Accel World Vol 1 Chapter 7 (2/2)

Haruyuki groaned

If he operated his Neuro Linker and disconnected fro list But, Kuroyukihi monitored, couldn’t do that

Of course, they weren’t connected to the Global Net, so people couldn’t limitlessly intrude from the outside But, if there was a Burst Linker in this hospital—and if they activated Brain Burst, saw «Black Lotus» and challenged her to a duel—

The unconscious Kuroyukihime would without a doubt be hunted

No, it couldn’t be so convenient, there was no reason for a Burst Linker to be in the sa in and out of the hospital anymore, and if there were a Burst Linker besides Haruyuki and Kuroyukihime currently connected to the hospital’s network, their na list

So there’s no need to be impatient

Haruyuki tried to tell hi over his avatar’s round hands didn’t go away at all

No—not yet I’

What if…there was a Burst Linker as in a position to know that «Black Lotus», Accel World’s largest bounty, had sustained serious injuries and was hospitalized, and would even knohich hospital she was in?

After trying to keep thinking that “There couldn’t be such a person”, Haruyuki opened his eyes wide along with a profound shudder

There was There was just one such enemy «Cyan Pile»

A mysterious eneh the virus they had put in Chiyuri’s Neuro Linker At this point, it could only be said that they were someone at Umesato Middle School

And Kuroyukihime’s accident had already been notified to the school When the cause was Araya driving and plunging a car without a license into her i news By now, this topic would without a doubt be coursing through the gossip network of the Umesato Middle School students

The hospital she was staying at wouldn’t be specified yet If her ad the lower-year female students or her fan club members knew about her hospital destination, they would be rushi+ng through here in throngs by now

But—the teachers would already know Like that, it was just athe students If ishi+ng students were to appear in great nu him out would be difficult

It was…inevitable

Haruyuki dropped his shoulders crestfallenly, and sat next to his blue frozen real self

Kuroyukihi that, it was a fact that she wouldn’t be able to fight in «duel» yet

Fortunately, challenging the same opponent to a duel was limited to once a day Until Kuroyukihiht if she was defeated once or twice and lost some points—

No—idiot me!! What did Kuroyukihime say back then!?

Haruyuki clenched both his fists, and stood up with a rush

The final command she used to save Haruyuki, «Physical Full Burst»

The co that transcendental effect, which accelerated not just one’s consciousness but also the physical body, was the loss of 99 of one’s Burst Points

Most likely, if the current Kuroyukihie of annihilation, were to lose even once against the lower-level «Cyan Pile», her Burst Points would become zero all too quickly

And at that instant, Kuroyukihime’s Brain Burst would be forcibly uninstalled

To that person…to Kuroyukihioal of Level 10, that was nearly synonymous with death

I can’t allow that to happen, I absolutely won't let just that happen I can’t allow «Cyan Pile» to battle Kuroyukihime even once

Kuroyukihime risked her life to protect me

That’s why this time, I’ll protect it That person’s other half

From this moment on, I’ll watch the hospital’s entrance without a wink of sleep With the resolution to consume all my points if I have to, I’ll accelerate every tie him

And then—I’ll beat hi his points and banish him from Accel World eternally

“I’ll protect you I’ll definitely protect you”

In the blue world where there was only himself, Haruyuki spoke out

“Because…I…I have soain That’s why, this tiht”

Turning his eyes towards the direction of Kuroyukihi on the other side of the blue wall in front of him, Haruyuki declared that firmly

Returning to reality by giving the Burst Out coed his knees and sat down sideways on the bench, wrapped the blanket around his body and stared fixedly on the entrance to the left inside the hallway

There were other entrances within the hospital, but one had to authenticate their Neuro Linker at this entrance in order to connect to the hospital’s network So «Cyan Pile» should definitely appear there

The tiht

The chances of the hours had already passed, was low, but the eneht now If they aimed at Kuroyukihime while she was in an unconscious state, they could certainly start attacking as soon as they learned the name of the hospital

Haruyuki operated his Neuro Linker and set the awakening alar asleep, it would ring at a practically deadly level of noise and wake him up

This was the first time in Haruyuki’s life that he stayed up to such a late hour at night

However, he never found hi his wide-open eyes to the dilanced at the miniaturized videoof the ER

The white for in the capsule bed didn’t even twitch, but Haruyuki distinctly felt that she was going through a desperate battle there

Do your best Do your best

Every time Haruyuki looked at the video, he prayed that inside his heart He and that person were connected through their respective Neuro Linkers, the hospital’s network and also the Brain Burst program That’s why his prayer should surely be answered Haruyuki unquestionably believed that

Around 2 AM, the worried-face nurse ca Declining ar, the taste of the black coffee he drank for the first tiue

At 5 AM, the first light of dawn shi+ned through the entrance slightly After hesitating briefly, Haruyuki dashed to the toilet and then returned full circle to the bench after co out in the shortest time in his life

6 AM As the staff who came and went on this floor increased here and there, Haruyuki strengthened his vigilance even more

7 AM The night duty staff that had finished their ere going home one after another That nurse handed another cup of coffee and a sandwich, and then left as hile leaving ords to him

8:30 AM—

After the late night staff at the reception desk had been changed, the automatic door of the hospital's front entrance opened

As if they had been waiting for that, several people, h the entrance

Feeling more alert than before, Haruyuki opened both his eyes fully and stared fixedly at the flow of patients

Even if one said that already half a year had passed since he entered school and that it was a srade, he couldn’t remember the faces of all the students at U people he was uncertain of, he didn’t hesitate to accelerate and check thelist

As he continuously strained his concentration, the digit of the digital time indicator in the corner of Haruyuki’s vision slowly, slowly changed, seeh at him

Thirty-five minutes Forty minutes

Kuroyukihiotten out of her serious condition yet Of the twelve hours the doctor had told him, more than ten hours had already passed

Please regain consciousness quickly And release the cerebral monitor

Haruyuki desperately prayed

Once more—once more, I want to me that person in the accelerated world for just the two of us

And I’ll say it this tis I’ll speak honestly from the bottom of my heart

8:45 AM

At last, Haruyuki saw a face that was failant

For an instant, his breath was caught—and then, he let it back out without a long sigh of relief

That face wasn’t just faest time in this world

That tall and slender figure with good posture rapped in mature velour’s jacket and chino-pants His hair, which had an airy feeling, shi+ned a transparent brown in the ht

So he came…

Haruyuki removed the tension from his shoulders and smiled a little

“Hey, Taku! Over here!”

As Haruyuki overly loud shout passed through the hospital from the hallway to the entrance, Taku while stepping forward

It seemed that he hadn’t noticed Haruyuki yet His eyes turned left and right from the furthest inside the entrance, and then finally turned straight towards the hallway that was connected to the eency room

He otten off the bench and waving his hand, and then—

Takumu inclined his head a little, and blinked intensely several time

And then, he gave his usual bright and cheerful smile

After quickly raising the right arm of his navy-blue jacket, he tapped his blue Neuro Linker with his finger

‘Wait until I’ve been authenticated by the hospital’s network’, is what Haruyuki iuessed fro ‘What a uy as usual’

Regardless of whether the goal of visiting the hospital was for a check-up or to visit a patient, it was a national regulation in all hospitals that one n in their Neuro Linker to the hospital’s nethile walking through the entrance, and then show one’s ID at the reception desk and get a na

However, one has to stand and wait at the entrance for only thirty seconds until the strict authentication is finished, so there’s notwhile it does so Actually, when Haruyuki ca even for a moment until he reached the front of the ER, so the authentication had ended after Kuroyukihime had disappeared to the other side of the door

But it seemed that Takumu didn’t intend to coulations Even while looking at Haruyuki with a frustrated face, he stood in the n-in completion

Then, as if he suddenly noticed so, Takumu turned his body to the side

His eyes turned to the direction of the automatic door, and he put his left hand over hisout to someone in a loud voice

As Haruyuki thought ‘Did Chiyuri also coh to the other side of the front entrance

Just before his gaze left Takumu A faint uneasiness came upon him

Taku inside a hospital?

Rather using his hand in place of a aphone, it was as if—hisfrom there

To Haruyuki, it see to hide them

At that instant, the uneasiness changed into a shudder A needle of ice pierced straight through Haruyuki’s spine

Even as his eyes widened and he stood upright, several thoughts flashed through his mind at the same time

I—Why did I conclude that that guy, that «Cyan Pile», was a student at Umesato Middle School?

Of course, because he put that virus in Chiyuri’s Neuro Linker Because he was using Chiyuri as a stepping stone, and attacking Kuroyukihihost from somewhere within the school’s local network

But What if heit from the Global Net? In that case, the suspects wouldn’t be limited to within Umesato Middle School, but extend across the entire country

However, at the same time, a new filter to narrow the suspects down appeared

Why Chiyuri? Of course, because she ithin easy contact for him

Someone outside the school, who is the closest to Chiyuri Someone so close to her side, that he could direct connect to Chiyuri’s Neuro Linker There was only one person who fit these conditions So just twenty meters in front of him—

The instant his thoughts reach that point, Haruyuki’s mouth moved automatically and sent the command

“Burst Link!!”

—The boy as both Chiyuri’s childhood friend and boyfriend Takumu

Bashi+!!

A cold and dry froze the world

Ahead of him, Takumu, with his left hand in front of his mouth, hardened into blue

But, that wasn’t true Within that pal the co accelerated in a different frozen space from Haruyuki

You? It was you? No way Impossible Why Why?

Even while he ht hand of Haruyuki’s avatar flashed to the top of the virtual desktop at the highest possible speed

Right at this instant, Taku the Brain Burst console, and waiting for the update of thea dropped fruit, he would click on the nae her to a duel

Before that happened, Haruyuki had to challenge «Cyan Pile»

Haruyuki clenched his teeth, opened his eyes wide, and stare at the searching indicator of thelist

With a ping, there was his own name at the top «Silver Crow»

Next, the beloved person he had to protect «Black Lotus»

And then last, the name of the ene of characters for the first time before Haruyuki’s eyes «Cyan Pile»

Be in time————!!

While sending out that scream with all his body and soul, Haruyuki clicked the name at super-speed and hit the duel command from the ith a pop