Alright so, how was this fic born? Well, it's a long story.
I woke up one morning and thought 'Hey, I wanna create a serious story this time'.
Huh, that was faster than I thought.
Anyways yeah, somehow, I felt like although it's great to create some 'lol's' with my neptunia fics, I feared that if I concentrate too much on it, everyone will view me like some kind of demented clown.
And after watching some Accel World and .hack GU cutscenes featuring Haseo awesomeness, I kinda got motivated to write this story. Somehow. Well sure, I went back and forth between .hack GU crossover with Sword Art Online and Accel World, I chose Accel World because I figured that when comparing the apparent fanbases between the two series, Sword Art Online has a much bigger one so I was pretty sure someone better than me will write a good .hack/Sword Art Online crossover anyways so I didn't really bother with it.
I came up with this intro chapter here and whether I'll continue this or not depends on the reviews and reception I get from this chapter. Keep that in mind.
If overall reaction is good, then I'll keep adding to this when I can. If not, I'll scrap it. Metaphorically speaking, a pilot should never fly a plane if it is believed it will only crash and burn.
Although since this is a first chapter, this probably won't say much so I'll just alert you to some of the ideas I have planned for this fic:
1. The main character is Haseo/Ryou Misaki. His Duel Avatar is 'Black Reaper' for now, until I come up with something better. His appearance is essentially like Haseo in his 3rd form.
2. The intended main pairing is Haseo/Ryou MisakiXBlack Lotus/Kuroyukihime
3. Set mostly in Accel World Universe.
4. Plot will consist of some .hack/GU and Accel World Elements.
5. Haseo/Ryou's personality will be the same as that during the beginning of G.U. and will develop as the story goes on.
6. Confirmed .hack characters to be added are Shino and Ovan.
7. Shino's Duel Avatar is called: Monochrome Bell.
8. Ovan's Duel Avatar is called: Azure Rebirth...yeah, I need to think that one over actually. If you guys have any better suggestions, would love to hear them. Update: Duel Avatar changed to Azure Rebirth. Better?
9. Only Ryou/Haseo and Ovan will have human-like Duel Avatars resembling their .hack characters, for plot purposes. Shino will be the only one to have a Duel Avatar version of her .hack character, since it'll be easy to imagine (Shino with metal skin or something, pretty much) and she's not gonna have much of a main character position in the story anyways (kinda like .hack G.U. Poor Shino...)
10. Haseo/Ryou and Ovan will have their Avatars, classified as special abilities exclusive to them.
11. Haseo/Ryou will gain Xth form later on.
12. Haruyuki, Takumu and Chiyuri will also be included. Ryou and Haruyuki will know each other through online games and will be acquainted with Takumu and Chiyuri through Haru. He will still treat them coldly at the beginning.
13. Due to the fact that most Burst Linkers can only be 15 years old or younger, Shino's history (and age) is gonna be altered a bit. She'll be 15 years old and she'll be a childhood friend to Ryou/Haseo. In fact, it is Shino that will have introduced him to Brain Burst and become his 'Parent'.
14. Ovan is gonna remain a mystery because that's what he is, a mystery. Not gonna dive too much into him.
15. Haseo/Ryou and Kuroyukihime are in the same year and class.
16. I'm still contemplating the naming of Ryou/Haseo. Should I keep it as Ryou or somehow fit the more memorable 'Haseo' in there?
...I think that's it. If you have anything you want to ask, either message me or put it in a review. Btw, to all those who give guest reviews and ask questions, I really can't answer them because how the hell am I supposed to respond?
Anyways, read and review because I really need to know whether or not this story should continue or not. Should prolly familiarize myself more with Accel World terminology while I'm at it.
Thanks and enjoy!
Reboot
Part 1
Perched on the edge of the tall cliff, He steadily gazes down at the earthy wasteland-like scenery before him.
Of course, he wasn't looking through his real eyes nor could his lungs get irritated by the brush of dirt that flowed through his face.
In this world, people interact through Duel Avatars, avatars that represent people in this world. A Duel Avatar can have any form, usually humanoid in nature. These humanoid avatars are typically mechanical in appearance, appearing almost like armored humans with a specific color scheme to it. The concept was no different from a game character in an MMO. Rather, it's exactly the same.
And the world he saw before him was nothing more than a bunch of textures slapped on top of polygons. No matter how realistic the rough texture he felt beneath his feet or the air flowing through his body, this was nothing more than a made-up world programmed by some kind of genius.
He held no love for this world and as amazing as it looked before him, he treated like it was just another game.
One step into this virtual world, the Accelerated World, and the real world will become boring in comparison. Even He had to admit to that. Even he found this virtual world more attractive than the real world back home, but he still remained indifferent to it, nonetheless.
He cared little for what goes on in this world, even less about the Six Legions ruling over it and their activities.
Aurora Oval.
Crypt Cosmic Circus.
Great Wall
Leonidz
Nega Nebulus
Prominence
Oscillatory Universe
These are the legions that governed the Accel World and he belonged to none of them.
He had little interest in those little [clubs] and their [party games] and as such, he spends little to no time in their territory and focuses his efforts in the neutral zones of the Accel World, or the Unlimited Neutral Field to be precise. Here, one can find powerful NPC monsters to fight and looking aside the territory controlled by a legion, it was a perfect place to find rogue Avatars controlled by a player deeply rooted to Accel World's dark side.
In the Neutral Field, the players are not forced to fight, free to fight as they choose or not fight at all. In other words, it was a lawless land where basically anything goes, so long as it was within the parameters set by this game.
As such, it's easy to find players who attack other players, otherwise known as Player Killers. People in this world may PK for any number of reasons, whether its revenge or profit, but most often it's the latter.
These type of players came in all kinds of forms, some more devious than others. It is often known that the most pathetic among them were the kinds that formed groups and launch coordinated attacks on unsuspecting prey, usually weaker and fewer in number.
And it was those kinds of groups that he especially has his eyes on, for his own reason.
He catches sight of such a group in the wasteland below him, about 50 meters away from where he stood.
There were about 20 PK's in that group. All of them surrounded a meek group of only 5 petit-looking Duel Avatars. Judging by how the prey moved and bunched up together, he can only assume that they were either very young or very new to this game.
20 against 5. They were likely going to kill them repeatedly and divide the 'reward' they get from killing them amongst their own. However, in these PK groups, backstabbing is a common practice so it might even result in only one man standing.
All of them laughed at the prospect of killing again. He could tell from a glance that they were all professionals in the art of PKing, indulging in it like a drug.
As the group of 20 slowly exert pressure from all sides against the young innocent players, one of them as they took a step back tripped on a pebble no larger than a coin and fell to its rear, fearfully gazing up at all the PK's closing in.
"S-Someone! P-Please help me!"
The helpless one on the ground cried helplessly for anyone. Anyone at all.
The voice definitively sounds like it belongs to a small girl. She cried out for anyone to come in and save her and her friends.
He could hear her voice all the way up from where he stood, but despite her pleas, he didn't even twitch his finger in response.
It was a pointless action, he knew.
Even if he saved them now, they would just get killed in this world again either. If all he could do was stall the inevitable, then it's better for all of them to get killed here and never come back to this harsh, merciless world again.
Sometimes, a momentary kindness can be so cruel. This was one of those times.
Also, he didn't come to play hero.
He stood there at the cliff, silently watching as the 20 PK's repeatedly killed the 5 players over and over and over, like a pack of dogs fighting over a piece of meat.
Even in the virtual world, no, because it's the virtual world, people like this can exist. He thought how tasteless it must be, fighting against something that couldn't even fight back.
With his prey in his sight, he clicks his tongue and turns around. As he marches off and leaves the cliff's edge, he lets out a low chuckle as he imagines himself grinning at this moment.
Not even 5 minutes had gone by since he left and already, the PK's were finishing up. One raised a sword up and strikes down upon the last of them, cutting out the last of their HP in a single hit. The five Duel Avatars that were no better than practice dummies motionlessly lie on the ground, like empty suits of armor.
"Hahaha, that was too easy!"
A tall, slender Avatar with female proportion and a violet color scheme lets out a boisterous laugh, energetically kicking the player-less Avatars as many times as she could until they broke down into polygon-shaped fragments and dispersed with a bright light effect.
The other PK Avatars surrounding her loudly voiced their complaints, as if they were entertaining a crowd.
"Haha, you said it! The five of them and we all get are a measly 100 Burst Points from all of them?!"
"Pathetic!"
"Those noobs!"
"A bunch of babies!"
"Good riddance to them!"
Criticism was being thrown everywhere. The rest of the PK's began to laugh loudly straight into the air, taking nothing but sweet satisfaction from these petty victories.
In this world, Burst Points was a concept even more valuable than gold to the typical player. In order to keep going in this world, Burst Points was a necessity. The very life of a player depended on these points.
And due to the abilities they give to them back in the real world, it is not uncommon for players to be greedy and wish to secure as much Burst Points for themselves as possible, even resorting to Player Killing to satisfy that greed.
In fact, to even keep going in this world, Burst Points were necessary. If an Avatar were to ever to be stripped of all their Points, they would never be able to return to the Accelerated World again.
When thought about it like that, it was a fate similar to death in this world. The 'You' in 'This World' would cease to be. The 'You' in this 'world' is essentially dead here.
Perhaps because it was a virtual world, people often neglect that kind of thought. Even if a Duel Avatar dies here and is stripped of all their points, the player behind them doesn't really die in the real world and as such, the act of PKing can never be a true 'murder'. It was that kind of thinking that allowed PK's to go on killing other Duel Avatars without remorse, even gloating about it in the face of others.
'It's not like they're dead in the real world, so how is this a crime?'
They would often say in an attempt to excuse their actions.
Of course, He doesn't give a damn about their excuses, their motives or even the concept of 'death' between the real world and virtual world.
The PK's were too busy laughing their heads off to even notice him. He wasn't particularly trying to be stealthy. He casually walked over to them just like anybody would in any situation.
He approached one of them from behind. The Male-looking Avatar was too absorbed in his own ego to even notice his footsteps.
He raises his right foot up and fires it straight into the rear. He applies just enough force to send the other Avatar tumbling forward for a bit. His footwork was so bad that he ended up juggling on his feet a few times and when he fell, he accidentally grabbed the back of one of his comrades, dragging him down with him.
All the laughter suddenly stops.
Noticing two of their own with their faces suddenly lying on the ground like an idiot, the other PK's all react and turn their heads in response to the source of the disturbance.
Then, an overwhelming amount of fear takes over all their minds.
Standing at the exact spot once occupied by the PK that tripped earlier was a lone Avatar, with a humanoid shape and black thin armor, adorned with spikes with blood-colored tipped protrusions all over the body. A unique spine-like appendage extends out from the Duel Avatar's back.
Overall, the appearance of the Avatar was like a demon that just emerged out of hell.
But it wasn't just the appearance that scared everyone present, it was the 'scent of death' that was emanating from this Avatar.
"I-It's h-him….!"
One of the PK's finally mustered the courage to speak, albeit in a meek voice. He couldn't stop stuttering. Here in the Accel World, Duel Avatars move corresponding to the player's thoughts. As such, even while lacking proper facial expressions, strong emotions like fear can easily be projected by the way the Avatar moved.
This one wouldn't stopped trembling and every part of his body struggled to lift even a finger. Fear has stricken it so bad that he forget to move.
"T-The Terror of Death…!"
Here in the Accel World, there exists a rumor. About a wandering rogue Duel Avatar who roams the Unlimited Field, mercilessly hunting any unfortunate PK's who crosses his path. This PKK, or Player Killer Killer is infamous for having destroyed more Duel Avatars than anyone, having the highest 'kill' count of players in the game. Of course, his targets have all been PK's, but that didn't mean he should be no less feared by regular players.
His impact was so great that he singlehandedly cleaved a significant fraction of the Accel World's population. Any players that confront him no longer return to the Accelerated World, either because their Burst Points run out or more commonly, they were too afraid to return,
And the name of this monster, christened 'The Terror of Death' is,
"B-Black Reaper!"
The one who scream had their virtual Avatar bisected through the waist by a pair of dual swords.
Gripping on a unique pair of twin swords with oscillation-type blades in a reverse grip, he takes aim on his targets. The teeth of his blades begin to emit a low, whirring noise and before all 20 of his targets had time to react, he achieved Godspeed.
Flashing between 5 different places one after another, he mercilessly cuts his blades through 5 of them one by one before even a second was counted; a ruthless speed.
A single strike tear through each Avatar's body and destroys their HP bars in one hit: an unreal feat, even in this world.
His onslaught didn't end there. Gripping on both swords, he leaped high into the air, pouncing on the 3 that were clumped together, delivering two deadly strikes with both his swords simultaneously, taking them all down before they even realized it.
Before the 3 lifeless Avatars could drop to the ground, Black Reaper relentless assaults each one of them with killing blows.
A clean, diagonal cut through the torso, twin violent thrusts to the chest, and an overwhelming kick to the face that tore off the head.
Three more were completely torn apart by these brutal attacks.
There was clearly no mercy in his heart. He wasn't simply trying to kill the Avatars; he was crushing the minds behind these Avatars, completely.
By the time their minds have finally regained control of their Avatars, over half of them had already been massacred in a time span of less than 5 seconds.
Desperation and panic ran through everyone's minds. Drawing out their weapons and armaments, a handful of them launched a reckless attack from all sides.
They weren't even thinking of trying to defeat him. The only craving they had in their mind was to take as much HP off of him as they could.
There was no coordination and no planning. Just a full frontal attack in a manner no different from that of a wild beast.
Even if it was the Terror of Death, even he wouldn't be able to stand an attack launched by so many on so many different angles without some damage inflicted.
That naïve thinking and ignorance is what will cause their downfall.
Black Reaper had a special ability that sets him apart from the other Duel Avatars.
It's called 'Multi-weapon'.
He stores his dual swords away, a flash of light bursting as his swords dematerialized behind his waist.
Reaching behind, both his hands gripped onto the weapon that was about to materialize.
A second flash of light bursts behind him, this mass of light effect was much larger than the one produced before. He grips firmly on the weapon that he was about to bring out, waiting for the right opportunity to strike.
From the overlapping footsteps, he can detect just how many are coming for him.
The sounds were like bees buzzing in his ears.
They were just numbers. He saw no threat in a group of punks who attacked beginners in large group in order to feel almighty.
These guys were nothing more than bullies. That's why he can stand up to 100's of them without breaking a sweat.
As soon as they all got into his ideal attack range, he strikes.
The flash of light materialized a massive scythe as large as his body. The massive weapon required a surprising amount of strength for such a slender body.
Masterfully utilizing his own body weight and center of gravity, Black Reaper unleashes his massive scythe in a 720 degree spin with the sheer force generating a brief tornado around his body.
A single hit tears through all of them.
The blade of the scythe tore through all the Duel Avatars with light armors and even the ones with a sturdier build were knocked away with overwhelming brute force. The speed and height they were flying at, their HP will hit 0 the instant they crash back to the ground.
Due to size of his scythe and the imbalanced weight distribution, there was a significant gap in the time taken between attacks, making it easy to counter between those intervals.
One of the remaining PK's was smart enough to see that. And just as he watched his fellow PKer's getting slaughtered one by one, he made his move while the Black Reaper was still recovering from his scythe attack.
He dashes forward, with his sights aimed for the Reaper's blind spot. With a brief instant of confidence filling his mind, he brandishes a blade-like weapon extended from his right forearm and swung wildly without aim or control.
He missed and failed to hit the main body, but it managed to strike the staff of the scythe, knocking the fearsome weapon out of the reaper's hand an unreachable distance.
With the Reaper unarmed, a brief satisfaction filled the PKer's mind, with the deluded confidence that he had already won.
At this close range, all he needed was to strike one more time, and he'll-!
That confidence quickly turned to despair as the Terror of Death grabs his face with insane gripping power. If this was his real body, his head would've exploded into tofu by now. Even though the Duel Avatar's virtual body kept him from feeling pain, the mental signals alerting him of the pressure on his skull coming from all sides was enough to drive him insane.
Perhaps because his prey was so small but the Terror of Death easily lifts him off the ground simply by gripping his face. Squeezing with just enough strength to inflict a crack on its visor, the Terror of Death holds his enemies head up high and tosses the entire body away like it was a baseball.
The avatar hovered briefly in the air like a rag doll, crashing into a wall of rock before it would hit the ground.
The Reaper's sixth sense alerts him to a danger coming from his flank. He takes a quick glance to the side.
A tall, hulking golem-type Duel Avatar about twice his side towers over him, hands both forming a giant fist that were being swung down like twin hammers.
He easily leaps back before they could even touch him, letting the fist-shaped hammers crash into the sturdy ground, channeling a brief quake that briefly vibrated through the land. An attack with that much raw power to alter the virtual land's shape would certainly be harmful. But if it can't hit the target, the overall damage would still amount to zero.
Having narrowly avoided that attack, the Terror of Death's body still followed the momentum from the massive back steps. The physics in this world were quite impressive, almost mirroring that of the real world.
Pressing his feet firmly on the ground, the reaper skids back a few as he tries to regain control of his movements. At the same time, he reaches back over his shoulder with both hands.
A burst of light flashed once more. Gripping the handle of the weapon that was about to materialize, the light effects gets replaced by a massive broadsword almost twice the size of the user's avatar. The massive broadsword far too large for an avatar his stature had the bone-chilling appearance of a massive chainsaw.
In fact, that's what it was, basically a broadsword with a chainsaw blade.
Despite its massive, unrealistic size, the Terror of Death easily holds it in both arms and swings it down with enough force to split the earth.
Taking that action as some kind of non-verbal challenge, the titan-sized golem smashes both his fists together, releasing and explosion of sound waves that scattered the dust around him.
The reaper wasn't fazed by that show of strength, letting that invisible wall of sound brush through his avatar like a breeze. His unimpressed eyes only saw a giant gorilla made of metal before him.
The teeth of his chainsaw blade viciously began to oscillate as the Terror of Death dashed forward head-on.
His opponent responds in a similar manner, both foes charging each other head on in a challenge of raw power.
From a glance, the victor should already be decided. Anyone who saw this joust would already declare a victor in their mind unanimously.
Comparing the sheer sizes of the two opposing sides which were like comparing a child and an adult, one was clearly outmatched, to the point that a head-on charge against such a behemoth would be suicide.
The golem-sized avatar was sure to take his own massive size in account when swelling up his own confidence. That will be his undoing.
The two entered each other's range and made their moves, putting all the strength behind both their attacks with exact timing.
Fist struck blade. Blade struck fist. The power released from the clash of two opposing forces releases a massive shockwave that scattered everything around them.
It was a deadlock, in the span of a few seconds. The rotating teeth of the Terror of Death's viciously tore through the titan avatar's hand, repeatedly cutting through the fist as he forces the blade through the body.
Although the virtual world made it possible to feel pain, the traumatizing sight of that giant sword slowly cutting through the massive steel hardened body with sparks flying out will leave mental scars.
The reaper furiously forces his weapon in further and further to the body, his mind only seeking complete and total destruction of his enemy.
With the enemy player's mind filled with terror right to the end, the reaper tears through the massive Duel Avatar's arm and body, allowing him to fall to the ground in pieces by his sword.
Glaring down indifferently to his fallen foe, the Terror of the Death raises his head up, now alert to the last PK standing on this wasteland of a field.
19 slaughtered without even an inch taken off of his HP meter. The rumor of the Terror of Death and the 100 Duel Avatar's he slaughtered in a single night turned out to be true.
The last one standing, the female Duel Avatar with the slender female body frame had her knees caved in and entire body quivering with senseless fright.
The boasting confidence she had earlier quickly became senseless terror.
Her abilities are at a notch higher than that of the others but even so, even she could tell that she was no match for the monster that stood before her with gleaming red, bloodthirsty eyes.
Her fear was natural, of course. As a PK in the Accel World, she only knew how to hunt down other players.
She had no idea what to do if she was the one being hunted.
If she tries to run, he'll kill her. If she fights back, he'll kill her.
No matter how she thought about it, she'll be dead for sure. And when she dies, she'll lose it, the Brain Burst and its power for the rest of her life.
She couldn't bear that thought. The idea of going on with her life without that –amazing power- in the real world terrified her as much as the Terror of Death did.
That fear and desperation took away control of her body from her own mind. Screaming, she leapt into the air, with a sword gripped tightly in her right hand.
She pointlessly lunges with her sword against the Terror of Death, screaming 'DIE!' in the process.
However, Black Reaper didn't even bother to put up his blade. He didn't even attempt to dodge.
He swings his massive broadsword with a single arm, slamming the wide face of the sword against his attacker, swatting her away as if she was a bug.
That effortless attack threw her quite a distance. Her mind shook all over as her avatar tumbles repeatedly over and over on the ground, finally coming to a stop with her avatar covered in dirt and dents in her armor.
Lying roughly on her stomach, she picks herself up off from the ground.
Lifting her head up, her entire avatar froze up completely as a giant sword immediately stabs through the ground a few centimeters in front of her face.
Making a life-threatening mistake, she accidentally peers behind the blade in front of her, locking eyes with the blood-curdling expression of a raging demon.
All the thoughts in her mind became white noise from then on.
She couldn't move nor could she speak and even thinking became impossible for her. It's as if her mind had completely forgotten how to carry out those basic functions. If only she had forgotten how to see or hear, she could pretend the 'Terror of Death' didn't exist right in front of her.
Her will completely crushed but unable to force herself into Zero Fill to spare herself the horror, all she could do was engrave the 'Terror of Death' into her mind in her last moments.
Ears still working, she can hear the Terror of Death's bone-chilling words as they formed a single question.
"….Do you know Tri-Edge?"
Part 2
Tri-Edge. The title of a mysterious Duel Avatar shrouded in blue fire. No one knows the Avatar's real name, let alone their real world identity. It is often said that Tri-edge was just a legend, a myth designed to scare little kids.
The rumors behind them state that players who get killed by him, regardless of level and Burst Points, never come back to the Accelerated World.
Of course, it was just a rumor, apparently. Not many actually believe that Tri-Edge exists.
However, Black Reaper is more than certain that Tri-Edge exists. Why?
…He's met him before.
He takes a walk through the Black Legion territory, Nega Nebulus of the Accelerated World with his Duel Avatar, Black Reaper.
Ever since he came here, this was the avatar that he was stuck with from the beginning. Of course, he didn't customize it himself. This was given to him from the beginning and he couldn't redesign it.
While he personally didn't mind his fiendish appearance in particular, he does understand as a gamer how frustrating it is as to how you could not alter your own appearance in a virtual world.
There was also the problem with his face. He is unique to be one of the few, if not only, Duel Avatars to possess a human face. With red eyes, shaggy silver hair, and scar-like tattoos on his cheeks. Some minor altercations from his actual face in the real world so it shouldn't be enough to expose his real identity but it becomes a nuisance when dirt gets into his Duel Avatar's eyes.
He doesn't know why he is one of the only Avatars to possess a human face. Then again, there are a lot of things about this world he doesn't understand.
Unfortunately, this is how the game works.
It was a shame that he no longer treated it like a game.
"..."
Black Reaper, otherwise the Terror of Death, was in a foul mood like always.
His last target didn't know anything about Tri-Edge, much to his frustration.
A part of him contemplated leaving more of them alive so that he could interrogate them. However, it's unlikely he'll ever see them again, either because the Brain Burst has uninstalled because of him or they are mentally scarred from coming back to the Accel World.
"...It can't be helped..."
He murmurs to himself. All he could do now was look for the next group of PK's to interrogate.
Nega Nebulus was a region once ruled by the Black King, Black Lotus before her disappearance about two years ago.
He didn't know the details behind it and honestly, he cares very little for that kind of 'idle chatter'.
That's why he started hunting player killers, because they would most likely have the answers he seeks. The Black King's former territory is bound to have at least one or two rogue Duel Avatars lingering around that he could rip out information from.
"So you're the one. The Duel Avatar that reeks of death."
Behind him, there was a voice. A female to be precise. And arguably a smooth one to be able to say that to the Terror of Death without a stutter.
With his fearsome reputation, the population of Burst Linkers in this world who can even come up to him casually is close to zero. Well, there is one but that is a male so it couldn't be him.
Black Reaper stops in his tracks and perks his head up. He turns around, and looks up at the profile of the strange avatar standing on a high platform above him.
It was a girl. Pure white skin, jet black eyes and long silky black hair. Unlike most of the Avatars that took the appearance of some form of robot, this one looked purely human. Such a Duel Avatar design was unheard of.
Of course, what he saw wasn't a Duel Avatar at all, just the typical avatar, a virtual character to represent one self online back in the real world. It's not uncommon for Burst Linkers to come to the Accelerated World with their normal avatars.
However, due to the lack of manpower Duel Avatars are known for, coming here defenseless with just a normal avatar is like asking to get killed. There's always the risk of exposing your identity in the real world, which could be dangerous and fatal in the secret world of Brain Burst.
And Black Reaper recognized this avatar well.
Such an exquisite, original design, he could never mistake it.
Large swallowtail butterfly wings on her back, dressed with balled shoes. A closed parasol in her hand and she wore a beautiful black dress.
There was no way he could ever mistake that look. This was the avatar of the most beautiful girl at his school, with hazel eyes and a slender figure.
Black Reaper, or the player behind this Duel Avatar was in the same year as her and they're even in the same class. However, he rarely talks to her, as he was more pre-occupied with other matters. Plus, those two had always lived in two separate worlds. At least, he thought that was the case.
"Kuroyukihime..."
As he murmurs her name with indifference, a mysterious smile appeared on her face.
"I'm glad that you at least know my name, Misaki Ryou-kun."
"...!"
For a second, Black Reaper, or to be more precise, Misaki Ryou's eyes showed surprise that his real identity was exposed so easily before slowly calming down. Perhaps, it was just carelessness on his part.
By recognizing her school avatar and knowing her name, it would be quite easy to narrow down the list of possibly identities for her. The rest is simply guessing based on personality.
Reflexively, he drew out his dual swords. To a Burst Linker, having their true identity known by anyone is taboo and dangerous.
He never thought Kuroyukihime was a Burst Linker but by revealing that to him and the fact that she knew his true name, she became a threat that had to be eliminated.
However, he paused when she raised her voice.
"Please wait. I have no intention to fight you. I only wish to talk."
Of course, Black Reaper was skeptical. However, when he thought about it, this girl approached him with her school avatar. Such a thing couldn't even lay a scratch on a beginner Burst Linker in their Duel Avatar form.
In fact, just by coming here, she's essentially a sitting duck for anyone even if he doesn't attack her. There were nothing but risks that came from coming here like this.
Either, she truly intends to just have a peaceful talk with him, which would make her absolutely reckless, a complete idiot, or both.
He's willing to guess it was the last one.
"...What do you want?"
He puts his swords away and impatiently stares up at Kuroyukihime.
Kuroyukihime never once let her mysterious smile drop. Instead, she grows even more intrigued by the 'Terror of Death' the more she gazes at his profile.
"I'll cut right to the point, your actions 'Terror of Death' are causing an uproar in this Accelerated World. At this rate, the Six Kings of Pure Color will have no choice but to intervene."
Six Kings of Pure Color, a group of level-nine Burst Linkers who each have their own legion and territory. Their names come from the fact that Each king is associated with colors of highest saturation in the "color circle" with distinguished hue. There used to be seven until the seventh king, the Black King was exiled.
These kings of pure color, were said to be some of the strongest Burst Linkers in the Accel World.
"The six strongest players in the game are after one little level 8 like me? Isn't that a bit much?"
"Your strength just terrifies them all that much. Levels are simply numbers, after all. Only a fool would judge the 'Terror of Death' based on his level alone."
"...So? What are you getting at? Are you trying to tell me to surrender? Give myself up, is that it?"
Amused, Kuroyukihime smiles wryly and addresses him.
"On the contrary, I want you to join me."
"...Huh?"
Black Reaper's face twists slightly in confusion. Kuroyukihime places her right hand over her chest.
"Perhaps I should introduce myself once more. I am the Legion Master of Nega Nebulus, the Black King, Black Lotus."
"..."
Black Reaper was more puzzled than surprised. Black Lotus, the biggest traitor in Accel World, infamous for killing the Red King two years ago and declaring war against the other Kings, was introducing herself to the Terror of Death himself.
He wanted to commend her boldness as well as chastise her apparent stupidity. If she was lying, then that would make her an even bigger fool.
"...The surprises just keep coming, don't they? And what is this about joining you? Is that a joke?"
"I'm dead serious."
Her smile fades and looking at him with firm eyes, she extends her arm out and offers her hand.
"You don't belong to a Legion, right? In that case, join mine then. With your power, I'm certain that together, we will be able to overthrow the Six Kings of Pure Color and uncover the truth about this world."
"Uncover the truth?"
Black Reaper raises one of his brows curiously. Kuroyukihime nods her head with confidence.
"Yes, uncover the truth behind the Brain Burst and how it came to be. Do you wish to know the truth?"
"The truth, huh?"
Black Reaper contemplates those words for a moment. He thinks it over for about three seconds, and having reached his conclusion, a cynical smirk appeared on his face.
"The hell is that? Are you stupid? The truth about this world? Why the hell should I give a damn about something like that?"
With a deprecating laugh, he sneers at a silent Kuroyukihime.
"Go find some other people to go join your club and play your party games with. Whatever you're selling, I'm not interested."
He turns around and kept on moving like he was before. He had hoped this to be the last he would ever run into that girl in this world.
He walks away for only a bit before her voice stopped him again.
"What is it that you're fighting for in this world?"
That question froze him mid-step. That girl's word stayed in his mind. If only he could ignore it, he would. However, his mind couldn't throw it out of his head nor did his mouth show any intention of responding.
Kuroyukihime asks again,
"What is it that you seek for in this world? Burst Points? You have enough to live like a king. Do you just enjoy the game? All you ever done is hunt down Player Killers like a mad dog. Or do you crave power? You have enough to shake the Accel World at its very foundations."
"...No, it's not enough. Not yet. I need more power."
He murmurs under his breath. Her ears quickly caught the words that came out of his mouth and her eyes soften slightly in response.
She recognized the young man's familiar tone of voice. This was the voice of one completely engulfed by obsession.
"...Why do you crave power so much?"
She got the worst possible answer.
"...For revenge."
Those words slipped out of his mouth on a whim. Leaving Kuroyukihime to stand there with a contemplative expression, Black Reaper kept moving.
Nothing that girl could say to him would stop him this time.
His cold eyes can only see the one path that lies ahead.
The path of vengeance and bloodshed.
Revenge against the one they call Tri-edge who killed...
"..."
That girl may be the Black King, the Black Lotus and a classmate of her school but that didn't matter to him.
If she gets in his way, he'll destroy her too.
"...?"
When Black Reaper raises his head, he noticed a strange Duel Avatar standing on top of some ruined buildings at the distance. This Duel Avatar stands so far away that its size was a dot in Black Reaper's visual processor from where he stood.
The subtle details of the Avatar were hard to make out but even from where he stood, he recognized that huge metal cylinder equipped with a lock encased around his left arm anywhere.
"Ovan!"
He suddenly cries out to the blue Avatar who steadily walks away. Black Reaper makes a chase after it.
"Please wait!"
Kuroyukihime cries out to him but Black Reaper shrugs her off without a care and kept chasing after the mysterious blue Duel Avatar who he seems to be familiar with.
Part 3
His Duel Avatar is officially called Azure Rebirth. In fact, there were only two people in this entire world to have ever called him 'Ovan'.
This Duel Avatar, Azure Rebirth is shrouded in nothing but mystery.
His avatar appearance was arguably more human than anyone else. Unlike most Duel Avatars that have a robotic appearance, he arguably looked more human than anyone else, even compared to that of Black Reaper himself. His avatar even had clothes compared to the traditional armor most avatars are adorned with.
Ovan is dressed mostly in blue tones, with traces of leather scattered throughout his outfit coupled with a long, flowing blue scarf. He wears a pair of orange sunglasses and his left arm is encased in a huge metal cylinder equipped with a lock as if he had something to hide. That left arm may be Ovan's most distinguishing feature. His hair is short and is blue like his clothes.
Despite his unique appearance however, Ovan never stood out in a crowd. It was like he was a shadow, perfectly able to blend into the crowd, and come and go as he pleases.
His role in this world is also a mystery. He rarely appears in battles and despite his lack of involvement in the Accel World's affair, he was incredibly high level, able to fend off any opponent and monster with ease. His strength is comparable that even the Six Kings of Pure Colors are wary of him, either out of intimidation or concern.
It was the fact that he had no interest in the 'trivial matters' of the Accelerated World and simply goes at it at his own pace is why the other Kings leave him alone.
Well that and the fact that he was close to impossible to find, let alone challenge to a fight. No one even knows his real world identity or where he came from, not even the ones closest to them.
"Ovan!"
Black Reaper, or better yet, Ryou appeared at the top of a tall building overlooking the Accel World, where Azure Rebirth, or has Ryou called him, Ovan, stood at the edge gazing out at the virtual world with a solemn expression.
Ryou intently glares at Ovan's back, who simply turns around with a polite greeting.
"Ah, Black Reaper...Oh wait, it's just the two of us, right? In that case, Ryou, it has been a long time, hasn't it?"
He spoke with a deep voice. A voice too deep for him to possibly be a middle school student. As Brain Burst requires that the person has the Neuro Linker from birth and the Neuro Linker has existed for 15 years now, it should mean that there are no adult Burst Linkers.
However the appearance of his avatar, and the deep, masculine tone of Ovan's voice, there was absolutely no way he could be as young as 15. He sounded like he was in his mid-20's or so, which means it's impossible since there should be no adult Burst-Linkers in this world.
So who is Ovan, then?
This was just another mystery that Ryou never got close to solving. He wasn't even sure why he was even called Ovan. Apparently, that was the name that -she- usually refers to him by when he first met -them-. No doubt it was just an alias, or even a nickname but for the past 8 months or so that he's known him, he's always refer to him as 'Ovan' like -she- did. He never learned his real name, let alone his identity in the real world.
But he had long since made peace with that.
This man, Ovan, likes to keep secrets.
That's arguably the most annoying thing about him.
"A long time, my ass! Where have you been all this time!?"
Words of spite were the first thing that came out of Ryou's mouth.
He never got a straight answer. Instead, Ovan walks past Ryou's duel avatar leaving nothing but cryptic words.
"Ah, Ryou. Always the reliable one, it seems. I knew I could count on you."
Ryou had enough of his games and tried to get back on topic.
"You just disappeared only to reappear like this after all this time. Where you've been these past months? What have you been up to."
"I was busy. It was such a small seed. I needed to find out what was growing inside. And there's only one way to find out. That's why I decided to raise it."
The man kept talking in circles. That form of cryptic talk only tested Ryou's patience to his limits.
"You raised it? What are you talking about, Ovan?"
Ovan answered.
"I was speaking figuratively."
Even Ryou can figure that out. But that didn't help his cause.
The more he talked with him, the more frustrated he became.
"I don't know what the hell you're talking about! Answer me, Ovan! Why did you disappear on us!?"
Ryou suddenly quiets down, at the mentioning of the word 'us'.
That referred to him and-
"Back then, Shino was..."
Shino. That was the name of a person very dear in Ryou's heart. Her full name was Nanao Shino. They were childhood friends who've practically grown up together in the same neighborhood like siblings, despite the fact that she was a year older than him.
In fact, it was Shino that introduced him to Brain Burst, becoming his 'Parent'. Shino's Avatar was once called 'Monochrome Bell', which held the ability to heal and restore a target's HP. Duel Avatar's with healing abilities were quite rare. At that point, there was only two other Duel Avatar's with a healing ability in all of Accel World's History.
However, that was all in the past.
Even now, Ryou can see the flickering images flash through his mind like it had happened yesterday.
The events of that day. The day Shino was 'killed' right before his eyes.
He could not forget it. He did not want to forget it.
And that mark etched in flames at the altar, which were simply three crude slashes formed together to form a rough triangle.
Tri-edge's mark. He definitely did not want to forget about that.
"Do you want to know about Tri-Edge?"
It was as if Ovan had read his mind up until this point. That hardly surprised him but when he mentioned that name.
"You know about him!?"
Ovan didn't even nod his head nor did he look Ryou in the eye. Facing away from the young man, Ovan speaks,
"Wrapped in Azure Flames, the mysterious Duel Avatar."
"Azure...flames..."
"Half a year ago, when he killed Shino, all of her Burst Points were taken away and the Brain Burst forcibly uninstalled from her Neuro-Linker. To add to that, the real Shino; the player, lost consciousness...Even now, the cause of her condition is still unknown. And to chase after Tri-Edge, you became the 'Terror of Death'."
Ryou grits his teeth in anger and glares at Ovan.
"So you knew, all this time?!"
"Yes, but that's all that I know. But if you were able to find "Tri-Edge", you might learn something about Shino's coma. You may also learn more about what really happened that day. And if you were able to somehow defeat 'Tri-Edge'..."
"...Then maybe Shino will come out of her coma."
There was absolutely no logic behind that theory whatsoever. Ryou was simply grasping at straws. Right now, at this moment, Shino is in the hospital right now, in a coma. Doctors can't figure out the reason for her condition at all.
So he had to believe that defeating Tri-Edge would mean saving Shino.
Ovan says,
"If my information is correct, he will be back today...at the scene of the crime."
Ryou's eyes widened upon realization,
"The scene of the crime? You mean-"
"The place where Shino was killed."
Only Ryou knew exactly the place Ovan was inferring to.
"Hulle Granz Cathedral…."
His mouth curved upwards, forming a confident grin. Nowadays, he would only smile on occasions like this.
The hands of his Duel Avatar balls tightly into fists, as if grasping at something.
"Finally, I'll get my chance!"
His morale and confidence rose. Looking at Ovan, he says,
"I'll do it Ovan. I'll bring Shino back."
Ovan silently approved of Ryou's words. From the very edge of the rooftop, he quietly gazes out at the world's skyline.
"I will meet you there. There are things that I have to do."
"Alright."
Ryou turns his Duel Avatar around and leaped off the building without wasting a second.
It was obvious where his destination is and with his abilities, he should be able to get there in a matter of minutes.
Ovan gazes out at the distance, his eyes easily detecting the beautiful avatar with swallowtail butterfly wings watching from an impressive few 100 meter distances before her silhouette began to move.
Ovan had been aware of that girl's presence standing there for a while, and when she had begun moving, a small smile formed on Ovan's face.
Part 4
At the scene of the crime….Hulle Granz Cathedral.
In the ever-expanding world of Brain Burst, there can exist secret areas within the Unlimited Field that has yet to be discovered. Even if discovered, players have a tendency of keeping these areas secret and exclusive to themselves for one reason or another. As such, these secret areas are rarely publically announced to the common player.
Hulle Granz Cathedral was one of these hidden areas. It was a unique field, consisting of a small island with a large cathedral in the center located in the center of a lake.
Shino was the one who discovered this area and it became a common meeting ground for the two of them ever since. Even for Ryou, who cared very little for this world, this place was special to him.
That was, until Shino was killed by Tri-Edge.
It was here where it happened. Now, the Cathedral acted only as a reminder for his failure and his resolve.
He did not question Ovan's intelligence. His means are a mystery and his words are cryptic, but he never lies.
He wouldn't have told him that if he wasn't certain that Tri-Edge was going to appear.
"Tri-Edge…is coming here!"
Flourishing his spine appendage, Ryou marches towards the Cathedral bathed in a gold sunlight with his head high.
At this place where Tri-edge killed Shino, Ryou is going to kill Tri-Edge.
Pushing open the large, twin doors, Ryou marches into the Cathedral.
All was quiet, just like before. It looked exactly like it was the last time he came here.
In the Virtual World, it is impossible for abandoned buildings to collect dust no matter how much time passed and any destructible objects that would get moved or destroyed would normally re-appear at the exact same spot it appeared in.
As such, the scene before him was incredibly nostalgic down to the smallest detail.
But if there was one thing that's changed, it would be the flame-like engraving on the altar before him.
He walks up to that altar and staring up at that tall stained-glass window behind it, his face looked lost in his own memories.
He wasn't always called the 'Terror of Death'. At the beginning, he was just a normal Burst Linker enjoying the game like everyone else, with Shino and Ovan. He didn't care much for the Burst Points or levelling up. He did enjoy winning but that's due to his nature as an MMO gamer.
But if there's anything he enjoyed more than anything, it was playing the game with Shino and Ovan. Just having his only two friends play the game along with him, he was happy just with that.
But then Shino got killed by Tri-Edge. Ovan disappeared and Ryou became all alone in this world.
That's when it no longer became a game to him. That's when he became obsessed with power. That's when winning against worthless opponents only left him with bitter emptiness.
The Cathedral was both a place of calm and strife for him.
This place housed a lot of fond memories he had of Shino, and it was also the home of his worst memory.
As such, Ryou only felt bittersweet coming to this place.
Then a flat monotone sound echoed into his ears, seemingly out of nowhere.
"What is that sound!?"
Ryou turns around, eyes searching for anything that could be moving.
That ominous, echoing noise wasn't a standard FX that is normally heard, even in this virtual world of endless possibilities.
Silence returned as nothing followed after that, but Ryou refused to believe that it could've simply came out of nowhere.
Then, while not possibly for a Duel Avatar, Ryou could feel the hair at the back of his neck suddenly stand up.
(Behind…?)
He quickly twists his body around.
Somehow, 'It' had snuck up from behind him without him even realizing it.
A mass of light, no bigger than a gem, that emitted a pure, piercing azure light and a radiant blue shine.
A surge of power exploded from the light, and as a hot wind flows through his Duel Avatar, Ryou felt an invisible force slam straight into him, pushing him back.
"Urk…!"
He regains his footing and presses his feet firmly on the ground, he had already found himself pushed a few meters away from the altar.
Recovering from that strange attack, Ryou opens his eyes and lowers his arms.
He had no idea how he should even react, let alone describe what he saw.
Azure flames. Just like it was described.
These unnatural controlled blue flames were burning right before him, neither consuming nor growing as it continued to burn right before his eyes.
And amidst those heated flames, Ryou can sense something –cold- dwelling within.
Then the azure flames took form once its intensity reached its peak.
In the core of the icy flames, something was born. Or someone.
The being that dwelled in the flames took form of a human, A Duel Avatar with the appearance of a human being that looked no older than Ryou back in the real world.
A young blue haired boy dressed in red clothing, which was full of patchwork and stitches, a shoulder band and three belts across the neck and a unique symbol on his hat.
He had electric green eyes, sharp teeth and tattoos on his face.
He emerges from the flames unscathed. The flames themselves instantly died out, having served its purpose.
Ryou gapes openly at the mysterious unknown Duel Avatar that appeared before him.
"Is that….Tri-Edge!?"
Just from seeing those blue flames, there was no mistaking it.
The strange human-like Duel Avatar shrouded by blue fire.
That can only be the one standing before him.
His zombie-like appearance and his ghoulish presence reminded Ryou of a monster out of a horror movie.
Just the air around this Duel Avatar was chilling to the point where just breathing it in could freeze his blood.
Having face Duel Avatars for so long to the point of having a developed battle sense, Ryou can easily sense an opponent's feelings just simply by the air they gave off, especially a hostile.
Friendly players would often give off a light and sweet atmosphere, competitive players would give off a fiery atmosphere and cruel players like PK would give off a nasty feeling. If one is afraid or filled with rage, it can be felt in waves.
Senses like that can be detected simply by a Duel Avatar's presence the same way a person is approached in real life.
Ryou however, senses none of that from the one standing before him.
No hostility.
No anger.
No fear.
Not even elation.
Ryou can sense absolutely no emotion coming from him whatsoever.
Nothing about this was normal.
The unknown Duel Avatar clothed in red mechanically reached behind, silently drawing out a pair of short Dual Swords similar in size to the swords Ryou use.
Holding both blades in a reverse grip, two additional blades extend out from both weapons, turning the dual swords into triple-bladed weapons.
'Tri-Edge' held the fan of six blades in front of him. Despite his intimidating and obviously hostile appearance, Ryou senses no malice.
In fact, he still feels nothing.
No, that wasn't right.
He definitely felt something. Within himself.
His hands clenched so tight, threatening to burst.
His entire avatar trembled with silent fury.
His eyes glazed with hatred.
His blood boiled with anger.
This feeling he has, it can only be called rage.
That rage finally erupts.
"YOU BASTARDDDDDDDDD!"
Twin blades already drawn, Ryou shoots his avatar forward like a bullet, reaching sound-breaking speeds.
It's him! He's the one! The one who killed Shino!
All the emotions Ryou built up for the past 6 months was all gonna be released this one moment!
His hatred fuelled his attacks, breaking through the imposed limits of his own avatar.
He lunges at his enemy like a wild beast who caught sight of his prey, not with the intent to kill, but with the intent to violently hack into pieces.
Putting all his strength behind his right arm, he rips his sword through.
The attack which he channeled his anger and rage, couldn't even get Tri-Edge to move an inch from his spot, who simply blocks the attack like it was nothing.
Ryou was shocked by the difference of power. Simply the effort of raising his sword was enough to stop him.
To have such strength to hold him back, with a single sword no less, that kind of power goes beyond the limits of this world.
He might as well be striking a brick wall with his fists.
However, no matter how strong Tri-Edge was, Ryou refused to cave in.
He is strong, he knew that. That's why Ryou became stronger in order to match that power.
But no matter how strong Tri-Edge is, Ryou swore to kill him if it's the last thing he does!
He links attack after attack with his swords. For Dual Swords, which puts emphasis on speed and linking attacks together to create combo's, it was a simple matter.
Even so, Ryou went beyond what he thought was possible as he released an endless storm of sword strikes against his foe.
Attack!
And Attack!
And Attack!
AttackAttackAttackAttackAttackAttackAttack!
Sparks kept exploding everywhere as their blades continuously clashed.
It was no good. None of his attacks were even getting past Tri-Edge's lone sword.
Ryou accelerated in response.
He moved faster! Faster! Faster! Faster! Faster! Faster! Faster!
Blades collided at an even faster rate. The sparks created countless mini-explosion effects as a result of the increased speed.
Breaking through his own avatar's speed limits, Ryou's furious assaults sped up so far that it created the illusion that he was attack with 4 to 5 swords all at once.
Although his speed went far above what he thought was possible, it was still not enough to reach Tri-Edge.
Tri-edge simply sped up his arm movements in response to the rapidly increasing rate of Ryou's attacks.
He had confidence in his speed but clearly, that isn't enough to even make Tri-Edge move an inch.
All his attacks did was wear out his own brain. He'll tire himself out at this rate.
The exhaustion and frustration forced Ryou to step back.
Putting his dual swords away, Ryou reaches over his back and materializes his broadsword with haste. Smashing it onto the ground, he immediately activated the chainsaw blade, sparks exploded as the blade continuously grinds against the ground.
Dragging the giant sword through the ground, Ryou furiously charges towards Tri-Edge with the heavy weapon on his arm.
The added weight did little to hinder his speed as his own rage taps into his legs, giving him strength to push on through.
Howling wildly, Ryou throws his sword against Tri-Edge, gripping it with both hands.
The larger, heavier weapon and the increased strength managed to push Tri-Edge's sword back slightly but it wasn't enough to even knock the sword out of Tri-Edge's hand, let alone break through his guard.
The chain blade continuously cut into the short sword held in an impossibly steadfast reverse grip, slowly pushing Tri-Edge back, a few centimeters at a time.
This isn't enough. If Ryou can only manage this much with all his power, then he won't possibly be able to beat Tri-Edge at this rate.
While thinking that, Tri-Edge takes the other short sword in his free hand and swipes across with a deceptively incredible amount of force.
He strikes with only one hand and his weapon was only a short sword nonetheless. And yet, it managed to completely break their deadlock, smash through a heavy broadsword and blast Ryou away like it was nothing.
Ryou's avatar crashes down and tumbles across the Cathedral hall, skidding back quite a distance.
Pressing the claws at the tip of his fingers against the marbled surface, he forces it to a grinding stop.
"Hah...Hah...!"
Finally regaining himself, he can only scream 'Why!?' several times in his head.
Why such a difference in power!?
How could a single Duel Avatar be so powerful!?
Why can't the Terror of Death, who's slain over 200 Duel Avatars in a single night, lay even a scratch on this guy!?
It makes no sense. It couldn't be explained.
There's no way that a virtual avatar could even have this much power.
There was so much he couldn't understand?
But he did know this much.
He wasn't just facing another Duel Avatar; Tri-Edge is an absolute monster!
"Damn...What...What the hell are you!?"
He demands answers. Tri-Edge didn't even utter a word.
He dematerializes his dual swords but that didn't tell Ryou that the fight was over.
Tri-Edge casually walks towards Ryou's Duel Avatar, who struggled to pick himself up.
One of his saucer-like eyes peeked out of his hair, mysteriously staring down at Ryou like he was a zombie.
His opponent wasn't even reflected in his eye, as if Tri-Edge didn't even acknowledge the opposing avatar on the ground as a threat.
Ryou couldn't care less if Tri-Edge acknowledged him or not. How the two thought towards each other didn't matter to him.
He just wanted to destroy him for the sake of destroying him!
(This guy...This guy killed Shino!)
Rage pumped his adrenaline once more. He forces his own mind to push his avatar way past its limits.
"IT's...It's not over yet!"
In one last attempt to destroy his foe, Ryou materializes his scythe and with his sights aimed for the neck, he swings the lethal reaper blade across with all his strength, threatening his own body to land the killing blow.
Tri-Edge, easily knocks the scythe out of his hand midway through his attack.
Through some unknown power, he shatters the scythe with ease using only his right hand, breaking it into polygons that scattered into the air and vanished.
Now unarmed and out of options, Ryou struggles to figure out his next move.
Before it could be decided, Tri-Edge appeared before him.
Thrusting his palm against his face, Tri-Edge releases a strange force of blue fire that blasts Ryou across the room.
His body shot back before landing back onto the ground. The sudden blast to his face distorted his own eyesight temporarily. It was because his Duel Avatar had a human-like face that his eyes were more sensitive than most Duel Avatars. He wasn't just looking through the eyes of his Avatar, it felt like he was seeing everything with his own two eyes.
When he regains his visions and light returned to his eyes, he stares back up at Tri-Edge.
Strangely enough, Tri-Edge didn't close the distance between them any further.
Instead, he raises his right arm and extends it forward, opening up his palm towards Ryou.
A strange, unique bracelet suddenly emerged around his wrist out of thin air and red light particles gathered around his arm.
The light forms around the bracelet, compressing itself until it took on the form of a strange cannon-like weapon that Ryou has never seen before. It wasn't a typical cannon with a physical form that could be easily described.
The cannon had a myriad of colors to its design, with multiple layers in the form of an intricate three-sided star that slowly spun like a fan.
Light gathers in the mouth of the strange cannon, indicating to Ryou that it was beginning to charge up.
Ryou had never seen such an attack before. As such, he had no idea how to react to it.
Can he block it?
Should he dodge?
Can he survive if he takes this attack head on?
The options ran through his mind but Ryou could not decide which of these choices were the best one.
Also, the light coming from that strange attack had frozen his mind.
He wasn't sure if it was due to a paralyzing effect it could have or its simply his own mind being overwhelmed, but his mind couldn't send the proper signals to control his Duel Avatar. He couldn't find it in himself to speak.
And once it looked like the gathered light reached the peak of its intensity, the cannon fired, releasing it all for a single moment.
The gathered light, accelerated, becoming several streaks of pure colored lights, a swirling and surging torrent of these lights pierced through Ryou's Duel Avatar.
His scream rose into the sky as the blast picks his body up into the air, as every single polygon composing his avatar was exposed to the myriad of lights entering his body.
Pain electrocuted his mind.
When all the streams of light finally fades into his Avatar, Ryou fell to his hands and knees. The shock from the attack was almost enough to leave him traumatized and it drained all his strength to the point that he couldn't even stand.
But that's not all that was drained from him.
Supporting his own avatar up with his hands and knees, Ryou raised his head up. He should still have some HP left, despite that direct attack but when he looks at Tri-Edge, his enemy's profile for some reason, was distorted by static.
It wasn't just his profile but the entire world seems to be facing static at the moment. Was there a lag? Is that even possible?
Then Ryou realized that it wasn't the world that was distorted, it was his own eyes.
"...!"
Specks of lights suddenly began to rise into the air before his distorted vision.
As he wondered where the dots of lights were coming from, parts of his armor begins to break off from his Duel Avatar, shattering and disappearing.
His heart throbbed, beating furiously as more and more bits of his armor splits off from his Duel Avatar, breaking down into tiny fragments of light.
Finally gaining the courage to look down at his own profile, Ryou lets out an earth-shattering scream that threatened to shatter the glass windows of the Cathedral.
His body, his own Duel Avatar, was falling apart right before his eyes. First, it was parts of his armor, then his fingers broke off from his hands, and his hands broke off from his arms. The process continued as the strange peerless light enveloping his Duel Avatar was slowly eating away at his own body voraciously.
How is this happening?
How was this even possible?
The thoughts race terribly in his mind.
Was this it? Was this the end? Was he going to get killed her? Was he going to end up like Shino back in the real world?
Without accomplishing anything!? Of course he can't. He can't afford to. He still had things to do. If he fell, then who would defeat Tri-Edge then?! Who would save Shino!?
There was no one who would up to the task.
But even he can't stop the slow, painful destruction of his own Duel Avatar happening inside him.
It breaks down, separates and disappears bit by bit.
He couldn't stop it. All he could do was watch as it all falls apart.
And then, with one last scream aimed towards the sky, Black Reaper shatters apart completely like thin, fragile glass, disappearing from the face of the Accelerated World.
The innumerable polygons that made up the infamous reaper, the Terror of Death himself, vanished within the Cathedral, without the smallest trace.
Part 5
"So...That's Tri-Edge?"
Kuroyukihime flourishes her butterfly wings and taps the tip of her parasol on the ground.
She raises her head up and silently gazes at the Hulle Granz Cathedral standing before her.
It was her first time coming to this secret area and she'll admit, the building looked quite ancient compared to the modern futuristic landscape in the world of Brain Burst.
The cathedral itself looked archaic but that can be charming in a way.
She never thought such a place even existed in the virtual world. Had she not followed Black Reaper here, she never would've discovered it.
But she didn't came to sight-see.
Having seen the battle between Black Reaper and the enemy he called 'Tri-Edge' from the shadows to its final result, she murmurs a few words to herself with renewed understanding.
"So that is Black Reaper's...No, Misarki Ryou-kun's enemy."