and therefore lost a friendship.
Accel World’s recluse had said that to Haruyuki.
Haruyuki, who knew nothing of what had occurred between her and Kuroyukihime, may not have had the right to say nor do anything.
‘But’, thought Haruyuki. Even if that friendship was truly lost, was there any reason not to regain it once again? After all, both of them still remembered each other. They had carved their many memories, and the times they fought together, deep into their minds.
Yes—those memories surely still connected the two of them together.
When the train gently slid into the platform and they blended in among the many passengers, Haruyuki and Kuroyukihime went up the elevator and came out from the southern entrance that opened widely at the front.
The Shinjuku Southern Terrace was a shopping mall in the form of a huge pyramid-type layered structure. Passing between the crowded shoppers, the two of them rode the central escalator.
Kuroyukihime still remained silent.
Though he thought ‘Maybe I should say something, yeah I should’, Haruyuki also said nothing.
The huge automatic stairs went between lively advertising panels, and carried the two of them past them. Eventually, they arrived at the top of the pyramid.
The open terrace on the top floor reached 100 meters above the ground. Of course, it couldn’t compare with the surrounding high-rise buildings, but it still commanded an unbroken view of the Shinjuku Station terminal, the countless train tracks, and the various trains that kept coming and going in each direction. The evening was still chilly, and there were very few silhouettes standing in this wind-blown place.
Haruyuki and Kuroyukihime walked all the w
ay to the handrail of the northernmost tip, and waited for the appointed time while staring side by side at the evening landscape below them.
5:30 PM.
Small clicking footsteps that were approaching from behind reached Haruyuki’s ears.
He sucked in a big breath—and turned around. Kuroyukihime did too, a little delayed after him.
Against the background of red-purple clouds, that person stood there while smiling.
Her soft-looking long hair swayed in the breeze. The skirt of her uniform fluttered, and her white hand was pressed down over it.
She made her legs wrapped in over-knee tights move another step forward, and—
The recluse that lived on the Old Tokyo Tower, the member of the first Nega Nebulas, «Sky Raker» first spoke to Haruyuki.
“Good evening, Karasu-san.”
And then, her gaze turned towards Kuroyukihime next to him. Changing the appearance of her smile slightly, she spoke once again.
“…Good evening, Lotus.”
As a lot of feelings got stuck in his chest, Haruyuki could only bow his head down deeply. However, Kuroyukihime gave a smile just like Sky Raker’s, and spoke.
“It’s been a long time, Raker.”
“…Yes, it truly has. In the real world, it’s been two years. In Accel World…I don’t know how long it’s been anymore.”
“Indeed.”
They let out a ‘Fufu’ laugh at the same time, but the two of them didn’t try to approach each other any further.
Haruyuki clenched his teeth tightly, took several steps forward, and then bowed once again.
“Umm…Raker-san. I’ll be returning them now…your wings.”
Sky Raker nodded gently with a kind smile.
“So you got them back. Your silver wings…no, your hope.”
“Yes. It’s all thanks to you.”
And then Haruyuki took out from his pocket a XSB cable he had prepared, inserted one of its two ports into his Neuro Linker, and held out the other end.
Sky Raker accepted it, and connected it to her own Neuro Linker without hesitation.
The re-transfer of the Enhanced Armament through a Direct Connect duel was done quickly without any conversation at all. After issuing the transfer request window, accepting it, issuing the draw request, and also accepting that, they Burst Out.
When they returned to the real world the next instant, the «Gale Thruster» had already returned to its proper owner. After detaching the cable and returning it to Haruyuki, Sky Raker smiled once again.
“I definitely received it……Then, I’ll be going now.”
And then she looked at Kuroyukihime—and lightly bowed.
Taking one, two steps back along with a faint servo sound, Sky Raker moved her lips slightly.
“…Karasu-san. If it’s you, you’ll surely fly to the heights that I couldn’t reach. I’ll be cheering for you…do your best.”
She smiled and turned around after leaving a light wink. Then, she walked away with firm steps.
But, Haruyuki definitely saw it.
The small grains of light that fell from her blinking eyes and drew a silver trail through the air.
Hanging her bag behind her back, Sky Raker walked far away with unslackening footsteps.
Under the evening sky, the sight of her back gradually changed into a silhouette.
Suddenly, Kuroyukihime, who had remained completely silent until now, took several steps forward with staggering footsteps.
But, she stopped a little ahead of Haruyuki, and tightly clenched her hands as if enduring something.
—Senpai.
——Senpai!!
Haruyuki shouted within his mind.
Please, Kuroyukihime-senpai. That person is waiting for your words. Waiting for your hand. So, come on……
Come on!
Haruyuki strained all of his mind power and pushed Kuroyukihime’s back right in front of him without moving his hand.
At that instant.
*TATA* She ran several more steps forward.
And Kuroyukihime shouted in a dignified voice.
“Raker!!”
That receding back trembled, and stopped. Kuroyukihime sucked in a big breath as both her shoulder shook, and she shouted once again.
“…Come back, Fuuko! I need you!!”
The instant she heard those words, Sky Raker hanged her head down deeply.
Her left leg took another step forward—
It tried to, but stopped. As if the CPU that controlled her artificial leg resisted the command of its owner. As if it was following the true feelings being outputted from her soul.
Little by little, little by little, she pulled back her leg.
Sky Raker slowly, slowly turned around.
Her lips moved, and released a very faint voice.
“…Sacchan[51].”
And then, a silent question.
—Is it okay?
Kuroyukihime nodded greatly, and called her name once again.
“…Fuuko.”
Immediately after, the two girls started running towards each other.
They threw away their bags at the same time. Running at a speed that was slightly faster than Kuroyukihime’s, Sky Raker opened her arms to catch her.
Holding the girl with black hair just a little shorter than hers to her chest, the face of girl called Fuuko became distorted.
Large tears rolled down her cheeks.
“U…uaaan……”
As if she had been always bearing it since she appeared on this terrace—
No, since the time she had started to live in seclusion on the Old Tokyo Tower, Sky Raker buried her face in Kuroyukihime’s hair, and released her feelings.
“Aaan…Waaaaaan!”
The still Kuroyukihime’s own sobbing also mixed in with that crying voice, and reached Haruyuki’s ears.
Unable to keep watching that too beautiful and too precious scene any longer, Haruyuki turned his head upwards, so that tears of his own didn’t roll down.
In the middle of the sky which persistently continued changing from blue to dark red, an airplane that was pulling through thin white clouds and flying to an even high place shone and flashed silver.
(END)
Author's Notes
Kawahara Reki here. Thank you picking up my first book of this year.
Even so, it’s 2010 now…I really dumbfounded by how the future has passed by so much. Although their existence is natural now, when I was a child, things like SD memory cards, Blu-Ray discs and touch panel mobile phones were completely SF gadgets. Incidentally, the HDD that I first bought had a capacity of 20 megabytes, but it seems this spring they’re going to release SD cards with a capacity of 64 gigabytes…
These days I feel like I soon won’t be able to keep with the progress of technology, but since there are no signs of a Full Dive-type VR machine appearing for the time being, I will do my best until then! So is what I thought. My dream is to become a net addict in my old age, so I will be looking to working with you at that time. →To all distinguished maker companies.
Now then, here is as usual the ‘Sorry’ Corner…
I’m sorry that the last volume “Dusk Robber” ended with a far too severe jerk of an ending!
The greatest reason for why I ended it like that was «because it isn’t simply ending», but if I said that there was a another part that I was aiming for just slightly, it would be true.
For a long time, I’ve felt an undefinable dissatisfaction with «book pages». When you read and advance through them, the remaining pages rapidly decrease, but that phenomenon compulsorily gives information called «If I keep reading this much, the rest will be finished». If you use movies as a comparison, it’s like the bar of remaining time is always displayed in the lower right of the screen! …Rather, getting caught in such a natural thing might because I have always been a reader/writer of online novels. Because I don’t physically understand with my body’s senses that it will end even
tually (Laugh).
In any case, in order to avoid spoiler information on account of these paper books, I think that at least the «written characters should become smaller and smaller» and «the paper should become thinner and thinner», but I feel that even if I said this to editor-san, he probably would say «Impossible» with a smiling face and end it there, so the next thing to do, if I compared it to them, was adopting the realistic method of «not finishing it».
Most likely, those who read Volume 3 without earlier information felt some surprise too along with their angry exclamation “What the hell is this!” when they reached the last page. If so, then my goal has been achieved. Of course, since composing a top-down volume without a prior announcement is certainly a kind of betrayal, I therefore apologize with all my power for it. I’m truly sorry! Forgive me! I probably won’t do it again!
And after writing this far, I realized that this afterword wouldn’t fit in the usual two pages. So, I will be defiant and continue the Excuses Corner.
The description of the “quantum lights within the brain’s «Microtubules» produces human consciousness” came out in this last volume, but this is completely a literary creation that I received the words for from a «quantum brain theory» that actually exists. The real quantum brain theory is a completely different thing and is endlessly difficult to understand, and I cannot understand it at all either. For those who got interested in it, a person called Roger Penrose is writing a book on it, so please read that. And also, please simplify and teach it to me secretly afterwards (Laugh).
And one more thing…A new female character will be appearing again, but all of you have already given up and resigned yourself to this kind of thing happening, right! Right! I have also given up, and Kuroyukihime has also surely given up about it as well…
I am indebted to the illustrator HIMA-san this time as well, who always has at least one new girl character designed every time we pile up a volume! Also, I once again made serious trouble for my editor Miki-san, as I was late from delays for the manuscript this time…During our meeting the other day, Miki-san came with a neatly-trimmed head, so when I said “So you got a haircut”, he said “Since the time for cutting it finally came” and was moved to tears. I look forward to working with you this year too. (Although I’ve also exceeded the deadline for this afterword by 10 minutes at present…)