Vol 2 Chapter 5 (1/2)

Chapter 5 - Bonds of Hydrangea

Part 1

”Nn〜it's strange after all”

”Taiga, you've been glaring at the terminal for a while nohat happened?”

The next day after they heard about Fuyuki's and shi+o's past, Taiga, wearing his school unifor 《Paradise》 to have breakfast Unfortunately, it was raining today; the rain that poured down quietly caused the air to have an indescribable taste

Like she usually did, Ruithe a who kept fiddling with his terminal, she stopped her hands and inquired about that

”Nothing, I tried to contact shi+o ever since yesterday, but she didn't answer at all I ondering at what time should I dive today”

Although he tried both interactive co her, there was no response at all shi+o wasn't attending school, and thinking that she slept until this late wasn't believable It wasn't weird for Taiga to worry, though Rui orried about so else

”just when did you get shi+o-chan's contact address?”

”When, you ask Yesterday We can't meet in the real world, it would be inconvenient not to know it”

”mu—”

He was right, he was right but——that wasn't interesting at all

Rui forgot she was currently in the a's cheek, she pulled it lightly

”ut ah oo oing?

”It's been only a day since you ht? Rui-san thinks it a bit too fast”

Rui was blatantly unhappy, she repeated the sa a bit harder in the end she let go Taiga refuted while rubbing his slightly red cheek

”Even though you say that I've asked for Rui's contact info on the day we ht?”

”That's true, but somehow I'm not convinced”

”What's up with that”

Recently, Rui's mood often turned for the worse like that all of a sudden Although it usually had so to do with Fuyuki, it seemed like it wasn't limited to her

”I've already told you yesterday, a lot happened It wasn't long but it was pretty intense, so the distance between us shrunk naturally”

”I know that but”

Since Rui quickly became close to him in a similar way, she couldn't deny it

”speaking of which, why is Fuyuki taking a day off? Did her physical ability give out?”

Only Taiga and Rui were present in Paradise at the irl that was usually next to them was absent

”No, that's not it She wanted to recreate the prograave shi+o in the past no matter what 'This tiet my friend back' is what she said”

Using all her abilities, I'll ht, Fuyuki began to work in the dive room

”Is that so Is that all right? What if she passes out in the room”

”When I went to check up on her in theon the floor I carried her to bed and prepared breakfast She should be eating it when she wakes up”

”Eh? Taiga, you can cook?”

”Well, I justelse inside”

It was a great help that rice cookers were fully automated these days

Although he wanted to take a day off together with her, Taiga was absent from the school for 10 days already in just this semester If he took any rades and the way teachers view hih he was reluctant, he left for school leaving his exhausted, sleeping little sister behind

”still, that shi+o, what happened to her?”

”nore you?”

”Uguu”

No, the fact he couldn't rule out that possibility made him anxious

”Is having to listen to so after all?”

'well Rui-san was always listening to Fuyuki's chatter I don't mind it〜”

Although it see things could trigger a change of heart for better or worse

that Karasuba bunch, they really do pointless things

shi+o wasn't acknowledged by her faed herself, with a single opportunity, she could step back into the darkness again

An indescribable unease spread inside Taiga as he started to eat the breakfast Rui made

Part 2

”Uunyaa bright”

A dazzling light entered through the gap in theblinds, causing Fuyuki to htly

Even though she tried to escape fro up her consciousness wouldn't fade away again Her eyes opened little by little, eventually she shook off the temptation to stay in bed and rose up

It see

She opened the blinds using the room's remote control system The sun was nearly at the peak, it seemed like it was noon

”Eh umm why am I on the bed?”

Still half asleep, she checked on her ht

She re until dawn, and the ed at the same time 'Did I walk to bed while unconscious?' is what she considered, but she found soe on the side deck

”A rice ball?”

She looked down fro size bed, It was definitely a rice ball It rapped to prevent it fro up, and there was a piece of paper by its side on which ritten 'Good job'

”Onii”

That's when she noticed, her long black hair was supposed to be in a mess because of work, but it was clean and neat instead

”Fufu he should have said so, I would've let him do it anytime”

Fuyuki tied her hair with a ribbon, preparing her usual twin tails and left the roo her cheeks with the rice ball

There wasn't enough salt in it, and tooit, some parts of it were stiff,

”delicious”

But when she thought her Brother prepared it for her, it was a great treat for her

Since she didn't eat anything since last night, Fuyuki gobbled up three rice balls and checked the time It was half past eleven

Even if I went to school noould only make it for specialized course

Since it was Monday, there were specialized courses in the afternoon Honestly speaking, the specialized course she chose with Rui was boring and tedious There should be no problems if she misses it once However

”since Little Sister is absent, Brother and Rucchan are eating lunch together just the two of them”

Also, they are eating Rui's homemade boxed lunch with their usual atmosphere like a pair of needs

When she thought of that, Fuyuki's heart was quickly filled with jealousy The rice ball's taste disappeared from her mouth and frustration occupied her mind

”Let's go after all Letting brother be alone with a girl other than Little Sister is unforgivable”

Honestly, Rucchan was cute She was incredibly cute

She has cheat-level perfect style and an innocent personality——she seeirls One week ago she announced that she likes her Brother Although it seems like she didn't confess yet, she continues to steadily shorten the distance between them

Fuyuki quickly decided, returned to her rooe into her school uniform

Just when she finished changing and grabbed her bag, she received a e-mail

”Aah, even though I'm in a hurry here, who is that from——eh?”

Sender of the e-mail was——Karasuba shi+o

Fuyuki read the entire ain for a second time

〈”To Hi I want to talk to you about Can wewhere you should co”〉

She looked through the briefly written e multiple times The coordinates indicated it was in 《Aries》, but she didn't know that place Fuyuki displayed the program she had just coht purple crystal

The prograea Garden》

”this time, I won't run away”

She resolved herself, and quietly murmured

In her hand, Fuyuki clenched the thing she couldn't give in the past and rushed to the dive room

And after starting the Arclight, her consciousness dissolved in a sea of electrons

———Her memories were confused

In a world covered with silvery snow, Karasuba shi+o was patiently waiting for a girl as once her friend

The snoas slowly falling down froround

Blocks and pillars of ice were scattered around, although it seemed like the entire landscape was frozen, the temperature she felt was only to an extent of a chill despite wearing a hunter costu that protected players

a mysterious sensation

A delicate white girl who could be mistaken for a snow spirit looked at the winter sky and exhaled while in a daze Even the cold air wouldn't cool down the black e in her heart

Why did hatred fill her endlessly like that Even shi+o herself didn't know the source of these emotions She had no a until this

She didn't knohere those feelings came from, but it was all the same to her

Her body was engulfed with rage, she soaked in a darkness-like abyss and her heart cried out with only a single absolute purpose

”——You came, Hime-chan”

”it's been a long time, shi+-chan”

When she looked down again, there, blooirl

White and black——the two girls who ain

”Long tio?”

”No, you got it wrong Only noe have reunited for real”

”fuun”

As the snow kept falling, their gazes intersected

The eyes of the girl in a re will shone in theain——wanting to crush her

”Did you resolve yourself?”

”Yeah Little Sister won't run away again I will properly end what started seven years ago, and becoain”

””

While Fuyuki was saying she's prepared, shi+o reached out to the bow on her back and set it up Then, after creating an arrow of ice, she immediately released it

Cutting through the cold air, the arro past Fuyuki while grazing her cheek and shattered upon striking the ice pillar behind her

”Friends? You left ? That's pretty selfish of you”

Words of a complete rejection, but Fuyuki still didn't pull out even an inch

”That's certainly true But, I have decided No matter how troublesoive up”

Just like how she was saved in the past

”His don't matter here They're not related to me”

Fuyuki had said how she felt from the bottom of her heart However, it didn't reach shi+o as dominated by hatred She aimed another arroards Fuyuki and released it

”I have only one goal To get revenge on Hime-chan, because of you I suffered”

The ht with me, here and now——that's what shi+o meant

”no Little Sister didn't co so silly”

She was responded to with an arrow Fuyuki dodged the arrohich flew straight towards her head in the nick of time

”Silly? You don't kno h, don't talk as if you know!!”

Her feelings overflowed, she released a heartbreaking cry Seeing those unnaturally strong e

”Let's fight In order to regain the value of my existence, I will surpass Hime-chan”

Rough waves of deep, strong eative eh she was scared, Fuyuki continued to look straight at shi+o

Fuyuki froo, escaped at this point Unable to withstand the negative emotions, she abandoned shi+o to protect herself

”I'm sorry”

That's why, she definitely couldn't withdraw this time

”that so”

Responding to Fuyuki, shi+o narrowed her eyes A cold spine chilling glare, full of hatred and resent noise

”Then it can't be helped I'll have you fight me, even if I have to use force”

That moment, shi+o moved

She quickly created three arrows of ice and released theht shi+o continued to shoot, following her

”Kuu——shi+-chan! Please stop!”

She tried to convince her soot no answer

Instead, the rate of fire at which arroere released increased, and finally Fuyuki was caught

”Tsu——”

With her feet targeted, Fuyuki's movement dulled immediately

shi+o didn't h the sky blue eyes——before that happened, the arrow of ice was shattered by a cri what Fuyuki had in her hands, shi+o's mouth distorted with satisfaction

”You've finally drawn your weapon Then, let's start”

”shi+-chan”

The moment shi+o aimed at her eye, Fuyuki understood Her friend froion from which she can't be taken back, she stepped into a place like that and cannot turn back

”so, there's no other choice but to fight?”

”That's right Otherwise I won't be satisfied”

The words of denial she desired, discarded as if cut with a sword Before shi+o's last word reached her, Fuyuki already resolved herself

”I understand In that case——I won't hold back and will take you down”

She resolved herself, to fight with her

With a flap of her remodelled kimono, Tenryo Fuyuki faced Karasuba shi+o

I feel bad for shi+-chan, but I'le blow

Fuyuki didn't have even a speck of doubt of her victory

It was obvious It's been only two days since shi+o started in 《Aries》 She was definitely a Rank D On the other hand, she was a Rank B and had four years of experience It would be another story if she had specs coa, but it was impossible with those thin limbs

Fuyuki calmly started the calculations for the elemental sphere, however, she suddenly felt an unexpected chill

Not good——Fuyuki ed the formula, and shattered two ele her acceleration from the side

”———《Replicon》 initiate”

The next e of Fuyuki's view

Because Fuyuki didn't have an outstanding dynaa, she couldn't see at all as it that approached her at the speed of sound But the scar gouged in the earth in a straight line indicated it was definitely an attack

”you dodged it”

Fuyuki barely avoided the silvery-white flash When she looked behind her, there was a spear of ice The ice spear's that was stuck in the snowy field was about as thick as a human body

No way, did she just shoot that?!

And at a speed that made it indiscernible

Fuyuki was startled, and on the other hand, despite releasing only one shot shi+o's breathing got rough and sweat appeared on her forehead

”Next one, let's go”

Seeing shi+o prepare another arrow of ice, Fuyukian evasive action immediately

She didn't consider defending, in order to stop it she probably would need a chain of three

Fuyuki's attack-configured prograured that used her own co its characteristics, it took her more time to activate as the chain increased

The difference between a chain of two and three was a second or less, but that difference could be fatal considering that arrow's speed

Ai for Fuyuki who tried to escape from the line of fire, shi+o readied her arrow She fixed her breath after her body was assaulted by pain in reaction to 《Replicon》's usage, and shot while holding her breath

If Taiga was there, he would have seen it The arrow shi+o released fro this process

Even if she deliberately looked at it, it was so fast Fuyuki could only barely see the ice spear, it's aim was a bit off and it landed at her feet The powdery snow the ground was covered with danced in the air because of shock, creating a white smokescreen

This is bad She can hit me anywhere with this!!

The field of vieas blocked by large amounts of snow

Taking away the enemy's vision was a basic tactic The response to an attack is delayed if you can't see it And so, soe of her view

”———!! Triple Spell 《Steam Flare》!”

She immediately smacked three spheres, a red, blue and a white one A shi+ning white ball appeared in front of Fuyuki, it shrunk greatly and burst open as it was pushed away

The shock wave and the ice spear were released at the saulfed ice spear shattered As expected, the shock wave bleay the snow, and the ground was exposed in a circle around the explosion's location

”As expected of you, I guess I shot that with the intention of deciding this h to take Hime-chan down”

”shi+-chan just what did you do?!”

shi+o set up the bohile being vigilant, and Fuyuki shouted in confusion

It was impossible She could understand if it was just 'an excellent attack-configured program'

But after her vision was blocked, shi+o e of her view almost instantly

shi+o's original physical ability was bad and her rank wasn't high, she wasn't supposed to have such leg power

”There is no way to get that strong in such a short period of tiitimate way Please answer me! What did you dabble in, shi+-chan!”

The response was another arrow It was not the ice spear she released before, but its rate of fire was quite fast Fuyuki took it all doith an armour of wind

”That kind of thing doesn't ain the value of my existence That is all”

These ords that came out of her mouth, however shi+o orried about that herself

So from the inside of her head——however, she didn't knohat it was

No, this is alright I'

shi+o threay her doubts, and aimed the boards the sky A crimson fiery arrow appeared in her hand

”Let's go, Hime-chan!!”

Along with the yell, an arrow of flaon

The fla it looked like it stopped at a certain height

”——— 《Meteor Rain》!!!!”

And it split in the air into dozens of flame bullets which poured down on Fuyuki!

It's different frouided missiles!

Although Fuyuki started running, the flaed their course and chased her

She destroyed thite spheres and created a large number of wind blades, the fire bullets detected the blades and swiftly avoided them

”Heey, that's troublesome”

While running, she prepared an ie to counter the fire arrow Then she converted it into an iram, she fixed the data as three blue spheres and shattered them

Whatvortex The wall of water surrounded Fuyuki from all directions and the flame bullets drowned in the water one after another

”A return gift!!”

Fuyuki ed into the shape of a dozen water serpents and approached shi+o with their pointed fangs

There was no way to dodge, it was a simultaneous attack from all sides

However, shi+o ed the water serpent and attacked while continuing to move As expected she didn't have room to make a bold move, Fuyuki moved one of the water snakes to protect herself and took down the arrows flying towards her shi+o also looked for a chance to land an arrow on her, but couldn't find any

Really persistent

She didn't knohy, but shi+o's stats were equivalent to that of a rank A player's And on top of that, her attack-configured prograe player wouldn't be able to stand up to her

Fuyuki's fighting style could be described as an artillery-type She was a typical rear-guard

Since she had poor specs even despite the rank correction, there was no way for her to get behind shi+o as she couldn't move in explosive bursts of speed No other choice, she had to use elemental spheres both offensively, and defensively and rely on her firepower That was the best tactic in the current situation

And in contrast, shi+o was a guerilla-type

She was a long-range type who took advantage of herfor opportunities to attack Although it was a standard tactic to fight that enemy type, in shi+o's case, she released powerful and bold blows instead

They were both in a stalemate and none of them used any tricks——however, the equilibriuly soon

It was sudden shi+o suddenly held her chest in severe pain

”Ha——aaku——!!”

guwan, shi+o's vision shook all at once She screaulfed in pain, and her consciousness drifted away

”shi+-chan?!”

Agitated by the fact shi+o suddenly collapsed, Fuyuki reflexively run towards her

But because of that, she didn't revoke the coiven to the water snake, which attacked shi+o according to the last instruction it was given

”Dam——avoid it!”

Immediately after Fuyuki cried out, the water snake sed shi+o and exploded

A large amount of water splashed out and soared into the air, before pouring down in the form of rain

Each of the rain droplets didn't have much power, but if all of thee

It was definitely fatal Fuyuki showed a pain expression as she worried about shi+o, and headed towards her in a hurry However——

”not yet, the match is still on!!”

On the other side of the curtain made of water, there was shi+o who had a suish on her face The stae that appeared above her head——it had barely decreased at all

”Wha!!”

A normal player, no, even an A-Ranked player would have his HP reduced to half by that attack

No h

”——— 《Partisan》!”

The next h Fuyuki's small body

Part 3

———kin-kon-kan-kon

Fourth period, the class for the subject he orst at, a turned off the electronic textbook and collapsed on the desk, exhausted

”Ahh〜I'm exhausted〜”

”Taiga is really bad atsoon, is it all right?”

”honestly It's not all right at all”

The results for the small test came back today, and he was almost in red That was the result of his poor perfor absent fros, he received Fuyuki's test results as well, she had full a He wondered where did this difference come from

”Cos of the characters Go ask the author himself for that”

”Ahaha”

They were de too much

Taiga was good at memorization, but he was bad at other fundamentals He didn't have many opportunities to come in contact with books when he was a child, he couldn't think of so on his intuition

”Well, let's leave it for now Rather than that, let's go eat lunch”

”Ah, yup But since it's raining we can't use the rooftop? Shall we eat in the classroom we are in now?”

”That's right uh, wait a moment”

There was a call incoa left Rui in the classroom andthe caller's name

”what is it Haya?”

〈”You see with me face-to-face that much?”〉

”That's because whenever you call ood”

〈”I won't deny that”〉

Haya whoood in, he's seen her in that ouftit once before The scenery behind her was not the classroom's, it seems like she didn't come to school

”Student council president playing hooky?”

〈”It's called sick leave If I seriously do this on regular basis, I can avoid having people pry in my matters at times like these”〉

It's not being serious, its pretend Is what he thought but didn't say

”So, did so happen?”

〈”Oh, right About Angel, because there was so that worried me I performed a scan on all virtual bodies in 《Aries》 when I had soe reactions”〉

”Strange reactions?”

〈”Yeah On top of that, they didn't log out ever since last night Well, that in itself isn't so rare, but with this tiotso I recovered its distributed data And then, well, it seeed”〉

”make it a bit easier to understand”

He wanted her to finally take into consideration who it is she's talking with

〈”In a nutshell, the virtual body was remodelled No, to be exact it's more like it was co up the virtual body was abnorh”〉

The virtual body was also made of data Of course it was possible to interfere with it

However, since virtual bodies could affect the human body in reality, the security was top class It shouldn't be that easy to interfere with it

”And what does higher density mean?”

〈”They get incredibly strong The virtual body itself is enhanced, and not only the athletic abilities but also reflexes ie for hellish pain”〉

”Pain? Doesn't Elysion block the pain?”

〈”There's a rule that says it only applies to normal virtual bodies It's different when it'san illegal one And so, that co crushed into one thousandth of its size”〉

”That sounds painful”

Just by ioosebua pulled his cheek to feel the pain

Froram similar to 《Synchro Infinity》

Although both hacked into the virtual body, that prograuration itself In contrast to it, the prograa, 《Synchro Infinity》 simply disabled all the extra features

In the first place the 'structural ability coa and instead beca his virtual body, of course they were different

〈”I'el Well then, continue the investigation”〉

”Hey hey”

She ended the call before Taiga could reply properly It's not time to do that now, is what he wanted to say to her

”I want to become a person who can say 'no”

”I think that's impossible”

The words he said without thinking were denied from behind hi, and came closer to him with a smile

”That's because Taiga is too kind, and one way or another he ends up getting pulled in”

”I'm aware of that so you don't have to tell me nn? Was that an e-mail?”

He opened thethinking it's Haya again But, instead 《Unknoritten on the field of the sender's name

At first Taiga put on a puzzled expression

First of all, he could count out all the people who knew his contact inforers of both hands, he didn't re his mail address anywhere This kind of mail shouldn't have arrived

”《Unknown》? It looks like it contains a video file”

Rui was looking into it fro the mail

Hesitatingly, Taiga started the video fro like white powder flying around, the video quality was far from perfect

———And there, Fuyuki fought with shi+o, the entire thing was captured with details

”what'sthis?”

Fuyuki wearing a remodelled ki a hunter costu around——it was a sight coa was dumbfounded

”It was taken twenty seconds ago?! This is pretty much real time!”

The video cut off as the spear of ice shi+o released pierced through Fuyuki

”———!!”

As soon as the playback ended, Taiga started to run Rui also followed him in a hurry

”Taiga, where are you going?!'

”That's obvious! I'o to that place——!!”

”Then you won't ht be all over before you arrive there!”

Hearing these cals just as he was about to jump from the

Certainly, going home from this place would take time even if he hurried Since it was noon, there weren't , in fact it would delay him even more