Accel World: Crimson Storm Princess

“Is... is that so...”

  Inside a «territory», for the controlling legion’s members, while they are not set to accept fights, is given the right to reject «challenge» from other Burst Linkers.

  That means, for Haruyuki’s group, at home and around their school is safe to connect their Neuro Linker to the Global Net, but of course that right is not given to Niko. However, thinking about it, only other Kings can win against the King Niko in a one on one fight, but they have a no invasion treaty with each other so they would not be suddenly challenged. Right now, the King who must always disconnect from Global Net when leaving their territory, is the one and only rebel Kuroyukihime.

  Thinking up to that point, Haruyuki realized suddenly, that the red haired girl in front of him is a potential person who might subjugate Kuroyukihime.

  While they are alone, he should confirm that, so Haruyuki coughed and opened his mouth.

  “Ah... that is, Niko-cha... Niko. Can I ask you one thing?”

  “No. ...When you know I have no room for that reply, don’t have to be so polite. What is it.”

  While he was being glared at, Haruyuki stood by the sofa, and asked in the most simple and straight way.

  “Y, you, don’t hate Kuroyukihime senpai?”

  “Huh? Why?”

  Looking at the true blank stare, Haruyuki was also undauntedly amazed.

  “Why, you said... that person has the highest reward on her head... even more the reason for that is from the previous King, that is the one before you, «Prominence»’s legion master being struck down...”

  “Ah, you mean that.”

  With a snort from her nose, Niko spread her small legs with cut jeans wide in front. While her right hand fingers twilled one of her red pigtails, she looked out the window.

  “Nn, even if he was my master. I, with the previous generation... «Red Rider», never directly talked to him.”

  “Wha... is, is that so?”

  ‘Niko’s «parent», is not that Red Rider?’ Haruyuki thought that and unconsciously asked.

  “You see, I became a Burst Linker two and half years ago, and a few months later the previous King retired. I was only level 3 or 4 at that time, we have never dived together in the same field. When I heard that the master was sneak attacked by Black Lotus and lost all of his points, all I thought of was ‘Hmm, level 9 seems to be pretty serious’.”

  ‘Anyway’, Niko raised one eyebrow skillfully.

  “In the first place, my booster equip rapidly raise through the ranks to become the next King was also after Lotus killed the previous King, and the Red legion was disbanded once. At that time Nakano and Nerima were big warring states, every day group battles happened at an incredible pace, so I got lots of points here and there from that. Even if I am the strongest, without that it would have taken me at least two more years to become level 9.”

  With Niko’s ‘keke’ laughter, Haruyuki was also drawn into a smile.

  “I... I see. Then, Niko and the Red legion don’t have a reason to go after the Black King...?”

  “Nnn~. To be exact, there are some in the old members that would. But, the ones who really won’t forgive Black Lotus, that burning group, after Prominence disbanded once, moved to other legions. Darn spineless bunch. They only talked about following the previous King’s will, if they really thought that way, then they should have worked hard to revive Prominence.”

  She stopped there, looked up at Haruyuki with ‘What is it’ threat. After he hurriedly shook his head, she turned away, and opened her mouth after a bit of silence.

  “...After that. That... absolutely don’t tell that girl.”

  “O... okay.”

  “I, in truth, about that girl... Black Lotus is an awesome, I think. For motivation.”

  “Huh...!? Th, that, what does it mean...”

  “Don’t tell her. Really don’t tell her.”

  After a sharp glare at him, Niko continued in a quiet sound that did not match her violent language.

  “The reason is, she is the only one among the «Kings» who seriously announced that she aims for level 10. The other Kings, including me, in the framework of no territory invasion treaty, just play duel. No, maybe worse, there might be people in the Kings that secretly aim for level 10. While saying ‘For the continuance of accelerated world’ to maintain the current situation, those lowest bastards who look for a chance to skip the line.”

  “...You are.”

  After hearing Niko’s monologue, Haruyuki asked in reaction.

  “Which one are you, Niko.”

  “...I don’t know.”

  The reply was short, but it rang with truth.

  The young King laid her too delicate body on the sofa, and held the back of her head with both hands. She extended her bare toes to right in front of Haruyuki, and kicked the air with rhythm.

  “...The other Kings, especially «Purple» and «Yellow», said that the moment a level 10 Burst Linker appear, the game called Brain Burst will be «cleared». With a Panpakapaan fanfare, the developer will show up to say congratulations or whatever, and the ending roll will scroll... then all Burst Linkers’ Brain Burst will be forcefully un-installed, like that.”

  “No...”

  ‘No way would it be like that, that there would be a net game where everyone’s ending is at the same time.’ He wanted to laugh and say that, but Haruyuki’s mouth froze.

  He remembered this morning’s topic of talks with Kuroyukihime and Takumu. ‘- Someday the accelerated world’s secrecy will be lost, and the day of the game’s collapse will definitely come.’ The one who said that, was supposed to be Haruyuki himself.

  Niko lightly nodded as if she read what Haruyuki was thinking of.

  “I too, think it’s not something that’s 100% impossible. Actually, I don’t want to think about what will happen without Brain Burst. For me, it could be better said that side is the reality. But... even so, if it is okay to cling to it like this, I thought. The Seven Kings... not that, The Six Kings’ no invasion treaty might be distorting the accelerated world’s true shape. Due to that, right now many things happening make sense.”

  “Di, distortion...?”

  “For example, Chrome Disaster is also that.”

  After those brief words, Niko closed her lightly red eyes.

  “...Cherry Rook losing to the «Disaster Armor»’s lure was probably due to despair with the high level wall. Right now, the accelerated world is stalled by the treaty, in the «Normal Duel Field», no matter how hard you work level 9... no, even level 8 will be hard to reach. There are no opponents. The reason I got to level 9, like I said earlier, was due to me taking advantage of a time of big confusion due to the incident with Black Lotus... that kind of thing, probably won’t happen a second time. That’s why right now, if you aim for higher levels, you must take risks and fight in the «Unlimited Field». Cherry reached for that «Armor» while thinking like that. And then, the one who pushed him to do that, in a certain sense is a King like me...”

  Suddenly Niko strongly wrinkled her brow, and ground her teeth.

  Looking at her thin chest shaking strongly twice and three times, Haruyuki involuntarily held his breath and whispered.

  “Ni... Niko...”

  “Shut up! Don’t say anything! Don’t Look! Go away!”

  While lying on the sofa, her two feet kicked while she screamed, and Niko used her right hand to rub around her eyes.

  Then suddenly her eyes opened wide, and she shouted like she was surprised by something.

  “That’s right!!”

  “...Huh?”

  “That’s right, why do I tell you these things!! Hey forget it!! All of that stuff earlier was a lie!! If you don’t forget it right now I will beat you up!!”

  She shouted with a muffled voice, with her feet extended like she was about to kick, that Haruyuki stopped with both hands on reaction.

  And then, like hugging them to his chest, he held those small feet tightly.

  “Gyaaa
, wh, what are you doing hentai!!”

  “...Niko.”

  Despite the straight vocal abuse, Haruyuki put more strength into his hands. He really wanted to hold her hands, but if he did that then getting hit would be the least of his worries.

  “Niko, you are not wrong.”

  At the moment Haruyuki said that, Niko’s violent movement of trying to take her feet back stopped still. Looked on by the big reddish brown eyes, Haruyuki desperately continued speaking.

  “Not wanting the game to end, wanting to stay in that world forever, that kind of thinking is normal. But... I understand after playing mountains of net games till now. There is nothing more lonely or sad than the «termination» of a game without an ending. Net games where users got bored and moved to another one so they became unprofitable. One day they suddenly announce the termination of its operation, and without much talk the server is closed. I experienced that moment many times «inside». The familiar weapon shop oji-san[6] and the hotel onee-san while smiling forever «died», after seeing that and Link Out in my own room, I cried many times. That way of termination is wrong. Absolutely wrong.”

  Niko was motionless, with her feet on his chest, both her wide eyes looking at him.

  While his palms touch the thin skin, and felt the blood flowing inside, Haruyuki continued to speak in a raspy voice.

  “If... if Brain Burst has an ending, we want to aim for that. Even if that will result in the loss of acceleration, compared to seeing the unreasonable «termination of the world», that’s a much much... more correct way.”

  ‘Because, that effort is our compensation to many others in what they paid for the game called Brain Burst. The brooding me, being able to talk using my real voice for so long with a girl I don’t know, is probably due to Brain Burst.’

  He kept the last short thought in his heart, and Haruyuki closed his mouth.

  Even in the silence, Niko continued to be motionless and quiet.

  ‘Uwaa, I said something contradicting again’, while Haruyuki was having a doleful feeling, the young King finally murmured briefly.

  “Correct... huh. There actually is a Burst Linker who would say that.”

  Her eyes looking up settled on Haruyuki, and Niko showed just a little bit of angelic smile.

  “You, are a strange guy. Actually, I was thinking of why a round and useless guy like you have the one and only «flight ability»... I feel that I might understand a little bit about that. But, leaving that aside.”

  There, her expression suddenly changed to a dark look, and Haruyuki extended his back in a shiver.

  “...How long are you going to hold onto my feet, you super hentai! I will kill you!!”

  The left foot that was thrust at the same time, exploded on his nose bridge, and Haruyuki fell backward helplessly.

  Along with a heavy thump, the door chime’s sound lightly echoed.

  “I met with master there. Ah, here, a gift. I snatched it from home.”

  Takumu who showed the cake like box he was holding, saw Haruyuki sitting on the floor rubbing his nose, and Niko sitting on the sofa looking the other way, he tilted his head.

  “...What happened?”

  “Looks like they had a big fight. Nice nice.”

  Kuroyukihime held her hand at her uniformed waist while lightly laughing, and Niko also snorted.

  “Well yea. You can say we are close enough to fight.”

  Haruyuki hurriedly jumped in between the two that were releasing sparks.

  “W, welcome you two! Taku, thanks for the gift! Let’s eat it, I want one with a strawberry on it!!”

  He quickly got up, and moved towards the kitchen, then two voices came behind him at the same time.

  “Strawberry is my/mine!”

  “...Yes.”

  He stiffily nodded, and went to setup dishes and tea.

  Fortunately, the box contained two strawberry shortcakes and two chocolate cakes. So another fight did not start up again... ‘Is it okay for the cake not to be black?’ ‘Chocolate is not black, it’s just burnt brown.’ while with those back and fore - the four ate the first bite at the same time, and after a swallow of tea, Kuroyukihime’s expression changed.

  “...tracking Chrome Disaster, did you do it?”

  After being asked, Niko looked at her virtual desktop again and lightly nodded.

  “Yes. He should be moving soon.”

  That reply, made Haruyuki feel slightly uncomfortable.

  Tracking a Burst Linker from long distance, how is that kind of thing possible? When a target’s «duel» start, if you dive in as gallery then you can find out where, but Niko did not seem like she accelerated earlier. Or maybe, legion masters can find out the real world location of a member, they could have that kind of outrageous privilege?

  At that moment he wanted to ask, and opened his mouth -

  At exactly that moment.

  “...There!”

  Niko shouted sharply, stuck her fork on her last bit that is the round strawberry, and put it into her mouth.

  “Cherry got on the Seibu to Ikebukuro train line. With his pattern till now, today’s hunting ground is Bukuro.”

  “Ikebukuro huh. That’s troublesome.”

  ‘Damn’, Kuroyukihime lightly clicked her tongue. She placed her fork in her empty plate with a clink.

  “How should we move? We also can use trains or taxi in the real world... or maybe move through «inside»?”

  Not understanding the meaning of those words, Haruyuki wrinkled his brow.

  «Inside» probably means «Duel Field», it looked like it extended forever, but it’s actually an area with boundary lines that stop movement. Without that, after one hit, someone can keep running away forward till it timed up kind of battle tactic would be possible.

  So, for example from this place - if they dive from Haruyuki’s home, their movement limit will just be to the northern end of Suginami, they will never reach Ikebukuro in Toshima.

  However, after just thinking for a bit Niko replied clearly.

  “Let’s go from inside. With these members, we probably won’t pull the «enemy».”

  “...If we are lucky, that is.”

  Kuroyukihime too, consented with a serious face.

  While Haruyuki was dazed without understanding anything, he was caught by Kuroyukihime’s serious looking eyes.

  “Then... Haruyuki-kun. I will tell you the command to dive into us Burst Linkers’ true battle field. It will use up 10 Burst Points, that won’t be a problem right?”

  “Y... yea, if it’s just 10 points. Instead of that... t, true, battle field...?”

  “Like the words said. Our «accelerated world» calling is based on that. Listen, sing the command right after me. Let’s go... the fifth Chrome Disaster subjugation, Mission Start!”

  There she took a deep breath, and stretched her back straight - .

  At the same time she pressed her Neuro Linker’s Global Net connection button, the deep black beautiful princess, shouted with a dignified sound.

  “Unlimited Burst!”

  Chapter 5

  ‘-Unlimited Burst!’

  After he shouted that while preoccupied, the many times louder sound of accelerating hit his consciousness.

  His view instantly became dark.

  However, the darkness was soon pierced by silver light. That was the effect light that changed Haruyuki’s real body into a steel mechanical body.

  Normal acceleration - with the «Burst Link» command, he would first become his pink pig avatar, that phase was now skipped and Haruyuki was changing into his pure silver duel avatar - «Silver Crow».

  Right after that, the surrounding darkness was also blown away by rainbow light.

  What appeared beyond the radiating aura was shining blue black steel.

  The place that was supposed to be his apartment living room had become a cold metallic corridor like a demon king’s castle from a fantasy movie. The windows facing south were all gone, from the walls and pilla
rs with many iron plates stuck on, like the design of heat releasing fins, many light blue flames were lit. Near his feet was a layer of thick fog, and the high ceiling sunk in a deep darkness that could not be seen.

  The metallic part is very similar to the «Purgatory» stage, but there was not a single sign of disorder from life. Haruyuki looked around the cold straight scene that’s everywhere.

  When he looked back around him, he saw three duel avatars standing there.

  With Dark Blue armor and strong limbs, and the right hand equipped with a huge pile driver, was «Cyan Pile».

  The Crimson colored and delicate statured one with only a handgun on her, was «Scarlet Rain».

  And then with a Pure Black, semi transparent armor and sharp sword-like limbs shining, was «Black Lotus».

  Standing in the same place, with the two «Kings» was one thing, but even the same leveled Cyan Pile - Takumu made him feel inferior, he swallowed that and whispered.

  “...This is the «Unlimited Neutral Field»...”

  “That’s right.”

  After confirming with electronic effect like sounds, Kuroyukihime lightly turned around. Black Lotus that became all sharp endpoints, did not walk normally, she moved while slightly hovering above the floor.

  With the right hand that was a large blade similar in size to her leg, she pointed past the corridor.

  “That is probably the exit. It’s faster if you see for yourself.”

  “That’s true. Let’s go.”

  Scarlet Rain - Niko nodded too, while her twin pigtail antenna moved up and down.

  After walking in the steel passage covered in thick fog for a bit, their destination was filled by white light from outside. Haruyuki involuntarily walked faster and passed the other three, then took a left turn and opened his eyes wide.

  The place that was originally the apartment east street side wall, had became a fully open outside terrace. He was currently at a height that was similar to his 23rd floor home, so he could see everything outside the terrace.

  Dreadful - is the only thing that could describe the scene.

  The sky was covered with many thick grey clouds. Between them, frequent blue violet lightning passed through.