Haru followed Kuroyukihime's instructions as best as he could.
walking home with his bag slung over one shoulder, replaying everything she had told him.
Accelerated World.
Secret invitations.
Time-stopping powers.
He felt like someone had dropped a full RPG rulebook on his head.
It didn't help that he kept muttering, "What did I get myself into…?" every two minutes.
"Haruuuuuuu! Wait up!"
The familiar voice sliced through his chaotic thoughts.
Chiyuri sprinted over, her bag bouncing behind her.
When she saw his expression, she slowed down, frowning deeply.
"Haru… why do you look like you failed ten exams at once? Did something happen?"
Haru stiffened.
He couldn't tell her.
He wasn't allowed to tell anyone.
And even if he could, Chiyu would ask a million questions until he cried.
"N-No! I'm fine!" he blurted, waving both hands too fast.
She narrowed her eyes. "That is the least convincing answer I've ever heard."
Haru panicked inside.
Don't talk about Burst Link. Don't talk about Senpai. Don't talk about fight club. Don't….
"I just… uh… tripped earlier!" Haru lied. "Really hard! Like… face first! Extremely embarrassing!"
Chiyu sighed and crossed her arms.
"Haru, you're slimmer and stronger now, but you're still a terrible liar."
"O-okay, maybe I tripped emotionally," he mumbled.
That made her giggle, and the tension softened.
Chiyu eventually let it go, and they walked home side by side like they always had, talking about ordinary things, summer homework, Takumu's latest hobby which is kendo, lunch plans.
It calmed him down more than he expected.
A Message from Fuuko
That night, showered and exhausted, Haru checked his linker.
A message from Fuuko blinked softly.
He opened it.
Fuuko:
Thank you for giving me legs to run again.
I'll take your offer.
Let's run together—soon. ♥
Haru read it twice, eyebrows slowly rising.
"A heart…? Is that like… decoration? Or… gratitude? Probably gratitude."
He nodded at his own conclusion and typed:
Haru: I'm glad! Let's run together when we meet again, Fuuko.
He sent it with a smile, completely oblivious to the romantic scream hidden in her punctuation.
Sleep came quickly, but peace did not.
In his dream, Haru stood on a cliff edge.
The weight of everything his past, the bullying, expectations, Kuroyukihime's trust piled on his shoulders like boulders.
He stumbled.
The ground cracked.
And suddenly he fell.
Wind roared in his ears. He reached for anything anything and he caught a branch.
The branch snapped.
"Fuuuuuuuu—!"
He jolted awake before the last syllable left his mouth.
Sweating, heart pounding.
"…I hate dreams."
Morning arrived hazy and dull. Haru stumbled into the kitchen, still half-asleep.
His mother peeked from behind him, as she was still in her room sleeping.
"Haru, sweetheart don't forget to connect to the network. Your allowance is scheduled for today."
"…mmh."
Haru nodded groggily.
He connected automatically, not even remembering what Kuroyukihime had told him.
A soft ping confirmed the connection.
He didn't think twice.
He should have.
Haru stepped outside, stretching his back.
Then
Time stopped.
The world froze in silent, horrifying clarity.
Cars halted mid-turn.
A bird hung motionless in the sky.
Haru gasped.
"I…. accelerated?! But I didn't even say"
A loud metallic CLANG echoed ablove him.
Two glowing health bars appeared in the empty sky:
DARK RAVEN — Lv.1
HP: 100
??? — Lv.7
HP: 100
A 30-minute timer began counting down from 1800.
Haru's breath hitched when he saw his reflection in a store window.
Not a pink pig.
Not a boy.
But
A humanoid avatar made of blackened obsidian plates and shifting shadows, leaking a quiet aura of dread.
Red cracks pulsed under the surface, like magma veins.
Its visor glowed a deep, ominous black.
Haru stepped back.
"W-WHAT THE?! Why do I look like a final boss?!"
A mechanical giggle echoed behind him.
He turned.
A slim pink robotic humanoid girl stood on a lamp post, legs folding like insect limbs, eyes glowing neon.
"Well, well! Lucky me!" she sang cheerfully.
"I get matched with a total noob! Free points!"
Haru raised a hand nervously.
"W-wait. M-maybe we can talk abou…."
She pulled out a sniper rifle.
Ten times bigger than her body.
Haru squeaked.
"Hold on just a seco…"
BOOOOM
The round hit him before he even felt the recoil.
His obsidian body shattered like glass.
No scream.
No final words.
Just instant deletion.
The last 0.2 seconds of the duel displayed:
YOU LOSE
Burst Points -10
Remaining: 89
Time resumed.
Wind blew.
Birds chirped.
Haru stood in the exact same street, human once again, holding his schoolbag.
He stared blankly forward.
…
"I want a refund," he whispered.
But Burst Link didn't do refunds.
And the nightmare had only just begun.
————————————————————
as promised 5 chapters for today! for the misarrangement of chapters (which have been resolved)
my chapter reserves are kinda dropping with the way im posting 3 chaps a day so
will go back to posting 1 chap per day.
Again thanks for supporting my fanfic!