Vol 2 Chapter 4 (1/2)

Chapter 4 - Karasuba Fuyuki and Karasuba shi+o

Part 1

——Tracing back to around noon

”Yahaha seeht a little too much”

”Where do you see 'little'! I'ht here!'

Around the tia and shi+o entered 《Babel》, Fuyuki and Rui returned to 《Paradise》 to eat lunch

”Little sister is super tired Don't want to move no more”

”Well that's because we've walked around quite a lot〜, though Rui-san could still continue”

”Hmph, that's because little sister doesn't have any stamina”

They shopped in a store that didn't have any customers despite the fact it was a holiday (to be exact 80 of their shopping was done by Rui), they bought things like clothes and bags

Seeing the ao scowled

”Rui It's good that you aren't obsessed about savingwasteful”

”Uuu clothes for Fuyuki, I found a lot of things I wanted to buy, see? That's why, umm, overlook it? Dad♪”

”No way I' your pocket money for next month”

”Seriously?!”

It was tooher head on the counter seat, she placed a hand on it Fuyuki who has bought a lot of things felt soized to Rui

”Sorry, Rucchan Because of little sister”

”No, it's not Fuyuki's fault Rui-san got too fired up That aside, you're hungry right? Hurry up and make an order”

Raising her face in a hurry Rui passed the h Fuyuki remembered the entire menu, she still properly took it from her best friend

”Then, a pancake set”

”Okayy Dad, the sa for me”

Jyugo received the order and i prepared the two girls checked on their loot

There's really a lot the wardrobe is going to expand

During the time when she was immersed in studies at Karasuba she didn't have suitable clothes for going outside The clothes she had on herself were the only thing she brought as she ran away from Karasuba

While Fuyuki orried about that, Rui not only chose clothes that fit her, but also perfectly coordinated her outfits

At first Fuyuki was taken aback by how different the clothes were, but when she actually wore thely Like usual, Rui's sensitivity was surprising

It's the sa at things like this

If it's just technology, Saionji Rui couldn't win against Tenryo Fuyuki It wasn't a proble a talent Fuyuki received specialized education in one of four major cyber-related corporations 'Karasuba' while Rui received only general education, they came from way too different environments

However, Fuyuki could declare with all certainty that when it carams, Saionji Rui was definitely better than she was

It wasn't like Fuyuki was bad atthose She made quite a few of theraood performance Still, when coely bleak

What made Fuyuki's and Rui's different, was sensibility

The basics of progra precise calculations ai it closer to an ideal little by little For that there's both a need for coination——and with that, sensibility is complete

Partially because Fuyuki was a researcher before, she tends to focus on efficiency, and cuts down on the wasteful parts as much as possible to derive the best results under limited conditions

That was also reflected in 《Synchro Infinity》, the prograa

But Rui was different Thefor her was to make it 'fun'

In the past, Rui asked Fuyuki ”please teach ” and received a detailed lecture on the topic

The basics aside, progra to be done very instinctively When Fuyuki reached the last part and was in doubt, not knohat she should teach her, when she finally decided to teach her how to make a small structure Rui reacted to it——'Is that any fun?'

Creating a structure was essential, it wasn't the case of it being fun or unfun——thinking like that Fuyuki taught her, and in the end Rui ed to make a structure, even if it was very small

The thing that she created was extremely miserable, and when Fuyuki questioned her 'How did it turn out to be so like this?' Rui si like this, right?'

Fuyuki was surprised by the fact Rui didn't think of it as a failure Three days later, she created a structure incorporating a fantastic systeh for a person to ht and while it looked proper at a single glance, it was built byvarious elements

When it came to capability only, Fuyuki's was far above Rui

However——Rui had her own distinct sense, and with it Saionji Rui definitely reached the 'genius' realm

”What is it, Fuyuki? Are the outfits Rui-san coordinated weird?”

Hearing a voice co returned back to reality

”No, all of it is really a well,circuitry do you have to come up with such a combination, that's what I would like to know”

”Eh? Didn't you subtly make fun of me there?”

”No way If anything, then it was praise”

Although soo Rui said that she and her brother eird, but she too could have been categorized as that That's what Fuyuki thought earlier that day

”Sorry for the wait, two pancake sets Eat before they get cold”

It seemed like the food was prepared as they spoke about that, in front of the tere soup in a cup, a pancake and salad lined up Fuyuki and Rui stopped rus filled with clothes, and focused on the food

”It's delicious as always Master, if you changed the bar-like interior, soht actually come?”

”You really do say horrible things without any hesitation”

Although Fuyuki had an intense fear of strangers, as expected she got used to him after a week She could speak to her best friend's father, Saionji Jyugo while re relatively calm

”Certainly today's lunch is really good Also, Rui-san didn't need to help to prepare it either”

”Or rather, how come this business doesn't collapse? Or are you profitable?”

”Ahaha, you know 《Paradise》 is just Dad's obsession〜”

”Saying it's an obsession is too h”

”That's what you say But all the fine details are done by Mom”

”Rui, your allowance cut is extended by a month”

”Eeee?!”

They continued to eat and chat like that for the next twenty minutes, after the meal the two of theht about what to do next——as they relaxed after a meal

in the end, we just ended up playing around normally

Although she felt like she was being approached with so

Fuyuki herself knew very well that she couldn't continue like that——but no e to face the past that was catching up to her

”Speaking of which, Taiga seeo to eat”

”Oh, so Taiga caed out for a while?”

The moment she heard it, Fuyuki reflexively rose up

She didn't know for how long she's been there But she needed to hurry up and chase after hiain if she makes it before he returns frorasped

”Rucchan?”

”You can't, Fuyuki”

I won't let you go——that's what her eyes relayed, Rui continued to hold onto Fuyuki's arm

For aher serious expression she sat back on the seat

”Sorry Dad, can we occupy the seats for a while longer?”

”as long as you get off when a customer comes”

After saying that, Jyugo moved to the back of the kitchen Rui said 'thank you' in the back of her ain

”Rucchan, why did you stop me Little sister only wanted to——”

”Wanted to be paht?”

”yes”

For herself who couldn't go forward, with an unchanged status quo, her heart sought support

It's not that Saionji Rui didn't support her Still——she instinctively sought her blood related brother

”Fuyuki doesn't know anything Why a siscon like Taiga went as far as to ask Rui-san to take care of Fuyuki You really don't know the reason for that do you”

”So Rucchan knows the reason?”

”Although the person hiht now, trying to escape again, I can tell”

These words pierced Fuyuki's heart, she looked away from Rui's stare If she were to look her in the eyes, she would have no choice but to admit her words

”Fuyuki doesn't just want to be paa to shoulder what you should be shouldering and take care of it for you right? Taiga is kind, there's no way he will refuse Fuyuki His precious little sister is troubled, so he'll help”

Maybe, she soht years Tenryo Fuyuki who suffered from unbearable loneliness turned to rely on her brother hom she finally reunited with

”you mean I shouldn't rely on Brother?”

”Relying on so so At least the first step, you need to take that step by yourself If you leave all of it to others, where is your oill then?”

If Taiga were to tell Fuyuki 'Don't run away', she would face shi+o even against her oill However, there was no worth in such resolution

Distressed and suffering——and yet still trying toinside her caer be able to shi+ne There was noin borrowed resolution

”Just waiting for Taiga to step in is no good Though I think that would definitely work But if you really want to overcoht?”

Saying that, Rui reached out to Fuyuki

Her irreplaceable best friend who's been with her for four years straight

There was a dazzling confidence in her eyes, she believed in her from the bottom of her heart, Fuyuki was envious of it——but even so, she didn't take her hand

”Fuyuki”

”I' denied again, I can't help it”

She should have forgotten it, it was a ain

But the fact that she reunited with shi+o reminded her of the past and pained Fuyuki's heart Her expression that said 'I wish I never met Hime-chan', her expression that implied her heart was broken, her eyes that looked like she eeping in despair, they wouldn't leave Fuyuki's head

To be denied again——thinking of that, she couldn't help but be scared

”I see”

Rui didn't knohat past the two had, she didn't know because of what Fuyuki was suffering from But she could tell that Fuyuki continued to live, while continuously suffering fro at how she trembled

That's why Rui retracted her outstretched hand

”Alright! Let's play then!”

”ha?”

”We have two Arclights here, it's been a while since we entered 《Aries》 with just the two of us, coe”

”Eh, wha wai Rucchan?!

Rui grabbed Fuyuki's hand and led her up the stairs to her home

The second floor of 《Paradise》 is Saionji's home, it was a place no different from any other normal household If there had to be one difference pointed out forcefully, it would be the fact that it had no kitchen space

In the back of their home, was Rui's room

”Go ahead It's the first tiht?”

”Yeah”

While her thinking still couldn't keep up with the sudden turn of events, Fuyuki stepped inside of a roo on it

If one were to describe it with a single word, it would be a big room

There were no unified electronic devices like the ones in Tenryo's home's dive room, but the room was filled with various different items But since it was really tidy, it seemed very spacious despite the amount of items inside

A basketball, tennis and lacrosse rackets, there's also a guitar Just how many hobbies does she have

Probably, anyone ould see this room would think——'just what the hell does this room's oant to do'

”You really tried ood at sports but I didn't think you even dabbled in instruments”

”Yahaha actually I didn't use it all that ot bored of it”

Doing anything as long as it's fun at the irl called Saionji Rui was

Her parents, especially her ht for her whatever she wanted, which ed such behaviour

While Fuyuki looked around the rooh the closet

”Ummm, the spare should be around here there it is”

Rui pulled out an orthodox headgear-type Arclight froeneration machine from which the paint already caether with the newest ht that was on top of the bed, there were two machines

”It's alright if Fuyuki uses the new one”

”All right it's the first ti a small-type”

At Karasuba she used a large machine, and when they h she had a small one as a spare, she never used it It was a si into Elysion, it didn't have any other functions other than that What everyone was focusing on, was diffusion rate, though those machines were expensive

Rui installed the olderFuyuki

Since the s to support the body like the e-sizedimmersion

”excuse me then”

Fuyuki got on the bed cautiously and lied down next to Rui

Because it was the first time for her to lie doith someone of the same sex she was a little nervous Because it wasn't a twin bed, but a narrow ordinary one, their hands overlapped

”Let's go then!”

She started the Arclight at Rui's sign, and the two juether

Part 2

〈”——Hee, you did pretty well You have my praise”〉

”Thanks Though, it's not me who prepared that”

Around the tia and shi+o left the central city 《Central Kadora》 and entered a canyon outside of it

Since ood pace taking down crow-like monster with flame-imbued arrows

After the 《UNKNOWN》 was over Taiga jumped out of the arena and pulled shi+o by her hand But since he didn't knohat to do, he returned afterwards to ask Leon

According to what he said, while players could travel freely, not all places were available for the

Every area had a fixed boss monster, and players were able to proceed to the next area after defeating him The moment they are defeated the move point in that place is released and can be used at any tiher who have the qualification, 'subdue viruses byfrom area to area and receive their prize in 《Babel》 afterwards' (and they do it repeatedly) And that's the general behaviour pattern for players

Since it also served a purpose of trying out shi+o's new attack-configured progra ene-ranged attacks and couldn't fight, he called Haya instead

He transferred over the investigation report he got from Leon, and with this his as over

〈”It's the saives away a wide variety of progra himself like that on purpose just what is his aim?”〉

”Isn't he just flaunting his abilities?”

Taiga answered not bothered, but Haya wasn't that positive, she seemed anxious

Certainly, she thought of that possibility But considering there were e-scale structures ed by Kiritou, it would be better to take care of 'Angel' as poking holes in the syste, the fact that Kiritou will beginsooner or later could be easily predicted

〈”it seems like he's incredibly confident in his skill”〉

The fact that 'Angel'Kiritou——sti from lack of sleep

〈”——Taiga, additional orders If you were to get in contact with 'Angel', recover the program made by him”〉

”Haa?! Wait a second, I don't have time for——”

As expected, at this rate he would beco to refuse, he stu the expression on Haya's face that was displayed in the

”fufufufufufu To come up with such a troublesome task when I'm this busy, and to provoke h I' my sleep tionna do to him when I catch him ufufufufufufufufufu♪ ”

Scary—?!

Haya flashed a dark, spine-chilling sa to instinctively back away

〈”You will do it right?”〉

”yes”

In front of the smile that seemed to say he would be socially obliterated if he refused, Taiga nodded repeatedly

Contact me when you find a clue——Haya said that and cut off the connection Taiga looked up at the sky and murmured words of excuse

”No—, it was impossible to refuse just now”

He continued to curse hiht and saw shi+o's appearance as she shot fla arrows in the air

”Bullets!”

Together with her voice the arrow divided into dozens of sle-typein the sky and shot the their bodies However, so arrow and dived in a straight line at shi+o

If it was shi+o froo, that attack would have made her push the panic button

But as expected, after going through the saot used to it She created an arrow of ice by i it and unleashed it

The arrow rotated in the air and rose to the sky while cutting the wind and pierced through the enemy

”Woah, you'reanother one 《Cryoflare》 was it?”

”Yup It's all thanks to Onii-san who taught me the basics of the bow”

After using the progra the match, shi+o's bow turned into a distinctive two-coloured bow that could shoot arrows of fire and ice

The fla ability and the ice arrows could penetrate the targets, it was also possible to use both abilities siram that had three attack types——the 《Cryoflare》

”At this rate it doesn't seem like my turn will come”

”So you say Even though I've been nearly killed before”

shi+o set up another arrow and continued to exterminate enemies

I wonder what are the other two doing now?

Taiga looked as fire and ice intertwined, and his thoughts were directed towards the two girls elsewhere

Part 3

Qualification holders in 《Aries》——in other words, those of A-rank or higher, to beco tens of thousands users there's only around a hundred people who hold qualification, because they are only a few percent of the total player base, they are incredibly rare

Every user starts from rank E, they usually reach C rank after around three h it proceeds smoothly until then, the road to B rank takes around a year if a user plays every day

Reaching there is difficult enough, but it only gets harder fro the next rank

There's only one condition, to have the ability

After beco an A-rank they are allowed to subdue powerful viruses, as such they need to be accordingly strong In the case of a defeat, thetheir virtual bodies, however, that way the original purpose of eli viruses would not be achieved

Therefore there's a certain level of ability required, it was a level completely different from the one norh level attack-configured program

And the second was, to complete all area's of Aries

Unlike the sets specified for suppression appear randomly and it's ih difficulty areas, and sometimes they appear near the initial point Therefore, it's needed to gain access to all areas——in other words, to clear the entire game

While that condition sounds like so easy to do, that's where the majority of users are stuck at

The reason is the boss in the final area of 《Aries》——the so-called final boss

This last boss has strength equal to that of a virus specified as a target for subjugation, and on top of it, there was a need to defeat it solo

As a result, ever since the 《Aries》 started six years ago, there were only around hundred people who reached A-rank Moreover, there were only ten people who reached S-rank

”There there! Take that!!”

”and what is one of those top ten doing”

Staring at this young heroine who vigorously knocked away et she was in the middle of combat as well

Although instant death-class monsters appeared in front of them from a trap, their teeth didn't reach her and the blades pulverized them one after another

Since Brother was the one in the front recently I forgot, but Rucchan's strength is cheat-class

In order to get accusto in Aries, Rui only provided support froe in hting one-on-one

”Hoo, finally we cleaned it up”

The great heroine wiped three parties with ease, and then Rui waved towards her lightly Then the weapons dispersed around turned into light Although Fuyuki thought therea hand, but it seemed like it wasn't necessary

”It's the second time I come here, but the traps here are as nasty as usual— The people who coht away”

”When soh that unscathed and sha”

The place two of them were at, was area called 《Ancient Ruins》 located far south of the central city Rui as an S rank has cleared it long ago, but it was Fuyuki's first tio with just the two of them in 《Aries》, this was the place Rui chose

They proceeded while taking down thethe way

Rui acted as a vanguard and took all enemies upon herself, while Fuyuki attacked them from a distance This was the formation they used continuously for four years, it ia

it hasn't been even teeks and yet it feels like it's been a long time

That was all, it was more important for her to spend her time with her Brother

———Fuyuki just wants to be spoiled

Suddenly, she remembered those words

Thatspoiled?

Her only brother in this world, her beloved that she wanted to ht years If she's not allowed to act spoiled towards someone like that, then where should she seek co, this pain

When Fuyuki was younger and did not have anyone to rely on, she couldn't withstand the pain She had no choice but to close the wound, she pretended to have forgotten, she had to live pretending as if nothing happened

And she deserted her friend as crushed by despair, she ran away alone

Scary, is it Even I think it's incredibly selfish of me to say that

Even though she was the one who cast her into the depths of despair, but she was still afraid of facing her Fuyuki knows very well just how selfish that was

Even so, she wasn't able to gather the resolve to meet her

”aah”

Because she was thinking about unnecessary things, she was hit by an attack that norh level monster, her HP has decreased by nearly 20

”You're not focusing, Fuyuki At this rate you'll be taken down”

After cleaning all the re monsters Rui warned her

It was one of the highest difficulty areas in Aries Although Fuyuki boasted of being as strong as an A-rank, her durability was still that of a B rank It wasn't a place she can let herself drop her guard at She herself knew that very well, but——

”that's impossible”

”Nn?”

”after being told that there's no way I can focus”

The words stabbed into her mind and continued to circle around in her head without stopping

She felt as if she strayed into a maze and had no way out Ever since she reunited with shi+o she felt as if her heart rapped in mud

She didn't want to be alone She wanted to be spoiled by someone She wanted to seek warmth, but was denied of it

——If I am to feel like this I wish I never met Hime-chan!——

The memory didn't fade away, and continued to torment her

A lonely girl suffering after losing her entire family couldn't withstand it

”What should little sister do? What should she do to free herself from the past? Please, tell me”

Standing there, wasn't the girl as a prograenius

Grief after losing her parents, the loneliness she felt, the harsh days in Karasuba, the girl continued to deceive herself focusing on her love for her brother 'For the sake of Brother' she continued to protect herself while indulging in those words, 'For the sake of Brother' she continued to say, relying on hiirl

at a tiently comfort her

As Fuyuki continued to fall apart in front of her, Rui could not help her in any way That's because she knew that if she did it, everything that has been done up until then would have becoless

”——Sorry, Fuyuki I can't tell you that”

That's why she told her the cruel truth

”why, is that?”

Rui sat down next to Fuyuki and looked into her clear, sky blue eyes She started speaking slowly

”Once upon a tiirl”

”what are you saying all of a sudden”

”It's soirl was good at both sports and acade child”

”That's a horrible beginning”

”Fufu, so it is ——The chosen girl was very bright and always surrounded by a lot of people She was always the centre of the class, even her parents thought she led a fulfilling life But the heart of the girl in question was dry”

”why?”

”The girl was too outstanding Whether sports orfor a short while she reached the level where only few could barely keep up she tried ”

That's why no matter what she tried, she couldn't find someone she could become friends with

While there were people who could be called her friends, there was no one she had a relationshi+p good enough with to call them 'best friend'

”She hated such a boring life Four years ago the girl decided to try playing on a certain structure She thought that she ht be able to do so seriously for once And then, as she indifferently took down irl with beautiful eyes”

Thatwas a complete coincidence

However——the girl as tired of ordinary life, and the girl with an unknown talent as brought up in an unusual environht have been inevitable

”What happened froht?”

”Yeah of course not”

Fuyuki remembered it as if it was yesterday

To take a breather fro it secret froirl Although Fuyuki was scared of becoirl persistently continued to talk to her ether——that was how she met Saionji Rui

”Eh—, now that I think about it, it was really toomistaken as a stalker”

”I'rateful to Rucchan”

If Rui wasn't so forceful, she would continue to be alone——that's what Fuyuki thought It was the first time she heard about Rui's past, but noher out of her shell

”Thanks Umm, I want to say that no matter what shape it takes, Fuyuki should seriously face shi+o-chan head on Just like Rui-san”

”but”

”Youwill change unless youtroubled by those feelings, Rui-san won't say anything else But if you want to start over with shi+o-chan, even if you think of it just a little bit, Rui-san will help you Shall we do our best together?”

——This a

She said that in her mind to the boy with sky blue eyes and reached out to Fuyuki again Fuyuki looked up and stared at Rui's hand

And thought about it

She met Rui, and was saved from the darkness She took this hand, and was able to break out from her lonely life In that case——after she ran aas there anyone ould save shi+o?

are you going to leave it to soain?