It was a very cold night in Japan, a clear reminder that the end of the year was coming. It was so cold that, in fact, it had started to snow lightly for a while now, reason why most of the roads between Kawagoe and Tokorozawa were deserted.
As such, no one was present to witness the strange sight of a bicycle speeding down the road, two teens riding it as they crossed the path to their destiny with determination.
…though one may have found weird that it was the younger girl who was riding the bicycle and that the scrawny boy was standing on the specially-added metal part of the rear wheel, holding on her shoulders for dear life. Anyone watching the scene may have also, for some reason, swore they could hear some epic background music echoing as the girl fiercely peddled down the road.
Kazuto wasn't sure if he should be felt ashamed of his current position, worried that he may end up beaten to an inch of his life before the night was over or scared of falling off the vehicle and crashing face-first against the ground.
"…Sugu, I-I really think that I should be the one riding…"
"Hah, arf, really? You and your still-recovering body from 2 years in bed, argh, instead of me, the national-level kendoka? Yeah, right." giving him a playful glare, the young girl once again turned her concentration back to the road. "Don't worry, Onii-chan, we will get there in no time!"
Resisting the urge to facepalm (Because he would have most likely fallen if he did), the gamer swore he was either going to get a bike license or start to seriously train his body by himself.
And that had nothing to do with the fact that he could 'feel' the vehicle he was standing on was 'hatefully glaring' at him, no sir. He wasn't THAT crazy.
Sugu, for her part, just kept smiling while she felt Justice cheering her on and congratulating her for her 'boldness', though she wondered why she felt that her ride wasn't being totally honest with that last part.
"…by the way, Onii-chan…Asuna-san was calling you 'Sensei' before, right?"
"…yes, she…does that. I just, uhm, forgot to tell you."
"I see…and, wasn't she suddenly looking like a cyborg back there?"
"She was…though I have NO idea how that happened."
"Me neither, it just…happened…and was it me or did Yui-chan go full-Tatsumaki befo…?"
"Sugu…can we please NOT talk about how crazy my life and everything around it is becoming while we ride on the bicycle you use to go around and hit criminals?"
Receiving sheepish silence as an answer, the black-haired boy resisted again the urge to facepalm.
Less than 15 minutes later, the bicycle came to a screeching halt at the hospital's entrance, Kazuto jumping off and looking worriedly at his panting sister, who was sweating slightly despite the cold.
He was about to get close and help her when the girl raised her face and gave him a thumbs-up.
"I-it's okay, Onii-chan…argh, I'm just…recovering my breath. G-go ahead and I will…catch up to you in a bit…"
For a second, the gamer was tempted to argue about that, but thought better of it and just nodded before starting to sprint towards the hospital, quickly crossing through the parking area. If he went ahead he MAY be able to think about something that didn't end with him very screwed, but being honest he doubted that he would be able to…
His instincts suddenly screaming, Kazuto felt the world around him slowing down and, without hesitation, followed his brain's commands of dodging to the side. He cursed everything when he almost tripped because his stupid instincts still believed he could move faster than a bullet without effort, but was quick to correct the mistake, letting his body move JUST enough to not receive a cut from the wild slash of a small knife.
Skidding to a halt as he turned around, the surprised boy stared with disbelief at something he WASN'T expecting to see.
There, shaking in place and with bloodshot eyes, Sugou Noboyuki stood, apparently unable to keep standing in one place as his feet didn't stop moving from side to side or in place as he glared with hate at the gamer. In fact, the man seemed barely able to keep his hand closed around the knife he had used to try and stab the black-haired boy, his other hand closing and opening wildly.
One didn't need to be a doctor to know the man was high as hell with painkillers or maybe something stronger. What truly surprised Kazuto, though, besides the fact that Sugou was standing at all, was…
"…how the HELL did you get here in that state?" asked the gamer with honest confusion, for he would have expected the man to crash against something and suffer some severe accident if he tried to drive in such state.
"Shu-SHUT UP! D-do you ha-have a-any idea wha-what you have done, fucking KID?!" snarled the man with an absolutely maddened voice, the anger and the chemicals not being a really good mix for his brain. "Yo-you RUINED it all! I-I was go-going to be o-one of the greaTEST! Whe-when my mind-manipulating tech was co-completed, I wo-would have been…!"
"Wait, wait, are you telling me that…you kidnapped 300 people, tried to marry Asuna and take over her father's company…to develop actual brainwashing?" deadpanning at the man, Kazuto couldn't help the incredulity on his voice. "Yeah, next you will tell me you were also planning on selling it to shady people in other countries and…oh God, you aren't kidding." unable to hold himself back anymore, the black-haired boy facepalmed while Sugou blinked in confusion. "Fucking hell…why does my life seem to be turning into some cheesy anime plot?"
"…HELLO?! I'M GOING TO KILL YOU?! Why are you a-acting as if I wasn't threatening you wi-with a knife?! Don't you get it?!" waving the weapon around as if to make a point, the bespectacled man glared madly towards the gamer again. "HERe you are no-nothing but a brat, and I AM the adult with a we-wea…!"
"Sugou, can I be honest with you? Even if you weren't so high that it seems you're going to collapse if you take even ONE step, I still wouldn't be afraid of you. Do you know why?" not even giving the man the chance to speak, Kazuto continued as he suddenly STARED at him with an absolutely bored and emotionless face. "Because I have faced down monsters of all kinds, jumped up mountains, ran over water, faced a God and split up the sky with one punch. And no matter what anyone says or thinks, it was real enough to put lives on the line. You don't scare me…because I'm a Hero and, compared to all that, you are…TRASH."
For a moment, the man faltered, that same dreadful feeling he had gotten on the World Tree flooding his intoxicated mind again.
Because despite how defenseless and unthreatening the boy looked, a part of his mind was telling him he would be DESTROYED if he tried to face him.
Then, the anger and the drugs overcame his common sense once again and he just LAUGHED like a lunatic.
"AHAHAHAH! Oh, yeah?! And tell me, 'Hero', do you feel brave enough to act like one and dodge this knife again?!"
"…nah, I don't really need to." confessed the boy while Sugou blinked, suddenly aware of the incoming sound of skidding wheels. "Because there is someone who is much better at being a Hero in reality right here.
"Wha…?!"
"JUSTICE CRASH!" screamed Suguha with a mix of rage and glee, Justice roaring through the air before slamming wheel-first against the bastard's face, the sound of glasses and something more breaking filling the area even as he screamed and staggered back, the new wave of pain almost overcoming the painkillers. "…that was for before, you bastard."
"GAAAAH! What in the…?!"
BAM!
"…shut up already." calmly whispered Kazuto while separating his fist from Sugou's face, the man slumping to the ground unconscious and with blood all over it. "…ugh…now I need to wash my hand." turning to the side, the gamer smiled towards his sister as she grabbed her bicycle again, giving him a similar smile. "Nice throw, Sugu. Rider would be proud of you."
"And Saitama of you, Onii-chan. That was a good punch. Shall we?" asked the smiling kendoka while pointing towards the hospital.
Both siblings happily walked inside, making sure to 'accidentally' step over Sugou as they went in, before starting to run once they were inside. The boy was vaguely aware of how Sugu got out her phone and called the police as they ran around the last corner and he stopped in front of a specific room.
Opening it, Kazuto was greeted by the sight of Asuna sitting on her bed, looking at the moon through the window as if it was the most wonderful thing in the world, her Nerve Gear forgotten at her side.
Turning around at hearing the door, the pale girl blinked a couple of times before sending a bright smile at him.
"Hi there, Sensei. It's good to see you."
The boy walked to her side and hugged her. After all, his stupid emotional messes aside, she WAS his best friend and the person he had trusted the most while in SAO. He was keenly aware of her hugging him back.
"Welcome home, Asuna."
Hearing the soft chuckles on her weakened voice, the gamer felt as if he had truly accomplished something a Hero would…
"EHEM, yeah, welcome, Asuna-san. It's nice seeing you here in reality." cheerfully added Sugu from behind them, making Kazuto come crashing back to reality, reminding him that he, in fact, was still screwed, heroic deeds or not. "I'm Kirigaya Suguha!"
"Oh, your little sister!" happily said the chestnut-haired girl while letting go of the frozen gamer, turning to look behind him in worry. "You were really brave back there, but are you…o…kay…?"
Suguha stared cheerfully at Asuna, before blinking in confusion for a moment. Asuna STARED back, her eyes wandering up and down the girl she KNEW, from the many conversations she had with her self-proclaimed master, was 2 years younger than her.
She stared a bit more before managing an incredibly nervous smile.
"…something wrong?" asked the kendoka with honest confusion.
"N-no, i-it's nice to fi-finally meet you, Suguha-chan. Se-sense…your brother, that is, has told me a lot about you…" awkwardly said the girl while trying to laugh off the matter, pointedly keeping her eyes on Sugu's face and repeatedly telling herself that SHE was the one who had started the 'siscon'-jokes. "Tha-thanks for your help before!"
"Oh, it wasn't a problem. After all, I would do ANYTHING to help my Onii-chan when he needs me…" as she said that, the kendoka suddenly hugged Kazuto's back, still smiling while she blushed, the boy reacting the same way as Asuna GAPED at the scene. "Right, Onii-chan?"
"Ah, uhm, ye-yes…?"
"…Kirito-kun…" paling at the suddenly dark tone on his disciple's voice, the gamer turned around to see how Asuna was SMILING at him. "Don't tell me you really were unable to not give in on your sinful nature with your own sister…?"
"N-no, I, that is…!"
"Onii-chan is mine." suddenly declared Suguha with a fierce tone, squeezing the boy harder as his brain came to a screeching halt and the chestnut-haired girl FROZE, her head snapping towards the younger girl in absolute disbelief. "He gave me his first kiss and I did the same, twice!"
Kazuto didn't bother to correct her in the fact that it had been more like she had 'stolen' both. Not only did he know it wouldn't help, but it also sounded kind of pathetic for someone who had reflexes sharp enough to stop a super-sonic slash barehanded.
"Re-really…? Well, I ALSO gave him my first kiss, you know?" her voice somehow dangerous despite being extremely cheerful, Asuna and Suguha suddenly seemed to be in a staring match that included sparks and sound effects.
"Well, it's not my fault you didn't…!"
"Yeaaah…isn't that a surprise?" everyone in the room freezing, three heads snapped back to see a blankly staring Shiori, Keiko, Saori, Rika and Kotone behind her as they looked at the scene with different expressions. "Looks like you all have been REALLY busy, uh?"
"E-everyone…" muttered Asuna while sweatdropping, as if just realizing what she had said aloud. "Wha…how are you all here…?"
"Strea-san called us." whispered Keiko with a flat voice, weakly waving a phone in her hand.
"Heeeey! What's going on there?!" came said girl's faint voice from the device. "I told you to put on the speakers, Silica!"
Suddenly, Kazuto was feeling VERY tempted to test if he could survive jumping out of the window.
A couple of room's away, Keita relished in the feeling of clean air after two years trapped in the virtual world before blinking at hearing several shouts and arguing voices (FAMILIAR voices) coming from down the hallway.
He shrugged and decided to lean back on his bed once again, to wait for someone to come and realize every remaining SAO Survivor had just woken up.
All was right with the world…
0000000000000000
April 2nd, 2025. The Skies of Alfheim, 23:52…
The moon shone beautifully over the land of fairies, casting a peaceful glow over it all.
Flying through the heavens with her eyes half-closed, Leafa basked in the freedom of Unlimited Flight, even as she thought about the many things that had happened in the last 4 months: That bastard of Sugou being arrested, RECT Inc. suffering heavy loses when his actions were made public, ALO being shut down but thankfully being opened again under new management (Some company called Ymir founded by a group of old players), which was how now everyone could fly as much as they wanted…
The events that stood out the most above the others for her, however, were just two.
The free release of the 'World Seed' by her brother and Shiori/Argo, who had found out was a 'virtual package' containing ALL needed data and programs for one to create a virtual reality environment, as long as one had the necessary equipment to maintain a server. Thanks to them (And the help of Agil /Andrew to actually upload it on a server big enough), the industry of VR in general, not only games, had been saved from the 'near-death' that Sugou's actions had caused it.
Kazuto had even said that, in a way, Kayaba had given them the means to save his dream and use it for what it should have been used for from the beginning…to give people new dreams.
The second event had been, of course, the 'celebration party' for SAO Survivors in Andrew's café two months ago. All of Kazuto's friends, his guild and some she didn't know, had been there, celebrating being together again in the real world and having survived Aincrad.
Of course, the Hero of the moment had been very nervous from the 'tension' around him when she and Asuna were close. The other girls also had a very sharp 'tension' by being near each other, but not as strong as the one that was between the two of them.
It was kind of strange, how they could act like extremely good friends and see they had quite a few things in common…unless her brother was involved. Then, they became worse enemies than Saitama and the mosquito from episode 2.
Oh yeah, THAT had also been funny. When Strea and Yui ('attending' the party via a phone call) had asked for the boy to explain who 'Saitama' was. It had broken the tension around the group in a very comical way, especially when a defeated-looking Kazuto had grabbed One Punch-Man's first volume from the backpack he had been carrying and showed it to his guild (And anyone curious enough to have gotten closer), with her helping in to explain some things.
Reactions had been VERY diverse between the 'United Heroes Association'. From disbelief to amusement to denial and even a small amount of fear, especially when many pointed out the absurd parallels that went beyond her brother and extended to many of them one way or another (Asuna and Yui the most, for obvious reasons). Still, they had more or less ended up accepting it in their own way, everyone only seeming to get closer to their leader and friend after he revealed that strange 'secret'.
She was also pretty sure that every single one of the girls had devoured the manga and anime of the series in the subsequent week because she had seen them 'innocently' talking with Kazuto about things related to it after the reveal…but it hadn't bothered her as much as she had thought it would.
After all, she loved him. That was a fact. She was sure that Asuna felt the same; there was no point in trying to deny that. As for the rest of them, she knew they at the very least had a crush on her adopted brother. If it went beyond that, she couldn't say, but none of them had bad intentions or were bad people. As for HIM, well…Leafa liked to think he at least felt something for her. She had never gotten him to outright say anything like that, but the way in which he acted with her had changed in many subtle ways since her confession…though she was annoyed to notice that the same could be applied to Asuna. The other girls weren't really happy about that either, but Kazuto, Yggdrasil bless his idiocy, didn't seem to notice that they were also attracted to him in some way, his brain apparently still having problems thinking just about her and Asuna.
He hadn't tried to do anything outright romantic with any of them, of course, and she knew that if left alone the poor idiot would most likely never try anything…but she wasn't about to give up just because of that.
Asuna and, to a lesser extent, the others were her 'rivals'. Kazuto's heart was the goal. She wouldn't back down from that, no matter what anyone thought. Her feelings were real and pure, and so she would fight for them.
After all, it wasn't about winning or losing…but about giving your all for that which you believed in.
With a soft hum, Justice decided to remind her that she was flying with her eyes closed, only for the blinking Sylph to notice that she had suddenly started to rise beyond the new (And way higher) Flying Altitude Limit. There was no invisible wall this time, just a feeling of speed being lost and then her wings suddenly stopping as the limits of the world stopped her from going further.
Reaching upwards with her hands, Leafa thought that she could almost grasp the moon and the stars with her hands…
"Maybe someday, Master."
Her trusted ride/sword's words echoing in her mind, the blonde Sylph closed her eyes in satisfaction as she felt herself start falling. She could feel the air rush around her for several seconds, and was about to once again take flight…when strong arms closed around her body and dragged her through the air, making her gasp and open her eyes, only to see a familiar and smiling face looking down at her.
"Hey there, Leafa." greeted Kirito as they soared through the air, his white cape flapping behind him. "Did you need help?"
"…you know nothing was going to happen to me if you just let me keep falling, right?" pouted the Sylph with an 'annoyed' voice, though she made no move to get out of his arms. In fact, she seemed to move herself to be even closer. "Also, what happened with 'resetting' your character? You seem as Saitama-like as ever, Onii-chan."
"I tried." deadpanned the Spriggan while shaking his head and looking to the side. "Four times. All of them the system told me that 'the process was successful' but I was still like this every time I Logged In, so I thought it would be better to just resign myself."
"You say it as if you weren't expecting exactly that to happen." laughed Leafa before flying out of his arms and grabbing his arm, stopping their fall and dragging him through the air with a smile. Ashamed, the gamer looked to the side.
It was true that a part of him was more than sure that his Avatar would stay like this, but he had still tried to do the whole 'reset' thing. After all, if he HAD been able to delete his 'powers', then it would have proved that Kayaba's crazy words were just that, craziness.
The fact that he hadn't, combined with his meeting with Koujiro Rinko some days before releasing 'The Seed' to talk about Kayaba, only unsettled him more about the future. He could still remember that, after she finished sadly talking to him about the man, she had looked at him and muttered something that had made him very nervous.
"He always used to say that…you would surpass all his expectations."
…he REALLY hoped that it was a meaningless coincidence that he got those 'ominous words from someone close to a defeated enemy' the same day he tried for the first time to 'reset' his Avatar. He didn't really like how his life seemed to get more and more similarities with some kind of twisted action plot. The boy really hoped that the special school he and the others were going to start attending next week helped him get a bit of 'normality' back on his life because if it didn't then next thing he knew he may end up chasing after a serial killer or something like…
"Onii-chan?" Leafa's words dragging him out of his tumultuous thoughts, Kirito idly realized they had at some point flown closer to the World Tree, the new and impressive Yggdrasil City now visible on its middle branches. "What were you thinking about?"
"Oh, nothing…just a bit about the future." sheepishly answered the Spriggan, only for his eyes to widen when the Sylph dragged him closer to her and hugged him, their faces only inches apart as she kept them both afloat. "Uh?!"
"Really…? And what exactly were you thinking about the future, Kirito-kun?" asked Leafa with a soft voice, looking straight into his eyes with a heavenly smile.
His face burning red, the boy was reminded of yet ANOTHER thing that had become quite a crazy problem in his life. Both Sugu and Asuna's attitude towards him had changed drastically since that fateful day. Though the girls were still the same most of the time, he could clearly notice how their behavior changed when they were alone, the way in which they looked at him with those eyes that made him feel lost, the way in which their hands would unconsciously search his, how they would put themselves closer to him…
This was making him go insane! It wasn't bad enough that he was sure he had ended having a serious crush on his adoptive sister and his best friend, but to make matters worse none of the two seemed to be 'subtle' about the strange and silent 'fight' they were apparently having over HIM! The worst part, though, was that he couldn't bring himself to actually tell them that he did like them, as in, BOTH of them. In part, because he was scared of how they would react and in part because he didn't want to hurt them just because he was unable to make up his mind like a normal person and just be in love with ONE girl…never mind the fact that he didn't want to think what would happen if he did choose one and either his mother or Asuna's family found out.
He REALLY hated the fact that the first problem he found in two years that his fists couldn't fix was something that was screwing with his head so much and that could potentially hurt two of the people he cared for the most in the world…or end with him beaten on the ground within an inch of his life. And he was sure that, if that DID happen and Sugu and Asuna didn't end him, the rest of his female friends would probably finish the job (Though his mind repeatedly screamed when he tried to think about that beyond 'feminine rage').
"I, uhm, you see…"
"HI THERE, SENSEI, LEAFA-CHAN!" happily announced Asuna with a shout, separating them and making both siblings squeak, Kirito starting to fall before the blue-haired Undine grabbed his arm, the girl wearing the colors of her race but with a couple of metallic boots and gauntlets like back in SAO. "I see you brought her in time, Kirito-kun! Though you shouldn't lose time meaninglessly like that when something big is about to happen, you know?"
"HEY! Who was 'losing the time', Asuna-san?!" shouted back the Sylph while grabbing the Spriggan's other arm before he could even open his mouth, somehow smiling cheerfully while projecting anger in her words towards the other girl. "We were just having a…wait. What do you mean with 'something big is about to…'?"
Before the girl could even finish her question, a massive shadow that suddenly blocked the light of the moon made the three of them turn around, surprise on Leafa's face while Kirito and Asuna looked up with mixed feelings on their faces.
There, floating high on the sky, an impossible 'castle' stood; many lights suddenly illuminating its strange shape as if it was some sort of magical machine summoned from beyond the heavens.
"No way…is that…?"
"The Floating Castle of Aincrad." declared Asuna with a suddenly solemn voice. "The world where Sword Art Online took place."
"A place filled with sad memories…and also with endless good ones." Kirito's words also had quite a deep tone in them, but the effect was somewhat reduced because he was still hanging from his arms while both fairy girls kept him afloat. "A place where friends met, where loved ones supported each other, where hope blossomed…"
"Where Heroes rose." blinking, the trio turned their heads in time to see Yui's pixie form flying past them, cheerfully looking their way as she started to ascend. "That's the most important thing!"
"Yui-nee is right, you know?" added Strea while floating up at max speed and trapping the three of them in a bear-hug, making the trio squeak in surprise. "This time, though, let's complete all 100th Floors just 'for fun', okay?"
"…eheheheh, yeah, that sounds cool, Strea." nodded Asuna before blinking and looking excitedly towards the Spriggan. "Oh, and this time you could also participate in the Boss Battles, Sensei!"
"Yeaaah…I think it would be for the best of everyone's enjoyment if I DON'T do that." sweatdropped the boy while Leafa awkwardly laughed.
"You got that right, Kii-bou." flying at their side with one of her usual grins (Though a bit strained as she looked towards the 'group-hug'), Argo stared at them with crossed arms, her new Caith Sith avatar seeming quite an irony for someone that had been nicknamed 'The Rat'. "Now that there are no lives in danger, players would be quite annoyed if you went around ending Bosses with one punch."
"I-I would still like seeing Kirito-sama do that from time to time, though!" added Sachi while getting near them, her shy voice being at odds with her new Salamander avatar, a spear almost twice as long as she was tall gripped tightly in her hands. "It just wouldn't be the same if we stopped seeing it…"
"Yeah, what would life be if we didn't get our dosage of Kirito punching everything, right?" commented Lisbeth while leaning on Sachi's shoulder, the Leprechaun chuckling when the other girl 'eeped' at her gesture.
"Indeed. Kirito-san's Ninja Way is that of his punches." followed cue Silica while appearing seemingly out of nowhere behind them, the scare she gave the group and her 'cool' tone as her new scarf flapped behind her body probably not being as effective as she thought because of how cute she looked like a Caith Sith AND because she was badly dissimulating a jealous pout towards the girls hugging Kirito. "Tho-though of course, it also includes that I…that WE are always at his side to help him punch his way through things!"
"Kyuuu?" deadpanned a certain blue dragon while floating at his owner's side.
"Shu-shut up, Pina!" shouted back the kunoichi, though everyone could notice the happiness on her voice at being able to once again argue with her dragon friend.
"Would you please stop talking as if punching things was everything I'm good at…?" asked the Spriggan with a depressed tone, looking down.
"You aren't? Could have fooled me." joked Philia while passing them by and ruffling his head, gaining an annoyed glare from the two girls currently 'trapped' in the hug with the boy and a cheerful smile from Strea, the Spriggan girl just grinning back at them. "Now, what are we all waiting for?"
"For someone to give some moving speech, maybe?" ventured Keita while stopping near the group, the Leprechaun boy followed by the other male members of the old guild (Who were smart enough to not get in the way to try and 'help' their friend). "Or someone to say some catchphrase before we part towards this new adventure?"
"…dude, don't say things like that." pleaded Ducker while deadpanning at his friend, his Imp avatar giving him a kinda 'gothic' look. "It makes you sound really silly."
"Yeah, only Kirito can say things like that without sounding all crazy." agreed Tetsuo while crossing his arms, his new Gnome avatar making him look tougher than he really was.
"Guys…I'm still here…" repeated the gamer while seriously wondering WHAT kind of image his friends had of him nowadays.
"Well…it's not as if they're lying." unhelpfully added Sasamaru, the Undine boy shrugging while, around the group of friends, all kinds of players started to fly from Yggdrasil City, heading with cheerful determination towards the Floating Castle. "Shall we get going?"
"Yeah! Let ME say it!" shouted Yui before looking at everyone with shiny eyes, not a single one of them able to deny the little girl's wish. "United Heroes Association! Onwards!"
"YAY!" cheered Strea while everyone did the same on their own way, Asuna and Leafa so busy doing so and looking at Yui that they didn't realize they had let go of their shared crush, who was doing the same while only the Gnome girl supported him now. "…oh, and I almost forgot! Kirito!"
"Yes, Strea?" happily asked the boy while looking at her…before she stamped a kiss on him with enough force to take the breath out of his virtual lungs.
The sound of reality coming to a screeching halt seemed to echo around the group as they all FROZE, the girls STARING while the cheerful AI let go of the petrified boy, not losing her smile in any moment.
"I love you too!" she declared before letting go of the Spriggan, looking back at everyone as if him starting to fall from that unholy height wasn't anything to be worried about or she hasn't just done anything really special. "Race you all to Starting City!" she finally shouted before speeding towards Aincrad.
"AH! No fair, Strea-nee!" complained Yui while flying after her, leaving the silent and tense group behind.
"…heeeey, wait for us! We won't loseeee!" shouted Keita while pretending to follow the 'game', he and the other boys quickly getting the fuck out of there.
Two more seconds passed before the girls reacted, Asuna and Leafa being the first ones as they turned and GLARED in the laughing Gnome's direction.
"GET BACK HERE!" screamed the duo at unison before flying after Strea like a pair of rabid dogs.
"…no fair." whined Silica while looking down. "I-I also want a kiss from Kirito-san!" she added before shooting after the Sylph and the Undine, as if winning the 'race' had such a thing as a prize.
"…say…do you think it's too late to go with crazygirl's idea of sharing him…?"
"…Liz, please, stop saying that with such a convinced tone or I will start thinking you're being serious…"
"U-uh? She isn't?" blinking at seeing everyone turns towards her, Sachi started to awkwardly laugh before flying away. "I-I mean, of course she isn't, ahahahah…!"
"Something tells me this is going to be a VERY interesting time back to school…" idly commented Philia before shooting after the laughing Salamander.
"…Liz."
"…yeah, Argo?"
"…you weren't kidding, right?"
"…"
"…le-let's just go and join the others before Aa-chan and Leafa-chi kill Strea, okay?"
And with those words said, the Caith Sith and the Leprechaun hurried after their friends, deciding to put away such thoughts…for now.
Several hundred meters down, on a field in the middle of the Alne Plateau, Kirito STARED at the sky from where he had crashed back-first, his face on his best Saitama-like expression as his poor brain had apparently given up on trying making sense of his life.
"…I think I will start doing push-ups tomorrow."
Nodding at the thought and letting a smile spread on his face while entering that beautiful human state known as self-denial, the boy stood up, looked towards Aincrad, and JUMPED.
No one was really surprised when HE was the one who arrived first.
And on his throne above Everything, Fate crossed his fingers.
Because the end of a chapter just meant another, more exciting one, was about to begin…
0000000000000000
There was nothing in the Virtual Void.
Time was meaningless here. Months in the real world couldn't be differenced from mere instants in this place…
And such was the case for the strange egg-like thing floating in the middle of nothing, which was pulsing with an eerie silver light.
With a sound of breaking glass, the Entity emerged from its cocoon, long white hair flapping behind it.
Two perfectly human eyes opened, their heterochromatic colors looking down at its hands with the wonder of a newborn child.
It started to LAUGH. And not with those strange and reverberating sounds it made before…but with a perfectly human voice, which was lost in the meaningless void.
It said a lot about it, that it only made it sound much more ominous.
"Eheh…eheheheh…ahahahahAHAHAHAHAH…!"
Even as a wave of pure silver started to engulf and cover its new body like a living armor, the Entity tilted its head to the side, its orange/green eyes reflecting pure delight as the strange 'metal' covered its whole face except for them.
"Now then…"
For an instant, it STARED. Towards nothing specific, just…there.
As if it thought SOMEONE was watching it.
"…shall we begin?"
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NEXT EPISODE PREVIEW!
"Purpose…objectives…memories…time and space…secrets and lies…Hmm? Oh, hi there. Shall I give you the next chapter's preview? Well, if you insist…Next time on 'One Punch-Gamer': Interlude 'Peaceful Justice'. Even Heroes need to relax after a job well done, right? But one shouldn't just think it's all over, for a Hero's life it's never easy…Oh? WHO am I? Well…wouldn't you like to know?"
END OF THE PREVIEW