Accel World Vol 4 Chapter 6 (2/2)

At the same time, many avatars that seemed to have also Dived into this bar could be seen seated at these gloomy tables They were sunken in shadow, but the instant he saw their silhouettes, he got a shuddering feeling

This place was not in Accel world, but in a normal virtual space 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-sidedwith a chain in the center of this large space 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» 157 VS «Slate Bolt Lv4» 322] ithout a doubt the announcement of a duel But he didn’t understand what the numbers with a decimal point that ritten 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 as standing right next to him

Her avatar, perhaps naturally or as expected, wasn't wearing a htly covered with a black leather rider suit However, as 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 felanced down at Haruyuki’s lizard avatar with her shi+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 so and asked

“Akihabara, that ?”

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

Her bootssound as she started to walk, so for the ti 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 shaggy beard along with a short and stout stature He wore e butterfly 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 rinned

“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 onethis 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 duhtly, and gave a short response of “Eight months” The dwarf that was appropriately naain as his mustache twitched, and then spoke

“Have you ht here? Or are you here to earn more pocket money?”

“Sorry, but I didn’t coamble”

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 nu except the odds”

“Odds…”

Now that he mentioned it, it was exactly as he said The numbers of 157 and 333 that followed after the nahters could only be the rates of betting

In other words, this placefor «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 hoarse voice, the dwarf let out a grand snort

“Idiot, if we betted so 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 gaal act As Haruyuki flapped his ave 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 causewith just fight et 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 hed pleasantly

“Well, that’s how it is The ah school students”

“……I-I see…”

As the tension finally left Haruyuki’s shoulders just a little, Blood Leopard’s voice ain

“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 soht 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 infor this topic is not needed, please tell e”

“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 probleht now”

It’s nice to be young

The dwarf said that to Haruyuki as 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 ister 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 ti List and the «duel» would begin The fundamental structure of it was just that Simple, no?

The greatest rule in this local netas one ainst anyone except the players chosen by the Matchainst a betting visitor or another player that was -aruards—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 isters IDs for everyone that Dives into Akiba BG when they connect for the first tiain the next day in order to beat hih he was definitely connected to the local network…his na List”

“……!”

Haruyuki sucked in a sharp breath

The situation that Matchmaker recounted It was exactly the sa at the Uht now

The dwarf drank up the aainst the iron-plating of the counter

“That day as well, that guy intruded into a ed 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 gaistration system, but that's also already at the li around At this rate, if that guy’s rae 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 existedList interception ability Within the systee

Matchs

“«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 theed to a duel by soainst 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 syste 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 uy has already earned over 100 points here just through duels Not only as the Matchive him”

Finishi+ng speaking those unpleasant words, the dwarf stared intensely at Haruyuki, and then Blood Leopard frolasses

“My story ends here Now then, this tih currently only saw» 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

“…U 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 so 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

“Matchsaw?”

“Hmm? His level is 6, the same as yours His color is just as his na reseuy’s specialty is to hunt close-range types while ree 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 bloay by Blood Leopard’s next words

“K Then, I’ll carry out the infor-teae type team as our opponents In addition, if you cancel all the resaho 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 hiain

“…Leopard, although your nah for you to act as a lure…in the first place, who is this newcomer here?”

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

“His name may be even more famous than a Nebulas”

PYUU

What echoed out then was a lohistle that the Matchmaker let out from within his beard

Haruyuki and Blood Leopard opened their respective Brain Burst optionteaed to a «duel», both of thee

When Burst Linkers tea tea List, and it was possible for solo linkers to challenge a tag tea 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 teas like “Hey, the «leopard» of Pro up with the «crow» of NN[11]!?” were shouted here and there, and the nuan to move

While loo for the match to start, Haruyuki decided to ask some questions

“…Usaw in question is a solo, he wouldn’t intrude against two opponents, right…?”

“That’s not correct either”

After touching a cocktail glass to her leopard mouth, Pard-san shook her head a little

“Since the level difference is calculated not froe but the sued by a solo, his points will barely decrease if he loses, and if he wins he’ll get quite a lot Since Rust Jigsaw seeh probability that he will think of us as delicious prey Since I have had saw seee 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 Jigsas about it, the chances of hi increase even further”

Feeling both pained and happy at Blood Leopard showing consideration just for an instant towards his, 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 iain, and also gulped down his own virtual cocktail As he frowned at the strange taste, he thought

If, for argusaas connected to Dusk Taker and ed to acquire information on Silver Crow from him, then Haruyuki should naturally be cautious Because Dusk was the perpetrator who had taken Silver Croings 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 co List, since he connects to this local network, hein 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 basement 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 sa someone particular is difficult But”

“B-But?”

“There ht be a way”

“H-How!?”

“I’ll explain after More importantly”

Pard-san’s body that was sitting on the sofa next to hiht 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 folloords

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

Though his body shrunk doith a jerk and he nodded at once, Haruyuki could not help but add so 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 saht 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 sed up by the darkness at the bottom of that hole”

“D-Darkness…?”

“What produced that curse of the «Disaster Ar use of eneration Chros have hidden the existence of the Incarnate System for many years”

“……!!”

Haruyuki’s body stiffened once again

What produced mind poas a desire born fro Niko had also certainly said it That acquiring it was impossible if you didn’t face the scars within your heart

“…But”

Haruyukito 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 crih, 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, so 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 s that had been lost, and would never return

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

“…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 ti

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 ht, 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 ca 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 )

↑ A district in Tokyo that is fa area for electronics and otaku goods

↑ A district in Chiyoda, Tokyo

↑ Crypt Cosmic Circus

↑ No Problem

↑ Traffic lights in japan used blue instead of green

↑ Here, the leopard with a captital ”L” is written in English, which the small ”l” is in japanese From now on, ”leopard” written with a small ”l” indicates that it is in japanese

↑ Once again, this is written in the original japanese, hence no capital letters

↑ Prominence

↑ Nega Nebulas