There Haruyuki opened his eyes wide.
For the color circle that determine duel avatar’s affinity, Yellow is a color best at «Indirect Attack». It specialized in various forms of unpleasant weak point attacks, but its direct attack power is less than other colors. On the other hand, the Red King Niko is a demon of long range firepower, and for Black King Kuroyukihime, he had only seen her fight a few times, but her form is built for close range attacks.
If those two cover each other, even if the enemy is a King and 30 people, there might be a chance to win.
Thinking till there, Haruyuki was filled with a small feeling of strangeness.
Why did Kuroyukihime keep silent all that time? If it was the normal her, at the moment when the Yellow King appeared, she should be going after him with more force than Niko?
Haruyuki who turned around to look at his right side behind, saw - .
With both sword hands dangling down, and slumped like she was in fear of something, that deep black avatar shape.
“Se...”
Before he involuntarily called ‘Senpai’, the Yellow King’s crisp voice again echoed loudly.
“Unless Cherry appears, we will have you take responsibility right, Red King? ...Since that is the case...”
The slowly lifted up left hand long and small finger, pointed straight at the black spot on the bottom of the crater.
“The now starting fun fun carnival, you will watch without interfering right, Black King?”
After being hit with the extremely self-righteous speech, Kuroyukihime remained head down without a single reaction. After over five seconds have passed, she finally lifted up her head, and pointed her right sword hand at the Yellow King.
“...Don’t mess with me, Radio.”
The speech that leaked out of the mask was in attack mode, however the sound was not fierce like usual. To the opponent, or more like to herself, Kuroyukihime continued to spit out words.
“That formation, even you would not think it can stop two Kings. I... if you think I would just watch silently, that is a huge mistake.”
“Oh? Does that mean you will fight? You will turn that blood soaked blade on me as well? I went to the trouble of giving you a side seat to watch, do you actually want to make it difficult on yourself...?”
As Kuroyukihime pointed out, that was not an absolute advantageous situation, but the Yellow King still showed a ‘Kukuku’ laughter from deep in his throat.
“...To be honest, that you would come to the Unlimited Field today with Scarlet Rain, even I did not expect that. But... this level of irregularity will not stop my legion «Crypt Cosmic Circus»’s fun carnival. I have waited a long, long time for the day to meet you like this, Lotus. To give you this small present that had been sitting in my pocket for a long time!”
With a showy gesture the Yellow King extended his fingers, and Haruyuki saw something rectangular that flashed. About the same size as a playing card, but he could not see the design.
The clown avatar skillfully spun the card on his finger, then snapped it.
From the sunlight shining down between the clouds, that card danced in the air with a sparkle for tens of meters, then stuck into the ground silently a little away from Haruyuki’s group.
He did not think it was an attack object. As Haruyuki looked on while dumbfounded, from the surface of the card, a sideways triangle, floated up, and lightly lit up. At that moment, Niko beside him lightly whispered.
“It’s a Replay File.”
Right after, the card’s surface shone brightly, and an inverted cone shape light was released directly above it.
Many noise like lines appeared in the air, and was soon turned into a picture. The half transparent 3D image, was a duel avatar that he had not seen before.
Red. The form was orthodox humanoid, well balanced armor on different parts, shone a pure red that could not be more than that. Different from Scarlet Rain’s many colored flame red - to say it in words, it’s color of passion.
Again, Niko’s raspy voice leaked out.
“Previous generation... «Red Rider».”
Kuroyukihime backed off a step, and said in a moan.
“Stop... stop it!”
It was at that time that the 3D image suddenly started to move.
The pure red avatar appearing large in the air, leaned forward with its right hand held in a fist, and left hand spread open to the side. In Haruyuki’s ears, a pleasant sounding crisp boy’s voice loudly flowed.
“This... this worthless goal, had we been fighting till now for it!? Hating each other, fighting each other, killing each other... to see that ending, for years, for thousands of «duels» again and again!? No, even if that is Brain Burst developer’s written scenario... we are not NPC controlled by game masters! This game’s main character, is us! Isn’t that right, Lotus!”
The scene was pulled back, at the time the red avatar became smaller, another avatar sitting directly in front was framed in. A deep black avatar with four long large blades, it was Black Lotus.
To the head lowered Black King, the first generation Red King continued to gesture wildly and speak fiercely.
“We did control our legions and continued to fight till now. But that, is not because we are enemies! It’s because we are rivals right!? I... like your style of fighting, Lotus. If someday we meet in the real world, I want to become your friend. Absolutely will. No, I want to! That is why I don’t want to fight you with sudden death! You are probably the same!”
At that moment, a little bit sharp girl’s voice echoed.
“Wait Rider, I can’t just ignore what I heard!”
Then the red avatar turned left as if in a panic, and raised one hand.
“N, no, that’s not it. I don’t mean it like that... now I am done for.”
On top of that voice, were many sounds of laughter.
Black Lotus who was head down in the scene, suddenly relaxed her shoulders. She raised her head, and with calm voice - .
“Yea... That’s right. It’s like you said, Rider. I like you too. Of course, in a respect kind of way.”
She quickly stood up, moved forward one step, and the Black King extended her right sword hand towards the Red King.
“I thought you would understand, Lotus!”
After shouting that joyfully, the Red King was about to extended his right hand to shake hands, but stopped while a bit lost. Then the Black King shrugged her shoulder, and said with a bit of laughter.
“Oops, sorry about this. Then... let’s do this.”
After saying that, she stepped close to the Red King, and made a gesture to hug around his neck. The Red King, after scratching his face like he was embarrassed, put his hands around Black Lotus’ waist. Again from outside the scene, the girl earlier shouted.
“Wait wait!”
“Don’t be mad, it’s in exchange of handshakes only.”
The Red King said in an anxious voice for excuse, and again multiple laughter echoed -
At that moment.
Inside Black Lotus’ deep black goggle, two eyes lit up with ice like blue white light.
Her two sword hands crossed behind the Red King’s neck gave off a strong violet shine.
“«Death By Embracing».”
A special attack skill was quietly voiced, the two crossed swords, moved in a cutting way just like a huge scissor.
Red Rider’s body completely lost strength, and collapsed down near Black Lotus’ feet like a broken doll. However just his head, remained on the Black King’s crossed arms.
From the cut on the head, large amount of bright red sparks dripped down, and Black Lotus turned her face away.
The high density silence, was broken apart by a high pitched scream.
“N... nooooooo!!”
The replay ended there, the shape of Black Lotus who stood there while holding her rival’s head, was melting away and erased by noise lines again.
However the small scream did not stop and continued to rin
g in Haruyuki’s ears. That, was from the throat of Kuroyukihime who stood right beside him, he finally realized.
“Stop... stop, stop it...!”
“Se... sen, pa...”
Haruyuki who called out on reaction, noticed that his voice was violently shaking and stopped his breath. Kuroyukihime looked slightly at Haruyuki, and soon turned her face away, shaking her head left and right many times.
“Haruyuki-kun... I am... I, am...”
What was ahead did not become words.
Suddenly, the two eyes in Kuroyukihime’s face plate goggle that was shining blue violet light, with a small line of light going left and right, then abruptly disappeared. At the same time, like a robot with its power cut, all the strength went out of the deep black avatar body - .
With a dry sound, the Black King’s body fell down to the blue black crater bottom.
“Senpai... senpai?”
Not understanding what’s going on, Haruyuki called with his shaky voice as he knelt down and shook the delicate avatar. However Kuroyukihime did not show any kind of reaction at all.
“...«Zero File»...! Lotus, you... that much...”
Behind him, Niko whispered quietly.
Not understanding what she meant, Haruyuki was going to turn around, but went still on hearing the loud laughter from up high.
“Kukuku... Fufufu, Kufufuhahahahahaha!!”
The owner of the roaring laughter, was the Yellow King, Yellow Radio looking down from high above.
“Kufufufufu... as I thought. You are still tied to that betrayal. You going with expectation to become Zero state is on the other hand disappointing... you should have quietly stayed hidden in a small cellar, with that level of resolution, I am surprised you said that big talk about aiming for level 10, Black Lotus!”
“Y... you bastard...”
That murmur leaked out of Haruyuki’s throat with a rasp.
Right after, changing to a whip like sharp sound, the Yellow King’s voice echoed throughout the crater.
“Well then, my carnival’s final program, let us enjoy it! - Ready attacks! Target, Scarlet Rain! The small fries who try to interfere, crush them ruthlessly!!”
“Shit.”
With that poisonous word, Niko’s delicate avatar spread both arms wide.
“Come, Enhanced Arm...”
However, Takumu’s quickly extended hand held Niko’s shoulder.
“You can’t, Red King! If you expand your armament, then you will lose mobility and won’t be able to escape! It’s not possible to go against that number of people even with a King, forget Chrome Disaster’s subjugation for now, break through the encirclement from behind and retreat to Sunshine City’s Leap Point is what we should do!”
The small slits lined up under the mask, this time those blue white shining eyes turned towards Haruyuki.
“Haru, I will leave master to you! I will become a wall, so no matter what you do, bring her to the City!”
“B, but... then, you will...”
“I am fine! Those bastards, if they bring down the Red King, they will definitely go after master! I will not allow that!”
To the dignified yet somehow forcing himself tense voice, Haruyuki could do nothing else but nod.
“I... I understand, leaving it to you!”
While shouting, Haruyuki held up Kuroyukihime’s lax body with his left arm.
Right after - .
“Attack, Start!!”
The Yellow King moved his highly raised right hand down all at once.
Chapter 6
What came falling down at the beginning, was of course, a heavy rain of long range attacks.
Even in the «Yellow Legion», of course not all members are yellow type - that is made up of only indirect attack type Burst Linkers. The 30 or so enemies surrounding the crater, with at least 10 red type people, released beams and explosive ammo that could be appropriately called a concentrated bombardment.
Most of that firepower was directed at Niko, which, the Red King, when compared to fortress mode, dodged with far more agile back dashes. However, one blue beam, maybe they were wrongly targeted, aimed for Haruyuki while he was holding Kuroyukihime and was immobile.
“Kuu...”
He somehow managed to twist his body and avoid it, but his left shoulder was lightly scratched. ‘This can’t even be called damage’ - as he strongly said in his mind at that moment.
“...!!”
From the burning sensation and sharp pain on his shoulder, Haruyuki involuntarily leaned back.
For Brain Burst «duels», at the same time the damage is dealt, a painful stimulus is given at a level unlike other Neuro Linker applications. However, the pain Haruyuki was feeling right now, is double the intensity of normal duels.
That means, it could only be like this in the Unlimited Neutral Field. In order to balance against the benefit to gain points without the risks of dueling, the special rules of «Unlimited time» and «Cannot leave instantly» existed in addition to having damage pain sensation doubled.
To Haruyuki who momentarily stood up, over his head, in just short moment, many small missiles would arrive.
“Oooo!”
It was Takumu who roared. He stood in front of Haruyuki and Kuroyukihime, Cyan Pile’s right hand’s pile driving equipment was aimed at the missile group.
‘Click!’ With that metallic sound a sharp steel pile was fired out, and from the blast wave, most of the enemy missiles exploded. However a few missiles remained, and hit the blue armored body here and there. Flashes. Explosion sounds.
“Guaaa...!”
Even though moaning and staggering, Takumu did not fall down. He turned his smoking huge body and shouted shortly.
“Haru, run!”
“Un... understood!”
‘Sorry’, while he apologized to his best friend in his mind, Haruyuki started running while dragging Kuroyukihime’s avatar. Where he was running to, was to Niko who had pulled her gun from her waist, and started firing at the enemy formation on the east side of the crater.
If they don’t get out of this encirclement first, then they cannot retreat nor counter attack. Fortunately, since the enemy completely surrounded the 100 meters or so diameter crater, the wall itself is thin. If they break through the enclosure with a charge attack, and make it out to the Green highway, then Sunshine City with the Leap Point would be just ahead.
While Haruyuki held Kuroyukihime with his right arm, he opened the wings on his back. After he was hit by the earlier attack, his special skill gauge recovered a little bit. It is possible to slide dash just to the edge of the crater.
With Niko’s continuous fire, there was one point of opening in the east enclosure. Staring at that, Haruyuki used all his strength to kick off the ground.
At that time, behind him the Yellow King, Yellow Radio’s crisp yet somehow squeaky voice loudly echoed.
“...«Silly Go Round»!!”
Special attack skill!
‘But it’s too late! The crater’s edge is right in front - ‘
“...Uwaaa!?”
The phenomenon that abruptly occurred made Haruyuki stood still.
The world began turning. No, to be precise, with the crater’s edge as a dividing line, the inside and outside rotated in different directions. The buildings in the background, and the enemy duel avatars standing there, all flowed in high speeds from left to right.
Furthermore, without knowing when it started, from the area around him many hazy yellow toy horses appeared and started to move up and down in an easy going way. Also, in his ears, a cheerful country style - however somehow the notes were a bit off kind of BGM could be heard.
Losing more and more of his sense of balance, Haruyuki knelt down on one knee there. Looking around, Niko who was right in front of him, and Takumu beside him were also trying their best to stand firm, with their bodies swaying.
“The fi... field is, turning...?”
To Haruyuki who said that while dumbfounded, th
e Red King’s sharp voice came flying.
“It’s just you seeing it turning! Nothing is actually moving! Close your eyes and run!”
“But... where to!?”
Actually, he could no longer tell which direction was the east side he was aiming for. If he went forward blindly and ended up going farther from the Leap Point, then there will be no turning back.
“That way!”
“This way!”
At the same time, Niko and Takumu pointed in the opposite directions.
At that moment, as if the enemy was aiming for the resulting immobility - .
From outside the crater, an angry swarm of firing lines came attacking.
‘We cannot avoid this’, was Haruyuki’s direct feeling as he looked up at the many incoming firepower lines. Those strong curvature of the paths, were just from looking. From the Yellow King, Yellow Radio’s illusion attack, they just seem to be curved.
While thinking of at least protecting Kuroyukihime, Haruyuki was going to cover the small avatar with his expanded wings.
However faster than that, Takumu shouted once.
“Get down!!”
And then, his two strong arms held all three, and covered them while falling down.
“Ta...”
Opening his eyes wide, the words coming from Haruyuki’s mouth were erased by tremendous explosion sounds. His view was coated white, and his cheeks were seared by the heat - right next to his ears, his best friend’s suppressed screams sounded.
“Guuuuuu!!”
Right now, on Takumu’s wide back, many different kinds of long range attacks are raining down. Just one hit’s scratch gave him that much pain. What would be the total amount of pain sensation forced on Takumu’s nerves? If it’s like this, then wouldn’t this be above the pain level Haruyuki felt in his self made training room - .
“Stop... Taku, stop already!”
Haruyuki shouted, as he tried to get out from under Takumu.
However steel like arms with strength held Haruyuki still, and at the same time a heavy breathing voice was released right next to him.
“It’s... okay, Haru. To you... what I owed, just this, kind of thing... can’t pay it back...”
“Nothing... there isn’t anything! How many times do I have to say it for you to understand, Taku!”
Accel World: Crimson Storm Princess Page 14