Volume 7 - CH 1(2/4)
He raises his head – that gentle voice makes his heart skip a beat. Just in front of him, a calm smile appears upon Saffron Blossom's cute face.
'Th-thank you, Fron.'
Staring into her light aqua-coloured eyes as he murmurs, Blossom shrinks back her shoulders shyly and pulls her hand back from the top of Chrome Falcon's head.
'I'll go brew some tea. That's right, we’ll have a slice of cake to celebrate your safe return. I recently bought one from the ?Food Shop? down in Ginza. It looks quite tasty.'
He watches the figure of his partner running hurriedly into the opposite kitchen – as his heart is once again filled with emotions, he is unable to make a sound.
The key to the small house – located in a corner of the Minato Ward[5]?in the Unlimited Neutral Field, a location that corresponds to the artificial island of Odaiba[6]?in the real world – was purchased by the two of them with the points they had gathered from Enemy hunting over many years – albeit of Accelerated Time. To Falcon, the thought of using these points for levelling up or purchasing a strong Enhanced Armament had crossed his mind. But seeing Blossom open the doors of the house for the first time blew away all those childish ideas in an instant.
After that, almost another year was spent collecting furniture for this home. To Falcon, this place feels more like home than his home in the real world. Compared to an empty home with no siblings where his parents leave early and come home late.. there is this home, where Blossom is always by his side. Of course, sharing a bed is still embarrassing.
As to why she was so fixed upon the idea of buying a house back then.. she told him the reason a month ago in real time.
Saffron Blossom has suffered from intracellular mitochondrial dysfunction, an incurable disease, since birth. Because it's a hereditary disease, even the most advanced nano-machine therapies show no results. Although the only symptoms she has so far are headaches and increased fatigue, her condition will continue to deteriorate, the symptoms worsening to convulsions and paralysis before the disease finally reaches her heart.... the doctors have already predicted that she is unlikely to reach adulthood. It seems that the other reason she had worn the Neuro-Linker since birth – at that time, it had just gone on the market – was to have her condition and vital signs monitored at all times. Blossom gives Falcon, who is sitting on the same bed staring at her, a bright smile.
---Don't make such a face, Fal. Even if some misfortune were to befall me, it won’t be for another ten or fifteen years.. Besides, we still have ?Brain Burst?. In this accelerated world, we can live for almost a lifetime. In this cute and beautiful home we bought, living with the person I love most, forever and ever....
Facing Blossom as she says that while smiling shyly once again, he can't help but blurt out 'You mean, me?' Immediately he receives a punch in response.
So happy, but scared at the same time. Can I really do it? Do I, Chrome Falcon, really have the right to spend a ?lifetime? with Blossom? The other reason he recklessly challenged the Imperial City yesterday was due to that fear within his heart.
That's why, looking at the side of his partner’s face as she prepares tea and cake on the small table in front of him, he can no longer suppress the question that has been weighing heavy on his heart since surviving that citadel.
'Ah.... Fron. Why.... why me? I don't have any significant abilities. Even in the Metal Colour Chart, I'm nothing that special. Why did you choose me?'
Immediately Blossom shows an expression of dazed astonishment, but quickly purses her mouth.
'Aah, you forgot?! Fal, the one who first suggested that we form a party was you! With that super quiet voice you were using to talk to me among the spectators, I had to keep asking you to repeat the question!’
'Eeh.... Wa, was that the case?'
He quickly looks back through his memories, but that moment feels like it happened close to five years ago. Even so, according to his memories of that moment from the distant past, he was the one who first talked to Blossom – not the other way around. Surprised by his own courage, a non-existent cold sweat begins to break out across his Avatar’s body . Setting the teapot down, Blossom leans over and places her hands on his shoulders.
'Now, it's my turn to ask. Fal, why did you choose me? I didn't have any abilities back then, and I was always being trounced by the high power types – why me?'
---Why? He had chosen her from the moment he first saw her.
But it seems that those feelings are impossible to hide from his long-time partner. With a gentle smile, the sunny Avatar wraps her delicate arms around Falcon's head and hugs him tightly.
'.... Me too. I thought so too. There is no other reason, and I haven't regretted it once .... let’s finish this tea. After that we’ll go out and watch the sea. It’s still the ?Twilight Stage? outside – the sunset must be really pretty.'
Blackout
Spotlight
Two standing figures emerge out of the white halo, snuggling together. One dark-silver, the other orange.
Points of light spread across the distance. The quiet sea, and the sun sinking into the horizon. The water surface reflects the dazzling setting sun, and blends together with the colours of the two figures gazing at this sight.
The sunset view overlooking Tokyo Harbour from Akatsukifutou Park in the south-western corner of Daiba[7], is breathtaking to the point that it is hard to believe it is just 3D imagery produced from the data taken by the security cameras.
But this is not the real world, since the constant airline arrivals and departures that should be taking place in Haneda Airport on the opposite shore are nowhere to be seen, and instead there are gigantic pterodactyl Enemies soaring carefree in the orange sky. Instead of whales, plesiosaurs cause massive waves in the shallows of the bay.
Every time he gazes into the distance with Blossom in the vast Unlimited Neutral Field, he can't help but ponder.
For what reason does this world exist? For what purpose are only young children allowed to step foot into this world?
The total cost to build as well as operate such an enormous system is completely beyond the imagination of an elementary school student. Not to mention that until this moment in time, not one BB Player has paid even a single cent in gaming fees. There are rumours saying it's a market research project carried out by big-budget gaming companies, others say it's a publicity stunt by advertisement companies, however, if that is really the case, then way too few programs have been distributed.
Around a year ago, about one hundred children received the Client Package from an untraceable source. Of that number, only thirty percent managed to level up to Level 2 and become ?Parents?who have the unlimited privilege to copy-and-install --- thirty people. From there, the game spread once again by being shared between children who like video-games, yet although it has now reached five hundred players concentrated in the southern areas of the 23 wards?[8]?as the hub, the scale is still incredibly small for it to be a corporate sales strategy.
In the first place, the requirements to become a player for the game Brain Burst are way too strict. It is difficult to imagine many children at all to have worn a Neuro-Linker since birth and be experienced in Full Dives for extended periods of time. Although the BB program comes with a ?Install Aptitude Checker? module, which detects if the requirements are met via transferring a Trojan-like file through a Direct Link, Falcon has yet to find anyone close to him who can satisfy the requirements. As a result, although he has reached Level 5, he has completely given up on becoming a ?Parent?.
Why does it exist? For what reason does this alternate world with infinite space and time exist?
'Are you still thinking, Fal?'
Saffron Blossom, who is leaning next to him, suddenly murmurs. Blinking several times under the silvery mask, he ceases his rambling thoughts.
'Ah, yeah. I don't really have any weird feelings about the normal Field, but every time I see the Unlimited Field, I feel really concerned. Whe.. where is this all leading, things like that.'
'Well.. I can understand that same feeling. During my recent conversations with friends and family in the real world, from time to time, they would look at me really weirdly. Though I don't believe I’ve changed much at all, it seems I have been unconsciously using words and expressions that I’ve never used before.
Blossom seemingly leans closer to him timidly, sensing that, Falcon tenses his shoulders to hug her tighter. 'That can't be helped. We have already spent.. no, lived five years in this world. We have experienced so many sights, so many exchanges, so many thoughts. The age of our souls has long surpassed the standards of a sixth grade student. But every cloud has its silver lining. If it's the me from the past, I would unconsciously feel embarrassed just to stay in the same room with girls, let alone talk to them.'
'Ho, ho. It seems to me that you're still a kid, Falcon-san.'
Although Blossom smiles faintly, a look of grimness soon appears on her cute face.
'Hey.. Fal. Have you ever heard about this..? What happens to players who lose all their Burst Points and have their BB program forcibly uninstalled..?'
The soft murmur causes his body to stiffen for a moment. However he quickly relaxes and deliberately answers in a calm voice.
'Those are just rumours..?Players who had their programs uninstalled will lose all memories regarding the Accelerated World.. That just sounds so far-fetched, manipulating other's memories and stuff..'
'If that is so, then the technology to accelerate one's thought speed by one thousand times is just as unbelievable initially. To tell the truth, I still can't comprehend it all. That's why, perhaps ?Memory Erasure? is also..'
At this point, Falcon, who is equally dubious about the base technology within Brain Burst, can't help but fall silent.
Both of them are ?First Generation BB Players? without ?Parents?, whose numbers have dwindled to just twenty people, both of them also don't have their own ?Child?. As a result, there has not been any chance for them to confirm whether or not players who lose the program really do lose their memories.
No, even if there is a chance, confirming the truth will not be easy. According to rumours, the people who retire from the Accelerated World, instead of losing all memories regarding the Accelerated World, could be more accurately described as having?lost interest in Brain Burst as well as the fine details regarding the game?. A technique that does not create any memory blanks, thus minimizing the sense of discord felt by the people around them, can best be described as a mental manipulation with a buffering characteristic.
Which is why this could be a technique more fearsome than simple complete memory erasure.
Buddies who have been always in the same Legion, or strongly bonded ?Parents?and their ?Children?, one day they don’t simply forget --- they lose all interest in each other. They see each other as one of those non-essential acquaintances they could do without. If this was truly the end result, it would be much better to become total strangers. Although slim, there would still be a chance to reacquaint and become friends again..
The inexplicable chill brought about by his own thoughts makes the Avatar shiver. At the same moment, a soft murmur reaches his ear.
'Fal, I really want a ?Child? soon.'
'Eh..?'
The unexpected statement makes him stare at his partner. Blossom smiles shyly for an instant, but quickly changes her expression and quietly continues.
'Until this moment I did not dare to try it because I never had the confidence to protect my ?Child?, but recently my normal battle win ratio has stabilised, and I have also accumulated enough battle techniques for use against Enemies right? In the future, even if my Child's points fall below a safe level, I will still be able to bail them out to an extent. Even so, I won't just spoil them by doing that all the time. Once they reach Level 4, they can just pay me back by hunting Enemies.'
'Ha.. ha ha, is that so..'
Falcon nods, if it's Blossom, then she will become a harsh yet gentle mother.. no, ?Parent?. Taking her eyes off Falcon, Saffron Blossom turns her gaze past the Tokyo Bay to the distant Pacific Ocean and makes an even more surprising statement.
'After that, even if it is much further in the future, one day, I will start my own Legion.'
'Eh.. You want to start participating in territory battles?'
He hurriedly asks so, the short bright-yellow hair shakes from side to side as a reply.
'No, no. The Daida area has always been an unclaimed land, so it's possible to initiate a territory declaration, but that would just be more of the same. My Legion won't be a warring Legion.. how should I put it, it would be more of a Legion of mutual aid.'
'Mutual aid.. as in helping one another?'
'Yeah, that's right. Providing points when the ?Children?run low and being paid back in the future, isn't that like what I just described? But this will be larger in scale and more systematic. '
He frowns deeply as his partner’s words have finally gone beyond his level of comprehension. Immediately, Blossom turns around, grabs both of Falcon's palms and continues with a serious expression.
'Hey.. Fal. We’ve been a team since Level 1 right? Both of us lost ourselves in battle as we worked our way up to Level 2, then Level 3, then Level 4, by the time we noticed, we were already Level 5. But if we think about it right now, we are indeed very lucky. Though I am a little unwilling to think about it, all this time we've been levelling up, sometimes even because of our levelling up, many BB Players have lost all their Burst Points and retired from the Accelerated World.'
'....'
Indeed that is so. Although, at this point, the moment when someone's Burst Points run out has only been witnessed a handful of times, the indisputable truth remains that four out of every five ?First Generations? have been eliminated.
The seriousness of the topic robs him of his replies, as Blossom’s two small hands rub back and forth around his wrists lightly, soothingly. At the same time she softly murmurs.
'Sorry Fal. I don't regret anything. ?Brain Burst? is a fighting game after all.. there will always be winners as well as losers, that is an undeniable fact. But.. But, the moment your points become zero, you will lose the program, lose the memories, lose everything and never be able to return to this world, that is just too cruel.. I have seen too many people with only a few points left, I can't feel a hint of joy from them.. If you can't enjoy it, then how can this still be called a game?
---?Perhaps, this cruelty is what the mysterious developer is hoping for.?That thought crosses his mind for an instant, but he chooses to remain silent. Instead he suddenly asks.
'That's why.. you want to build a ?Legion of Mutual Aid?..?'
'..Yeah. Collect a massive reservoir of points beforehand and lend them to those who have nearly exhausted theirs. After their points are back to a safe level, they can return the points by participating in Enemy hunts. Over the last five years, we've learned so many hunting techniques that I’m almost sick of them. With these techniques, the number of accidents during Enemy battles can be substantially reduced.'
'But..But.'
As he struggles to understand the goals behind Blossom's scheme, he asks her in a careful manner.
'If all the players join the mutual aid system.. then no one will ever lose all their points, all the players' ?Acceleration? as well as levelling points has to be supported by the hunting of Enemies.. Is that even possible..?'
'It is. It will be.. It absolutely has to be this way.'
Saffron Blossom shows her most serious sparkle so far in her light blue eye-lens that reminds one of the spring sky as she reveals some new information.
'I.. recently heard a rumour. Some of the Legions go to game shops and amusement parks just to look for children who have Acceleration compatibility, and once found, they give them the BB program straight away..'
'Tha.. that is indeed somewhat informal, but isn't that a great way to increase members..?'
'No. Those people never saw the ?Children? as partners at all.. They don't teach the children anything about Brain Burst, instead they use the Direct Link or the Local Area Net to continuously challenge the children to take all of their initial 100 Burst Points.. causing the forced uninstall of the programs..'
'Wha..'
He catches his breath. This isn't even ?Soliciting?anymore, it has turned into pure ?Hunting?. Not Enemy hunting --- Player hunting.
Blossom watches Falcon closely and, seeing he is unable to speak, continues in a strained tone.
'If that is the truth.. then it must be wrong. Even if it is possible on the system, it is still wrong. Although I don't have that much power.. I will do something about it. I’ll try my hardest, even if it changes little. I don't know how long it will take, raising a ?Child?, testing the plan to loan points, building the Legion.. One day, one day I will make sure that everyone in this world can enjoy this game..'
By the time he realises, his arms are already tightly wrapped around Blossom.
To the small Avatar within his arms, he desperately whispers.
'.. Let me help. Although I'm a good-for-nothing Metal Colour, I promise, for you, for this world, I will keep on doing my best. Brain Burst is a fighting game, and games you play should be enjoyed. I am really happy that I have always been able to fight with you, Fron. Ever since I have met you, every day, I have always happily looked forward to the next day. I want to share our happiness with the other players as well.'
'Yeah. Yes.. it the same for me, I am so happy with Fal. From now on, for sure, we'll be happy forever. Let us spread this happiness. If it's the two of us then it will be possible.'
Hugging Blossom tightly as she replies in a shaking voice, he lightly presses down on her shoulders.
Just a sec, raising a single finger as if saying that, he touches his own HP Bar to the upper-left of his sight to open the Menu Window. Searching through his Storage[9], he Objectifies an Item.
It's a Card with a silvery radiance like the surface of a mirror. The Items obtainable in the Unlimited Neutral Field probably all initially existed in Card form such as this. Enhanced Armaments are no exception, after obtaining them from Dungeons or as Enemy drops, they are sealed as Cards before being placed in Storage. The ownership settings are decided by who equips it for the first time.
Removing the Card from the Window, he passes it to Blossom.
The tiny characters carved onto the surface spell ---【THE DESTINY】. Obtained from the deepest part of the Imperial City, perhaps the strongest armour of white-silver in the world.
'Fron, this is for you. Your dream, will be realised for sure.'
Blossom carefully lifts her hands to take the Card.
Because of this overwhelming power, both of their destinies will be distorted, but at this point of course, it is impossible for them to know..
Blackout
Spotlight
A delicate figure emerges out of the white halo.
The shading of her body remind others of the bright orange spring sunlight. But colours previously unseen on her body have now appeared. Her forehead, chest and all four limbs now shine with a mirror-like silver.
The short hair that looks like a budding flower is hanging down flatly. Both arms are spread out in opposite directions, her skinny legs stretching down powerlessly. The only reason she would remain motionless in such an unstable posture is because something restrains her from behind.
Thin and solid black, as if cut from a large uniform sheet --- a cross. The orange figure is firmly secured to the cross, making it unclear whether or not the cross exerts some attracting force.
The illumination continues to spread, finally allowing the surrounding area to be seen.
The ground emits a metallic-green lustre. Strange bugs with the same metallic lustre are wriggling everywhere. The cross has been stuck into the lowest part of the bowl-like depression in the ground. Close by her, a large fissure has been opened in the ground; the black fissure opening gives off a feeling of absolute terror. The sides of the fissure are coated with clear viscous slime.
The illumination spreads out further.
Around the edge of the thirty metre-wide depression, several dozen figures stand in a circle. Not moving, not speaking, they are all silently observing the cross at the bottom of the depression. It's just like they know what's about to happen. Holding their breath, eyes wide open, fearing --- or anticipating --- something.
Among these figures, only one is lying upon the ground.
A small body with a dark-silver lustre. Slim of limb and wearing a round helmet. He seems to be trying desperately to stand up, his sharp fingertips carving into the metallic ground. But all to no avail. Two pieces of thin black plates, very similar to the cross at the bottom of the depression, hold him on his left and right.
The metallic bugs which have been slowly crawling around the depression suddenly flee the area in a great hurry. Diving into the gill-like folds spread across the ground, disappearing from view instantly.
Zuzuzu, zuzuzu,?from the open fissure down in the depression, a barely audible sound of vibration reverberates out.
'Stop.. stop, for the love of God, stop!!'
These same words are screamed out dozens, even hundreds of times, only for the sound to dissipate once again into the Unlimited Neutral Field.
Countless scratches have been carved into the ground in front of him by his fingers. But, regardless of how much effort he put in, he is only able to move his forearms and hands. The jet-black plates which clamp his arms at his shoulders are thin beyond belief, but they have the overwhelming power to tightly bind Chrome Falcon like gigantic pliers.
What's even more unbelievable is that the player who is controlling the two plates is managing the cross at the bottom of the depression in the distance to bind Saffron Blossom at the exact same time.
Bowing her head feebly, it seems that Blossom doesn't have any strength left to move. It can't really be helped. All of the pain she has ever experienced in the Accelerated World can't even match that of what she has just experienced.
At the same time, the extreme rage and despair that are colliding within Falcon's consciousness are feelings that he have never experienced before in his life.
'Stop.. stop, please stop..'
He desperately squeezes out a dry rasp through his clenched teeth. At the same time, his Avatar's fingertips carve out new parallel lines upon the hard ground of the ?Purgatory? Stage. However, he is still unable to move. The sense of powerlessness only intensifies the despair he feels.
He can feel it with his body, that terrifying tremble. That thing is coming again.
In the centre of the depression, from the depths of the two meter wide fissure beside the cross that's restraining Blossom, it seems like something is about to crawl out of there. Ten feelers with sharp tips emerge first, waving about erratically. Then two parallel rows of red glowing orbs light up from the depth of the darkness. The orbs that impart a feeling of endless hunger are that thing's eyes. The moment the feelers sense Blossom close in front, countless eyes radiate a bright glare. Then..
Along with a slimy sound and the splashing of countless droplets of mucus, what emerges out of the fissure is a worm type monster gigantic beyond belief. It is one of the strongest beings in the Accelerated World apart from the ?Four Sacred Beasts? that guard the four cardinal gates of the Forbidden City, Legend Rank Enemy --- Hell Worm ?J?rmungandr?[10].
Even though it only appears in ?Purgatory?, ?Disease?, ?Rotten Woods? and a small number of the organic stages, meeting it pretty much guarantees death. But its nest is considered small for a Legend Rank Enemy, only a small round depression thirty meters in diameter; even if killed, it is still possible to escape after revival in an hour and the ten seconds or so before J?rmungandr appears again. That is, if nothing --- or no one, is deliberately interfering with escaping.
J?rmungandr's head slowly approaches Blossom who is being restrained by the black cross and unable to move. Below the sixteen lens like red eyes separated into two rows, is a round mouth surrounded by feelers, well, technically it is called an acetabulum[11]. The bottomless jaw with numerous rings of saw-like teeth and that constantly drips with mucus closes in on the petite Avatar. Blossom shudders and hangs her head even lower.
'Stop.. it...! Stoooooppppp!'
Falcon cries hoarsely from beneath his helmet, but Enemies aren't people, so naturally they won't obey any plea.
The meter wide jaw of the long worm opens to its limits above Blossom's head. The secreted mucus continuously drips down, hissing and producing white smoke on contact with the bright orange armour. That liquid has the effect of dramatically decreasing the physical resistance of an Avatar. The silvery armour on her body instantly loses its glow. As if unwilling to wait any longer, J?rmungandr swallows the upper body of Blossom in one go along with the cross.
In the centre of his vision dyed red with his burning emotions, his long time partner screams again and again.
Enhanced Armament ?THE DESTINY?'s power greatly exceeded all original expectations.
Physical type attacks such as cutting, impact, piercing, shot and explosive can all be basically nullified. Energy type attacks such as laser are reflected; the armour is highly resistant to freeze, heat and electric types as well. The only thing that it can't defend against is the natural enemy of metallic armours, corrosive acids, but players who have these types of attacks are few and far between. Invincible. That is not an exaggeration at all when describing such terrifying defensive capabilities.
But that's only natural, the armour is supposed to be only obtainable by the ones who have defeated the absolutely unbeatable Super Enemies, ?Four Sacred Beasts?, and reached the deepest area of the Imperial City, it could even be called the final Item of Brain Burst. But since it was obtained via chance and luck plus a system loophole in the dawning ages of the game, there is no wonder its power is overwhelming.
?THE DESTINY? is strong enough to completely break the game balance of Brain Burst, strong enough to render even the owner of the armour, Saffron Blossom, scared. After all, in the past she would lose almost all her HP if she was hit by a Full Charge Attack[12]?from a red or a blue Avatar, whereas now those attacks barely do anything even if she takes them head-on. Just a few regular battles spread her name throughout the whole Accelerated World, accompanied soon after by buying offers and invitations to join strong Legions. Of course, there were also accusations of underhandedness and cheating.
If Blossom was still her same old self who just wanted to team up with Falcon and keep on fighting, perhaps she would have sealed or sold the armour.
But now she has an yet unfulfilled dream of forming a ?Legion of Mutual Aid? to prevent others from losing all their points, so as to remove the slaughters resulting from exploiting the Accelerated World's game mechanics and change it into a place where everyone can battle happily.. no, live happily.
Perhaps this is just a silent protest from Blossom who was informed that she would never live until adulthood, but nevertheless has accepted such a fate. To spread countless seeds in the barren lands of the Accelerated World, and make this world bloom with countless flowers---. Perhaps since the instant she became a BB Player, that has always been her dream.
In order to make the core of the Legion of Mutual Aid, ?Burst Point Loan System?, function practically, a sufficient points pool is necessary. As well as the fighting power needed to dissuade those malicious participants who never intended to pay back the points.
Needless to say, apart from standard battles, ?THE DESTINY? also displays overwhelming power during Enemy hunts, so for Blossom, it is no doubt an express ticket to the fulfilment of her dream. Although equipping it significantly quelled challenges, there are still many brave fighters who wished for a battle, however, they were defeat by Blossom and Falcon without exception.
Although -->>