The floating city of the imaginary world is reduced to the top part. The seventy-sixth floor, which had never been seen before, also began to crumble weakly. The curtain of light that surrounded the whole world and eliminated them was getting closer and closer to Zhang Yu. As soon as it touched the faltering light like an aurora, the sea of clouds and the sky that satisfied the sunset split into countless tiny fragments and scattered and disappeared.

On the top of Ayn Grant stands a huge bright red palace with an ornate minaret. If the game is played in order, the player will end up fighting the Demon King Heathcliff there.

Even if the top layer of the foundation collapsed, the palace that had lost its owner continued to float in the air as if it were about to resist fate. The palace, which is even more vivid against the red sky as a background, makes you feel like the last remaining heart of the floating city.

Soon after, a wave of destruction mercilessly enveloped the Scarlet Palace. It disintegrates into numerous red balls from below, and then falls into the clouds. The scattering of the tallest minaret and the complete engulfment of space by the light curtain occurred almost at the same time. The giant city of Ayn Grant is completely wiped out, and all that remains of the world is a few red clouds illuminated by the setting sun and a small crystal floating island, as well as Zhang Yu and Asuna sitting on the floating island.

They didn't have much time left. At the same time as this world is destroyed, NERvGear's eventual function will be activated, erasing all traces of them.

Zhang Yu leaned his hand on Asuna's cheek and slowly imprinted his lips. This is the last kiss. I hope to use all my time to carve all of her soul into my soul. He shouldn't have much time left in this world.

"I'm going to separate ......"

Asuna shook her head slightly.

"No, we're not going to be apart. We will be together forever. ”

After she finished speaking in a subtle but extremely clear voice, she changed the direction of her body in Zhang Yu's arms and stared straight at him from the front. She tilted her petite head and smiled.

"Finally, tell me your name. Jade your real name. ”

While sighing in my heart that it has been more than a year since I arrived in this world, I will say the name that comes up from my memory.

Zhang Yu ...... Chinese. Kindness...... Twenty-two years old. ”

"Ahh Zhang Yu... Chinese...... Twenty-two years old...... Lie. ”

Asuna smiled a little surprised.

"It's true, which means that if Asuna marries into our family, she will have to learn Chinese."

Zhang Yu had a provocative smile on his face and teased Asuna.

"Really, it turns out that you are Chinese, and you are older than me." That's my name...... Yuuki ...... Asudaya is seventeen years old. …… Chinese is a bit difficult to learn, but I will try. ”

Asuna looked down and her expression became shy, and her pretty face turned red.

Suddenly remembering that he wanted to return to real life, and might even be separated from Zhang Yu, he felt very panicked and afraid that he would never have the chance to meet again. Tears that shimmered like jewels in his eyes kept sliding down his cheeks, and finally the particles of light evaporated and disappeared.

She looked up at Zhang Yu with tears on her face, and said with a sob.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry... Jade...... The thought of us being separated for a while makes me can't help but ...... Jade...... Back to the real world...... We'll be together, right? Now, you're not going to leave me......"

The feelings that had ceased to function in the eternal twilight moved again. Zhang Yu looked at the crying Asuna and felt a slight pain in her heart, how much this girl likes herself to suffer from gains and losses like this.

He didn't speak, but smiled and hugged Asuna tightly with his hands. Let her clearly feel the violent heartbeat, and then bow her head to her ear and whisper.

"It's beating for you...... You'll see me again soon, I promise. ”

"Jade, being able to meet and live with you is the happiest time in my life so far. Thank you...... I love you......"

Asuna, who was half-lying in Zhang Yu's arms, whispered her truest feelings.

"Me too, love you for 10,000 years."

Zhang Yu gently stroked her hair and said the words that were closest to her mood at the moment.

The end of the world is near. The Iron Giant City and the Infinite Sea of Clouds had long since disappeared in the chaotic light, and in the white flash, only the two of them remained. The light constantly engulfs the surrounding space, causing the particles that turn into light to dissipate.

Zhang Yu and Asuna hugged each other tightly, waiting for the last moment to come.

In the scorching light, even the feelings of the two of them seemed to be burned and sublimated. Zhang Yu only had his love for Asuna left in his heart. In the process of everything being decomposed and evaporated, Asuna also kept calling Zhang Yu's name.

The view was obscured by a flash of light. The white curtain completely obscured the surroundings and then turned into tiny particles that flew around. Asuna's smile in front of her also mixed with the light that filled the whole world.

- I love you...... I love you—

In the last little bit of consciousness left, you can hear the sound like a moving silver bell.

The silhouette that originally formed the existence of Zhang Yu and the existence of Asuna disappeared, and the two became one.

The souls of the two fused together and then spread.

Finally disappeared without a trace.

The smell of the hotel is in the air.

Zhang Yu woke up from the soft big bed and wordlessly took off the NERvGear from his head. Lying flat on the bed and looking at the ceiling, my heart was still immersed in the atmosphere of separation from Asuna.

Suddenly, he thought about it, and looked inside at the system stele in his mind.

System Stele: The host needs to complete the following three main origin tasks in order to successfully return to the real world.

[Mission 1: Participate in the Sword Art Online Open Beta] (Completed)

[Mission 2: Kill 30 Defending Bosses Alone] (Completed)

[Mission 3: Protect the world's luck heroine Asuna successfully logs out of Sword Art Online normally] (completed)

【Complete Side Hidden Mission: Rescue Celica】

[Complete the Side Hidden Quest: Sinners of Sin] (Kill 37 Red Famous Players - Hint: The more you kill, the bigger the reward)

[Complete the Side Hidden Quest: Obtain the System Evolution Key - World Seed]

[Mission Time Limit: 2 Years] (Complete all main quests within the mission time limit, and automatically return to the present world after 24 hours)

[Quest rewards, issued after leaving the world after the quest is completed]

After looking at the deadline of twenty-four hours repeatedly, Zhang Yu's face was a little ugly. Although it was expected, it was still hoped that it would be possible to meet the normal time frame of the mission.

He could have spent more time with Asuna in SAO, but overconfidence is stupidity. In SAO, the more the game drags on to the later stage of the boss, the more difficult it is to attack. The survival rate of the player in the raider group will also be lower and lower, and he will have to end this world early.

Whether it's for Asuna, or for himself.