Chapter 10The eternal world constructed above the Normal Duel Field, the Unlimited Neutral Field. This was only the second time that Haruyuki visited there, and the first time that he dived in by himself.
Under the pale yellow sky, the display of huge reddish rocks lined up told him that this was the «Wilderness» attribute. However this world has a system called «Transition», that changed the attribute in a certain amount of time. Thinking that he should get to the meeting point while the footing is still good, Haruyuki desperately ran across the dry ground.
No matter what kind of attribute, the accelerated world"s geography itself is based on the real world Tokyo. The Seven Ring Road exist as a dry valley sandwiched between huge rock formations. He avoided the center of that, and selected to run under the shade of rocks, while being careful to check left and right.
In the Unlimited Neutral Field, there are monsters called «Enemy» created by the system, moving around and living there. Haruyuki had only seen the large type once, and had no experience fighting one. Individually they are stronger than high level Burst Linkers, so if he got attacked by them, then he would easily be slaughtered since he could no longer fly now.
He saw a number of cow and snake like ones moving slowly in nearby wastelands, but Haruyuki fortunately did not get targeted as he reached the border between Suginami and Shibuya, around Daitabashi.
Just in case, he searched the surrounding rock shades, but there did not seem to be a large number of people in hiding.
—— Instead of saying that.
At the moment he peeked in the crossing between two wide valleys, Haruyuki relaxed in a snap. On top of the American bike stopped right in the middle, leaning back with arms crossed, the very flashy skeletal helmet rider jumped into his eyes.
“Too —— late! You made me wait!!”
Seeing Haruyuki who approached, Ash Roller swung his right hand and shouted.
“S, sorry. I ran here...”
“You probably moved sneakily while being scared by Enemy. You don’t have to worry, this kind of trunk road, only ultra large ones appear.”
“Th, then, please tell me ahead of time! So, then what do you do when ultra large ones appear?”
“Cry and run away of course.”
Haruyuki sighed under his mirror face, and shook his head to change the topic.
“...So, why did you call me out to this place? To continue that from before?”
“Fool, even if I win 10 points from you, diving used 10 points so I ain"t no earnin" it back.”
‘That was double negative’, he gave up correcting that, and Haruyuki opened both hands wide to stop him.
“Then, why?”
“Well, get on.”
Being told quietly, made his jaw drop.
“...Huh?”
“Ride on the back. Helmet... you won’t need one.”
With ‘Hihihi’ laughter, he pointed to his back with his index finger, and while Haruyuki felt like an idiot for being wary of traps and whatnot, he got on the seat with unfamiliar movement.
“Okay, hold on tight. My machine’s acceleration is violent, you see!!”
Around the ‘ent’ place, the throttle was opened fully, and the front wheel was raised up high, dangerously making Haruyuki almost fall off. Right after he hurriedly steadied himself with both hands, the deep black bike, while roaring a deep rumble, headed straight east —— on Inokashira Road towards central Tokyo, and started riding fast.
“U... waa.”
With the wind pressure hitting his face, and the acceleration power that made his whole body whimper, Haruyuki let out an awkward sound.
The engine’s groan went high, and while he was wondering if this was the highest speed, the boot kicked the pedal into a higher gear, and the speed went higher. The reddish road surface melted into numerous streamlines, and the rocks approaching from in front were blown behind one after another.
“A... bit... too fast...”
He inquired half in a scream, but the returned reply was relaxed.
“Oh? Are you an idiot, this can’t even go half as fast as your flight.”
“B... but, a bike, like this.”
Haruyuki had not even got on a electric scooter before in the real world. Of course he rode four wheel cars like the family car his parents owned before the divorce, or the taxi that he rode many times, but electric automobiles have no engine sound, and of course you cannot feel the wind from inside.
But this old style bike, even though a virtual world polygon object, seemed completely different from current vehicles that prioritize energy efficiency and safety.
This kind of subst.i.tute, was roaring noisily along the real world’s roads just twenty years ago, which he completely could not believe. The rider wearing just a helmet with flesh body exposed, sitting there without a seatbelt or airbag.
“Th... this, how fast can it go!”
Since Haruyuki could not see the meter from his position, he shouted an inquiry, then again heard the slow response.
“This is not a racer type, so it can only put out around 200[1].”
“Two... two hundred...”
After screaming ‘If there is an accident I will dieee’ in his brain, Haruyuki suddenly realized.
It was this kind of vehicle.
This machine, other than putting out speed, did not think of anything else. The engine that turns while exploding the valuable fossil fuel without thinking of waste, the complicated transmission, and the desperately thick tires, were all designed to just run fast. The image of this then a.s.sembled.
So to speak, it exists as a pure embodiment of the longing for speed.
As if to resist the destiny of living while stuck on the ground, moving at least a little faster, ignoring everything else. With that longing, a human without wings created this machine.
Haruyuki forgot about his fear, and turned his wide open eyes towards the light yellow sky.
Then he saw from high above, flying in a small flock, were Pterosaur like Enemy silhouettes.
‘—— I.’
‘I did not understand anything about the power of the wings I was given.’
‘A tool for fighting, an advantage for winning, I had only thought of it like that. But those silver wings were not a level up obtained special skill, or enhanced armament bought with points. It was created by my heart, something that should be the foundation of the avatar named Silver Crow. As my salvation, longing, and hope.’
‘I had forgotten about that, and... just saw it as a tool, so... that’s why, for sure, it was that easily robbed from me. At this point... when did it become like this ——’
Realizing something so important as that.
So that Ash Roller right in front of him would not notice it, Haruyuki desperately swallowed his sobbing.
Already, he was no longer afraid of the 200km per hour speed. Instead of that, the engine that continue to desperately roar right under him, he thought it was a very admirable and reliable existence.
On the Inokashira Road, the bike curved south to avoid the city center, then again headed east.
When they entered the Minato district, Haruyuki finally asked the question that he should have asked at the start.
“Ah... where, are we going?”
“You can already see it. There.”
Looking towards where the tilted helmet pointed, he saw that in between the rough standing huge rocks, there was a faint, long and slender silhouette ahead.
That was probably a steep rocky mountain, no, it was more like a «Tower». From the ground, it drew a line straight up, and extended far above into the sky.
To match the building at that place in the real world, Haruyuki thought and drew the south part of Tokyo in his brain, then after a few seconds finally arrived at the answer.
“Wha... th, that, is that the «Old Tokyo Tower»...?”
“Very yes.”
Putting aside the weird English instant reply, he dug out his dim knowledge.
The Tokyo Tower in Minato, Shiba park that sent television signal to the area around the capital, its job was given to the «Tokyo Skytree» built in Sumida, Oshiage over thirty years ago.
It continued to operate as an observation deck for a long time after, but easily over 333 meter highrise buildings were constructed one after another in the Tokyo area, so near the beginning of 2030, its use as a sightseeing spot was also over. Right now even the elevator is stopped, and it is kept as a historic building that was forbidden entry.
Looking at the slowly nearing sharp tower, it seem like the old Tokyo tower exist in this Unlimited Neutral Field as a solid rock, with no internal reconstruction. That meant, standing alone in the wilderness, was a 300 meter high rock pillar.
“Th, that place, is something there?”
After he inquired in a daze, Ash Roller strangely mouthed ‘Ah, Umm’.
“Nn, well, that, something. There is a person I want you to meet.”
“Person...?”
—— Not «Guy», «b.a.s.t.a.r.d», or «SOB»?
“Err, ah, I will say it right out, my «Parent».”
“Y, yes!?”
That shocked him to the bottom of his heart, and Haruyuki shouted.
“A, Ash-san’s «Parent»...!? That means... mo, more spectacular? Bearded face, sungla.s.ses, leather vest, with tattoos and beer belly.”
“What do you b.a.s.t.a.r.d think I am.”
Haruyuki wasn"t sure why, but after that yell, his back trembled.
“...Let me tell you this, if you run your mouth like that while facing that person, regret will be the least of what you will have. That person already retired from the «Duel» front line for a long time, so you probably didn’t know... long ago, the name «Astro» or «ICBM» would make you shake in fear.”
The word from the strange ending sentences that Ash Roller said because of fear, Haruyuki repeated it in a whisper.
“I, ICBM...?”
“That’s right. Ah, also, another one... «Icarus» was also a nickname.”
“...Th, that does not seem to be too scary though.”
“Well yea. That seem to be used after the retirement. That person was... before you appeared, the Burst Linker closest to the sky in the accelerated world.”
Almost at the same time as Haruyuki taking in a breath, the bike stopped with a cloud of dust.
In front of his eyes, from the dry reddish ground, a 90 degree triangle kind of straight rock pillar stood in there.
The diameter was about 20 meters. Almost completely circular shape, and for sure there was not something like stairs or entrance anywhere. The old Tokyo Tower that was entry forbidden in the real world, was probably recreated in this form.
He looked around trying to find that person called ICBM or Icarus, but could only see a turtle like silhouette moving slowly far away. ‘It can’t be’, he inquired while thinking that.
“Err..., that person?”
“Are you an idiot, that is an Enemy. I am waiting for the wind to stop.”
“Wi, wind?”
After being told, even though he did not notice it while riding fast on the bike, but to be sure, due to the «Wilderness» stage’s geographical effect, somewhat strong winds were blowing. But that was not for a duel, so what was it for ——.
The instant that he thought that. The wind that continued to howl without a break, suddenly stopped.
“All right, going! Hold Me Tight!!”
To Ash Roller’s sudden shout, after Haruyuki was taken aback and wondered what he was saying, then he realized the reason for the instruction.
After opening the throttle to full, the bike’s front wheel was brought up, and Haruyuki on reaction put his arms around Ash Roller’s trunk. The engine roared in high pitch, and the rear wheel kicked up dust. The front wheel b.u.mped into the straight rock wall with a thump, and without giving him time to think ‘What, no way’.
The American bike with two person riding on it, started climbing the cliff that rose perpendicularly.
“Uwa... Uwawawawa!?”
And screamed ‘That’s unreasonableee’ inside his chest, while Haruyuki freshly predicted that the bike will do a backflip and fall off in the opposite direction.
However, as if the tires were stuck to the wall surface with some kind of mysterious attraction, the bike climbed the straight wall without any wobble. After five more seconds, he relaxed, and finally realized it.
This, was Ash Roller’s ability, «Wall Surface Travel». If he thought about it, then he would remember seeing many times that bike was ridden and freely drove around building walls in duels. However, he did not know that even without a running start, it could climb the wall for such a long time. Saying it another way, right now Ash Roller was idly exposing the upper limit of his ability to Haruyuki who belongs to an enemy legion.
But, Haruyuki still could not grasp his true intent, and held his breath while staring at the top of the tower.
Indeed, it could not put out the same speed as on the ground, but the bike strongly climbed the wall in low gear rumble. Taking a glance downwards, he saw that the ground was far enough already to be so hazy that its color changed.
When he was flying with his own wings, this height was nothing to him, but right now the area around his stomach suddenly shrunk, and Haruyuki hurriedly returned his view. The top of the tower that he could finally see, seem to have a straight cut surface, with the edge drawing a beautiful arc in the yellow sky.
They would reach there in about ten seconds, then at that time, he felt that a wall of air came pushing from the left side in a howl.
“s.h.i.t! Wind Shiii —— it!!”
With the profane outburst, Ash Roller tilted the handle, and shifted the bike’s path from the left side. The gust of wind that came blowing right after, relentlessly hit the side of the bike.
“Fly Hi —— igh!!”
“Gyaaaaaa!!”
As if riding on the wind, on top of the bike that flew straight up, Haruyuki and Ash Roller used all their strength to grasp the air like crawl swimming. Maybe that had some kind of effect, while the front shifted by inches, they reached the parabolic top, the bike’s rear tire that fell down next, landed around 5cm from the tower’s top edge.
“I, I am not riding this a second time! I will never ride something with less than four tires ever again!!”
Rolling off the seat, Haruyuki held the hard rock with both hands and legs firmly, then yelled that. As for Ash Roller, while still looking across from the bike, annoyingly shook his right index finger with a chit.
“Don’t seem to understand, You. The bike is fun because it can fall.”
“Earlier was not about just falling or whatever problem!”
After screaming that with shoulder shaking breath, Haruyuki shook his head, then he finally looked at the surroundings.
The top of the rock pillar that subst.i.tute for the old Tokyo Tower in the real world, became a 20 meter diameter round s.p.a.ce almost exactly the same as the bottom.
However, the appearance was completely different from the lower part.
‘Sky garden’, those kind of words suddenly appeared in his brain. All over the area, soft looking gra.s.s shone fresh green color. There was a small spring in the center, and the sparklingly swaying water could not be any clearer.
In the center of the spring, a small floating island drifted —— and then above it, Haruyuki saw something unexpected.
Wavering like a mirage, was a slowly spinning oval of blue light. It was a «Portal». From this Unlimited Neutral Field, the only method under your control for returning to the real world.
‘Why in this place’, he was surprised, but most portals were set at large train stations or tourist spots like landmark buildings. Then it existing in old Tokyo Tower might not be strange, but to use this portal, it would be someone like Ash Roller who could climb straight walls, or someone like Silver Crow who could fly, although that was not possible anymore.
After returning his view while tilting his head, he saw another unexpected thing on the garden’s opposite side.
A home.
Small like a toy, a cute home, was built standing surrounded by numerous flowers. The walls were painted pure white, with the pointed roof being deep green. Along with the green ivy hugging the wall, that was a beautiful scene that could be mistaken for a page from a picture book.
While watching without words, suddenly that house’s door opened with a slight ‘creak’ sound.
At that moment, beside him, Ash Roller quickly jumped down from the bike, and took a rigid standing position.
That would mean, the person who was coming out from there, would be Ash Roller’s «Parent». Probably macho in leather like a h.e.l.l"s Angel. It was somewhat a mismatch in dwelling, but he would not be surprised if a huge Harley came rumbling out of that door, Haruyuki decided resolutely.
However, in the end he was astonished from the bottom of his heart.
What rode out with ‘squeak squeak’ sounds, were for sure two wheels. But not in a line, they were side by side. The spoke was of ultra fine silver wires, and the tires were not rubber, but about 1cm wide silver wheels. What rode above those wheels, also made with silver wires, was an elegant chair.
It was a wheelchair. Without engine or m.u.f.fler, a vehicle opposite of the rugged American bike.
And then the person sitting there, had the appearance that was 10,000 light years away from Haruyuki’s expectation.
That was without doubt a duel avatar. Both arms on top of knees were smooth with hard looking bluish gloss, and the lowered face chin area also, was a sharp mask shape.
The reason he could not see anymore of the face, was that the avatar was wearing a wide brim hat. It was not like Chiyuri’s avatar, «Lime Bell»’s witch like pointed hat, instead was a pure white bonnet type. The body was also covered with a similar white one piece dress.
‘...What, a female person?’
As if to confirm Haruyuki’s shock, the swaying wind shook the long hair under the hat. The hair that extended all the way to the waist, was a seem to draw you in clear blue —— no, it was the color of a very clear autumn sky.
Again, with wheels squeaking, the wheelchair slowly started moving forward. Even so, the avatar’s hands were still lowered on top of the knees. Somehow the wheelchair seem to be setup with some kind of self-propelled mechanism.
On the brick path that was laid surrounding the spring in the lawn, the wheelchair approached with slide like movement, and stopped at a place about two meters from them. The hat was lightly lifted up, and the avatar’s true face was exposed. It was an appearance that you would never thought was «Parent Child» with the End of Century rider, Ash Roller, so Haruyuki stood still and stared at it.
Common to female type duel avatars, it was a mask shaped face with only lense type eyes fit on it. However, the face without nose or mouth, Haruyuki thought it was more beautiful than any similar type avatars he had seen before. Glowing well on her pale blue skin, the avatar’s faint madder red shinning jujube eyes first looked at Haruyuki, then Ash Roller next.
“It’s been a long time, Ash. I now understand that you haven’t forgotten about me, so I am happy.”
“Lo, long time no see, mistress. Forgot, no way, nottt possible.”
To Ash Roller who made the most respectful salutation, Haruyuki unfortunately did not have the room to correct him with ‘Isn’t it “Mega Longtime”?’. Since the sky color avatar again poured her gaze onto Haruyuki.
“...You are Silver Crow, right?”
After being called with the swaying wind like graceful voice, Haruyuki also immediately bowed his head. For some reason, he acutely felt that he had to do that.
“Ye, yes, nice to meet you. I am Silver Crow.”
“Nice to meet you. My name is «Sky Raker». I am happy we met, Karasu[2]-san.”
Feeling that she glanced towards his shoulder area, Haruyuki suddenly shrunk. From her speech, this person already knew about Silver Crow, however that name known in the accelerated world by the silver wings —— flight ability had already disappeared.
Avoiding Sky Raker’s gentle gaze that seem to be able to see through to inside of his head, Haruyuki deeply cowered.
However, after a bit of silence, hearing words issued by Ash Roller, made him forget his shame and looked back up.
“Then... see you mistress, I... I, will excuse myself here.”
“Wha... Whatt!?”
Haruyuki quickly drew near the skeletal helmet rider that was returning to his bike.
“Go, going back you said... I, what am I going to do!”
“As if I would know.”
“Would know, you said, but you brought me here!!”
“That, was because you were hesitant, depressed, and crying. Like that, the trouble of setting up my machine with missiles would have no chance to be shown...”
As if to remove non-existing mud from of his boots, Ash Roller sc.r.a.pped their bottom on the stone pavement as he grumbled for a while, then suddenly changed his tone and said.
“...Hey, Crow. I don’t know what kind of situation made you lost your wings, and you are probably thinking like this right now. Without flight you can’t win, and fighting would be useless. However... in the accelerated world, how many Burst Linkers are there that could not fly even if they wanted to, have you thought about that?”
Taking a small breath, Haruyuki looked down at his feet on reaction. However, the sharp cutting words from Ash Roller still continued.
“And then, after a long time fighting «Duels», anything could happen. The loss of power also. But, your wings, are not something that after losing them should be immediately given up. If you fight lethargically like that, and finally just disappeared, then to the guys who kept looking up at your flying shape —— we would...”
As if he could not say the words ahead, Ash Roller fiercely kicked the ground with a thump.
While cowering, Haruyuki quietly whispered inside his chest.
‘—— I too, don’t want to give up. But, my wings... flying ability disappearing in system term, what else can I do.’
Slowly lifting up his lead like heavy head, he somehow managed to reply with blocked throat.
“...For sure, in the earlier «duel», my att.i.tude was not good. But... that, and this situation, what kind of relation is there?”
“Err, ah, that... that is... like this...”
At that time, from behind, the silent till now Ash Roller’s «Parent», Sky Raker’s quiet sound echoed.
“Karasu-san. Ash is, thinking like this. That maybe I, can help you take back your wings.”
“What.”
Haruyuki’s eyes opened wide, and his mouth also became round.
“My, my wings...? Help... you said... but, Ash-san is, Green legion’s...”
“Ah that’s right! Is that bad!!”
After putting his a.s.s on the bike’s seat with a thump, Ash Roller yelled.
“Listen, don’t misunderstand! This is a loan! No, it’s a tactic! To boost your favorability parameter up, so you will betray the Black legion kind of secret operation, you b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Uhii, I am, Mega Co —— ol!!”
To the skeletal rider, Ash Roller whose right middle finger was up and shaking, Sky Raker’s quiet sound flew his way.
“That is vulgar, Ash.”
“Yes, sorry, mistress. Th, then, here I will excuse myself and be excused!”
With a ‘Burun!’ engine loud roar, the American bike charged towards spring at the center of the yard, made a high jump at the sh.o.r.e then flew towards the shining blue portal ——
And disappeared.
While standing there in ultra amazement, Haruyuki somehow managed to quietly whisper.
“...Secret operation, you said... It’s no good if you said it out...”
Hearing that, Sky Raker said in small laughter.
“Head, mouth, and looks are bad, but other than those a pretty good kid.”
‘—— Other than those, what would that be.’
After involuntarily thinking about that for a few seconds, Haruyuki for the moment pushed Ash Roller from his consciousness, and walked a few steps towards the silver wheelchair stopped at the sh.o.r.e of the spring.
A mountain of questions swirled inside his chest that he wanted to ask, and even with doubt about where to start, he hesitantly opened his mouth.
“Ah... that is... It was Ash-san who said it. That you are, «The person closest to the sky in accelerated world», he said...”
Then, Sky Raker’s smile somehow became transparent, and nodded.
“What Ash said, about those wanting to but unable to fly. That would be me... or rather, it should be said that I could not fly. Since these hands, in the end, could not reach the sky.”
The answer that he sort of expected, made Haruyuki close his eyes tight on reaction.
‘—— Then, this person, instead of helping me, on the other hand has the right to hinder me.’
He whispered that inside his chest, however Haruyuki could not stop himself from jumping for the faint single line in front of his eyes.
While blinking, he looked up, and issued the next question with raspy sounds.
“Then..., is it true...? That you, can return my wings to normal...”
This time, the reply did not reach him immediately.
The metallic gloss sky color hair was lightly lifted up, and the serene avatar looked at Haruyuki for a while —— then after that clearly said.
“That’s impossible.”
“Wha...”
“If a duel avatar lost something, then there is a reason that must be lost. This place, and I, do not have the means to cancel that reason.”
“...”
With his faint hope instantly cut, Haruyuki’s head lowered with heavy heart. However, right before his sight left, Sky Raker casually lifted the skirt of the white dress covering her body, and his eyes were startled out of his eye socket.
“Take a look.”
What was there ——, no, was not there, was what was supposed to be below the avatar’s knees.
The slender thighs drawn with supple lines, were connected with round kneel join parts. However, the shin part of the legs that should extend from there did not exist.
Since the avatar was riding a wheelchair, he should have thought that there was some problem with the legs. But, for what kind of reason, would the duel avatar’s legs have disappeared?
For sure, during battles, for different kinds of reasons, parts loss due to damage was possible. For Haruyuki as well, he had numerous experiences of losing an arm or a leg during fierce fights. However, the parts loss damage were immediately canceled after the duel was over, and should have returned to brand new again in the next battlefield.
Haruyuki held his breath, without being able to look away, and invertible thought.
‘Just maybe, Sky Raker also...? A Burst Linker with similar ability to Noumi that is Dusk Taker, forever robbed her leg...?’
However, the words that were issued next, denied that suspicion.
“I selected to cut them off myself.”
“Wha...!?”
“I decided that I no longer needed legs, and asked someone to cut it, while understanding it was a move of huge arrogance, egotism, and madness. Afterwards, my two legs, no matter how many times I dived into the accelerated world, never returned. In other words... inside of me, even now the fire of madness burns, is what it means. As long as it is not extinguished, my legs will probably forever remain like this.”
To the standing still Haruyuki, the auroral eyes stared at him, and Sky Raker quietly decided.
“Your wings are the same. Unless you face the reason for the loss once more, and overcome it, then they will never return.”
Reason.
That means, Noumi/Dusk Taker’s special skill, «Demonic Commandeer».
No, not that. It was the defeat itself. Unless Haruyuki can conquer Noumi Seiji in different fronts, and overcome the scar of defeat deeply carved in his heart, then he would never get back his wings. That was what it meant.
However, that was already absolutely impossible. The reason was, Haruyuki’s only power which was the flight ability was lost, and Noumi who robbed it was flying freely now. He could not see any way to win.
To Haruyuki who involuntarily kneeled down onto the gra.s.s ——.
Sky Raker said something unexpected to him.
“No matter what you do in this garden will not return your wings, however, I did not say you can not fly, Karasu-san.”
"Let’s sit down to talk about the next part."
With those words, the automatic wheelchair started moving with squeaking sounds, so Haruyuki chased after her while majorly confused.
In the circular sky garden, at the East, West, South, and North edge, a white bench was setup. They were a type with no backrest, so could be sat on from any direction. Sky Raker stopped her wheelchair at the north bench facing outwards, so Haruyuki also hesitantly sat beside her. At the moment he raised his head, he was breathless from the superb view.
He could see all of the «Wilderness» attribute Tokyo city center 300 meters below.
The area around the civic center in Nagatacho became a huge ruin made up of red sandstones. In that valley, stone arches support the capital high above drawing an arc around.
Further away, he was drawn in by a remarkably vivid red palace’s majest.i.ty. It was the imperial palace in the real world. No matter what kind of attribute stage, the sometimes graceful, other times full of ghastly feeling huge castle was always there.
‘I wonder who lives there’, as he idly thought that, suddenly Sky Raker broke the silence.
“I thought about meeting you once, Silver Crow.”
“Wha... ah, th, thank you...”
He lowered his shoulders while mumbling. Seeing that appearance, as a warm smile feeling drifted by, the sky color avatar quietly continued.
“Seven years pa.s.sed since the beginning of the accelerated world, «Flight type avatar» finally appeared. When I heard about you from Ash, I was hugely shocked, and was also interested. What kind of soul... what kind of wounded spirit, could manifest power to cut off this world’s huge gravity, I wondered.”
“No, that.. so, sorry. My, my wounds, are really not something important.”
Shrinking his body more, Haruyuki shook his head slightly.
“Fat in the real world, being bullied, and mopped around for a long time only... those kind of things, calling them wounds would be presumptuous, I recently thought.”
He was having doubts about why he was saying those kind of things to a first met, and furthermore could be said to be near enemy force Burst Linker, still strangely words freely dripped from his mouth.
Hearing that, Sky Raker again smiled and shook her head sideways.
“After installation, the Brain Burst program that read the owner’s consciousness for the duel avatar’s resource, «Wounds of heart», does not always mean the strength of anger or hatred.”
“Wha...? Th, that is, wound means, negative feelings right?”
“That’s right, but not only that. Having large negative thought, for example a boiling kind of anger as a source, will without exception create a duel avatar whose power leans towards pure destructive power. For example, the huge disaster that spread through the accelerated world, that «Chrome Disaster».”
Hearing that name, Haruyuki took a sharp breath.
Seeing Disaster Armor, Chrome Disaster’s fearsome attack power, had shaken him to the marrow of bone, and he saw it only a few months ago. For sure, that enhanced armament was stained with tremendous feelings of rage, he thought.
“...And then also, avatars that use grudges as a source obtain curse-like indirect attack power, and avatars made from despair in many cases hurt the self to damage the enemy, a kind of self destruct type. But, not all of the avatars have that kind of destructive power, which you already understand right?”
“...Yea.”
It was exactly like what she said. Haruyuki’s wings were not direct attack power, and Ash Roller’s bike also. However, then, «Wounds of heart», what would it ——
“Wound, means lost. The hole in the heart from clipping off something important.”
As if reading what was inside Haruyuki’s chest, Sky Raker quietly answered.
“Holding the hollow hole, and having anger, resentment, despair —— or again reaching with ones" hand held out high. That choice determines the type of avatar.”
“The hand... reaching out?”
“Yes. That is «Hope». Wound of the heart, is also the flip side of desire.”
After affirming emphatically, Sky Raker lifted up her face, and looked straight at Haruyuki’s eyes from under the white hat.
“Silver Crow. You, above any Burst Linker that appeared, should have most desired to reach the sky in your heart. Your strength of will aiming for the sky created your flight ability, and the wings. Listen... you did not fly because of the wings. It’s the opposite.So that you can fly, you made the wings materialize.”
“So that I can... fly...”
He muttered that with raspy sound, and repeated that many times in his chest to understand the meaning —— then Haruyuki’s face under the silver mask distorted, and he sharply shook his head.
“That... is foolish. If just willpower can fly, then... those wings, are something only for looks...”
“Ultimately it is exactly that. Through some kind of phenomenon, the wings that you thought were objects, and «Flight ability» in the system, were robbed. However, the root source of the flight ability, your willpower, has not been robbed. Since to rob that, no matter with what kind of special skill, is impossible.
“Lie... it could not be, that kind of talk!”
Then, he grabbed his knees and deeply hung his head.
“Even if my heart, has the will to fly in the sky, that is just... a trigger. Brain Burst read that, and created those wings and flight ability. Then, in this world, as I thought that ability itself should be the essence! Unless that... that was taken back, I will, never...”
Holding his hands tight enough to break his fingers, Haruyuki said that in a moan.
For a while, just the sound of wind blowing through at 300 meters above ground echoed in the surrounding. Right in front of his eyes, at the garden’s edge extending to the sky, flowers that he did not know the name of swayed, and the petals flew apart without a sound.
“...That is, you want to say something like this?”
Sky Raker’s sound that reached him carried by the wind, even after Haruyuki’s outburst of anger shout, was calm as usual, no only that, it contained an echo of amus.e.m.e.nt.
“In this accelerated world, something like willpower is meaningless. Set by the system, only computed numeric data determine different kinds of phenomena.”
“...Since, it’s like that right. This is inside a VR game. Other than digital data, what else can you say is there.”
“This wheelchair.”
The sudden unrelated words lured Haruyuki’s face up.
“Look carefully. This is not an enhanced armament. Just, as seen, an object made up of chair and wheels. However earlier, you saw that this wheelchair moved by itself right?”
While confused and unable to grasp the real meaning of the question, Haruyuki answered.
“Ye... yea. It has some kind of internal propulsion system right? Like a motor, somewhere.”
‘—— There must be one. Since, earlier it moved by itself. Probably in her hand a small controller...’
While thinking like that, he extended his neck and stared at the elegant silver vehicle.
And then, his eyes became slits after being hit by a huge shock.
Nothing. Small axle, hub, rim or any motor like parts could not be seen. Then maybe jet propulsion equipment, and looked behind, but a nozzle or anything like that did not exist anywhere.
“Bu, but, since earlier, by itself, it moved.”
In front of Haruyuki who muttered in a daze, Sky Raker lightly opened her overlapping thin hands for him to see. Controls or anything like that, there was not any sign of it.
In that posture, the fully stopped avatar riding on the wheelchair ——.
With a ‘squeak’ wheel sound, slowly backed away.
“...No, no way.”
‘Squeak, squeak’. The chair moved back more, and on the gra.s.s, suddenly spun around. Furthermore, like a figure skater on a sheet of ice, it slid front, back, left, and right in graceful movements. After finishing a few seconds of dance, the chair stopped at its earlier position without a single inch of difference.
“How was that?”
“How was that... you said.”
Trembles shook Haruyuki’s shoulders, as his eyes opened to their limits.
—— should not have moved. This world created by the «Brain Burst» program, could be said to pursue reality as if it was another reality itself. Different kind of machines need motive equipment, and the motive equipment must have a source of energy. For example, if it was Ash Roller’s bike, there was gasoline in the tank, and the drive wheel was connected to the engine with chains so it could be turned. That was why, when Haruyuki lifted up the rear wheel in that duel, that bike could no longer move. If it was another game, something like the drive system would not matter, and even the front wheel could dash by itself, without a doubt.
That’s why, this wheelchair, moving by itself without any drive system sound or jet exhaust light was ——
“Not possible... It should not. Something..., exactly, what kind of power is moving that chair?”
The question that Haruyuki gasped out.
The sky color haired duel avatar, with a graceful smile on her small mask, answered.
“It is Will.”
“Wha...!?”
“It was moved with only willpower.”
This time he was. .h.i.t with a shock that almost made his soul leave his body, as Haruyuki shouted many times haltingly like a broken sound file.
“Bu, but. But, but... th, that is, as if. As if... it is movement by will!! Th, that means, that is... «Psychokinesis» ability or something... like that...?”
Here Sky Raker’s smile changed to wry smile, and largely shook her head.
“Fufufu, that is not it. This world... Normal Duel Field, or Unlimited Neutral Field, for Burst Linkers that fight in the accelerated world, anyone can have the same power.”
“Wha... what!?”
“Please think about it. You could freely fly when you had your wings. Isn’t that right?”
“Ye, yes...”
“But, how did you manage to control your wings? Since the real you, did not have experience with using wings or anything like them.”
He had not thought about that before, so when asked he blinked in surprise, then Haruyuki involuntarily moved his shoulders as he hesitantly answered.
“Th, that was... moving around the shoulder blade area...”
“If you just did that, then you would not be able to use something like your fist properly during flight, right? Please remember it... even if you are not conscious of it, your will power controlled the flight path. Isn’t that right?”
“...”
While speechless, ‘Now that you mention it’, he thought. Indeed Silver Crow moved both hands around a lot, and without any running start, he could immediately lift off at any place, or stop flying in mid air, and start hovering. At that time, if you want him to say how he was moving his body —— he could not answer.
But, he also could not swallow Sky Raker’s explanation, so he said while shaking his head slightly.
“Will... power. But, then, that, how is it read? The Neuro Linker having that function... should not...”
After those words left his mouth, inside Haruyuki’s ears, he heard an echo of Kuroyukihime’s words from her speech.
‘—— The Neuro Linker, has the power to access things other than sensory cortex and motor cortex in the brain.’
But that, should be about the earlier talk of «Wound of heart» related conversation. Then he could understand that far. Because he could interpret it as wounds equal to memory. However, how do you convert something ambiguous like «Will power» into data?
“Will, instead of that, would you understand if I say «Image Power»?”
Sky Raker’s voice, made Haruyuki lift up his head suddenly.
“Image...?”
“That’s right. You can also say it as the power of imagination. From then on, how you wanted to accelerate, turn, and slow down, you should have strongly imagined them during flight. The Neuro Linker read that, and moved your avatar. Listen... Image Power! That is truly, us Burst Linker’s secret true power. This wheelchair, my firm incarnation of the image for these two wheels turning is how it is controlled. I made it move this much, but it required a long time for this... however, it is not impossible. Definitely.”
Again, the right wheel slightly turned with a squeak, then Sky Raker and her wheelchair faced Haruyuki.
Her words that were issued next, somehow contained echo of majestic, mysterious, and divine revelation.
“Hidden inside the normal avatar control of «Action command type», the Burst Linkers who reach the existence of «Image power control type», called this power like this. Will from the mind —— that is, mind power[3].”
A pause.
“«Incarnate[4] System».”
“Mind... power?”
It was a word he had not heard of in the accelerated world or the real world.
However that echo, had some kind of convincing power feel to it, which Haruyuki repeated many times in his mouth.
What Sky Raker said, he could not understand immediately. Even though the principle of Neuro Linker is a different existence from old era VR machine, and Brain Burst is an unknown super application, still the process of «Changing the dive person’s image to data» or whatever, exactly what kind of mechanism would make that possible.
However, the elegant wheelchair made with silver did not have any propulsion system, but could still show him the dance on the gra.s.s. That alone was the truth.
‘—— Accept it.’
Haruyuki closed his eyes tight, and whispered that inside his chest.
It’s circular, but if will —— belief has real power in this world, and if he believe Sky Raker’s words, then he felt that without doubt it would become truth for him.
“That means..., that means.”
Something big and hot was stuck in his throat, and Haruyuki with difficulty changed the words ahead.
“If I can use that «Incarnate System», then I, can fly again even without wings... is, is that right?”
He stared at Sky Raker’s face as if trying to devour it, as Haruyuki waited for the answer with searing craving.
A few seconds later, the quietly released words, however, was something that was neither confirmation or denial.
“...Earlier, I showed you how I moved the wheels with mind power right? However, even without the difficulty of straining image power, you can do the same thing simply with the use of hands. Listen... using mind power for something that is possible to do with normal control type, and trying to use mind power for the incarnation of a phenomenon that is normally not possible, between them there is a very wide and deep gap... no, a large gorge exists. For example, that is like, in the real world, hitting one bullet with another bullet. It is physically possible, however it is hard to do. Extremely.”
Sky Raker looked away from the speechless Haruyuki, and casually looked up in the sky.
And then, there was a serene monologue containing something indescribable.
“I could not do it. Threw away my legs, my friends, and everything else I could thought of, and still could not cut off this world’s virtual gravity... Earlier, I said it right. Even if wanting to fly, but could not fly Burst Linker, that was me...”
“Ye... yea...”
After he nodded while drawn in, the sky color avatar extended her supply right hand straight up, and returned the nod.
“Close, but could not reach it... —— From the beginning, my avatar had an enhanced armament. The power to leave the ground and get close to sky. However, that was something you can not really call flight. With just a moment of thrust, only about 100 meters high jump, afterward just falling down kind of subst.i.tute for flight.”
“...”
Without being able to say anything back, Haruyuki just held his breath.
Once long ago, he checked to see how high Silver Crow’s flight ability could rise to. The Normal Duel Field’s four side «Area» borders were surrounded by half transparent walls, but how would the sky be like, which he wondered.
The result was, even using up a full tank of special skill gauge, Haruyuki’s finger could not touch a wall. The height at that time, he remembered it was over three times the height of Shinjuku Metropolitan Government Building seen far away. The recently rebuilt government building, boast a majestic height of 500 meters. That meant, Haruyuki easily rose to a height of over 1500 meters, and furthermore that was just done out of a whim.
‘—— I, did not even think about the meaning of the power I was given.’
Feeling the same regret that he had while on top of Ash Roller’s bike, Haruyuki shrunk his body even smaller, and Sky Raker’s sound continued to reach his ear.
“...One day, I was taken by the desire to go higher, and fly farther. I used various level up bonus to enhance jump ability, and then was devoted to battles to get more points. The few friends I had, and even my «Parent», became dissatisfied with me and left. Just one person, the master of the legion I belonged to at that time understood, and cooperated with me. I also wanted became her strength, and we fought shoulder to shoulder for a long, long time... —— However, reaching level 8, using that bonus would not be enough to make «Jump» into «Flight», when I realized that... my desire became a deep rooted delusion... no, became madness.”
“Mad... ness.”
Looking momentarily at Haruyuki who whispered that in a raspy sound, Sky Raker showed a very faint smile, and deeply nodded.
“I... in order to make my avatar itself lighter, and to increase flying strength from mind power, determined to throw away my highest attack power, which were my legs. I asked that person who was friend and master to cut them off with her sword. She tried to stop me. However, I already, no longer even understood how she felt... I threw cruel words at her, however she only made sad faces, and finally granted my wish.”
Sky Raker’s right hand gently caressed her knee, and calmly concluded.
“Spent all the bonuses, trained mind power, and even threw away legs so that I can no longer walk... after all those, the height limit reached was, 350 meters. 3.5 times of the starting value. However, I could not reach the sky. It barely reached the top of this old Tokyo Tower, then I finally realized it. The wounds of heart that was my avatar’s source, my hope and desire, did not have that kind of power. «Raker» means «Someone who overlooks». Momentarily overlooking the sky at the top of a parabola... that was the absolute limit of the power given to me. By the time I realized that, I had already lost everything important to me.”
With the shadow of a smile on her mouth, Sky Raker asked Haruyuki.
“How about it, Silver Crow. After listening to words of this fool, do you still want to use «Incarnate System» for flight training? Probably, it would be 99% impossible, with that will you still try?”
“...”
Haruyuki hung his head, and bit his lip.
‘—— Could not possibly do it. If it was impossible for this person who reached powerful level 8 Burst Linker rank, then what could the crybaby, coward, and full throttle underdog me do.’
‘—— My wings, would not be forever lost even remaining like this. It will be returned after enduring two years. As for Tak.u.mu and Kuroyukihime, I would make up some kind of reason for excuse, lie about it, and continue to secretly pay points to Noumi as tribute for two years would be fine. At the time I was bullied by Araya, didn’t it go for half a year like that? As for Chiyuri, if I desperately begged her, then she should endure being used as a pet in duel fields. That should be fine, shrink my hands and feet, living just looking down is fine.’
“...For me.”
It’s impossible.
Haruyuki wanted to answer like that. He wanted to answer, stand up, and turn towards the portal behind to return to the real world.
“...I, for me...”
However, something inside his chest stubbornly resisted, and would not let him say what was ahead. As if, the avatar called Silver Crow itself refused to speak that. Now that he lost the wings, the avatar was just a stickman with needle like limbs and a huge head on top, but it still had something important, as if it wanted to tell Haruyuki that.
He breathed in a lot of cold air into his trembling chest, and held them.
Then Haruyuki said with his head deeply lowered.
“For me, there is still something that I must do. ...I beg you. Please teach me... how to use the «Incarnate System».”
Sky Raker again faintly smiled, and slightly tilted her head.
“It will take a long, long time.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
“More than you imagine right now, probably a lot longer. It might come to, the «Point of No Return» for a Burst Linker.”
The meaning of those words, Haruyuki somehow immediately understood.
Haruyuki knew of two Kings —— Black King, Black Lotus, and Red King, Scarlet Rain. Those girls’ speech and action, had parts far removed from their real world appearance. The reason was, they spent a long time in this Unlimited Neutral Field. So much that a gap was created between their actual age and mental age.
For him also, the time for that choice finally arrived. Haruyuki shuddered, but still took a deep breath, and nodded.
“I understand. ...I beg you, Sky Raker-san.”
“Fine then.”
With a ‘squeak’, the wheelchair turned, and the accelerated world’s hermit looked at the sky.
“...Right now, the real world time should be just after 9pm. How much longer over there can you keep on diving?”
“Let’s see... tomorrow is school day, but three or four more hours should be fine. If necessary, till morning...”
Before, Kuroyukihime warned him that staying in this world for too long would make the real world memory from before the dive fade away. However, he thought there would be no need to worry about that this time. No matter how much time past, he would not forget about Noumi Seiji who robbed his wings. Absolutely, he would not.
“Fine.”
Holding the fingers of both hands together, Sky Raker turned back towards Haruyuki.
“So then..., we will rest for today.”
“Ye, yes!?”
“Your mind is disturbed by today’s happenings. You can not train mind power or anything like that in this state. Since it is already night here, have a good night’s sleep, then we will start tomorrow morning. There is plenty of time.”
“Go, good sleep... you said.”
Haruyuki inquired while dumbfounded.
“Si, since, if you fall asleep during full dive, the Neuro Linker will detect the brain wave and automatically Link Out right?”
“You don’t have to worry about that during acceleration. Recently a work was animated by an active high school student that is a famous manga artist right?”
While puzzled by those abrupt words, he still made a small nod.
“Ye... yes. I am a big fan...”
“He is a high level Burst Linker. All of his sleep is taken here, and while going to school is putting out a weekly series, that kind of unreasonable thing is being done.”
‘What, that natural hitmaker is a Burst Linker? Now that you mention it, there was something like that before.’
While a slight sense of Deja Vu spun around his head, Haruyuki chased after the wheelchair that started moving lightly.
After being invited in, the inside of the white wall and green roof house, was unexpectedly wide.
Even saying so, there was only one room. In there, only a small kitchen, table, and bed was setup.
Sky Raker’s wheelchair moved to the cooking stove set at the kitchen side, and took the lid from the pot on top with some clanking sounds. At that moment, a soft nice smell expanded in the house.
While Haruyuki looking on in a daze, she quickly put something like stew in wooden bowls, then with both hands holding dishes, this time the wheelchair moved to the table. While putting similar wooden spoons beside them, she said to Haruyuki.
“Don’t just stand there, how about sitting down?”
“Ah..., ye, yes.”
After he unsteadily sat in the high back chair, he looked down at the steaming white stew, and Haruyuki muttered inside his mind.
‘No, but, how to say it, here...’
“Is inside a duel fighting game, right...”
After he carelessly said that, Sky Raker nodded with a composed face.
“That is right. Is there a problem?”
“Since, that, eating dinner in a fighting game...”
“Oh, the background of a certain fighting game in the early days, had the gallery eating ramen.”
“Th, that might be true but!”
At the same time as he was. .h.i.t by the feeling of wanting to scratch his head, Haruyuki realized that he was fiercely hungry. Even though he had eaten pizza just a bit ago in the real world, where did this empty stomach feeling come from?
Even that kind of metaphysical question was instantly cleared up when Sky Raker said “Please, eat up”, and Haruyuki quickly held the wooden spoon.
And then he hesitated again.
“Ah, bu, but, my, mouth.”
Silver Crow’s face was covered with a mirror like silver helmet, without any eye, nose, or mouth. However, since Sky Raker urged him to eat with gesture, he hesitantly scooped up some stew, and brought it to his mouth. Then ——.
With a light humming sound, the bottom of his helmet slid just a little upwards. As he used his left hand to touch in amazement, he could definitely feel a mouth inside. Not understanding anything anymore, Haruyuki muttered “Let’s eat” and closed his mouth on the spoon.
—— It was delicious.
More natural than any company’s VR taste recreation engine, the fine tastes spread in his mouth, then Haruyuki scooped up potato, small onion, and chicken one after another and crammed them into his mouth. As he greedily ate, facing him, Sky Raker who elegantly moved her spoon said with a smile.
“I am happy that you like it, Karasu-san. Please fully taste it while eating. That memory, so that it will be remembered for some time.”
“...Yes?”
After emptying the dish without pausing for breath, Haruyuki finally thought about the meaning of those words just now. However, without the time to answer his question, Sky Raker started throwing the dishes into the kitchen shelves with flicks, so all he could do was bow his head and said ‘Thanks for the food’.
When he noticed it, outside the south facing window, it had became completely dark. Probably it was bright around the Odaiba area, and the swaying reflection from the black sea surface could be seen from afar.
Sky Raker’s fingers sounded with a snap, and either from house function or «Mind Power» movement, all the curtains closed shut. The wheelchair moved with squeaking sounds to the side of the small bed, then the avatar who lost legs, with just the right hand for support lightly moved her body on top of the sheets.
“So then, it’s a bit early, but we should sleep.”
What.
Sleep she said.
There was only one bed. There were two avatars. This means —— what would this mean?
Haruyuki thought in high speed for an instant, but that was cut apart by the pillow that was thrown to him. Holding that, he thought ‘Yea it should be like this what was I thinking I am an idiot idiot this fool’. While cursing himself, Haruyuki lay his silver avatar on top of the floor. Since his whole body was covered with hard metallic armor anyway, whether it was bed or board below would not make much of a difference.
After putting her hat on the hook on the wall, and quickly taking off her one piece and throwing it, Sky Raker lay flat on top of the bed, then snapped her fingers once more. The ceiling lamp and wood stove fire extinguished, then the inside of the house was covered with light blue darkness.
“Good night, Karasu-san.”
‘—— As expected of her being that Ash Roller’s Parent, this person is not someone ordinary.’
While impressed, Haruyuki also answered.
“Go, good night...”
At the same time in his mind, he shouted ‘As if I could sleep in this situation!’ —— but.
Unexpectedly, at the moment he closed his eyes while shifting to a sleep position beside the table, the base of his head immediately started to be covered with a fluffy white fog. As Sky Raker said, the many happenings were a big drain on him mentally after all.
Of course, he would not forget the humiliation and despair Noumi visited upon him. However right now, while inside this house in this world, he felt that the black things were driven away. Maybe that was, because the inside of his stomach was filled with delicious stew worth cup of happiness feeling, or it might be due to his gluttonous eating of the pretty realistic food.
Resisting the sleepiness that want to close his eyelids with violence like heaviness for a bit, Haruyuki very light whispered.
“Ah, Sky Raker-san. A little, can I ask you something?”
“Go ahead.”
Since he heard that sound immediately, he took a glance towards the bed, and asked while facing the graceful curved silhouette.
“That is... Ash Roller-san, has he already learned the «Incarnate System»?”
“In earnest, not yet. But I just gave hints, and that kid devised various things.”
With that answer, he understood something. Ash Roller’s new skill of controlling the bike while standing on top seem pretty absurd, but that probably contained image control. He gave a small nod on the floor, and asked the next question.
“Since you are his «Parent», are you also in the Green King’s legion now...?”
The reply this time, took a bit of time.
“...No. The legion I belong to, before and from now on, there is only one.”
“Then... that is.”
While involuntarily lifting up his head, Haruyuki asked the question that he really wanted to.
“The name of that legion is... perhaps, «Nega Nebulas»? And then, the person you asked to cut off your legs is...”
“«Black Lotus». Stronger, more n.o.ble, and kinder than anyone, my one and only friend.”
The somewhat quiet, yet song like beautiful echo answered, and made Haruyuki nod lightly.
“It would be that... I thought. You... somewhere, towards that person...”
“That is an old story.”
As if to cover Haruyuki’s words, those short words descended from the bed.
“Long, long ago old story. There... sleep already, Karasu-san. Tomorrow is an early day.”
As if to refuse any more conversation, he heard a quick sound of rolling over.
‘—— I want to hear more. Of old times, about that person.’
Even with that kind of feeling, however at that time an intense force weighted on Haruyuki’s face.
He left his body to the visiting warm darkness, and Haruyuki sank down into the abyss of deep sleep.
The next moment, his head hi