Haruyuki looked away from the fierce battle occurring far below him, and again started moving northeast, below him Takumu said in a thoughtful tone of voice.
“Master, but... to be exact, there is another way right. Getting points with high efficiency in this current situation, the method to get pass the high level barrier.”
“What? Taku, that is...?”
“What I mean is... in this world, you can hunt another target other than «enemy». In addition, a prey that has way more points...”
After thinking for an instant, Haruyuki took a sharp breath.
“I, I see... earlier... instead of the huge beast, those people...”
He glanced back, far south behind them, he could still faintly see the cloud of continuous fire fight.
The short silence was broken by Kuroyukihime’s quiet voice.
“That is exactly it. For normal duel, the high level Burst Linkers that usually do not leave their own legion territory, and even if you want to challenge them you cannot, but in this place you can attack them as you like. Moreover you can ambush, sneak attack, anything you like.”
“And then, the one who is doing exactly that, is «Cherry Rook»... no, «Chrome Disaster».”
Niko murmured that in a low voice, her crimson round eyes were fogged as she looked straight ahead.
They had already passed Mejiro street that was one of seven radiating roads, and the center of Ikebukuro is straight ahead. The palace surrounded by strange steel spires that seem to swallow the deep black roads, from there was the JR[8] Ikebukuro station. East of that extended a huge sky corridor, linked to the skyscraper fortress standing a little further away- Sunshine City.
At the base of the corridor stood some small buildings, and he seemed to be able to see different kind of lights blinking.
‘Are those just light effects? Or maybe it is actually similar to the real Ikebukuro, with a wide shopping center?’
While thinking he unconsciously forgot their current situation and tried to move there, but Niko’s right hand pulled his head back.
“Whoa, stop here. It will be a long time before Cherry comes here, but just in case let’s go to the ground. Flying around will be easily seen from below.”
“Well, that is true... however even if you say Ikebukuro, it’s a big area. Do you know where he will appear?”
To Kuroyukihime’s question, she snorted.
“If it’s the same pattern till now, it will be around Sunshine City. Circle around the south side, and just pick a building to descend onto.”
Haruyuki did as he was told and changed his body direction to head east.
He could see the fortress pointing to the sky on his left front side. To the right side, there is a gaping open hollow-like place. In the real world that should be the south Ikebukuro park, however there is not any type of trees, it was like a huge meteor crashed into it, making it have a crater like bleak feeling.
“...Then, we will descend near that empty ground.”
While saying so, Haruyuki checked his little remaining special gauge, determined that they will barely make it, and moved his wings.
Slowly, the four people weight started to move forward -
At that moment.
“Haru!!”
Near his feet, Takumu shouted.
Haruyuki who looked down in reaction, what his eyes captured, were bright orange firing lines extending up from between the buildings on the ground.
“...!!”
Without even time to scream, Haruyuki on reaction fully dashed towards the right front.
‘Jyaaa!’
With the sound of air being burned, he felt a huge heat wave going by near his back. He felt some frizzling pops on the tips of his wings that did not have any pain sensors.
However he ignored it, and again slid in the air, this time to the left side. Because he saw the second volley of fire from the ground. Moreover, its color is different from the first attack.
Right after the blue white ray was also dangerously dodged, Kuroyukihime lowly shouted.
“Could it be... Chrome Disaster?”
Against that, even though tense, Niko’s reply voice also has a dumbfounded echo.
“There is no way... it’s way too early, before he appear, there should still be a full day’s worth of time here! Also, that guy doesn’t have this kind of skill...”
Those two’s conversation was overwritten by Haruyuki’s scream.
“Descending!!”
Since, from the buildings on the ground, the third attack - this time he could see multiple lights. Those are not direct line lasers, but are actual ammo, moreover probably are tracking missiles’ firing lights.
Haruyuki stopped all of his wing’s lift, and descended almost like falling. However if he descend straight down, they will instantly be captured by the mysterious enemy. He spread his wing straight, and while sliding in the air like a glider, he aimed for the huge crater in front.
“Here they come! Missiles!”
With a tongue clicking sound, Niko bended over in Haruyuki’s arm and pulled out her handgun.
‘Dadadan’, that crisp continuous gun fire sound echoed, and many small sized explosion sounds also roared. However, just one handgun cannot shoot down all the missiles, the few missiles that passed through the flames and closed in -
“...Yaaa!”
Were mowed by Kuroyukihime’s left hand sword strike and cut apart.
After a bit more distance apart, more explosions occurred. Using that pressure wave, Haruyuki cut through the last few ten meters, and flew at full speed towards the center of the circular crater.
First, Takumu released his arms, and landed while gouging the ground. Right after that, from his left and right arms, the two Kings jumped off, and lightly landed on the ground.
After falling in an awkward mess in between the three, Haruyuki hurriedly jumped up. With a quick glance, he checked his HP bar, luckily only less than 3% was lost. Kuroyukihime and the others should not have been directly hit either.
In the center of the huge hole filled with numerous radiating cracks, Haruyuki’s group breathed a sigh of relief.
As if the continuous attacks a few seconds ago were lies, the world returned to silence. Far up above in the black clouds, flashes of lightning making thunder sounded, and the wind blowing sound lightly echoed.
Then - .
With a small foot step sound, on the crater’s west edge, one shadow appeared.
It was a Burst Linker. Without a doubt it was probably one of the people attacking them earlier. Since it was mostly a silhouette, Haruyuki could not determine its color.
“That... is the person who attacked us earlier...?”
Haruyuki whispered in a sound that could barely be heard.
However, just one second later.
Right next to that, a second shadow appeared without a sound. And then a 3rd, and a 4th too.
“Wh... what is going on...”
Takumu’s light murmur, was about at the same time as the sound of many foot steps’ echo.
Looking up, Haruyuki saw that the crater’s edge, left, right and every which way was filled with avatar’s shadows. Large sized, small sized, long ranged, and close ranged, their abilities differed, but they had one thing in common.
That is their feel. Their looks filled with overflowing battle intention, silently looking at their prey - a hunter’s feel.
The total number of Burst Linkers that appeared was around 30 people. And then finally, passing between the circle gathered at the crater’s outer edge, an avatar with the strongest presence appeared.
Long and slender. With a height probably taller than Cyan Pile, however its four limbs were delicate like Silver Crow’s. The humanoid shape almost looked like it was made up of bones, only widening at the shoulder and hip.
The head was covered with a hat that is shaped like horns on either side that was small and curved. Large balls at the tip of those horns wavered without a sound. And then
the face was covered with a mask that had a laughter on it.
“Clown...?”
Haruyuki unconsciously whispered. That avatar’s silhouette is very similar to the joker drawn on playing cards. However that mask did not have a single bit of humor. The long small eyes that slanted upwards were ash white in the shadow of backlight, filled with a cruel light.
Then, suddenly part of the clouds above thinned. The weak grey sunlight reached the ground, and showed the shape of avatars surrounding the crater.
Many different colors. However, to say it strongly, most were red and yellow.
The one that shone especially brightly, was the loosely standing in the center of that group, the clown avatar’s armor.
Without a single part of cloudiness, a poisonous yellow like uranium ore. At the moment he saw that, a strong sense of terror ran through Haruyuki’s back. There are not many duel avatars with that degree of fresh color saturation. Up till now the ones he’d seen directly were darkness deep black, and flame crimson, only those two. That means -, that means that clown is...
As if supporting Haruyuki’s imagination, the crimson avatar standing beside him let out a dry sound.
“«Yellow Radio»... «Yellow King»... Why is he here...”
King. Only 7 of them existed in the accelerated world, level 9 Burst Linkers.
Up till now for Haruyuki, never mind the Yellow King, he did not even have contact with members under that King’s control. The reason is the territory under Yellow legion’s control, are on the opposite side of Suginami in the Tokyo area - from Ueno to Akihabara. When he went to Akihabara to buy old PC parts, he always disconnected from the Global Net at those times.
That means right now the Yellow legion being in Ikebukuro, and moreover in these numbers, is extremely unnatural. Of course it was not a coincidence. However, the time since Haruyuki’s four person group dived from his apartment home with «Unlimited Burst» command into this Unlimited Neutral Field till now, only a few seconds at most should have passed in the real world. For their legion member to discover Haruyuki’s group inside, contact the outside, and gather those members in Ikebukuro, there absolutely won’t be that much time for it.
That means, they had also monitored Cherry Rook’s movement, and predicted that at this time, this place, Haruyuki’s group will appear, so they waited in ambush.
If that was the truth, then there is only one reason.
Everything. Everything from the cause of this situation, is their -
“...It’s you bastard!!”
Suddenly, Niko roared.
The Red King who reached the same conclusion at the same time as Haruyuki, jumped out one step, held her fists, stuck out her chest, and her youthful shout was filled with majestic lion roar.
“You bastard planned all of this, Yellow Radio!!”
That’s right. It could only be that.
After being showered with the inferno of accusations, however the Yellow King’s thin body did not seem to be affected.
Unexpectedly, the bone like right arm slowly moved. Extending it wide to the right side, and turned the palm upward.
“Hey hey, thought I saw some dizzily flying insect fall down, it’s this unexpected guest? Good day, Red King.”
What came from the smiling mask, was a fresh, flowing young man’s voice. However, it was like it had an effect with extreme compression encode, so the sound was filled with various poisonous taste.
“Still saying that after the ambush...!”
“I do not seem to understand what you mean? I just, for my cute subordinates who were attacked after breaking the no invasion treaty, someone in the red legion who is forcing them to lose all points, I only came to ask for responsibility right? Recently, that duel avatar that rampages in defiance in our territory is quite troublesome.”
The horns on the hat made with many metallic rings swayed slowly. It was almost as if he was suppressing laughter.
On the other hand, Niko’s right index finger was pointed straight forward, as she shouted like a fiery explosion.
“It was you who made him do that! To lure me to this place, you gave that hidden «Disaster Armor» to Cherry Rook... it was you who instigated his violation of the treaty and indiscriminate attacks!!”
“Hidden? Gave? What bad words... that «Armor» was supposed to have been annihilated long ago right? Did your subordinate make another one?”
While saying that with a throaty voice, this time he extended his left arm, while he pointed to the sky with strangely small and sharp fingers, the Yellow King continued.
“In the holy treaty between the Kings, there is something like this. If attacks in violation of the treaty was carried out, and that caused the legion member’s forceful Brain Burst uninstall, then from the attacker’s legion, someone will be picked to suffer the same fate, that. Eye for eye, tooth for tooth... in truth a savage revenge method right?”
‘Kuu. Kuukuuku.’
Then, this time actual laughter leaked from the inverted triangle and sharp horned mask. The up slanted eyes shone lightly with the laughter.
“However, it is decided... isn’t that right? Here, if a King like me ignored the treaty, then more and more similar violators will appear. So without any other choice, that’s why came all the way to the frontline like Ikebukuro. To find one Red legion member, to make him pay for his comrade’s crimes, right? However... is this perhaps another trick of fate...?”
The Yellow King put his hands one his waist, and leaned forward as he continued with a cool yet obscene voice.
“That person, by chance to be the Red legion’s leader... «Scarlet Rain» herself.”
‘- No way it’s by chance!’
Haruyuki shouted inside as he ground his teeth.
The number of avatars around the crater’s edge is around 30. Even for a King’s legion, that should be about the upper limit number that can be moved in a week day evening. And that goal, can only be for hunting the strongest existence, a «King».
The Yellow King predicted Scarlet Rain - Niko would act this way. That for Niko’s personality, she would personally use «Judgement Blow» to purge her subordinate Cherry Rook for his crimes, and would appear in the Unlimited Neutral Field like this.
No, not only that. To force Niko into that situation, he wanted to legally hunt one of five heads that will make him a level 10 - for that goal, the Yellow King gave the enhanced armament «Chrome Disaster» to a Red legion member. He could only think of it like that. If that is the case, that means.
“...Two and half years ago, when the fourth was put down, at that time it was the Yellow King who hid the dropped «Armor»...”
Haruyuki unconsciously whispered. However there wasn’t any proof. If he used that conjecture here, it would be a pointless argument.
Niko probably realized that as well, and while she remained silent, her fists shook violently.
Eventually she opened her hands, and let them dangle down. Her controlled flat voice flowed from the bottom of the crater.
“In the treaty, this should have also been written. «...Anyone can be selected for revenge, but if the legion master purge the criminal, causing him to lose all points then that won’t apply»... that guy, I will deal with Cherry Rook. Then you don’t have any complaint against that right.”
“Please do, please do.”
Opening both hands, the Yellow King, Yellow Radio say joyfully.
“If you can manage to do that! I heard a rumor on the wind... the other day, you tried exactly that, and you failed superbly... was it that you even suffered an unsightly time up loss? You are free to challenge him again, however... where is that certain person called Cherry Rook?”
As if on purpose, he moved his head covered by the huge hat left and right as a show.
“We don’t have much free time. For someone that you don’t know when he will appear, you don’t want us to wait here for days right? If you can’t deal with it right now... then we just have to use you to fill in right..
.?”
“Kuu...”
Niko growled in chagrin.
For Haruyuki’s group, with Niko’s long distance surveillance they found out when Cherry Rook was moving in the real side and accelerated, however there is a time lag before the actual person will appear in the Unlimited Neutral Field. Even with a few minutes of real time lag, in the 1000 time accelerated world, the difference at worse would be over one day. As the Yellow King said, capturing Cherry Rook right now is impossible.
After deciding, Haruyuki took a step forward, and whispered lightly behind Niko’s back.
“It’s useless, Niko. That guy set a trap to go after you from the beginning so he won’t let you escape... here, we should just leave for now. Log out, and wait for the next chance...”
“Can’t.”
The answer was instant and simple.
“That is not possible in the system way. In the Unlimited Neutral Field, instant log out is not possible.”
“Wha...”
In the speechless Haruyuki’s ears, the murmur from Takumu who moved forward reached him.
“That is the way it is, Haru. To exit this place, you have to go to Leap Points placed in various locations. Even if you «suicide», you can’t log out. You will just be revived in one hour at the place you died. Of course, if in the real world someone removed the Neuro Linker from your neck, that’s a different story... right now, at Haru’s home...”
There isn’t anyone. His mother is on a trip and will return tomorrow, and then three years would have passed in this world.
Niko who glanced around, again quickly whispered.
“The closest Leap Point from here is either Ikebukuro station or Sunshine City. We cannot quickly reach either. Even if we aim for those, to break through the encirclement we have to fight at least once no matter what...”
There she momentarily stopped, and Niko’s ruby like eyes shone a sharp light.
“But, that Radio bastard also miscalculated.”
“Mis, miscalculate?”
“That’s right. That number of people, is for me... that is a number gathered to kill one King. However, right here, is not just one.”
Accel World: Crimson Storm Princess Page 13