“……I’m scared of the world. The closer I get to it, the more it hurts me in every way possible. Brain Burst consumed my craving to keep the world away from me, and produced this avatar. Scarlet Rain’s long-distance firepower is like the spines of a hedgehog. The me inside it is just a weak brat without any power…That’s why I cannot strengthen the offensive power or defense power of this avatar’s body through mind power. Do you understand, Crow, Pile? That is the absolute limit of the Incarnate System.”
For a while, only the sound of the cold wintry wing thinly flowed through this world of ice and snow.
Haruyuki cast his eyes down deeply and reflected upon the Red King’s words in his mind.
In the real world, he couldn’t say that he knew very much about Niko—Koudzuki Yuniko. Without knowing the faces of her real parents, she went to an elementary boarding school that served as a shelter institution. That was all that he had been told. But, her early life had surely wounded Niko so severely that Haruyuki couldn’t imagine it. To the point that, even if she was disguised in an avatar of the virtual world, it was impossible for her to believe in her own strength.
‘In that case, I.’ Haruyuki continued to think.
—It’s all too clear that this avatar of mine is a projection of my longing of «wanting to escape from this place». A hand for seeking what I can’t reach. Wings for escaping to a place where no one else can go. That’s why I was able to master «Attack Range Expansion» mind power and recharge the gauge of «Gale Thruster» with «Movement Ability Expansion» mind power. And for the same reason, I probably can’t use «Armor Density Expansion» that raises defensive power.
—But. Even if that’s how it is. I want to believe…in the words that that person repeatedly told me, ‘You can change’…
“…In other words, it’s something like this.”
The quiet mutter that Takumu let our broke the persistently long silence. Haruyuki raised his head with a start and looked at Cyan Pile next to him.
“…The type of mind power that one can learn is restricted to what complies with the nature of each duel avatar. Conversely speaking, even if one masters mind power, things that one cannot do simply cannot be done.”
“That’s right.”
Giving that short affirmation, Niko then turned to look at Haruyuki.
“For example, even the «Attack Range Expansion» that Crow performed earlier is originally an unnecessary technique for Silver Crow since he had speed and flight ability from the start. Well, it is the optimal training for mastering how to use the image control circuit. The same can be said for the technique I just showed you. It showily opened up a big hole in the ice like that, but even if I didn’t use any image concentration, with this thing…”
She tapped the gun holster on her waist.
“If I used this, I could much more easily make a much bigger hole. Then, why are Incarnate techniques necessary?”
Staring at Niko as her words cut off, Haruyuki tilted his head and wracked his brain for an answer. But, perhaps as expected, Takumu answered clearly while sitting upright in seiza position.
“That’s because an Incarnate attack can only be defended by an Incarnate attack, right?”
“Exactly. It’s because the image control system determines the outcome of attack and defense faster than the motion command system can order the game’s system. It’s like the enemy having a laser rifle even though you yourself only have a leather shield and a club. If it’s the Professor here who received such an Incarnate attack from Dusk Taker without knowing anything, you should understand the unreasonableness of it very well.”
“…That fact really did strike home to me. That attack of Dusk Taker’s that could scrape off anything with his claws was probably an «Attack Power Expansion»-type, but it felt as he could beat an edged tool with just his bare fist…”
Letting out a snort, Niko put both her hands on her hips and spoke.
“In short, if you’re going to seriously fight with Dusk Taker, you absolutely need to at least learn either «attack» or «defense»…Although we just dived into here and finally arrived at the main objective…”
Then, the Red King gained a rare tone of slight hesitation in her words.
“…Just as you said before, there is almost no hope of mastering a type of mind power that is contrary to the attributes of your avatar, no matter how much you train. So, there is something I have to ask here no matter what. —Pile, does your avatar have the attribute of «close range» or «long range»?”
“Heh!?”
The one who raised his voice wildly like that was Haruyuki. After looking at both Niko and Takumu, he spoke in a dumfounded voice.
“I-It’s already decided that he’s close-range…right? After all, such a vivid «close-range blue» avatar is not easily seen even in the Shinjuku area.”
“I also think that, but even so, there’s that Enhanced Armament of his…”
“Ah……”
Saying that, Haruyuki once again stared at the huge «Pile Driver» that wrapped around Cyan Pile’s right arm from the tip to the elbow.
This Enhanced Armament shot out a built-in 1-meter long strong steel stake at a violent speed. Its piercing power was so great it had once torn apart the metal-color Silver Crow with just one attack in the past.
It could still be just barely thought of as a close-range armament up to that point, but the problem was Cyan Pile’s strongest special technique «Lightning Cyan Spike». That technique changed the stake into a beam of light and fired it. Its range easily exceeded 50 meters, and it was clearly classified as a long-range attack.
After staring at it unconsciously for several seconds—
Haruyuki raised his face up with a start, and subsequently turned his eyes away greatly.
A duel avatar was created with the scars of the heart as a source. Cyan Pile’s appearance and his right arm’s Enhanced Armament should represent the fears and desires that Takumu held. Haruyuki had decided in his heart that it was something that shouldn’t be inquired into.
However—
“It’s all right, Haru.”
Takumu said that in a quiet voice, so Haruyuki timidly raised his head.
“…T-Taku…”
“Since the moment I heard of the Incarnate System from you last night, I somehow expected it. That in order to master it, I would have to directly face my scars…”
“T-Then, I’ll leave here now.”
“No, I want you to hear it too. Because it’s something I really should have said much, much earlier…”
Precisely correcting his sitting posture, Takumu looked first straight at Haruyuki and then Niko, and then spoke.
“—I think that this Cyan Pile is essentially a close range-type, as expected. Then, why was it created with a long range-type initial equipment…? That is most likely because my fear is embodied here.”
“…Fear…?”
Just what on earth did Takumu—Mayuzumi Takumi, who seemed to have looks, ability and everything else, fear?
Facing Haruyuki who was listening attentively while dumbfounded, Takumu spoke the following words.
“From third to fifth grade in elementary school, I was severely bullied. I also thought of jumping down from the roof of our apartment building more than once or twice.”
“………!!”
Haruyuki’s entire body froze with a start. ‘No way, impossible, for that Takumu to be bullied’…such thoughts whirled around violently in his brain. As if consoling Haruyuki instead, Takumu continued in a quiet voice.
“It’s understandable that you didn’t notice either. I was bullied neither at school nor at our apartment building, but at the kendo class that I attended at that time. I…although it may be immodest of me to say it, I believe that I had fairly good aptitude in kendo. I seemed to rapidly master the techniques from when I started learning in the spring of third grade. My rank also quickly rose, and I reached the point where I won against the older kids. But…
it was when the second semester ended. When the teacher was absent from the dojo, a group of older students suggested practicing their thrust technique.”
“T-Thrust, you say, but…”
“Of course, that’s prohibited until high school. I said no to them. But, the practice was just an excuse. They bound my arms from behind my back and they thrusted a bamboo sword into my throat over, and over, and over again. I was horribly afraid…I cried out ‘Stop, release me’ from beneath my face guard. Before long my voice also stopped coming out…When they finally let me go, I had a terrible bruise even beneath my protector. Even now…”
Cyan Pile raised his right hand and traced the left side of his neck with a jerk.
“…There remains a scar here that won’t disappear. There were similar incidents repeatedly after that. But I didn’t quit the class. No, I couldn’t quit. I couldn’t say it at all to my parents…nor Haru and Chii-chan either. That I quit because I was bullied.”
“……Taku…I didn’t…notice at all…”
With a squeezed-out voice, Haruyuki somehow managed to say just that. But, Takumu lightly shook his head as if to say ‘It’s fine’.
“Naturally there was also the choice of consulting with my parents and the teacher. But since there were no social cameras in that dojo and our Neuro Linkers were removed according to the teacher’s policy, there was no proof…No, before that, I think I had lost even the energy to resist them. Along the road to the dojo, I would wish countless times to just disappear…The bullying continued until the guy that was the principal offender became a junior high student and left the class. When that guy was no longer there, I was so glad…”
Those words that were issued along with a sigh were something that Haruyuki was able to sympathize with as if it were himself.
However, Takumu’s story didn’t end there. What continued after a muttered “But” was an unexpected confession.
“But, as soon as I entered sixth grade, I noticed that I had certain habit. Even though I was fine when I practiced, when it was a match, I would reflexively protect myself with my bamboo sword when the opponent’s sword was pointed at my throat. It was a fatal gap in my actions. I persistently tried to cure it, but the more I concentrated on the match, the more that habit came out…I was deeply ingrained with the fear of receiving those terrible thrusts on my throat from that day. Even so, since thrusting is still forbidden in the rules, I’ve been able to somehow hide it until now, but when I become a high school student, I probably won’t be able to keep doing so in direct matches. I surely can’t endure receiving thrusts and using them myself.”
After cutting off his words there and looking one by one at the completely silent Niko, at Haruyuki next to him, and finally at the Enhanced Armament on his right arm, Takumu calmly brought his story to a finish.
“This «Pile Driver» is the manifestation of my fear…and also anger towards thrusting. I wanted to line up those guys that bullied me back then and pierce their throats with this steel stake one after another…That’s why my duel avatar, even though it’s a close range-type, was created not with a sword but with a piercing weapon, Red King.”
His last words were aimed at the silently standing scarlet avatar.
Finished with listening to this long monologue, Niko finally nodded once and spoke.
“I clearly heard your «scar». So the reason the majority of your potential was poured into the an Enhanced Armament that has the opposite attribute of your avatar was because of something like that…In that case, Pile, what opposes you is your own stake. If you can overcome that fear, you will be able to conceive an «Attack Power Expansion» mind power in your avatar as a true close range-type.”
After declaring that in a severe tone, Niko turned to Haruyuki and asked him.
“…So then, me and the Professor will enter into practical training, but…what will you do, Crow? Will you stay here with us?”
“Eh…umm.”
After Haruyuki intensely blinked away tears underneath his silver helmet at having understood these two, he answered.
“…No, I think it would probably be better if I left you two here. The reason is…I can’t say it very well, but…”
“Thank you, Haru.”
Takumu said that and nodded, so Haruyuki stood up after awkwardly laughing. He looked at Niko and added one more thing.
“Also, I think I’ll try investigating a little by myself after this. Into the mechanism that lets Dusk Taker not appear on the Matching List.”
“Certainly, that’s something that can’t be ignored either. If you think about it, it’s an even bigger problem than his Incarnate attacks. Also, I feel like I’ve heard a similar story recently…”
“Eh…R-Really!?”
As Haruyuki sidled up to Niko without thinking, the Red King forced back Haruyuki with a jerk and shouted.
“Like I said, why do you keep approaching me like that!? It’s just a rumor, a rumor! Since there’s someone who knows more about it than me, ask that person!”
“Heh? Wh…Where?”
He unconsciously looked around at their surroundings, but of course no one else was there.
“You’ll understand when you log out. The log-out portal is on the first floor of the Nerima District Government Office.”
“Y-Yes…”
Niko coldly shook her hands at him now that his business here was done, so Haruyuki started to walk away—but.
“Oops, wait a minute!”
He was called to a stop like that, and he turned around once more.
“Y-Yes?”
“Ah, about that «Attack Range Expansion» Incarnate technique you used before. Does it have a name?”
“N-Name!?”
Haruyuki exclaimed in a high-pitched voice at that unexpected question. Then, Niko thrusted her index finger at him and shouted rapidly.
“It isn’t for a childish reason like being cool! It’s guts and spirit that hardens the image and determines how strong an Incarnate technique is. The ideal is to be able to naturally let it out just like an original ability you have or a special technique. Earlier, it took about three seconds from when you started preparing to when you activated it. That’s way too slow! That’s why you first name the technique, turning the name into a trigger when you speak it and condensing the image. Come on, name it, name it now!!”
*GA——H!* Shouting that, Haruyuki considered it in a panic while looking at his hands.
“Err…blade…sword…light…T-Then.”
Raising his eyes back up, he said,
“La…«Laser Sword[17]», then.”
“Puh, lame.”
As she laughed at the name that Haruyuki had desperately thought of and was super-cool by his standards, he reflexively retorted back.
“T-Then what about those names «Range» and «Movement» that you used before!”
“That was for teaching, idiot.”
Hearing a familiar cough echo here, Haruyuki hastily looked at Takumu and scratched his head.
“No, umm. Err…Taku, uh…do your best!”
As Haruyuki awkwardly raised up his right thumb, Cyan Pile stood up and returned the same gesture as he spoke.
“You too, Haru. But, try not to do too much reckless behaviour.”
“I know. I’ll report back against tonight.”
As they nodded to each other, Haruyuki ran several steps towards the Nerima District Government Office this time, before turning around just one last time and shouting.
“Niko! …Thank you!!”
The voice that came back to him was the same healthily abusive voice as always.
“Shut up, just leave already!!”
Chapter 6
From the log-out portal point that was installed in the lobby of the Nerima Public Office, Haruyuki returned to the real world.
After taking a deep breath, he raised his body from the sofa. Looking beside him while unplugging the XSB cable, he saw Takumu there with his eyes closed beneath his glasse
s and breathing softly.
Right now, the consciousness of his friend should be doing nothing but desperate training within a different time-rate from Haruyuki. No, it couldn’t be described with simple words like training. Takumu was directly facing his heart’s scars that had been pressed down to the bottom of his heart for many years and was trying to overcome them.
“…Taku, do your best.”
Haruyuki mumbled that with the lowest volume and then stood up.
On the opposite side of the table, the girl that was dressed in an elementary school uniform there wasn’t actually sleeping with an innocent sleeping face, but—he looked over at her. Haruyuki said “Thank you” inside his mind to that figure which seemed like a true angel only when like this, and then opened the massive door and went out into the hallway from the radio-wave isolated room.
—At that moment.
“This way. Hurry.”
A voice came down from above his head, and he raised his eyes with a start.
Standing there was, without a doubt, the shop employee that had carried the drinks and cake to the table of Haruyuki and the others a while ago.
Dark cherry-colored long skirt and coat that swelled out at the shoulders. Over that, a snow-white apron that was decorated with moderate lace. A white Katyusha[18] on her head, and a thin ribbon over her chest that was of a brighter crimson red than her clothes.
In short dressed in the so-called maid uniform, the shop employee was younger than he had thought when he had seen her from a distance. Though she was quite tall, she was probably a high school student. Her bangs were exactly divided at the middle and her hair was braided all the way to the bottom of her shoulders behind her head. Her features were sharp, and her eyes that were thinly turned up increased the sharpness of her impression by two-fold.
…Is it because I came out early? Will Niko and Taku be okay like this?
Even as Haruyuki thought that, he simply nodded for the time being and tried to escape to the interior of the shop from the hallway. But.
“Not that way.”
As she said that, she caught the back collar of his blazer with a jerk and his head was thrown back suddenly.