The street was quiet now.
Haru's chest heaved as he stared down at the Neurolinker display. Eighty-nine points.
That was all that remained of his Brain Burst allowance.
His hands trembled, and for the first time since the morning, he felt the cold, crushing weight of reality pressing down.
"I lost… in one shot?" Haru muttered to himself, gripping the strap of his bag like it could anchor him.
I'm… going to die in this secret fight club, aren't I?
The streets seemed quieter than usual, but he could still feel the faint hum of AR signals floating in the air.
Somewhere, in the vast mesh of Brain Burst users, someone had spotted him and eliminated him in a fraction of a second.
The thought alone made his stomach churn. His mind flashed back to the sniper: a pink robotic humanoid girl, her weapon ten times larger than her body, firing with inhuman precision.
He hadn't even had time to speak. He hadn't even had a chance.
Haru pressed a hand to his face and leaned against a wall.
"Why did I connect?" he muttered.
His mother's instructions from this morning rang in his mind: check your allowance. That innocent task had unknowingly thrown him into a duel he was utterly unprepared for.
This is my fault. I should've listened to Senpai…
His thoughts were interrupted by the familiar beep of his Neurolinker. A direct line. The name flashing on the screen made him freeze.
Kuroyukihime.
He froze. His heart skipped several beats. The composed, elegant, terrifyingly skilled Kuroyukihime
his senpai
was calling him directly. Panic surged. Should he answer? Should he run? He answered anyway. There was no escape.
"Arita-kun," her voice came through clearly, calm but carrying an unmistakable weight of authority. "Where are you?"
Haru swallowed. "Uh… I'm… I'm… I'm fine?" he stammered, realizing immediately how inadequate that sounded. His pulse raced.
"You connected to the global network," she said flatly. "A veteran found you instantly. Explain."
Haru's knees weakened.
"I…I just… I was half asleep and my mom said to check my allowance… I didn't know…"
His voice trailed off as he realized words were not enough.
Silence. Then a sigh. "Go to the lounge today," she said simply. No judgment in her tone, but no warmth either.
Haru found himself following her to the school lounge, a place usually filled with junior high students.
Today, however, it felt like a battleground. Kuroyukihime was already there, seated with perfect posture, her butterfly clip glinting faintly in AR projection. Her gaze, calm and unyielding, pierced him.
"You… connected," she said, voice steady. "Do you understand the consequences of what you did?"
Haru shuffled on his feet, barely looking up. "I… I know, Senpai. I didn't mean to. I…I'm really sorry."
She leaned back slightly, sighing. "You triggered a link auto-challenge. Any Burst Linker scanning the area can force a duel.
That sniper you faced she's no ordinary user. Upper Mid-tier, probably part of a legion. And she destroyed you instantly."
Haru's stomach dropped. "I…I didn't even get a chance!"
"You lost some of your burst points, nine more of those, and Brain Burst could disappear permanently," Kuroyukihime continued.
"Right now, you have eighty-nine points. Low for a beginner. Do you understand?"
"Yes… I… I understand," Haru muttered,
Kuroyukihime's tone softened slightly. "Good. Fear is useful, but it cannot control you. You will survive, but only if you learn quickly."
Haru nodded earnestly. "Senpai, I…I don't want to lose this. I want to get stronger."
Kuroyukihime's AR projection shimmered faintly as she tapped through the interface. "We will begin proper Burst Linking," she said calmly. "I will guide you step by step."
As they both said "burst-link" at the same time
the familiar tingling sensation surged through his mind, the signature onset of Burst Link.
He blinked rapidly, and suddenly the world froze around them. Even the faint hum of the city seemed to vanish.
Haru's vision sharpened as his duel avatar materialized in front of him: the obsidian-and-shadow amalgamation he had glimpsed in his the puddle before.
The dark elegance of his avatar filled him with awe.
Simultaneously, Kuroyukihime's avatar appeared. Still in her signature butterfly-themed dress she had previously worn in the AR leaderboard projections flowed elegantly around her.
Haru couldn't help himself.
"Wow… that's… very fashionable," he said, grinning.
Kuroyukihime froze, her composure faltering just slightly. A faint flush touched her cheeks. "That's not a fashion show," she said, voice clipped. "My real duel avatar is sealed for a reason."
Haru blinked. "Wait… so this isn't your real avatar?"
"No," she replied firmly.
"What you see is for teaching purposes. The true avatar is restricted. It represents my full capabilities and cannot be revealed casually."
Haru chuckled awkwardly. "Ah, okay… got it. Still looks amazing though."
Kuroyukihime ignored his comment and pulled up an AR projection in front of both of them, highlighting critical points.
"Movement first. Understand your avatar," she explained, gesturing to Haru's obsidian-and-shadow form.
"Your duel avatar isn't just an aesthetic choice it's your tool. The obsidian amalgamation you control is physically strong, resilient, and versatile. "
"But if your mind is weak, the body is useless. You must learn to operate it efficiently before advancing."
Haru shifted nervously, taking in the enormity of what she was saying. "Right… mind over body… got it."
She narrowed her eyes slightly, her wings fluttering with a soft red glow.
"Remember, everything you see is part of a controlled simulation.
You will learn the mechanics, the limits, and how to adapt.
Only when your mental control is sufficient will you approach the strength of your avatar's potential."
Haru swallowed hard, nodding. "Understood, Senpai. I'll pay attention."
Kuroyukihime's projection pulsed. "Observe, adapt, and prepare. Burst Link gives us power, but only skill and discipline allow mastery."
The world around them shimmered faintly as the Accelerated World fully activated, each of their avatars standing tall, ready for the first lesson in synchronized Burst Linking.
Haru's mind raced. "But Senpai… how? Do I level up? Get weapons? Can I get a dragon?"
Her expression didn't change. Calm. Patient. Unshaken.
"First, understand your limits. Understand your Moveset, movement, awareness, then tactics. "
You must learn to see the battlefield and predict your opponent."
He groaned internally. This is worse than I imagined… I just wanted to get in shape.
She continued, voice firm. "Also, you must understand squads and legions.
"Burst Linkers often form groups. "
"They fight over territory, score points, and challenge each other. "
"Your sniper opponent belongs to one. Solo beginners rarely survive unless guided. That is why I am here."
Haru gulped. Squads, legions, secret fight clubs… why did I think jogging 4 km was the hardest thing this summer?
Kuroyukihime's eyes softened slightly. "I don't want you to lose Brain Burst on your first week. Understood?"
Haru nodded, nearly bowing. "I… I won't, Senpai. I promise."
After a pause, Kuroyukihime's calm voice broke the silence.
"First lesson: patience. You will train today, but not through combat. Observing your environment, predicting movements, and managing your Burst Points." She gestured toward his avatar.
"Check your moveset."
Haru's pulse raced. His stubby hooves hovered over the AR interface, his eyes scanning the glowing menu that appeared in front of him.
Attack
Sword Slash
Weapons
Katana
He muttered to himself, "Sword slash… katana… alright, alright, I can do this."
He flexed experimentally, watching as his obsidian-armored avatar mirrored his movements.
The slash animation was precise, clean, and surprisingly satisfying.
She allowed herself a tiny nod. "Good. But understand once you accept Brain Burst fully, your life will never be the same. You cannot retreat to ordinary life.
You've already stepped into something greater. Every choice, every action, matters here."
Haru swallowed hard, the weight of her words sinking in. "Understood! I'll… I'll pay attention."
He glanced back at his moveset one more time, making sure he remembered the sword slash animation, imagining how he could combine it with his speed and agility in future scenarios.
The small thrill of anticipation surged through him this was far beyond normal playground games
A faint alert pinged in Haru's Neurolinker. A duel invitation.
Haru froze. The name flashed: Pink cyanide, the Sniper he battled.
Her gaze sharpened immediately. "It seems your opponent… wishes for a rematch."
Haru's stomach flipped. "Again?! But I… I can't"
"Yes. You will face her eventually. And you must be prepared. You will not be caught off-guard again."
Haru's knees threatened to buckle. I'm going to die, aren't I?
Kuroyukihime's calm demeanor belied the urgency. "Fight and win, arita kun, i believe in you."
Haru swallowed hard, gripping the straps of his bag.
His mind raced, a mixture of fear, adrenaline, and determination.
I just wanted to get fit, and now… I'm in a real fight club where time stops and people can snipe me in a second. Great.
She gave him his first task: analyze his duel avatar's capabilities while staying aware of the environment.
"Observe everything," she instructed. "Time is your ally, but only if you respect it."
Haru took a deep breath, nodding. He looked at his obsidian amalgamation avatar his in-world reflection of his new self. I can do this… I have to. For Fuuko, Chiyuri, Taku, and… for me.
The first lesson was clear: survive, adapt, and never underestimate the Accelerated World.
System ping: [Confidence +1 / Awareness +2 / Bond: Rising]
Haru braced himself, feeling the strange thrill of fear mixed with resolve.
As they concluded for the evening, Kuroyukihime gave him one final warning.
"Rest. Tomorrow, we train in controlled combat. Forget no instructions. The next time you meet your sniper opponent, there will be no second chances."
Haru nodded, determination hardening like steel. "I'll be ready. I… I won't fail again."
She stood, graceful and composed, her AR projection shimmering faintly in the low light.
Haru's mind whispered: This is the beginning. I'll survive. And one day, I'll be able to fight without fear.
The world outside hummed normally, but inside his mind, time was already accelerating.