Chapter 25- The Plan
April 18th, 2057
Dark Cerberus couldn't believe it. Black Wolf and Graphite Edge were Marth and Kirito, the legendary Darkness Duo who cleared the death game that was Sword Art Online and went missing after the Demon War. Cerberus was one of the many who believed that the Demon War truly happened and actually admired them.
He never would've thought that he'd meet his heroes here in the Accelerated World, and now he wishes that he hadn't. Both Wolf and Graphite have sided with Cerberus's sworn enemy, the Black King, Black Lotus. It didn't make any sense to him. Why would the Dark Swordsman and the Black Swordsman side with a monster like Lotus? Do they not know the sin that she has committed?
It didn't matter if they did or not. No one will stand in his way. He must have his vengeance for his best friend. That's the only thing that drives him now.
"Uh, not to change the subject or anything," Graphite Edge spoke up. "But didn't Cerberus threaten to knock me and Wolf out of the sky the moment we tried to get back up with our wings?"
"I was going to do that," Cerberus growled. "But Sky wanted to continue talking about the Incarnate System with you dorks, so I stayed my hand." He then got into a fighting stance, his right claw held out while his left was close to his chest. "But I'll be more than happy to do a repeat performance if that's what you want."
Wolf looked ready to utter a retort, but Sky Raker beat him to it.
"Cerberus, enough!" she said firmly. "We just found out that we're in the presence of the Darkness Duo, who went missing after the Demon War, along with their guild, the Alfheim Warriors. This isn't the time for you to start picking a fight."
Dark Cerberus let out an annoyed grunt before relenting. "Fine, but I'm out of here. I've got better things to do than waste my time with these disappointments." He began walking towards the pillar of light, most likely to log out.
"Hold it!" Black Wolf exclaimed as he ran in front of the dark avatar. "Why are you after Lotus? What did she do to you?"
Dark Cerberus's eyes flashed an eerie green. "That's rich coming from you, Marth," he said venomously. "I thought the Dark Swordsman was a person who fought to punish the wicked, not be someone's lapdog. I've lost all respect for you and Kirito."
Black Wolf took a step back in confusion. "Punish the wicked?" he questioned. "What are you talking about? I didn't fight to punish people. I fought to survive and protect my friends. Nothing else."
"What a pathetic excuse." Cerberus walked past the dual wielder before stopping a few feet behind him. "Next time we meet, it'll be as enemies. I still have yet to show you my true power. Tell your mistress that her days are numbered."
"Mistress?" Wolf muttered before realizing. "Lotus. What are you plotting?"
"Isn't it obvious?" Cerberus mocked. "I'm going to fight her, and beat her. She's going to learn the hard way that there are consequences for her actions."
Wolf was confused what that meant and watched as Cerberus disappeared into the pillar of light, returning to the real world.
"What a jerk," Graphite Edge spoke up finally as he went over to his partner. "What's his deal anyway?"
Black Wolf didn't answer as he found his mind racing to understand what Cerberus meant by consequences for Lotus's actions. What did Kuroba do that affected Dark Cerberus so badly?
One memory came to mind. It was something that Kuroba had told him after he had beaten Ash Roller in a rematch, during a celebration lunch for his first victory. "It couldn't be…" Black Wolf thought to himself.
Sky Raker let out a sigh. "He's still set on getting vengeance with Black Lotus," she said in sorrow. "But I can't really blame him though. It was quite a shock to hear what she did."
Graphite Edge turned towards the sky-blue avatar and said, "Sky Raker, did you teach Cerberus how to use the Incarnate System?"
The female avatar shook her head. "I did not. By the time I had met him, Cerberus already had mastered the Incarnate System," she answered. "The person who taught him about was a Burst Linker that is no longer here. That Burst Linker…was none other than the previous Red King, Red Rider."
The Darkness Duo gasped in shock at the revelation.
"Are you serious?" Black Wolf replied. "Was Rider a friend of Cerberus's?"
Sky Raker nodded in confirmation. "Yes, they were best friends," she explained. "From what Cerberus had told me, Red Rider was his friend in real life and was also his guardian. They founded Prominence together and were rarely seen apart." She paused in reluctance. "They were quite the tag team back in the day. He was there at the meeting when Black Lotus beheaded Red Rider, banishing the Red King from the Accelerated World. Ever since then, Dark Cerberus has wanted revenge against Lotus."
Black Wolf lowered his head in silence. Whenever a Burst Linker loses all their Burst Points, Brain Burst automatically deletes itself from the player's Neurolinker and erases all memories of it and the ones made in the Accelerated World. Cherry Rook, the current Red King, Scarlet Rain's former guardian and the last user of the Armor of Catastrophe, lost all memory of the Accelerated World and Brain Burst after Scarlet used the Judgement Blow on him.
He could even sympathize with Cerberus's drive for revenge. After all, Wolf himself had wanted vengeance against one individual that he crossed swords with multiple times in Aincrad. The player who had encouraged player killing.
"Anyway," Sky Raker spoke up. "I think you two have some explaining to do. How did Lotus manage to recruit the Darkness Duo into her new formed Black Legion?"
Wolf and Graphite locked eyes and silently agreed to tell their story.
"It's a long story," Graphite said. "But I guess we've got time on our side."
It was evening by the time the dual wielders finished telling their story. Wolf, Graphite, and Raker were inside the latter's house, sitting around the kitchen table.
"So Lotus has become your other Driver, Marth," Sky Raker said with interest. "And you've managed to locate most of the Alfheim Warriors, save for Lisbeth. Then there's Arcanos, his fellow monsters, and a group of humans plotting something from the shadows. Anything I'm forgetting?"
"No, that's about it," Graphite Edge replied. "We don't know if Dusk Taker is connected to all this or not, but since he knows our true identities, it's very likely he is. We've got to beat him so we can get Verdant Fairy's wings back."
"Which led you both to me," Sky Raker finished. "I should've expected that the Darkness Duo would be able to access the Incarnate System so quickly. The power that you two possess, it's no wonder why Lotus had chosen Marth as her protégé and recruited you, Kirito."
Wolf simply chuckled as he flashed through his earlier memories with Kuroba. She sure knew how to mess with him, especially back when he was new in Brain Burst. "Well, I did save Lotus's life back when we were kids, so maybe that influenced her decision."
Sky Raker let out a giggle. "I guess only Lotus knows the true reason why she picked you as her protégé." She rested her hands on the wheelchair's armrests and tightened her grip in frustration. "I wish I could help you more, but without my legs, I can't really fight anymore."
"You've done more than enough, Sky Raker," Black Wolf replied. "Thanks to you, we might actually stand a chance against Dusk Taker. He's gonna learn what happens when you mess with the Darkness Duo."
"I don't doubt it. By the way, I never told you two that there's a word that represents the Incarnate System. Can you guess what that word is?"
Both boys were silent as they thought about it for a few moments.
"Given that the Incarnate System is all about using your willpower to change reality," Graphite Edge said finally, "I'm guessing that the word is 'overwrite'."
"That's what I think it is too," Wolf added.
Sky Raker clasped her hands together and nodded. "Correct. This one word is precisely the key to the Incarnate System. However, you can't comprehend if simply hear the word. You have to experience it yourself. The Incarnate System, in other words, the control system built into the Brain Burst program, is essentially assistive at best. It's nothing more than a system to support movement control and supplement the avatar's motion. But images released too quickly and too strongly by the consciousness can surpass even the constraints of the program and become manifest. Wheels that shouldn't turn turns, a sword thrust that can extend to over fifty feet. A resolute intention, a will overwrites events."
Graphite knew that he and Wolf haven't harnessed the full power of the Incarnate System. He was curious just what they can achieve when they master this power. But that is something that will not be answered today.
"Hey Sky Raker," Graphite spoke up suddenly. "Just how long do you think it'll take us to master the Incarnate System?"
The sky-blue avatar paused to think before saying, "It depends on what you hope to achieve with the Incarnate System. If you hope to fly using Incarnation alone, that will probably take a long time. Even if you and Marth focus hard on forging yourselves in this world… I'd estimate it would probably take ten years."
"Yikes," Black Wolf said in surprise. "I think I'm good as is. Lotus warned me what would happen if I spent too long in the Accelerated World."
"That's good to hear," Sky Raker replied. "Six months, a year, you can still go back. But those who spend ten years in this world can no longer return to reality. They'll no longer care about anything happening in the real world. They quit school, forget their friends, and lock themselves up in their rooms, thinking that everything is fine as long as they have this world. More than a few such Burst Linkers roam the Unlimited Neutral Field. No longer dueling or training, they hide themselves here for the sole purpose of running away from the real world." She paused for a moment as she looked the Blade Eater in the eye. "Black Wolf. Why do you play Brain Burst?"
Graphite Edge turned his head to his partner. He was also curious what really motivated Wolf to play this game.
"At first, I didn't really care that much about the Accelerated World," Black Wolf answered. "The only reason I had decided to play this game was to find answers to my past and because I had agreed to an alliance with Lotus. But that changed after my second duel. Lotus was in danger of being attacked in the real world by a monster who went by the name, Cyan Demon. I chose to challenge Cyan Demon to save her."
Black Wolf balled his hands on the table. "At first, I did it because she had saved my life in the real world, even though I was being a jerk to her. I'm…not a very trusting person, especially back then, so I couldn't bring myself to believe that Lotus really cared about me. But," he hesitated for a moment, "her actions proved otherwise and she truly wanted to help me. It's thanks to her that I've finally come to terms with my past.
"Anyway. The reason why I play Brain Burst is because like Lotus, I want to reach level ten and learn what the true purpose of this world is." Wolf's eyes filled with resolve. "That's what motivates me to play this game now. If my actions led to the end of the Accelerated World, then so be it. At least then, I'll know it was my choice to follow this path."
"I see." Sky Raker's face broke into a warm smile. "In that case. I should try to make sure you have the edge in your upcoming battle. Black Wolf, I'll lend you my wings. My Enhanced Armament, Gale Thruster."
The Darkness Duo's eyes widened in disbelief.
"What?" Wolf questioned.
"If this Dusk Taker is who you and Kirito say he is, then he'll most likely not fight you alone," Sky Raker explained. "He'll do whatever it takes to win, especially against you two. Wouldn't it be wise to have an ace up your sleeve?"
Graphite Edge shrugged as he folded his arms. "She does have a point. Even with Incarnation, Seiji won't go down so easily. I'd rather go in overprepared than under."
Wolf glanced at his partner before moving his gaze to Sky Raker. "Okay. I'll borrow your Enhanced Armament."
Sky Raker smiled again. "Thank you. In order to transfer my Enhanced Armament to you, we'll have to meet in real life. I could sell it in the Shop so you could buy it there, but it would be very expensive so it's not a good option. How about we meet up in front of the west exit of Shinjuku Station at seven in the morning?"
Black Wolf nodded in acknowledgement. "Alright." He then let out a yawn. "I think I'm gonna log out now. We've got a big day planned tomorrow."
"Me too," Graphite Edge agreed. "Let's meet up at school tomorrow after you get Sky Raker's Enhanced Armament."
"Will do. Oh and Sky Raker, thanks for everything."
"You're very welcome," Sky Raker replied. "I'll see you tomorrow, Marth."
Black Wolf and Graphite Edge then headed for the shimmering blue portal to return to the real world.
Frank found himself back in his bedroom in the real world. He glanced at his clock and saw that only a few minutes had passed, which wasn't that surprising since he was only in the Accelerated World for a few days. Despite that though, he felt like he hadn't been home in a while.
"Guess that's just a side effect of spending days in the Accelerated World," Frank reasoned. "I wonder how it would feel to come back to the real world after six months in that other world. Or a year? I hope that never happens to me."
He then turned his thoughts about the Incarnate System and the power it gives. Kuroba must have known about the Incarnate System since she had once told him that he was the fastest player in the Accelerated World, even her. Sky Raker herself had described that a Burst Linker releasing mental images too quickly or strongly can override the system and achieve impossible feats.
"I wonder," Frank thought to himself. "If I can use the powers from my avatars in the real world, can I do the same with this?"
Frank quickly morphed into Marth (ALO form) and quietly exited his room. He saw that his parents were still asleep. Marth stealthily headed for the balcony, where he looked up at the starry night sky. No matter how many times he does this, he never finds himself not in awe of the ethereal beauty of the night. Maybe it was because Marth always found himself looking at the night sky whenever he camped out in Aincrad. Maybe it was because of the time he saw the stars from his hospital room the night he had gotten out of Sword Art Online. Either one could work, or maybe there was just something else that brought out awe from gazing at this gentle darkness.
"What are you doing up?" a female voice asked.
Marth instinctively jumped as he turned around and saw none other than his mother standing by the balcony door, her arms folded across her chest.
"M-mom," he stuttered in response. "W-why are you awake?"
Rias simply chuckled. "I believe I asked you first. But as for why I'm still up, I needed to go to the bathroom. What's your excuse? And why are you in your other form?"
"Um." Marth struggled to come up with a response. He couldn't tell her the real reason why he was awake since she didn't know about the Accelerated World, much less the Incarnate System. However, lying would be another bad idea since Rias always had this strange presence around her that always kept Marth on edge. It wasn't malicious at all, but something about his adopted mother made her feel…not human. Which is why he always made sure not to anger Rias whenever possible.
Unfortunately, this was a time where Marth had no choice but to lie to his mother.
"Um, I couldn't sleep so I thought I'd go for a late-night flight," the Spriggan replied, trying his hardest to not sound nervous.
"I see," Rias said in suspicion. "Well, you did used to do that when you were twelve. Alright, just be back before 12:00. You've got school tomorrow after all."
Marth cracked a light smile. "Thanks. I won't be gone long. I'll see you tomorrow, Mom."
Rias smiled back. "Have a nice flight." She then watched her son summon his wings and fly off. Once Marth was nearly out of sight, Rias stretched out her right arm and materialized a red magic circle in her palm. The magic circle then changed into a small ethereal red bat.
"Follow him," she told the familiar. The bat didn't respond but it instantly obeyed and flew after the Blade Eater.
It had taken her at least fifteen tries to make her familiars undetectable to her son. His Hypersense made it nearly impossible to spy on him, as he always could tell someone was watching him. The only reason why she sent those familiars after Marth whenever he did his late-night flights was so she could keep an eye on him and make sure he stayed safe. But this time was different. Arcanos and his forces have become more active over the last few months. She knew that there were plenty of monsters who would love nothing more than to get their revenge on the Dark Swordsman for Zarc's defeat.
"Maybe I should've pressed Frank to stay," Rias wondered aloud. "Too late now. I guess I'll just wait until he gets back."
The demon lord went back into the apartment and sat by the kitchen table and summoned a magic circle that allowed her to see what the bat familiar was seeing.
Marth kept flying until he was in the outskirts of Tokyo. He didn't want to risk getting caught by any humans, plus he wanted to minimize any collateral damage. The Dark Swordsman chanted the Spriggan night vision spell so he could see better before spotting a boulder that was about fifty feet away.
"That should do," he muttered while drawing Lunara.
Marth then proceeded to activate Vorpal Strike with the black sword. He put all his concentration into recreating what he did at Sky Raker's house. Soon he found himself surrounded by a crimson aura and the bloodred light from Lunara intensified. The Sword of Shadow also began unleashing a familiar metallic roar.
"Rraaaahh!" Marth bellowed at the top of his lungs, unaware that Rias was watching him with a shocked expression on her face.
The Dark Swordsman's ALO longcoat changed into his blackwyrm coat and his ears became rounded. Marth then lunged Lunara forward, causing the crimson light to shoot towards the boulder, striking it within a few seconds and reducing the stone to rubble.
A few seconds later, Marth reverted back to his ALO form. His eyes were wide with amazement.
"Whoa," he said slowly. "I didn't think that would really work." He then held Lunara parallel to his chest and stared into the black blade. "But…how can I do this? Is this a power from Fenrir's Core Crystal, or is this power my own?"
Incarnation, the power to overwrite reality with willpower and/or imagination. Just how far can he go with this newfound power, and will it be enough to protect his loved ones? Only time will tell.
That morning- April 19th, 2057
Frank somehow managed to not make his parents suspicious with him leaving at six thirty. When he arrived at the Shinjuku Station, it was 6:55. He then stifled a yawn. He had spent the few hours he had of last night to experiment what he could do with his new-found Incarnation ability. So far, he found that he could enhance the power of his sword skills as well as their range, but he couldn't help but wonder just how far he could take it.
However, because Incarnation was the power of his will/imagination, Frank had woken up feeling mentally exhausted. He knew it would be a bad idea for him to fight Seiji in this state, so as soon as he was done here, he'll meet up with either Kazuto or Koruba at school (whoever he ran into first), and ask them to guard him while he took a quick rest in the Unlimited Neutral Field. It was surprising to find out that Brain Burst's acceleration function also affected real world fatigue. It's no wonder so many Burst Linkers were addicted to this game.
"Speaking of which, I hope I'll be able to use Sky Raker's Enhanced Armament well," he thought to himself. "She's went out of her way to help me and Kazuto to learn the Incarnate System. I can't disappoint her."
He then realized that he had no idea what Sky Raker looked like in real life. How was he supposed to know when she was here? Actually, the real question was why he was so being so trusting to a complete stranger and had agreed to a direct meeting in the real world.
"Maybe this wasn't such a good id…"
"Good morning, Marth."
Frank immediately went on guard, turned ninety degrees, and instinctively reaching behind his back for Lunara, only to grab empty air instead. He found himself face-to-face with a girl he had never seen before. She looked around his age and had long brown hair and blue eyes. She was also wearing a blue high school uniform and the upper front area of her torso was also very…voluminous, just like a certain sky-blue avatar.
She had this calm demeaner with a gentle air, and she definitely didn't seem like a regular person. It was an aura that was similar to Kuroba's and the Red King Niko's. She wasn't in a wheelchair on this side, but Frank could tell who she was.
"Someone's jumpy today," the girl said with a giggle. "You looked ready to attack someone just now. It was actually kind of cute."
Frank let out a displeased grunt as he lowered his right hand. "Sorry. I'm just a little on edge," he replied. "Anyway, good morning. But how did you know it was me."
"Incarnation, of course."
The Blade Eater raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "Really?"
"I'm just kidding. I knew it was you because you look just like your avatar when you used Incarnation. You should probably be more careful when you use it, otherwise you might accidently reveal your true identity."
Frank scratched the back of his head in embarrassment. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind. Anyway, since we've met in real life, why don't we introduce ourselves? My name's Frank Storm-Furuta."
Sky Raker bowed her head in respect. "Nice to meet you, Frank," she replied. "I'm Fuko Kurasaki." She then grabbed Frank's hand, catching the Blade Eater off-guard. "Follow me. I know this great café we can go to. We can get some breakfast and transfer my Gale Thruster to you."
"Uh, okay," Frank said nervously as Fuko led him out. Truth be told, he hadn't really eaten that much back at the apartment since he had left in a rush to catch the train to Shinjuko. However, he was hesitant because there was a chance he could get seen by students from his school. He could already see the rumors that'll pop up if he and Fuko are seen together.
"Get a hold of yourself!" he shouted in his head. "You've got a girlfriend and have a lot of female friends. Hold on, most of my friends are girls. Besides Kazuto, the only male friends I have are adults. No wonder Klein kept teasing me and Kazuto when it came to girls."
Fuko glanced at the male teen from over her shoulder. "Something wrong? You're really quiet."
"N-no, I'm just not used to this," Frank said nervously.
"What, holding hands with a pretty girl?" she said with a teasing smile.
Frank let out a groan as his cheeks went a little red. "You are so Lotus's friend."
They soon arrived at the café, where they sat down at a booth, seating directly across from each other. Fuko treated Frank to a medium oolong tea and some eggs, not taking no for an answer. She then pulled out a bundled extra-small cable from her bag, which was right next to her.
"Hey, isn't that Frank Storm?" a student from another table questioned.
"Tch," Frank grunted in annoyance as he noticed several students staring at him and Fuko.
"Who's that girl he's with?" another student asked at the same table. "Could he be cheating on Kuroyukihime?"
"Oh, crap he's looking this way. You don't think he heard us, do you?"
Frank rubbed the bridge of his nose with his right hand as he tried to ignore the other students gossiping. "This is why I avoid places like this. I get enough flack as is. This is just gonna add fuel to the fire."
"Let them think what they want," Fuko replied as their food and drinks arrived.
Fuko plugged one end of her cable into the silver-white Neurolinker peeking out over the collar of her blazer before offering the other end to Frank. The Blade Eater hesitated for a moment before plugging it into his Neurolinker, ignoring people's remarks for his actions. They then began eating their meal in silence.
"Are you sure you want to give me your Enhanced Armament?" Frank questioned.
"Yes," Fuko answered firmly. "I can't help but feel like you'll need it in your upcoming battle. And besides…Kuroba wouldn't have chosen you as her protégé if she didn't feel like she could trust you. If she can trust you, then I will too."
Frank nearly spat out his oolong tea in surprise. "You…you know her real name?"
Fuko nodded her head in confirmation. "Of course I do. There were a few members of the original members of Nega Nebulus that would meet in real life, me and Kuroba were two of them. Revealing one's real life identity to another Burst Linker is always a risk. You never know if the person you reveal yourself to will leak it or not. However, if you both know each other's real names, then they can't leak it because you could easily do the same to them."
"Kuroba told me about that." Frank took a sip of his oolong tea. "Anyway, shall we get started?"
Fuko nodded before they both said, "Burst Link".
Later
Fuko managed to transfer her Enhanced Armament through a Direct Duel and explained its use to the Blade Eater perfectly within the 1,800-second count. When the duo had returned to the real world, it was only 7:15. After that, they finished their food and drinks before disconnecting the cable from their Neurolinkers.
"Thanks again," Frank said, finding himself smiling. "I'll take good care of your Enhanced Armament."
"I know you will," Fuko replied, smiling as well. "I wish you the best of luck in your battle with this Seiji."
The Burst Linkers then rose from their seats and exited the café. It was then that Frank noticed a strange sound every time Fuko took a step. It was very faint, but he could hear the whining of a servo.
"Prosthetic legs," Frank realized. "Her legs are artificial and are electronically controlled with her brain and Neurolinker. So that's how far technology has come now."
Now it made sense. Fuko longed for the sky because she couldn't walk the same as everyone else, because something had happened to her legs, likely something that was out of her control. And yet she didn't hesitate to give her wings to him, a total stranger.
When the duo reached the crosswalk, Fuko said, "You're quite kind, aren't you, Frank?"
The Black Wolf player snapped out of his thoughts and put his hands in his pockets. "If you say so."
Suddenly Frank felt a hand on his right shoulder. His eyes then met Fuko's own.
"I'm serious," Fuko continued. "You may act cold at times, but you truly care about other people. Why else would you go so far to help a friend? I didn't help you and Kirito because of pity, and I know you don't pity me."
Frank found himself glancing at the sidewalk. "Am I really that readable?"
Fuko let out a giggle. "From what you told me about your story, I think anyone can tell how harsh your life has been and how you dealt with it. You pushed people away because you didn't want to lose anyone else again. You thought you were protecting them. I only wish most Burst Linkers shared that sentiment."
"Yeah," Frank replied. "Most Burst Linkers view Brain Burst as a tool to make the real world easier. For them, duels are just a way to get points, and the Accelerated World is just a way for them to trick and trap others. But there are those who know that Brain Burst is more than that."
"Correct." Fuko's voice began shaking slightly from emotion. "Because of my foolishness, I had lost a dear friend. I deeply regret that I was part of the reason Kuroba threw herself into battle with the other kings with such extreme recklessness. But I don't want you to make the same mistakes. Please make sure you always fight to protect those you care about."
Frank closed his eyes for a brief moment before reopening them and looked straight at Fuko with resolve. "I will," he said firmly. "I promise that I'll protect my friends. Once this battle is over, I'll return your wings. However," he cracked a light smile, "I'll be fighting to protect you too, because we're friends now too."
Fuko's cheeks were tinged with red before she smiled back. "Thank you, Frank." She brought her hands to her chest. "Good luck to you. I look forward to hearing of your victory."
"Thanks." Frank began walking towards the train station before suddenly coming to a stop. "By the way, I don't think you lost your bond with Kuroba."
The brunette gasped in surprise as the Blade Eater turned and looked her in the eye.
"I'm sure Kuroba is waiting for you to come back," Frank continued. "Even now. All it takes…is that first step."
Fuko's wide eyes blinked several times before forming a faint but definite smile. Frank then waved goodbye to her before running to the train station. When he got near the station, however, he accidently bumped into someone in the shoulder. He turned to face the person and saw that it was a male teenager with short black hair and yellow eyes. He looked around Frank's age, had a slim build, and wore a navy-blue school uniform while carrying a black school bag.
"Uh, sorry," Frank said sincerely. "I was in a hurry and wasn't paying that much attention."
The young man dusted off his right shoulder and looked Frank in the eye. There was a surprising amount fierceness in them, causing the Blade Eater to mentally put his guard up.
"It's fine," the teen replied, sounding somewhat annoyed. "But be more careful next time."
The teen then walked off, likely to his school, while Frank watched him in suspicion.
"He was a little rude," he thought to himself. "But why do I feel like I've seen him before?"
He had to interrupt his thoughts and hurry to catch his train.
Later
Frank had just arrived at the gates of Umesato High School when he suddenly bumped into a familiar black-haired girl.
"There you are, Frank," Kuroba said in slight irritation, her hands resting on her waist. "Where have you been? The tardy bell's about to ring."
The Blade Eater scratched his head nervously. "Sorry, I…lost track of time," he replied. He knew he should tell her about meeting Sky Raker, but he decided to keep it a surprise. Besides, he wasn't technically lying.
Kuroba let out a huff. "Honestly," she groaned. "Do I have to go to your apartment to make sure you leave on time?"
"N-no," Frank stuttered. "This was just a one-time thing. Tomorrow will be way better, I promise."
The Black King let out a sigh. "Fine. But what made you lose track of time anyway? That's not like you."
Frank found himself struggling to come up with a response. Soon they heard the tardy bell echo in the air.
"Saved by the bell, literally," Kuroba commented. "Let's meet up with the others at lunch. We need to discuss how we're going to deal with Seiji."
The Black Wolf player nodded in acknowledgement. "Alright."
The duo then hurried into the school for class.
Later
Kazuto wasn't surprised when Frank told him about what he experimented with last night and took what Frank had found out to heart. He also agreed to guard his partner in the Unlimited Neutral Field so Frank could get some rest. Naturally they were done almost immediately before class really began.
"Did you get Sky Raker's Enhanced Armament?" Kazuto messaged.
"Yeah, I think it'll come in handy," Frank typed back. "By the way Kuroba wants us all to meet up for lunch to discuss how to deal with Seiji."
"Okay. Should we tell them about what Sky Raker taught us?"
Kazuto caught his partner form a slight smirk.
"How about we save it as a little surprise? Besides, something tells me Kuroba already knows about the Incarnate System."
Kazuto had to agree. Kuroba was one of the seven kings and was a veteran in the Accelerated World. It would be no surprise if she knew a few secrets about Brain Burst that she has yet to tell them. However, Kazuto knew better than to force Kuroba to tell him and the others what she knew, because that would be rude and also because she probably had a reason why she had her secrets.
Eventually the lunch bell rang, and Kazuto hurried to the cafeteria to meet up with his friends. He soon found them at a table far from the other students, he went to get some food before joining them.
"About time you got here, Kirito," Shino spoke up as the male Driver took a seat next to Asuna. "We were about to start without you."
Kuroba, who was sitting right next to Frank, cleared her throat to catch the other Legion members' attention. "Now that we're all here, let's get started. What all do we know about Seiji?"
"Not much," Meg said grimly. "His personal life is a complete mystery and he knows all of our identities."
"There's no way Seiji could've found that out on his own," Asuna voiced. "Is it possible he could be involved with Arcanos and Sulfur Pot?"
Kazuto held his chin with his right hand as he pondered for a moment. "It's possible. Actually, I think it's very likely that Seiji's associated with them. Anyway, what else do we know?"
"Seiji's Duel Avatar has the ability to steal other Burst Linkers' abilities, Enhanced Armaments and special moves," Suguha said with some bitterness in her tone, her hands balled into fists. "He said that he's stolen a lot of powers from other Burst Linkers and two of the ones he used against me was a tentacle arm and a bolt cutter arm." She then let out a gasp. "Wait, near the end of our duel, Seiji said that I nearly made him use his 'trump card'. What do you guys think it could be?"
"Hmm," Kuroba mused. "It could be a different special move or something else entirely. It'll be risky to fight him without knowing what this trump card is. I hate to say it, but one of us might have to risk dueling him to find out what this hidden power is."
Everyone else was silent. Kazuto couldn't blame them. With Seiji's Demonic Commander, if they battle him recklessly, they could inadvertently make him even stronger.
"But we need to know what this trump card is so we can have a better chance of beating him," Kazuto thought to himself. "I…"
"I'll do it," Frank suddenly spoke up, having been silent during this whole meeting. "I'll fight Seiji."
All eyes faced the Blade Eater in surprise, especially Kuroba and Kazuto, albeit for somewhat different reasons.
"Are you sure, Frank?" the Black King questioned in concern.
Frank's arms were folded across his chest as he leaned into his chair. "Yeah," he said casually. "From what I heard from the kendo team, Seiji's had an interest in fighting me. Why not take advantage of it to learn some more information about him?"
Kuroba looked a little hesitant as she took her boyfriend's hand into her own. "Alright. But I'm going to be watching from the Gallery, just in case you might need me."
Frank simply gave his guardian a light smile.
"Brother, please be careful," Meg added. "Seiji's dangerous. Never lower your guard around him or else he'll steal one of your powers too. Just imagine how powerful he'll be if he steals Lunara and Solaris."
"That won't happen," Frank said firmly. "Lunara and Solaris are bound to me. There's no way either of them would allow someone like Seiji to wield them. Besides, he's not the only who's dangerous." The Blade Eater made a fist with his other hand, summoning a few purple sparks. "I am too."
To be continued
I'll be honest, I didn't think I'd end the chapter like this, but it felt like a good stopping point. So Marth plans on fighting Seiji to gather more information about him. I wonder how it'll turn out.
P.S. I'm really looking forward to writing more interactions between Marth and Fuko/Sky Raker. I read her profile on the Accel World wiki and it says that she likes teasing her friends. I'm gonna have a lot of fun messing around with that. Well, her and another character who may or may not have interactions with Marth in the future.