"Ah!"
When the sound of the fireworks echoed out, both girls, apart from Rozen and Kirito, were startled and let out small cries of surprise, making Kirito laugh from the side.
Rozen, meanwhile, maintained his position at the door, now covered with countless streamers and shimmering gold confetti that floated down from above. He half-squinted, looking at the scene inside.
The sight before him was a setting not far from what he had envisioned.
In this fully wooden establishment, there were only four tables and a counter, making the space look rather cramped. Yet, a comfortable atmosphere filled the air.
However, the store was currently packed with people.
""""""Whoa—!"""""
One after another, people either cheered loudly or clapped, and some even whistled, creating a lively, festive atmosphere.
And they were all cheering in this way.
"Guild Leader!"
"Guild Leader Rozen!"
"You finally came, Guild Leader!"
"Long time no see!"
"We've been waiting for you!"
The people were cheering for Rozen, their gazes filled with immense joy as they looked at him.
Rozen immediately recognized them, even if they appeared slightly different from their in-game avatars. These were familiar faces.
There were the Crimson Wing beta testers, once protected by Rozen.
There were top players from the clearing group who followed Rozen's commands unquestioningly.
There were mid- and low-level players whom Rozen had once helped.
And there were players he knew who had fought by his side, all gathered here.
A large number of people filled this narrow store, continuously clapping and cheering for Rozen's arrival.
"You guys..."
Rozen looked at the scene and couldn't help but laugh.
Meanwhile, Suguha was left wide-eyed in astonishment.
"Why... why are there so many people?"
She looked on in disbelief.
The shop was indeed small, crowded to the point of people being packed shoulder-to-shoulder, yet not a single person complained. Instead, each of them looked at Rozen with eager eyes, genuinely delighted to see him once again.
Asuna also hadn't expected this many people to come, but she quickly smiled.
"Everyone must be here for Rozen, right?"
Asuna accepted this fact as if it were only natural.
"That's right." Kirito nodded with a smile. "When they heard that Aoka was coming, even those who weren't in Tokyo and lived far away made their way here, just to see him once more."
"They came all the way here just to see Aoka-nii-san?" Suguha asked in surprise. "Just for that?"
As Asuna observed Suguha's bewildered look, she gently placed her hands on Suguha's shoulders, softly nudging her forward to give her a better view of Rozen and the enthusiastic crowd in the store.
"This is proof of your brother's influence."
Asuna said with a smile, her voice filled with both admiration and pride as she watched Rozen bask in the cheers of the crowd.
"Many people here found salvation thanks to Rozen. Some were ostracized as beta testers, others encountered life-threatening dangers, some struggled to survive as low-level players, and others fought valiantly under Rozen's command. Thanks to Rozen's guidance, they survived and found a place in SAO."
Without Rozen, how could he have become the leader of the raiding group and been viewed as a beacon of hope by SAO players?
Many were won over by Rozen's measures and a series of actions, becoming his devoted followers.
Especially the Crimson Wing members, who, once ostracized beta testers, could now hold their heads high because of Rozen's actions. As he was their president and frequently led them, their admiration for him was inevitable.
Knowing that Rozen would be arriving, they showed up, no matter how small or crowded the shop, just to see him once more.
"Suguha, haven't you already known that your brother wasn't just a leader of the clearing group in SAO but also someone deeply admired by many?"
Asuna gently urged Suguha forward, encouraging her to look clearly at Rozen and the passionate crowd in the store, with a beaming smile on her face.
"This is your proof."
Upon hearing this, Suguha was momentarily speechless.
Although she had known of Rozen's high standing in SAO, hearing about it was different from seeing it.
Hearing could never convey the same sense of reality as witnessing it firsthand.
And so, it was only at this moment that Suguha truly understood the depth of Rozen's admiration.
Even now, people in the shop continued to shout fervently.
"Guild Leader! Do you remember me?"
"I'm right here, Guild Leader!"
"Look over here, Guild Leader!"
"Guild Leader...!"
"I'm…"
"I'm…"
One after another, people approached Rozen, eagerly telling him who they were.
Among them, there was even...
"It's me, Keita, Guild Leader Rozen!"
"It's me, Sasamaru!"
"I'm Tetsuo!"
"It's me, Dakar!"
Four young men, looking like college students, called out to Rozen. They were the members of the Moonlit Black Cats guild.
"I... I'm Sachi, Guild Leader Rozen!"
A girl shyly introduced herself to Rozen, her gaze frequently shifting toward Kirito, filled with happiness.
"You came too, Sachi."
Kirito looked equally pleased.
But...
"Hey, I'm here too. Did you not see me?"
A slightly displeased voice sounded as a girl in casual clothes and a mini-skirt walked up to Kirito, looking a bit annoyed.
"You're... Liz...?"
Kirito was taken aback.
"Liz!"
Asuna looked over with delight.
The newcomer was none other than Lisbeth, Asuna's friend from the SAO days, the blacksmith who had once forged weapons for Rozen, creating Azure Abyss.
"Asuna!"
Lisbeth's face lit up with a big smile as she rushed over and hugged Asuna.
"Liz!"
Asuna looked just as happy.
They hadn't seen each other since SAO was cleared, so meeting again in the real world was indeed cause for joy.
And, of course, they weren't the only happy ones.
"Rozen-nii...!"
A voice filled with joyful tears rang out in front of Rozen.
A petite girl had worked her way through the crowd to stand in front of him, looking at Rozen with both joy and teary eyes.
"You're... Silica...?"
Rozen instantly recognized her.
It was Silica, the rare beast tamer he had once met in the middle floors, just like himself back then. She had a familiar named Pina and was known as the Dragon Master.
"I finally got to see you, Rozen-nii...!"
Silica, with tears in her eyes, threw herself into Rozen's arms.
"Haha."
Rozen held the girl, clearly delighted as well.
The joyous atmosphere continued to fill the shop.
After two long years, comrades who had fought side by side had finally reunited.