“…Senpai, you’re also someone who’s bad at understanding things, aren’t you? Although I recognize your efforts in acquiring a stingy incarnate technique and picking up a fireworks-like Enhanced Armament, isn’t it already obvious that you can’t stand up to up to me no matter what kind of hand you have? You and Mayuzumi-senpai can only hold your thumbs in your mouths and watch. I will take down the Black King, and rule over this school…no, over all of the Suginami area.”
Haruyuki shook his head strongly and brushed off those words that were released in a knife-like cold voice.
“No. That won’t happen.”
Haruyuki took one step forward—
And spoke in a clear voice.
“The reason you don’t appear on the Matching List is because you have a second VR machine within your head…in other words, a Brain Implant Chip.”
Instantly.
The sudden change that struck Noumi’s expression confirmed the correctness of Haruyuki’s guess.
Both his eyes widened greatly for a moment, and then narrowed grimly. His bared teeth grated, and several thin lines of wrinkles raw down to the bridge of his nose.
“………”
Facing Noumi as he said nothing, Haruyuki attacked even deeper.
“If I’m wrong, remove and show me your Neuro Linker right now. Your school register tag that’s displayed in my vision shouldn’t disappear even if you do that.”
Both Noumi and Haruyuki were aware that there was no meaning in feigning ignorance by saying something like ‘I have no obligation to do such a thing’. Because, if Haruyuki anonymously conveyed his suspicions to the school authorities, Noumi would receive a head scan at the hospital with staff members of the School Management Department present, and falsifying the results of that scan were completely impossible. Noumi would then be accused of illegally passing his entrance exams, and in addition to being expelled from school he would be forced to receive treatment to have his BIC deactivated.
The damage from that would be equal to or greater than the punishment Haruyuki would receive as the perpetrator of the peeping camera.
Noumi glared at Haruyuki without trying to hide his fury, and spit out words in a hoarse voice.
“…I thought you were a pig, but to think you were actually a rat. Always darting about, sneakily sniffing around…”
“In that case, you should have crushed me from the beginning. Not doing so was your mistake.”
In response to Haruyuki’s retort, Noumi gradually brought his expression of anger under control and gave a contemptuous smile once again.
“Well, I’ll recognize that. So? What do you intend to do? Do you wish to exchange missiles between us and be destroyed together? …Both me and senpai will be expelled from school. I’ll go to the hospital, you’ll be sent to juvenile hall. Furthermore, we’ll both eventually receive real world attacks and then lose Brain Burst…That can’t be the ending that you wish for, right, senpai?”
“If forced to, I’m not afraid to do so, but.”
Tightly clenching his cold and sweating fist, Haruyuki spoke the method to put an end to things that he had thought about overnight.
“—Noumi. We each have our respective trump cards, with you having the video of me, and me knowing your secret. Supposing that there is a way to settle things without using those and mutually destroying each other in the real world…the only way is to «duel».”
“Duel…?”
“That’s right, since you and I are both Burst Linkers. From now on, you will connect to the local network using your Neuro Linker instead of your BIC. In addition, you will cancel your once-per-day restriction and do nothing but continue to duel against me. Until one of us either accepts defeat or loses all our Burst Points…Although, I have no intention to surrender, not until the last point is lost.”
—And then, even if I were to lose, after that will be Takumu. And then Kuroyukihime-senpai will fight you.
Noumi must have also heard those words that he added within his heart.
Once again, Noumi Seiji let his deep anger and irritation appear on his face for only a very short time.
“……Dueling. Burst Linker. Both of those are words that I hate. No, it’s the mentality itself of seriously using those words that I find truly detestable. But…If that is senpai’s wish, it can’t be helped.”
Changing his expression back to his usual thin smile, Noumi leaned his back against the trunk of an oak tree, and nimbly raised one finger.
“But, if we’re going to do things like that, I also have a proposal.”
“…Proposal?”
“Yes. Don’t you think it’s ridiculous for us to repeat acceleration duels dozens or worse hundreds of times until either me or senpai loses all our points? Also, even if one of us surrenders, how we will be secure in the veracity of those words?”
“Then, what would you have us do?”
“Let’s finish it in one go. With Arita-senpai’s favorite «duel[35]»
Noumi spoke with a gruesome smile etched onto his face.
“In the Unlimited Neutral Field, there is a method for betting all of both side’s Burst Points in a single match. Two or more duelers charge all the points they have into an item, and when there is only one person left standing, it becomes winner takes all. How about it, don’t you think that we can settle things smartly like this?”
“……”
After staring intently at Noumi’s smiling face for several seconds, Haruyuki shook his head slightly.
“…Unfortunately, Noumi, I cannot trust you that much anymore. I’m not really surprised, though. If it’s in the Unlimited Neutral Field, there’s no way to eliminate the possibility that you will make a comrade of yours lie in ambush at the location of the duel.”
Then, Noumi spread out his hands as if to say ‘Good grief’.
“I think that there is also such a danger for my side as well, though! …In that case, let’s attach too guarantees. First, you may take Cyan Pile…Mayuzumi-senpai with you. You two will fight me in turns. And secondly, you may postpone the time of the duel as many times and for as long as you want right up until its starts. If it’s like this, it’s realistically impossible for someone to lie in ambush.”
“………”
Haruyuki held his breath, and quickly thought.
In the Unlimited Neutral Field, time flowed 1000 times faster than in the real world. For example, if he specified to Dive in at 5 PM at first and then postponed it enough until several seconds after that, a timespan of one week would pass by inside the field during that interval. If this postponement was repeated several times, the elapsed time inside would become huge, and it would be impossible to continue waiting with normal nerves.
However, if gradual Dives and log-outs were repeated one after another instead, one would have to consume 10 Burst Points for each time. One couldn’t withstand that even if they were a «King»-class.
Speaking of an ambush in the Unlimited Neutral Field, Haruyuki recalled the case where the Yellow Legion had laid a trap for the Red King Niko during the Chrome Disaster incident three months ago, but he didn’t know when they appeared there and they did not necessarily wait many months inside there for Niko. The real world identity of «Cherry Rook», Disaster’s true form, had already been discovered by them due to the process of the Enhanced Armament transfer by Direct Connect, and as such he had likely been under surveillance and the time when he Dived was predicted.
Since even that kind of method couldn’t be used here, it was surely impossible to set an ambush in the Unlimited Neutral Field—or so he thought.
However, Haruyuki was aware that his knowledge regarding Accel World was still far from complete, so of course he didn’t give an immediate answer.
“…In that case, may I consult with Takumu?”
“Of course, go right ahead! Please consult with each other for as long as you like.”
Smiling, Noumi stepped back.
“When you come to a c
onclusion, please inform me at this address. Since I also want time to prepare myself.”
He sent over an anonymous mail address to Haruyuki with a flick. Haruyuki held his breath and watched Noumi’s back as he then simply turned around and walked away.
He had an unpleasant feeling. When Haruyuki had said the words ‘BIC’ to Noumi, he had assumed that they would rush into a duel right away just like that. Now, he felt like the pace had once again been taken away from him by taking time between them here.
After confirming that Noumi had disappeared from the school building, Haruyuki leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree and spoke with thought-speech.
‘…What do you think, Taku?’
‘…It’s dangerous.’
Takumu, who been listening to the entire conversation with Noumi online, immediately gave that response.
Haruyuki had already told Takumu last night about the matter of the BIC that he realized. In addition, he had also told him how he had decided to settle things with Noumi Seiji. That is, by first having Haruyuki, then Takumu determinedly continue to challenge Noumi to local network duels until Noumi had no more Burst Points.
Of course, they had considered the possibility of both of them losing all their points against the Level 6 Dusk Taker. But, if they lost a normal match—that just meant that was as far as they went, right? «When you Dive into the battlefield once, there is nothing but battle». That was the teaching of their master, Kuroyukihime.
However, Noumi’s proposal was something that they had not expected. Takumu once again repeated his words with tense thoughts.
‘It’s too dangerous, Haru. In the Unlimited Neutral Field, there is no telling what may happen. Even more so if the opponent is that Noumi.’
‘Then, shall we reject his proposal?’
‘……’
Here, Takumu also became silent. Eventually, his voice resounded again in Haruyuki’s mind in a lowered tone.
‘…But, just as Noumi said, it is certainly true that there is no way to guarantee things even if he surrenders…Since there remains the possibility of him devising a new trap against us again someday…’
‘Hey, Taku. Do you think there is a way to avoid the constraints of the «unfixed extension of the designated time» that Noumi spoke of and make an ambush ahead of time…?’
After sinking into silence again for several seconds, Takumu slowly answered.
‘Either by having a huge amount of burst points…or a huge amount of patience. There shouldn’t be any other ways besides those. The problem is whether Noumi has a comrade who would agree to pay such a huge sacrifice…’
This time Haruyuki thought for a while, and then answered.
‘Hmm…—I think that the possibility of him belonging to some kind of organization is high. In addition, the other members would be people who have undergone the BIC implantation operation as well. Rust Jigsaw, who I fought in Akihabara, is also probably a member. Though, since there’s no tag attached to the names of either of their avatars, it’s probably different from a legion…’
‘So they’re guys who earn Burst Points efficiently with the Brain Chip and then use them earnestly in the real world. They really are «Acceleration Users» just as Noumi said before.’
‘Yeah…Would guys like that cooperate to the point where they would almost infinitely waste points or time for the sake of Noumi’s personal circumstances…?’
Suddenly biting his lips, Haruyuki immediately continued.
‘No, I don’t think so. Considering Noumi’s words about there being no ‘free of charge’ friends, that must the true for him. Conversely speaking, if he had such a comrade, I think that Noumi…would surely have become a proper Burst Linker.’
There was no basis for Haruyuki’s words, but Takumu immediately responded with thoughts of agreement.
‘Yeah. Yes…That’s exactly it. This is a battle between us Burst Linkers and the Acceleration User Noumi. That is our pride that lets us stand up…That’s right…’
For a moment, both of their unified intentions flowed through the circuit of the Voice Call as a white flash.
Haruyuki nodded his head and strongly transmitted his thoughts.
‘Alright, I’ll accept the proposal. I’ll send Noumi the first designated time after you and him finished club activities and return home…let’s say at 8 PM. We’ll extend the time by 10 minutes at the lowest and a total of one hour at the highest, so the possibility of an ambush will be lost.’
‘Roger.’
Letting out a little of the tension in his shoulders after hearing that striking-like answer, Haruyuki added more.
‘…Besides, a one-shot match is honestly much more welcome.’
‘Fufu, Haru is the overconcentration-type after all. You always expect to decided things in one go.’
‘You who spent so much trouble training in mind power are just as bad, though.’
After giving a short laugh at each other and saying they’d meet against after school, Haruyuki cut the connection.
—I’m glad that Takumu is next to me.
After sincerely thinking that, Haruyuki thanked from the bottom of his heart that, half a year ago when he had first fought Cyan Pile, he had decided not to deliver the finishing blow to his friend.
After school. 7:30 at night.
While he was tidying up his home’s living room and taking out a box from the freezer in order to heat up the usual frozen pizza, his doorbell chime rang.
After quickly confirming Takumu’s face in a holo-window, he ran to the entranceway. He pressed the unlock button, and headed to the opening door.
“Hey. Right on ti…”
Immediately after he ended in ‘-me’, Haruyuki was taken aback as he opened his mouth wide.
Another familiar face was there to the side behind Takumu who was standing there with a grave face.
“…C-Chiyu…!?”
Why did you come here now?
Without giving him the time to voice that question, the plain clothes-wearing Chiyuri mumbled an expressionless ‘Sorry for intruding[36]’ and entered into the hallway. She quickly passed by Haruyuki and walked into the living room.
After watching the sight of her back while dumbfounded, Haruyuki turned around to face Takumu and questioned him.
“…W-Why?”
“I didn't call her here. She came with me inside the elevator.”
Takumu mumbled that, seeming like he also was having trouble understanding. After letting out a thin breath and closing the door, he tilted his head in doubt to ask whether it was okay to enter.
After deeply nodding, Haruyuki returned to the hallway along with Takumu.
Standing not in the living room but in the kitchen, Chiyuri lifted up the box of frozen pizza which he had left in the sink, made a small smile and spoke.
“…As usual, you eat things like this.”
And then she returned it to the freezer and lifted up a paper bag she seemed to have brought with her.
“I got Mama to make lasagna again. Let’s eat it the three of us together.”
She paused for a moment.
“…Don’t worry, I didn’t put anything like poison into it.”
As soon as he heard that joke, a sharp pain pierced through the center of his chest, and Haruyuki’s face became distorted.
—Why did we have to become like this?
That thought ran through his mind. Turning his gaze away, he saw that Takumu’s eyes had also stiffened behind his glasses.
Unable to look at the two of them like that anymore, Chiyuri quickly took out a heat-resistant container and divided its contents onto three plates. She skillfully carried one plate in her left hand and two in her right hand, and walked into the living room.
“Come on, sit down.”
Smiling, she placed a plate with a slightly large serving in front of Haruyuki, and placed the other two plates with similar amounts in front of Takumu and herself. She took out forks from a cutlery basket that w
as placed on the middle of dining room table and held them out to the two of them.
When compared to Chiyuri’s behaviour over the last week, each of those separate actions were important as they weaved together as if in an unseen thread, to the point where Haruyuki couldn’t watch anymore. He accepted the form, fixed his gaze on his plate, and spoke in a low voice.
“…Thank you. Itadakimasu[37].”
“…Itadakimasu.”
Takumu also said it, and with Chiyuri words of “Go ahead” as the signal, the three of them began to eat in silence the lasagna that was specially made by Chiyuri’s mama.
It was delicious. Its taste was far greater than the thing they had eaten as a meal a week ago. But within that deliciousness, there was still clearly that pain which dwelled in Haruyuki’s chest. Since he would probably start crying if he stopped chewing, Haruyuki made sure to hold the plate and earnestly continued eating.
Their three plates became empty in fifteen minutes. Chiyuri, after cleaning the dishes and coming back, sat down at the table once again.
After remaining silent for a while, it was 7:50 when Chiyuri finally opened her mouth.
“……Noumi told me to come. To the location of the duel.”
“Wha…”
“Eh…”
Haruyuki raised their voices at the same time as Takumu.
Following a momentary pause, his thoughts began turning at high speed.
“I…I see. You’re already at Level 4 after all…so you’re also entering the Unlimited Neutral Field…”
Foolishly, Haruyuki hadn’t considered at all the possibility that Chiyuri would appear. But, certainly, since it’s Noumi, he would have no hesitation in using Lime Bell as part of an ambush.
“B-But…how does Noumi intend to transmit the designated time to you, Chii-chan…?”
Takumu’s question was quite natural. He and Haruyuki would be arbitrarily changing the designated time, in order to eliminate the chances of Burst Linkers lying in ambush for them. Chiyuri wasn’t an exception to that either.
Chiyuri turned down her face so as to escape from the looks directed at her from the two of them, and then mumbled.
“…Noumi instructed me like this. Meet directly with Haru and Takkun, and tell them that I’ve betrayed him. Do that so that they trust me, and Dive at the same time as them…and then once the duel start, heal him.”
Accel World: Flight Towards the Blue Sky Page 16