I can't believe it. The person in front of me is the one who was lost with me in the "Moonlit Night Black Cat Group" because of me. An important person I wanted to protect but couldn't. My sister has a younger sister named Maki. His name is Sachi.

Fortunately, her facial features match the girl in front of her very well. Kirito couldn't accept such a sight. My mind was completely numb, I couldn't think properly, I couldn't accept things as they were. I can't believe everything.

"Luck? \"

Before I knew it, Shino was standing by my side. He was completely shocked because he saw the damned luck. The same goes for my friends. The girl who was supposed to die was here, and she was fascinated by the unusual phenomenon and sight.

"What is this, what is this?

Lilan's "voice" has been heard. He seemed to be completely shaken. Tia and Marie join them.

"Why are you...?"

"What happened?"

Yuki attracted the attention of Kirito Shino and others, and nodded lightly to Kirito.

It's me, Kirito—she said silently. Then, Yuki turned around. To my beloved sister, whose appearance has become incomparably larger and more distorted than when we were together.

"Maki"

Yuki shouted in a clear voice. There was no fear or anger in his voice, and his tone was directed at his beloved family. Maqiri reacted to the voice.

"Yes? Well, is it? \"

Maqiri stopped attacking. Like Kirito and the others, his gaze was also attracted by Yuki, and his whole body stiffened. I couldn't believe what was in front of me.

\"Oh, sister, eh? \"

Makiri asked in an excited voice. To her sister's question, Yuki nodded again.

\"That's right. It's me, Maki. \"

\"Sister Ouch Feed Sister Sister\"

Eventually, Marchiri pressed his head with all but the one that grabbed the battlefield. I started to be in pain, as if I was going to break down. It's completely confusing.

The real purpose is to resurrect Yuki with the lives of all the inhabitants of this world. The plan is to resurrect Yuki when all life in this world is exhausted.

Yet, even though all life has not yet been absorbed, the good fortune is still there. Even though I don't remember resurrecting him, he is resurrecting. I don't understand why this is happening or what happened.

The same goes for Kirito and the others, but the situation is even worse for Makiri.

"Luckily, is it really you? Are you really lucky? ”

Kirito repeated the same words again. If I don't hear the same answer twice, I won't be able to understand the current situation. The situation in front of me seems to have no real feeling. Fortunately did not answer this question.

Yuki glanced at Kirito, smiled, and closed his eyes. In the blink of an eye, his body was enveloped in white light, turning into a figure, turning into a ball of light. It's exactly the same as what Lilan, Jupiter, Yui, and Strea saw when they disappeared temporarily.

Turning into a ball of light, Xing fluttered like a firefly and flew directly into Machiri's body. Seeing that Sachi disappeared into Maki in an instant, Kirito was about to reach out to grab him, but something strange happened.

Makoto, who seemed to have jumped up by luck, suddenly let out a painful sound. Just as all six arms had stopped moving and stiffened, a ray of light ran over my head. The name "Markiri" appears, and only one "health bar" appears.

Machiri couldn't do anything because he didn't have that. Masashi finally got the "HP bar". The laws of the world were given to the Marchiri. Of course, I couldn't understand what was happening, but eventually Yui screamed in surprise.

"Really came up with the concept of HP! This is Yuki-san!? ”

\"Yui、Mare, what's wrong with Yuki!? \"

Jupiter answered Kirito's question. That didn't change the fact that he looked very surprised.

"Mr. Yuki has assimilated with Makiri. So he adjusted his HP bar to True, and it seems that he created HP for True. ”

"Moreover, Makiri's defense is now zero! This seems to have been created by Yuki-san's assimilation with Makiri. Now, it's really ready to attack! \"

"Makiri has the same health as the player, and with his defense of zero, with our strength, we can defeat him!"

yes—that's what I immediately thought when I heard Jupiter. Unlike previous bosses, Marchiri only has 1 health and her defense is zero. You no longer need everyone to join forces, and you can easily defeat it with one person and one hit.

However, what would happen to him if he was defeated? And what happens to the luck that is said to have been assimilated with the truth? What happens when the battle that is about to end is decided?

Its influence was so great that Kirito was unable to take any action. The same goes for my friends. Everyone stopped.

\"Kirito!! \"

Suddenly hearing a voice, Kirito was taken aback. The way of output is the same as that of Lilan in the form of a werewolf and Jupiter in the form of "familiar", as if it echoed directly in his mind. The familiar "voice" that rings in my ears is Sachi's voice. She spoke to me inside the machiri.

"Luck!"

"Kirito, please. Maki stops Maki. Now you can stop Maqiri! \"

It was a pleading tone. Please stop Maqiri. Even though he was genuine, Yuki was still attracted to him.

"Fortunately, wait. What will happen to you if you attack the present Maki? What will happen to Maki too!? \"

"Kirito saves Maki Maki and Maki is planning to destroy this world, the world in which Kirito and his friends live. "He's trying to get Kirito and them involved in something like mine. There's nothing I can do now."

That's it. Makoto is still trying to resurrect Sachi by sucking the lives of the world's inhabitants. Yuki has been resurrected, but there is no sign that he will stop flattering him. As proof, the lives of the inhabitants of this world are like shards of glass, constantly flowing towards reality. If this continues, Masachi will eventually steal the lives of everyone in the world.

Still, Kirito couldn't take a step forward. I'm sure that if Maki is defeated, luck will disappear with him. Sachi's HP was applied to Maki - that's what Jupiter said.

In other words, it's nothing more than an assimilation of Maki and Yuki's lives.

"Sasuke, you"

I don't know how he did it, but he miraculously came back to life. I came here and regained my life that should have been lost. I think I just met Maki and I thought I would never see my sister again. However, he was about to lose his life. There is no point in the resurrection.

"I'm really sorry to let Kirito do this, and make him suffer." "But please Kirito stop Maki and let Maki finish."

Luckily, the cries continued. Kirito was surprised by the content.

Luckily I already know. That machiri can't be done. In fact, it should have ended, but because of her obsession with her sister and Kirito, she couldn't end it. That's why she pleaded so much.

Just after that. A huge shadow appeared in front of Kirito. It's none other than the 'familiar' Lilan.

"Rerun!"

\"Let me come, Kirito. You don't have to carry your cross anymore. If you kill Makiri, you'll kill Sachi and Makiri this time. As a 'dependent' and an MHHP, I can't let you suffer more. ”

That's why I'm going to destroy Maki and Yuki instead of me—Lilan seems to say so, pleading with her as well as Yuki. Defeating the current Maki will result in the killing of Sachi.

Yuki's life, which was once taken away by SAo, will be taken away and destroyed again. He took the life of Yuki, whom he had sworn to protect but was unable to protect. It's an endless contradiction, an endless irrationality, an endless absurdity.

However, if they don't, Maki will consume all life in this world. It's not there yet, but the lives of Pleimir and Tia will also be taken from them. Yui, Strea, Lilan, and Jupiter are all mourning their precious family.

Nobody wants that. All of you here – I'm sure you're lucky too.

In addition, Yuki has been directly begging Kirito to end Maki. It's not good for anyone, and he's Yui, the one who's been begging for a long time. If he gives up Yuki's request and lets someone else do it, then he gives up Yuki's request and betrays Xing who believes in him.

And the other ends up carrying the cross that killed Sachi and Maki. Someone who has nothing to do with anyone in the Black Cat on a Moonlit Night.

Who should really put an end to the "Moonshine Black Cats"? Who has to put an end to it? Kirito quickly thought of the answer to this question.

-I'm Yuichi. I am the last member of the "Moonlight Black Cat", and I am also the one who made Maki take revenge and cause such a catastrophe. The cross that was born here is something I had to carry.

It's something that only I can carry on my back - Kirito continues to take a step forward, eventually arriving in front of Lilan.

"Lilan. Thank you for saying that. But I can't let you do that. ”

Looking back, Lilan was taken aback. The same is true for other reliable friends.

"Are you serious!? The real thing that brings down the present is -\"

\"—to put an end to Maki. I've said this many times. It was I who eliminated the black cat on a moonlit night and made Maki like this. Maki has become like this now. It's also my fault. \"

Kirito made a faint sound countless times. There was a wave of confusion among the friends, but Kirito didn't care.

\"yes. At the end of the day, it's all my fault. So, if I could, I would have liked to make up for Maki and Yuki in a different way. But that's about it. Because I've been wandering around all the time, I'm over like this. Something happened. This is a way to make up for Yui. One way to make up for Yui is to end Maki. ”

"Kirito"

\"Kirito-san\"

It was Shino and Asuna who screamed. She looked like she was about to cry, but she tried to stop me. But that's not the case.

"So, I'll do it. Let me make it up. ”

Not hearing anyone's answer, Kirito looked back at Maki. Becoming the black cat god Tamaki continues to suffer. They don't know what to do or who to take revenge on, and continue to suffer with nowhere to go. The situation could not have been more tragic.

Immediately after, Kirito felt someone watching him and turned his head to look at him. Hartol, the cat dragon who was far away from Yuki, now also turned his gaze. That's the typical feline expression, and you don't know what it's thinking.

At this moment, Hathor gently closed her eyes, enveloping her whole body in white light, and finally turned into a small ball of light. The white ball of light flew silently, and when it approached Kirito, it landed on Kirito's left hand.

Just after Kirito was surprised, the ball of light suddenly burst and a new look appeared. It is a trident with a tip consisting of three parts and luxuriously decorated. This is presumably a magic sword, a gun version of the Holy Sword. Maybe it's something that the gun makes Yuki get somewhere in SAo.

It replaces the Dark Repellent and sits as a sword on Kirito's left hand.

The spear seems to be the embodiment of the older sister's desire to stop the younger sister. Perhaps it was Hatoll's thoughts that kept watching Yuki's heart.

\"Do your best to stop Maki. This is a wish of luck. Kirito gritted his teeth, the spear in his left hand seemed to tell him. If you need all your strength, you need more.

Kirito quickly turned around and shouted at an 'acquaintance' with such great power.

"Lilan, lend me your power like you did last time!!"

For this wish, the "acquaintance" Lilan was extremely surprised. The miracle that occurred at the end of the last battle of SAo, which decided the fate of all the survivors, has not yet been repeated. However, that miracle is necessary in order to fulfill Yuki's wish to stop Maki now.

The beast seemed to have obeyed the tamer's wishes and was ready.

"Got it. Use me, Kiritoro-sama!! \"

As she spoke, Lilan opened her mouth and released a fire charge. Almost at the same time, Lilan's body turned into light and was sucked into a flame projectile, which turned into a white fever bomb and rushed forward. It landed on Kirito's right hand. For a while, white light erupted, giving people the illusion of daytime, and even Maki's pitch-black body was dyed white.

When the light faded, a sword appeared in Kirito's right hand. It has the same shape as the interpreter, but the black blade is carved with the motif of a white wolf dragon.

The sword that appeared in the final battle of SAo in order to defeat the creator. The magic sword, which is evenly mixed with white and black, materializes again.

Kirito, who has achieved the unity of man and dragon, turns to face the girl he was supposed to eliminate.

The girl was in pain. I was thrown into a huge body that didn't fit my body type, and I didn't even know what to do. The weapon that ends it is in the hands.

What must be done, what must be done now. This is-.

Kirito kicked Makiri. Jump as high as you can and hit real faces. The next moment, the wolf sword in his right hand and the holy spear in his left hand both appeared with dazzling light.

"Maki !!"

Facing the girl who was tumbling in pain, Kirito performed the dual-wielding swordsmanship he knew and relied on the most.

Starburst Stream. A dual-wielding sword technique that attacks 16 times in a row.

Kirito danced the sword dance with a wolf sword and a holy spear that carried the thoughts and wishes of his "dependents" and his beloved. Every time I threw a blow, small memories of Maki and her voice flashed through my mind.

\"Sister, it's okay. \"Your sister said the same thing, and I will protect her. ”

"That's not true. I am the strongest of you, so I will protect you and your predecessors. ”

"I'm going to protect my sister! It's so important, I've said it twice! ”

Maki is an innocent, kind, and really strong girl. Just being close to her makes me feel warm. Even in the world of death, I can smile calmly.

Kirito dances wildly towards what Maki has become.

He's been slashed ten times. Maki's words flashed again.

\"Kirito, please call me Maki. "I'm used to being called that. ”

Eleventh shot.

"My sister, in particular, has always been scared, weak, and can't be left behind. This has been going on for a long time, so I've always thought that I should do something about it as a family. I think they also do a lot of things that care about. But she took good care of me, loved me and said I was her proud sister. ”

Twelfth shot. Maki's life has been cut in half, and her color has turned orange.

\"So I'll protect my sister until the end. \"I'll try to get my sister and seniors out of this death game! For this purpose, I will be stronger no matter what. Become strong and respectable and help sisters and seniors escape the death game! ”

Thirteenth shot. When I woke up, my memories with Maki were on my arm, riding the wolf sword and the holy spear. Maki, who had lost everything, regained her memory.

"So Kirito, I want you to protect your sister with me. \"I want you to fight until you and your seniors quit. ”

Fourteen strikes.

Fifteen strikes.

Kirito screamed as he used all his strength to deliver the final blow. The wolf sword that shone with a white pale blue light and the left upper slash of the holy spear slashed into Maki's head. Maki was shaken violently, and her upper body trembled and retreated.

However, even so, Maki's life is not over yet. If I shoot two more times, there is still plenty of room for the gauge that has turned red. I think I was lucky that it turned into Sekhmet, but I couldn't finish it.

"Maki!!"

Kirito screamed again, turned in the air, and threw the holy spear with his left arm. The holy spear drew a meteor-like straight trajectory and stabbed into Maki's forehead.

Even so, Maki didn't collapse. Life never ends.

"Lilan!"

I threw all my strength into it again, let out a scream from the bottom of my belly, and raised the wolf sword in my right hand. The white wolf dragon pattern on the pitch-black blade instantly moved, turning into light and shooting out from the sword. The light instantly turned into a huge wolf dragon, catching Kirito who fell in the air and pressing him on his back.

As soon as the wolf dragon Ruiran carried his master onto the boat, he jumped up and hovered in a position where he could look down on Maki. Immediately afterwards, Rilan's mouth was engulfed in flames, and his whole body generated high heat, and his breath swirled, converging towards Rilan.

Just as the tips of the pure white wings turned reddish-orange and made a roar, Kirito whispered quietly.

"I'll put an end to this."

Lilan shook her head, and deep within her body, condensed heat and flames were released in the form of light.

\"Ilaha Salala\". Maki is consumed by the flames of the goddess.

The limbs were scorched, extinguished, and even the last shred of life was burned. It was as if the body, tainted with hatred and vengeance, was being purified.

Eventually, just as the atonement for selfishness was achieved, Maki's body glowed white, and then burst into a huge light. Kirito is engulfed in and unable to move.

By the time the light faded, Kirito's position had already changed. The dark blue auditorium has been transformed into a pure white space that stretches all the way to the horizon.

Although he was suddenly teleported to such a place, his consciousness was not blurred, and he was even vigilant.

His mind became clearer when he recognized the two figures standing in front of him. The real identity of the character is Yuki and Maki. Maki was sleeping, and Sachi was sitting with her in his arms. It's like an older sister lovingly holding her younger sister.

Kirito tries to run to the sisters.

"Yuki, Maki!!"

However, Kirito couldn't get close to the two. When I made some progress, I hit an invisible wall and couldn't continue. It doesn't break even if it hits the wall, but it clearly shows Yukiwa Maki on the other side. It was a wall of glass that could not be broken no matter what.

"Luck, luck!!"

Yuki looked at Kirito and called out to him in a desperate voice. She's calm and kind, but also fragile and looks like she's going to break down at any moment. That's exactly what I saw when SAo joined "Black Cat on a Moonlit Night".

"Thankfully, why, you"

Although I knew that I didn't need to ask now, I couldn't help but ask. Yuki replied in a bell-like voice.

"I don't quite understand either. When I woke up, before I knew it, I had left Ayn Grant. But my body is gone, I'm still conscious, and I'm told I'm Yuichi's survivor..."

I've heard a similar story. I'm Akihiko Kayaba. I heard that Lilan and the others' father, the culprit of everything, Kayaba, turned himself into a cyber lifeform by conducting an ultra-high-energy scan of his brain.

I've also heard that something similar can be done. If someone has been using Nerve Gear for more than a year, they can turn it into a cybernetic life form by extracting and rescuing Nerve Gear's data.

This means that Yuki was pulled up by someone else and resurrected in the form of a cyber life.

\"So you're lucky, right? What do I know? \"

Yuki nodded deeply. He didn't deny Kirito's words.

\"yes, it's nice to see you again, Kirito. And I'm sorry I've been tormenting you with internal affairs\"

Kirito suddenly gasped. So, what the hell happened to McGee? What happened to Maki who stopped him and Yuki who got caught up in it?

"Luckily, what's wrong with Maki? You"

Sachi bowed his head. Kirito let out a slight grunt and opened his mouth.

"Maki is using the Nerve Gear to fight Kirito them. Now that her hp is gone, Nerve Gear burns out her brain and dies. Me too. My hp disappeared with Machiri and then after a while, you will disappear with Maki. ”

Kirito fell to his knees in frustration. The ending they achieved was the death of both Yuki and Maki. I ended up Maki Kazuyuki in a way that I shouldn't have done. Tears overflowed, and vision became distorted.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I let you die in the end, I hurt your dear sister, make her suffer, make her crazy, I couldn't save her, this is how Yuichi can end." I can't make it up. I, I"

The hero of the end of SAo. Kirito saved 6,000 people and made the impossible possible. The title flashed through my head.

That's not the point.

Am I a hero?

Is it possible to make the impossible possible?

All I can do is let Yuki and Maki die.

I have just finished the sin that I had to atone for in the worst possible way.

\"I'm not a hero, I'm not a winner over SAo, I'm a loser who makes you die, upsets your sister, and ends up dying the same way. I make you, you guys, unhappy. All I can do is "

Just as I was talking about the emotions that overflowed in my heart, my body was suddenly hugged in front of me. When he opened his eyes in surprise, the wall separating Kirito and Yuki disappeared, and his face was buried in Yuki's shoulder. Yuki put Maki on his lap and hugged Kirito.

"That's not true. In fact, I'm the one who makes Kirito unhappy and suffers. I've been observing Kirito for a long time. Kirito has been coming to SAo for a while. About\"

"Are you looking at me?"

"Yes. Sneak through the shadows. I thought you might notice me, but I guess you didn't. ”

In "SAo", my life is not threatened, so I don't need to pay too much attention to the shadows. I never thought I'd be there.

\"But a lot of times I can't stand it. When I realized what Kirito was thinking when we died, Kirito suffered because of us. "When I found out"

His face was more pressed against Sachi's shoulder. Sachi's arms were filled with strength. Her voice trembled, too.

"That's what I hate the most. Kirito, who survived the game of death, continues to suffer for us, for me, and although he can't do anything, he tries to make amends with us and is tied up in pain. Maki was also tied up and it was really painful. ”

"Lucky for me"

Sachi still held me and shook his head.

"I'm the one who has to make amends. Although I deserve to die and it's all over, I tied up Kirito and Maki and made them unable to move and make them suffer. So I decided to wait for the moment. \"When I can be in front of you. Wait, when Maki starts moving, I'll be able to leave.

It's late, isn't it? I could have seen you earlier, I could have stopped you, but because I didn't have the courage, Kirito, Maki, and all of Kirito's friends suffered because"

Kirito shook his head in denial. No, no, it's not like that. You're not bad. You're not bad.

"Luckily, you're not bad, bad thing"

"Hey, Kirito. \"

Kirito's words were interrupted by Yuki, who turned around. Sachi easily opened Kirito's body and came face to face with Kirito. Her cheeks seemed to be a little red.

"It's me, I like you."

"You're trying to fight for me. You tried to help me. You're trying to protect me...... You promised to protect me until the end. He gave it to me...... He really did it...... It really made me feel at ease."

That's it. At that time, I was seriously thinking about protecting Yuki. I'm sure I can really make it happen.

Sachi, who is the one to protect, continued.

"When I see you like this, when I'm with you who reassure me, when I'm by your side, I start to like you unconsciously. It's not like that. "We've known each other for a long time. But I'm starting to feel like I like you, but I don't have the courage to say it."

I've always wanted to hear what Sachi really feels. The fact that he loves me. Later I found out that it was the same thing as the one in Kirito's chest. At that time, I developed feelings for Sachi, and I also developed feelings for him.

She didn't realize at the time that if she let Yuki live, maybe one day she would confess her feelings to Yuki.

"That's why I don't want you to tie the person I really love to my dead me. I don't want Maki to suffer, I don't want you to suffer, I don't want to be like this. That's right."

Kirito opened his eyes. My eyelids twitched and tears fell. If you look closely, you can see that Yuki's eyes are filled with tears.

In her opinion, Kirito seems to be suffering because of the "Black Cat Gang on a Moonlit Night". Seeing this scene, she was also distressed.

When Kirito discovers the fact that he is unknowingly tormenting Yuki, he is almost shocked.

"Lucky for me"

Immediately after, Yuki raised his head. His expression did not show any sadness.

"Kirito, tell me. What the hell does Kirito think of me? \"

It was a sudden question, but I was ready for the answer right away. I want to protect the luck, I want to help

"I love you. Maybe it's better to say I love you. So I want to protect you. I want to protect you and be with you."

When I honestly told him what I thought, Yuki's expression became very surprised. However, as time passed, a big smile appeared on his face. Large, big tears rolled down.

"What a blessing. Thank you, Kirito, even though I've become like this, you still like me and love me\"

- The person I should be thankful for is myself. Kirito was about to say this, but Yuki stopped him again.

"But, Kirito. You don't have to point that feeling at me anymore. You have people to love and love, not me. I really need to protect you, I need you to support me. \""It's something that has to be done, isn't it? You've decided to fight for that guy and protect him now? ”

I had a girl in my mind. A girl who rarely forgets things. A woman who believes in herself even when she is hurt. The one who gave me so much love. That's why Kirito whispers the name of the person he wants to protect and support.

"Shino"

Thatch nodded with a smile on his face.

"Mr. Shino, you are a wonderful person. I think you love Kirito more than I do. I think you really love Kirito. So, Kirito, please\"

Yuki slowly fell, pressing the weight of his body on Kirito. Kirito gently took his body into his arms. Because Maki was sitting on my lap, it felt heavier and warmer.

\"Please help me, Miss Shiina, protect me. Please protect me until the end, stay by my side and love me as you think of me. Compensate us. Please stop doing something and stay with Shino - I, Maki, and everyone at the Black Cat on a Moonlit Night, have always thought so"

It was a decision I started thinking about shortly after I first met Shino/Shino. Before he knew it, Kirito realized that all of this had become a determination, a vow, a mission, an atonement for Sachi, who had promised to protect but could not protect and could not express his love.

And Sachi himself didn't want such a thing. What Yuki wants is to give up the sense of atonement and atonement for herself and the "black cat on a moonlit night", to be with Shino with pure feelings, to fight to protect her, and to love her with all her heart, which is one thing.

I want you to do what you've been doing to the best of your ability so far and continue to do it until the end.

This is Sachi's wish. This is indeed Yuki's last wish.

Kirito hugged her body while saying the answer to her heart's desire.

\"I see. Please let me make your wish come true."

I felt Sachi nod on my chest. Shortly thereafter, my vision began to turn white. The end of Yukiwa Maki has arrived.

"In order not to forget me like this, in order to stop my precious sister, in order to love me"

Even though I buried my face in Yuki's hair on my chest, my vision was dyed white.

When everything was about to turn white, I heard something.

Thank you Kirito I also love you Machiri ri stopped after the start of the SAo maintenance work still not finished a day later. If the singularity surfaces and the effects on the surroundings are repaired, the repair work will be completed quickly, but with the hijacking of the system, it seems that maintenance will take a long time.

During this maintenance, Marie and Tier's lives were in danger. It is said that Yui and Jupiter's analysis has completely separated them from the anomalies and will not participate in the transformation of the anomalies, but I am still a little worried. To make matters worse, even those who live in the metaverse, like Yui, Lilan, Streya, and Jupiter, are kicked out of SAo.

However, in the end, it turned out that this concern was unnecessary. When logging in immediately after maintenance, he recognized Pleimir and Tia at Kirito's house. They looked refreshed and told me that all their problems were solved.

Since the beginning of the SAo closed beta, there has been a constant stream of events surrounding Marie and Tier, as well as disasters for the cardinal system. It ended with the final battle with the Singularity. He can finally spend time with Marie and Tia in a carefree world.

I'm glad that things that I used to take for granted are finally normal. However, even knowing this fact, Kirito's mood did not lighten. Although all the incidents have finally been clarified, Kirito logged in again today with a sense of unease.

The location is the bedroom on the second floor of the chalet. The bed I used to sleep. Come to think of it, that's where I've been using it since SAo. At this time, it was already past eight o'clock in the evening, and the sun had already set.

Night had fallen into the room, which was not equipped with motion sensors or other lights. Kirito didn't care about this kind of thing, because it happened so often, so he got up and walked towards the exit. When I opened the door, I saw a light under the stairs. The lights on the first floor seem to be on. I can catch some signs of people. It seems that several people are already using it on the first floor.

As I walked down the stairs, trying not to make too much noise, I saw a lot of players in the living room. The first is Shino. The other person was Alice, who had the misfortune of not being able to participate in the last battle a few days ago. The girls sat at a table in the living room and the chairs provided.

When she noticed Kirito's presence, she set her eyes on him almost at the same time.

"Good evening, Kirito-san. \"

Alice was the first to say that. Kirito said the same hello as he walked towards the living room and finally shouted to Alice.

"Alice"

"I've been waiting"

"It would be nice if you sat down." SAo used to say that, but Alice doesn't say that now. This is my home, so I have the freedom to sit or stand. The chair next to Shino was empty. Kirito shouted to Shino and sat down.

"Alice, I'm free today. \"

"Ah, by the way, I didn't have time that day, so I can't help you."

"That's not true. We did it ourselves. ”

"Looks like you're having a hard time."

Hearing Alice say this, Kirito lowered his head. I've already told Alice about the final battle at that location.

Pleimir and Tyr were able to separate from the singularity, and then Macheri appeared, and Hannibal, who was supposed to be defeated, was still alive - Yuki and Maki died together.

However, the person who said this was Yui, and she didn't know everything at the time. In particular, the last wish that Yuki told me at that time is still unknown. Even Shino is.

Shino said to Alice in front of Kirito.

"Professor Alice, Hannibal, is still alive."

"Ahh I was also surprised, at the time I thought I had killed him, but I didn't realize that he was ready from the start. Moreover, his approach is completely bogged down. "Today's society, the police, the media, that's how I came here, I was killed."

Alice scratched her head in frustration. Her black hair was as shiny as ever, but she didn't hesitate to spoil that shine. This may be because it is VR. In fact, she never exhibited such behavior.

"So, I didn't know that Genesis and Machiri worked under Hannibal's instructions from the very beginning. Perhaps, but he must have heard about us and the world through Genesis and Marchi. ”

"He also created a digital drug."

"There's no doubt about it, that guy can even make something like that, but maybe it's a matter of course. He has also hijacked the system of this game, and he is hacking the police and the media in this Japanese society. Digital drugs. I'm guessing it's just a naïve thing to do to develop. ”

Only Hannibal and his subordinate Mahabal managed to crack the police, the media, and public broadcasting. There have been no other successful confirmed cases of cyber terrorists. This is why Hannibal and Mahabal are such unique disasters.

From Hannibal's point of view, it was easy to create the digital medicine used by Genesis and Marchiri.

"So, Hannibal turned Machiri into a monster and attacked you. What stopped the Marchi, however, was "

Kirito stopped Alice from talking.

"It's lucky. Luckily, he should have died in SAo a long time ago. \"

Kirito still can't believe what happened. Yuki, who was supposed to die, only survived in the virtual world and came to stop him. Sometimes I still wonder if what happened at the time was just a dream I had.

However, the statements of her friends who claim to have seen Yuki, as well as her own statements, deny this. Alice rests her finger on her chin as she speaks.

"Possibly, but as I said before. Someone retrieved the data from the Nerve Gear and rescued her, bringing her back to life. This definitely requires human intervention, so there is no such thing. "It's a natural phenomenon. We should think that someone brought Yuki back to life. ”

"Who's that? It can't be Hannibal, right? After all, Hannibal controls Machiri and lets him do whatever he wantsIf Hannibal revives Yuki, then Hannibal can force Maqiri to stop Yuki. Isn't it? "Is that so?"

Shino's doubts are very reasonable. If Hannibal resurrects Thatch, then in the end Hannibal himself does something that causes his plan to fail. Fortunately, he was resurrected and prevented from carrying out his plan.

Alice answered the question.

"I also thought about it a lot, but from what I heard from the children, I learned that Hannibal, who was killed in ALo, was actually a stand-in for Sugo Senpai, who was transformed into a 'web anime'. I heard that I picked up the 'Anima Box Signal'. Hannibal was the one who brought Yuki back to life, apparently using the 'Anima box' technique to create the 'Anima'. ”

Kirito is also confused as Shino. "Animalization", "Evolti Anima". Alice came out of her mouth words that I had never heard before. Kirito asks Alice what she means.

"Uh, Alice. What is an animalized or evolutionary anima? \"

Alice let out an "oh", taken aback. He seemed to realize that he had confused me. Alice replied with a wry smile.

"Lilan and Yui, are they cyber lifeforms?"

Alice nodded at Shiina's inquiry.

"Yes, they are all children I have raised, they are all artificial intelligence, generally speaking, they are called AI, but I don't think it should be called AI anymore. That's why I came up with the term 'cyber life'. "Table" to refer to them. Well, this is still a plan, it has not yet been confirmed. ”

Indeed, Yui and Lilan's intelligence has surpassed that of ordinary AI, and it can be said that they have reached a technological singularity. The appropriate classification for these girls is not artificial intelligence, but a new term called cyber lifeforms. Alice may have thought about this, but it seems doubtful that the term "cyber life form" will spread to the public and be established.

There's something in Alice's story that clearly caught my attention.

"Alice, did you get the signal from the Lucky Heart Box? \"

\"That's right. Yui told me that Yuki sent me a heart box signal. The girls looked surprised, but I guess they didn't hear it. \"

That story hasn't been talked about yet. However, it did feel that Yui was strangely surprised by Yuki's appearance at the time. Yuki's appearance was surprising in itself, but I felt as if something even more surprising had happened.

"Why did Yuki give me an Anima box signal? \"

The face of the master of the Anima box maker became a little solemn.

"Perhaps, but it's necessary to resurrect Yuki. Retrieving data from Nerve Gear is great, but it doesn't work directly. It's like needing a console to play game software – just gaming software. It doesn't make sense to have one.

So Hannibal adapted it using the Animabox technology he stole from me. As a result, Yuki obtained a device called "Anima Box" and was resurrected as a cyber lifeform. Isn't that what it means? ”

"Luckily, like Lilan, they are resurrected"

Shino had an incredulous expression on her face. Probably myself. Alice doesn't seem to be lying, though. What Alice said may be true. All this should have been hypothetical, but it is plausible.

"Perhaps, but for Hannibal, even Yuki's movements are in the stage of experimentation and planning. It can be said that the failure of what Marchi did was a big exercise in itself. I guess he allowed Yuki to stop him, and at the same time let him do it. "Let's do it."

"Machiri and Thatch are for Hannibal"

The thought of this makes me angry. I could barely exert enough force with my fists. Machiri is obsessed with retribution and lives only for this purpose. However, it is true that I can see Yuki again, and Yuki can be resurrected. And that sister died to protect the world.

The whole tragedy was a maneuver orchestrated by Hannibal.

"Hannibal, why are you doing this?"

Hearing Kirito's whisper, Alice spread her palms. I agree.

"I don't understand. I thought they were going to attack Japanese society, but they exposed the existence and crimes of anti-social organizations and terrorists hidden in important institutions with the aim of overthrowing the country, and forced them to do so. "He raised the level of secrecy and defense in society and pushed it in a positive direction. That alone was enough, but he indulged Vašak Casals, Genesis and Machiririri. What he did was "different, inconsistent." What are these exercises and experiments for? I really don't understand Hannibal's behavior. ”

As Alice said, I can't understand that there is any reason or purpose for Hannibal's actions. SAo, ALo, and "SAo" send suspected assassins or agents everywhere they go. However, it was never clear why he did this, or what the end result of his plan would be.

At least what we do know is that Hannibal is only halfway through his plan, so there is a good chance that he will be involved with us in the future. Looking at Hannibal's performance in ALo, we believe that Hannibal is dead, that he will not be attacked again, and that the threat has been eliminated.

In fact, it is possible that he continued to be involved with Hannibal or was involved in events involving Hannibal. They are not over the battle with Hannibal. We need to be wary of how Hannibal will attack in the future. The battle against the invisible threat has begun.

Just as Kirito was thinking alone, Alice shouted at him again.

"Worrying too much, though, can be tiring. In the future, I will pay more attention to Hannibal's actions, Kirito-kun. Machiri, but he died after all. \"

Hearing Alice's inquiry, Kirito lowered her head, and Alice seemed to change her mind. After that fight, news broke that a girl was found dead, her brain burned by Nerve Gear. Although her name was not reported, she reportedly played a game installed on Nerve Gear and died after her brain was burned by Nerve Gear.

That must be true, and I still vividly remember the pain in my heart when I saw the news. However, Kirito later found out that the news was a little strange.

Nerve Gear can only kill people who end the game in SAo. It turns out that even if you end the game with other software, the same thing doesn't happen. SAo no longer exists, and even if it did, it would be impossible for Nerve Gear to burn the user's brain with an electromagnetic pulse.

"Why is the real brain burned out by the Nerve Gear?" Isn't Nerve Gear only capable of using EMP attacks in SAo? \"

Alice answered the question. A sad look appeared on his face.

\"Yes\"SAo\". "SAo" is made up of the same core systems and basic procedures as SAo. So, if you want to play "SAo" Gear with Nerve, Nerve Gear is on the side of SAo, mistakenly thinking that the game is over, and starts using EMP attacks, which is surely a blind spot for the makers of SAo, and in any case, Nerve Gear is completely controlled by Gear. Government. It was recovered. I never thought anyone would play SAo with Nerve Gear. ”

In fact, the demonic machine Nervgear, built by the former Argus, is currently being recycled by the government. I later learned that the claim that they were scrapped was a false cover story and that they were actually stored in government-controlled facilities. The development team and management of "SAo", including "Seven", probably never imagined that "SAo" would be played like this. It is unreasonable to say that we should make assumptions.

And, miraculously, before that, Marchiri had never ended the game with a "SAo" while wearing a Nerve Gear. This can be seen from her terrifying combat prowess.

\"Well, Kirito-kun. I'm guessing you've talked to Yuki. \"

Kirito looked up in surprise. Alice looked at me with a sharp gaze. It's as if he wants to ask me something important, or remind me of what needs to be done.

\"Kirito, what's that? \"

Not only that, but Shino also called me.

That's it. At that time, I spoke to the vanished Yuki - I heard his wishes. Although I haven't told my friends, not even Shiina, until now, the moment has finally come.

"Yes. I was able to have one last conversation with Yuki. \"

"Is this what you can tell us? That being the case, I hope you can tell me your story. I've heard that you've suffered a lot because of this. Even if it's a former psychiatrist, I want you to tell me. "Tell me your story. I can't miss it. ”

Kirito talks with Alice, a former psychiatrist and Shiina's personal doctor. Everything I learned from Yuki and his wishes. Sure enough, he didn't say what Sachi felt for him, but he told him everything he could tell him.

After the story ended, Alice sighed deeply, and Shino kept blinking her eyes.

"I see she doesn't want you to suffer anymore, does she?"

"Yes, Yuki told me. She wants me to stop worrying about [Black Cat on a Moonlit Night] and live my life. So I will love the people I love more and we can be together. "She asked me to stay and then take care of her. With that, she vanished. ”

This is Sachi's wish. I want you to give your former love for yourself to the people you love now, and I want you to continue to do so forever. I still can't forget his voice and face. Don't forget.

I see. I thought you might use a vindictive spirit or two, but it turned out to be unnecessary. So, what are you going to do? Yuki told me and told me to do it. \"

Alice had prepared the answer to this question, and she told Sachi herself. Kirito spoke again, trying to remember the scene.

"I feel like I've finally overcome it, and what I'm going to do is not worry about the black cat on a moonlit night, nor do I have any regrets, but live with the people I live with now." Protect that person with your life. That person is Shino. \"

Shiina's eyes widened slightly. He seemed surprised to hear the news again. Kirito reached out to Shino and took her in his arms.

"I will take luck as one of my cherished memories. Among the people I love, I can say that the person I love is Shino, Shino. I don't want to repeat something like Yuki. That's why I'm ...... I will always protect Shino and grow old with her. No matter how difficult it is, I will support and protect Shino. I will be with you until the end. ”

Kirito said as if deeply engraved in his heart. What do I need to do, what do I need to do for Yuki, and what Yuki wants. He announced all this to important people like Alice and Shina, who should be protected. As soon as the words ended, both of them fell silent, but then Alice spoke.

"Do you know what that means?"

"Huh? Basically, what do you mean by "

Kirito was stunned. How would you summarize what you said? Alice was about to answer when she burst out laughing.

"Kirito-kun will always support and love Shino. Isn't that what you've always done? Isn't that what you're telling us we should do? \"

Hearing this, Kirito let out an "ah". It's good to announce it loudly, but there's nothing special or different about the content, just keep doing what we've been doing so far. It's something I've been doing, so there's no need to announce it out loud. I only realized it now, and an awkward feeling welled up in my chest.

Alice seemed to realize this and burst out laughing. The laughter, though, was gentle, and didn't mean to make fun of or make fun of anyone. After putting it away, Alice turned to me with a calm expression.

That is, all you have to do is keep doing what you've been doing. Just like you've always done, keep up with Shino, continue to be lovers. Even Kazuyuki. You made me do that, so you didn't plan to quit in the first place, right? ”

"Yes. I intend to continue forever. Be with Shino, protect Shina, and become a family. Even if Yuki hadn't told me, I was going to do it. \"

It's safe to say that what Yuki said was a complete coincidence. Even though Yuki said something different at the time, Kirito chose to continue doing what he decided to do. At that time, it was as if Sachi gave me a boost.

After hearing Kirito's declaration again, Alice nodded deeply and turned to face Kirito. He had a gentle smile on his face.

\"It's good. If Yuki's presence doesn't mean you have to give up protecting Shino or giving up being with Shino, that's okay too. If that's the case, I'll probably curse myself deeply. \"Leave Shino in your hands, and blame you for abandoning Shina. \"

"W-curse!?"

Alice, with a calm face, said this, which surprised me. Shino was equally surprised, but eventually Alice laughed again and replied.

"What, kidding? Either way, I'm glad to know that your resolve is unwavering.

Shino. What do you think of Kirito? ”

Kirito turned to face Shino, who was asking a question. There was also a resolute expression on her face.

"I'm like that too. I want to be with Kirito and Kirito forever. As long as we are with Kirito, we can overcome any difficulty, no matter how terrible something happens, as long as we can face it. Kirito together. Kirito is the one I can entrust everything. \"

Shino paused, then spoke again.

"So I want to be stronger than I am now. I want to be stronger so I can protect Kirito who protects me and supports me so that we can face terrible things together. Strong. I want to be the one next to me. "Kirito. ”

I'm not the one to be protected forever, I'm also the one to protect Kirito - Shino \/ Shino did declare so. I'm not going to leave things to Kirito, I'm not going to be protected by Kirito all the time, I'm going to fight with him, fight against him, and support him. Kirito's heart was recognized, and his heart was warm. This is the comfort that Shino gives me.

It is a very important and important thing to protect Shino's mission, which gives me such peace of mind.

I can't help but protect someone who cares so much about me. Even without Yuki's will, Alice laughs softly when Kirito realizes her responsibility again.

"Shiina, you met a very nice person. It all happened by accident, but I'm really happy to have Shino know Kirito. \"

Alice turns to Kirito in a natural way.

\"Kirito-kun, please continue to take care of Shino. You'll support Shino. "If you continue to support me and help me, I will fully support and lend a helping hand. I will give you my full support. ”

Kirito nodded deeply and replied.

\"Yes, please leave it to me. Teacher Alice. \"

When I unconsciously called out her real name, Alice/Airi laughed and said:

"Okay!"

As he spoke, he burst out laughing. Kirito and Shino laughed together, trying to be drawn to the laughter.

Just after the room was filled with laughter, the front door suddenly opened. When everyone turned their heads, they were a little surprised that two girls appeared there. This is Mary and Tier.

"Marie, Tia"

"Oh, my boys, what's wrong?"

Alice said as she followed behind Kirito, and the two quickly walked towards Kirito, and the premiere began.

"Kirito, let's go have a picnic. \"

"Teeth!?"

Marie's mouth seemed to turn into a surprise box. He said it suddenly without saying hello. When all three of us were surprised, Marie continued.

"Kirito, let's go have a picnic. \"

"No, no, wait, why did you suddenly start talking about picnics?"

"I can go on a picnic with everybody, but Tia can't. Let's go on a picnic together. ”

Indeed, I have never had a picnic with Till. Marie enjoyed the last picnic so much that she might want to tell Tia how much fun it was. But it's already eight o'clock, and it's not yet time for a picnic.

Shino would be the first to tell her.

"Marie, you know, the picnic was our noon affair, and now it's evening, and we can't go on a picnic."

"No, we can. It's a starry sky picnic. We had a picnic under the stars, not under the blue sky. The weather right now is the perfect location. ”

Starry Sky Picnic - Seeing such words, Kirito almost fainted. A picnic while gazing at the stars is of course a great idea. I probably came up with this idea because I was talking about the starry sky at the premiere at the time.

What I taught you at that time came back to me in a strange form.

"I see, I thought it was a starlight picnic. But Marie, it's actually camping. ”

After Alice said this, both Marie and Tia's eyes lit up. While they have a clear difference in height and physique, the fact that they are still studying various things has not changed. That's what makes Marie and Tier twins.

Kirito accosted the two with some impatience.

"There's no way the two of us started camping so soon, we haven't even gathered at the beginning, and there are still a lot of people missing, right?"

It was Tia who answered.

"No, everyone is already there. The rest are Kirito, Shino, and Alice coming. \"

"What did you say!?"

Marie and Tier's continuous bombardment continues to surprise me. When I checked my friends list to confirm the authenticity of this statement, I found that all of my friends were indeed logged in, and they were all gathered at the northernmost point of the Jewel Peak Lake Group. But I haven't heard anything like it.

Kirito and Shino must be frustrated, so I wanted to surprise them, so I kept silent. \"

"Ruiran, they told me that this kind of thing is called surprise."

Kirito is surprised by Marie and Tia's explanation. Indeed, he showed signs of frustration with his friends, who sometimes expressed concern. They must have thought of me and planned this starry picnic – should I call it camping? The two of them came to tell us about it.

"Is that so? Does everyone do it? ”

\"yes. Everyone is waiting for Kirito, Shino, and Alice. So please hurry up and set up camp together. \"

When Tia told her to hurry, Alice got up from her chair. His eyes fell on the door of the room.

\"Kirito-kun, you're surrounded by good friends. We can't keep people like that waiting, can we? \"

"Yes. I don't want to keep you waiting. ”

"Then let's hurry up."

Shino followed Alice to her feet and held out her hand.

"In that case, we'll have to go. Let's go camping together, Kirito. \"

Kirito stared at Shino's palm. What I want to do is not to regret what happened to the "Black Cat on a Moonlit Night", but to spend time with my current friends, protect them, and make things happen back then no longer Lilan. Poetry is the most important of these, but everyone's life is equally important and must be protected.

Each person is a life that binds us together. I had no choice but to accept the invitation of such a friend.

Kirito got up from his chair and shook Shino's hand.

"Okay, let's go meet everyone!"

I said it strongly. When everything has passed, when everything can be forgiven, the first big event will begin.

"Beast Tamer Kirito" I came to a deserted building and walked in. The building is larger than the others around and looks impressive. Its size shows the dignity and strength of the company in the headquarters building.

There used to be two students here. It's a man and a woman. Should we add another woman? No, she has nothing to do with it. It's just that I have a close friendship with them, but that doesn't mean I have a direct relationship with them.

Because they are students, they possess amazing abilities and skills that will make you wonder if they are students or children younger than you. Women keep creating amazing things during their tenure and eventually become the right-hand man of men. As soon as I left my job to work in this company, I grew this small company to such a large scale.

The building was built by those men and women. However, there is no electricity or running water there. So wherever you look, it's pitch black, and if you don't have a hand-held light, it's dangerous even underfoot. The once-thriving company is now in ruins.

Of course, he created a machine that no one had ever seen before and no one was able to create. After all, he created and sent the world a demonic machine that took the lives of many people and deprived them of what was most important to them. The company, "Argus", should have disappeared.

I continued through the ruins of Argus and eventually climbed the stairs. After climbing some distance, I came to a door. It is painted with the "Argus" logo. It has weathered and begun to lose its shape, but not yet to the point where it is unrecognizable. I remember it used to be an automatic door, but there was no electricity, of course not. It's ajar, so when I put my hand in and move it, it's easy to slide.

The room was a mess. All the tables, chairs, computers, and other equipment that were supposed to be lined up were removed, leaving the place empty. The air conditioner was loose and the wires were hanging from the ceiling. It's hard to believe that this is a company that once boasted to be able to move society. There are such ruins everywhere.

However, behind that rather spacious room, there was one thing that hadn't been removed. As I got closer, I realized that it was a long device that looked like a supercomputer. The power socket was plugged in all the time, and the whole place was covered in dust.

What used to be a server that managed the data of the demon game created after the two of them taught it changed the face of this society. That's why I visited this ruin.

Servers containing demon games are silent. When they connected the equipment they had brought to the switchboard and started it up, the ruins came back to life. It didn't take long for a startup sound to sound everywhere and the energy started flowing into the server again. Now it's ready to begin.

After checking it out, I booted up the laptop I had brought with me and connected the cable that ran from the laptop to the server. The devil's game has finally awakened again. I shouldn't have woken up, but I had no choice but to do it.

What should I do if I, as the person who taught them, can't do what my students are capable of?

"Kayaba Alice Yuna Yuna"

Tetsuhiro Shigemura starts the server by shouting the name of his former student, culprit and beloved.

"Kirito, what do you think?" Have you already thought about your next move? \"

"Well, now it's okay."

Kiritani, Kiritani and Kiritani are confused. In front of you is a chessboard. Kirito is the one who moves the black pieces, but he has been cornered.

It may have performed well at first, but over time it allowed the white pieces to invade. Black's pawns were also greatly reduced, and the king was barely protected, clearly at a disadvantage.

If it were a normal game, I might be able to come up with a strategy right away, develop a strategy, and actually attack or counterattack, but I'm just not good at chess, Othello, and so on. Whatever you do, you're going to be cornered.

That's why I tend not to play these board games whenever possible, but the other side doesn't always understand. When that happens, you're always going to lose.

How about this? ”

I muttered as I moved the soldier's pawn. Shortly after the round, a beautiful white hand reached for the board and grabbed a white piece. Empress Queen. The queen acted according to the rules, and in the end, even the Black King was attacked at once, and she defeated him one by one.

"The Checkmate King"

The opponent's sentence is over, and a window that says "You lost" appears. I thought it was going well, but it looked like I was going to lose easily. Kirito felt weak and fell lightly on the table.

"Damn, I'm losing again."

"Your board game is really terrible, although you are basically undefeated in VRmmo battles."

When I looked up at her distinctly mocking voice, I saw a girl with long blond hair and scarlet eyes. This is the opponent who moves white in the current chess.

"Lilan, you know this, and want to challenge me to play board games."

The girl named Rilan snorted, "Hmph." ”

"Since you're so bad at board games, I'd like to give you some training."

"No, it's weird."

As I said this, I heard the person on the left laugh. When I turned around, I saw the same girl. He has a well-proportioned face and black-brown half-length hair. His distinguishing features include a white ribbon tied around his face as well as wearing glasses.