Chapter 7: A Cry for Help
It has been months since I awakened the ability to talk to my cards, and it was really fun. We got to know each other more and even helped me in dueling.
With their advice, my stats went up a little but not too much.
Status
{Status
Name: Nakamura Eric
Age: 6
Title: Tutorial Breaker, Master Of Special Summoning, Let's Duel, Spirit Master
STR: 6
END: 6
AGI: 6
INT: 25
WIS: 23
CHA: 105
LUC: ???
Points: 65
Blessings/Skills:
Blessings of the Gods of Luck
Game Interface
Protagonist
Acting (39%)
Elementary School Knowledge (85%)
Highschool Knowledge (69%)
College Knowledge (9%)
Dueling (58%)
Taekwondo (37%).
Singing (80%)
Music (54%)
Spirit Bond: 100% (Drytron Ursarctic)
Gems: 17390}
Alexa told me not to train until I was at least 11 or higher, because there was a chance it might stunt my growth.
I looked at my titles to see if I got something new.
[Titles: ¼
Tutorial Breaker: The person that breaks the tutorial by drawing his needed card that isn't even in the deck. Now that's some destiny draw crap.
Effects: Can draw the right cards, even when it isn't even the deck..
Debuffs: Needs to have 3000 or more life points to work. Takes 10 Points to activate.
Status: Active
Master of Special Summoning: The "Master Of Special Summoning" achievement can be unlocked by Special Summoning a total of fifty or more monsters while participating in Ranked duel.
Effect: Get a higher chance of getting monsters for special summons
Debuffs: Host will have a lower chance to get cards that can't be special summoned.
Status: Active
Let's Duel: A title that shows that the host has dueled 5000 times.
Effect: A chance of getting more rewards and items after each duel.
Debuffs: None, Host just needs to win
Status Active
Spirit Master: A title that shows that they have a good bond with their dueling spirits.
Effect: The rate of bonding with spirits will go up.
Debuffs: None
Status: Active]
[No Updates. Would you like to look at your other titles?]
[Y/N]
I clicked on 'N', as I was satisfied with my current titles.
I looked at my skill progression.
"Seems about right." I told myself as I observed my skills. Over the years, the system didn't really give me any rewards regarding skills, only gems and points. I got the acting skill, when I was acting like a baby I guess? It just came out of nowhere when I checked my status in the past. Now I don't really act in front of my parents, sometimes I do but that happens rarely now.
And I didn't really practice my other skills either.
{Eric} Alexa starts to say. {It's almost time to wake up, we don't want you to be late now do we?}
"Come on!" I groaned at her. "It was one time"
{Hehe} Alexa just giggles. {Now get up, you have school}
"Ok" I just complied with Alexa.
"Menu" I call out as a panel shows up.
[Menu:
Status
Settings
Help
Records
Sleep/Exit]
This was the Menu screen, this helps me navigate my system more. Anyway, this also helps me sleep and exit easily. With a click of a button I can sleep, automatically. (I wish I could do that because my sleep schedule is messed up.) And even wake up automatically.
Of course I can still be woken up, when someone tries to.
Anyway, I pushed the 'Sleep/Exit' option and before I knew it, I woke up yawning. I stretched my arms out and went outside my room.
I went to the bathroom to wash my face and looked into the mirror.
'It's been 6 years huh?' I thought, I looked at my face which was an anime character that I watched. 'I'm starting to look more and more like Ranpo.' I observed myself in the mirror.
"ERIC!" I heard my mother yell at me, as I stopped looking at myself and continued on.
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*Bell noises*
The bell rang throughout the building, indicating it was the end of school. I picked up my stuff and went outside.
I looked around to see my classmates happily chatting with each other, some of my friends greeted me, and I greeted them back.
To be honest I know almost everything about what they teach, except history. Well that was to be expected since I was not from this world.
I actually found it quite helpful. In 2014, the dimensions weren't merged together in the end.
Because of the instability of the space between dimensions. The dimensions were influenced because of it being ripped apart from each other, then forcefully merging them back together, and after that being ripped after again. It's like paper, you rip it, you won't expect it to be the same after you tape it. But rip it again it would make the paper more destroyed. Now imagine a world going through that, and a world is more delicate than a piece of paper, it needs time to properly and slowly piece back together. Now people have developed a way to navigate through these 4 dimensions. Not travel, only navigate. Space and reality were too complex for human minds to understand. (I don't know what the heck I'm talking about, just bear with it for the sake of the plot, and note that I haven't watched some of these in years, and now rely on the wiki and fanfiction that I read. So sorry for any inconsistencies I may write.)
'At least that's what Alexa told me' I thought to myself. 'Man. Who would have thought that continuously destroying and forcefully merging realities would have major consequences?' I thought sarcastically
{Of course Eric} Alexa tells me. {But comparing a piece of paper to the fabric of space and reality itself?} She questions. {Really?}
'Shush now.' I try to politely not get in one of her lectures again. 'You know, Science isn't my best subject'
Alexa just sighs and complies.
As I was walking home. A sudden pop-up rose in front of my eyes, it was from the neurolinker. I was startled a little, but calmed down a few seconds later.
I looked to see what someone sent.
.
.
.
[Accept "BB2039.exe"?]
[Yes][No]
My eyes widened as I saw the program. Most people would think this was a virus and click no, but this was no virus. This was the download program of a very familiar game that I watched in my past life.
Brain Burst
I think for a moment to recall memories about this game, luckily I searched some things in the wiki. I remember reading about how there were no adult burst linkers because they didn't wear neurolinkers since birth and didn't fit the requirements. Instead it was spread to 1st graders in 2039 in the Tokyo metropolitan area.
'Could it be?' I start questioning. 'Did the program spread out because of the different dimensions? Because I know I am not in tokyo' I looked back to the program
This was it. The thing that will accelerate my mind to the point of seeing everything stop.
I reached out my hand to touch it.
{Host!} Alexa suddenly calls me. {Isn't it smarter to accept it inside your house?} She asks me.
'Yeah' I agree with her. 'You're probably right, there might be problems when I accept this here.' I thought as I quickly ran to my house.
After a few minutes I arrived and went in. I greeted my parents, then went into my room.
'Ok, it's time' I thought. 'Alexa, I'm going to accept it now.'
I tapped the Yes button on my screen, and then it began downloading.
[10%
.
.
.
25%
.
.
.
45%
.
.
.
60%
.
.
.
85%
.
.
.
100%]
[Loading]
I waited patiently for it to finish. Suddenly, a sea of flames burst right on my flames.
[BRAIN BURST] rose from the flames.
[Welcome to the Accelerated World]
I smile as it is completely downloaded.
{Eric has downloaded and integrated Brain Burst program} Alexa announces.
Before I could do anything a panel from my neurolinker popped up again.
[Message:
This is the first and maybe last time you will all get a message from me.
You may be confused on what this is exactly, well this application allows a person to make time seemingly stop by "accelerating" their brainwaves by saying 'Link Burst'.
The times a person can accelerate are limited and depend on the number of Burst Points they have. When Brain Burst is installed, the player, known as a Burst Linker, starts with a total of 100 Burst Points (BP). Each time the Burst Linker accelerates, they lose 1 Burst Point.
Once a Burst Linker reaches enough points, they can choose to level up their avatar. This consumes a number of points that varies with each level. Burst Points are mainly earned by fighting and defeating other Burst Linkers in the program's online multiplayer fighting game or online dueling, but can also be earned by defeating Enemies in the Unlimited Neutral Field, a VR space that only players of level 4 or above can access.
In order to connect to the online multiplayer fighting game or the online dueling of Brain Burst, the person has to be connected to the network via his/her Neuro Linker. After connecting, they are automatically added to the matchmaking list of the network where he/she connected to, where other Burst Linkers also appear on it if they are in the vicinity. Burst Linkers can then challenge others by choosing their name on the list. The fights or duels there can be either between individuals or between pairs and teams. One may also choose to spectate matches.
In order to get a desired deck, one can use their physical deck or virtual deck. A person needs to equip his/her deck in the Setting menu.
Brain Burst will be uninstalled when any of the following conditions are fulfilled: When one's burst points were depleted to zero under any conditions or when one manually uninstalls the program from his/her Neuro Linker.
When Brain Burst is uninstalled, the person's memories pertaining to it are completely erased. In addition, Brain Burst cannot be reinstalled once uninstalled as Brain Burst recognizes players by their brain waves, not by their Linker.
Welcome to the accelerated world player.]
I read everything in the message.
"Aren't these the things on the wiki? It's almost exactly the same." I mutter out. "I guess explaining things to originators who have no clue or knowledge on how this thing works makes sense, I think. Because in the manga your parents will guide you."
I thought for some moments and decided to test it out. "Link Burst" I said, as I saw everything turn into blue, and I saw my own body standing there.
I saw my created avatar,which was like the original Ranpo. I have a brown Inverness cape that I wear over my shoulders and whose color matches both my hat and my pants. Under that, I wore a dark gray blazer and a white button-up with a light and dark blue striped tie. Under my pants, I wore long white socks that cover the visible part of his legs, and simple black shoes. I also had my duel disk with me, on my arm.
I started looking around amazed by my surroundings.
"Alexa? Are you here?" I call out to her.
{Yes Eric.} Alexa responds {I can still communicate with you here.}
"That's nice to know" I nod to myself. I began to observe the surroundings more. I remember Kuroyukihime's explanation in the manga. This world would use cameras in order to recreate in 3D, before getting passed to my neural interface.
I looked outside my window to see a camera out of the corner of my eyes. It was not directly looking into my room, but it captures most of it, as I observed the side of the room filled with seemingly polygons.
Now that I finished observing my room, I put my hand up and another screen appears.
[Matching List (Unavailable)]
It seems like it's unavailable for now. "If I remember correctly, then when I sleep I will have a nightmare about a trauma to create a duel avatar." I speak to myself as I continue to observe it more "What kind of avatar I would get?" I question myself.
"Looks like I can't do anything here for the moment." I spoke as I was finishing up. "Alexa, is there any effect of the program on my mind?" I asked Alexa, I didn't want to have any problems on my end.
{I already did a full scan Eric} Alexa tells me. {There seems to be no problem with any of your body and mind as of now.}
"Good." I told her. "I'll leave this place for now. 'Burst Out'" remembering the phrase to exit. I was once again in the real world, seemingly normal.
____________________________________________________________________________
I suddenly woke up. I looked at my surroundings, I was back in my room. I saw my computer was closed. Still in my chair, I concluded that I must have fallen asleep.
"Seems like I had a dream" I stretched my arms out and yawned.
Something isn't right. I feel it, but I can't put my finger on it. The more I try to, the more my head hurts.
I go outside the room and stumble in the kitchen. There I saw my parents and sister happily chatting.
I smiled and went to them.
"Good morning!" I say with enthusiasm, expecting a greeting back but never got one. They all kept talking to each other.
I repeated my words again and got nothing. I started getting worried, so I went to my father to touch his shoulder.
Something unexpected happens, I can't touch him.
I try to go to my mother, but I can't touch her.
I tried my sister. I can't either.
My head started hurting more.
I started sweating as unbearable pain shot through my head.
I can't do anything as I try to support my body with the counter.
"It's been a year." I heard my sister say.
A year of what?
"Yeah." My mother looked saddened as well as my father.
"I can't believe that he's gone." My father says.
Who's gone?
My mother started crying, and I just can't stand it. I put up with the pain and went to her. Every step I take makes the pain in my head more and more unbearable.
As I reached out to her, the same thing happened, but this time I passed through her.
'What?' I question as I lay there on the floor.
"Come on mom" my sister comforts her. "Let's go visit him later." As she looks on the verge of crying.
My father, who was the toughest person I know, was crying as well.
"Le-let's go visit his gr-grave later." My mother stutters out and continues to cry.
At this point, I realized what they were talking about, but that couldn't be real could it? I'm right here. This still must be a dream.
They got up and began to leave, I tried to push myself to get to them. I tried standing up, but my head almost exploded in pain.
I almost passed out, but still persisted. I see them going farther and farther, A burst of emotion coursed through me.
I standed up and held onto the counter. I went to the hallway they went in, as it stretched out in a darker place. I see them at the end, where they open the very last door.
"W-Wait!" I try to reach out to them. "PLEASE!" I cried out as tears flooded my face. "D-don't leave me! Please!"
They didn't seem to hear me as they closed the door, leaving the whole hallway dark.
My head started getting more and more in pain. I felt as if I was dying. I tried to move, which resulted in me tripping, but instead of falling on the floor. I floated in deep darkness.
"Please" I pleaded. "Don't leave me" I can only whisper to no one, as I was almost consumed by darkness. "I don't want to be alone" I close my eyes, waiting for the inevitable.
But it didn't come. I was just there, until I saw a burst of light.
"Hey" A voice called out to me. "Do you need help?" I saw a boy staring at me worriedly, with his green eyes. I saw him wearing some kind of village clothes.
"P-please" I tried calling out, as I slowly reached my hand out to him.
"Ok, then." As he reached and grabbed my hand. "See you later."
He tells me as I completely blacked out.
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(Sorry for only updating now, I had to do things in school, presentations, assignments, its been stressful. Sorry for any inconsistencies and if you are unsatisfied, I tried writing what was on my mind here. Thanks for reading. Bye!)