Tia vented the anger in her chest as she ran. The target is the obnoxious twin sister. A girl who is completely opposite to herself and can't understand what she has. I couldn't resist knocking its head off. When I cut off this guy's head with this big sword, I'm going to destroy my own potential.

Just as we were heading to the premiere, the distance suddenly shortened. My head hurts again. It effortlessly passes through the walls that are supposed to protect it and tries to get straight into your brain. Since I accepted this form, I have had headaches anytime and anywhere. By chance, at such an important moment, I suddenly thought of this.

Tia's running footsteps stopped, and she fell to her knees. Soon, a 'voice' came from nowhere.

"I will be alone forever."

"What is my reason for being?" ”。

Without Tia objecting, the 'voice' continued to unilaterally whisper to Tia. It was accompanied by a headache and even though I covered my ears, it still slipped out of my palm.

"Noisy and noisy! Are you saying that the Yuichi I'm looking for might just be sad!? ”

As soon as I tried to refute, I heard a different voice. When I saw it, it turned out to be Marie, who was also holding her head in one hand with a distressed expression. However, his eyes were firmly fixed on Tia. He seemed worried about Tia, even though she was suffering from the same headaches.

"Tia, that's not true, no. Your potential, our potential, it's not like that, it's not like that, it's okay if you reach your destination isn't like that\"

Marie shook her head at Tia. Marie dragged her aching head and slow-moving body along. Tia was stunned by what she saw and couldn't move.

"Wait a minute..."

\"It's okay, Tia I'll say over and over again, your potential is never like that, you can't listen to that voice\"

"You, I, I, I hear this [voice]?"

"Yes, yes, but it's a 'sound' that shouldn't be heard, so you shouldn't listen"

The girl was also bothered by the sound and had a headache. However, she tried to directly resist this "voice". He himself was resisting, but his forward was even stronger, as if trying to silence the "voice".

It's just my problem. As it should be, Marie is trying to solve this problem. When I understood this, Marie's words echoed in my painful mind.

- So I can't leave you alone. I can't let you suffer, you're about to be sent to a future where you'll feel so terrible. That's why I'm here. Not to hurt you, but to help you

That's what Marie said. Mary cheekily says he wants to help her. This is an absolute lie. No, these words can only be said because they are lies. Tia should have thought so, but the thought was about to break inside her.

Maybe Marie is seriously trying to help me, because I'm being attacked by this problem and the possibility. She really wanted to help. Before Tia realized it, she had already thought so.

"You really are"

Plemir, who was stopped by Tia, was already in front of Tia. It's already here. Although his body still looked heavy, he endured the headache and tried to lend a helping hand.

"Tia, it's dangerous here, so let's go to a safe place together."

Mary turned pale and held out her hand. Tia couldn't take her eyes off it.

Because they are twins, their hands are exactly the same shape and color as mine, and they look very delicate. It looks like it will collapse on the spot as soon as you touch it. However, Marie is trying to save herself.

I used to reach out for help, but it was always either waved away or chased away. There is no one in this world who can lend a helping hand. Tia thinks about life like this every day.

However, this idea is about to be shattered. Thank you to the twin sister in front of me, Marie. The next thing I knew, Tia reached out in the same way. When I pinched his hand, where my fingertips touched, it was premiere time. At that moment, my hands began to feel that warmth.

Suddenly, everything in front of my eyes turned white. At the same time, a loud explosion reached my ears.

I don't know what's going on. It's true that he grabbed Marie's hand back, but that's all it could be, so what really happened?

Just as the white that covered her vision became clear, Tia was thrown into the air. The bridge I was standing on was far away, and white-purple flames and smoke swirled around it. Apparently the bridge had exploded and I was blown away.

It's not a matter of Yui that I can figure out. Marie, who was holding my hand, was also thrown into the air. Moreover, he seemed to have approached the center of the explosion, and he was instantly burned all over his body.

Soon after, their bodies began to fall. My body was being pulled to the bottom at an alarming rate. The bottom of the valley is shrouded in a white mist.

I immediately reached out and it was in Marie's hand. Tia pulled her closer and hugged her, and she jumped into the white mist with Marie.

"Tia!!"

It happened almost instantaneously, so that Kirito they didn't have time to be surprised. I thought Marie had started the battle to convince Tia, but they both started having headaches again. Despite this, Marie did not stop, approached Tia, and eventually took her hand.

Just as everyone breathed a sigh of relief, the area where Marie and Tia were suddenly exploded. The two of them, of course, could not have expected to be swept into the air by the explosion. By the time Kirito and Shino call out their names, they were already on the verge of falling to the bottom.

"This!!"

At this time, Kirito's "acquaintance", Pleimir and Tia's distant sister Lilan, began to run and jump into the air. She immediately?? In werewolf form, flapping his wings, he headed for them. He plans to use his flying abilities to catch both of them.

That's right, let's go! - Just as Kirito was about to scream silently, Lilan, who had turned into a white wolf dragon, had already come directly below her sisters.

However, at this moment, Lilan's back exploded. This was not caused by Lilan's own strength. As proof, Lilan lost her place in the air and, like her sisters, plunged headlong into the valley.

"Lilan !?"

"me!?"

When Kirito Shino made a sound, Lilan flapped her wings violently and regained her posture, wanting to walk towards her sisters, but couldn't get closer. There was something like a meteorite flying from above. Moreover, its fall trajectory was aimed at Lilan's back.

As a result, Lilan can only fly violently in the air - her sisters have disappeared to the bottom.

Kirito can't keep up with the successive contingencies, but when he recognizes one of the meteorites, he realizes its true identity.

The meteorite was a blazing white-purple fireball. And the explosion that happened on Plemir and Tia just now, as well as the explosion on Lilan's back, also had white-purple flames. It was mixed with flames of purple poison. Kirito also recognized this.

"That's it!"

With a sense of foreboding, Kirito looked at the sky above where the meteorite fell. In the night sky, the stars and moon twinkled, and purple shadows appeared. It's also quite huge. Finally, the moonlight sets off the figure more clearly.

She has dark black fur and a black-gold exterior that looks like a mixture of the sumptuous gowns and armor worn by ancient Egyptian queens, with a pattern of purple energy on her back and four running wings. A ferocious-looking black cat with a pair of horns on its head and a lion-like mane around its neck.

What's more, its tail tip resembles the tip of a spear, and it looks like a twisted evil cat god created by someone's twisted imagination.

"Sekhmet!!"

Kirito and Shino both know the name. The cat dragon byoryu is named after Sekhmet, the god of destruction and death in Egyptian mythology, who rules the plague. As Kirito and his friends walk through the fields, a mysterious dragon strikes them with a sudden air strike as a greeting.

It is speculated that this cat dragon is someone's "servant", and it is said that it attacked Kirito and others because it received orders from its owner, and the flames it spewed were white-purple poisonous flames. So when I saw the white-purple flame burning, I immediately expected Sekhmet to come. This prediction has been hit by a huge blow – and the worst.

The last time I met Sekhmet was when I was still conquering the Gem Peak Lake, and Sekhmet hasn't been seen since. We thought they had stopped attacking us, but apparently that was not the case. And Sekhmet showed up at the worst possible time.

Unleashing his proud poisonous flames, Sekhmet pounced on Lilan. Lilan, who had regained her balance in the air, flapped her wings further and tried to distance herself from Sekhmetra, but Sekhmet reached Lilan before he did. It attacks Lilan with its sharp fangs and claws.

"Lilan!"

\"Kirito, Shino! \"

When Kirito and Shino instinctively call out to him together, Lilan approaches the two of them while responding to their "voices". "I can't tell the truth alone, so let's go for it." Kirito, who understood Lilan's intentions, immediately grabbed Shino's hand and jumped off the cliff.

Just as Shino let out a scream of surprise, Lilan flew underneath Kirito and Shiina, sandwiched between their heads and backs.

Kirito in his dragon form also grabbed Lilan's mane and faced forward, while Shino firmly hugged Kirito's abdomen with her palm. It's the same as when I rode a motorcycle in the real world and rode with Shino. The situation is more urgent than in the real world, though, and things on board are different. The wolf dragon that was his vehicle made a 'sound'.

\"That guy actually showed up at this time!

"Lilan, what's wrong with Marie and Tia!? Are the two of them okay!? ”

What Shino said is also something that Kirito cares about. Marie and Tia were apparently bombarded by Sekhmet and thrown off a cliff. I can't tell how deep the bottom is due to the white mist, but I'm sure it will cause a lot of fall damage. Maybe the two of them will always be like this.

"Marie's heart box signal can be detected from the valley bottom. Looks like he's safe. ”

Lilan dispelled the unpleasant imagination that came to my mind. Relieved, Kirito wanted to sigh, but the sigh immediately retreated into his body. Lilan lunged down, then soared. Soon, a white-purple flame bullet passed through the space where Lilan was just now, slammed into the wall and exploded.

When I looked back, I saw Sekemet following after Lilan. Their goal is definitely this.

"Wait!?"

That's when Kirito noticed. If you look closely, you will see that Sekhmet's appearance has changed from the last time you saw him. The overall silhouette hasn't changed much, but like Lilan's now, her body is wrapped in luxuriously designed armor and fabric, and the pattern of the wings of energy coming out of her back has become more complex and larger.

Although I can't confirm the name due to the distance, I can clearly see that it is evolving.

"He's evolving!?"

\"That is, is he someone's 'acquaintance' after all!? ”

I can only nod my head at Shino's question. In this game, the evolved monsters are limited to the "familiar". If it's clear that Sekmet has been attacking me and has changed his appearance, then it will evolve when I don't notice. The owner of the pet, the Beast Tamer, has evolved Sekhmet and made it attack us again.

Sensing the sinister intentions of the stalker who followed him everywhere, Kirito couldn't help but shudder. What was Sekhmet's master thinking when he did something like this? First of all, who is this? No matter how hard I try to make associations in my head, I can't seem to come up with an answer.

Just as I was thinking this, Lilan's movements up and down, left and right became more violent, and Kirito and Shino were also tossed around. A white-purple flame bomb exploded nearby. I'd love to help Marie and tia if I could, but if I went on like that, I might end up taking Sekhmet with me.

Marie and Tier suffered fall damage - they were torn apart in the previous fight, and I don't think they have the strength to stand up to Sekhmet. I'll go to the two of them when I'm done dealing with Sekhmet.

\"Kirito! \"

"I don't know what it's here for, but now it's just interception, let's take this guy down!"

After giving the order, Lilan swooped down. Just when I thought I was being pulled down, a rocky cliff appeared in front of me. Just as I was about to close my eyes for fear of a collision, Lilan suddenly got up vertically and climbed the cliff.

After jumping far to the top of the cliff, Lilan turned around and let out a breath. Multiple firebolts hit Sekhmet, who was preoccupied with pursuing Lilan, but Sekhmet dodged them with a complex trajectory flight.

"What's that!?"

Kirito couldn't help but raise her voice in surprise. No matter how you look at it, this is not a biological movement. Sekhmet dodged Lilan's attack in a way that seemed to defy gravity. I wonder if this is also possible, because Sekhmet is equipped with a unique AI that is "familiar".

First of all, Sekhmet's way of flying is different from Lilan's. Lilan flies by flapping her four wings, while Sekhmet only has materialized energy wings on her back and does not flap her wings. It's as if these wings are driven by semi-gravity and float in the air. No, that's probably true. Sekhmet can not only fly, but also float.

In ancient Egyptian mythology, the supreme god Ra is said to be the god of destruction, murderous and cruel, and even regretted creating and even controlling the plague of death, Sekhmet. The fact that it has that name is more than just an excuse. Is that what you mean? It appears that dragons named after gods in ancient Egyptian mythology—including Lilan—often possessed extraordinary abilities.

But that doesn't mean we can't be afraid. If I don't get rid of this guy now, I won't be able to rush to the fallen Marie and Tia. I don't know why they attacked me, or why they attacked me, but there is no doubt that Sekhmet was a barrier in my way.

"Run, let's do it!"

"Got it! Robbed! \"

After making a sound, Lilan jumped towards Sekhmet.

Thanks to the cat dragon Hartor who also suddenly came to the rescue, taking on the role of the cat dragon Barriyu Sekhmet, Kirito and Shiina found the place where Marie and Tia were on Lilan.

When the three of them arrive at their destination, the two who had been fighting each other are climbing along the path that leads to the top of the cliff, working together to defeat the monsters that stand in their way. Apparently, they hit it off while the three of them weren't looking. It is surprising that Tia, who has shown such hostility, is able to open up to Marie, but more importantly, Tia's face.

Tia had been covering her head with a mask and hood, but the force of the fall broke through the mask and hood, revealing her hidden head. Her hair is white with a light silver color, and part of her hair is worn in the shape of a ring.

Her eyes are also silvery-white, and her face is like an adult version of the original Tia (and Marie), but it feels beautiful. And, while neither he nor the Prime Minister seem to notice, Kirito, Shino, and Lilan also notice that his face and some parts of his body resemble his mother, Alice.

While Tia may realize this later on, she is definitely one of the children born to Alice, and in Lilan's opinion, she is one of her youngest sisters. Something has happened, but Tyr hasn't turned into something as mysterious as the monsters that now wreak havoc on the North Trough Ice Domain. Thinking about it like this, Kirito and they were relieved.

And, perhaps thanks to the Prime Minister, Tia no longer shows the hostility and anger she showed towards Kirito and the others before, and has accepted the fact that Kirito and the others are together. Even before Marie spoke to her, it was clear that Marie was working on Tia's heart. Anyway, things got better.

Knowing this, Kirito sent a message to his friends who were still exploring, telling them to retreat to the City of Origin and use the teleportation crystal to get everyone involved. They moved from the North Trough Ice Zone, which had been swallowed by strange events and turned into a dangerous area, to the safety of the Ancestral City.

The disadvantage of the teleportation crystal is that it cannot be used when it is discovered by the enemy, but it is not activated at the time and can fly normally. This means that Sekhmet, who had been targeting me just now, is gone.

It's a pity that I didn't get to follow Hathor after Sekhmet, but that's how it was. You can look into these things later. I should focus on Tia now. Thinking so, Kirito stopped thinking about Sekhmet, Hathor and their master for a while.

When her friends joined her, they all walked up to Tia and asked questions such as "Are you okay?" and "I'm glad it's not a big deal." Tia looked at Kirito and them in surprise, probably not expecting so many people to worry about her.

After that, Kirito and the others decided to see what they needed to do tomorrow first, and then decided to disperse for the time being. By the time they returned to the City of Initiation, it was already past 10:30 p.m., and everyone was busy exploring the layers, conquering dungeons, and fighting monsters with strange shapes, and I was exhausted.

When I conquered the prototype SAo of the \"SAo\", I found that even when I checked what I needed to do in this state, I couldn't understand it very well. So Kirito and his friends decided to quit early and disperse.

One by one, the friends return to the real world, and Kirito tries to join them. However, it stops working before logging out. Tia, who is finally able to bring her back to the city, is separated from Marie, Yui, Lilan and other family members and tries to disappear into the city.

I told Tia that there were five members of the family: Marie, Yui, Streya, Lilan, and Jupiter. I said I could be relieved, but I don't know if I swallowed badly. Or is it still unacceptable for someone to suddenly talk about their family?

In any case, Kirito was a little worried and postponed his exit. I followed Tia.

The City of the Beginning is completely shrouded in darkness, but thanks to the streetlights that can be seen everywhere, it maintains a certain brightness. However, Tia hadn't taken off her black robes yet, and it seemed that she would blend in as long as there was darkness. Perhaps because of this, Kirito was unable to find Tia and could only wander around the city.

Where did Tia disappear at this time? With this in mind, I searched the city for someone. Kirito didn't realize that this was the same situation as when he was looking for Yuki.

—Tia, finally found. What's going on with you sitting in this kind of place? \"

As I approached the waterway, I heard a voice. This was taken from under the waterway bridge. I wonder if Tia is there. Kirito didn't take any steps and tried to ignore his presence, hiding behind a nearby building where he could see under the bridge, but not from under it.

When I leaned over to check, I saw two figures under the bridge. Both were sitting.

One of them was Tia who I was looking for. Sitting next to her was her mother, Alice. Obviously, I'm not Yui looking for Tia alone. No, Alice was the happiest when she came back with Tia. I'm sure he really wanted to talk to Tia.

For Tia and Alice, leaving doesn't seem like a problem because Alice trusts them, but for Tia and Alice, it's finally time for them to be alone as parents and children. Let's stop trying to emulate this situation. Kirito decided to continue observing the two.

"I thought I was alone, but I was chased and there was no sign of me."

"Ah, by the way, I let you chase me, I'm just like you, and I have a high ability to hide."

Alice responded with a quick laugh. He may be happy in his heart, but on the surface he seems to be trying not to show it. Tia asked Alice.

"I was told just now that you are my mother, and Mary said the same, is it true?"

"Yes, I am your mother. I am the one who gave birth to you and Mary. Lilan, Jupiter, Yui, and Streya. I'm also the living of those children, Alice. ”

Tia looked at Alice suspiciously. Everything was told to me all of a sudden, so naturally I couldn't believe it. Alice smiled wryly, as if she knew something like this was going to happen.

"Well, it's natural that you can't believe it. But rest assured, this is true. You have a family, a family with me and those children. That's all, trust me. ”

Tia didn't answer, but she didn't take her eyes off Alice. It seems that he has progressed to the point of doubt. Immediately afterward, Alice asked Tia again.

"Yes, Tia. I've always wanted to talk to you. Can you tell me your story? What happened to you that caused all this? What are you and what are you doing after the catastrophe that will destroy the world? I can't be silent about that...... Please answer me. ”

Kirito also wants to know this question. I'm chasing Tia because I want to talk about it. When Tia was asked, contrary to Kirito's imagination, she opened her mouth.

"Since then, I've been looking for possibilities. The possibility that Marie said. I don't have a place like that girl. I can't find a place like that girl. ”

"Is that because you don't know anyone?"

Tia nodded. It is true that Tia has been persecuted a lot by humans, and her life is threatened. I don't think the worries are gone now, but it's still easy to predict the depth of the trauma I was suffering at the time. Tia continued.

"That's right. That's why I'm pursuing my own positional possibilities. But no matter how much I wandered and searched, I couldn't find it. Until that moment. ”

"At the time?"

"As I wandered, I spotted a small, very bright light. I didn't know what it was, so I could only stare at it, but the light expanded and engulfed me. It was at that moment that I became conscious. "One feeling after another came over me, that consciousness was my future self, and no matter how much I tried to find the possibilities, I couldn't grasp any of them in the end."

Kirito listened intently. Alice was in a similar situation. Maybe you can't believe what happened to your child. However, Alice swallowed quickly and said to Tia.

"That must be terrible to attack you."

Tia nodded. I think it's a bit of a teasing, but apparently it's not.

"I was scared, so I ran away. I escaped, escaped from my future self and when I woke up, I was lying in this form. This form belongs to me in the future. My body, it was painted out by the future me. ”

Kirito was so surprised that she almost cried. However, Alice, who was listening from the sidelines, was calm.

"Is that so? But what about your consciousness? Your body must have been painted by your future self. ”

"Thankfully, I escaped quickly, so my consciousness was not destroyed. However, my future self is now catching up with me. Even now, my future consciousness often flows into the present consciousness to erase it. My future self is catching up with me. ””。

Tia covers her face and head with a mask and a headscarf, but that's because she doesn't want to admit her future self. I guess that's it. After nodding in agreement with Kirito's words, Alice spoke again.

"So, you're walking around the pitch just to close off your future self? I'm guessing you know where you can go to close off your future self. ”

"The core of light that surrounds me is inside the large sphere created by the power of calamity that can be seen from Aingrant. \"

Now that I think about it, as I approached the high ground in the North Trough Ice Zone, I saw something similar to a celestial body in the distance, emitting an eerie blue-purple glow, merging with the floating celestial body. Earth. What's more, there is also a piece of terrain that can be reached by following the floating place. I thought there was no such thing as Ain Grandrie, but the mystery was finally solved.

"I'm going to go there and overthrow the future I don't want. For this purpose, I"

Tia was about to speak, but Alice's sigh stopped her. It's not so much a sigh as a deep breath.

"I see, I see. That means we should go there. \"

Tia turned to Alice with a surprised look on her face.

"Why? It's me who should be there, not you."

\"You must have heard the news of the Prime Minister, Kirito-kun and others. We are looking for you because we want to help you in your suffering. \"Because I thought about it. If there is a way to relieve your suffering, we are willing to go there to save you. No matter where it is, no matter how rugged. ”

“... Are you serious? ”

Alice confronts Tia. I reached out and gently placed my palm on her cheek. Tia was stunned, her eyes fixed on Alice.

"Of course, everyone has this meaning, and your family also has this meaning, I came to you just to help you, your days alone are over."

"I'm not alone anymore"

\"yes. Tia, you can rest assured now. \"

Alice smiled softly, gently hugged Tia's body, and buried her face in Tia's chest. This is the hug he often gives Kirito and Shino.

"I'm sorry I didn't protect you all the time. But that's okay now. You're not alone. We're not going to let that happen. You will not be alone, now or in the future. "I see, now it's fine.

"You're working hard alone, you're amazing, Tia"

Alice returned to her usual tone and whispered to her daughter. Tia didn't move, but eventually she moved her hands a little awkwardly and placed them on Alice's back. It means that he accepted being embraced.

Tia used to work at Genesis, but I don't think she was treated like Alice. It may take a while for her to accept, but if she's with us, no, if we're together, Tia will definitely trust humanity and realize that she has a place to belong. That's as it should be. I'm sure they will understand that there is a place where they can feel peace from the bottom of their hearts.

Ultimately, it's humans who make it impossible for Tia to trust humans. It was also humans who healed her soul. From tomorrow onwards, I will fight for her and go where she wants to live.

There is a lack of information about the mysterious celestial body that caused her current state, or what that celestial body actually is, but this is always the case. Tomorrow I must travel to that location to gather intel and fulfill Tia's wish. That's what we need to do from now on.

I'm glad to have followed Tia all the way here. Not being able to hear the story directly was a bit disappointing, but Tia was finally able to meet her mother and family and be able to talk to them like this. I think I should leave this to her mother, Alice. Since it's about Alice, they must also plan to share the story they heard from Tia.

This is not the scene where I should leave—Kirito thought to himself, and then turned away from Tia and Alice and left the way they came.

The City of Initiation is the most expansive city in Agrande and is bright even at night. This is all thanks to the lights of the buildings and the street lights in all directions. It's certainly darker than real cities like Tokyo, but in fact, the area around the center of the Ancestral City is filled with so much light that you can't even see the stars in the night sky.

That's why you can move around at night and most importantly, because it's in the game, so you won't get caught up in any crime.

I used to date Shino in the City of Origin, but I did so in places like the Jewel Peak Lake where I live. There is also the fact that she prefers to spend time in nature rather than in such urban centers, but before that she probably never thought of dating in the "City of Origins".

It's not possible right now because of Tia, but once the incident is resolved, it might be a good idea to go on a date in the City of Origin. While thinking about this in his heart, Kirito continued to walk in the city as night fell.

“！”

After listening to Tia and Alice's story, Kirito stopped after walking around town for about three minutes.

There's something behind me. I could feel a clear presence coming from behind me. It looks like someone is following me.

For a while I had been feeling a faint presence behind me, but now things have changed dramatically. It's as if he's been chasing her and doesn't want to be discovered, but along the way his purpose has become to be discovered.

"Hey, who's that? Who has been following me just now? I can feel your presence. ”

After saying this in a low and threatening voice, he disappeared into the darkness of the city. This is not a misunderstanding. There must be a presence behind it. There will be no monsters in the city, so there will be either NPCs or players.

And I've never heard of an NPC tracking a specific player, so it's definitely a player. I'm curious about what it's used for, but it's best to see what it looks like first. Kirito turned in the direction of the comer, staring at him.

Immediately after, footsteps could be heard in the darkness. The aura gradually became stronger, and finally a figure appeared in front of Kirito.

I was stunned by what it really was. Emerging from the darkness is a player dressed in white.

It is a cat-eared hat with a deformed cat face designed on it, and the drape that extends from the side obscures the face. Moreover, the girl is also wearing a combat uniform like a white coat, exposing the sides of her body.

In addition to doing good deeds and helping players, she also became popular because of her cute appearance and is now known as Angeland's idol. The girl who lends a helping hand in the final battle with Genesis is the true identity of the being.

\"Aren't you Versa? \"

The girl, Vilsor, was completely unresponsive. Kirito couldn't help but look around. Because of Vertha's popularity, she is always surrounded by many players. But now, there is no one around her. It seems that she came alone.

"What, is Veltha? \"

After confirming this, Kirito breathed a sigh of relief. I figured that the player chasing me might be a ferocious guy like the red player I saw in Ayn Grant, so I was always ready for battle. However, these fears proved unfounded.

"It's late today, and you've been helping other players with their strategies? It's so energetic. ”

"Well, thank you that day. Thanks to your cooperation, we were able to stop Genesis. I really appreciate that time. ”

Even though Kirito spoke, Versa didn't try to answer. Kirito felt a sense of déjà vu from such a conversation. Come to think of it, when I first met Verza, I might have had this kind of incoherent conversation. Even if you talk to Vertha, she won't respond.

I thought our relationship deepened because we worked together to stop the conflict in Ayn Grant, but was I wrong?

No, then again, why did Vertha follow me so far? I understand it's because I have something to do, but I still feel like they're beating around the bush.

"Uh, Versa. I'm guessing you have something to do with me. Is that why you're chasing me? ”

To this question, Versa only answered silently. - I thought so, but eventually remembered.

"Kirito"

“？”

"You're acting like a hero here, you're not a hero or something, you've forgotten a lot of important things"

Hearing this, my eyes involuntarily widened. It was at this time that Kirito discovered that Versa's eyes were filled with an extremely strong light of emotion. And, what kind of emotion is that, is burning anger.

In any case, I can't understand the implications.

"The important thing is not to be a hero and so on. What are you talking about? ”

\"That's right. That's the kind of person you are. You forget all the important things. You forget everything and pretend to be a hero. \"

Kirito finally breathed a sigh of relief. Not so long ago, what I thought Vilsor would not say was spoken. Is the Vilsa in front of me really the Vilsa I know? I have a hunch that someone might have used Vertha's avatar without permission.

"Wait a minute, what were you talking about? I don't seem to understand."

Vilsa opened her unseen mouth. I didn't answer Kirito's question.

"Don't forget, I'm not going to let you escape. The time has finally come, and the time has finally come. Soon I will settle the matter with you right away."

Settle with me - Kirito is drawn to this sentence and tries to ask Versa, but Versa manipulates her right hand to carry out the order. In the blink of an eye, Versa's body was enveloped in pale light. This is the logoff light. She is trying to escape this world.

"Oh hey! Wait a minute! ”

By the time Kirito reached out, Versaila had returned to the real world. There, Kirito found the surroundings surprisingly quiet and brightly lit. Kirito, who was left alone in such a place, found the space where Versa was.

"Are you going to settle things with me? Have you forgotten something important? ”

I repeated Vertha's words almost unconsciously. Of course, I don't know what that means. He forgot about important things, as well as decisions with Versa. I don't know what it is. It's like you've been given a small slice of an important puzzle and told to just do it.

“... What the hell is going on..."

Kirito looked up to himself. The stars were driven away by the lights, and the sky was pitch black.

"Asuna, I think it's weird. \"

"I do, too. I really didn't expect someone other than Kirito to ask her out like this. \"

\"yes. The girl was talking to Shino, and it was a little strange. \"

The next day, with a sense of anger, I decided to switch to the real world. When I logged in again and traveled from home to Origin City, I noticed multiple figures talking next to the portal.

These are Kirito's friends, such as Asuna and Araki, but Keim, Spiegel, and his close friends in real life are also mixed in. and Lilán (Lilan), an important "acquaintance", and his younger brother Jupiter (Jupiter).

Since everyone had serious faces, Kirito couldn't help but notice, so he walked up to them and shouted loudly.

"What's wrong with everyone?"

Everyone turned to look at Kirito, which surprised Kirito a little. Everyone's faces showed expressions of "Kirito has come to the right place".

\"Kirito-san, you've come to the right place! \"

"Is this any good?"

Asuna nodded, and Yuki took over.

\"I was going to pick up Tia-chan and hear her story, but Shino said she was going to be late. \"

Before I went out, I confirmed that Shino had logged in. After all, it seemed to him that the woman was trying to find Tia.

\"Didn't you come here in a hurry? I heard that Miss Alice called you. \"

\"yes. Poetry is called, but not by Teacher Alice. \"

Spiegel said in place of Kem.

"Vilsa called me, as if something was wrong."

Hearing this, Kirito couldn't help but cry.

"What do you say!?" Shino finally reached the top of the tower, which had lasted for a long time, and sighed deeply. Because the Adelzanid Control Tower, located in the deepest part of the Kurdish Desert, is the area that has been occupied, and is exactly where Sina should be now.

There are no teleportation stones placed inside the Adel Zanad Control Tower, so one way to get there is to walk from the entrance to the top of the tower. If I can tame an "animal tamer" like Kiritto or Sirika, or even a pterodactyl like Lilan, it seems that I can reach the top with my wings, but Shino and Kiritto are not a 'beast tamer', so I can only climb the sand tower on foot.

I'm here because of a certain player's phone call. As soon as I logged in, I saw the message that I had received a message. When I opened it, it said that the sender was Veltha and the message was "I want to talk. "I'll be waiting for you at the top of the Adelzanid Control Tower, so please come here."

Vice versa. He is a skilled player who wields two swords like Kirito and has a playstyle that is happy to help other players. Many players have already been helped by Versa, and I can't bear to hear stories about how they cleared their troubles or obtained rare items through Vertha. She was mentored and friendship by many players and is now said to be an idol of Angeland.

We also borrowed Vertha's help. It was at this time that he stopped the tyrannical "Black Dragon Swordsman" Genesis, who created Ayn Grant and sought to destroy Anglut. She reached out in the battle to decide the fate of the world and the fate of the virtual world, helping us defeat Genesis.

At that time, I don't know if I would have been able to stop Genesis if it wasn't for Vilsa's help. Her help saved the world from disaster. Such words had completely permeated everyone, and even Shino's friends, who had never spoken to her, could feel the friendship for Versa beginning to emerge.

I don't understand why Versa only summoned me, though. The message says he wants to talk, but I don't know what he wants to talk about. If he wanted to be friends, he would invite friends like Asuna and Lizbet to go with him, but nothing happened. The news from Vilsa only came to me. The proof is that there are no other friends here besides me.

(I really want to know what that is)

Shino muttered to herself as she climbed the stairs. First of all, the road to get here is strange. The "Adelzande Control Tower" is located in the deepest part of the Kurdish Desert, and naturally there are many monsters that have taken over the territory there. Among them, the strongest and most numerous is a monster similar to a minotaur called Taurus.

This "Adelzander Control Tower" is a place that can be called a Taurus lair, and when it comes to conquering it, a battle with the Taurus herd is inevitable - this is what Argo and Spiegel told me.

However, before I came here, I had never seen or fought a Taurus or any other monster. The interior of the "Adelzander Control Tower" turned into a quiet, empty dungeon, with the occasional sound of falling sand. It's as if a great storm is coming and wiping everything out.

Could it be that something unusual is happening here? If this is the case, will Versa still be safe waiting at the top of the mountain? In any case, she couldn't help but feel nervous, but she couldn't ignore Versa's request, so she climbed the Adelzanad control tower and finally reached the top.

The top of the tower is round. The sky is blue and clear, and the breeze is blowing slowly, which is refreshing. The Kurdish Desert can be seen in the distance, but it appears sparkling due to the haze. Feeling that this situation was a bit incredible, Shino couldn't help but hold his breath.

At this time, I noticed a shadow in the distance. It's a number. Cat-like ears stuck out of his head, and white coat-like clothes fluttered in the wind. He carried two swords on his back. It was the back of Angrand's idol and former collaborator, Vertha.

"Versailles"

When I called out to her, Versa's body twitched. After a while, he slowly turned around. As usual, his face was obscured by water droplets extending from the side of his hat, and he couldn't even make out its general shape. From your point of view, he looks like he's wearing a scarf.

"I read this message, but I didn't expect it to be you."

"So, what is the matter with you calling you here? Looks like you have something to say to me. ”

Versa was still staring at me, not making any movements. On the contrary, he didn't even make any sound. It looked like he was looking at me intently. I've only seen her once, but Vertha is a smarter, more active girl. If it's so quiet, it's as if something has happened.

"What's wrong? Aren't you so silent? ”

Even when Shino asked her questions, Versa didn't answer. Just when I wondered what was going on, Versa took action. He took off the hat he had been wearing and pulled out the scarf-like pendant. He took off his hat, shook his head a few times like a dog or cat, and then turned to face me again.

Shino couldn't help but stare at it. It was the first time I saw Versa as she really was.

She has a very good face shape and looks cute. It was the face of a beautiful girl. Her hair was about the same length as mine, black with a hint of blue. Her eyes are beautiful light blue. Speaking of light blue eyes, the same goes for Marie, but not the same color as hers.

However, that action was not something I could master. Why did he suddenly take off his hat and show his face? Since she has such a cute face, why not let the fans see it? I couldn't help but wonder, but it was Versa who interrupted me.

"We've finally met, I've been waiting for you for a long time."

“？”

"In the same place as Ayn Grant. Although the name is different, it is actually the same place, and I believe that if I go here, I will definitely see you again, and finally, we can meet. \"It's been a long time since I've wanted to see you"

When Versa reveals her true colors, she is ecstatic.

Do you miss me?

Do you believe you'll meet me when you come here?

I tried to repeat in my head what Versha had said, but I couldn't understand the meaning. Without hesitation, Versa continued.

"It's me, it's me, just look at this face, no matter how crazy I am, you can't forget me."

"Wait a minute. Viltha, what are you talking about? You say we've finally met, where have you and I met before? ”

Shino replied as she thought. In my memory, I explored my days at Ayn Grant in a way that was not too painful. However, no matter how much I searched, the name Versa did not appear. I struggled to recall Vertha's appearance and face, but couldn't find anyone to match.

Seeing such a Shina, Versa looked a little surprised.

I see. It's because of him that things are so weird."

“？”

\"Yes, yes, you're not that weak after all, you're forced to forget. Not really, forced. That's why you don't know. \"Me, right? ”

Versa said in a clear voice.

"-Sister"

Hearing this, Shino's eyes widened. In an instant, confusion appeared in my mind and spread like fire on oil. Is it your sister? I have a sister-in-law, Naoba/Lifa, but I don't have any sisters who are related by blood.

"Huh? Sister? ”

\"Yes, sister. It's me, you know when you see it, right? \"

Apparently the wrong person was in place - I couldn't help but think that right away. Due to the VRmmo, it is impossible to know Versa's identity, but apparently she has a sister she hasn't seen in a long time. Vilsa seems to be mistaken because she and I are similar.

Shino couldn't help but sigh and responded.

"Uh, Versa. I don't have sisters. And you look like a sister to me, but you're wrong. Please take a closer look. \"

If another person's avatar playing the same game happens to look like your family, brother, or sister, you may mistake that person for that person – which can be one of the disadvantages of VRmmo. This virtual character has been switching since SAo, so the appearance is almost exactly the same as the real self, but Vertha's sister seems to be extremely similar to her real-life self.

< you should understand by now. When Shino thought of this and turned around again, Versa was bowing her head. I guess he was frustrated because he realized it was the wrong person.

"Is your sister really like me? Isn't she a different person? ”

\"That's right. My sister is no longer what she is now. She was stronger, calmer and protected me?? and my seniors\"

"Isn't that so? So"

Vielce interrupted Shino.

"However, my seniors have been killed, and my sister has become the weaker she is now. She's actually strong, cool, and kind, but because of that guy, because of that guy, she's going crazy. That's right. \"Yo-"

Vilsa looked up. Shino couldn't help but gasp. Vertha's expression was filled with unusual anger.

"Everyone, it's all Kirito's fault. \"

Shino's eyes widened at the words that came out of her mouth. Vilsa said to Kirito now. Is Vertha related to Kirito? Could it be that something happened to Kirito, not him?

\"yes, it's all Kirito's fault. Because he came, we were all in trouble. Our predecessors were caught in the trap. We were all killed by him. And my sister who took me away and drove me crazy. Kirito Drives Me Crazy I started with Kirito who killed all my predecessors, and I forgot about me, my sister, and I became weaker and weaker. That's why Kirito is called a hero, and even became the leader of the Blood Pact Knights, fleeing to a place where you can't kill him even if you get close, and flee with your sister. ”

The words that Vilsa spat out are what happened in SAo. Vilsa must have suffered something terrible in this game of death. Something like this is not uncommon in games of death.

But what does it mean for Kirito to be involved? If something happened to Kirito, Versa would appear in Kirito's story, but Versa never appeared in his story. And, of course, Versa's sister.

\"Although we finally met, my sister is all because of Kirito. \"He's crazy, he forgot about me, even if I fought him, he was weak even if I told him he was really strong, he didn't remember I thought if I killed Kirito he would be back to normal Okay, SAo is over, I can't kill anymore." ”

There, Shino recognized something flashing across her eyes, but at the same time, a chill rose up her spine. Speaking of which, there were people who teamed up with me during SAo. Although he was a member of the same Blood Pact Knights, his expression clearly looked like he had something on his mind.

Shino tried to remember, but was surprised. Before I knew it, Versa was right in front of me—so close I could barely breathe. The area in front of him was filled with Vilsa's face, and the area in front of Virtha was filled with his own face.

Vilsa laughed there.

"But it's okay, I've found a way to get my sister back to normal."

Immediately after that, I heard an unpleasant rumbling sound. I was late, my back was chilling, and my legs were weak. My whole body felt weak. It's like it's flowing from under my feet to the ground. When I fell to the ground on my back as if I was being pulled, I noticed that the "HP bar" displayed in the field of vision was reduced to a certain extent, and an icon appeared next to it.

- He is paralyzed. No, there are strange and intricate patterns painted on it. The design appears to further reinforce the paralysis. It seems that he was shot with more paralysis than paralysis.

Versa, who was believed to be the culprit, looked down at Shino. In his right hand, he held one of the two swords drawn from the scabbard behind his back. It seems that this thing has been done.

"I'm sorry, sister. I really need this. Get her back to normal. \"

"What are you doing...?"

"I'll do it now."

With a smile on her face, Vertha drew another sword. The shape of this sword is strange. The silhouette resembles the swords sold in the store, but in the center there is something like a crystal that glows blue-white. Inside, the light shone like thunder. It's as if it's electrified. What's more, there's even something like a lever on the handle.

I was surprised that there were weapons with such complex mechanics in this game, but I didn't have time to worry about it. Versa took a deep breath and exhaled as the sword rained down.

With a bang, two swords stabbed into Shino's shoulders. Shino groaned softly, a feeling of discomfort similar to pain and heat spreading around her. \"hp bar\" will decrease slightly, but don't care. Shino watched as the icon on Vertha's head changed from green to orange. The orange cursor is applied because he attacked the player.

"Vertha, you've turned into an orange cursor"

Normally, the situation where the cursor turns orange is quite serious, but Versa looks down at Shino with a cold face.

"Compared to the blue cursor, it's nothing to worry about. Also, when the NPC attacks the town, they are fundamentally weaker than me and my sister, so I can kill them and then I pop up like an idiot. If you do this, you will get a lot of experience points. ”

Shiina's eyes opened again. What this girl said was crazy. Guardian NPCs that protect towns and villages are very strong, so orange and blue cursor players will avoid them. However, Vertha's tone sounded like she was hunting down the guard NPC.

Shino knew that someone could do such a thing. I've heard about it from Argo, Spiegel, and Kirito. Shino found that some of the man's traits matched those of Versa.

"Uh, no way, you"

"I don't care if it's an orange cursor or a blue cursor. I just want my sister to get back to normal. From now on, I'll get her back to normal"

The stories still don't match. Vilsa didn't understand the story at all, and Vilsa just continued to tell her own story. Shi Nai was unconsciously caught up in it and couldn't escape. Versa tilted her upper body slightly towards Shino, and the corners of her mouth moved slightly.

"Let's go, little one, come back soon."

As she spoke, Versa gripped the hilt of her sword firmly with both hands. This is the trigger point, where the essence of the sword is awakened. There wasn't even time to prepare—Shiina's brain started to heat up from the center.

My eyes suddenly turned white, and the scorching flames spread all over my body. When my limbs were torn and burned, pain and heat hit. My nerves were torn apart, and my cells, blood, and body fluids were instantly heated to boiling point, as if my body was being swallowed by pain. It doesn't hurt everywhere. He was in severe pain all over his body and had a high fever. There is nowhere to run.

"Ah!!h

The pain was so insane, like Versa, she could even scream, it seemed strange. The muscles in my face became paralyzed, tears and saliva flowed out, splashed, and I couldn't stop at all. She couldn't believe that there was such pain and feeling in this world, but Shino didn't have time to think about it.

But, maybe it was luck, maybe not, my aches and pains and fever suddenly disappeared. My eyes couldn't focus well and everything was blurry and distorted from the tears. Versa's figure also lost its silhouette and became a mess.

"Please, sister. That's my power. This is the strength I get to help my sister. It paralyzes the opponent player's Amusphere's security features and sends a high-current sensation through it. Pain inhibition mechanisms. It will also disable painkillers so that any form of brainwashing will be eliminated. ”

Vertha's words were now self-talking. Shino breathed constantly, but she couldn't understand the meaning of any of the words. However, from the fragments of Vertha's words, I learned that Vilsor was using something unthinkable, and even interfered with the player's Amusphere.