While watching Lizzebet diligently maintain her weapons, she worries about the safety of Shino and Xiaoqi, and at the same time strategizes for the battle with Hannibal, and when she takes over the well-maintained weapons from Lizbet, she really reaches the critical moment of SAo. I went back to the coffee shop feeling like I was about to say hello to her.

There were only about three people gathered, but time came back minute by minute, and ten minutes later all twenty people had gathered. We, who are preparing and heading to the final battlefield, are just one of the few heroes in the classic RPG who are about to go to the Demon Lord.

Seeing that everything was ready, I instructed Yui to activate the card. Although she was shorter than us, so she was smaller than us, but when her hand was smaller because of the shape of the little fairy, when she touched the card, countless rays of light rose from the card onto Yui's body, and Yui emitted a radial blue flash. Begin to surround the area, with the source as the source.

With the sound of "You will be transported to the deepest part of Eliusnir", we were swallowed up by the light and suddenly pulled upwards. Soon, everyone present turned into a torrent of data, flying out of the café, across the skyline, and towards an unknown location.

◇◇◇

It was just a brief trance of consciousness, and when I opened my eyes, we were no longer in the coffee shop. The sky was dyed purple and gradually turning black towards the horizon, and there was something invisible, translucent, neither like a fish nor a monster, swimming, strange, and with a lot of space.

We are alone among them. I looked around and found nothing, everyone looked around as if they didn't know what was going on. Did I really fall into the trap set by Hannibal? Because there were so few things there, I became very worried and talked to Yui.

"Yui, here. \"

"Here is the deepest part of the new labyrinth "Eryusnir". Judging by the shape of the map data, this seems to be the place to fight Swad Yalfheim's final boss. \"

Indeed, judging by the atmosphere and scale here, I can tell that it is similar to the deepest part of the "dark world" where I fought the "White Goddess Dragon". As Yui said, this is likely to be the final destination of the Grand quest and the arena where players will battle the final boss.

And where Hannibal, who captured Shino and Seven, took us there. Hannibal is very calculating, so if he sends us to the space he has prepared, Yui will most likely not be able to refer to the map data, but the fact that he did it correctly means that the place is still inside ALo, and not into Hannibal's trap.

Somewhere in this dark abyss, Hannibal must have existed, capturing Shino and Seven. Just as I was looking around and wondering where I was, a voice suddenly came to my ears.

"Yo, "Black Dragon Swordsman", not "Black Dragon Swordsman". \"

I was scared down my spine by the familiar voice, and when I turned in that direction, I lost my voice. A tall man, dressed in a black leather cloak that covered the upper half of his face, and his trousers were belted, giving a strange, eerie, beautiful, crazy atmosphere, he was relatively far away from us, and disappeared as he watched us. Into the deep darkness.

I won't forget either. The sudden appearance of the leader of the murder guild "Smile Coffin" during Ayngrant's conquest terrified all players captured by Ayngrant. Vashak Casals Pooh used his fangs to take the lives of many ordinary players, and was eventually thought to have died from being cut by Lilan's flames and sword that had gone out of control of the world's defense mechanism.

Seeing the figure that I had never seen since SAo cleared the level, not only me, but everyone who knew about Vashak Casals and the "Smiling Coffin" were speechless. However, to my surprise, I immediately came to my senses, and the murderer appeared again and spoke to me.

"Poof, is that you?"

"Hehe, you're so stupid, you're just a peace idiot, there's no way you can forget me, that time, I put my hand on your princess."

Her tone is a mix of Japanese and fluent English. Proof that you speak multiple languages. There was no doubt that the man in front of him was that Vashak Casals. An abominable murderer, a serial killer. It was Vashak Casals, who was alive without our knowledge and became a follower of Hannibal. After confirming this, Asuna, who also hated Vashak Casals, glared at Vashak Casals and opened her mouth.

"You're still alive after all, even if something like that happens."

"Huh? Ah, Flashman. I mean, they're all together. You get along very well, huh? ”

At this moment, Vashak Casals's mouth suddenly stopped. He stopped halfway through his speech, so his mouth was completely half-open. It looked like he was surprised to see something shocking, but he didn't even know where he was looking because he couldn't see his eyes.

Just as we all wondered what had happened, the killer burst out laughing.

"Seriously, seriously! Are you really going to do that? This guy is amazing! I'm really no match for your boSS! ”

The laughter of men, which I almost never heard, echoed in the empty dark abyss. What is there to laugh about? What is there about us that makes us laugh? No, this man is not a sane person, but a crazy person, and it is wrong to ask the reason.

However, Alice, who was sitting next to me, said something to the murderer she saw for the first time, probably because something like this happened, and she couldn't help but worry.

"I've heard you're an abnormal person, but it seems to be true, Vashak Casals. What the hell is so funny about you? \"

"Oh? Come on, don't react too much to your monologue. I mean, that's fine, isn't it? ”

The man in the leather cloak raised his head and did not show his eyes. I finally knew where I was looking, but the sky was an eerie purple color, and a school of translucent fish-like things swam around. Vashak Casals shouted at it.

"They're here, boSS. It's definitely them. They are exactly what you want. ”

As before, Vashak Casals's voice disappeared into the darkness. The sky is still purple and nothing has changed except that the horizon color has darkened. But I already felt it at that time.

-Yes. In addition to us, there are some unseen things watching us. The man is calling out something unseen. There was no doubt - just as I was thinking this, a voice sounded in the space that seemed to be an answer to Vašak Casals.

\"I'm sure you'll come. Someone who is beyond that world. \"

It is of the same quality as the temple that emanated from Hapia, and although it looks to be in its forties, its level is higher than usual. Commonly known as a hoarse voice. Before Vashak Casals could begin to search for the source, a white ball of light appeared in front of Vashak Casals, the exact opposite of the color of the cloak on his body (including my coat), and it suddenly swelled up and turned into a white ball of light. The shape of a person.

Then, the light erupted, and we were stunned by the person who emerged from within. He wears what looks like a combination of armor and coat, with white and gold as the base color, purple lines everywhere, and a mask with a purple vein-like pattern carved on his face, just like Hapia's. A human with distinctive shoulder-length blonde hair with silver ends.

At first glance it looks like a Hapia, but from the broad shoulders and serious demeanor I can tell that this is a man. Vashak Casals, who was often seen as a mysterious man in Ayn Grant, approached the mysterious man who suddenly appeared, and the corners of his mouth were raised.

"boSS, you see, it's all here, oh, take a closer look, there's something extra mixed in."

"There's nothing particular wrong with that. Let's be happy when there is an uninvited guest. \"

Masked men in armor coats glared at us. Although I couldn't see, I knew I was being watched, and when I felt a strange aura rush into my body, the masked man spoke.

"Welcome, survivors of that world. Since that time in that world, I have been looking forward to the day when I will be able to meet you. \"

That time in that world. That must have been when we were still in Sword Art Online. And this masked man knows the many events we have experienced, faced, and resisted, and also knows that we are survivors of SAo.

I only learned his name when the end of the world was behind all the events. I said to the masked man in front of me, his name probably matching mine.

"You're the One"

\"Hmm. Oh, yes. \"

The masked man proclaimed, spreading his hands.

"I am what you call Hannibal. I'm the one in charge of the real world, the VR world, and the online world. ”

"I am what you call Hannibal. I'm the one in charge of the real world, the VR world, and the online world. ”

The man in front of him, dressed in a combination of armor and coat, with white and gold as the base color, purple lines everywhere, and the texture of his face was the same as that of Hapia's. Distinctive shoulder-length blonde hair, hidden behind a mask engraved with a purple pattern, the tips of the hair are silver. Maybe because of the mask, I couldn't tell who he really was, but next to him stood a man in a black cloak, and Vashak Casals, the leader of the "Smiling Coffin".

The Vashak Casals called him the boss, and the man said he was the one we were chasing, and we all froze and couldn't move.

"You Hannibal!?"

"yes, I've been looking forward to meeting you like this, and I'm sure you are too."

From behind the mask came a voice I had never heard before. Perhaps the face depicted behind the mask is a replica of a human that we have never seen before. I can't even imagine what's happening to me right now, let alone imagine.

Hannibal opened his arms and attracted the attention of all those who were in a similar situation to me.

"Well done, you've come this far beyond my world."

"You run the world!?"

Lifa gave a look of disbelief. The world probably refers to SAo and Sword Art Online. That world is controlled by the Cardinal System, and even the Cardinal System is ultimately controlled by none other than its developer and creator, Lilan's father, heathcliff/Akihiko Kayaba. Before he could speak, Hannibal answered.

"That's right, that world was originally managed by his creator, Akihiko Kayaba. However, I don't like his approach and management system. Moreover, I myself think I am better. I pride myself on my ability to manage the world. All right. That's why I'm fighting him behind the scenes, and you're fighting the world itself. ”

As Hannibal spoke, Vashak Casals burst out laughing. Hannibal's voice continued.

"During this time, I have been monitoring and watching you, the players, in a way that is part of your program. Get to know you guys. ”

Yui, Streya, Lilan, and Jupiter all looked shocked, and Lilan's face gradually became solemn.

I heard from Alice, the developer of the four people, that Relan, Jupiter, and Quinella belong to the mhhp mdouble hpp (Mental Health Healing Program), while Yui and Strea belong to , aka mental health counseling programs, which are able to use the characteristics of Nerve Gear to monitor the details of a particular player's mood and state.

By using this feature, the five people are able to observe players with emotional or mental issues and approach them if necessary.

However, Yui tells Hannibal that he probably never imagined that those functions designed to heal the player's mind were also being used by others.

\"Are you spying on the player? Why!? \"

"Of course, this is to continue to manage the world. People who manage this world need a certain amount of knowledge, which includes the knowledge of the people who work and live there. In order to acquire this knowledge, I observed and collected this knowledge. "Data from the moment you players log in for the first time and fall into a game of death. And that monitoring includes you. That is, you have all become my subjects without knowing it. ”

After hearing this, a cold sweat broke down my spine. Oh my God! The days we fought and grew up, the condensation and accumulation of heartache events of those two years, were all seen by Hannibal. I was treated like a worm in a cage.

Hannibal continued as if waiting until we could no longer speak.

"However, his ability is stronger than I expected. While he was able to observe you players, he did not immediately gain significant authority over the world. So I decided that I decided to borrow the power of the person who was holding me back. Yes, you all know him well. ”

The shadow of a man immediately came to my mind. He has blonde hair, ornaments on his head, and wears luxurious armor. On the surface, he is one of our Blood Pact Knights, continuing his strategy, but behind the scenes, he is able to manipulate and control the emotions of our players, a man who is making plans. Alberridge / Sugo Nobuyuki is the one who suddenly appeared in Japan and caused a series of events that changed the situation in the country dramatically, and he was also the one who let us know that Hannibal existed.

His father is the owner of Sugo's company, and Asuna, who knew Sugo, and Jupiter, who was once killed by Sugo, turned pale.

\"Is it possible, Nobuyuki Sugo \"Destroy the fugitive man\"!? \"

Hannibal placed his palm on his masked face and looked shocked.

"Well, that's a stupid name, like fools trying to prove their stupidity. The real name of what you call "saboteurs and escapees" is "it is called Mahabal". \"

"Mahabal". This is the name of one of Hannibal's subordinates in real life, supposedly a cavalry commander. Since Sugo was turned into a "fugitive" by Hannibal's namesake and acted under his command, the name "Mahabal" was appropriate.

However, it also proves that Hannibal is even linked to REco, the largest company in Japan. The story of Hannibal continues, as he tries not to succumb to Hannibal's ever-increasing presence.

"I taught Mahababar a lot. How to survive in that world, how to disrupt the real world, how to defeat those who are called the ruling class. So he became Mahababar. He did a very good job. He subdued rulers and real-world fools in order to make me an administrator.

Thanks to this, the state of the real world has become what I want it to be. It was because of his strong desire to compete with Akihiko Kayaba that I was able to defeat Akihiko Kayaba, seal him, and seize control. It was because of his strength that I was able to ascend to the position of administrator. As a bonus, I gave him a master account.

"What's that!?"

Asuna's face grew paler, but so did mine.

The guy logged into SAo with the administrator account of the main account and acted as he saw fit. We thought he could get something like this because Lector took over the management of SAo from the disbanded Argus, and he was a key figure in Lecter, but we didn't expect it to be because of Hannibal. It was a real thing that made the image of Hannibal in my heart even stronger.

"But since then, he has become more and more violent as time goes on. He seems to be hatching some amazing plans, a technique for manipulating emotions and memories, but it's out of his control. It's not something that's supposed to happen. "Over.

Not only that, but he also obtained the master account and began to use the organization I created based on the concept I proposed, mnemosyne, to achieve his personal goals and wreak havoc on the world under my control. around and get in the way of my own plans. Claiming to be a god, troubled times are really worthy of such a stupid name as 'the man who broke the door and fled'. ”

"That's why you do it, right? boSS？ ”

When Vashak Casals, a subordinate like Sugo, called out to Hannibal, Hannibal nodded. Although I can't see, as usual, because I'm wearing a mask, I can imagine Hannibal with a proud smile on his face.

"Yes, such a careful upbringing made him a 'runaway man', so I gave him a specific role. That's right, as the opening scene of the final boss of RpG, the boss monster that you players defeated, he did his job brilliantly.

Well, I ended up lending you some strength. You fought so well and subdued the 'fugitives'. Thank you. ”

At that time, we did fight with Sugo "The Fugitive" / Alberridge. But now is the time. Alberich abused the privileges of the master account to the maximum, and although it was a copy, he modified Jupiter, made it into a combat AI, and through integration, created a boss monster that we could never defeat. I'm here to challenge you to a fight.

A boss monster with a status that even the cardinal system can't imagine. Just when we were about to lose to this unreasonable boss, Akihiko Kayaba suddenly started to help us remotely. Thanks to this, the Jupiter-based boss controlled by Alberridge was dismantled by the Kayaki, and we were able to defeat Alberridge.

However, problems arise. After defeating Alberridge and Lilan, captured by the Hollow Incarnation of the Mechanism that protects the world, Akihiko Kayaba/Heathcliff appears in front of us, but at the time he himself was unable to fight Alberridge. They say they don't participate.

From that moment on, I couldn't help but wonder who the kayaba was at that time, but now that I know the answer, I can't move as if I'm frozen. Even without looking around, I could see that all the people who survived that battle were just like me.

One of them, Diabel, said in a voice that gave it a weak voice.

\"What the hell is Akihiko Kayaba, I can't believe it\"

\"Well, that's me. It took a bit of effort to come up with a voice similar to his, but it was finally in time for you to fight the Fugitive. If you continue like this, your failure is inevitable. Here's why. I was able to cover it up. ”

\"So, you're the one who breaks down Jupiter!? \"

Hannibal nodded and answered Lizbet's question, and Lizbet had an incredulous look on her face. His gaze turned to MHHP and Alice, the developer of MHCP.

"It's about MHHP. Indeed, that's what I did. I felt like I was ruining what I had created, but I had no choice but to plan. ”

"These children are supposed to be sealed black boxes that only I can see. Why are you doing this?"

It was then that I felt a glimmer of light and shock pass through my mind. Alice/Eri Serizawa is one of the former Argus employees who developed and sold SAo to the world, and the person who developed mhhp and mhcp. According to Alice, MHHP and MHCP are Agus's confidential information, and only she can maintain and modify them within Agus. - The fact that Hannibal, a man other than Alice, knew about the existence of such a thing long before us, and was able to modify it, can only lead to one answer.

\"No, you're also one of Argus's former staff!? \"

"Well, yes, I'm in the same industry as the person next to you, and it's not easy to be able to modify and dismantle things that only he has access to, but in the end, it became mine. I was allowed to use it. Well, now that the world of MHHP and MHCP is tightly connected to the system is over, I can't touch them anymore. But there's nothing I can do about it. ”

When I turned around, Alice had a look on her face that she had never seen before, as if she was surprised and didn't know what was going on. The power that only Alice could exercise was usurped by Hannibal in front of him. Even Alice could not have predicted that such a thing would happen.

And we can't even imagine that Hannibal turned out to be a former employee of Agus, who worked under Akihiko Kayaba, and we can only be speechless.

Hannibal looked at his colleague and continued.

However, the plan he pursued was a wonderful one. By taking full advantage of the original capabilities of Nerve Gear, a device connected to the VR world, human emotional memories are converted into data and recorded. Further application, he will be able to manipulate human emotions and memories at will I was very interested in this, without telling him anything, I decided to join. He was subdued by you, and the research materials he worked so hard to collect became mine. ”

I couldn't help but grit my teeth. Really, really, Sugo is a stupid god-like figure, a disposable part, held in the hands of this man named Hannibal. He himself is a person I can't forgive, but the root is this person. No one is more unforgivable than this man who sees man only as a part.

I could feel a raging rage of anger welling up from within, but now I was just looking intently at Hannibal and listening to what he had to say. Hannibal squinted at me and walked over to his subordinate, a man in a black cloak.

"However, even if we had to lose Mahabal, the one who broke and ran away, we were lucky that we were able to avoid losing someone who really mattered."

"Haha, it looks like you really trust me."

"The same goes for you."

A smile appeared on the face of the black poncho murderer. This is very similar to the composition of highly praised subordinates who are trusted by their superiors. But what made this talented man trust Hannibal? Out of sheer curiosity, I spoke to the man, Vašak Casals.

"Vashak Casals, why are you following Hannibal? When will you and Hannibal start"

"Since when? This is the first time, and since the first time I met you, I have been following the orders and instructions of boSS. ”

Hearing this, all of us widened our eyes. The mouth of the man, who was seen as a grim reaper, began to squirm steadily and slowly.

"I came across boSS shortly after I came to that world. boSS taught me everything about how to live and how that world works. In addition, he supported my goals and gave me orders. When I did that, he put a lot of money into my real account and helped me a lot, and thanks to you guys, I was able to achieve my goal, so, I went straight to boSS, that's what headhunters do, that's what I mean. ”

"Vashak Casals is really good, he is an expert who can easily follow my orders and instructions and survive all kinds of battles. It is also a blessing that such a Vashak Casals came to me. No, it should be said that it is a great fortune. That's it. ''

It sounds so ridiculous that I can't immediately understand what it means. However, despite not knowing when, Hannibal contacted Vashak Casals as soon as he logged in.

Then he understood the purpose of Vashak Casals, and through his success, he gained the trust of Vashak Casals, began to give orders to Vashak Casals, and every time Vashak Casals successfully carried out the order, he paid huge rewards that have continued until now. However, Vashak Casals was like that, and just as I was about to ask the question, Hannibal turned to me.

"But the most surprising thing is that Vashak Casals has realized the concept of the murder guild that I proposed."

The moment I heard this, the atmosphere at the scene suddenly froze or stopped, and my whole person was enveloped in an atmosphere. When it comes to the Murder Guild, there is only one, and that is led by Vashak Casals, and it is also the one that our strategy team finally launched a simultaneous attack.

Hannibal came up with the concept and Vashak Casals made it a reality. Hannibal's voice told them the details of this shocking information.

"It's true that there are 10,000 players in that world, and we have access to a lot of emotional and memory data, but even among them, there are some things that we can't obtain, and the murderers have special emotions such as murderous aura. Intent, malice, madness, and criminal jealousy.

"I created the 'Smile Coffin' because I wanted to create a place where I could create it for boSS. Or rather, it would have been your order, wasn't it? ”

"Yes, they were created to collect special emotions and memories, but also to delay and disrupt the progress of your attack group. They are very effective and give me special emotions and memories. It gives me data. And made me aware of the existence of something.

However, as they become bloated, they also become too ferocious and difficult to navigate, like 'fugitives'. After Vashak Casals was back under my protection, I tested my planned product and had your entourage dispose of everything. ”

At that moment, I felt an uncontrollable wave of anger welling up in my heart. Murder Guild "Smile Coffin Wood". The number of victims of these people's crimes and murders is in the hundreds, and if you count the members of the "Smile Coffin" who were eventually killed by Lilan, the number of victims is five hundred. This is already close to people.

If the leader was Vašak Casals and Hannibal was the one who ordered its creation, 500 innocent people would have died because of Hannibal.

All the tragedies caused by the 'Coffin of Smiles' are the fault of this guy!

"Hannibal you !!"

Just as I drew my sword from behind my back and was about to slash down, a slender hand reached out in front of me. When I turned my head angrily, I saw a little black-haired little devil woman who was taller than me. The creator and colleague of the program that Hannibal successfully analyzed was Alice.

"Alice!!"

"Kirito-san, calm down. Important things I haven't said yet. There are still things that need to come out of his mouth. \"

"No need! He is destroying us, that world!! \"

"Calm down!!"

Hearing that unusually loud, majestic voice, I instinctively straightened my back. The burning anger in my heart gradually subsided, and my mind became calm.

yes, I'll cut him here, and he won't say anything more. There is one more thing we need to ask him. I understood Alice's words and let go of the sword on my back. Seeing what happened to me, Alice turned to Hannibal.

"Hey, what the hell did you find? What did you find in the 'Smile Coffin'? ”

"Well, I can tell you, my colleagues, the survivors of that world, the features that are really included in Nerve Gear are the ones that Akihiko Kayaba has used, but never revealed to the public. Thanks for the discovery of this feature. I'll be able to give you a simulated experience. No, I'm able to create technology to show you the simulated experience. ”

"What did you say!?"

Nerve gears. It is a fully submersible VR hardware developed by the team of Akihiko Kayaba and Argus and released to the world. A revolutionary machine that invites people into the virtual world. However, it has a microwave generation function that is powerful enough to burn the human brain, which is activated and kills the player if the game ends in SAo.

As a result, thousands of players lost their lives, it was called the Demon Machine, and after clearing SAo, it was collected by the state and disappeared from this world, except for people like me.

Akihiko Usaba, the developer of Nerve Gear and the mastermind behind the SAo incident, uses the hidden features of Nerve Gear. It could be the ability to massively scan one's own brain and transmit everything about one's own thoughts, memories, and consciousness to the VR world (or should we say the online world).

However, this is possible because Kayaba modifies the Nerve Gear, which should not be possible with a commercially available Nerve Gear. Just as I was about to lose what Hannibal was saying, the man spoke.

"Obviously you guys don't know this, but the Nerve Gear is something that connects to the deepest part of the human brain and sends consciousness and sensation into the VR world. The need to continue scanning, identifying, and transforming data into data is what Akihiko Kayaba uses to scan the brain with Nerve Gear.

I managed to access and integrate the data that Nerve Gear obtains by constantly scanning the player's brain. Because of this, I was able to understand your memories, consciousness, and mental state and show you a simulated experience that would suit that person. "Obviously you guys don't know this, but the Nerve Gear is something that connects to the deepest part of the human brain and sends consciousness and sensation into the VR world. The need to continue scanning, identifying, and transforming data into data is what Akihiko Kayaba uses to scan the brain with Nerve Gear.

I managed to access and integrate the data that Nerve Gear obtains by constantly scanning the player's brain. Because of this, I was able to understand your memories, consciousness, and mental state and show you a simulated experience that would suit that person. ”

The original features of Nerve Gear.

The ability to continuously scan the human brain and collect data.

The ability hidden in the demonic machine we wear.

Despite the incredible existence of its existence, and even its function, Hannibal mastered it?

The fact that everything is in Hannibal's hands is incredible. The sheer volume of information and facts washed over me like a mudstream, and I felt like I was losing consciousness.

However, if I lose consciousness now, the point of being here will surely be in vain, and I will not be able to get back what is most important to me. I could only stop, and just as I was thinking this, the flow of information that had flooded me slowed down, and silence returned to my mind.

As if sensing this, Akihiko Kayaba's daughter, Lilan, who is now my "acquaintance", asked Hannibal to reprimand him.

"In other words, the player who was infected by the pseudo-experience parasite back then was the one you successfully collected the data from?"

The demonic man who had it all showed a look of remorse.

"Half of you are right and half of you are wrong. It was a beacon planted by the 'fugitives' in order to obtain emotional and memory data. What I'm doing you players don't know about. Even the 'fugitive' didn't know about it. "Humanity didn't know this until the end. It's a shame considering he has so much intelligence.

What's more, the data of about three hundred players was obtained, most of which were fragments, and only ten or so players like Akihiko Kayaba had the complete scan data. After all, there are still many people who end in the middle of the game.

However, some people were able to successfully complete the scan before the end of the race, which was a blessing in disguise. ”

Hannibal's voice was mixed with a smile. My eyes widened as I pieced together every word and finally turned them into one thing.

Nerve Gear is capable of scanning the human brain and converting information from the brain into data. There are some people, like Akihiko Kayaba, who find out that the game is over when the data is completely completed. Hannibal has these data.

This means that Hannibal has in his hands the data of the dead in that game of death. This person holds the soul of the deceased.

What a ridiculous story. I had the feeling that he was talking about a world that transcended the VR world and the real world, and I was stunned. Leaving me alone, Lilan, who had been silent since she met Hannibal, opened her mouth.

"You, no, how did you do that? Why use seven colors? \"

"Well, you're talking about that girl, and the reason I came up with this concept to her was because I wanted to give it a try and see if I could accomplish what you guys call the 'cloud brain'. How has the public reacted to this? Idol? As an administrator, I want this data.

That's why I contacted Dr. Nanairo, pitched the concept to him and gave him harpuia. He didn't seem to realize that everything was going according to my plan. ”

Lilan and Huang gritted their teeth. For Xiao Qi, who doesn't fight at all, it certainly feels unnatural to use a "demon" like Hapia, and first of all, although Hapia herself is not as smart as Lilan, her intelligence is surprisingly high. I have.

Hapia was the answer Hannibal gave to Seven, and while it was frustrating, it made sense.

Then I realized that Seven, who had been trying to live up to the expectations of those around her, was also a poor girl who was forced to dance on the palm of Hannibal's hand, and the anger inside me deepened.

Alice, who was in the same business as a terrible demon, looked at me and spoke.

"Hey, what the hell is your purpose? You're using my research, you're using that world itself, you're doing something like that, you're putting this country in this state. I'm driving "so far." What is that? ”

Hannibal opened his arms as if to say that he had been waiting and responded to his voice.

"I just want to give this country, this world, and all the people and inhabitants who live there a healthy future. Become the steward of this country and the world and achieve true control! ”

Hannibal slammed the front of the car with his arm, and the sound became louder.

"In the past, the country was ruled by huge state powers such as politicians, police, press, etc., and they were the rulers. However, none of them were able to recognize the right way to rule and dare to rule incorrectly.

That's right, it is to unilaterally control the people, exploit the people, manipulate the people, and enrich themselves. As this tyranny continues to run rampant, the domestic situation is volatile, the economy is stagnant, the people are becoming emaciated, and the distance between the people and happiness is constantly distancing. Yui, the end of their rule, is the collapse of the country and the death of the people.

I can't help but feel sad that the future of this country is being eaten by such an ugly, fat, pig-like ruler. That's why I decided to take action to prevent this from happening. In order to become a true ruler and save the great purpose of the people of the country! ”

"Real control!?"

Hannibal turned to the Emperor, who let out a cry of surprise. Behind the mask, there must have been an expression on his face, as if everything was in his hands.

"As I said earlier, the people who once ruled this country are not ruling in the right way, they are completely wrong.

True domination is a relationship between the ruler and the ruled, a win-win situation for both the ruler and the ruled. The ruler benefits by controlling the ruled, and the ruled benefits by being controlled. This is the true way to rule, to create the future of rule. I've done a lot of things to make that happen, guys. ”

I immediately tried to deny Hannibal in my mind, but no matter how much I tried, I couldn't do it.

As Hannibal said, history has repeatedly taught us that the relationship between the ruler and the ruled is overwhelmingly winners and losers, and that the development of the country will not go well and will soon be destroyed in the end, and this has been proven to be true.

In this relationship, the ruler benefits from domination, and the ruled reap the same benefits from being ruled – which is exactly how queens, worker ants, and soldier ants manage their nests.

This is what Hannibal is trying to achieve in this country. At this time, Lilan, who had been silent, said the name of her existence as a pioneer.

"That's \'Mahaba'"

"Yes, I used the Mahabar and deprived all the strong of power, and as a result, they fell from the position of power and ruler to the point where they could no longer rise. Yes, as a result, the country achieved new developments, the people were filled with joy, and the economic situation began to recover. This is also possible because I created the existence of 'mahalbal' and am managing it.

No one is better suited to be the steward of this country, or even this world, than me. ”

Hannibal behaved like Sugo, as if he were a god. - No, I suspect Sugo may have been influenced by Hannibal to become like that.

Above all, I can't argue.

Indeed, thanks to Mahabal, the rulers were defeated, the stagnant economic situation began to recover, and the lives of our people became richer. Indeed, the country began to recover because of what Hannibal did, and in this respect, Hannibal can be said to be a genius administrator.

"But what's interesting is that those who became the old rulers because of me and Mahabal, using what little power they have left, brought me and ?? Mahabal slandered as demons and even called them enemies of the world that should be defeated. "They are called enemies by the people to be defeated, and their resentment is enormous. Their ecstatic appearance after capturing the Mahabar dummy is truly a masterpiece. Guys, what kind of show is this? ”

As I expected, I thought. A player named Zexceed, I fought and defeated Relan. In fact, the arrest of a young man named Shigemura Hozu as a "hit-and-run" was reported as big news.

However, neither I nor the others believed this to be true, and we followed what happened to Shigemura, believing that he had only been framed by the real "fugitives".

That's the right answer. After all, Shigemura/Zexceed's story of being a "broken runaway" is a trap set by Hannibal, a bait to deceive the media and the police, and Shigemura is nothing more than being framed.

The whole news program is a hilarious joke prepared by Hannibal in order to get people's attention and make a fuss with the media and the police. In the end, the people of the world just danced in the palm of Hannibal's hand - I realized this again, gritted my teeth, and Hannibal looked me in the eye with a mask, making me wonder if he could see in front of me. Tower.

\"I'll tell you first. I knew you before you knew me. Most importantly, Kirito, I've known you since the conquest of Ayngrant. Yes, Vashak Casals. Through\"

"What"

There, Hannibal's subordinate Vashak Casals took a step forward, meeting me during the invasion of the Fifth Layer and later forming the Guild of Murder.

"You and I met in that game, and after getting to know you, I immediately reported your situation to boSS, and boSS was completely obsessed with you"

"I have been watching you for a long time, you have overcome all kinds of difficulties, you can cheer up in the face of tragedy, you have taken MHHP member Martell as your 'acquaintance', you have a conflict with Akihiko Kayaba and the clan he formed, I became the second leader of the Knights, and since then, I have reached the 100th floor of Ayngrant without a single death, successfully defeated the 'fugitive' I prepared, and saved the world the whole process of you becoming a hero."

\"Have you been staring at Ernie chan for a long time!? \"

Shocked to hear Lifa's voice, I lowered my head.

Indeed, in that world, I have experienced a lot of experiments in my life, and sometimes I feel as if someone is watching me. But I didn't expect Hannibal to see and read all this. Everything I did was teleported into Hannibal's eyes, and everything was transparent to Hannibal.

Before I realized the fact that I was being stalked, Hannibal spoke up to me.

"To my surprise, though, she would fall in love with you. The girl who was accidentally picked up by the "fugitive man" from the sea of nets ended up finding you" What's even more peculiar is that she is a girl with an emotional pattern. ”

When Hannibal opened his palm, two red and black balls of light appeared above him. Just when everyone, including myself, wondered what was going on, the red and black ball of light exploded, revealing the people inside.

“！！！”

In the endless darkness of the deep sea, a man appeared in a somewhat revealing combat suit, with a tail like a wild cat and a pair of large ears on his head. A little girl with distinctive long silver hair, dressed in a predominantly yellow and blue costume, was crucified as if she were a sacrifice.

Shino, who was undoubtedly my beloved, was suddenly taken away, and Lilan's sister, Seven, who was known as the girl goddess, was also suddenly taken away. What's more, both of them were pierced by spear-like objects composed of many red and black lights, placing them in the position of a cross.

My head was almost numb from the sight, but before I could react, my mouth moved and I screamed the names of the people I loved.

"Poetry is !!"

"Nanero !!"

The rain screamed as I spoke, and soon others screamed their names as well, allowing their voices to be sucked into the darkness. However, the two girls in a neat row did not react to our voices, and even Shiina-or Shiina-'s right ear was pierced by a spear? He kept his head down and didn't move.

An unbearable anger surged through my body and soul like a raging flame, and at that moment, my hand naturally reached for the sword on my back, and at this moment, the culprit who caused these girls to suffer spoke out.

\"Beautiful, isn't it? These two people are the ones who help me manage the world. The person you call Seven has exceptional intelligence and charisma, while the person you call Shino has extremely unique emotional data. Both of them are the ones that would be a shame if not controlled, and when I take care of them, they show their true worth.

That's why I decided to put them under my control. Since they can be the foundation of the world, they must want to do the same. Kirito, you too.

The sudden call surprised me a little, and I turned my head in that direction. Hannibal's voice continued.

"I've watched you for a long time, and I've come to believe that you, like Vashak Casals, deserve to be under me. You are a talented person with great potential, and you will be under my management, which is a necessary existence. ”

Of course, I won't manage you for free. If you fall under my control, I will continue to pay you a large sum of money, and I will also keep you with this precious girl forever. You'll be able to live in an environment where you can reach your full potential, talents, and strengths, so that's not a bad thing, and I'm sure you won't fail to understand that either. , Kirito. ”

Hannibal pointed his finger at me, as if inviting me. Just before the duel with Heathcliff in SAo, and during the headhunt of the Seven in ALo. Hannibal came to negotiate with me singing the same whining voice as he did then.

I don't know how much of it is true, but from what he said, it's likely that Hannibal was watching me all along. That's why this guy knows everything about me and wants it all.

Probably that's why this guy is negotiating with me like this. More thorough and larger-scale than the little seven who wanted me. As soon as my friends heard the details of the negotiation, they turned their eyes to me and began to discuss.

"No, Kirito, this guy wants to frame you! \"

"This guy is a fake dreamer! He must be trying to trap you in a false dream! ”

\"Kirito-san!! \"

The order of the words is as follows: Diabel, who almost fell into Hannibal's trap, Klein, who was lured into a false dream by Hannibal, and Asuna, the son who was once killed by Hannibal. Others also said things like "don't go" and "don't answer" to me, but I didn't respond and just looked at the darkness above.

A cat-eared girl whose body is pierced by a black spear in the shape of a cross. Although his clothes were not messy and he was not hurt in any way, he was certainly in pain. Seeing such a cruel scene, everything that happened to the SAo girl flashed in his mind.

Shino, a young girl, has been experiencing terrible things all along. Of course, if I was around her, I would be involved, but from the bottom of my heart I wanted to protect her. She continues to defend herself from all the enemies that appear in SAo, and just as the story enters the final stage, Shino is bound by Hannibal's creation of "Mahabal", strips her naked, and is raped, raped. My memory was almost tampered with.

The one who created such a crazy event was Sugo, who was the "mahalbal", and Hannibal turned Sugo into the "mahalbal".

Ever since I rescued her from the brutality of Mahabal, since I learned all this, I have decided on one thing, and to carry it out is my mission, my life itself. I realized that there was. There is only one answer to the invitation addressed to me.

After summarizing what was on my mind, I took a step forward and spoke.

"Hannibal. You may have seen the two years I spent in that world. But you still don't understand at all. ”

"Wow. What do you mean? ”

\"That girl Shino, Shino Asada is not your property. Shino's heart, spirit, and body all belong to Shino herself. And my life belongs only to Shino Asada. Yes\"

When I looked up, Hannibal, Vašak Casals, Shiina, and Xiaoqi all came into view at the same time.

"If you are the one who wants to threaten Shino's life and heart, I will defeat you and protect her. No matter how good you are as the administrator of this country, no matter how terrible you are, even if you are a powerful person, if you want to take Shino away from me, I will do everything to stop you. ”

I reached into the scabbard on my back and drew my sword, firmly recognizing this terrible being that was trying to steal my loved ones from me once again.

"Hannibal, I'm going to get Shino back. Now I'm going to make you pay for continuing to do this heinous thing, toying with us players, and not even saving their lives. ”！！”

As soon as I said this, everyone immediately cheered. I'm sure there was a look of joy on everyone's face, but my eyes were always on Hannibal. Otherwise, there is no way to know what they will do.

Hannibal's boss, Vashak Casals, looked me in the eye and let out angry noises.

"Hey, boSS. Your favorite person declined your request. Well, I can read it. ”

"Of course, I expected something like this to happen. In fact, I thought you would give me such an answer. ”

Vashak Casals' boss waved his arm away from the person in front of him, then turned to face Vashak Casals.

"Vashak Casals, it's time for you to go back, the environment is different now."

"I know if you stay too long, you might be suspicious. I will follow your orders as always. ”

The tall man in the black cloak turned to me and said with a fierce smile on his face.

"Rejoice, Kirito. boSS cares about you. If you can fight boSS, I think you will be honored. \"

"Vashak Casals, are you going to run away?"

\"Ah, that's a boSS command. We'll meet again someday, Kirito. I'm sure I'll fight you then. \"

Speaking in the calm tone of a murderer, the black poncho man's body was enveloped in the light of fleeing this world, and it didn't take long for his face to disappear completely. Seeing this, the masked man turned around and opened his arms again.

"Kirito, you declined my invitation. But I want to have you. I want to have you, and I can't help but want to have you under my control. \"

"So what are we going to do?"

"I'll do whatever it takes to get you!"

The next moment Hannibal spoke strongly, the ground suddenly began to shake. No, it's not the ground that's shaking, it's the dark space itself. The air that fills this place is vibrating itself. That's when I thought, "Is this the guy here who can make this happen?" ”

Suddenly, something huge jumped out of the darkness that spread across the ground. A huge gust of wind and shock wave erupted, and all of us were thrown into the air like dust blown up by a storm. However, after many times like this, we all spread our wings all at once, levitated in the air, and regained our posture. However, what appeared in front of me at this time left me speechless.

In the eternal darkness of space, there was a three-dimensional figure, covered in black, gold, and white armor, with ominous decorations, and a pair of arms that could be said to be dragon heads grew from his shoulders. A giant with only an upper body and a height of more than ten meters occupies a supreme position.

When we all widened our eyes and saw a monster we had never seen before, an existence that could truly be called a quest boss, a voice sounded in our heads.

"This is the dark god of the abyss", the secret boss who appears before the people who cleared Swaldjärfheim. With my powers, it's easy to summon something like this, guys.

The tone of this "voice" is not Lilan's, but the tone of Hannibal that we heard earlier. That's what that strange giant sounds. - Now, Hannibal has changed his appearance and turned into a strange giant. Of course, the method of doing this is not a normal method, but involves cheating, cracking, and other frauds.

Alice said, seemingly shocked that Hannibal could do such a thing.

"Hehe, so you scolded me for cracking? Since you have repeatedly committed crimes, and you have cracked them so blatantly, then you are ready to be arrested and punished. ”

"Is this a punishment? What should I do if I get caught by the police? \"

After confirming the meaning of each word, Hannibal began to laugh out loud. What the hell is so funny? Trying to ask before I did that, Hannibal turned his head to me.

"How do you do such a thing? How do you arrest a person who has no entity? It is unheard of to apply the law to creatures without flesh.

"I don't have a body?"