PrologueThe largest network called «Global Net», transcended the name Global five years ago. In the Eastern Pacific, a s.p.a.ce elevator was built to a stationary orbit s.p.a.ce station, that also connected to many bases on the moon, and now anyone who wishes, can dive from their home to the moon"s surface in true real time image.
Of course, numerous networks other than that exist. Countries and businesses with their firewall protected large scale Closed Nets, schools and apartments with their Local Nets, or personally operated Private Nets, and many more are built on top of each other. If you could see the internal communication signals flying around, the world would be seen as covered by a thin shining white mesh.
Compared to those, it"s very small scale, however for Arita Haruyuki, it"s a net that holds a very important meaning, which is occurring in Haruyuki"s room right now.
"...Th-Then, connecting, Chiyu."
He announced it in a low voice, and Chiyu, that is Kurashima Chiyuri, answered with a voice that had none of his tension.
"Why are you trying to be pompous. Just do it quickly."
Not understanding other"s feeling.
While moaning in his heart, Haruyuki inserted the plug held in his left hand into the Neuro Linker on his neck.
At the same time, two Wired Connection warnings lit up red in the center of his view, then disappeared.
Chiyuri who sat on the bed, from her light purple Neuro Linker, two XSB cables extended from left and right side, one of them connected to Haruyuki who sat on the floor. And the other one, was connected to Taku that is Mayuzumi Tak.u.mu who sat on a mesh chair.
This connection situation should not be filled with such tension. No, before that—
"...You don"t really need to direct connect with me..."
After he complained, Chiyuri"s cat like eyes gave him an once over.
"No. If the copy from Ta-kun fails, I have your promise that the next install will be from Haru. I won"t let you get away."
"...Yes."
He nodded, and took a glance to the right, where Tak.u.mu returned a wry smile while pushing his frameless gla.s.ses up.
Haruyuki, Chiyuri, and Tak.u.mu were all born in the same year in this south Kouenji large apartment, that is they had childhood-friends relationship.
The long time old friends played together everyday, sometimes they had silly quarrels, and then made up, which continued till three years ago— when the three of them were 11 years old, Chiyuri and Tak.u.mu started going out with each other, so Haruyuki backed off. The result, was that the equilateral triangle they had till then, one corner moved far away and it became an isosceles triangle.
However last year, with a certain incident"s trigger, their relationship was fully reset once, and now half a year later, it continued to be in a delicate state.
For Haruyuki, he wished they would quickly make up. However Tak.u.mu who started the incident, still continued to blame himself, and with him not taking any proactive action, the triangle"s sides expand and shrink unstably day by day. Just like— right now, the uneven sway of the two cables between the three Neuro Linkers.
"Then, you are ready right, Chi-chan?"
With a soft sound that did not show his inner feelings, Tak.u.mu said so.
Chiyuri nodded as her short hair swayed, and her hands held tight above her small knees which peeked out from her skirt.
Tak.u.mu also returned the nod, then his long finger moved in midair— he must be manipulating the virtual desktop that only he could see, and while his middle pressed on a file, a slight hesitation showed on his well featured white face.
"...Chi-chan. For the last time, let me again make sure... the «Brain Burst» that I will send you, it is a game but not a game. In exchange for tremendous privilege, pleasure, and thrill, it requires many different kinds of compensation. Someday... you might regret it."
Those words, easily represented Haruyuki"s misgivings in his heart.
With the installation of the mysterious game application «Brain Burst», people that became accelerated ability users called «Burst Linkers», can no longer go back to what they were before. Completely captured by the unknown net of the accelerated world, and to keep the rights to connect to that, «Duels» must be repeated forever. That pressure sometimes distorted the personality. The incident in which Tak.u.mu placed a backdoor virus in Chiyuri"s Neuro Linker and was given a "friendship break off" announcement for a while, was due to his fear of losing accelerated ability being pushed to the limit.
However, for Chiyuri who was faced with worried looks from left and right, she puffed up her cheeks and said in a sharp voice in return.
"Look here! I want to become that Burst whatever, is not that I want that accelerated ability, nor that senpai coming to our home! Ta-kun and Haru being that deep in it is what I can"t stand! For a game, if you don"t play it with more fun it"s no good, I want it so I can clearly teach that to you!"
While he involuntary leaned back, Haruyuki and Tak.u.mu looked at each other at the same time and had wry smiles.
"U-Understood, Chi-chan. Then... ready right? Sending."
"Please."
Lifting her sharp jaw up, Chiyuri prompted with her wink.
Towards that face, Tak.u.mu slid his finger in midair.
Chiyuri"s large eyes locked onto a point in the air. Right now, there should be an installation confirmation dialog open for the application «Brain Burst 2039».
Lifting her right hand from her knees, Chiyuri did not show any sign of hesitation as she used her index finger to poke where the YES b.u.t.ton was supposed to be.
"Ah...!?"
Right after, sitting on the bed"s edge, the slender body wearing the pink knitwear jerked. Her wide eyes looked left and right. Haruyuki remembered half year ago, the time that he accepted Brain Burst. At the moment he pressed the b.u.t.ton, lots of virtual flames erupted in his view.
Those flames, were shown to the person installing the program to check their «acceleration apt.i.tude».
There are two apt.i.tudes required to become a Burst Linker. First, to wear a Neuro Linker since birth, which Chiyuri cleared without any doubt. However the problem is the second one, the brain"s reaction speed.
The Neuro Linker communicates with the wearer"s brain using wireless quantum signals. But, the flesh and blood organ"s, that is the brain"s, response rate differs from person to person. Either born with high reaction nerve circuits, or increased through long training, anyway if the Neuro Linker and the brain"s response speed is not beyond a certain level, the illusion flames will be extinguished in the middle, and Brain Burst will not successfully install.
No... maybe, failure is better.
While holding his sweaty hands tight, Haruyuki thought like that.
In the accelerated world, the feelings of people who fought there— hatred, resentment, envy, l.u.s.t and other different malicious feelings can be trapped in the whirlpool. He absolutely did not want to see the shape of the innocent Chiyuri being hurt after exposure to that.
"...Haru."
Suddenly, Tak.u.mu"s sound echoed inside his head. It was a thought voice sent only to Haruyuki.
With a quick glance to his right side, he saw his childhood friend"s mouth lightly biting his lips while sitting on the chair.
"I am.. afraid. That Chi-chan... might change..."
His finger quickly manipulated his virtual desktop, setting his thought voice to be sent only to Tak.u.mu, Haruyuki answered.
"We... no, you protecting her will definitely be okay, Taku. Also, we still don"t know if the install will be successful for sure. On the other hand... too bad for Chiyuri, it"s probably not possible."
"W...Well yeah. She said she went through some kind of amazing training, but with just two months, I don"t think she can gain enough «apt.i.tude»..."
Then, at that time.
Chiyuri"s face that was turning as she looked around, became fixed to right in front of her.
As she winkled her sort of big eyebrows, her pupils moved from left to right.
Her mouth opened slightly, and the raw sound that dripped from there, Haruyuki and Tak.u.mu listened while holding their breath.
"What is, this? W...Welcome To The... Accelerated World?"