Aurrorian

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

That level skip though XD, what were these bots, Level 9s? Didn't fight like one.

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

Kris dropped the mic Ice Avatar.

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

Okay, so there's no use in questioning an NPC? I mean, if I could provoke a response from the hacker...unless I'm talking to a bot.

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

Kris shrugged, getting poked by icicles was the least of his concern right now, and at the velocity he was about to travel, could the Ice Avatar even keep up? He aimed his whirling cyclone up to the sky, channeling its winds to rotate upwards through the driving blizzard, and leaping off his right leg, launched himself and unwilling companion into the storm.

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

Sorry, was busy with school.

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

Yep, concluded Kris, these are definitely AI. AI that were specifically programmed to counter the Avatars that they are matched against. The question is what limits the creation of these fake Avatars, if any...

He looked behind him, and just caught the Ice Avatar about to reach striking distance. Deer had just dealt with the Blue Avatar, and was moving in against the Red Avatar. "Eh, we're about done here. I suppose I could try..."

Kris propelled himself right around and behind the Ice Avatar, unequipped Daybreak (and Nightfall), and grabbed the Avatar around the waist. Having lost some velocity by slowing down, it would take him some time to regain speed for take off. "Hold tight, it's going to be a bumpy ride. And to whoever's behind the mask, we're going to have a talk, you and I."

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

These hackers sure are desperate, thought Kris, challenging a superior opponent while on the verge of losing Brain Burst; even if they have numbers and can force unfair conditions, why not 4v1 then? Kris looked behind him and saw the Ice Avatar still futilely chasing him. And you'd think hackers would be smart enough to understand an in-game advantage, Kris continued, why not attack Deer instead?

Why indeed, am I facing novices, or is something fishy beneath all this? resolved Kris. He considered all the actions done by his opponents so far: the Yellow Avatar jamming him right from the start, a smart move yet almost too perceptive; the Ice Avatar attempting to attack with physical ice, having the opposite effect; hearing no audible reaction by the Yellow Avatar from being shot, though shock is reasonable, it shouldn't have recovered so quickly then; and now this.

Up ahead, Kris finally came across Deer/Lily's battle, and more specifically, coming up behind the Red Avatar firing away. To settle his suspicions once and for all, he propelled himself right next to it. Briefly slowing himself down, he tapped the Red Avatar on the shoulder, and said, "Yo."

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

Kris laughed gleefully as he zoomed towards the Yellow Avatar, which came out rather creepily because of the voice changer. The thrown ice shards deflected off his cyclone, and he only increased speed. Nightfall was still Materialized, and Kris knew firing through a vacuum such as the eye of a tornado would increase a bullet's velocity by neglecting air resistance, not to mention the spiraling winds affected it like throwing a football. This time Kris took careful aim at the Yellow Avatar's head, straightening his cyclone so the tip pointed right on target. He once again sacrificed 30% of his total health, and pulled the trigger.

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

@Jangel13 Nope. Just a spur of the moment action, not technically an official ability.

Burst link! welcome to the accel world (accel world role play-reboot!)

Kris, finally free of the jamming waves, reverted to his original form. He had just drawn "Daybreak" as the Ice Avatar charged towards him, and extended the blades on his two pistol swords, before clashing with his opponent's arm blades. His swordplay was admittedly unsatisfactory, though it had been a long time since Kris had faced someone of equal or greater skill than him. He resorted to blocking & pushing with his right arm, and deflecting & parrying with his left. Eventually the two locked weapons, and it gave Kris time to think.

By checking the health bars of all participants, and confirming that Deer/Lily was on his side, he realized that they could win by time out as long as they played defensively. However, the Yellow Avatar still posed a problem, as the color was essentially designed to counter such stratagem through indirect attacks; plus it was the biggest thorn in Fog's side at the moment. The Ice Avatar either did not or had not yet exhibited similar powers such as freezing, and physical attacks were not a problem to deal with.

Kris sidestepped the Ice Avatar, broke off contact, and made his own charge at the Yellow Avatar. He threw out his Avatar's left side as he ran, which billowed forth its namesake. An idea had already formed in his head, one parts inspired by the jamming he'd been through, and also by a physics demonstration he'd once witnessed. "Materialize," said Kris, but he had more than just body parts to form. By partially forming and deposing his fog in constant motion, it began to circle in front of him. And by forming a high pressure pocket of circulating gas within a low pressure system such as the battlefield's conditions, it should create a miniature cyclone and propel Kris forward, as the demonstration had shown. Sure enough, his body was launched forward, behind a spiral of warm air and condensation that showered hail behind him.