Accel World Vol 3 Chapter 2 (2/2)
That, was what Haruyuki believed, and wished it to be, but.
The three sides of the triangle, the one connecting Chiyuri and Tak.u.mu, was still changing unstably right now, was what their looks at each other showed.
”...Well, it is about time we start the beginner lessons.”
Trying to break through the tension, Haruyuki announced and turned towards the yellowish green avatar.
”Chiyu, you have already heard of most of this «Brain Burst» rules from Taku right?”
”Yeah. All I need to do is, win a lot of duels to earn points, then become level 10 to clear the game right?”
”...D-Don't say it so simply. Well, that is right though...”
If that person heard Chiyuri's indifferent words, what would she say, while Haruyuki shook his head thinking like that, he continued.
”An-Anyway, to win a duel, you have to see through the opponent's weakness and fight in a way that is advantageous to you. For that reason, you have to fully grasp your avatar's abilities.”
—Unbelievable, that a day where I said such bossy words to someone would come.
While noticing that slight realization, he moved his right index finger.
”Around this part in your view, should be your own «Health Gauge» right? Touch that, and from the expanded window open the «Skill List».”
Normally this was the Parent's role for Tak.u.mu, but the flow of conversation somehow had Haruyuki pointing it out to her,
”O...Okay.”
Chiyuri, who nodded, with somewhat awkward movements extended her finger, and tapped a point in the air. Continuing, she did a few more manipulations.
”Let's see... normal skills, three of them, and looks like one special skill. «Citron Call»...? Somehow, the left hand bell... like this...”
While murmuring, Chiyuri followed the skill list animation silhouette, spinning the huge bell that was in front of her left elbow around twice, and finally from above coming down with a snap. But of course, nothing happened.
”What is this, it didn't do anything.”
”To use special skills, you have to fill the blue «Special Gauge» below the Health Gauge.”
”That, how do I fill it?”
”Damage the opponent, take damage yourself, and...”
As he reached that point, Chiyuri lifted her heavy looking bell and raised it, aiming for Haruyuki's head, as he hurriedly added.
”Th-That and also, you can fill it by destroying the stage. The machines around there, any of them can be destroyed!”
”Ah, I see.”
It might be his imagination that she nodded with some slight dissatisfaction, and walked towards the steam engine sitting where the teacher's podium was, then without any hesitation, she used her left hand to hit the machine that was putting out a lot of steam.
With a *Boom!* light explosion sound, sparks and white smoke spew out.
”Wow, feels great!”
With innocent sounds of joy, the pointed hat avatar started hitting and destroying one side of the gears turning the belt conveyor, as Haruyuki's back s.h.i.+vered while watching her. The realism of that explosion, and the stage's ultra high detail, not showing signs of being impressed even by a little, this is why girls are...
While Haruyuki grumbled in his heart, the silent till now Tak.u.mu whispered from beside him.
”Haru, did you notice it? Chi-chan's HP gauge, did not seem to drop at all. For the «Construction Site» machine objects, when you destroy it, you should take a little damage.”
”Ah... that's right.”
”Unlike her appearance, her defense is pretty high. «Green» is originally, the next below «Metal Color», a superior defense color...”
With Tak.u.mu's calm a.n.a.lysis, Haruyuki thought of the rumored «Green King»'s iron wall legend.
Lime Bell's armor, compared to the level 1 Silver Crow, was clearly harder. That means, Chiyuri is also a defensive type. That is completely opposite of the real person's personality, somehow.
While thinking about those things, Lime Bell's special gauge was filled to near half while s.h.i.+ning blue.
”Hey Chiyu, that's plenty.”
After being called out, the avatar that turned around came walking close—
And without a single hesitation, raised the huge bell in her left hand high.
”Higuu!?”
In front of Haruyuki, who screamed, and held both hands up to protect his head in reflex.
After two half clockwise spins, the bell was suddenly covered with a brilliant yellowish green s.h.i.+ne.
”...«Citron Ca~ll»!!”
With the relatively proper skill name shout, from the bell that was swung straight down, with a *Rigorigoriin* kind of magnificent sound effect, light particles that covered Silver Crow's whole body spewed out.
”...!”
Unable to predict what kind of damage he would take, Haruyuki held his breath and closed his eyes. Heat, impact, or some unknown name acid dissolving attack might be possible—
”...Huh?”
”...Oh?”
From his left and right ear, Chiyuri and Tak.u.mu's quizzical sounds reached him, and Haruyuki opened his eyes slightly.
As he nervously looked down at his body, it still shone the same fresh white silver color. He did not feel any pain or heat, and his HP bar did not decrease at all.
”What is this! Nothing happened!!”
To Chiyuri's indignant shout, he shook his head on reaction.
”Th...That should not be it. Your skill, without a doubt hit me... your special skill gauge also decreased. Overtime damage... not that either. Delayed start damage, maybe...?”
As he mumbled, he waited for something to happen, but a few seconds, then a few tens of seconds later, Silver Crow's HP did not move at all.
”Hmm... this means, light and sound only, some kind of eye dazzling skill maybe. That is sort of yellow color type...”
Haruyuki's words did not seem to ease Chiyuri's dissatisfaction, and she put her right hand to her waist.
”That is boring! Haru, give me one of your special skills!!”
”What, that is impossible. Anyway, my special skill is just a Head b.u.t.t.”
”At this point, I will take even that.”
As this bargaining expanded to something that's no different from reality, suddenly Tak.u.mu said in a low murmur.
”No... for just a dazzle skill, the decrease in the special skill gauge is way too much. Even though it was half full, all of it was used up... some kind of, there should be a more practical effect...”
With his strong arms crossed, Cyan Pile lowered his small slits lined face.
”Not damage, not Debuff[1]... that means... ah... wait, just maybe...!!”
His sharp sound made both Haruyuki and Chiyuri turn their heads at the same time.
”What is it, Taku? Did you think of something?”
”...Well yeah, something with unbelievable feeling though... Chi-chan, with that bell, hit Haru normally.”
”Okay, understood.”
*Gochiri~n!!*
Before Tak.u.mu's words finished or not, Chiyuri without a single hint of holding back, swung the huge bell down, and Haruyuki who took that right on his head, saw numerous stars in his view.
”O-Ouch...”
As he moaned, the relentless directions continued.
”The gauge is still not enough. About three more times.”
”Okay, understood.”
*Zukazukazukari~n!!*
...Chiyu's bell is nice. When it hits, incredibly nice sounds come out.
While he was thinking that and other stuff, Haruyuki abruptly fainted while laying with his arms and legs spread apart.
For the duel fighting game that is Brain Burst, just leveling up would not majorly increase HP, Attack, and Defense. With new special skills and abilities obtained, tactics can be expanded, but if you get hit without defending like this, corresponding damage occurred. The result, after Haruyuki was. .h.i.t for four times, his HP gauge decreased by about 30%, and in exchange, Chiyuri's special skill gauge again filled over half, s.h.i.+ning blue.
While moaning, Haruyuki somehow managed to stand up, and in front of his eyes—
Again the bell was spun around, and yellowish green light effect shone.
—That's strange, when I was first lectured by senpai, this «Using the mentor's body to teach skill» scene never happened.
—Anyway, in the first place, why am I the duel opponent for Chiyu?
As he thought about that now too late, Chiyuri's second skill-name shout, louder than the earlier one, started.
”Citron Ca~~ll!!”
The clear sound of a bell. A lime green ribbon of light overflowed out. And then, lightly drifting by, was a fresh citrus scent.
That covered Silver Crow's body in layers. At that moment.
”Uaaa...!?”
Haruyuki experienced something which he had not experienced in the accelerated world for a few months, a shock to the bottom of his heart which made him shout out loud.
In his view's upper left corner, his HP bar that was decreased by about 30%—
Was slowly recovering!
HP recovery.
For duel fighting genre games, that is originally an impossible phenomenon. Actually, till now Haruyuki had not seen a single HP gauge recovery ability in «Brain Burst».
No, to be exact, there might be one exception that he had seen. Three months ago, after an incredible battle and destruction, the cursed enhanced armament, «Chrome Disaster» that was annihilated. That avatar had an ability that could «Drain» the opponent's health that he ate to heal his wounds.
However, since during the Disaster fight, they were in the «Unlimited Neutral Field» where other people's HP gauge could not be seen, this was the first time he actually saw a HP gauge recover.
Within just about 10 seconds, his HP was returned to full, and the yellowish green light disappeared at the same time.
However Haruyuki, and Tak.u.mu who was a bit further away, could not move or make a sound.
What released them from their paralysis, was the dissatisfied shout from Chiyuri.
”No way, what's that?! Your Hit Points were fully recovered!! No fair, that didn't count!!”
”No... it's not that I am not playing fair...”
With his raspy voice he said till that point, then looked at Tak.u.mu, begging for an explanation.
Cyan Pile opened his blue eyes inside the small slits wide, and eventually shook his head left and right as he whispered.
”Wh... what a thing... That right now was without a doubt, «Recovery Ability». Chi-chan's avatar is a «Healer»...”
”What? That means a priest? That is boring.”
Continuing after the somewhat dissatisfied Chiyuri, Haruyuki who finally came out of his shock, gave his honest opinion.
”Healer... First time I heard of it. Brain Burst has this kind too.”
However, on the other hand, Tak.u.mu whispered in a somehow fearful voice.
”Instead of boring... it's an outrageously rare avatar. With this, Chi-chan's «Duel» debut might become very serious... Just maybe, beyond the time when Silver Crow appeared...”
References
↑ game term, weakening effects
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