Accel World Vol 6 Chapter 3 (1/2)
Chapter 3
“Hey, return to your seats already Long ho”
After their horoup of students raised sounds of complaint
“What, the chi yet There’s still time”
“Then, I will increase hooing to ring, going to ring, three, two, one”
In his hearing, the ringing echo of the sixth period chime, and sounds of students’ clatter as they hurried to sit, Haruyuki listened while his face was supported by a hand
Outside the , the usual drizzle painted the streets grey It was predicted that the rainy season will clear up in teeks, but since the end of term exams will soon arrive after that, he did not even feel like looking forward to it
Of course, if he slip through the tests, then shi+ning summer vacation will arrive, but he did not have the discipline to look forward to that long span of fun The attacks that will co week’s class (especially physical education) and ho about them
Well, even if he dally and postpone ho one Burst Point right before it is due to co capacity during the last 30 rade Takumu amazed with ‘Why isn’t that concentration displayed normally?’
However, the set every day fro that he could not use acceleration to concentrate and process On the other hand, when he was running out of breath on the track during physical ed tiht actually be that in fact The base for the principle operation of Brain Burst, was to increase heartbeat to accelerate thinking clock, therefore extending perceived time That meant if he could train his heart not to beat so fast even while running, would phys ed class feel shorter than it was now? Alright, next ti chakra power
While he was staring out the ithout seeing anything, and repeatedly thinking such absurd thoughts, the hoh Haruyuki’s ears
“Two months have passed since the class became like this This is about the tiraph, the tardiness and lost property”
Usually, the ending of ho after school «Duel» plans Which area to go to, what tactic to try, who to fight, or whose battle gallery to becoh it was not at the level of actual duels, it could be said to be very fun still Normally homeroom would have ended by the ti forward slowly
The reason for that was clear
Right now, Haruyuki was forced into a situation where he did not have the luxury to plan duels In a certain sense, it could be said to be greater pressure than the tio
That was ——- the edge whether he could still be a Burst Linker or not
Yesterday, Sunday, after the end of the «Seven Kings Conference», Haruyuki was driven home in Fuuko’s car to nearby his home
He soe home, he still faced down and counted the pavement tiles
He entered the elevator with head still lowered, and rose to the 23rd floor He walked in the silent hallway, and when the door to his home appeared in his view, he went to touch the unlock button ——
Right before that, Haruyuki noticed a se, and stopped still
Flashy logo T-shi+rt, and tight cut jeans Faded sneakers on feet Even with that rough appearance, he could iuy Red hair that was tied on either side and see
“Ni, Niko?”
After Haruyuki called that nairl slowly looked up, and showed a fearless, but somehow tired smile
“So late We should have both left Chiyoda area, and you made me wait 10 minutes”
“So, sorry”
After he apologized involuntarily, the sharp shoulders lightly shrugged
“Well, I was sent here by Pard’s bike, so of course that’s fast”
“Th that is not possible to beat Ah, anyway”
While blinking fiercely, Haruyuki asked
“Why here?”
Hearing that, Niko momentarily looked around, then said with a small snort
“That story will be long, are you going to listen to the end in this hallway?”
“O, oh, sorry”
Haruyuki hurriedly touched the still displayed unlock button He opened the usual empty home door, said welco breath, and stood up with hands on knees
After leading the sudden visitor to the living rooe juice from the kitchen, then Haruyuki belatedly titled his head
Sitting on the sofa, the younger girl looking at cloudy weather outside the , no matter how many times he looked, was Niko that is Kouduki Yuniko —— that is the Red King controlling legion «Prominence», «Scarlet Rain» herself
However, why? Not only did they exchange anonyed call numbers, so there were , holding her knees and waiting beside the door of someone she wanted to e While he was putting juice on the glass table, Haruyuki stole another look at the small profile
In the lightly freckled face, the noror could not be seen On the other hand, it even had a someorried look It was very hard to think that this was the sa words on the conference seat Inside Haruyuki’s brain, the sharp sound awoke
—— An unfit guy who spread the threat of mind power, slip in here
The accusation si flames, at theHaruyuki’s mind, Niko in front of him whispered
“Sorry about that, the way it was said”
“What n, no, not really”
He raised his waist that was sank into the sofa, and hurriedly shook his head
“A, at first I was surprised, but later senpai and Raker-san told ht out the topic of «Disaster Ars, especially the Yellow King don’t take the lead on that topic, that”
After he quickly said that, Niko blinked two or three tireen in the low light leaked out a wry smile
“dauys”
While she cursed, she sank her back hard into the sofa, crossed her surprisingly slender legs, and swung her slippered feet
Relaxing a little after seeing that appearance, Haruyuki tilted his head slightly and asked
“Huh, did Niko meet Raker-san before?”
“No, earlier was the first tiainst each other I heard a lot of stories about her froh”
“St, stories you said, what kind?”
Hearing that, Nikosmile, then asked in return
“Do you know the origin of that guy’s «ICBM» nickname?”
“Err siht?”
“That’s right, but it’s not all Actually, it originated froa Nebulas once in awhile used in large scale territory battles They let enemy team push the front line forward on purpose, and after their force is split, then either Raker by herself, or carry a support type (buffer) to boost jump to enemy rear base Nore attack types, then that would equal to a strategic e”
“I, I see”
Even though it was a story about his ally, it gave him a cold sweat as Haruyuki nodded Niko’s expression soften, and continued speaking as if res
“As you already know, Pard is a speed demon She was usually the first to return to the rear after eating that ainst Raker h we are in ceasefire, that’s still the ene so happy that Raker returned to the front line Crow, do you knohy Pard being a very senior Linker and is still level 6”
Niko closed her mouth there, so Haruyukithat he had thought about many times before
“Le, level 6 because?”
“Not telling after all Ask her yourself later”
She grin, then said ‘thanks for the drink’, and took the glass from the table
She see juice in big gulps, no longer appeared to have that strange tiredness Was it his i that, Haruyuki said in return
“Even if I ask, I feel like she won’t tell me Well, that, let’s set that aside Then, Niko, you ca at the conference?”
“Say what, that troubled way that you seem to put it”
After being glared at over the glass’ edge, he hurried shook his head
“N, no, I am not troubled at all! It was a bit unexpected of your character, ah, no, that’s not what I ht that I should be the one who need to apologize”
Unable to stop his mouth once started, and as he try to properly convey what he felt, his sound became more aard
“Si, since, that «Armor» that should have been destroyed after so much hard work in Ikebukuro, remained alive due to my careless mistake, furtherement», but I am still a Burst Linker like this”
Niko listened with unexpected seriousness to Haruyuki’s mostly pointless speech
However, eventually she lightly shook her head to interrupt his words Putting down the glass, then again crossing her legs and sinking deep into the sofa, the young King quietly whispered
“No I ae on you for that ement on Cherry, was not because he was the owner of that «Aruy ed by the Armor’s control, and attack many Burst Linkers, no, ate them, was the reason On the other hand, if Cherry had conquered and controlled that Armor with his oer, then I would have protected his had said see”
Niko’s sound, unnaturally decelerated there Haruyuki blinked, and looked at that the lowered white face
Her large eyes that looked deep green right now, again had that dark shadow that she showed in the outside hallway This time, Haruyuki realized what that expression contained
It was fear And then, anger at herself for the fear Further up For Haruyuki himself, this should be the expression he had when he was holding his knees while he could not do anything with his power
“Ni, Niko”
After her nairl momentarily looked up, then soon showed a weak sain
“Even if I had chosen to protect Cherry, I would have the power to make that happen In the past half year, I always believed that But”
Her two hands that were outside T-shi+rt sleeves, suddenly held herself In June heat and humidity, she seemed to be attacked by fierce cold
“Crow In the earlier conference, didn’t you feel it?”
“Wh, what?”
After Haruyuki fearfully asked in return, Niko —— second generation Red King, «Immobile Fortress», Scarlet Rain, moaned in a cracked sound
“In that group of «Kings» at that place there were real monsters mixed in That information pressure is not possible —— I, truthfully, wanted to protect at least you Since you I owe you for helping ed to reach a co punishment then I”
There she closed her mouth, and Niko pulled her knees close to her on the sofa, meanwhile Haruyuki could not say any words
It was very hard to believe, or more like he could not understand That Niko would call other Burst Linkers monsters, and would show fearful expression
For Haruyuki, the Red King, Scarlet Rain had an absolutely higher rank existence If they duel in same conditions, then he truly believe that he would lose 100 tihts When her full ar range firepoithout doubt one of the highest attack power in the accelerated world Since, one blast of her overn
No, even the sun, Niko contained unfathos conference seat, Haruyuki should have felt huge pressure fros
After shaking his head lightly many times, Haruyuki finally retorted with raspy sound
“No, no way —— Sure, for me, everyone at that place was above the clouds, but I don’t think they were such opponents that can make Niko say it like that far Si, since, Niko is saht «Same level same potential» is, one of accelerated world’s ht?”
Hearing that, the red haired little girl glanced at Haruyuki fro a wry sht
“There are exceptions to any principle Listen, level 9 is actually, Brain Burst’s upper limit (cap) Since no matter how o up to the next one The path to level 10, is to hunt 5 other level 9 Linkers equaling 5 people losing all their points Put it another way”
Lowering her eyes again, Niko secretly whispered
“After beco level 9, no matter how ain experience, other people won’t know about it For s Thinking of obtaining enough power to prevent soain in the accelerated world But I was too naive Those guys «Originators», had long ago overca to That if they are not called monsters, what else can you call them”
“O, Origi?”
Haruyuki was dumbfounded, and could only repeat the unfaue However Niko did not reply with anything to that, and had buried her face on the knees she was holding
In the living rooht whining sound echoed Outside the , the cloudy sky was slowly thickening to lead color, and on the ground, EV cars running on Seven Ring also slowly started to turn on and cross head lights
For Niko ent to a boarding elementary school, it should be about time for her curfew, but the curved up body did not seem to want to move Even the tied up hair on either side of her head, were hanging down tirely without their usual vigor
‘—— Right now, I should be saying so’ Haruyuki felt that, and desperately searched for words
Thinking about that, it did not seeinaize for what she said at the conference Maybe right now, under that front hair, ion maybe the closest to her, Pard-san, had seen the face she was
“”
He could not think of any appropriate words, but he should still say so, so Haruyuki took a deep breath
However faster than that, Niko quickly lifted her head There, was unbelievably shi+ny full face sed tone till then brightly flowed
“Sorry for suddenly saying strange things, Onii-chan”