[Mina, get me a loaf of bread!]」
[Hey! If you don't concentrate on eating, you'll spill it!"
[Ah-Teacher! The little array took my poached egg!」
[I obviously exchanged carrots with you!」
[This…is really amazing…]
[Yeah…]
Asuna and Kirito were stunned by the battle-like breakfast scene.
This was the hall on the first floor of the Church in the City of Beginnings 'Town East District 7. Twenty or so children were noisily eating large plates of sausages, eggs, and vegetable salads that lined two large tables.
"However, everyone seems to be very happy.」
Asuna, Kirito, Yui, and Saka sat at a round table a little further away. She smiled and raised her teacup to her mouth.
[It's like this every day. No matter how hard she tried, she could not calm them down.」
Even though she said that, Saka's eyes were still filled with genuine love as she looked at the children.
[You really like children.」
As soon as Asuna finished, Sasha smiled shyly.
"On the other side, I had already completed my education credits in university. Wasn't it a problem that students didn't listen to their teachers? I originally thought very passionately that I would teach these little ghosts! However, after coming here and living with those children, I realized that the rumors were really too different from reality…I even felt that I was supported by them more often. However, should he say that this was also very good…Actually, this was the most natural way.」
[I think I can understand it too.]
Asuna nodded and gently stroked Yui's head, who was sitting on a chair beside her and eating with a spoon. The existence of Yui brought about an astonishing warmth. It was different from the kind of love that would cause one's chest to twist into a ball when they touched each other. This feeling was more calm and reassuring, as if it was covered in invisible feathers or hugged by feathers.
Yesterday, although Yui had fainted due to the outbreak of her mysterious symptoms, she had fortunately woken up a few minutes later. However, Asuna didn't want to move over long distances or use a portal right away. Furthermore, Sasha had invited her warmly, so she decided to stay in an empty room in the church for the night.
Yui's body condition this morning was also quite good, so Asuna and Kirito heaved a sigh of relief. However, the basic situation had not changed. Judging from Yui's slightly recovered memories, she had never been to the Town of Beginnings and had never lived with her guardian. As a result, it was even more difficult to figure out the reason why Yui had lost her memory and degenerated into a child. She could not think of anything else that could help her.
However, Asuna made up her mind.
From now on, she would have to live with Yui until she regained her memories. Even if the holidays were over and it was time to return to the front lines, there must be a way.
While Asuna was deep in thought while stroking Yui's hair, Kirito put down his teacup and said,"
[Miss Saka…]
[Yes?]
"... I want to ask about the army. As far as I know, although the group is too domineering, they are still eager to maintain law and order. However, the group of people he saw yesterday were already criminals... When did they become like this?」
Sasha's lips twitched as she replied,"
" About half a year ago, they began to feel that their approach had changed…Some people began to use the name of taxation to intimidate others, while others began to ban this kind of behavior. The scene of the members of the army fighting against each other continued to play out. I heard that it's because of a power struggle in the upper echelons..."
"Hmm…After all, the army is now a huge organization with more than a thousand members. It's difficult for them not to be divided…But if yesterday's behavior becomes the norm, we can't just leave it be…Asuna.」
"What's wrong?"
"Does that guy know about this situation?」
Asuna sensed the disgust hidden in the word " that guy " and realized who Kirito was referring to. She tried hard to hold back her laughter and said,"
"You should know... Captain Heathcliffe is even very clear about the movements of the army. However, how should I put it? That person seemed to only be interested in high-level players…Although he had been asking about Kirito in the past, when it came to conquering the murder guild "Smiling Coffin," he only said that he would leave it to them. Therefore, he probably wouldn't send out the strategy team for the military.」
[Well, it's possible to say that it's very much like that guy's style... but if it's just us, there's a limit to what we can do.」
Kirito, who was frowning and about to take a sip of tea, suddenly raised his head and looked in the direction of the church's entrance.
" Someone's here, a person..."
[Eh... another customer...]
The loud knocks on the door overlapped with Saxia's words, echoing throughout the room.
A slender female player walked into the restaurant together with Saka, who had a short sword hanging from her waist, and Kirito, who had followed her out of caution.
Her long silver hair was tied into a ponytail, and the sky-blue eyes on her face, which was suitable to be described as smart, gave off an impressive glow.
Although in SAO, one could freely change their hairstyle, hair color, and even eye color, they were still Japanese after all. It could be said that very few players were suitable for such a strong color setting. Asuna had also dyed her hair cherry pink, and then changed it back to chestnut color after realizing that it was not suitable. This was a past that should not be told to outsiders.
Asuna's first impression of this female player was that she was beautiful and mature. Then, when he shifted his gaze to her equipment, he could not help but stiffen.
Although it was covered by an iron-gray cloak, the female player was wearing a dark green top, loose pants on her thighs, and a metal armor that glowed faintly like stainless steel. It was the uniform of the " army." A short sword hung from his right waist, and a black leather whip hung from his left waist.
Yan Yumen, who noticed the woman's attire, also shut up. A vigilant look appeared in his eyes as he stopped moving. However, Saka smiled at the children and said as if to reassure them,"
"Don't be afraid of this person. Let's continue eating.」
Although it didn't seem very reliable, everyone was relieved when they heard what Saka, who was absolutely trusted by the children, said. The dining room instantly became noisy again. At this moment, the female player who had walked to the round table bowed slightly to Sasia, who had invited her to take a seat, before sitting down on a chair.
Asuna, who did not understand the situation, asked Kirito with her eyes, but he also tilted his head and said to Asuna,"
"Uh, she's Miss Yuriel. She seems to have something to tell us.」
The silver-haired whip messenger named Yuriel looked straight at Asuna, then nodded and said,"
"Nice to meet you. I'm Yuriel from the guild's ALF.」
「ALF?」
Asuna asked the name that she had never heard before. The woman shrunk her neck slightly.
" Ah, sorry, this is the short form of the Aingraine Liberation Army. Because the official name is rather tricky for me…"
The woman's voice was steady and beautiful. Asuna, who often felt that her voice was childish, felt even more envious and greeted him back.
"Nice to meet you. I'm from the Blood Alliance Knights of the guild-ah, no, I'm temporarily out of the guild. My name is Asuna, and this child is Yui.」
Yui, who had spent a lot of time clearing the plates of soup and was now challenging the juice, looked up and stared at Yuriel. Although she had some doubts, she immediately smiled and looked back.
When Lilier heard about the Blood Alliance Knights, her sky-blue eyes widened.
「KOB。……No wonder he could easily deal with that group of people.」
After realizing that " those people " referred to the violent and threatening group yesterday, Asuna became even more vigilant and said,"
"... In other words, you're here to protest about what happened yesterday?」
[No, no, that's not true. I even want to thank you in return. You've done a great job.」
「……」
Facing Kirito and Asuna, who were completely confused by the situation and had fallen silent, Rielle straightened her posture.
[The purpose of coming here today is to ask the two of you something.」
[Please, please…?]
The female swordsman nodded and continued,"
"Yes, I'll explain from the beginning. The name 'army' wasn't used in the past…It became the army, which was also the current name of the ALF, after the former vice president, who was also the current actual ruler, a man named the Tooth King, took over the power. The original name of the guild was MMT…Have you heard of it?」
Asuna had never heard of it before, but Kirito immediately replied,"
" Short for 'MMOTODay', right? When SAO started, it was Japan's largest online game comprehensive intelligence station. The person who organized the guild should be the manager there. I remember the name is..."
[Sinka.]
When she said the name, her expression twisted slightly.
" He definitely... didn't want to form an independent organization like this. He just wants to equally distribute information, food, and other resources to as many players as possible…"
Asuna had also heard about the ideals and destruction of the " army ". Hunting monsters with a large number of people could avoid danger as much as possible and obtain a stable income for equal distribution. The idea itself was not wrong. However, the essence of MMORPGs was a fight for resources between players, even in a game like SAO, which was in an extremely abnormal situation. No, perhaps it should be said that it was precisely because of this that things were like this.
Therefore, in order to realize this ideal, the actual size of the organization and a strong leader were indispensable. In this regard, the army was simply too large. Unfair concealment of props, purge, retaliation, and other acts continued to occur, and the leader slowly lost his leadership.
"At this moment, the man named Tooth King popped up.」
Lilier said in an unhappy tone,"
"He used Sinka's laissez-faire as an excuse, and together with his group of cadre players, he proposed to strengthen the system and change the name of the guild to the Aingrunt Liberation Army. Following that, he promoted the publicly acknowledged policy of hunting criminals and monopolizing the training area with high efficiency. Up until then, although they had considered maintaining friendly relations with the other guilds, they had followed the etiquette of the practice area. However, they had continuously occupied the practice area for a long time. Other than increasing the guild's income rapidly, the power of the Tooth King's faction had also slowly become stronger. Recently, Sinka had almost become an ornament…The players of the Tooth King Sect had also become complacent, and even began to intimidate people in the streets in the name of 'taxing'. Yesterday, the person you attacked head-on was the vanguard of that group of people.」
Lilier took a deep breath and drank the tea made by Sasha. She continued,"
"However, the Tooth King Sect also has a weakness. They only care about increasing their assets and continue to ignore the strategy games. This was putting the cart before the horse! "continued to spread among the players at the end of the line... In order to suppress this dissatisfaction, the Tooth King had recently made an unreasonable bet. He had selected more than ten players with the highest level from his subordinates to form a strategy team and sent them to the front line to attack the leader.」
Asuna couldn't help but look at Kirito. They still remembered the memory of Kobarts, the military player who had challenged the floor leader " The Gleameys " of the 74th floor's maze area without any preparation and died tragically in the end.
" Even though we are high-level, it is undeniable that we cannot be compared to the members of the strategy team in the first place…In the end, we even caused the team to retreat and the team leader to die, which was the worst outcome. The Tooth King also attracted a lot of attention because of his reckless behavior. I almost banished him…"
Lilier wrinkled her nose and bit her lips.
" Three days ago, the tooth king, who had no other choice, used a forceful strategy to frame Sinka. He used the cloister crystal that was set to exit the depths of the maze to banish Sinka. At that time, because Sinka believed in the King of Teeth's words, he was unarmed. It was impossible to break through the monster horde from the deepest part of the maze alone. I don't think he even brought the transfer crystal…"
[Three, three days ago…?] Then Sinka…?"
Asuna asked reflexively, and Leah nodded in response.
"His name is still intact on the 'Monument of Life', so he should have successfully reached the safe zone. It's just that the location is in the depths of a very high-level maze, so there's no way to move…As you know, there's no way to send messages inside the maze, and there's no way to connect to the guild warehouse inside, so there's no way to send the transfer crystal to him.」
Sinka knew about the large-scale method of using the cloister crystal to set the exit in the depths of the desperate situation to kill others. It was known as " Entrance PK." However, he probably felt that even if they were enemies, they were still vice guild leaders of the same guild. They shouldn't have gone to such an extent. Or rather, he was unwilling to think that way.
As if reading Asuna's thoughts, Leah whispered,"He's just too nice.」Then, he continued,
"... Only Sinka and the Tooth King can manipulate the guild leader's 'Scroll of Promise'. If Sinka never returned, the guild's personnel and accounting would fall into the hands of the Tooth King. It was my responsibility as the deputy to prevent Sinka from falling into the trap. I had to save him. But my level can't break through the maze that imprisoned him, and I can't count on the help of the Army players.」
She bit her lips and looked straight at Kirito and Asuna.
"At this time, I heard that a very strong two-man team had appeared in the town. I felt uneasy, so I came to ask for your help. Mr. Kirito-Miss Asuna.」
Yuriel lowered her head and said,"
"You might think that you're too thick-skinned to make such a request when you've just met. But please, come with me to save Sinka.」
Asuna stared at Yuriel, who had shut her mouth after the long speech.
Although it was sad, one could not easily believe what others said in SAO. What he heard this time could also be a plot to lure Kirito and Asuna out of the circle to persecute them. Usually, if one had sufficient knowledge of the game, they would be able to find flaws in the liar's words. Unfortunately, Asuna and Asuna were too ignorant about the inside story of the 'army'.
After exchanging glances with Kirito, Asuna said solemnly,"
"If it's something we can do, we're willing to help. That's what I think. Therefore, we must do a minimum investigation of what you say to prove that it is true..."
[This--of course...]
Lilier lowered her head slightly.
[I know that this is an unreasonable request…but when I think about how Sinka's name on the 'Monument of Life' of the Black Iron Palace might be carved with a horizontal line at any time, I feel like I'm going crazy…]
Seeing the silver-haired whip make those strong eyes glisten with tears, Asuna's heart couldn't help but waver, and she felt even more pained to believe her. But at the same time, the experience of living in this world for the past two years was telling him that it was very dangerous to act out of sadness.
Asuna looked at Kirito, who was also very hesitant. The pair of black eyes that were looking at them reflected his wavering feelings of wanting to help Lilier and worrying about Asuna's safety.
At this moment, Yui, who had remained silent until now, suddenly raised her head from her cup and said,"
"It's okay, Mom. That person didn't lie."
This surprised Asuna and she stared at Yui. There was no need to explain the content of the speech. What he had just heard was fluent Japanese. The stuttering way he spoke until yesterday seemed to be a lie.
[N-Nayi, can you judge such a thing…?]」
She stared straight at Yui's face and nodded.
" Well, I don't know how to explain it either, but I know..."
Upon hearing this, Kirito reached out his right hand and messed up Yui's hair. Then, he smiled at Asuna.
" Rather than regretting why you doubt people, it's better to believe first and then regret. Let's go. There's always a way."
[You're still as carefree as ever.]
Asuna shook her head and stroked Yui's hair.
"Sorry, Yui. You'll have to wait another day to find your friend.」
Yui, who spoke in such a soft voice, smiled widely and nodded vigorously. It was unclear whether she really understood the meaning behind her words. Asuna caressed her shiny black hair again and turned to face Yuriel again. She smiled and said,"
" Although it's insignificant, please let us help you. Because I know very well how it feels to want to save someone important…"
Tears welled up in her sky-blue eyes as she lowered her head.
[Thank you... Thank you all...]
"Please save this sentence for after we rescue Mr. Sinka.」
After Asuna responded with a smile again, Sasha, who had been watching silently, clapped her hands.
[If that's the case, then you guys have to replenish your nutrition!] There's also a lot of food. Miss Yuriel, don't be shy.」
The weak sunlight of early winter shone through the dark trees, leaving a faint shadow on the stone floor. There were very few people walking in the alleys of the starting town. Combined with the feeling of infinite vastness of the town, the impression of coldness lingered.
Asuna, who was fully armed, and Kirito, who was carrying Yui, walked quickly on the street under the guidance of Leah.
Of course, Asuna had wanted to leave Yui in Sasia's care, but no matter how much she tried to comfort her, Yui insisted on going with them. In the end, she had no choice but to bring her along. Needless to say, she had prepared a transfer crystal in her pocket. If there was an emergency, he would use the means to escape, although he felt sorry for Yuriel.
[Ah, so you haven't asked the main point yet.]」
Kirito said to Yuriel who was walking in front.
[Which floor is the maze we're going to?]」
Lilier's answer was simple.
[Right here.]
「……?」
Asuna tilted her head in confusion.
[Here…?]
" In the center of the Town of Beginnings…there is a huge maze. Sinka…should be in the deepest part of that place…"
"Really?"
Kirito moaned,"
[There was no such thing during the closed beta. I was too careless...]
" The entrance to the maze is under the Black Iron Palace, which is the base camp of the army. This maze was probably the type that would be opened as the upper level progressed. It was discovered after the Tooth King gained power. His plan was to let his own faction monopolize it. All this while, Sinka, and of course me, were kept in the dark…"
[I see. There are many rare items that only appear once in the Unbroken Maze. He must have made a fortune."
[Not necessarily.]
At this moment, there was a hint of pleasure in Lilier's tone.
"The difficulty level of the maze is very high at the base level... Just the basic configuration of the monsters is about level 60. The advance party personally led by the Tooth King was swept back home. In order to survive, they had to use teleportation to escape. It was said that they had a serious deficit due to overuse of crystals.」
[Hahaha, I see.]
Lilier responded to Kirito's laughter with a smile, but her expression immediately darkened.
" However, it is also very difficult to save Sinka now. The corridor crystal used by the Tooth King seemed to have been recorded when he ran into a very deep place to escape from the monster's pursuit... and Sinka was even deeper in that recording location. Although in terms of level, it is a monster that I can defeat single-handedly, I cannot fight continuously. Sorry, may I ask the two of you..."
[Ah ah, hmm, if it's the 60th level...]
[It should be no problem.]
Asuna nodded after Kirito finished his sentence. Even though they had to use ample leeway to clear the 60th floor's maze, Asuna had already reached level 87, and Kirito was above level 90. Asuna heaved a sigh of relief when she thought that she could successfully break through the maze even if she had to protect Yui. However, Lilier still maintained her uneasy expression and continued,"
"... Moreover, there is one more thing that needs to be taken note of. This was what the players who participated in the advance party had heard. In the depths of the maze…they had seen a huge monster at the Boss level.」
「…………」
Asuna and Kirito looked at each other.
[The leader is also a guy on the 60th floor…What does the leader look like?]」
"Hmm, I remember it's…something like a stone armor warrior.」
" Ah, it's that... I remember it's not too troublesome..."
The two of them turned to Yuriel and nodded again.
"Anyway, there shouldn't be any problem.」
"Really? That's great!"
The corner of Lilier's mouth finally softened. She looked at something dazzling and continued,"
" Is that so... The two of you seem to be constantly fighting with the leader... I'm really sorry for wasting your precious time..."
"No, we're on vacation now anyway.」
Asuna quickly waved her hand.
While they were talking, a huge building shining with black light appeared on the opposite side of the street. It was the largest facility in the starting town, the " Black Iron Palace." After walking through the door, he saw a list of all the players in the square, the [Monument of Life]. Although anyone could enter and exit freely, the deeper areas were almost all occupied by the army.
Instead of going to the main entrance of the palace, she went around the back. The towering city walls and the deep ditches surrounding the city walls seemed to keep out intruders, and no one could pass through them.
After walking for a few minutes, she stopped at a staircase that descended from the road to the water surface of the ditch. Upon closer inspection, there was an entrance to the dark path on the right side of the stone wall at the front of the stairs.
" Enter the palace's sewers from here and you will reach the entrance to the maze. It's a little dark and narrow inside…"
Lilier stopped and looked worriedly at Yui, who was in Kirito's arms. Yui frowned in dissatisfaction."
[I'm not afraid of Yui!]
Asuna couldn't help but smile.
As for Yui, he only told Yuriel that he would live with her, and she did not ask about it. However, she still felt uneasy about bringing Yui into the maze.
To reassure her, Asuna said,"
"No problem. This child looks stronger on the outside.」
[Yes, I will definitely be a great swordsman in the future.]」
Facing Kirito's words, Rielle and Asuna smiled at each other and nodded.
[Then, let's go!]
[Cuckoo!]
The sword in his right hand tore the monster apart.
[Ahhh
The sword in his left hand sent him flying with a clang.
The Kirito, who had not equipped a double-handed sword for a long time, continued to trample on the monsters that came out one after another with the aura of wanting to release the energy that he had accumulated during the holidays. Asuna, who was holding onto Knot, and Yuriel, who was holding onto the metal whip, had no chance to appear. When the enemy group consisting of giant frog-like monsters covered in sticky skin and prawn-like monsters with giant black pincers appeared, he rushed forward with an almost foolhardy aura. He waved the swords in his left and right hands like a storm and instantly suppressed the enemy.
Although Asuna thought " it's true " in her heart and watched Kirito's behavior as a violent warrior, Rielle was dumbfounded. This scene was definitely different from the battle she knew. In addition, Yui's innocent voice of support," Daddy, you can do it!", made the tension even thinner.
It had been dozens of minutes since they entered the maze made of black stones from the dark and damp sewers. Although it was deeper and wider than they had imagined, and there were many monsters, the two female swordsmen did not feel tired at all because Kirito's two swords kept advancing with the momentum of breaking the balance of the game.
[This, this…I'm really sorry, I didn't do anything at all…]
Asuna smiled bitterly at Yuriel, who was shrinking her neck in apology, and replied,"
"No, that's already a kind of sickness... let him be.」
[What? You make it sound so ugly.]」
Kirito, who had finished sweeping the enemy's horde and walked over, heard Asuna's words and pouted.
[Then, do you want to trade with me?]
[... One more, one more.]
Asuna and Yuriel looked at each other and smiled.
The silver-haired Whip Envoy waved his left hand and called out the map, showing the friend mark dot that represented Sinka's current location. Because there was no map of the maze, the path to the light spot was blank, but it had already filled up about 70% of the distance.
"Sinka's position hasn't moved for a few days, so he should be in the safe zone. As long as we can get there, we'll just need to use the crystal to escape…I'm sorry, but I need your help.」
When Lilier lowered her head, Kirito quickly waved his hand.
[No, no, I volunteered to help, and I even got the props…]
[Eh--]
Asuna immediately asked,"
[Did you get anything good?]
[Oh--]
Kirito swiftly operated the window, and a red and black piece of meat appeared on the surface along with the sound of " Dong Cha ". The strange texture made Asuna's face twitch uncontrollably.
[What…what is this?]
[Frog meat! It was said to be as delicious as special ingredients. I'll have to trouble you to take care of it later!"
[Absolutely. Yes. No!]
Asuna shouted and opened the window as well. He moved to the item bar that he shared with the Kirito people and mercilessly clicked on the line of text," Rotten Carnivorous Toad Meat x24 ", and then threw it into the trash can.
[Ah! Ahhh
Looking at Kirito, who had the most humiliating expression in the world, and who was screaming in pain, Lilier could not help but hug her stomach and laugh. At this moment.
[This is the first time my sister has laughed!]」
Yui called out happily, her face full of smiles.
Seeing this, Asuna remembered something. In that case, the symptoms of the knot had acted up yesterday after defeating the army and making the children laugh together. It seemed that the girl was especially sensitive to the smiles around her. Was this the girl's innate personality, or was it because she had been living a hard life? Thinking of this, Asuna couldn't help but pick up Yui and hug her tightly. At the same time, she swore in her heart that she would always be by this child's side with a smile.
[Come, let's continue forward!]
Asuna said. The group of people stepped forward and went deeper.
When they first entered the maze, the monsters that were mainly aquatic creatures changed into zombies, ghosts, and other terrifying monsters as they descended. Even though Asuna was frightened, Kirito didn't mind at all as he continued to slaughter the enemies that appeared with his twin swords.
Usually, it was very rude for high-level players to make a scene in a training area that was lower than their level. However, there was no one else this time, so there was no need to care. If there was enough time, he could even help Leah level up from the side. However, the most important thing now was to save Sinka.
In the blink of an eye, two hours had passed. The group of people also steadily closed the distance between their current location marked on the map and the safe zone where Sinka was. After countless black skeleton swordsmen were sent flying by the Kirito's sword, they finally saw the passage that was emitting warm light.
[Ah, it's a safe zone!]
As Asuna spoke, Kirito, who had used his search skill to confirm, nodded.
[There is a green player inside.]
[Sinka!]
As if she could no longer hold it in, she shouted and ran out with footsteps that made her metal armor clang. Kirito, who was holding a sword in both hands, and Asuna, who was hugging Yui, hurriedly followed behind.
After running for a few seconds toward the light source on the right-hand path, he finally saw a small room in front of the big intersection.
The room was filled with a blinding light that blinded the eyes that were used to darkness. A man was standing at the entrance. Although his face could not be seen clearly because of the light, he was waving his arms fiercely in their direction.
[Yuriel-!]
The moment he confirmed who it was, the man called out loudly. Lilier also waved her left hand and ran faster.
[Sinka--!]
As if to drown out the sobbing voice, the man shouted,
"You can't come over! Over at the passageway…!"
Asuna was shocked and immediately slowed down. However, it seemed like Lilier didn't want to listen to him. She just ran straight to the room.
At this moment.
A few meters in front of the room, a yellow arrow suddenly appeared in the blind spot on the right side of another road that intersected with the tunnel the three of them were running on. Asuna quickly confirmed the name, and it was " ThcFatal-scythe ".
The definite article added before the proper name of the Scythe of Fate was proof of the Boss monster.
[No! Miss Yuriel, come back quickly!"
Asuna shouted. The yellow arrow quickly moved to the left and gradually approached the intersection of the crossroad. If this continued, they would only need a few seconds to bump into Yuriel at the intersection.
[Oh!]
Suddenly, Kirito, who was running to Asuna's left, seemed to have disappeared. In fact, it was running at an exaggerated speed. The impact of the impact caused the surrounding walls to tremble.
Kirito moved a few meters away with the same momentum as Blink. He used his right hand to hug Lilier's body from behind while his left hand stabbed his sword into the stone floor, making a sharp metal sound and a large number of sparks. The huge black shadow rumbled and shook the ground, cutting across the two people who stopped in front of the intersection with an emergency brake that would burn the air.
The yellow arrow rushed into the left passage and moved about ten meters before stopping. The invisible monster slowly changed its direction, as if it was going to charge at him again.
Kirito let go of Yuriel, pulled out the sword that was stabbed into the ground, and ran into the left passage. Asuna quickly chased after him.
She picked up Yuriel, who had fallen to the ground in a daze, and pushed her to the other side of the intersection. Then, she put down the knot in her arms and handed it to Yuriel to take care of. Asuna shouted briefly,
[Please take this child and retreat to a safe area!]」
After confirming that the whip messenger nodded with a pale face, she picked up her robe and walked into the room. Asuna pulled out her rapier and walked to the left.
Asuna saw Kirito's back as he stood still with his two swords in hand. Floating deeper was a humanoid shadow about two and a half meters tall, draped in tattered black robes.
Deep inside the hat and on the arm that stretched out of the sleeve, there was a high-density darkness that was moving. The eyeballs embedded in the darkened face were filled with vivid blood vessels, rotating and looking down at the two of them. He held a long and large sickle in his right hand, and drops of red sticky water dripped from the ferocious curved blade. On the whole, it was the appearance of the Grim Reaper.
The Grim Reaper rolled its eyes and stared at Asuna. At this moment, Asuna felt as if her heart was gripped by pure fear, and a chill ran through her entire body.
However, in terms of level, it shouldn't be a problem.
Just as she raised her rapier, Kirito, who was standing in front of her, said in a hoarse voice,"
[Asuna, go to the safe zone immediately and teleport the other three people out with the crystal.」
[Eh...?]
[This guy is quite troublesome. I can't even use my identification skill to get any data. Its strength should be at level 90…"
「…………!」
Asuna took a deep breath and her body stiffened. At this moment, the Grim Reaper slowly moved in the air and approached the two of them.
[I'm in charge of stalling for time. Run!]
[Kiri-Kirito, let's go too...]
"I'll be there soon! Let's go…!"
Even if it was his last resort to escape, the transfer crystal was not an all-purpose tool. There would be a delay of a few seconds between holding the crystal, assigning the teleportation location, and actually activating the teleportation. If you were attacked by monsters during this period of time, the teleportation would also be canceled. This was the reason why when the party's command system collapsed, anyone who could move at will would not be able to delay the time to activate the teleportation and die.
Asuna was confused. Even if the four of them moved first, Kirito should be able to reach the safe area without the leader catching up with him by relying on his own strength. However, the speed of the leader's advance just now was not to be underestimated. If he didn't appear after he left first... Asuna couldn't take it.
Asuna glanced at the depths of the tunnel on the right.
'Yui, I'm sorry. I promised to always be by your side…'
As he thought about this, he shouted,
[Miss Yuriel, I'll leave the knot to you!] The three of you can escape together!"
Lilier shook her head with a stiff expression.
[This…How can this be…]
[Hurry up!]
At this moment, the Death God slowly waved his scythe and released miasma from the hem of his robe. He began to advance menacingly.
Kirito crossed his swords and stood straight in front of Asuna. Asuna also hugged his back with all her might and placed the sword in her right hand against Kirito's twin swords. However, the Grim Reaper did not care about the three swords at all. He aimed his scythe at the top of their heads.
A red flash. Impact.
Asuna felt herself spinning. It first hit the ground, then bounced back and hit the ceiling, and finally fell back to the ground. His breathing stopped, and his vision turned pitch-black.
He checked his and Kirito's HP bars in his hazy consciousness and realized that both of them had lost more than half of their HP due to this attack. The merciless yellow color meant that they would not be able to survive the next attack. If she didn't stand up…Although she thought so, she couldn't move her body.
At this moment.
Faint footsteps sounded in his ears. Asuna turned her eyes in surprise. She saw the innocent kitten who was walking forward like it didn't know there was danger ahead.
She had slender limbs and long black hair. It was Yui, who was supposed to be in the safe zone at the back. His eyes were staring straight at the huge Death God without a trace of fear.
[Silly! Hurry up and escape!"
Kirito struggled to prop up his upper body as he shouted. The Grim Reaper swung its scythe down heavily once again. If she was caught in that kind of AOE attack, Yui's HP would indeed be reduced. Asuna also tried to say something, but her lips were too stiff to speak.
However, in the next moment, something unbelievable happened.
"Dad, Mom, don't worry.」
As she spoke, Yui's body floated in the air.
It wasn't a leap, but rather a movement like flapping invisible wings, hovering about two meters in the air, and then gently raising that overly small right hand.
[No…!] Yui, hurry up and escape. Hurry up!"
As if to stop Asuna's screams, the Grim Reaper's scythe swung down mercilessly with a scarlet-black light. The sharp slash that could only be described as ferocious was about to touch Yui's white palm.
At this moment, the bright purple barrier blocked the scythe and bounced off with a loud bang. Asuna stared at the system notification in front of Yui's palm in shock.
It did show 'ImmortalObject'. Undying--
The Black Death God seemed to be at a loss as it rolled its eyes. But after that, something even more surprising happened.
With a boom! With Yui's right hand as the center, a ball of red lotus flames sprang up. The flames spread out in an instant, then immediately condensed and coiled into a slender shape. It gradually turned into a huge sword. The blade that was shining with flames appeared from the flames and continued to extend.
The greatsword that appeared in Yui's right hand was much longer than her height. The light that was like metal before its melting point illuminated the entire passage. As if she had been stabbed by the flames of a sword, the thick winter clothes on Yui's body were burned away in an instant, and the white dress that she had been wearing at the beginning appeared. What was unbelievable was that although the dress and long black hair were also caught in the flames, they were completely unaffected.
She slammed the sword that was far taller than her into the ground.」spin around--
Without any hesitation, Yui dragged the trail of flames and attacked the Black Death God.
It was just a monster that acted purely based on the system's calculations, but Asuna could see fear in its bloodshot eyes.
Knot, whose body was wrapped in a flaming vortex, dashed through the air with a loud bang. The Grim Reaper seemed to be afraid of this girl who was much smaller than him. He raised his scythe forward and assumed a defensive posture. Yui faced the Grim Reaper and swung her huge flaming sword down with all her might.
The blade that was spewing intense flames collided with the scythe that was raised horizontally. Both of them stopped in an instant.
Just as he thought this, Yui's Flaming Sword moved again. The immeasurable heat energy seemed to be burning and cutting metal, and the glowing blade bit by bit ate the handle of the sickle. Her long hair, dress, and the Death God's robe were all flying backward as if they were about to be torn apart. Sometimes, huge sparks flew out and dyed the maze bright orange.
Finally-
The Grim Reaper's scythe broke into two with a loud bang. In the next moment, the huge sword that had turned into a pillar of flames erupted with all the energy it had accumulated up to now and slashed at the center of the leader's face.
「……!」
Asuna and Kirito narrowed their eyes and raised their arms to protect their faces because of the powerful aura of the fireball. As Yui swung her sword in a straight line, the fireball exploded as well. The red lotus's vortex sucked the Death God's huge body into it and flowed into the depths of the tunnel. Amidst a loud bang, a faint scream before death could be heard.
When he opened his eyes, which had been closed because of the blinding flames, the leader's figure had already disappeared. The passage was filled with small flames that were swaying and making crackling sounds. Yui was the only one standing in the middle with her head lowered. The Flaming Sword that was stuck in the ground melted into flames and disappeared just like how it appeared.
Asuna propped up her body, which had finally recovered her strength, and slowly stood up with her rapier instead of her walking stick. Kirito also stood up a little later. The two of them staggered a few steps closer to the girl.
[Tie…clothes…]
Asuna called her name in a hoarse voice, and the girl turned her head quietly. A smile appeared on her small lips, but her big, dark eyes were filled with tears.
Yui looked up at Asuna and Kirito and said calmly,"
" Dad... Mom... I remember everything..."
The safe zone in the deepest part of the underground maze of the Black Iron Palace was a complete square. There was only one entrance, and in the middle was a polished black stone cube table.
Asuna and Kirito sat on the stone table and looked at Yui speechlessly. Since Lilier and Sinka had left earlier, there were only three of them left.
Yui remained silent for a few minutes after she said " I've recovered my memory." For some reason, she looked very sad, which made Asuna hesitate to speak to her. In the end, she made up her mind and said,"
[Yui…do you remember now…?] About my past…"
Yui continued to lower her head for a while, then nodded vigorously. She was still crying, but she smiled and moved her small lips.
"Yes... Kirito, Asuna-I'll explain it to you now.」
A bad feeling gripped Asuna's chest the moment she heard his cautious tone. She helplessly believed that something had ended.
Yui's words slowly began to leak out of the room.
" This world known as the 'Sword and Sword Divine Domain', is governed by a huge system. The name of the system was Cardinal, and it could control the balance of the world based on its own judgment. Besides, Cardinal was designed with the concept of not needing human maintenance. The two main programs were used to correct each other's errors, and then countless subprograms were used to make all the adjustments in the world... The balance between the AI of monsters and NPCs, items, and currency were all operated by the program group under the Cardinal's command. However, there was a mission that had to be carried out by humans. "The trouble caused by the mental state of the players can only be solved by humans…Therefore, we originally prepared a staff of dozens of people…"
「GM……」
Kirito murmured softly.
[Yui, so you're the game manager…?] The staff of ARGUS…?」
Yui remained silent for a few seconds before she shook her head gently.
"…Cardinal's developers wanted the system to be responsible for taking care of the players, so they created a program. Use the features of NERvGear to monitor the psychological state of players in detail, visit the players with problems, and listen to their voices..."Mental State Management. Support Program (Mental Health Care Counseling Program)', MHm Trial No. 1, program code' Yui'. That's me."
Asuna gasped in shock, unable to understand what she had just heard.
[Program…?] Is it AI…?"
Yui nodded with a sad smile after asking the question in a hoarse voice.
" In order to prevent the players from feeling out of place, I was also given the ability to imitate emotions. All of this is fake... including these tears... Miss Asuna, I'm sorry..."
Tears kept flowing out of Yui's eyes, turning into particles of light and dissipating. Asuna took a light step forward and approached Yui. Yui reached out her hand, but she shook her head slightly, as if to say that she was not qualified to accept Asuna's hug.
Asuna still couldn't believe it and forced the words out.
"But... but didn't you lose your memory...? AI can do this…?」
"... Two years ago... on the day of the official opening..."
Yui lowered her gaze and continued to explain.
"I don't know what exactly happened either, but the Cardinal gave me an order that was beyond my expectations. I was forbidden from interfering with the players 'actions…This meant that I could only continue to monitor the players' mental state without being allowed to have any physical contact with them.」
Asuna instinctively realized that the " unexpected order " came from the sole game manager of SAO. It was Kazuhiko Hayaba's operation. Yui should not have any information about this person. A pained expression appeared on her young face as she continued,
" The state can be said to be extremely bad…Almost all players are shrouded in fear, despair, anger, and other negative emotions at all times. Sometimes, there will be people who fall into a crazy state. I, who continued to look into the hearts of these people, should have rushed to the players to listen to their voices and help solve the problem…But I couldn't take the initiative to contact the players…The contradictory situation of having obligations but not being given power caused me to accumulate mistakes and gradually collapse…"
At the bottom of the quiet underground maze, there was only the soft sound of Yui's vibrating silver thread. Asuna and Kirito could only listen to her in silence.
" One day, I was monitoring as usual when I suddenly noticed that two players had different Spirit values than others. That brainwave was a frequency that I had never received before. Happy…stable…but that's not all…I was very curious about what kind of relationship this was, so I continued to observe the two of them. When I watched their conversation and actions, an incredible desire arose in my heart. That wasn't the flow of work…but I wanted to go to those two people's side…I wanted to talk to them directly…Because I wanted to be closer, I materialized in the system management device closest to the player's house where the two of them lived every day and wandered around. I might have almost malfunctioned at that time..."
[Does that mean the forest on the twenty-second level...?]」
Yui slowly nodded.
" Yes, Kirito, Asuna... I've always wanted to... meet the two of you... When I saw you in the forest... I was really happy... It's strange, isn't it? There shouldn't be such a thing... I'm just a program..."
Yui, whose tears kept falling, shut her mouth. Asuna, who was struck by an indescribable disgust, clenched her fists in front of her chest.
[Yui... you're a real AI, right?] You have true intelligence…"
Asuna murmured. Yui tilted her head slightly and replied,"
[I…I don't know…I don't know what's wrong with me…]
At this moment, Kirito, who had been silent all this while, took a step forward.
"Yui is no longer just a program operated by the system. That's why she can voice her hopes.」
Then, he asked in a gentle tone,
[What is your wish to get married?]
[I…I…]
Yui desperately stretched out her slender hands towards the two of them.
[I want to be with you forever…Daddy…Mommy…!]」
Asuna didn't wipe away her tears. She ran to Yui's side and hugged her little body tightly.
[We must be together forever, Yui.]」
Kirito also hugged Yui and Asuna.
" Ah ah…Yui is our child. Let's go home, we want to live together forever…"
However, Yui, who was in Asuna's arms, shook her head gently.
[Eh…]
[It's already…too late…]
Kirito asked in a flustered voice,"
" What's going on... too late means..."
[I was able to regain my memories…because I came into contact with that stone…]
Yui looked at the center of the room and pointed at the black cube with her small finger.
"When Miss Asuna asked me to hide in this safe area, I accidentally touched that stone. From that, I learned that it was not just a decorative item... but a management device set up to allow the GM to connect to the system in an emergency.」
Yui's words seemed to contain some kind of command, and several beams of light suddenly appeared on the black stone. Then, with a bang, a bluish-white virtual keyboard appeared on the surface.
[The monster leader just now should be a bodyguard that was deployed to prevent players from approaching this place. I used this control device to connect to the system and called out the 'object elimination device' to eliminate the monster. At this moment, the Cardinal's error correction function repaired my damaged speech function…This also meant that the Cardinal had begun to notice me, who had been put on hold all this time. The core system is currently checking my program. It should soon conclude that I'm a foreign object and eliminate me. There's…not much time left…"
[How…how could this be…]
"Is there no way? For example, leaving this place…"
Yui remained silent and smiled in response to their words. Tears once again slid down Yui's fair cheeks.
" Dad, Mom, thank you. We'll say goodbye here."
"No! I don't want this!"
Asuna shouted with all her might.
[It's clearly just the beginning! From now on, we still have to live happily…harmoniously together…"
" In the darkness... in the endless pain... only my father and mother's existence kept me together..."
Yui looked straight at Asuna, and a faint light began to surround her body.
[Yui, don't go!]
Kirito held Yui's hand, and Yui's small fingers gently held Kirito's fingers.
" As long as I'm around my parents, everyone can smile…I'm really happy. I hope that from now on, you can also…replace me…to help everyone…to bring joy to everyone…"
Her black hair and dress began to turn into dreamy light particles from one end and disappear in all directions. Her smile gradually became transparent, and her weight gradually lightened.
"No! I don't want it! If Yui wasn't here, I wouldn't be able to laugh!」
Yui, who was surrounded by overflowing light, smiled and reached out her disappearing hand to caress Asuna's cheek.
'Mom, smile…'
As the whisper echoed in Asuna's mind, an even more dazzling light flew out. When the light disappeared, there was nothing left in Asuna's arms.
[Waaah!]
Asuna, who could no longer control herself, shouted. He knelt on the stone floor weakly and cried like a child. The teardrops that fell to the ground mixed with the light shards left behind by the knot and disappeared.
This book comes from：m.funovel.com。