Accel World Vol 3 Chapter 5 (2/2)
”No way, that guy is a Burst Linker too!? Then, but, Haru and Ta-kun also said that this year there wasn't one in the 1st year!”
”There wasn't. That's why we are troubled.”
After replying while pouting, Haruyuki scratched his head.
”I also accelerated at the instant when I thought that guy accelerated, and checked the matching list. But Noumi was not there... Taku, that guy was connected to the Local Net right?”
”He did. In the first place, if he did not, then he could not be in the match.”
”I thought so... But, that kind of reaction without acceleration... that guy, Taku's first hit towards the face, and second hit towards the body seemed to be avoided as if he knew ahead of time. Especially the second hit, how to say it, it was as if he moved his real body while accelerating... That kind of thing, could not be possible.”
”Ah.”
Tak.u.mu made a strange sound, and Haruyuki also responded with ”Huh?”.
”Wh-What is it?”
”No... Haru, perhaps you did not know?”
—That way of speaking and expression, created a strong sense of Deja Vu in him.
”Wait a minute... Stop that, it's as if there is more «Accelerated World common knowledge» that I did not know about. Like the «Unlimited Neutral Field» and «Judgement Blow», while asking my face is red with embarra.s.sment you know.”
”Yeah. Then, this is the third time.”
While snickering, Tak.u.mu seem to think for a bit, then he took one gla.s.s and filled it half way from the bottle of green tea.
Then he lifted his right hand up, and stared at the yellowish green colored liquid—
”...«Physical Burst»!!”
Right after the shout of a command that pulled at Haruyuki's memory from somewhere, Tak.u.mu threw the tea in the gla.s.s straight up.
”Wha...”
”Kyaa...”
Haruyuki and Chiyuri shouted in surprise at the same time, then right after, they were doubly shocked as their eyes opened wide.
From high in the air, the green tea that came down drawing small curved paths, was caught without loss in the gla.s.s held in Tak.u.mu's right hand!
His right hand moved slightly while matching the uneven liquid, going from top to bottom then jumping back up. One second later, with a *Thump*, the gla.s.s bottom landed on the table, with almost the same amount of tea that was poured from the bottle sat in it and swayed. The droplets that fell onto the tabletop, was just four drops.
”No way...”
After hearing that whisper from Chiyuri, Haruyuki finally remembered where he heard a command similar to the one now.
There was no way he could forget it. Half a year ago, to save Haruyuki from being hit by a runaway car, Kuroyukihime used the forbidden command «Physical Full Burst». It could only be used by level 9 Burst Linkers, with a cost of 99% of the user's Burst Points, its effect was to «Accelerate the real flesh body movement by 100 times».
The command Tak.u.mu used now, was without a doubt a lower ranked version. «Physical Burst» without the «Full». That should exist at an earlier level, he suspected.
”That means... it's an acceleration command while the consciousness remains in the flesh body?”
With Haruyuki's quiet question, Tak.u.mu slowly nodded with a serious face.
”That's right. The rate is 5 times, duration is 3 seconds, cost is 5 points. The acceleration does not include the physical body movement, but for avoiding the fighting opponent's attack, and getting in counter attack it's easy.”
”If it is baseball, you can hit all home runs. I see... Noumi actually «Moved while accelerating» to avoid Taku's. .h.i.t on his body...”
After adding that, Haruyuki blew out a breath.
He now understood the reason why Kuroyukihime did not teach him this command. Different from the basic command «Burst Link» that is required for duels, «Physical Burst» is only a function of acceleration ability that is needed for a user who desired fame or wished to be noticed. Above that, if you used it once there was no stopping, and if used often, he could imagine a fearful situation where many points would be used up.
At the edge of his lips, with a self deprecating smile as that situation was fully mixed in, Tak.u.mu said.
”Noumi Seiji is, exactly the same as I was last year. Everything. Winning matches with the power of acceleration, with the reparation of risk in existing duels, and using some kind of method to avoid detection. That's why I, even if I lost to that guy, have no right to say anything”
What broke that speech, was—
Chiyuri who was, not sure since when, standing behind Tak.u.mu. She knocked on his head with her knuckles.
To Tak.u.mu who dropped his gla.s.ses and had his mouth open wide, Chiyuri snorted then yelled.
”Wrong. It's not the same. Ta-kun wanting to win matches is for me right. Ta-kun, after winning always waved to me first, right?”
”Y...Yeah.”
”But, it's different with that guy. That Noumi kid, did not look at anyone after the match. He just looked at himself and smiled. That's why Ta-kun is totally different!”
From the face of Chiyuri who said that frankly, Haruyuki moved his eyes to Tak.u.mu, and also gave a big nod.
”That's right, Taku. You are no longer your old self. More than anything, if that guy is a Burst Linker, then he's already committed reality intrusion on us. In this situation, we can't allow him to break our rule of no illegal use of acceleration ability in our base... no matter what, we have to find out why he does not appear on the matching list, and then «Duel» him as a slap on his head.”
”Yeah! It's okay, no matter how you are beaten up, I will heal you up with gusto!”
”...”
With his eyebrows deeply wrinkled, Tak.u.mu hung his head for a while.
However, eventually his lips moved with the words ”Thank you” leaking out lightly.
When he lifted his head, he had returned to his usual calm expression. After one nod, Tak.u.mu said in a low voice.
”...Understood. I will somehow try to check during club activity. You can leave that guy to me for now, Haru.”
References
↑ 征二 - the 2nd character 二 means two or second. People with names like that usually have an older brother with the kanji 一 (one or first) in the name.
↑ 氏 - general name calling term that could mean Mr. or related.
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