Accel World Vol 1 Chapter 6 (1/2)

Chapter 6

Friday

Haruyuki trudgingly walked along the sideith his shoulders drooped dejectedly a to school with shi+ning expressions at the prospect of the holiday the day after to week finally ended

”A guy a guy like me”

Heso early in the

If the drea Brain Burst was the scariest one of his life, the dreausting one If the other person, who had done things he only knew about through virtual knowledge, had just been Kuroyukihiht have been the best dream he had ever had But before he knew it, the number of people in the dream increased to two, and the second person was—

”Auuaaa”

He desperately pushed back the urge to grab his head and run

Currently, the producers of Neuro Linkers were said to be ruthlessly co to create a truly drea that it didn't exist yet No—well, he had to admit that part of him was disappointed about that

”Hey, good , boy!”

Haruyuki jureeted him cheerfully with a slap on his shoulder

Then he ju the beauty in black standing there

”Hwuaaa?!”

”What was that? Is it a greeting that's popular these days?”

Kuroyukihime had a dubious expression on her face Haruyuki shook his head

”No, it-it's nothing!! U, senpai!!”

”Hmmm”

Kuroyukihihtly and spoke again

”Hize about yesterday I wasn't being very mature”

”N-no there's no way it's like that, it's nothing of the sort I should be the one apologizing I went hooodbye properly”

As the two of the the sa around them Not just first years but even second and third years aiting to greet Kuroyukihime with looks of admiration in their eyes, and before they knew it, a line had formed behind them

Having seen this, Kuroyukihi ”Hey, goodeveryone!” to all the people in the back, and then tapped Haruyuki on the back and hurried off She continued the conversation, whispering in Haruyuki's ear after he had hastily caught up with her

”No of course you wanted to get away I had treated your precious friend, as a cowardlyi I sincerely apologize”

”Huh? Ah Well, I did it the Direct Connect”

”What?”

Her face froze She spoke even before Haruyuki could put up his guard He had the feeling that soht

”Where did you do it?”

She asked with an edge to her voice, so there was no choice but to answer truthfully

”That-that is at her house”

”Where in the house?”

”I-in a room He-her room”

”Ho”

Kuroyukihime increased her pace for some reason Haruyuki had to chase after a person with adown his brow It took him a couple seconds to catch up and continue the conversation

”So, I sneaked a peek at her memory and in her Neuro Linker there was”

”How long was the cable?”

Kuroyukihime asked with an aura that see htened

”Thirty centimeters”

”Hmph”

Taptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptaptap

Haruyuki could only watch Kuroyukihi hair shake to and fro as she walked towards the school entrance ahead of the pace

I don't understand This world is just full of things I don't get

After seriously listening to thea mountain's worth of notes, Haruyuki couldn't himself to take any sort of action even when he heard the lunch bell ring

If he thought about it logically, he should io find Kuroyukihime and talk about the backdoor that «Cyan Pile» had installed in Chiyuri's Neuro Linker, as well as how to track the packet down But before that, if he couldn't figure out the reason behind why Kuroyukihiely ill-humored since yesterday, he wouldn't be able to concentrate on the conversation

It was true that he usted quite a lot It would be et annoyed at an overly obese guy that sweated like a waterfall and mumbled almost inaudibly And the expression that conveyed that on the person's face would further intiet smaller until it became hard to even hear

Perhaps Kuroyukihi hione past her limit

If so, it would be better to give up talking to her face to face in real life If they talked with their full dive avatars, he wouldn't sweat at least and the volu things done like this s for him as well

As Haruyuki kept telling hi at the table, an unfamiliar and loud voice suddenly blared down from above his head

”hello! First year, Class-2 Arita Haruyuki-kun, right?”

He jerked his head up in surprise Two girls whose faces he didn't knoere standing in front of hi on their shoulders that showed that they were in the middle of a club activity [Newspaper club]

Geeh, a new icon flashed in Haruyuki's vision as he almost fell down in surprise [SREC], that was an icon that told you that the other person was recording your conversation Of course it wasn't so that was freely allowed, but it was allowed in very few instances within the school

For exa data for the newspaper club

Haruyuki couldn't even look at his class with interest around hi hoould look But, as if they were used to these sorts of situations, there was someone who stood behind him to block his escape route

Right in front of Haruyuki as frozen in a half-risen position, the attacking reporter pushed out her hand that was holding a holo-board and threw out the question which struck at the heart of the matter

”This is Uuy in the ruht to the point, is the ru out with that famous Kuroyukihime-san true!?”

Haruyuki glanced at the blinking recording icon

Then, he concentrated all his ed to reply in what could be called a calm voice

”It's a lie A rumor Groundless”

The reporter typed furiously on her invisible keyboard in front of her and then launched a counter-attack

”But according to the inforathered, Arita-kun has direct connected with Kuroyukihie and even did a non-stop Direct Connect date in a café within the school district!”

”Wha”

Looking down at Haruyuki as shocked and thinking ”Why do you know that?”, the felasses, which were a rare thing these days

This was bad, really bad If he answered wrong here, it would beco that can't be taken back

Several sensational headlines appeared in his head He could even hear the battle cry of the Kuroyukihime fan club as they saw that and swore bloody punishment

With one of his cheek twitching and convulsing in spasms, Haruyuki made his brain think three tiht «Ash Roller» and cah

”Eh—, ell that is I-I-I know quite a lot about Neuro Linker operating systems, and umm, senpai's Neuro Linker was in bad shape, so I just fixed it for her when she askedelse to it, really, not even a little”

As he shook his head with a stiff s and frowned

Even if they saw the, it was ih or if he had just fiddled with the Neuro Linker It wasn't a great excuse but they wouldn't be able to refute it

As Haruyuki caler

”BeBesides, if you look at how that person acts when she's with ets upset really easily when she talks without with me”

With this, the intervieas over

That hat he thought, but the girl cocked her head and repeated his words as if suspicious of so

”Upset? It didn't seem that way at all”

”I-It's true! Even this ry for some reason She's always acts like that whenever I talk about Chiyu, I mean Kurashi+ma”

”Kurashi+irl who quarreled with Kuroyukihiate?”

After blinking her sparkling eyes behind her glasses several times—

The newspaper club club member's draer The recording icon disappeared froht

”? Has the interview finished?”

”Erm, well that is”

After strangely faltering and exchanging glances with her partner behind her, she then continued to talk in what see

”Well, you see The truth is, ere also skeptical and just ca it was just some silly mistake, but”

”Yes?”

The girl brought her face closer and whispered low enough so that only Haruyuki could hear

”Hey, Arita-kun It couldn't really be well this is what I think but maybe, are you and Kuroyukihime, really like that?”

”Haah!?”

”Well, y'know, if she gets upset every time you talk about that Kurashi+ma-san who's close to you, that's, well you know?”

The other club member who stood next to her continued

”Yeah That, the only thing it could be is”

Then both of them whispered to Haruyuki at the same time as if they were oracles from a temple

”jealousy, right?”

When Haruyuki recovered his state of mind, Haruyuki found himself in his usual cubicle in the men's restroom

In the end, he had run away, but he didn't have the luxury of mind to feel remorse for what he had done

'Jealousy? With what characters is that written with? I don't know of any such word in japanese'

He wanted to run away frohts like that, but the kanji to spell it was already etched into his mind like a red hot iron brand

The reason that Kuroyukihime showed a displeased face when they talked of Chiyuri was because ofjealousy

Yes, that's what the two of them had said

Jealousy Envy In other words, Kuroyukihi, but had seriously been—

”It's a lie”

Haruyuki rushed ahead of where his thoughts were going and ht happen to other people but to hi cannot happen Don't think like that Don't wish for it If he did, he would, without a doubt, toss and turn in his bed while regretting it two to three times more

Haruyuki banged the back of his head on the flush tank behind hiain

”It's a liea lie”

But thehimself that, the more the little actions, expressions and words Kuroyukihih his mind

That timeand that time, and that time, did that person really?

”It's a lie!!”

Bang! Haruyuki punched the cubicle wall and hugged his head

It was painful to even continue thinking now, he wanted to run away froive the command for Full Dive

He reed to achieve in virtual squash

He could never exceed that score If so, he couldn't use that game to escape from reality anymore

”Why”

He ain, a little louder this time

”Why!? Why me!?”

You have everything Looks, brains, physical skills, social graces, and even—the one thing I really prided ames

In comparison, I a with a stupid face

In other words, I didn't have anything that was better than you

”And yetwhy did you say that you believed in me?”

Of course Haruyuki was the person with an aptitude for Brain Burst that Kuroyukihi so hard for

But even then, there were three of the more than that

Furthere helmet head attached to tall and thin wire-like body, had no skills beyond kicking, punching and headbutting With a duel avatar like that, he wouldn't be of any use other than finding out the identity of the enemy—«Cyan Pile» In that case, he wanted to be suitably treated according to that He wanted to just be commanded calmly, indifferently, as a chess piece

He didn't wish for anythingmore than that Yet—hy did Kuroyukihime act like that, make such expressions, and look at him with such eyes?

Finally Haruyuki decided to cling onto the single conclusion with the sole wish to set his mind at rest It didn't seem as if he would be able to find any reason other than that now

Although the person who had extorted food money from him had already disappeared, Haruyuki had skipped lunch, but he wasn't conscious of being hungry and just passed through the afternoon classes indifferently

In homeroo, but Haruyuki ignored that too, and after the other students rushed out of the classrooh spirits in anticipation of the weekend, he stood up sloith his bag in his hand

He then sloalked to the entrance, changed his shoes and left the school building

Even though it was only just past 3 o’clock in the afternoon, the late autuone down in the sky, illuht of a black silhouette standing there as if absorbed into the gatepost, Haruyuki approached while dragging his feet

”…Hey”

Kuroyukihi on a holo-keyboard, and raised one shtly stiff smile Probably, she had expressly taken out the hich she should have dealt with in the student council roo place

In contrast, Haruyuki just bowed his head silently

An aard silence instantly descended between the the leaves at their feet

As Haruyuki still hung his head, Kuroyukihi

”…Let’s talk as alk”

”Ok”

Haruyuki nodded as he gave a faint response

Kuroyukihime walked silently, while Haruyuki followed a step behind on her left as they walked out of the school gate

After walking for a an to speak after clearing her throat once more

”Ue attitude”

”No, Idon’t particularlyto find you during lunch time”

After hearing that unusually smooth reply frohtly, but then nodded

”Then, it’s fine, but…Umm Even I don't knohat exactly ca about «Cyan Pile», I'm unable to keep my calm”

With her gaze set straight ahead, Kuroyukihi just a little fast—

Haruyuki cut her words off with a dry voice

”About that I’ve found the connection between «Cyan Pile» and Kurashi+ma”

”…Eh? Ah…I-I see Then, let’s talk about it through direct connect Since soht hear e say”

Kuroyukihi on her right hand instead of her pocket

What she pulled out was a s that had the na off the tape with a stinging noise, Kuroyukihi

”Ah, I accidentally broke the cable that we used yesterday So…I didn't have a lot of money with me, and could only buy this”

Haruyuki purposely ignored Kuroyukihime’s explanation, which sounded like an excuse, as she held out a 1- her eyes, he silently took the plug at one end of the cable and inserted it into his Neuro Linker

”……”

Kuroyukihi, but eventually she inserted the plug at the other end into her own Neuro Linker As the Wired Connection warning appeared and then disappeared, Haruyuki sent out his dry thoughts to her

”Kurashi+ma isn't «Cyan Pile» herself «Cyan Pile» has installed a virus in Kurashi+ma’s Neuro Linker and e from the coordinates where Kurashi+ma is within the school”

After Haruyuki had spoken up to that point, Kuroyukihime did not respond immediately

Eventually, her voice sounded through the center of his brain, sounding suspicious, or perhaps just a little scared

”…Did soe since earlier”

”Not really…nothing’s wrong”

Haruyuki responded to Kuroyukihime as she walked beside hi to look at her

”But…—Could it be that you’re angry? Because I acted strangely thisand yesterday…?”

”No way There's no reason for ry at senpai…I’m fine, so let’s return to the important discussion here”

Once again, only silence flowed through the thin cable

With dusk approaching, the sideas dis lined up to the left, and the people who came and ere all sunk into black shadow No one paid attention to Haruyuki and Kuroyukihime as they walked while direct connected, it was as if there was just the two of theh a calm country of shadows

”Do you have evidence that proves this?”

Abruptly, a thought that had suddenly changed to cold resounded in Haruyuki’s mind

”Did you get a hold of evidence that proves that Kurashi+ma-kun really isn't «Cyan Pile»?”

”No If I touched the virus, there was the danger of the, so I just checked it”

”Ho That’s a calm decision, but at the same time it lacks persuasive power Even I’ve never heard of so to Brain Burst via a Backdoor virus, so how should I believe your words?”

As she kept cohts became more and more sharp Haruyuki clenched his teeth firmly and replied in an even more monotone voice

”So in other words, you’re pointing out the possibility that I ed sides over to Kurashi+ma, «Cyan Pile»? If that's the case, it isn’t about evidence or the like How the ed all depends on what senpai decides”

”…I never said any of that You’re thinking too much”

Kuroyukihiave nothing in reply to that

”—Are those really your heart-felt words?”

Kuroyukihime’s feet suddenly stopped and she spoke with a stiff voice that made the temperature quickly fall

”The instant I concluded that you had gone over to «Cyan Pile», I would hunt you, take away all of your Burst Points, and drive to forced uninstallation of Brain Burst You would forever lose the ability to accelerate Do you understand what I'?”

”I understand I’m just an ordinary chess piece, an ordinary tool for you to freely use as you like When I’er needed, I’ll be throay”

”…You…”

Suddenly, Haruyuki’s left shoulder was lightly seized

When he looked up, Kuroyukihime’s face was close to him, strained hard like a work of ice

”You really are angry with ize for that But”

Her lips faintly trembled, and she squeezed her words in a forcibly restrained voice

”…I also can’t freely control all et irritated, I also think anxiously Especially concerning you…and Kurashi+ma-kun…”

Hiding her gaze for aas her pale cheeks stiffened

”…Very well, if you wish to know the reason, I’ll tell I…”

Before he received her thoughts through the cable, Haruyuki turned his head to the side and cut her off

”It’s fine, just stop it already”

”Eh…W-What…?”

”It’s also tough to watch it It’s painful to see”

”What are you talking about…What do you…mean?”

While fixing his gaze on a single paveht, Haruyuki spoke out loud the «only conclusion» he had arrived at earlier today

”You…hate yourself, don’t you?”

The sound of a sharp intake of breath

Haruyuki was conscious of the fact that the words he was giving shape to right now could not be taken back

In his ear, he faintly heard Chiyuri’s encourageer stop thoughts he was letting out

”You hate yourself for being too perfect in everything So you purposely try to diht?”

Kuroyukihi his shoulder stiffened hard, as if they had beco that “This will be our last contact”, Haruyuki threw out the last words which would destroy everything

”By speaking to me…to a fat, unattractive and unlikable person likekindness…or rather, showing so to dirty yourself…Even if you don’t do those things, I will still do as you say I don’t wish for anything else I don’t need co just a pawn, just a tool to be ordered about, is suitable treatment for someone like me, you should also understand that!!”