Chapter 8
During the ten minute break at the end of second period, Haruyuki changed out of his gym clothes into his school uniform and returned to the second-years’ cla.s.s C.
Immediately after he pulled the door open and set foot into the cla.s.sroom, he was showered in considerable applause and stood stock-still. However, now that he thought about it, if he were a somewhat anemic, willowy female, then maybe this would not have happened, but since he was a male who had tried too hard and collapsed in a cla.s.s that was only gym cla.s.s at most, he would be seen as a somewhat physical type of comedian. Shrinking his neck, while lowering his head obsequiously he dashed to his seat; exactly at the point where he sat down, the chime for third period rang, and he let out a long breath.
He lifted his head, and his eyes met with those of Chiyuri, who looking back at him in a worried manner from the seat diagonally right in front of him. Nodding as if to say “I’m fine,” on that occasion he also made fleeting eye contact with Tak.u.mu, who was sitting at his back right.
Tak.u.mu’s facial expression seemed truly apologetic; in short, he was probably thinking that why Haruyuki had tried so hard to the point of collapsing was the fault of his own advice that “image is important.”
—It’s not your fault; on the other hand, thanks to you I was able to realize something important; I thank you for that.
Putting those thoughts into his gaze, he smiled widely, and Tak.u.mu also finally made his mouth grin widely.
During the cla.s.ses of third, fourth period, lunch break, and afternoon cla.s.ses as well, while studying with half his mind, with the other half Haruyuki continued to think single-mindedly.
What was the «second stage Mind Power» that he needed to find and nurture—.
He understood that now there were other urgent duties on which he needed to concentrate more. Of course, it was the «Imperial Palace escape strategy II», which was drawing close tonight at seven. He must dive together with Shinomiya Utai, also known as Ardor Maiden, into the Unlimited Neutral Field, meet again with the mysterious deep-blue young warrior Trilead Tetraoxide, receive his a.s.sistance, and return alive from the Imperial Palace as well as the territory of the Four Divine Beasts. If he considered the fact that they would fall into the terrifying state of «Infinite EK» if they were defeated by one of the warrior avatars prowling the interior of the Imperial Palace (not to mention also Suzaku, one of the Divine Beasts), no matter how much he concentrated it would not be too much.
However, Haruyuki could not help himself by any means from continuing to think about his own Mind Power.
As for why, at present another «circ.u.mstance» that he could not defer had arisen.
Namely, teaching the basics of the Incarnate system to his eternal rival—or the Burst Linker who had tentatively become that, the end-of-century bike rider Ash Roller.
At the end of their duel before going to school, when Ash had asked him straightaway “Could you teach it to me? The Incarnate system,” Haruyuki had been taken aback for close to a full five seconds.
After his ability to think somehow recovered, what he asked first of all was a question that he thought likely to be extremely obvious.
“Wh…why, me?”
In doing so, the end-of-century rider said,
“Well you see, you’re that, right? Master Raker’s disciple, right? Which means you’re my kouhai1, my brother disciple2, right?”
In a further second, he understood that that strange word referred to a «junior disciple»; stopping himself from b.u.t.ting in “But with that way of saying it you can’t distinguish it from «senior disciple»,” for the moment he asked back a practical question.
“If, if so, wouldn’t it be fine if you were properly taught by Raker-san? If it’s her, then regardless of differences in legion, I believe she’d teach it scrupulously to her own «child», Ash-san…and no doubt, thoroughly…”
“…That’s it. That «thorough» part’s the problem.”
The instant he caught the ring that seemed in some way frightened in the voice leaked from below his scarface, Haruyuki realized what Ash had a problem with. He did not seem to be frightened; he was frightened. Frightened of that fearsome spartan style of training, like that of two months before: when Kurasaki Fuuko alias Sky Raker had begun to teach Haruyuki the basics of the Incarnate system, she had pushed him off the apex of the Old Tokyo Tower.
Staring at Ash Roller for a while out of the corner of his eye, Haruyuki spoke.
“Um, if I may dare to use a self-important manner of putting it…the Incarnate system’s not such a lenient thing. A way of doing things like using a dubious Neuro Linker-use study kit to acquire it with ease without going through hard pains is kinda…”
“Don’t say everything! I got it, I too understand that!”
Before Haruyuki’s eyes, Ash thrust his rider glove palms straight out and shouted.
“But if you’ll let me say it, Master’s lessons that you experienced were the mild version meant for guests!”
“Eh…th, they were?”
“That’s right! …well, generally speaking, I, how do you put it…this way of saying it might be unexpected, but I don’t have the intention of firmly acquiring the Incarnate system and competing like mad with baddies in the Unlimited Neutral Field. I’m fine with being able to use an Incarnate technique in just one fight; no, just one time. If I can give that guy Uu who’s beginning to be swallowed up by the «ISS Kit» one hard knock and open his eyes, I’m fine with that…”
At those unexpected words, Haruyuki looked back at the side of the skull face. Ash Roller, who had turned his face to the sky of the stage, murmured quietly in a voice tinged with uncharacteristic heaviness.
“Because to me, Brain Burst is to the end a fighting game.”
If he were spoken to like that, he could no longer refuse flatly.
As to why, the one who had conveyed to Ash Roller the information that «now’s our chance to deal Bush Utan a blow with Mind Power and destroy the ISS Kit» was Haruyuki himself.
There, the duel time had ended; Haruyuki was unable to say either yes or no to Ash’s «request», but however it had undoubtedly been conveyed to him. The fact that Haruyuki had made up his mind to accept his request.
While he continued to think round and round with half his mind, the end-of-sixth-period chime rang, and the atmosphere in the cla.s.sroom became bubbly and enlivened.
Switching places with the subject teacher, the homeroom teacher Sugeno appeared, and the short homeroom period began. At the end of the various messages, the incident of Arita’s loss of consciousness was brought up; at the point where he was scolded with the welcome maxim of “It’s very good to try your best, but diligently maintaining your own physical condition is an athlete’s ironbound law” and broke into a cold sweat, the after-school chime rang.
First, Haruyuki talked lightly about that night’s plans with Chiyuri and Tak.u.mu, who were going to track and kendo practice respectively. After club and committee activities ended, they would change clothes, a.s.semble at Haruyuki’s house, have a meeting with all legion members present, and thereafter commence the «Imperial Palace escape strategy»—they confirmed that flow of events and for the time being parted.
While he changed into sneakers at the entranceway and headed alone to the backyard in order to do his committee activities, Haruyuki continued to ask himself a single question single-mindedly.
Whether he had the qualifications to teach someone the way of using Mind Power.
In the nurse’s office, when he had sought his initiation into Mind Power in an almost slightly impatient way from Kuroyukihime, that doubt might have also existed in the depths of his heart.
In terms of just technical knowledge regarding the «Incarnate system»—namely, the sub-control system of the fighting game Brain Burst, a method of consciously using one’s imagination circuits—he had self-confidence in having acquired some as such. However, Mind Power was not a mere technique. It displayed an overwhelming power outside the rules, but on the other hand the terrible risk of the player likely being pulled into his or her heart’s own dark side existed. That was not just an a.n.a.logy. Burst Linkers who unleashed negative Mind Power had even their real-world personalities distorted. Like the robber «Dusk Taker». And then, like the Tak.u.mu of yesterday—.
If he were to teach somebody the basics of Mind Power, he must devote himself to paying discreet attention such that his companion was not pulled to the dark side. It would probably not be enough just explaining the dangers in words. There was a need to show an ill.u.s.tration of how great a miracle Mind Power could produce at the very beginning. Like Sky Raker, who made her wheelchair dance back and forth, left and right without using her hands, or Black Lotus, who changed her sword into her hand.
If one considered that point of view, Haruyuki’s «Laser Sword» and «Laser Lance» were somewhat weak. The reason was that as phenomena they were only mere one-shot attack techniques. There were no few numbers of other Burst Linkers who had acquired special techniques that possessed about the same range and power.
If he really had the intention of lecturing Ash Roller about the Incarnate system, he would probably have to show him the power of the «second stage» that Kuroyukihime had mentioned, not just the elementary four types of techniques. If he could not do that, then he probably did not have the qualifications to teach people Mind Power.
“…Though, having said that…”
While going around the second school building from its east side and walking on the backyard covered in moss, with a sigh mixed in Haruyuki muttered that.
At the nurse’s office, Kuroyukihime had said that to acquire the second stage of Mind Power, one must face one’s physical self head-on, reverse one’s trauma, which had become one’s avatar’s mold, and produce an image of hope. However, frankly Haruyuki himself did not understand well why he had been born as «Silver Crow»—as a metal-color who possessed slender limbs, a smooth head, and ten metal fins.
Because he had grown fat, he yearned for a thin body. Because he had lived groveling on the ground, he yearned for wings to fly in the sky. It was simple to draw that conclusion. But for some reason, he had the feeling that was not all. Because with that explanation, he did not understand the reason why he was a metal-color…
At that time, suddenly he heard a faint voice from somewhere.
—And then, people who possess «sh.e.l.ls of trauma» that cross a certain level of intensity will almost certainly become metal-colors-ya wa3…
“..?”
He stopped still with fear and looked around at his surroundings.
It was the slightly husky voice of a girl. However, there was no one’s figure in the dim backyard. Again, he strained his ears, but only the calls of the sports club members practicing on the faraway grounds and the sounds of the concert band club tuning instruments in the music room reached him.
However, he had not misheard it. Even if he did not know the word «sh.e.l.l of trauma», there were no female acquaintances in his surroundings who used the Kansai dialect.
Throb.
All of a sudden, a point on his back between his shoulder blades hurt intensely. He unintentionally staggered and put his hand on the wall of the school building at his side. Throb, throb. The pain did not readily go away.
Muscle soreness from first period’s gym cla.s.s—it wasn’t that. Haruyuki already knew that this pain was not coming from an abnormality in his body.
“…hh…why, is that…here now…”
While clenching his fists and bearing it, he muttered in a hoa.r.s.e voice.
That was right. That—the «Disaster Armor» parasitizing Silver Crow, namely the sixth star of the Seven Arcs «The Destiny» that had mutated and had given birth to the Enhanced Armament «The Disaster» was being excited.
In the depths of his ears, the roar of a ferocious beast different from the voice before reverberated.
—Destroy. Destroy. Those guys…tear them apart…chew them to pieces…devour them..!
In response to the quant.i.ty of heated anger and hate contained in that voice to an alarming extent, Haruyuki gasped for breath while still leaning on the wall.
Two weeks before, in the final stretch of the «Hermes Cord Traverse Race», being spurred on by rage toward Rust Jigsaw Haruyuki had summoned the «Armor». Though his mind had begun to be nearly completely controlled for a while, due to Chiyuri’s special technique «Citron Call Mode 2», time for his avatar had been rewound, and the Armor had again been restored to simple parasitic factors—their ent.i.ty was the hook wire fragments left by the fifth generation Disaster, Cherry Rook.
Since then he had never heard the Disaster’s voice, but yesterday evening he had fought with Tak.u.mu, who had begun to be swallowed up by the ISS Kit, and in order to pull him back Haruyuki had tried to summon the original form of the «Armor», «The Destiny». Although it was not the Disaster itself, through the summoning process the parasitic factors might have again slightly awoken.
—However. Even while bearing the pulse of the lightning-like pain, Haruyuki felt some sort of sense of unease.
In some way, there was…something different from the previous «voice of the Disaster». He had that hunch. The brutal impulse to destroy was the same, but it was likely that behind it there was another emotion vaster than the wrath and hatred. Howling, raging, and then—this emotion that seemed like wailing…
Before he knew it Haruyuki was trying to tune his consciousness to the voice to which he had been blocking his eyes and ears in the expectations that it would go away.
That moment, the highest degree of dizzying, intense pain up until now ran from his back to the center of his head, and he fell to the ground on his knees, trembling. A savage howl completely filled his hearing.
—Destroy. Destroy. Destroy destroy devour devour devour devour devour devour..!!
…Is this…sorrow..?
…Are you, crying..?
The answer in response to Haruyuki’s question was a third merciless staggering blow. No longer even letting out a moaning voice, he tightly scrunched up his eyes and began to fall forward onto the moss-covered ground—but just beforehand.
Somebody supported Haruyuki’s shoulders from the front with her small hands.
In that state, a soft, tender feeling enveloped his upper body. Quicker than he understood somebody had caught him in her arms, with his two arms Haruyuki also embraced that somebody as if to cling to her.
She had a cool body temperature like that of lulling, soothing, and absorbing blazing crimson flames. Each time her small hands rubbed his back, the pulse of pain rapidly receded.
“…”
Letting out a thin breath, Haruyuki relaxed his stiffened body.
With his thinking process still over halfway at a stop, vacantly he raised his eyelids. Before his eyes was a deep red, thin radial line on a background of black like sparklers on a summer evening. It took some time for him to notice that that was an iris—basically, a human eye.
He pulled back his face just a little bit and expanded his field of vision.
Fifteen centimeters before his eyes existed the face of a youthful girl whose large pupils were opened wide as if worried.
Bangs cut neatly to the same length. The back was fastened with a thin ribbon. A neck so thin it made one surprised, and below that a white dress type of uniform. A brown leather satchel on her shoulder—.
“…Shi, nomiya…san..?”
Haruyuki whispered in a hoa.r.s.e voice, and his companion nodded deeply.
It was Shinomiya Utai, the off-campus member of Umesato Middle’s caretaker committee on which Haruyuki served as chairman. A fourth grader of the affiliated Matsunogi Elementary Inst.i.tute. And a level 7 Burst Linker who occupied a corner of the upper echelons of the first-generation Nega Nebulas «Elements» in the Accelerated World, «Ardor Maiden».
At the appearance of a person on whom he could rely unconditionally, Haruyuki thinly exhaled a breath of relief and hastened to separate himself a bit more from her face, which had approached him far too closely.
However, he could not. As to why, it was because his own two arms were hugging her body, which was small and slender even for the norms for her age, tightly with all his might.
“…”
After looking down at the dress of Utai, who was in close proximity, and his round belly for two seconds, Haruyuki finally became aware of his deed that defied even the heavens and cried out.
“Nohyaa!”
Like a spring mechanism, he opened his two hands left and right and jumped fifty centimeters backward from his kneeling posture.
“I, I’m, I’m shorry! Y-y-you’ve got it wrong, i-i-it’s not like that…”
As he waved his hands in a flapping way, there was a red system message in the center of his virtual desktop. Without recognizing whether it was an ad hoc connection request, he pressed the yes b.u.t.ton. As soon as the chat window appeared in the bottom of his field of vision, Utai’s lovely ten fingers typed in the air with furious momentum.
【UI> There is no need to worry, Arita-san. We are probably out of view of the social cameras.】
—Was, was that so? Speaking of which, wasn’t that even worse?
For an instant, he had thought that but did not put it into words; Haruyuki tried to make a more logical justification.
“Uh, um well, while I was walking I felt a little dizzy, and I thought it was undoubtedly because I had went all-out too much in gym cla.s.s, but since I’m fine now, I’m sorry to have caused you to worr…”
However, his words were interrupted by Utai’s placid as well as heartbreaking smile, which seemed to see through everything. After she separated her knees, which were on the ground like Haruyuki’s, and got up, she slightly dropped her speed and began moving her fingers again.
【UI> You don’t need to be in such a flurry. Because I understand… What had happened just now was probably the thing called «Overflow».】
“O…over, flow?”
He tilted his head at the word he had heard, no, seen for the first time. However, immediately after, Haruyuki opened his eyes wide at the line of words that continued to flow.
【UI> It’s a higher version of «Zero Fill». If the act of one’s heart being filled to the brim with an absence of Mind Power, basically resignation or a sense of helplessness, and becoming unable to move is Zero Fill, then overflow is the act of negative Mind Power…rage, hate, or despair overflowing and becoming unable to control oneself. Of course, originally it was a phenomenon that occurred to Burst Linkers in the Accelerated World, but I heard that even in the real world it happens rarely to Burst Linkers who are users of negative Mind Power.】
“…Negative, Mind Power…”
He mumbled in a small voice and abruptly looked at Utai’s face. While shaking his head back and forth, he forced out some words.
“Uh, um, I’m…definitely not doing anything like practicing negative Mind Power of my own accord…”
Whereupon Utai again smiled placidly, walked up right next to his side, and touched her left hand to Haruyuki’s cheek in a squishy way. At the same time, she typed with her right hand alone.
【UI> I said it, didn’t I; I understand. Earlier, that was…the interference of the «Armor», wasn’t it?】
“..!”
He sharply swallowed his breath, but if she had seen through him to that extent then it couldn’t be helped even if he denied it.
“…Yes, that’s correct… By remembering something…um, with the springboard of remembering somebody’s words, suddenly it began to act violently…”
【UI> Words? Of what kind?】
“Uh, I can’t remember who it was. In fact, no matter how I think about it, it was the voice of someone I didn’t know…if I remember correctly, the content was that if there was something about one’s sh.e.l.l of trauma, then one would become a metal-color, something like that…”
What had trembled with a twitch was not Haruyuki but the left hand of Utai, who was touching his cheek.
The iris streaked with deep red lines opened completely wide. Her lips faintly quivered, but of course her voice did not come out; her right hand tapped the keyboard falteringly.
【UI> Who was it? Who was the one who said that to you, Arita-san?】
“…Sorry, I’m trying as hard as I can to remember…but it’s no use, I don’t know. All I recall was that it was the voice of a female…”
【UI> Is that so. I’m sorry, please forget it. Is your physical condition fine now?】
It seemed to be a sudden change of topic, but Haruyuki immediately forgot his sense of discomfort and nodded. Utai’s left hand left him; with a heave-ho, he stood up and brushed off his uniform at the knees.
“Unh, I’m fine now, thank you. —It seems wholly as if you can use Mind Power even in the real world, Shinomiya-san.”
While thanking her and saying that casually at the same time, Utai showed signs of acting bashfully in a way appropriate for her age, which was rare. Her cheeks slightly reddened, she cast her eyes down, and she let out a flow of words in the chat log in one go with the fastest typing speed up until now.
【UI> I’m glad it didn’t turn into a serious matter. I believe there’s no need to worry that much with regards to the interference of the «Armor». If it’s an Enhanced Armament that’s had that much of a history, rather it’d be strange if overflow didn’t occur. No matter what interference there is, unless you intone the equipping command in the Accelerated World, it should not exhibit a connection-like influence. Besides, either way, if tonight’s escape strategy succeeds, I’ll be able to purify you of the parasitic factors on the spot.】
“…Unh, that’s true.”
Why Haruyuki’s answer was a moment late was because he had felt an instant of vacillation about the presently most important topic, the «purification of the Armor» mission—everything was nothing more than laying the groundwork for the sake of both Ardor Maiden’s rescue and the escape from the Imperial Palace.
However, was there the need to hesitate about something? If he did not completely get rid of the Disaster Armor, at the imminent «Seven Kings’ meeting» in three days, Silver Crow would be designated with a bounty on his head by the joint signature of the six large legions. He absolutely had to avoid that.
Fortunately, it seemed Utai, whose head was lowered, had not noticed Haruyuki’s abnormal state; she continued to make her fingers flash.
【UI> Now then, let us begin committee activities. Hou-san must be hungry.】
She swiftly waved her hand, erasing the keyboard, and she lifted up her bag, which had been put in a place slightly separated from them. Haruyuki hastily chased after Utai, who had headed for the caretaker shed in the northwest corner of the backyard and had begun to walk briskly without trying to regard Haruyuki’s face.
The African Sunda Scops-owl «Hou» had moved from Matsunogi Inst.i.tute to Umesato Middle a mere three days ago.
However, the small-cla.s.s bird of prey nodding off on his perch established in the caretaker shed already seemed completely used to his new surroundings. Though he did not so much as open his eyelids even if Haruyuki approached the shed, as soon as he noticed the footsteps of Utai, who had put her bag and satchel at the side of the sink, he opened its round eyes perfectly wide and also incidentally moved his wings restlessly.
“Really, what a self-interested guy, huh…”
Haruyuki muttered that with a bitter laugh mixed in and unlocked the electronic lock on the door. He nimbly entered and retrieved the water-resistant coated paper laid around the vicinity of the perch and the bathing-use vat. Swapping places with him, Utai lined up the paper washed and dried from yesterday and checked whether or not Hou’s weight and body temperature were at their normal values.
As Haruyuki, who had again went outside, washed the paper mat with a sloshing noise with the water supply established at the flank of the shed, a white cooling receptacle peeking out from the handbag at his side caught his eye.
The contents were Hou’s feed. Yesterday, the limits of what he had been shown were some kind of meat, but according to Utai it seemed to be neither chicken nor pork nor beef. Come to think of it, sure enough today she was supposed to show him starting from the point where she would dress the feed, but Utai had also added “I predict you’ll suffer emotional damage, so prepare yourself.” While again racking his brains on what on earth that meant, Haruyuki began to softly reach out his right hand. At that instant—.
【UI> It probably wouldn’t be strange even if you ate it, Arita-san.】
Those words flowed into his chat window that had been left displayed, and he froze his hand in fear. He looked back; Utai, who had come out from the shed without his knowing it, was smiling from ear to ear.
“N, no, such a thing, I wouldn’t snitch food, I’m already a second-year in middle school.”
Forgetting even the fact that he and Chiyuri had made a great fuss last night over the fried eggplant of the soup garnish and the chicken, Haruyuki shook his head minutely and hanged the coated paper, which he had finished washing, on some small hangers. With a handkerchief, he wiped his hands and then looked at Utai.
The grade schooler four years younger than he showed for an instant a facial expression as though she were considering something, but immediately she nodded deeply.
【UI> Now then, I’ll prepare Hou-san’s food.】
She moved to a place before the sink, inserted her hand into the handbag, and took out the cooling receptacle. She loosened the buckle fastening its four sides in place and opened the lid. Spurred on by curiosity, Haruyuki, who had thrust his face out and had peered inside the receptacle, stopped his breath short two seconds later with a start.
Lined up inside along with the ice packs were small pink animals of five centimeters’ length—probably mice before their fur had grown. Of course, they weren’t alive, but their shapes were the same. From the four there she took out one and typed with one hand while placing it on the lid of the receptacle, which had been put on the sink.
【UI> It’s a feed called «frozen pink mouse». Basically, mice, chicks, or insects like crickets and mealworms are distributed to pet Ural owls or horned owls. However, it’s too large as it is now, so we’ll need to dress it.】
And then she put her hand into the bag again and took out a thing that surprised Haruyuki even more greatly.
It was quite small but without a doubt a knife—no, perhaps he should say a pocketknife. She removed the scabbard made of glossy, natural wood, and a six-centimeter blade glittering with a pale blue sheen appeared from inside.
【UI> Of course, I’ve obtained permission to carry as well as use this pocketknife. Despite that, if I take it out somewhere like on the public roads, in the blink of an eye I’d be taken into protective custody.】
Utai’s annotation was not an exaggeration at all. Now, in 2047, carrying any tool with a blade was a violation of regulations, regardless of size. If one had a reason as part of one’s duties, it was possible to carry one by obtaining a permit from the public safety commission, but he recalled from the news he had seen that the screening was rather harsh.
“Seems…seems like you were granted permission all right.”
In spite of himself Haruyuki muttered that, but in response to that Utai only faintly smiled, not replying with anything. In return, with her left hand she steadied the pink mouse put on the receptacle’s lid, and with her right she applied the seemingly sharp tip of the penknife to it.
As the blade moved sharply, its target was split neatly in half. Despite that, there was not a sign of a cut on the plastic covering. The pocketknife moved a further two times, and the mouse quickly became four thin slices of meat. Sure enough, their hue was that of what Hou seemed to be eating in an appetizing way yesterday. Its internal organs seemed to be processed already, but some blood flowed out and moistened the blade.
Utai, in the midst of work, gave off an air so strained that even the changes in the surrounding air pressure were nearly visible; Haruyuki could no longer even speak out to her. Of course, though, he didn’t have the courage to propose «let me do it» in the first place. The remaining mice were also prepared one after the other, and in less than a mere two minutes, the contents of the receptacle had changed into the same state as that of yesterday.
Utai finished her work, washed the pocketknife at the tap, wiped the blade well with a cloth resembling cotton, and returned it to its sheath. With that cloth, she wrapped the penknife, scabbard and all, put it in her bag, and raised her body. Without looking at Haruyuki, she typed on the holo keyboard.
【UI> Normally, one would use scissors for this work. That way’s easier.】
“…If so, then why the pocketknife?”
He interrogated her softly, and after looking down for a while as if in thought Utai answered.
【UI> I thought it would be a memorial service at the bare minimum, but it might have been meaningless self-satisfaction after all. Now then, let’s go feed these to Hou-san.】
While chasing after Utai, who was holding the receptacle and her leather gloves and again heading for the shed, Haruyuki tried to ponder the meaning of the line of words still displayed in the chat window. However, no matter how he interpreted it, it felt slightly wrong.
The two entered the shed, and as if to say he couldn’t wait any longer the Eurasian Scops-owl showed the behavior of flapping his wings from his perch. No later than Utai raised her left hand fitted into the leather glove did he move, flying round the shed in circles.
With both hands, Haruyuki held the receptacle in the same fashion of that as yesterday; from there Utai grabbed slices of meat one by one and gave them to Hou. The answer to his homework was in short rat meat, but now that he thought of it he had the feeling that owls in fiction for the most part caught mice. Well, there was no way they would eat pork, beef, and the like.
While staring fixedly at Hou, who was swallowing the meat one after another, Haruyuki thought absentmindedly about the obvious fact that “that guy’s living too, huh.”
Though he was of a species that did not inhabit j.a.pan and was only sold with the intention of being a pet, he was not artificial protein synthesized in a factory, much less a polygon object. Within this four meter by four meter room, from day to day he was eating, sleeping, and then feeling something. Something that Haruyuki had no way of imagining…
Possibly having caught wind of the sign that he had slightly bit his lip, Utai turned round and tilted her head. Haruyuki hurriedly tilted his head and spoke in a small voice.
“Ah, I, I’m sorry. It’s not anything big. It’s just that, um, I was watching him bathe yesterday and said ‘What a lucky guy you are,’ maybe it was a little rude…”
There, he noticed that this time those remarks might have been rude not to Hou but to Utai, and he became fl.u.s.tered even further.
“Uh, um, I-I-I’m not particularly saying that it’s a misfortune for him to be taken care of by you, I think that’s a blessing, if anything I want it too…nooo, that’s not what I meant, um.”
Around there, Haruyuki’s «wanting to escape running meter» had risen quite a bit, but in a situation where he was holding meat with both hands that was not possible either; he joined words together with all his effort.
“Uh—mm, well, Hou was probably born from artificial breeding, so I think that from the beginning he didn’t know what was outside his birdcage, but…however, he’s a bird. Birds want to fly in the sky…possibly. Ah, of course I’m not saying we should set him free. I’m not saying either that this situation’s a misfortune for him. But, at the least, maybe it’s not good for us to arbitrarily decide what he should feel…”
The more he spoke, the less clear his meaning became, so there out of necessity Haruyuki shut his mouth.
However, it seemed that some extent of his intention had been conveyed to Utai. She nodded once and resumed feeding him with an expression of mulling over something on her face. The four pink mice’s worth of meat slices disappeared in succession inside his beak, and the Eurasian Scops-owl, who in the end had his head petted and seemed to be satisfied greatly, unfurled his wings and took off from Utai’s left hand. He flew leisurely inside the shed, tracing a counterclockwise arc.
No matter how many times he saw that figure, it was so beautiful as to make him let out a gasp. While becoming absentminded, he gazed on, enthralled, and with a discreet sound effect words flowed in the chat window.
【UI> I believe the thing of which you wish to speak, Arita-san, is called «respect».】
The instant the emphasized word came into his view, Haruyuki nodded furiously several times. That was right; that was precisely the thing that Haruyuki was feeling a moment earlier.
Hou was; no, all pets, including him, were not existences just «kept» by humans. One could also say they were «at the side» of humans. That was why it was amiss to measure their happiness or unhappiness with a human scale. All they could do was approach them with respect.
No, it wasn’t just pets. Earlier, Utai had used not scissors but a properly sharpened pocketknife and had dressed the pink mice with the utmost seriousness. In short, she had not forgotten to respect even the mice that were going to be the feed…
While looking up at Hou, who had returned to his perch, Haruyuki was struck by that deep emotion, and in the chat window text was again composed in a slightly slow manner.
【UI> I also believe that it’s very important to hold respect for all things. Respect is basically not disdaining. Even oneself is included as a target of that respect, no doubt.】
“Eh…, respecting oneself..?”
Haruyuki drew his gaze away from Hou and stared at the girl standing at the side.
“Isn’t oneself…different..? Because isn’t that, something like conceit…something like narcissism, isn’t it like tha…”
Haruyuki, who far from respecting himself frankly spared himself from even looking at himself in the mirror, only said that. However, still smiling gently, Utai paused slightly and then moved her fingers.
【UI> If one overdoes it, it may become like that, but I believe that slighting oneself is also looking down upon the path one has walked until now, the time one has pa.s.sed, and the people to whom one is related. Inside you, Arita-san, there’s undoubtedly a «flame» that will not disappear by any means no matter how much water is poured on it or how much the wind blows.】
The girl reached her right hand straight out and applied it precisely to the center of Haruyuki’s breast—right above his heart.
【UI> That flame burns with your experiences and memories…with even your sins and errors as firewood. In the final a.n.a.lysis, people’s consciousness and thoughts cause neurons ignite…for both an instant and an eternity, that flame is the essence of all life. I hold the conviction that not forgetting respect toward others and yourself and continuing to let your flame burn the proper way will illuminate the path you should walk. 】
Without even looking at the holo keyboard, Shinomiya Utai had managed to type that difficult to decipher as well as lengthy text with her left hand alone. During that period, her pupils, which concealed deep crimson sparks, had been fixed continuously upon Haruyuki’s eyes. It seemed to Haruyuki as if from her small hand still touching his chest, surely some kind of energy—perhaps real flames were being emitted and flowing into his heart.
“My flame…the path I should walk…”
The heat in his blood vessels ran through his entire body and at last gathered at his back—at his two shoulder blades.
In real life, Haruyuki of course did not have wings. Far from that, his body was round and his height low, and his physical ability was at the extent where if he tried a little bit in PE cla.s.s, he would collapse.
However, he could advance forward. He could kindle the slight flame inside his heart, light his way, and take a step forward. Not facing backward, solely running—forward. Forward. Everything was the problem of his image. If he had possessed the image of moving his feet forward in this real world, without a doubt his pace would have become several times, several tens of times greater in the Accelerated World.
“…My image…my, Mind Power.”
After softly murmuring that, he deeply inhaled, and in a completely changed, clear voice, Haruyuki spoke.
“Thank you, Shinomiya-san. Somehow, it seems like an answer for what I’ve always been worrying about has come.”
Upon which Utai softly separated her right hand from Haruyuki’s chest, gave a glimpse of her teeth like drops of pearls from her lips, and showed one of her rare articulate smiles.
Having left the caretaker shed, the two of them finished washing their hands at the water supply, signed the committee log file indicating they had completed their activities, and submitted it to the school local net.
The time was 4:15 in the afternoon. The time to a.s.semble at Nega Nebulas’ temporary headquarters, aka Haruyuki’s house, was six in the afternoon, so they still had some leeway before they had to move.
—For the moment, maybe today I’ll go together with Shinomiya-san to the student council meeting room and wait for Taku’s and Chiyuri’s club activities to end while chatting with Senpai…
While thinking in that manner, he tried to pick up his school-commuting bag put at the flank of the sink—but just beforehand.
Utai, who was using a handkerchief at his immediate side, stiffened her body with a twitch. Immediately after, Haruyuki also sensed some kind of presence creeping in at his back.
—A thirst for blood..!
Quickly, he tried to look back, but even quicker than that. Two arms extended across the shoulders of Utai, who was standing next to him, tightly seized her body. Simultaneously, a cheerful voice.
“Ui-ui, I—got—you!”
Page 223
【UI> Stopm, itd paonful】
The two hands of Utai, who had been hoisted into the air, tapped the keyboard in a struggling way, but the line of words flowing in the text box amounted to no meaning. All Haruyuki could do was catch the white handkerchief that had slipped out in midair.
The a.s.sailant who had succeeded in a splendid backstab whipped Utai’s small body around, wrapped her up super-tightly into her own chest, and raised a nasal voice.
“Aah, Ui-ui, you’re so cute as always! At this rate, would it be fine if I put you in my pocket and took you home! Or should I make you into a mascot and decorate my dashboard!”
The one who fired in succession those questionable lines of which it was dubious whether they were expressions of love or not was a female student wearing a uniform not from a school in this area. She was quite taller than Haruyuki, clad in a blouse with a too-magnificent proportion of light blue and a checker-patterned skirt, and had thin overknee tights covering her legs up to an area fairly high above her knees. Her hair was naturally long hair that seemed fluffily soft—.
Utai’s right hand, which was clawing even more at the air, came down with a sudden stop as if she were exhausted of strength.
The captor, who checked that her target had been suppressed, at that point finally looked at Haruyuki and smiled gently.
“How do you do, Karasu-san. Good job with the caretaker committee work.”
“Ah…th…thank you, how do you do, Master.”
While making his face twitch, Haruyuki returned a greeting to his «master», the vice chief of Nega Nebulas and level 8 Burst Linker «Sky Raker», Kurasaki Fuuko. Following that, he inquired timidly.
“Um, well…wh, why are you here at Umesato Middle, Master?”
“What I needed to have was a friend with power. Sacchan gladly issued me a one day visitor’s pa.s.s.”
In this day and age, the security at K-12 schools kept getting stricter; even if the outsider were a child of the same generation, one could not come and go as one pleased. At the school gate, a certification test would be carried out through one’s Neuro Linker; if one had not been issued a pa.s.s, in the wink of an eye a security guard would come flying.
“…I see.”
After nodding deeply, Haruyuki immediately shook his head.
“N, no, I’m not talking about the system…the meetup was at six at my place, right?”
“My, even if I don’t have pressing business, is it not all right if I only «wanted to meet Karasu-san more quickly»?”
If he were smiled at with those words, as a robust middle school boy his head couldn’t help from going poof, but at a precarious point Haruyuki remembered the fact that his conversation partner was «in fact a scary Raker-sensei». He tightened his cheeks, which seemed to be slackening, and shook his head minutely.
“N-n-no, such a thing, of course it would be all right, I-I-I-I’m pleased about that.”
It was not the situation to be getting carried away here. As to why, currently Haruyuki was keeping an important secret from Fuuko. That he had to teach the basics of Mind Power secretly to her «child», Ash Roller.
As he stood bolt upright and wore a stiff smile, Fuuko stretched her left hand straight out and lightly grabbed Haruyuki’s right cheek.
“Ha…hahi?”
“…Karasu-san. Is it perhaps a figment of my imagination? Somehow, I have a feeling as if you’re keeping a secret from me.”
Desperately restraining himself from jumping up in fright, again he shook his head sideways.
“N, no, such a thing, there’s no way I would hide a hecret from Mafter!”
“Is that so? For the most part, my intuition about things like this isn’t wrong.”
While gently squishing Haruyuki’s grabbed cheek, Fuuko wore all over her face a smile that was as sweetly enchanting as the finest fresh cream. However, he could not forget it. The fact that a first victim was already buried limp in her chest.
Fuuko put both her hands right on her legs, stood up, and continued to shake her head slightly; her fingers moved from Haruyuki’s cheek to the area around his ear. This time, while her fingertips played with his earlobes, she drew her face closer and softly whispered.
“Then, was ‘that’ perhaps my misunderstanding?”
“Wh…wh-wh-what do you mean by ‘that’?”
“It’s not anything of much consequence. Today, I left school and had a bit of time, so I thought about partic.i.p.ating in the gallery of a duel. In doing so, by chance I found Ash in the gallery of the same duel and thought about talking with him, but…”
“…”
“For some reason or another, his att.i.tude was a little weird. Therefore, after I apprehended the real him and gently cross-examined him…”
“……”
“Somehow, leaving aside me, his «parent», didn’t he make a promise to be taught something important by you, Karasu-san? Something whose name people even hesitate to utter in public s.p.a.ces, something veery secret, something veeee-ry important, the…”
There, Fuuko moved her lips without letting out her voice: In-car-nate.
“…system’s way of use?”
—Ash Ro~llerrrrr~!!
You readily spilled the beans! Well, if you’re going to spill the beans there, you might as well have been taught by Raker-san in the first place! What on earth will become of my day today that I spent worrying about and toiling over, and rather first what are you going to do about this situation!
Though he had shouted that inside his head, it was too late to rewind the situation. Haruyuki stopped his head, which he had been exercising up until now in the horizontal direction, resignedly moved it profoundly in the vertical direction, and spoke.
“Umm…uh…I, I’m sorry…I, have been keeping…a secret, from you, Master…”
“Is that so?”
What was terrifying was that without letting her smile fade away, which could not have been any kinder, Raker also nodded once.
“You’ve said it well. If you had played dumb even further there, I thought about putting both you, Karasu-san, and Ash together in a full course of special training, but I’ll forgive you with half.”
“…Ha, half..?”
“That’s right. Depending on whether today’s «Imperial Palace escape mission» succeeds, we’ll start the special training in the Unlimited Field in that state. I was just thinking that soon it would be a suitable time for you to progress to the next stage, Karasu-san.”
“…To, today..?”
After murmuring that with his mouth in a flabbergasted way while also sensing the dependability of Fuuko, who had readily put «mission success» into words, Haruyuki looked around restlessly at his surroundings. However, needless to say there was not the figure of anyone in the dim backyard other than Haruyuki, Fuuko, and Utai, who was slumped senselessly in Fuuko’s bosom.
“B, but, how will Ash-san meet up with us? If we don’t meet up at considerably close to the same time, won’t the rendezvous in the Unlimited Field be difficult…”
In response to Haruyuki’s question, Fuuko replied exceedingly readily.
“No problem, because I’ve had Ash confined…no, stand by in my car, which I’ve parked nearby. In that state, I’ll take Ash to your apartment house, Karasu-san, and we’ll dive together. Of course, not from your house but from a nearby parking s.p.a.ce though.”
“Eh…is Ash-san going to come there? In real life?”
Momentarily forgetting even his punishment-like situation, Haruyuki opened his eyes wide. —That meant basically, if Haruyuki desired it, he could meet with him in the real world. By his prediction, that end-of-century rider’s physical body would also be in riveted leather jeans, with mohawk hair.
However, regrettably—if that was the right word, Fuuko slightly shook her head.
“Ash will come, but it’s probably better for now if you two don’t meet each other’s real selves yet. Because that child’s one way or another a member of one of the Six Kings’ legions, «Great Wall».”
“…Tha, that’s…true, I guess.”
While exhaling his bated breath, Haruyuki nodded. Sure enough, no matter how much they were fellow brother disciples, he was a subordinate of the Green King, who was an opponent of Kuroyukihime. There existed a line he had to draw.
Lifting his head and finally looking at Fuuko head-on, Haruyuki nodded deeply. Before he had known it, Haruyuki was not teaching Ash Mind Power; the flow of things had become such that the two of them were being taught side-by-side by Fuuko, but rather than feeling regret his elation was greater.
“—Understood. I was also just having a feeling as if I’ve found a new hint. It’s my pleasure to be able to be taught once again by Master!”
“You’ve said it well. That’s the spirit.”
He saw the face of Raker, who was smiling widely as if enjoying herself, and thought, “Maybe I was a little hasty…”; as he did so, the two hands of Utai, who was still seized in her chest, moved in a feeble manner and typed on the keyboard.
【UI> I too will accompany you in your training. 】
After Fuuko, who had finally released Utai, greeted Hou in the caretaker shed—it was their first time meeting, but the «flying-cla.s.s» comrades seemed to get along quite well—Haruyuki along with the two of them headed for the student council meeting room.
Though there were few students remaining in the school buildings after school, walking with an elementary school girl on one side and with a female high school student on the other lined up was quite an ordeal for Haruyuki. While slipping his way through the stunned gazes that bombarded him one after another, he moved from the entryway to the end of the first floor of the first school building and let out a long breath the moment he pa.s.sed through the door.
However, once he entered the locked room aka the student council meeting room, this time he could not help but feel yet another type of nervousness. In adding Kuroyukihime, who had received them with a smile, to their party, the situation of having one dull male in the midst of a gaggle of girls brewing an even more charming aura would inevitably show up. What was more, these three were the chief and highest executives of the former Nega Nebulas that had in the past occupied a seat of the Accelerated World’s seven great legions; Haruyuki did not have a reason to be able to relax.
…Now that he thought about it, even with Chiyu and Taku added the current Nega Nebulas had four females and two males. If the number of new male members didn’t increase soon, then they wouldn’t be able to balance it out. However, if possible it’d be good if they weren’t that scary. That’s right, I wonder if he would join…if I meet him today, maybe I’ll try inviting him…
While thinking that, in a nook of the sofa set he sipped the black tea that Kuroyukihime had brewed for him, and before he knew it the clock on the wall was pointing to five in the afternoon.
“Oh my, it’s already this time, isn’t it.”
Fuuko, who had stood up as if in a hurry, clapped her two hands together and spoke.
“I can’t keep ignoring Ash, whom I’ve shut in the ca…whom I’ve had wait in the car, I’ll move one step ahead. I’ll park my car near your house, Karasu-san, and only I will intrude at six o’clock.”
“…Really, I have the feeling that you’ve been thoroughly neglecting Ash, though…”
In response to what Kuroyukihime had pointed out with a bitter laugh mixed in, Fuuko answered with a composed face.
“I told Ash to earn ten points in free duels for the dive into the Unlimited Field while waiting, so that guy probably isn’t bored. With that, everybody, see you later.”
With timing almost as if replacing Fuuko, who had waved her hand lightly and had withdrawn from the student council meeting room, Chiyuri and Tak.u.mu, who had finished club activities, appeared. They met up with the two, who had probably hurried in using the showers, as their hair was still wet, and their company, which had become five in number, moved on foot toward the northern complex high-rise apartment building in Koenji.
Something for which they were both greatly apologetic and grateful was that things had become such that the day before yesterday, yesterday, and today successively, Chiyuri’s mama had prepared everyone a light supper, so they only stocked up on drinks at the shopping mall attached to the apartment building and rode the elevator. In order to transport the provisions, Chiyuri and Tak.u.mu got off at the twenty-first floor, and just Haruyuki, Kuroyukihime, and Utai proceeded ahead to the twenty-third floor—.
While also dealing with those actions of preparation, Haruyuki felt his nervousness grow minute by minute with regards to the imminently coming time of seven in the afternoon.
Currently, Haruyuki’s other self, the duel avatar «Silver Crow», was deserted in the depths of the «Imperial Palace» enshrined in the center of the Unlimited Neutral Field. If he did not escape from there, not only would the purification of the «Disaster Armor» be unable to be carried out, but also the question of whether he would continue to be a Burst Linker would become doubtful.
Tak.u.mu and the other had declared that they would continue to provide Haruyuki with the necessary points even if he were designated with a bounty in the name of the Six Kings and became unable to duel. That feeling made him happier than anything else, but he could not take advantage of that. He did not want to do something like clinging to «acceleration» to the point where he became the legion’s burden…
“Do not be seized by negative images now.”
The moment he had entered his house’s living room and had put down his bag, someone whispered in that manner at his ear; taken aback, Haruyuki raised his face.
The owner of the voice was Kuroyukihime, who stood immediately behind him. She placed her right hand on Haruyuki’s chest, and before he was aware of it, his body, which had developed the habit of facing downward, arched backward.
“It’s important to hypothesize about every possible situation. However, at times there are also scenes where one must single-mindedly look only forward and plunge on. Now is that very time.”
【UI> It is as Sacchan says. Now, let us only believe and advance forward. 】
If even Utai, who had popped her face out from behind Kuroyukihime, typed thus, then he could not look down any more. Haruyuki threw his chest out and answered with a single word.
“—Understood!”
With just that, curiously enough even the cold sweat soaking his hands withdrew.
On the dining table for six people, at the point where the chirashizushi4 and norimaki5 into which Chiyuri’s mama had put her heart and soul were lined up and tea was being served, with good timing Fuuko joined them. Haruyuki looked round at the legion members, who were lined up in the same rows as the day before yesterday, and inquired timidly.
“…Um, is it really okay? Leaving Ash-san behind in the car…”
Chiyuri and Tak.u.mu, to whom the details had already been explained, and Kuroyukihime laughed forcedly; as usual Fuuko wore a composed expression.
“Ash was somewhat miffed, but I couldn’t possibly invite that guy here, right?”
“…Then, Nee-san, at least deliver this sushi to him afterward.”
While laughing, Chiyuri proposed that, brought a plastic container from the kitchen, and quickly began apportioning thenorimaki. Imagining that end-of-century rider eating kappamaki6, Haruyuki unintentionally let his mouth loosen, and with a serious face Kuroyukihime made an unexpected proposal.
“How about it, Fuuko. Why don’t we recruit him to our side?”
“Huh…eh, say what-!?”
The one who had shouted that was naturally Haruyuki. However, the other members had not particularly shown signs of surprise. As for Taku, he was nodding calmly and saying something like “That’s a possibility too.”
As he opened his eyes wide, dumbfounded, Fuuko changed her expression and tilted her head slightly.
“—I too have thought of that, but…that child unexpectedly has a strong sense of duty in a unique way… Will Ash be fine or not with lowering the once-hoisted flag of the green legion Great Wall? Moreover, of course there’s also the fear of whether the Green King Green Grandee would use «Judgment Blow» without recognizing Ash’s secession.”
“…Uh—mm… To be honest, I also don’t know well what that guy Grandee’s thinking, just him… I believe I’ve grasped the other Kings’ personalities to an extent, but just that shield-wielding male…”
Kuroyukihime folded her arms with a troubled look on her face.
At last week’s «Seven Kings’ meeting», Haruyuki also had seen the Green King up close, but he didn’t know a single thing other than that «he seems super-hard». In the end he had not said a word from beginning to finish, and even on the occasion where the conclusion to grant Silver Crow a one-week postponement was reached, he had only nodded once.
He’s able to command his large legion of over a hundred members well in his own way, huh…Haruyuki hurriedly returned his thoughts, which had begun to digress along those lines, to where they were before.
Ash Roller, coming to Nega Nebulas. Up until now, he had not thought about that event at all, but he didn’t particularly dislike it either. He was an eternal rival with whom he had fought countless times from the first day he had become a Burst Linker, but when Haruyuki had lost his wings and had lost heart he was also the benefactor who had fervently chastised him and had introduced him to his parent, Sky Raker. From his habitual att.i.tude, it was fairly hard to imagine, but he was in his own way a considerate «man among men»…
And then, having thought that far, Haruyuki noticed something and abruptly raised his face.
“Uh, um, Senpai, Master…I believe that at the least, for now Ash-san won’t accept a legion transfer.”
“What’s the reason for you to state that positively?”
“—It’s Ash-san’s younger blood brother, «Bush Utan»…”
There, Haruyuki temporarily cut his words short and proposed, “Since it’s going to be long, why don’t we discuss it while eating.”
After Fuuko, who had parked her car—though it was not in her name but apparently her mother’s possession—in the large-sized parking underground the apartment house, returned from delivering the improvised norimaki bento that Chiyuri had prepared, they chanted “Itadakimasu” anew with everybody there.
While Chiyuri’s mama’s greatest forte was Italian cuisine such as pasta and lasagna, that skill was also amply flourished in j.a.panese food; Haruyuki, who normally had no opportunity to eat chirashizushi, shoved it into his mouth in a state of ecstasy. Everyone else also undauntedly moved their chopsticks, and at the point where the large plate’s contents had been reduced to half, conversation finally resumed.
“An’ then…a’out Fush Uhan…”
While chuckling, Tak.u.mu checked Haruyuki, who was trying to chat with norimaki in his mouth.
“Allow me to explain that matter. Since it’s something deeply related to me myself as well…”
Startled, Haruyuki opened his eyes wide and hurriedly tried to chew his sushi rice, but while he was still chewing Tak.u.mu had begun to explain, so reluctantly he switched to the role of listener. As expected of the legion’s finest intellectual, the briefing was easy to understand, but Haruyuki could not help but be kept on tenterhooks. As for why, true to his words from earlier Tak.u.mu explained to Kuroyukihime and the others what had happened to him without omitting any details.
How the day before yesterday, he had left on a solo investigation after hearing of the «ISS Kit» from Haruyuki. How he had made contact with the Burst Linker Magenta Scissor in the Setagaya area and how the Kit in its sealed state had been transferred to him.
And then yesterday, how he had been a.s.saulted by the PK group «Supernova Remnant» in the Shinjuku area and had backlashed against and annihilated them in the Unlimited Neutral Field with the power of the ISS Kit. The subsequent direct connection duel with Haruyuki. And then the strange «dream» the three of them had shared during the wee hours of today—.
Haruyuki had only let Kuroyukihime, Fuuko, and Utai know the general outline regarding this string of events by mail. The reason was that it seemed impossible to put why Tak.u.mu had yearned for power and how he had overcome that precisely into written words. Of course, it was imperative that they give an explanation sometime; in that sense