Chapter 9Haruyuki desperately stared at the steel hole with the eight clockwise spirals.
Sat.u.r.day. Afternoon 4pm.
To defend the Black legion, «Nega Nebulas»’s control of Suginami 3rd area, they were currently in the middle of an official territory battle.
The challengers were a Blue, Red, and Purple balanced trio. Those were the faces that attacked them a lot recently. Which meant they were the opponents that caused Haruyuki’s unsightly piled up losses.
The one he was weakest against, was the dark red cloak sniper type avatar with the long and large anti-materiel rifle. Lying down at the roof of a building far away from the front line, tremendous powerful bullets were shot with fearsome accuracy in their direction.
Of the three people in Nega Nebulas, Kuroyukihime and Tak.u.mu are mostly close contact types, so naturally the enemy sniper opponent was left to Haruyuki who had high movement abilities. Even saying so, since Haruyuki did not have any long range attacks, he must determine the sniper’s position and fly there in the flesh.
However in territory battles thus far, while he was closing in, Haruyuki was unable to avoid the enemy’s shots, and was unsightly knocked down many times. For balance, Kuroyukihime had to use her high fighting ability to make it up, so during the weekend he was fiercely disgusted at himself.
And then right now, while Haruyuki was flying at full speed, he was accurately tracked by the black gun muzzle from the roof of a building one kilometer ahead.
Closing in with a straight line is the same saying ‘please shoot me’, so he moved as randomly as possible to escape from the enemy’s scope, and once in a while hid behind obstacles on the ground. However, with some kind of skill, the large caliber rifle continued to track Haruyuki from a long distance without any delay.
‘- When will it fire. Now? Next?’
In his view while he pa.s.sed by at high speed, on street buildings here and there, were shapes of the gallery. Right after his debut, being the owner of the one and only «Flight Ability», Haruyuki was very active, but methods to attack him were a.n.a.lyzed, so now he mostly showed them scenes where he was unsightly shot down. If the gallery was disappointed with that - it might have been better. Recently whenever he pa.s.sed them, he thought about whether they were laughing at him or not, and the root of his head got hot.
Also, in the battle field behind him, while Tak.u.mu and Kuroyukihime were fighting with their close combat opponents, were they looking at him? Will he be able to take care of the sniper today, or do they have to follow up after him again, as he thought of those things.
‘- When will you shoot? Hurry and shoot. So I can be released from this heavy pressure.’
Unknowingly, for Haruyuki who went straight into the defeated mode - .
His eyes opened wide suddenly.
This is just a repeat of the previous week. Had he not learnt anything?
Of course, he did not become stronger overnight. With just a little training, he would not be suddenly able to dodge that bullet.
But, he could change his awareness at anytime.
‘I am not fighting to look cool in front of the gallery. Not to be recognized by Tak.u.mu, or be praised by Kuroyukihime.’
It’s for himself. The menial, weak, and heavyweight self that he hated, he wanted to fight so that he liked himself a little better than yesterday.
Then -
“Don’t run away!!”
He scolded himself quietly, and put strength into his two eyes again.
Don’t look at the gun muzzle. That anti-materiel rifle is not the enemy.
The one who laid flat, that avatar whose finger is on the trigger. The one who moved the avatar is a Burst Linker. That brain sending out intention for shooting - feel it!
Haruyuki wrung all his concentration to look away from the gun muzzle, and stared straight at the sniper’s right eye that looked through the scope.
Then, somehow he felt a slight movement from the enemy.
Right after that, an orange flash shone from far away, and a shining bullet was shot from the rifle’s jaw.
Before he could determine the incoming bullet’s path, Haruyuki’s right wing angle changed slightly, and his body tilted. With a ‘Gyan!’ sound, the bullet left a shallow gouge on his right chest, and flew behind him.
1.5 seconds later, before the enemy could finish pulling the bolt handle on the rifle, Haruyuki hit his jaw with a punch.
“Oi, you managed to avoid that!”
At the moment he returned to the real world, his back was knocked on so Haruyuki jumped up from his chair.
Turning around, he saw the Burst Out one step ahead - Kuroyukihime’s smiling face.
In the lounge next to Umesato middle school’s cafeteria, they were at their normal table deep inside. Since it was a late Sat.u.r.day afternoon, there wasn’t a sign of any other students, including Tak.u.mu, as he dived from the roof.
“Ah, yes... that, probably once in a while...”
After he shrunk his head and said so, she showed him a face of relief.
“It’s not once in a while. That was perfect timing. Did you see some kind of cue ahead in time?”
To Kuroyukihime who leaned her waist on the table and looked down at him, Haruyuki mumbled ‘that, that is’ as he answered.
“Cue... if you put it that way... somehow, at the moment I looked at that guy’s scope instead of the gun muzzle, I felt like his aim shook... and dodged on reaction, something like that...”
After he mumbled that out, Kuroyukihime raised one eyebrow sharply.
“Hoo? Nn... I see, I got it... so it’s like that.”
“Wh, what do you get...?”
“No, for that sniper. No matter what, I thought that sniper’s accuracy is way too good... probably, he has an ability that can be said to be «Gaze Sensing».”
Haruyuki blinked, and asked in return.
“G, gaze sensing...?”
“Umu. That is, «Feeling the enemy’s gaze on the gun muzzle, and automatically aiming».”
“Huh!? Th... that means, up till now, I kept staring at that gun muzzle and was shot down, is that what it means...?”
“That is what it means.”
“No... no way...”
He dropped his jaw in shock, and slid down on his chair, as Kuroyukihime laughed with ‘Fufufu’.
“Don’t be so depressed. Even with that trick, you dodged that bullet with that kind of speed, it’s a tribute to your efforts. In just this one month, your reaction speed went up so much that I can see the change. You did some kind of training in secret right?”
“Ah... you knew...?”
In front of Haruyuki who cowered, Kuroyukihime crossed her black stocking covered legs, then her neat and wisdom filled beautiful face showed a smile.
“Of course. I am your «parent». What kind of training did you do?”
“Th... that is, well...”
Haruyuki explained the training room that he made from his idea.
Then.
With a ‘Gochin!’ sound, his head was knocked on, and a scream came from Haruyuki.
“Higii!?”
“A... ar, are you an idiot!? From that close range, trying to dodge a handgun bullet with no gunman!? And furthermore with pain sensation set to maximum!?”
Kuroyukihime who shouted with a blazing expression, for a while her right fist shook, but - .
She saw Haruyuki with tears frozen in both eyes, and she blew out a long breath, then suddenly hugged his head with both hands.
“Wa, waa!? Se, senpai, wh, wha...”
When he almost fainted from the feeling the softness through the school uniform, a changed and calm voice echoed from above his head.
“...I told you right? No matter what happens, our relationship, nothing will be harmed. Believe it. This is an order.”
“...Y, yes.”
Seeing Haruyuki relax and nod, Kuroyukihime left his head and smiled.
“I will tell you now, the reason for accepting the Red King’s request this time was, to convey to you that winning and losing is not everything, I also thought of it like that. That’s why, don’t be too unreasonable. Become stronger bit by bit... that way, I will be happy too. Then, it’s about time to go home.”
Haruyuki looked at Kuroyukihime who stood up and took her school bag from the table, then gave another deep nod.
And then he could not make a sound, so murmured only in his mouth.
“Me too... Me too, no matter what happens... I won’t hurt you a second time.”
“Nn? Did you say something?”
To Kuroyukihime who turned around while her long hair swayed, Haruyuki hurriedly shook his head.
“N... no, nothing!”
Then he stood up from his chair, and quickly chased after his parent that’s a King, and also uppercla.s.sman and beloved person.
After he opened his apartment home door, the air that still had a bit of sweet smell covered Haruyuki.
The dim hall that returned only silence, was a familiar scene, but it gave him a bit of loneliness. The two Kings staying overnight was just for two nights, but that experience will not be forgotten for a long time.
“...I am home.”
He murmured that and took off his shoes, then Haruyuki continued to the empty living room and opened the door.
His mother should have returned this morning from her overseas trip, but somehow she left only her suitcase and soon went to work. That is unbelievable vitality.
After he removed his uniform coat, and placed it with his necktie on the back of a chair, it was then that Haruyuki noticed the blinking icon in his view. Just like that time, his mother left him a message in the home server.
While taking a bottle of Oolong tea from the refrigerator, he played the message with his voice command. A slight noise touched his hearing, then his mother’s flesh voice continued.
[- Haruyuki, today I will be late, or might not return home. The clothes in the suitcase, please take them out for cleaning. Ah, also, sorry but we are again asked to take care of a child. This time is a colleague"s child, it’s just for one night so please take care of it. When Haruyuki comes home, that child should be there already. Then, yoroshiku.]
‘- What was that?’
While tilting the Oolong tea gla.s.s, Haruyuki froze.
‘No way. It must be a lie. No matter how you put it.’
He took one drink, then left the gla.s.s. While holding his breath, he looked around.
The living room and kitchen was completely empty. The lights were off, and the air was quiet. With Haruyuki’s desperate cleaning last night, the retro game tournament’s disaster from the day before yesterday was all gone without a trace.
While he held his breath, and look around again, in Haruyuki’s ears - .
From somewhere, a slight, however for certain, he heard a cackling sound.
“...Kidding, must be...”
While groaning, he flew out of the living room with lightning speed, dashed in the hall, and pushed open the door to his room that was ahead.
And then, Haruyuki took a deep breath, and screamed.
“Gyaaa - !!”
On top of his bed.
Lying flat, with crossed legs, on top of a mountain of previous era paper comic pulled from his secret storage area, flipping one book, was a bright red girl.
“Ni... ni, nini...”
Taking a glance at the trembling Haruyuki, the girl lifted her head with the pigtails on either side swaying, and said in a smile.
“Welcome home, onii-chan.”
“Wh, who!!”
With that scream, Haruyuki collapsed where he was, the girl - «Immobile Fortress», «b.l.o.o.d.y Storm», the Red King, Scarlet Rain that is Kouduki Yuniko, he pointed at her as his mouth opened and closed, then finally managed say one line.
“...Niko. How did you get here?”
“Don’t make me explain the same thing again. Just a little fake email.”
Sudden returning to her normal tone of voice, Niko lifted her upper body. The comic book - not an educational one, the one filled with dead people - she waved that around and snickered.
“You, also have nice interest here as well.”
“Wh... why thank you. ...Not that!!”
While breathing heavily with ‘haahaa’ sounds, Haruyuki shook his head that lost strength left and right.
“...No matter what, isn’t this unreasonable? Just one day after using the same kind of social engineering, why...”
“Say what. I was thinking of coming here to say thank you.”
To Niko whose lips became pointed, he hurriedly showed a nod.
“Th, that courtesy, thanks.”
If she became upset again, and «Duel» him today, this time for certain he would be roasted by that super firepower. While showing a stiff smile, Haruyuki quickly said.
“You are welcome. ...That business, is done right? For your return, you can use that door...”
“Ah, that kind of att.i.tude huh. Hmm. I was going to report after the fact, forget it.”
“H, hear it, I will hear it!”
She looked down at Haruyuki who sat down properly, sat cross-legged with her slender legs extending from the cut jeans, then Niko gave him an once over, but fortunately she continued her words.
“...About the incident with Chrome Disaster.”
Haruyuki swallowed a small breath, and changed his mind’s gear. This is information that he must report to Kuroyukihime later.
“...Last night, I reported the execution of Disaster to the other five Kings including that Radio guy. For now, that incident is taken care of. For me, Yellow hiding the «Armor» is still a problem. Unfortunately we don’t have proof...”
“...I see...”
Haruyuki slowly nodded. Continuing, he fearfully asked.
“And then... That, «Cherry Rook»...?”
“...”
Niko was silent for a while, as she looked up at the evening sky through the south window.
The red brown eyes narrowed, and she winkled her long eyebrows once, then quietly answered.
“That guy, will be moving away next month.”
“What...?”
“A distant relative, offered to take him in so late at this time. Our school’s expenses are all covered by taxes, so they cannot reject that kind of offer for students. The place he is moving to... is f.u.kuoka.”
“...I see. That is far away.”
“Well, yea. That was why he was so impatient. Once he moves away, his bond with me, will become just Brain Burst. Furthermore, there are almost no Burst Linkers outside Tokyo. Not being able to duel means he won’t level up... with that impatience, he was eaten by the «Armor»...”
Showing a drinking something gesture, Niko smiled slightly.
“But, maybe because he lost Brain Burst... today that guy, had his original... the face that he showed me when he first talked to me. Recently he did not go to cla.s.ses, and did not talk to anyone, but today he talked to me properly. So then... I, thought. Even if he is not a Burst Linker... and he moved to f.u.kuoka. VR worlds, is not limited to the accelerated world, right?”
Haruyuki looked at her, and made a big nod.
“Y... yea, of course that is right.”
“That’s why, I, had never thought about it till now though... think that I should play some other VR game. Together with that guy, something that you can play for a long time. If you, know of something good, tell me.”
“...I see. I see...”
Again, this time he repeatedly nodded, then Haruyuki answered.
“Then, what I have at home, you can take anything. ...The genre is a bit deviated though.”
“Hahaha.”
Niko laughed, and suddenly turned around, searching in the small rucksack that was beside her.
What she pulled out, was a brown paper bag. She lightly threw that, and Haruyuki hurriedly caught it in both hands.
“Wh, what?”
“Well... somehow, that is.. the thank you. You, at that time, ate while saying ‘delicious delicious’ right.”
While tilting his head, he opened the paper bag, and a light sweet b.u.t.ter scent whiffed up. Covered with white kitchen paper, the face of a few golden disks looked up.
While dumbfounded, Haruyuki took out a still slightly warm cookie, and fearfully asked Niko.
“Err... th, this, can I really have it...?”
“Say what. Give it back if you don’t want it!”
After being glared at, he hurriedly shook his head.
“Want, I want! Th... thank you. I was a little surprised...”
He lowered his head and bit into the cookie in his hand.
Sweet, fragrant, and a bit salty taste.
Reality’s taste, he thought. This taste is a symbol of something in reality.
That something is - ‘Niko and I, right now without a doubt became friends in the real world’, that is what it means.
“...Ugu.”
From Haruyuki’s throat, a strange sound leaked out.
Shrinking his round body as much as possible, desperately hiding his face, Haruyuki took another bite of the cookie. At that moment, he heard a high shriek coming from above the bed.
“Y... y, you, why are you crying! Ar, are you an idiot, you can just die!!”
While Niko who was face down on the bed, as he listened to her continually shouting ‘idiot idiot’, Haruyuki continued to eat the cookies that became slightly saltier.