Accel World Vol 5 Chapter 4 (2/2)
“H-Haa…B-But, why is there such a long waiting time…?”
In response, Pard-san unusually opened her mouth that was hidden by the lower portion of her artillery shell-like
“That is also obvious The given three and a half days are the grace period for preparing one driver and four passengers for each of the ten shuttles At noon on Sunday, we’ll all step on the accelerator in a race and aim for the top of this pillar In other words”
Lifting up her right hand and pointing towards the far-off top, the deep cri
“We have acquired the right to participate in the «Her Race»”
It took about a full five seconds for Haruyuki to understand theof those words
“Then…i-in other words…the goal is the top of this tower, in other words, s-s-s-space!?”
In response to Haruyuki voice which was turned inside out, Pard-san nodded ‘Of course’
However, before he can say anything else, he heard a series of transport sounds from the opposite side of the pillar Most likely, Burst Linkers that had accelerated on the ground level had arrived at the viewing platform’s portal
Pard-san waved her long tail once, and then whispered to Haruyuki while touching his back
“It’d be better for us to scatter before they find us”
Certainly, since there were only ten shuttles, the reistration was eight It would be troubleso like deciding the right to use it through a duel
“That’s…That’s true”
As Haruyuki pushed away the surprise inside hi, her next words jumped into his ears
“When you cease your acceleration, wait at the ground parking lot exit I’ll carry you to Suginami on my bike”
“Eh…”
He once again stiffened in surprise The violent power of that large electric motorbike with Pard-san at the wheel was clearly revived in his mind
However, he of course couldn’t say no and decline, so Haruyuki nodded
“T-T-Thank you that’s a big help”
“NP”
And then, the two of them recited the command with their voices in sync
““Burst Out!””
The real world Pard-san, who he hadn’t met in a while, was fortunately—or perhaps unfortunately, dressed not in her maid-style uniform from the cake shop, but in a T-shi+rt and slim jeans
His gaze unconsciously wandered to the unexpected volu, which he hadn’t been able to perceive when she had worn her loose apron Expressionlessly, Pard-san took out a spare helmet from the maintenance space underneath the seat, put it on Haruyuki’s head with a plonk and straddled theon the helmet harness hier seat and timidly put his arms around the thin waist in front of him
At first she withheld the a out fro lot, the ed with a ‘KYUIIIIN!’
“……Ah——!”
Just like last ti to Pard as he let out a screao that was repeated at every light, he didn’t have the ti
When they got out of the Sumida Ward, to Okachimachi, Ochanomizu and then Iidabashi+, Pard-san’s voice reached Haruyuki’s ears
‘It’s before 6:30, but do you have soht now?’
‘Eh, ah…Yes’
Since the curfew that Haruyuki’s ht, he still had time As for the reason why she allowed a middle school student to be outside until a somewhat inappropriate time like that, he couldn’t say whether it was because she trusted her son or because she found ht know the answer to that if she scolded him if he were to seriously break the curfew once, but he didn’t have that kind of courage, and so he added ‘It’s fine if it’s only for two hours’
Pard-san then murmured in an unexpected tone
‘If ent to go have tea for such a long ti’
Huh, t-tea?
Soon after he thought that, the largethe road while blinking its flashers
Over the past eight one into shops like this twenty times with Kuroyukihime and once with Sky Raker However, there was no indication at all that he was getting used to this kind of situation, and he always got a cold shen he felt hiazes that said ‘Just what the heck is with that s every time
Persuading hi and that anyone would worry about other people as he sat down in a boxed seat facing Blood Leopard, Haruyuki tried to block out the surroundings custo with all his power on the ha treated to
‘It seeht for a brief instant
Pard-san took out a red XSB cable fros at the end into Haruyuki’s Neuro Linker Expressionlessly, she connected the other end to her own
The Wired Connection warning that appeared in his vision couldn’t hide the spectacle of the h school students within the shop clearly looking at thest themselves, and so Haruyuki found himself in an aard situation as he ducked his head down and felt cold sweat run down his skin
The length of the Direct Connect cable expresses the degree of progress between two people going out with each other—that kind of custo that Pard-san didn’t care about at all, but Haruyuki wasn’t able to be that free of worldly cares, and asked in thought speech with half a scream
‘Ah, u-u-umm, hy Direct Connect?’
Her ansas very simple
‘We can talk while eating this way’
Besides replying with ‘……That’s true’, Haruyuki couldn’t say anything else
Pard-san displayed the high-level technique of talking via the cable while eating her haer with relish just as she had declared This seeue while unintentionally trying to talk with one’s h
‘Do you understand how to Dive into the stage for the race on Sunday?’
After she suddenly asked that, Haruyuki stopped hisa fry and spoke
‘Eh…don’t we just use the Sky Tree portal again?’
‘That isn’t necessary The card we got e registered as drivers is a «transporter» item It transports up to ten Burst Linkers e Direct Connect with at the same time’
‘H-Heee…Then, if we gather in Suginao to the Hermes Cord?’
‘Yes’
That was a feature he was really grateful for Because, if Kuroyukihierous if she, as a Level Niner that was bound by the sudden death rule, connected to an external network as far away as Sumida Ward for even an instant
After letting out a sigh and biting into his hainal question rise up within him now Since he had juht up in the flow of the situation all the way until now, but in the first place—
‘…In the first place, why did it suddenly turn into a race? Those machines were prepared not by some player, but by the system’s…in other words, Brain Burst’s adht months already, but I don’t think there’s ever been even one GM event like that up until now…’
In response to Haruyuki’s question, Pard-san answered after thinking for just 05 seconds
‘Certainly, signs of the presence of BB’s administrator are usually not felt at all But, when there is a large-scale update in Accel World, there are also cases where one-time events occur like this time Like when the «Tokyo Glass Castle» opened up the year before last…’
The Glass Castle was a large-scale the to what he knew, it had been built as a Medieval European-style fortress city«realistic», at the tiht of prosperity
‘…The day when the social ca through a group offor the throne inside the castle occurred My tea with the blue teaot mutually annihilated’
As Pard-san’s eyes burned with fire, Haruyuki so back his head
‘I…I see Then, the race this tie Connection Commemoration Event»? In other words, it is a race that will occur only once…?’
‘Definitely’
In that case, he really was extremely fortunate to have been able to reserve one of the only ten a-Lucky!’ inside his head, but he then frantically drowned out that thought Going to the Herht to participate in an open event It was because there was so that Haruyuki had to tell that person—Sky Raker nofor the top of the space elevator
—Then, there should also be that
Ostensibly because he should also learn as e as possible, Haruyuki nervously asked a question through the Direct Connect circuit
‘Umm…Pard-san Since it’s a race, umm, if one co like, umm…’
‘Of course there will’
Without letting Haruyuki finish speaking, Blood Leopard nodded
‘It will probably give out an appropriate amount of Burst Points Or prizes such as an Enhanced Armament or some other item will be prepared’
“He…Heeh, is that so’
As if roughly understanding that his throat wascal the wrapping paper of the haer she had eaten in the blink of an eye, she spoke in a completely calm state
‘You shouldn’t raise your expectations too high There’s no way the prizes will be so great that they could break the power balance between legions, after all More importantly…’
Pausing for a moment there, the senior member of «Prominence» asked Haruyuki a question as her ponytail swayed
‘Will your legion participate with all five of your members?’
‘Eh? …Err, the capacity of the shuttle is five passengers, so…’
As he was about to nod, Haruyuki paused the movement of his neck
No , or how she had let hier, Pard-san was ultiion, which ht to tell such a person about the movements of Kuroyukihime, as under the Sudden Death rule?
Most likely ih Haruyuki’s hesitation, Pard-san quickly shook her head
‘I’e of this opportunity and take the Black King’s head In the first place, since the HP gauge is locked inside the event, it’s impossible’
‘L-Locked…?’
After repeating the word, Haruyuki finally remembered When he had transported over to the Hermes Cord earlier, there had definitely been the word [LOCKED] distinctly inscribed on his HP gauge
‘E-Err…in other words, during the race event, nobody can receive dae?’
After pretending to think for a moment, Pard-san immediately nodded to his question
‘Yes’
‘Then, why is it necessary for there to be four other crewh to attack and defend against other teams…?’
‘Yes to that as well Most likely, the shuttle’s body is also configured with a HP gauge, and if it becomes zero it will be destroyed The event at the Glass Castle I spoke of before was also like that It was a gaiven to each team up to the throne room on the top floor of the castle The players couldn’t die, but it was setup so that the HP of the orbs would wear out from attacks by monsters or other teams’
Haruyuki nodded in admiration at Blood Leopard’s words If it was like that, then it would definitely turn into a hot race even in the slightly nulled situation where the HP gauges were protected
‘I see…so it has that kind of setup In that case, I’ion will participate But…why are you asking me about that?’
As Haruyuki turned her gaze towards her, Pard-san displayed the rare sign of hesitating to say so
However, her hesitation disappeared in just one second, and—
‘In Accel World, there are two people whose existences are important to me’
Her quiet thoughts flowed through the red cable
‘One is the king I serve A person I want to protect no matter what And the other is my eternal rival Someone who becaht against countless times, known as «Strato Shooter[6]» and «ICBM[7]»…’
Haruyuki ied to
‘…Sky Raker-san…?’
In response to Haruyuki’s whisper, Blood Leopard softly nodded
‘I was very happy when I heard that she had returned But since she’s only been participating in the territory defense battles, I haven’t met her yet’
‘Ah…I-I see That’s true’
Currently, the Red Legion «Proa Nebulas» were under an indefinite ceasefire Therefore, as one of the Red Legion’s core inami area
Haruyuki sucked in a deep breath, and then spoke while unusually looking at his conversation partner right in the eye
‘The truth is, I also have a reason for wanting to take Raker-san to the Hermes Cord no matter what That’s why, even if she isn’t interested in it, I’ll do my best to persuade her I think that you’ll definitely meet her on Sunday’
‘I see’
Her ansas short, but Blood Leopard gave a light save a deep nod
‘Thank you, Silver Crow I’lad I talked with you…Perhaps I have three important people now instead of two’
—Whatever theof those words were, Haruyuki could unfortunately not understand it at all Therefore, he naively asked about it But
‘H-Huh? What…who is the third?’
It’s a secret
As if saying that, Pard-san quickly disconnected the Direct Connect cable
After being transported to Sugina Pard-san off until her tail-light disappeared far away, Haruyuki thought absentmindedly
The total number of Burst Linkers was about 1000 Almost all of them lived in the center of Tokyo There were so many that it was impossible to memorize all of their names, and most of them were in a relationshi+p where they scrast each other, but—even so, if they continued to duel over a long period of time, a relationshi+p other than as «ene about it, even Taku partner, enuine enemy at first…
In Haruyuki’swith Kuroyukihime, of his friends Niko and Pard-san, of his rivals Ash Roller and tentatively Frost Horn appeared one after another and then disappeared
Ai for Level 10 as a Burst Linker was, in principle, equal to continuing to bring down other Burst Linkers That was probably exactly what the ga people fight ast each other, and select only one person as the victor
However, despite that, even the developer shouldn’t be able to stop feelings other than hatred froed in the process The way Blood Leopard worried about Sky Raker who she shouldn’t have been friends as proof of that
—I also want that
Haruyuki strongly thought that as he walked towards his home
—Even if I’m beaten black and blue, even if I’m so mortified I shed tears, I won’t siame…Accel World Because I considerbecome a Burst Linker
——Really? Is that really all?
Suddenly, a voice asked him that
At the sah his mind’s screen A rust-colored avatar that seemed to be combined with a steel frame A laminated avatar made of parallel jet-black thin membranes And—a dusk-colored avatar with a spherical visor and huge talons, who no longer existed They were hting gaht acceleration tool and who ai points, the «Acceleration Research Society»
They hadn't carried out any public activities over the past two months However, that did notsoilant hostility for the chance to invade again
——Can you also forgive those guys? Can you throay the hatred you feel towards them, who cruelly wounded and tormented you and your friends?[8]
Haruyuki did not notice that the voice echoing in his mind had at some point become not his own, but instead carried a shadowy and twistedat the center of his back, he stepped towards the location of his aparth steps
——It’s natural to hate guys like that It’s natural to crush theer, resentment and hatred, and destroy them You have that power The power to tear off their limbs, devour their flesh, and drain their blood Yes—
Devour them Devour them Devour them Devour them Dev…
“……Shut up!”
He shouted that in a stifled voice as he hanged his head down deeply Residents and shoppers avoided Haruyuki as he stopped in front of the entrance of a shopping mall
Feeling as if he could see talons shi+ning with a dusky purple color a the countless shoes that passed by on either side of hily spoke to himself
—If they appear again, I’ll fight them But not because I hate them It will be because I love Accel World Because I believe that there exists bonds besides that of hostility in there I will fight to protect those bonds
——Really?
Leaving that single word along with a creaking laughter, the voice went away The pain on his back also faded away soon and disappeared
After letting out a long breath and rubbing his sweaty palainst his trousers, Haruyuki headed towards his e his head
References
↑ Demonic city: Written as 魔都 (mato) in japanese, it is sometimes used as a nickname for Tokyo, or more rarely, for shi+njuku specifically, which fits in this case
↑ 5 o’clock, 34 minutes and 42 seconds
↑ NP: No Problem
↑ This is one of those places where the use of English letters makes it hard to translate effectively Here, Haruyuki stutters as he copies Pard’s use of capital letter abbreviations, starting by saying “ke” before properly saying “K”, short for “okay”
↑ SE: Sound Effect
↑ The kanji beneath the furigana English nahly as “shooting star of the hyper-sky”
↑ ICBM: Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile
↑ Like in the first chapter of Vol 4, the bold part of the text indicates that the text here has switched over to using katakana instead of hiragana, her and darker