Accel World Vol 8 Chapter 1 (1/2)

Chapter 1

“Equip…«The Destiny»”

The voice command emitted from Haruyuki’s mouth quietly vibrated the parched air of the «Scorched Earth» stage

The distant howling wind, the warning sound ee a few pixels re sound of the approaching opponent «Cyan Pile» breaking through the heavy walls disappeared as if a switch had been cut off

In the center of the wide room surrounded by scorched concrete, Haruyuki, as enveloped in a dense silence, suddenly felt an unbelievably strong sensory signal explode at a point inside his body

Intense pain

It was co hot spear had deeply penetrated the area between his shoulder blades A white halo of light occurred within his field of vision; innu stopped; even his thoughts becaments and dispersed

“…Nn…gh…aah!!”

Haruyuki, who had contorted his entire body back like a bow and was on the verge of letting out a hoarse shout, suddenly beca either very far away or closer than anywhere else

—It’s useless

—It’s already too late to separate my medium and me

—The «Destiny» that guides the «Arer, la, onlydisaster

In his white-filled vision, like a movie folder played in continuous preview es flashed by one after another

In all of theht-class duel avatars whose entire bodies were covered in blackened silver-colored heavy arns differed

One had countless teeth growing froes of its hood-shaped helmet

One had a face whose entirety extended forward as if it were some kind of tentacle

One had long silver hair draping from the bottom of its helmet to its feet

One spewed criht of as having the shape of a dragon’s head

And then, there was one ore its sharply pointed visor low over its eyes and brandished an oe sword

Haruyuki intuitively realized that they were the successive generations of the «Chrome Disaster» Their forms were different, but their armor colors and the auras of darkness in which they were clad as well as their insane fighting styles were co the knights wielded their swords, using their claws to tear away and their teeth to pierce In the htered as if they were not worthy of being opponents, the Chroitated – and then, they see

At the saain

—Destroy Then devour That is your true desire

—Devour, steal, beco Until the time you remain all alone on the wastelands of the Accelerated World

—Until the time of demise

In the center of his spine, froeneration Disaster’s «Wire Hook» had deeply penetrated, a pain rese was periodically produced, and it pierced as far as the extreround his teeth and refused to let out his voice

If he lost here to the iht

The sorrow of Niko, who had executed her «parent» and closest friend «Cherry Rook» in order to

The thoughts of Chiyuri, who had brought back the running aain to its seed

The wish of Kuroyukihi at the bottos by the name of hope

And the prayer of one girl dwelling in a corner of the Ar time—

The pain augmented without limit, and before Haruyuki knew it, it had even transcended his y and trying to tear up his consciousness

If he just called the nah he understood that, hewith all his ht

And, at that moment From the other side of the incandescent world, far, far away, he had the feeling that another voice had faintly reached him

…Believe

…It’s okay; if it’s you, you’ll definitely be able to do it…if it’s you, who time…

That voice was unirl who had appeared a moer re ability to think

—I’m sorry

—I’ for I have amistakes; I’m unable to trust others and always run away from them; despite that, if I were by uy

—But, in the currentI can be proud of

—I was able to becoain Not only that, but quite a number of people and anyone too I still don’t like myself, and I still don’t trust myself, but I’h it’s not , I’ll do anything I can, I’m sure

In response to Haruyuki’s thought, which rese out, soently

…That alone is enough

…Because, that alone is the proof of strength

Snap; a faint, yet certain so sound was produced inside of Haruyuki

It was not the reverberation of so It was a sound of a hard, hard seed bursting from the inside A sound of birth

A clear silver color like that of cold, thawing snow overflowed, gushed out, and washed away the pain of the searing heat Haruyuki opened his eyes wide

At the fingertips of his one re supple a far purer, truer silver color than Silver Crow’s armor color

The design was reassuring, but there was no ill omen in it From the back of his hand to his wrist, his upper ar with metallic sounds one after another Each tiht was added, Haruyuki was filled with an energy double the size of the weight, and his body conversely becahter

Haruyuki intuitively understood that this silver Enhanced Arinal form of «The Disaster»

The inscription «The Destiny» Zeta, the sixth star of the «Seven Arcs» Surely it was this armor, the Divine Weapon enshrined in the deepest reaches of the Imperial Palace side by side with the fifth star Epsilon, the straight sword «The Infinity»

Once, «someone» in the distant, distant past who succeeded in penetrating the Imperial Palace had procured this Destiny However, after that, «soolden yellow colored girl had occurred; the shape of the Armor had been distorted and had become the «Disaster» The term «verified four Divine Weapons» mentioned by Kurasaki Fuuko and shi+noe sword «The Ie shi+eld «The Strife», the Purple King’s bishop’s staff «The Tempest», and one more, «The Disaster» possessed by Haruyuki himself

If one tried to comprehend the unbelievable abilities concealed in «The Disaster Ar one of the «Seven Arcs», while the seventh star Eta still remained untouched, if one considered the fact that Epsilon was also essentially in a sealed state, without exaggeration the Disaster Arest Enhanced Armament in the Accelerated World

Haruyuki was currently trying to suinal forinal name

If he succeeded in doing so, even if he equipped it, it would not interfere with his mind At the sahter easily the forsaould not exist, but that ability was not necessary for this fight

He did not want to triumph over Cyan Pile, who had equipped the «ISS Kit»

Heto Takumu, who had continued to blame himself and had finally been ensnared by the abyss of deep despair How much Arita Haruyuki believed in the person Mayuzumi Takumu, how much he relied on him, and how much he needed him

In order to deliver the last bloith his fist in which he had put in that ee, he wanted to borrow the power to break through that aura of darkness

As if answering to Haruyuki’s wish, the pure silver-colored are-class piece of elbow plate arht extended toward his chest

—However

When the ar of resistance was produced In the interior of his ears, a ferocious howl faintly roared

Haruyuki realized that that was the will dwelling inside the armor; namely, the voice of the beast by the name of the «Disaster Ared by the su of only «The Destiny», which was the Enhanced Armament that had become the medium

Letting out a creaking sound, the silver armor stopped its developht shoulder halfway

In the left side of his field of vision, a line of systeularly He was able to read as far as YOU EQUIPPED AN ENHANCED ARMAMENT THE…, but all that folloere the letters D, S, and T floating indistinctly

All the voices and pain went far away and eventually disappeared

A moment of silence filled the black, sooty space characteristic of the «Scorched Earth» stage corresponding to a portion of the first floor of the B building of his apartment house in the real world In the center of the dark rooht arhtly

I into pieces the wall opposite hie silhouette appeared from within

The aura of darkness in which Cyan Pile—Takuht blue arlint of the eye of the «ISS Kit» residing in the Enhanced Arlittered vividly

His thin-slit eye lenses also had changed froht blue color to a dull purple With those eyes, Takumu stared hard at Haruyuki Finally, a quiet voice

“Is that the original form of the «Disaster Armor»?”

Even when spurred on by the urges of destruction and ruin, it seemed he had not lost his discernht arm covered in the new armor and nodded

“Uh huh Though I could only summon one arm’s worth…”

“That alone’s still an extraordinary feat You’re probably the first to struggle against the power of the «Armor», which has sed so many Burst Linkers up until now”

Although Takumu’s voice was placid, his intonation eak, and his echo reverberated somewhat hollowly

“…You’re strong, Haru Even while you knew you could gain several tiave in to the allureht it If the Armor had parasitically infested me instead, I would have been is at you, Chii-chan, and Master…”

“No way, Taku You would have been able to summon not just one arm, but the entire body of «The Destiny» I believe that”

While staring at Cyan Pile’s face mask, Haruyuki i to escape froed his head down deeply and whispered in a slightly tre voice

“…You still don’t understand, Haru That I’m…not a human that deserves to been talked about in that way I only ss over on the surface…in the seed, insidesomeone else I don’t wish for other’s happiness; I wish for their h froular spot on the teaht When ether since they were s to be worried, I secretly felt relieved That is ure of the human Mayuzumi Takumu!”

Together with that blood-spitting shout, froht, a number of white drops spilled out and fell

At the sareater black aura burst forth and reached al

Thuht foot that had taken one step forward, the burnt, hardened ground of the «Scorched Earth» stage cracked into pieces A pressure so strong that it would blow Haruyuki away if he lost his focus pressed in on him, but Haruyuki resisted it and opened his mouth another time

“Taku, about that; I’m just the same as you”

Earnestly suppressing his voice that was nearly about to tremble, he talked quietly, quietly

“If we compared the number of people we’ve cursed inside our hearts, I’m sure mine is ten times more than yours Do you think I’ve never been jealous of you or envied you up until now? Why I’m somehow able to resist the allure of the «Armor» now is simply because I’m as black as the Armor on the inside”

“…”

Tehtly reduced the violently blowing jet black storhtly

“…Fu, fufu Your way of saying things hasn’t changed at all since you were s that fro the black part inside your heart Different froloss over it…”

“We’re not different! I’ into the next hen I thought I had progressed a step…in spite of that, the reason I’ve been able to come to where I am now is because you were at my side! Surely you can resist that black power too! Break through it, and advance forward again! Isn’t that right, Taku!!”

In response to Haruyuki’s earnest call—

He had the feeling that Takumu faintly smiled behind the mask

“…Thank you Thank you, Haru If you put it like that…maybe it wasn’t worthless for ht until noever…for that reason, until the end, for your sake…for the legion’s sake, I wanted to use my oer This…«ISS Kit’s» ability to do…I don’t know anymore how much of this impulse to destroy that’s about to overflow any moment is mine and how much is the lure of the Kit…”

Hisvoice was quiet But that quietness was full of so inside

Brandishi+ng the throbbing blood-colored eyeball stuck to the «Pile Driver» of his right arm, Takumu continued in a strained voice

“…This parasite was probably created by a skilled so» class from a composite of his abilities and special techniques as well as the Incarnate systeer the power produced And then one day it splits and makes a «Child»…no, a «Clone»”

“…A clone…”

Haruyuki shuddered at the nature of the Kit, which seemed to intentionally contaminate the «Parent» system that was at the root of Brain Burst Taku even , he opened his ain

“What’s terrifying is…the Kit’s fellow «clones» are linked through the ination When Burst Linkers who possess clones belonging to the sas like hatred, er inside the Kit, the Parent and Child Kits also display even stronger power In short, the er one becomes…”

“If…if that’s true…are you saying that Burst Linkers who obtain the Kit will compete to spread their clones?

In response to the question that Haruyuki asked with a hoarse voice, Takumu nodded deeply

“Uh…even now…I feel the black feelings flowing froaya area, «Magenta Scissor», and «Bush Utan», «Olive Grab», and others who possess her first-order clones like thens them…”

—Basically

The network of «ISS Kit» clones was a ion» systeions were bound by the positive ties of love and caative chains of the search for only for power and victory

Takulass on the verge of cracking, reached the speechless Haruyuki

“Noe don’t do soious disease, the «Kit» will completely cover the Accelerated World in the blink of an eye We don’t have the leeway to wait for the Seven Kings’ et the naenta Scissor», who is probably exceedingly close to the source of the spread of the Kit Even if I cross swords with him, I intend to procure information about the Kit His uy ould go so far as to scheme this must have prepared a method to control the situation…”

Thump Takumu took another step forward, looked down at Haruyuki from a mere two meters away, and whispered

“Afterwards, I’ it to you, Haru Even if I lose all leader, before I lose my memory, I will transmit to you what I’ve learned by any means Because you’ll save this world You can do it…and only you That is what I believe”

“…Taku”

Haruyuki somehow called the name of his friend in a barely audible voice

He was not able to express any more words than that

—Resolution

Right now, the reason why Taku ability to dominate was earnestly due to his resolution as solid as a rock He had already made up his mind His own place of death His final battle

—However

The source of that resolution was self-despair The fact that he had lost to the tehtered the PK group «Supernova Reer The fact that he had set up the «Back Door Program» in Chiyuri and had attacked Kuroyukihime And finally—the fact that in the faraway past, he had destroyed their circle of three childhood friends

Takuivable by any ed that despair into resolution and was trying to face his final battle

“…I can’t let you go”

In a quivering voice rese, Haruyuki spoke

“It’s impossible for me to say «I understand, leave it to me afterwards» I can’t sacrifice just you and continue to be a Burst Linker afterward”

“…Fufu…Forever stubborn, aren’t you…”

Senuinely happy, Takumu spoke

“I forced you into a direct connection duel, wanting to hear you say that…but it’s enough Thank you, Haru With your feelings as y, it seeer —Now, it’s about time we ended this”

He lifted his burly left hand and clenched his fingers in order starting frohted vibrated the entire stage

As if to answer hiht fist clad in the silver Enhanced Armament He raised his face and slowly nodded

“…Yeah We’ve both already said to each other everything that could be said in words”

That’s right

In short, nothing would happen or end unless they exchanged bloith their fists That was the reason that they had dived into this duel stage, and that was also the sole reason for which Brain Burst existed

From his entire duel avatar, which had lost its left arth of will and focused it in his right fist His silver Over-Ray split the raging waves of darkness and pushed them back

The sixth star Zeta «The Destiny» of the Seven Arcs had so only one arm, but in terms of absolute ability it did not reach «The Disaster» It possessed neither the vast battle data accumulated over years nor the Mind Power of wrath and hatred carved by successive generations of users

However, the Destiny had one thing within it that the Disaster did not

That was «hope» A ray of hope glittering like the stars, protected over a long, long nuolden yellow fe in a nook of the Armor It was unknoho she hy her consciousness was carried in the Armor, and what she wished for, but that faint wared one on to conflict, it supported his back and encouraged him

…Now that I think about it, I was always being supported by someone else

The ti battle with the fifth generation Chrome Disaster, the decisive battle with Dusk Taker, the occasion of the Hermes Code Race, even at the door protected by Suzaku, one of the Four Sacred Beasts…Kuroyukihime-senpai, Chiyu, Master Raker, Ash-san, Niko, Pard-san, Mei-san, and of course Taku always protected and encouraged ht with only th

But that’s fine

Because those ties…those bonds are the true strength of a Burst Linker

I want to convey that to you as well, Taku I want you to understand that there are many people who think about you and need you

—In order to do that, please lend me your power

He did not hear a voice respond to the appeal he had made inside his heart However, a definite heat was produced in the center of his fist, becaushed forth

Takumu slowly pulled his left fist back

Haruyuki also drew back his right fist and sharply extended his five fingers

The simultaneous pronunciation of the techniques’ names reverberated quietly and far, al with each other

“«Dark Blow»”

“«Laser Sword»”

The instant when the jet black and silver paths blended—following the already collapsed A building, the B building where the two confronted each other became innumerable heaps of objects and scattered radially

When he had been hit by the sao, Haruyuki was unable to stand its i several dozen ht backward Rather, the fact that he had not been torn into pieces ondrous

However, this tiround and repelled Takuhtest bit At a central point in the few dozen centi to colors of auras scattered sparks and clashed violently

The suprehtening In terer than the «Disaster», which had transferred most of its potential to offensive aspects However, it was useless continuing only to struggle at this rate He ht and convey his le unpardonable sin That all the ion needed him And finally—that no matter at what bottom of a pit of darkness he was, if he looked up at the sky, the light of the stars would always be there illu the way

—Reach

—Reach!!

To Haruyuki’s earnest prayer, namely his Mind Power

Ring, a reverberation like the ringing of a bell responded

A pure Over-Ray spread across the entirety of the suppleht arht hand, which had all five fingers extended out, a sword of light began to stretch little by little, little by little

Haruyuki’s «Laser Sword» was an Incarnate technique classified as «Range Expansion» The source of his poas the wish to extend his hand to a place that wasn’t here—

For a long time, Haruyuki had believed that that was basically the act of running away He wanted to run away fro He wanted to run away frouys who bullied hiaze cast by his mother He wanted to run away from theaway, running away, reaching his hand out to place where he was not…

However, there was no such thing as «a place where he was not»

No matter where he went, he would be there himself The hand he extended would always be linked to himself

Reaching out his hand was basically an active et

—Therefore, this silver colored light is surely joining together Takumu and me It will convey my heart to him It will overwrite the defensive and offensive calculations carried out digitally by the Brain Burst system and create a small miracle