Accel World Vol 6 Chapter 6 (2/2)

A huge hole was punched through the centre of his left wing, scattering silver fins much like the feathers of a bird when shot Consequently, Haruyuki’s thrust was unbalanced and he dropped like a stone with no tiround

If the ground hadn’t been thick grass, his Health Gauge would surely have turned red by now Instead, after a glance at his Gauge that had coerously close to fifty percent, even if he trembled before the fearsoed himself back up

Tra noises, Bust Utan walked up to Haruyuki and broke into a huge sneer:

“…How does my new skill’s power feel like, eh? Ain’t it cool? nobody could hope to match it, yeah~”

Light continously throbbed and emanated from the ‘eyeball’ in the center of his chest In a soft, stuttering voice, Hauryuki fought against Utan’s bloodthirsty gaze

“Wh-Why…Just, how did you…get this power…”

The answer caht of it – it could only be that soht him how to use the Incarnation Systeht hi he couldn’t understand:

Niko had said that there were four basic types of Incarnate techniques: «Range», «Movement», «Offense», and «Defense» And, any person can only learn Incarnate techniques that are coht before his eyes, Bush Utan had shot hie Expansion» technique: the affinity belonging to the Red spectrureen avatar’s defensive properties And prior to that, Utan too had used an «Offensive Expansion» technique to strike Haruyuki It’s iether; even Niko, herself a high-level Incarnate System user, admitted her inability to use either Offensive or Defensive Expansion techniques given her avatar type

Faced with a proble his comprehension, all Haruyuki could do was to sit down, shell-shocked and gazing blankly

Across fro, burly arazed around Moving hishis secrets, Utan spoke with a crazed fervor:

“…Didn’t I say? I…got this froave it to me This «IS Mode Study Kit»…or simply ISS Kit”

“Gave… You? Soave you the ISS Kit?”

He murmured in a daze at this revelation

Haruyuki was familiar with the words ‘study kit’; there are nu a wide variety of educational kits for young children: Piano, Gy, just to na the kit into the Neuro Linker, either FullDive or Auguidance of a virtual instructor He hi Practice Kit,’ but he didn’t wish to let others know of this fact

But such companies in the real world couldn’t possible create and sell an ‘Incarnate Syste, the power of the Incarnate System couldn’t possibly be learnt from these quick fixes Lastly, Utan had said that he did not purchase this, but obtained it from an acquaintance, most probably another Burst Linker who told Utan, ‘With this study kit, you can learn the Incarnate System,’ and thus passed to him that black eyeball

So who on earth gave it to him? It couldn’t be… It couldn’t be…

“This…soave you the ‘ISS Kit,’ is he… Ash Roller?”

For a moment, a bemused look crossed Utan’s face while Haruyuki trembled in fear Utan then shook his head and replied:

“…Nah, it wasn’t This thing… I would never tell Big Bro Ash about it ‘Cos Big Bro, he… probably wouldn’t like this too much, yeah…”

Upon hearing this, Haruyuki secretly exhaled in relief Ash Roller had already been taught the basics of the Incarnate System by their master, Sky Raker, and therefore shouldn’t have to experiment with such suspicious tools like the ISS Kit

But he couldn’t let his guard down just yet Bush Utan leaned in closer towards Haruyuki, and whispered feverishly:

“…But, as long as I use this kit to beco Bro will definitely be happy for h Crow-San beat o, and that now I’ve scored a flawless victory with the ISS kit, Big Bro’s gonna be happy, ain’t it? He’d say I’ht?”

“…!”

Seeing Utan’s insatiable thirst in his eyes up close, Haruyuki gasped sharply and involuntarily shook his head as he replied:

“…N-No, it wouldn’t be The power of IS Mode… I mean, the Incarnate System shouldn’t be learnt from a kit like this You have to first face your own «trauinates… You have to begin from there, or you’d be sed up by your heart’s darkness…”

“Dafuq you sayin’?”

Utan shut Haruyuki up on the spot with his angry retort Theireach other, the forravelly tone:

“…Crow Froh you know a little about this «power»…but in that race last week, you should have personally experienced it: the immense power of the shuttle No 10’s «IS Mode» that ran amok and in an instant, rusted away the shuttles of several hundred Gallery members to smithereens «IS Mode» is such an extraordinary power, an ultimate power that can break every last rule of Brain Burst There are all those filthy felloho have been hiding it from everyone else all this ti about what that power signifies now? No, or rather… hts every now and then, winning them in your own little sneaky way?”

Like a huge snake, Utan’s right hand snaked forwards and grabbed Haruyuki by his throat, and with his extreth lifted him to his feet From this close proximity, Haruyuki could see into the depths of Utan’s eyes, which should have been leafy green in colour, flickering with a black-red light And – the frequency of this light’s pulsing and the eyeball of the ISS Kit stuck in his chest was completely in synchrony

“If I ain’t stronger, there ain’t no point to it If I ain’t stronger, ion isbefore I lost all my points, and nobody in Accel World will even know they just lost another small player But of course, people like you who had rare abilities like «Aviation» from the start wouldn’t understand, or uys like you to understand us”

—I understand I can understand it better than anyone I’ve never thought of myself as a winner, not in the real world, not even in Accel World

That hat he wished to say, but Bush Utan beat him to it In a hoarse voice, he continued on:

“…But, with this «ISS Kit», even losers can beco No…losers will never have to feel like a loser ever again with its strength You saw it too, right? In the three days I’ve had this Kit, I’ve been able to ot this power, I won’t ever lose to ionnaires too, who look down onBro – I ht, I’er!”

His voice wasn’t hoarse anymore; at some unknown point, his tone and even his volued

Bush Utan lifted Haruyuki off the ground with just his right hand gripping Silver Crow’s throat, yelling out loud:

“I’er than anyone! I don’t even need a Tag Partner anymore! ‘Olive Glove!’ Let’s have a duel after this! Let’s see who’s got the better skill at IS Mode! Where are you, Olive! Watch uy off!”

With Bush Utan’s complete turnaround in character, and Haruyuki’s co overloaded, all he could was think in a daze, unable to keep up with the situation anymore

-‘Olive Glove’ was the na partner in this battle He should be his buddy froion, but from the way Utan had referred to him, he seemed to have also obtained the ISS Kit In other words, Olive too should be capable of wielding the terrifying power of «all types of Incarnation»5 If that was the case, then how had shi+noone down in one hit just like he had…

Just when Haruyuki looked up to check the Health Gauges in the upper corner of his vision, he heard footsteps froht, and immediately turned to face it

A chilling wind parted the swaying grass and an unknown duel avatar stepped out, sloalking towards them

His armour colour was just like his namesake, a dark brown – Olive His body was slie And, another black hemisphere was stuck in his chest just like Utan

But the eyelids of this eyeball were nearly shut, save for a tiny exposed sliver of the «Eye» Red light flickered irregularly froo out at any moment

Upon a closer look, just to keepforwards, Olive Glove’s avatar itself had to readjust every step he took with great haste, as though…as though he was fleeing

“…Olive?”

Upon hearing Utan’s voice of surprise, this lean avatar raised its head stiffly Beneath rows of vertical slits, his eyes opened as wide as saucers

“…Utan…hel… Help me…”

His hoarse voice suddenly cut off mid-sentence as he abruptly turned his head back and raised his right hand out of fright A thin layer of shadow gathered, wrapping around his hand that resembled the branch of a tree

“Da…«Dark Sho-»…”

THMP

A soft sound interrupted Olive mid-word

It had co, thin object wrapped in flah Olive Glove’s left chest – a ‘fire arrow’

The entire duel avatar instantly disintegrated and dispersed; his Health Gauge had been reduced to zero Haruyuki reflexively checked the four – no, only three bars were left in the corners of his vision

Bush Utan’s Gauge still had 80 left, while Silver Croas just less than half full But Haruyuki’s tag partner shi+noe hadn’t decreased even a single dot since the beginning of the battle

The «Eye» – the «ISS Kit» that Utan had referred to, had already appeared on Olive Glove’s chest, so Maiden should also have encountered an Incarnation attack as her opponent’s first strike In Olive’s last ed skill Utan had utilised, «Dark Shot» That couldn’t have been his first Incarnate attack against her, and yet Maiden hadn’t even suffered a scratch How on earth was that so?

Haruyuki aze slowly rose from the spot Olive had vanished

About twenty metres away, the silhouette of a diminutive duel avatar appeared, clad in a white robe and red hakale imperfection, save for an object she held in her slender left hand that hadn’t been there before It was a long, thin object nearly as tall as she was, gently curving backwards above and below her grip, with a thin line strung between the ends It was – a bow

Ardor Maiden nonchalantly glanced at Silver Crow, less a whole ars, and Bush Utan who had hiround

There had been nothing else in the space between her hands But suddenly, a fiery-red line appeared – an arrow of fire Utai straightened her back, raised her right hand high, and in a beautifully s

Tiht hand shi+mmered, and her left simultaneously released

With a gale-force wind the arro, deeply piercing through Bush Utan’s right lower arm

“Uuh…”

Groaning in pain, Utan du arroith his left The arrow dissipated into thin air afterwards But just froe had already been reduced by ten percent

Though her arrow’s danified htened Haruyuki – and probably Bush Utan too – rooting hilide through the sea of grass,in the wind, as she came closer If only avatar size is considered, then she’s s aura about her chased away all such feeling In Niko’s words, she exerted an «Unbelievable Information Pressure»

Ardor Maiden ca her bow horizontally with both hands before her In the sanified manner that belied her innocent tone, she spoke:

“This has been an unforeseen matter I merely wished to restrain Olive-san before a victor could be decided on your side of the duel, but unfortunately that couldn’t be the case”

She shook her head lightly, as though her flawless victory had in fact been a grave ht aloud in a short ue:

“The «ISS Kit»… If this was to be spread uncontrollably, it will be quite difficult to resolve the situation And if the distributor’s identity cannot be found quickly…”

Utai raised her head and fixed Utan with a severe gaze She got to the point straightforwardly:

“Bush Utan, who gave to you this?”

As though intireen avatar retreated two steps The «Eye» in his chest began to flicker irregularly, as though in pace with his own state of un to sway violently

Utan shook his head repeatedly, and in a hoarse voice, he croaked in reply:

“I, I can’t tell you… Nope… I promised, not to tell…”

“Is that the case? Well then, there’s no other choice since you’ve made a promise”

Utai acknowledged with a blunt nod of her head, continuing to fix Utan with an iron stare as she delivered her next question:

“I will daresay that this poill do ood for you Bush Utan, the «Flames» of my avatar type has the ability to purify your body of that parasitic object if you wish so for it There is still tirettable that Olive-san turned me down… But what about you?”

The full irasped by Haruyuki

But after a second or so had passed, his eyes greith realisation

Utai had definitely said ‘The «Flames» of my avatar type has the ability to purify your body of that parasitic object‘ But, wasn’t such an ability extremely rare? Hadn’t Kuroyukihime and Fuuko talked about it in the past; parasites and other object of similar types could only be re Ability»?

Then – shi+nomiya Utai, Ardor Maiden, has to be one such user with a Purifying Ability She is the keystone to the ‘Disaster Armour Purification Plan’ as outlined by Kuroyukihime, which will cleanse Chrome Disaster’s seed from Haruyuki

As the realisation glued hiot about the pain fro; Utai nodded at Utan, as though urging him to answer

Standing fewhis body seely pale and weak His voice seeth as he croaked:

“I… I… I only…wished to beco Bro…”

He took a single step forwards His hands dropped by his sides, and his head shi+vered continuously, as though he was about to nod But then-

The Eye in his chest suddenly blinked and opened wide and the dull red light it ely pulsed At the saether and the sa that it was actually the Eyeball that was interfering with Bush Utan’s state of mind

“…No… This power is th…”

A tinge of distortion overca hienerate, and his outstretched hands slowly clenched to form fists

“I won’t just hand this over… Or let it be stolen… Don’t even think about taking this from me… No Not at all…”

In a low voice, Utan seeht up forcefully From his eyes and the Eyeball in his chest, each eht like a spear

“This is my power, this is my «IS Mode»! If you want to take it away… then I’ll show you!”

He thrust his right fist high into the air, a thick black aura covering it completely

“Oooh… «Dark Blow»!”

Bush Utan wanted to beat the smaller Ardor Maiden to a pulp from above

“Ah!”

Haruyuki’s instinct was block with his own fist,but Utai raised her left hand, gesturing for him to stop

In the saht to face Utan Coous like a boulder, Utai’s five sliers resembled newly-bloomed rose buds ‘There’s no way she could stop it,’ Haruyuki thought

But then-

Utai’s palht – flames A clear layer of translucent flame covered her hand in a fraction of a second

Just as Utan’s fist was about to crush Utai’s co GAAN! erupted The i Haruyuki and the surrounding grass all around But all he did was to stare blankly at the scene before hi else

Utan’s and Maiden’s hands were not touching: a space of five centimetres separated them, and within that space Utan’s black aura could be seen tussling viciously with the se sparks everywhere This was their respective i to create the «Overwrite» phenoainst Utan’s Incarnate attack with her own Incarnation

But the difference between their expressions couldn’t be greater: Utan’s face isted with undisguised hate and killing intent, but Utai just kept her hand raised quietly Her expression looked a little sad, even

Utai abruptly spoke up, her words reinforcing Haruyuki’s impression

“Bush Utan, this is where you’re wrong The power of Incarnation… Or ‘IS Mode’ as you call it, isn’t a power to be bestowed upon you nor a power to be taken from someone It is born from your heart, from your inner self”

“…Shut up, shut up shut up!”

Utan bellowed and brandished his left fist

But even before he had struck, the flathened by a tiny amount

And then the balance of opposing forces between them was instantly dispersed A trerass behind

The disparity in their strength was absolute Utai had probably employed a ‘Defensive Expansion’ Incarnation technique, and despite the fact that her red-type duel avatar should not be able to use such a skill, and even when it should be inefficient, she only had but to use Over-Ray to deflect the opposing fist All the more, she was no ordinary player

Bush Utan, too, seemed to have sensed Ardor Maiden’s incredible power, and rather than continue head-on, dived back into the grass SHASHASHA… The sound of rustling grass surrounded them, accompanied with the rustle of the wind He had not fled, in fact, but e dark beam attack that had felled Haruyuki earlier

“…Ut- Sorry, Mei-san, he’s planning to use a ranged attack!” 7 Haruyuki cried out hurriedly

Utai nodded slightly Walking a few steps closer to Haruyuki, she turned around to scan the surroundings, and with a dignified voice stepped towards the fields of grass

“Bush Utan, there’s onewhich you do not know of If you attack with Incarnation techniques, you et this The opponent may also counterattack with Incarnation as well”

With that, Utai glanced at Haruyuki for a :

“Kuu-san, just once will suffice; please block Utan-san’s attacks My Incarnation attack takes a little time to activate”

“O-Ok…wait, what?”

Answering without thought, Haruyuki realised too late that he had just tripped hied attack from possibly anywhere – it may well be impossible

But Utai had already an to concentrate Spreading her feet apart slightly, she shut her eyes, and a layer of Overflow reseenteel flames enveloped her whole frame

And then her duel avatar abruptly underwent an unexpected change

With a loud CLACK!, ares slid out and covered her entire face These pure white surfaces with gentle curves only bore 2 curved lines for eyes, like a false appearance – no, it’s actually a mask

The eyes drawn on this ave off a cold appearance, or there was not the slightest trace of innocence, to say the least

Follohich, another transforan with the japanese bow she held in her left

The entire length of the fla boas instantly shrunk into a sinal size Utai then transferred this object, still wrapped in fla it outwards like a brush Haruyuki speculated that that should be some sort of weapon, but in the next moment-

PAH!

With a crisp sound, the rod unfolded from her hand into a thin, sector-shaped object: a «Fan» Let alone a fireare the bow into a fan! No matter how much Haruyuki wanted to yell that at Utai, he couldn’t break her concentration just yet

Unable to do anything else, Haruyuki could only prepare hiainst Utan’s attack at all costs, and scanned their surroundings

If Utan’s Over-Ray was his original avatar’s colour, it rass which wouldn’t coave off blended into the shadows created by the evening sun,it impossible to see where Utan was And it was just as iiven these circu the source of his next shot was nitude

—Wrong Even if he has a way to conceal his footsteps, Utan still has toout the Skill Name»8 Incarnate techniques aren’t like normal Special Moves: it was not i out the skill’s nager was quite a high-level technique, and for Utan who had only possessed the «ISS Kit» for a few days, he shouldn’t have had attained that level of proficiency

Haruyuki stretched out and brought his fingers together, gathering his entire concentration unto his sense of hearing

The blowing of wind, the rustling of leaves, all other noises were eli for the one and only sound inscribed into his memory by Utan a few minutes earlier

When an eternity passed in a few seconds’ tiered

“«Dar–»”

His eyes opened in an instant and he shouted:

“«Laser Sword»!!” “«–rk Shot»!!”

The two Incarnate attacks’ names were called out simultaneously

A black beaht, and Haruyuki slashed up with his right hand A silver aura froth of a sword, and its point rushed towards the inky black darkness—

Page 205

CRAassHH! With a shrill collision, the laser deviated fro into the twilight sky A distance away, an expression of shock momentarily crossed Utan’s face as he stood, but his avatar i neither sound nor shadow as he fled

Utai’s request «to protect her once» was fulfilled But Incarnate attacks wouldn’t deplete the Special Gauge Strictly speaking, it requires « spirit was probably in no eakened Another Dark Shot was sure to follow in the next few seconds

Not knohat to do next, Haruyuki turned back to look at Ardor Maiden

The diht hand, al

At this, a long-forgotten memory in Haruyuki’s recollection suddenly awoke:

Where had he seen this scene before? Yes, on a perforht by his parents for a New Year’s shrine visit In the irl dressed in white with a red hakah there were differences The performer was not masked like Ardor Maiden is, and her es in te in place noiselessly There was no other words that came to mind to describe this other than ‘superb’

Haruyuki had long forgotten about the battle just in front of hi of Ardor Maiden

Without warning, froht, clear voice resounded She wasn’t shouting, yet her voice clearly carried to every corner of the stage It was an outstanding «singing» with strength within

Sukoshi+ suzushi+ki san’netsu no

Suddenly, the grassy fields covering the entire stage shuddered It was not transpiration – it was flaes of the stage That was the indication of an Incarnate Syste the entire stage To the point of surpassing even the erosion-type Incarnate Syste Order», which he used during the Hermes Vertical Cord Race last week

Kurushi+aru soreno mika

9

The world ignited in a blaze

Lotus-like red fla the grassy plains The whole stage had been dyed red, with countless e the sky like stars

A two-ht an e coh to send Haruyuki gasping for breath

Ardor Maiden gracefully waved her fan The violently raging flaround to ash

Between the curtains of fire, a vague shadow could be seen

That was Bush Utan, whose entire body had been engulfed in flao been incinerated

And yet unbelievably, his face had no expression of pain whatsoever, only an unreadable expression He looked down on his own body which had just been toasted into a pillar of flaes; Bush Utan’s gauge was dropping at an alar speed It dropped below 30 in the blink of an eye, as though the flae away 20–10–zero

With a flash of light and a sound effect, the avatar-shaped pillar of flame disappeared

Even so, the short avatar continued with her dance While watching her in silence, Haruyuki finally felt all the puzzle pieces fall into place, and understood:

Thelady It also could refer to a nun of God Isn’t this very fore that is invoked by the red and white armour?

And, «Ardor»’sis ‘Blaze’ Hotter than «Fire», more ferocious than «Flaration

Ardor Maiden

In other words, «Conflagration Shrine Maiden»

Notes:

1When Haruyuki first says ‘Please take care of me,’ it’s in polite speech This reply by Maiden is a shorter, more casual form

2Crow in katakana is ku-ro-u, and Maiden calls him Kuu-san by revoic