Accel World Vol 4 Chapter 6 (2/2)

This place was not in Accel world, but in a normal virtual s.p.a.ce. Even so, Haruyuki understood. They were all Burst Linkers. In other words, this network known as «Akihabara BG» was a place where only those that had Brain Burst in their Neuro Linkers could connect to.

After gulping with his green lizard avatar’s throat, he looked around further.

The next thing he noticed was a large four-sided monitor that was hanging from the ceiling with a chain in the center of this large s.p.a.ce. Since the shop was dimly-lit, the characters projected on the virtual screen could be clearly seen.

Displayed at the top was [TODAY’S BATTLE] in Gothic font.

Beneath that was [18:00], most likely the current time.

The next line [«Frost Horn Lv5» 1.57 VS «Slate Bolt Lv4» 3.22] were without a doubt the announcement of a duel. But he didn’t understand what the numbers with a decimal point that was written after the level were supposed to be.

“……Umm, this place is…”

When Haruyuki finally stopped looking around at his surroundings, he spoke in a low voice to Blood Leopard who was standing right next to him.

Her avatar, perhaps naturally or as expected, wasn't wearing a maid dress anymore. Her entire body was tightly covered with a black leather rider suit. However, what was on top wasn’t a human head. A beast of the feline family with beautiful dark red fur. For the first time, Haruyuki remembered that «Leopard» meant leopard[8].

The female rider with a leopard head glanced down at Haruyuki’s lizard avatar with her s.h.i.+ning ash-gold eyes, and spoke.

“«Akihabara Battle Ground». The holy place of duels for Burst Linkers.”

“H-Holy place…?”

After repeating her words, Haruyuki suddenly thought of something and asked.

“Akihabara, that means, is this the base of the Yellow Legion or something?”

“No. This is the only absolutely neutral place within the Akihabara area…Follow me.”

Her boots made a clacking sound as she started to walk, so for the time being he followed after her.

At the very back of the bar, there was as expected a counter that was made from iron plates. Blood Leopard smoothly sat down on the center stool with a supple movement. Haruyuki also made his small lizard body climb onto the stool next to hers with a heave-ho.

“Good evening, «Matchmaker».”

Looking at the avatar on the other side of the counter that suddenly raised its face in response to Pard-san’s quiet voice, Haruyuki at once thought ‘A dwarf!’.

A s.h.a.ggy beard along with a short and stout stature. He wore metal-rimmed gla.s.ses over round, sunken eyes, and a huge b.u.t.terfly necktie was tied around his neck. Rather, it was stranger that he wasn’t holding an axe in his rough hands.

The dwarf-type avatar first looked at Pard-san’s leopard head and raised one of his eyebrows, then looked at Haruyuki’s lizard heard and made a ‘hmm’ sound, and then turned back to Pard-san and grinned.

“Why if it isn’t a rare customer. How many months has it been, leopard?”

It was a completely dwarf-like tone, complete with baritone. But, since he was connected to this network, the one moving this avatar should also be a Burst Linker, so in other words he shouldn’t be older than 17-years-old.

However, to worry about such a thing would be dumb and boorish. Pard-san shrugged her shoulders slightly, and gave a short response of “Eight months”. The dwarf that was appropriately named «Matchmaker» laughed again as his mustache twitched, and then spoke.

“Have you missed having a real fight here? Or are you here to earn more pocket money?”

“Sorry, but I didn’t come here today to duel, nor to gamble.”

Hearing those words, Haruyuki reflexively raised his voice.

“G-Gam…ble!?”

Then, the dwarf raised his eyebrows and pointed at the huge center monitor with the tip of his beard.

“Look at those numbers there. Those show nothing except the odds.”

“Odds…”

Now that he mentioned it, it was exactly as he said. The numbers of 1.57 and 3.33 that followed after the names of the announced fighters could only be the rates of betting.

In other words, this place managed gambling for «duels» between Burst Linkers.

“…J-Just what on earth do you bet? I-I-It can’t be Burst Points, can it?”

When he asked that in a hoa.r.s.e voice, the dwarf let out a grand snort.

“Idiot, if we betted something like points, hot-headed idiots would have their Brain Burst forcefully uninstalled one after another. Of course the bets are real money.”

“R-Real money…”

That was also plenty bad enough, or rather private gambling was a completely illegal act. As Haruyuki flapped his mouth open and shut, Matchmaker suddenly gave a satisfied smile.

“You, don’t you know just how much this leopard-head onee-san has earned here?”

“Don’t say things that will cause misunderstandings. You can’t earn anything by betting with just fight money, and in the first place you only get five hundred yen per game even if you win. It is much lower than a part-time job’s hourly pay.”

“……F-Five hundred yen…”

Haruyuki once again mumbled, aghast. Hearing him say that, the dwarf laughed pleasantly.

“Well, that’s how it is. The maximum you can gamble is 300 yen per game. That’s the limit with the pocket money of middle and high school students.”

“……I-I see…”

As the tension finally left Haruyuki’s shoulders just a little, Blood Leopard’s voice mentally strained him once again.

“Let’s end the greetings here, and head into the main subject.”

“You’re an impatient leopard as always. If you’re here neither to battle nor to gamble, what did you come here for?”

“I came to meet with you as an informer today. What I want to know is information about the «Local Net Troll»…the Burst Linker who can intercept the Matching List without being connected to the network.”

His reaction to that was striking.

The instant he heard Pard-san’s question, the dwarf gained a sharp glint in his eyes in shock, and quickly looked left and right over the counter. After checking that there weren’t any other Divers without hearing range, he squeezed out an even lower voice.

“…I’ve heard of the talk about list interception somewhere. The rumors that are flowing about right now shouldn’t be that detailed.”

This time Blood Leopard was the one who raised the eyebrows of her leopard head.

“The one that’s asking is me.”

“Muh…that’s true. Then, since an information fee concerning this topic is not needed, please tell me what you know as well in exchange.”

“K, to the extent that I can talk about it.”

Matchmaker nodded, then leaned his body over the counter and started speaking in a voice that seemed to twist from inside his beard.

“…The Burst Linker that intercepts the Matching List…That is the big problem that is secretly shaking this Akihabara BG right now.”

It’s nice to be young.

The dwarf said that to Haruyuki who was visiting here for the first time.

Akihabara BG was a local network that can also be connected to within the game center «Quadtower». Burst Linker that wished to appear in betting matches here would visit this bard first and register as players at the counter. Then the system selected the most suitable duel opponents based on level and affinity, and the match time and odds were displayed on the central monitor.

Those that wanted to bet money would bet up to 300 yen up until the deadline time. After that, one of the players would accelerate just before the game time started, and the opponent would be chosen from the Matching List and the «duel» would begin. The fundamental structure of it was just that. Simple, no?

The greatest rule in this local network was one must not «duel» against anyone except the players chosen by the Matchmaker. Anyone that broke this rule and picked a duel against a betting visitor or another player that was more convenient for them would be beaten up by the strong-armed bodyguards—of course, in a duel—and would be kicked out from the local network. This was a holy place for duelers that not even the «Yellow King» that ruled Akihabara could lay his hands on.

“However, then.”

Matchmaker continued after some liquid inside of a tumbler that had appeared on the counter without notice.

“About one week ago, an insolent person appeared that didn’t register as a player and started a duel against one of two fighters right before their announced match began. Because of the mechanism that automatically registers IDs for everyone that Dives into Akiba BG when they connect for the first time, the bodyguards accelerated the instant he appeared again the next day in order to beat him up. However. Even though he was definitely connected to the local network…his name wasn’t on the Matching List.”

“……!”

Haruyuki sucked in a sharp breath.

The situation that Matchmaker recounted. It was exactly the same as the situation occurring at the Umesato Middle School’s local network right now.

The dwarf drank up the amber-colored liquid, and then struck the tumbler against the iron-plating of the counter.

“That day as well, that guy intruded into a match, took down the opposing player, and then calmly logged out. And the next day as well, and then the day after that too. At present, we’ve explained to the players and visitors that it’s the fault of the game registration system, but that's also already at the limit. Rumors of a «Local Net Troll» are also flowing around. At this rate, if that guy’s rampage is allowed to continue, it will also affect the continuation of Akiba BG itself.”

After gulping, Haruyuki timidly asked.

“U-Umm…That is, what is the name of the Burst Linker that doesn’t appear on the list…?”

The name that the dwarf spitefully spoke was—

“«Rust Jigsaw».”

—It’s different.

Haruyuki unconsciously let out a breath of relief, but it being someone different was also a problem. Because it meant that there existed multiple Burst Linkers that had the Matching List interception ability. Within the system of Brain Burst, that privilege was just too huge.

Matchmaker also voiced in a subdued tone the same kind of misgivings.

“«One cannot choose one’s duel opponent as one likes». That is the great general rule of Accel World. Even if you only choose and fight convenient opponents, there is no way to tell when those kinds of opponents will appear on the list. While waiting for them to appear, you can also conversely be challenged to a duel by someone you’re weak against. Therefore, Burst Linkers desperately try hard to polish their own special techniques and conquer their weak points as well.”

“…It’s exactly as you say.”

“But, «Rust Jigsaw» is now using the system of Akiba BG and is freely choosing the duel opponents he wants. If you look at that monitor, it’s very clear which Burst Linkers are connected at any given time. After that, he just has to choose opponents he will certainly win against and intrude just before the start of a match. That guy has already earned over 100 points here just through duels. Not only as the Matchmaker…but as a Burst Linker, I absolutely cannot forgive him.”

Finis.h.i.+ng speaking those unpleasant words, the dwarf stared intensely at Haruyuki, and then Blood Leopard from behind his round gla.s.ses.

“My story ends here. Now then, this time it’s your turn to talk. Although currently only myself and the bodyguards here should know about «Rust Jigsaw» intercepting the Matching List, just where on earth did you hear about it?”

Haruyuki glanced up at Pard-san to his left, then moved his lizard’s mouth with a mumble.

“…Umm, I didn’t hear about the case happening here. Another Burst Linker who possesses the exact same ability appeared at a certain local network that I usually connect to…So, I thought that there would be someone from Akihabara who knows something about it…”

“What!? Another one, at the same time…!? That’s inexcusable…”

NUUN* After growling, the dwarf naturally asked the next question.

“Where is that local network?”

“I-I’m sorry. It has to do with my real life information…”

“What, then it’s almost as if I’m the only one that talked!”

—Then.

Here, Pard-san at last spoke in a quiet voice.

“Matchmaker. What is the level and type of that Rust Jigsaw?”

“Hmm? His level is 6, the same as yours. His color is just as his name says, an iron-rust color. This also bears a strong resemblance to you, but his fighting style is different. That guy’s specialty is to hunt close-range types while remaining in the middle/long range, so a mainly close-range type like you would have honestly bad affinity with him.”

…Pard-san is a close-range type? Even though she belongs to the Red Legion, and the ‘blood’ in her name is reddish?

These questions that Haruyuki momentarily had were blown away by Blood Leopard’s next words.

“K. Then, I’ll carry out the information fee like this. Register me and this kid as tag-team players, and set up a long-range type team as our opponents. In addition, if you cancel all the remaining games, Rust Jigsaw who has no other opponents to attack should choose us as his prey for today.”

“…W-W-Wha!?”

As Haruyuki fell down from his stool and then held onto the counter in a panic, the dwarf turned suspicious-looking eyes at him once again.

“…Leopard, although your name has circulated around plenty enough for you to act as a lure…in the first place, who is this newcomer here?”

Then, Pard-san gave the hint of a smile, though it was very faint, and whispered towards the dwarf’s ear.

“His name may be even more famous than mine. This kid is the «silver crow[9]» of the revived Nega Nebulas.”

*PYUU*.

What echoed out then was a low whistle that the Matchmaker let out from within his beard.

Haruyuki and Blood Leopard opened their respective Brain Burst option menus and registered each other as a tag team. With this, if either of them were challenged to a «duel», both of them would be automatically connected to the stage.

When Burst Linkers teamed up as a tag team, it was indicated at the top of the Matching List, and it was possible for solo linkers to challenge a tag team, but conversely, duel requests from a tag team to a solo linker naturally couldn’t be done.

The floor stirred up for an instant when the names «Blood Leopard» and «Silver Crow» appeared as a team on the bar’s large central monitor. Things like “Hey, the «leopard» of Promi[10] is fighting!» and “Why is she teaming up with the «crow» of NN[11]!?” were shouted here and there, and the numerals for the odds instantly began to move.

While moving from the counter to a seat at a gloomy table in the corner and waiting for the match to start, Haruyuki decided to ask some questions.

“…Umm, why are we fighting as a tag? Since the Rust Jigsaw in question is a solo, he wouldn’t intrude against two opponents, right…?”

“That’s not correct either.”

After touching a c.o.c.ktail gla.s.s to her leopard mouth, Pard-san shook her head a little.

“Since the level difference is calculated not from the tag team’s average but the sum total of their levels instead, in the case of being challenged by a solo, his points will barely decrease if he loses, and if he wins he’ll get quite a lot. Since Rust Jigsaw seems to be tenacious about points, there is a high probability that he will think of us as delicious prey. Since I have had my name circulated around as a close-range type and Jigsaw seems to specialize in hunting close-range types, he won’t have a disadvantage when it comes to affinity either. Also…”

There, she glanced at Haruyuki with her golden pupils, and after closing her mouth once, she continued.

“…The rumor that you have become unable to fly has already spread around considerably. If Rust Jigsaw knows about it, the chances of him attacking increase even further.”

Feeling both pained and happy at Blood Leopard showing consideration just for an instant towards him about the fact that he had lost his wings, Haruyuki quickly continued the conversation.

“I see…if he can take me down instantly, he’ll just have to face you normally one-on-one after that.”

After nodding slightly, Haruyuki imitated Pard-san as she carried her gla.s.s to her mouth again, and also gulped down his own virtual c.o.c.ktail. As he frowned at the strange taste, he thought.

If, for argument's sake, that Rust Jigsaw was connected to Dusk Taker and managed to acquire information on Silver Crow from him, then Haruyuki should naturally be cautious. Because Dusk was the perpetrator who had taken Silver Crow’s wings and made him become weak.

He checked that the start of the match still wouldn’t occur for a while, and then voiced his next question.

“Next…concerning the story about the duels earlier…Although he said that Rust Jigsaw does not come out on the Matching List, since he connects to this local network, he must always be somewhere within the Quadtower building in the real world, right?”

“Yes.”

“Then, can’t we find his real body somehow?”

Then, Pard-san lightly shrugged her shoulders within her leather suit.

“This building is a ga-cen from the first bas.e.m.e.nt level to the third floor, and a Dive Cafe from the fourth to sixth floors. Since there are hundreds of visitors crowded together here at the same time right now, finding someone particular is difficult. But.”

“B-But?”

“There might be a way.”

“H-How!?”

“I’ll explain after. More importantly.”

Pard-san’s body that was sitting on the sofa next to him moved flexibly, and brought her mouth close to the ear of Haruyuki’s lizard avatar. With the lowest volume that would absolutely not reach any of the other Divers here, she whispered the following words.

“Unless the enemy uses it, you must not use the «Incarnate System».”

Though his body shrunk down with a jerk and he nodded at once, Haruyuki could not help but add something else.

“Ye…Yes. The Red King also told me that. But…But, why? Certainly, I think that it’s not fair if only one side uses that overly strong power. But, if it’s against an opponent that breaks the rules of Brain Burst…”

“That’s not it, it’s not for the opponent’s sake. It’s for your own.”

“Eh……?”

‘—Speaking of which, Niko also said the same thing’, as Haruyuki thought that.

Pard-san brought her body even closer, and whispered while looking into Haruyuki’s eyes at point-blank range.

“«Mind power» is a power born from a hole within the heart. When power is pulled out from there, you also draw closer little by little to that hole. If you one day lose that tug of war, you will be swallowed up by the darkness at the bottom of that hole.”

“D-Darkness…?”

“What produced that curse of the «Disaster Armor» you fought against was the reckless rampaging use of mind power by the first-generation Chrome Disaster. Because they knew that, the Kings have hidden the existence of the Incarnate System for many years.”

“……!!”

Haruyuki’s body stiffened once again.

What produced mind power was a desire born from an absolute lack of something—. The Red King Niko had also certainly said it. That acquiring it was impossible if you didn’t face the scars within your heart.

“…But.”

Haruyuki mumbled, as if trying to persuade not Blood Leopard, but himself.

“The person that first introduced mind power to me said this. That what produces mind power is the power of a «wish». That the reverse side of the heart's scars is «hope».”

The crimson leopard that heard that let out a quiet sigh, and responded with a whisper.

“…I also believe that is the truth as well. But, like Brain Burst itself, there are two sides to the Incarnate System. On the back side of «hope», there is «despair». If that power is pursued, something will definitely be lost as compensation. Most likely, your teacher isn’t an exception to that either.”

For an instant, the figure of Sky Raker sitting on her silver wheelchair appeared in Haruyuki’s mind. Her legs that had been lost, and would never return.

After rapidly blinking the eyes of his avatar, Haruyuki spoke the words that contained his half-formed thoughts.

“…Even so, I want to believe. In «mind power»…in the power of «wishes». No…in this Brain Burst that saved me.”

“…………”

Blood Leopard, unusually for her, kept silent for a long time while starting to say something.

Finally, her fierce eyes softened, and she whispered while placing her mouth next to Haruyuki’s ear.

“I see. It’s just as Rain said. You are…you just might, to this Accel World…”

But, he didn’t heard what she said beyond that.

One minute before the formal match time that was announced on the monitor came, the dry sound of thunder struck Haruyuki’s hearing. Next, the string of characters that announced the appearance of a challenger blazed red across his entire vision.

References

↑ Otherwise known as an Alice band, it is the white and lacy hair band you often see maids wear in anime.

↑ Blood Leopard uses a lot of abbreviated initials for certain words. (In fact, her entire speech is very minimalist, which is difficult to convey when translating.)

↑ A district in Tokyo that is famous in anime and manga as a major shopping area for electronics and otaku goods.

↑ A district in Chiyoda, Tokyo.

↑ Crypt Cosmic Circus

↑ No Problem

↑ Traffic lights in j.a.pan used blue instead of green.

↑ Here, the leopard with a capt.i.tal ”L” is written in English, which the small ”l” is in j.a.panese. From now on, ”leopard” written with a small ”l” indicates that it is in j.a.panese.

↑ Once again, this is written in the original j.a.panese, hence no capital letters.

↑ Prominence

↑ Nega Nebulas

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