Kazuto and the Night Sky Steel Ranger

by PixelGMS

Kazuto gets poisoned again, and the STL sends him to the future again, but this time his body is taken with him, and he is now 15 due to him being that age during a majority of SAO. Now living with Asuna as his adopted mother, with Kuroyukihime as his sister who hates his guts. Kazuto becomes B-Linker and befriends Haru and friends. KazutoX? Maybe Fuko? HaruXKuroyukihime

A.D. 2026

"Kazuto was poisoned, again?!" Kikuoka cursed, and pointed towards the STL, "If he's patched up, strap him to the STL, we'll put him in…"

Kikuoka was hesitant this time, as recently the STL was showing the 'ghosts' again. Last time this happened, Kazuto claimed to have a battle with someone in a very different landscape than what he was supposed to, and although officially no one believed him, Kikuoka felt that he at least wasn't lying, and might be telling some semblance to the truth.

If that had something to do with the Quantum Computer Core, then he didn't know what could happen this time.

After he was strapped in, Kikuoka turned it on, and suddenly there was a bright flash of light.

Blinded, Kikuoka covered his eyes with his arm. As he noticed the light begin to fade, he blinked several times, and saw something unbelievable.

Kazuto was gone.

A.D. 2047

Asuna Yuuki's POV

40 y/o

Asuna growled in annoyance as she felt her phone rumble in her pocket. Why did she have a phone when she had a Neurolinker, which also worked like a phone? Because it was the phone that Kazuto, no, Kirito had bought her. What she was annoyed about was why someone was calling her on her phone when the only phones used today were in work places, antiques, and wired phones for emergencies. No one actually called them anymore, not even spammers.

Wondering if it might be Suguha, who had problems with her Neuro Linker and kept her own cell phone just in case, she pressed the power button, and typed in the familiar password, 25-21-09, which if translated into English letters, spelled Yui, another person she had lost when Kazuto disappeared. She found that the notification was from… the heart monitor that she connected to Kazuto all those years ago!

"K-Kazuto… Kazuto-kun…" Asuna fell to the ground, tears rolling down her face, as she sobbed in happiness.

"O-Okasan!" Kuroyukihime, Asuna's daughter, shouted in worry as she saw her mother sobbing on the ground.

She then heard why Asuna was sobbing, seeing what she was holding, and said, "Go, I'll make dinner so you can have a big long talk with that boyfriend of yours."

Asuna nodded in thanks, and after wiping her tears, she ran, ran faster than she ever had in the real world. Although her daughter did not, she knew that if Kazuto was to appear anywhere, it was in the old STL research facility that had been moved after his disappearance to test for the reasons behind his disappearance, and to find out where and when he may reappear, if ever. They had determined that he would appear within 5 meters of where he was when he disappeared, and that if he didn't appear within 60 years, he had likely gone into the past or an alternate timeline.

When Asuna eventually reached the facility, after shoving through many many people, she found it locked, which allowed her to sigh in relief as that meant he couldn't have left. She then unlocked the door with a spare key Kikuoka had given her, and rushed upwards

A.D. 2047

Kazuto Kirigaya's PoV

? y/o

Rubbing his head as he stood up, Kazuto blinked a few times as he looked around. The room was fairly big, and if it was the room he thought it was, it seemed both larger, taller, and emptier.

As he was looking around in confusion, a door blasted open, and a lady who looked to be in her later thirties appeared, with chestnut-orange hair, mixed with small amounts of gray, and an attractive figure, for someone of her age.

Seeing her resemblance to Asuna, Kazuto instinctively checked his body, and found that he definitely wasn't in his late thirties.

Sighing in relief, he asked, "Uhm, hey, where am I? Err, also, what's the date? And, who are you?"

"You are in the old experimental facility of Rath, today is November 17th of 2047 (Random date, not when this links in with the story), and I'm Yuuki Asuna."

Kazuto looked blankly at her for a few moments, then let out a small chuckle, "You're pulling my legs. If it was 2047 then I'd be nearly 40 years old!"

"Yeah, you're right Kazuto-kun, and to me it looks like you're 15. Two years younger than when you disappeared."

Kazuto, who had a panic stricken face, suddenly pulled out his cellphone and looked at the reflection. He was, indeed, 15 years old.

Suddenly, Yui appeared on his phone, and spoke, "The lady… Mama, isn't lying. Or, at least, it doesn't sound like it, and what I found on the internet seems to point in that direction…"

"Yui…" The lady seemingly in the late 30's began to tear up as she said the name wistfully.

After she calmed down, she said, "I'm sorry Kazuto-kun, but we're going to have to break up…"

Kazuto only nodded solemnly, but Yui was crying quite a bit, but she seemed to understand.

Kazuto, who was taking this all rather well, likely from the fact that he was used to unexpected circumstances, as he had been unknowingly put in a fantasy world before, sat down and rested his head in his hand, and sighed, "We're going to have to think of a cover story, even if Kikuoka-san or someone can create a file for me, I have no where to stay and I have no history or knowledge of the current era. It'd be found out that there is something suspicious about me quite quickly."

After a moment where Asuna seemed to typing at nothingness, she said, "I contacted Kikuoka-san, he's arranging for a while to be made. From now on you're Kazuto's son, and you're going to be adopted by me or Suguha, your choice."

"You." Kazuto decided, as much for his sake as Yui's.

After typing a little more into the air, she said, "From now on you're my adopted son who had amnesia. Kikuoka-san's going to tell Ryoutarou-san, Shino, Suguha, Rika, Keiko, Andrew, and Alice about how you're really Kazuto. Do you have a preference for your first name?"

"Well, I want to be able to remember the name, but Kirito isn't a real Japanese name… so something similar to either Kazuto or Kirito… How about Kazutoki? Then I can just ask my friends to call me Kazuto for short." Kirito grinned slightly, but it wasn't a happy grin, but a forced one.

Nodding slightly, she then directed a statement towards Yui, "Yui, from now on you need to choose either Kazuto...ki-kun or I as your parent. People would get suspicious if you call Kazutoki-kun, a 15 year old seeming boy, papa, and I, a 40 year old woman, mama."

"F-fourty years old? I thought you were at most 35!" Kazuto stumbled back in shock, though he was slightly exaggerating. He truly thought she was at most 38, but in this case, he wasn't her not to be mad at him, "I suppose I should've done the math, it does seem she's forty years old."

Blushing slightly at the complement, Asuna turned her head away.

Yui, on the other hand, was trying not to cry, but understood the situation. She'd rather take the burden of only having one of her parents as her parent than have her Mama labeled a shotacon (A grown woman who finds minor males to be sexually attractive, or a female pedophile).

Before Yui could make her decision, Kazuto did for her.

"Yui, your Mama hasn't seen you in over twenty years, I think you should call her Mama, and from now on I'll be your Oniisan." Kazuto looked heartbroken, but he made sure Yui wasn't facing him, so she couldn't tell.

"Hai, O-Oniisan." Yui agreed solemnly.

Asuna then piped up, "I'll give you some money, and with Yui's help, you'll go and buy the proper stuff you need for school, including a Neuro Linker, which is the newest generation of VR devices. Since you look 15, you'll go to Umesato Junior High School."

"H-hai." Kazuto agreed, then took the money from her hands.

As Asuna begun to leave, Kazuto asked one more question, "Ahh, my clothing is from 2026, will I look weird outside?"

"Fashion hasn't changed all that much since then." Asuna assured her, "There's been a freeze in the fashion industry ever since 2029, so 2026 fashion should still be more or less fine. Besides, you're just wearing a pair of black jeans, sneakers, and a leather jacket with a plain black t-shirt underneath, so even if the fashion did change, it would still be reasonable."

"Hmm, you're right." Kazuto nodded, and then stopped, and thought, "Was I wearing this when I disappeared? Also, shouldn't I be dead?" He then shook the thoughts away for now. Kikuoka would probably be able to answer them later.

Kazuto then left, waving a hand in farewell to his now ex-girlfriend.

Yui led him to various stores, and at one point he was stopped while trying to buy a Neuro Linker.

"Didn't get one at birth did you?" The clerk asked.

Yui, whose voice he had connected to his ears through an earbud, told him, "Pa- I mean, Oniisan, most people get Neuro Linkers at birth. Say that you did, but it broke."

"Ahh, I had one, but it broke…" Kazuto lied.

"How'd you manage that? They're pretty durable and are worn around the neck." The clerk laughed.

"Say that you don't remember, you have amnesia."

"I- I don't really remember. I kinda got amnesia." Kirito bashfully rubbed his head.

"Oh, sorry kid." The clerk then gave him the Neuro Linker, and in return, Kazuto gave him 40,637 yen.

As he walked around with Yui's help, he was seen by a short and chubby person, a couple years under his supposed age, with dark brown hair, who seemed to be especially shy, as just a moment ago he was blushing like crazy, flopping around. The boy then pointed him out to his friends, an attractive long brown haired girl around 16 years old, a tall thirteen year old boy with short brown hair swept in each direction, and a cute thirteen year old girl with short brown hair and a cat mask on the side of her head.

"Crap! I don't know anyone this young in the city, so why am I being followed? Is it because I'm in their pier group? Is it because I'm dressed in all black? Is it because I bought a uniform for their school?" Kazuto theorized, as with a poker face he walked away as if he didn't notice them.

"Yui, did I do something suspicious?" Kazuto hissed into his phone.

"No, I don't believe so. And no one really knows about Kirito, and even if they did, you'd need to be insane to make a connection between you and him without knowing you personally!" Yui answered, just as stumped as he was.

Kazuto continued to walk away casually, when he was stopped by the short boy.

Kazuto turned around, looked down at the young boy, and decided it was best to be nice so as to prevent people from looking into his background to harass him.

"Uh, sorry, what can I help you with kid?" Kirito asked, thinking the power was 12 or thirteen years old.

"Uh, sorry to bother you, but you wouldn't happen to be Kirito, would you?" The boy asked.

"How does he know that name?" Kazuto wondered, shocked, but, kept up his poker face as best he could, "Kid, that isn't even a name."

"Ahh, it's a name for an online video game." The kid replied.

"Sorry, I kind of have amnesia, although I'll admit the name sounds familiar, I can't say whether or not it's mine." Kazuto shrugged, then asked politely, "Is that all?"

"Uhm, yes..." The kid nodded, seemingly embarrassed.

"Wait Haru, it seems this kid is going to our school, we should at least greet ourselves." The other boy in his group said, then put out his hand for Kazuto, and greeted himself, "I'm Takuma, nice to meet you. I'm thirteen years old."

Kazuto shook his hand and said, "Likewise, I'm Kazutoki, but you can just call me Kazuto for short. I'm fifteen years old."

The other three then greeted themselves. The short boy was actually thirteen, and was named Haruyuki, the cute girl was also 13, named Chiyuri, and the last one was 16, named Fuko.

"We also have another friend who's usually with us, but she's apparently having f-f-f-fa-f-f-fa-fa P-personal problems! at the moment." Haru added, seemingly excited when he was talking about this Kuroyukihime.

"Oooh, it looks like someone has a crush." Kazuto teased, snickering slightly.

Haru looked down and blushed deeply.

"Well, I'll see you all at school. I should be going to my new house soon…" Kazuto said, trailing off at the end when he realized he didn't even know the address.

"Just moved?" Takuma asked, a small smile on his face.

"Ahh, no, the amnesia." Kazuto reminded them, which made Takuma looked a little guilty, "My father's old acquaintance adopted me, and now I'm living with her. But when I woke up with amnesia, she only gave me an old cellphone, some money, and a list of things to buy."

Kazuto sighed, completely exasperated. He then suddenly got an idea, and went onto his phone, "Hey, Yui, can you hack around and see if you can find Asuna… obasan's address and or phone number?"

The four people who just met him gave him a weird look, and said, "Uhm… that's kind of illegal?" and, "You have amnesia yet you have someone who'll just hack for you on speed dial?"

"Uhm, if we end up becoming friends, I'll explain it to you." Kazuto waved them off, concentrating on the phone.

Other than Haruyuki, the group that had stopped him walked away, but Haru stayed.

"Do you need something?" Kirito gave a sideward glance at the boy, no longer using a polite tone, but not necessarily using a rude one. It was more indifferent.

"Ahh, I was wondering why you don't have a Neuro Linker." The short boy explained.

"Oh, mine probably broke before I got amnesia." Kazuto shrugged the question off casually.

Haru eyed him suspiciously, "He's hard to read… but if he is Kirito then I don't think he'd go to the school to do something to me, and if the amnesia was caused by losing all his burst points… no, I don't think he was a burst linker. He didn't have a burst avatar. It was likely a glitch or something. Besides, a person that good… especially with an avatar all in black… I'd have heard about him. And even if that was the case, there is no way he'd lose all his points, he was as strong as Kuroyukihime after all. I would've lost, no question about it, if he knew of my flying ability, and even so, it ended in a draw in which I probably would've lost had it continued. Hmm… I probably don't have to worry, but I'll be wary around him." He decided, then bid farewell, "Seya."

Kazuto waved in a way that was somewhat popular during the 2010s and 2020s in some areas, just by simply raising his hand rather than truly waving.

After Yui got him to Asuna's residence

It was the Kirigaya residence… It seemed after Suguha moved out, and Midori, her mom, and Kazuto's aunt, moved to an old person's home, she gave the house to Asuna so she could raise her child.

"So, where will I sleep?" Kazuto asked.

"In your old room. I made sure it was untouched in case you ever reappeared." Asuna explained.

"Ahh, and how're you going to explain this to your child?" Kazuto wondered out loud.

"Ahh, well, I'll tell her that he died, and that you happened to bring the heart monitor with you when, let's say… Suguha, as she was recently abroad, brought you to Tokyo."

"Hai." Kazuto nodded in agreement with the story, then asked, "What's your daughter's name?"

"Kuroyukihime." Asuna answered, "Kuro after you (Kuro basically means crow black), yuki after me, and hime was my now ex-husband's choice."

"Oh… Well, shall we enter?" Kazuto asked, a little anxious.

Asuna nodded, then showed him in.

When he entered there was a fourteen year old girl with straight long black hair and hazel eyes like Asuna scowling at him.

In front of him, Asuna let out a small exasperated sigh, and growled, "Be nice. This kid would be your step-brother (I think that's the right word) if… if… if Kirigaya didn't disappear…"

"So? Where did Kirigaya-san disappear to? If you found his son you must know where he is, right?" Kuroyuki snapped bitterly.

"Dead." I lied, keeping a calm facade, though I was in fact in cold rage for someone being so rude to Asuna, even if it was her own daughter, "Murdered to be exact. He wasn't exactly liked by the red players of Sword Art Online, nor their families. Though, I really don't know anything about that, having amnesia and all. But Suguha-Obachan told me when I first woke up."

Kuroyuki turned away guiltily, then muttered a quiet, "Sorry." And walked away.

"Ahh, wait, there's another person joining our family." Asuna stopped her, "Yui."

Kuroyuki's darker expression changed to that of a smile, and she turned. Apparently she'd always wanted a younger sister. Kazuto assumed that Asuna had told her about Yui in the past.

Kazuto lifted his phone, and Yui greeted her, "Hello, I'm Yui, former mental health counseling program of SAO, but now I'm Asuna's daughter, and you and Kazutoki-niichan's younger sister. I'm also the first bottom-up AI with no government affiliation. I was born about 24 years ago, but around 20 of those years I was in a sort of stasis."

Yui showed herself as her human avatar, rather than her Pixi one, which made her look like a child between Asuna and Kazuto, which was noticed by Kuroyuki, though replacing Kazuto, who she (supposedly) never met, and didn't know what looked like, with Kazutoki, which made her scowl yet again.

Kuroyukihime then turned around, walking away, still scowling.

"What a pleasant daughter you have…" He mumbled sarcastically.

"She's usually better. I really have no idea what's gotten into her…" Asuna put her hand up to her head, and shook her head, emphasising her not understanding.

"Well, Asuna-Obasan, I'm no parent, but my time in life or death situations has sharpened my instinct. You haven't given her enough attention, now you're taking in another two children. One of which from a boyfriend who supposedly abandoned you from her perspective. To her, I'm just dead weight that both brings you emotional pain, and takes up some of your time that you could be spending with her. The other, she definitely has some type of secret. I can tell. Now, add to the equation the son of a computer geek who knows how to hack, and a bottom-up AI that isn't restricted in the slightest, it is only a matter of time before that secret is exposed. Of course, it is common for only children of her gender and age to want little sisters, so she'll want to get closer to her, and as if Yui does go after her secrets, it'll probably only be by my order. Because of all these, she is directing all her anger at me."

"Sheesh, I wish I had you when I raised her." Asuna pouted slightly, then for show, in case Kuroyuki was listening, Asuna told Kazuto the directions to his room, and handed him the keys. She also told him where the closet was so he could get a dust cloth and such to clean his room.

After getting those supplies, he went to his room, finding it nearly just how it was when he last left it, though much dustier, and without any of the trash he left out. After he finished cleaning the room, he set his computer back up, and looked around online.

With this he got a general overview of the events that had happened in the last 21 years, which he hoped would help him a lot.

He also set up his Neuro Linker, with Yui's help, and tested it a little. He had Yui remake his Underworld avatar, which was more or less his twenty year old body. He knew that people would find it weird, but he was used to being in that body while in the virtual world, and no sane man would jump to the conclusion that he was a time traveler just from that. Nor would they know he de-aged.

After he set everything up, and it was nearing 10 P.M., Asuna entered to ask him a question.

"Kazutoki-kun, would you like to join the computer or engineering club at your school? Or any other club?"

"Hmm… I'll join computer and Kendo, that fine?" Kazuto decided. The main reason he quit Kendo was because of who was teaching him, he didn't really have anything against it.

Asuna looked a little surprised, but just nodded and told him that she'd get him the required stuff by Friday. It was currently Wednesday.

A.D. 2047

Kazutoki (Shortened to Kazuto) Kirigaya's PoV

15 y/o Physically, 17 chronologically, 20 mentally

School

"I'm Kazutoki Kirigaya, Kazuto for short, I enjoy swordfighting, technology, and I have retrograde amnesia. I hope you'll take care of me. Thank you." Kazuto greeted himself.

The whole 3rd year (Eighth grade) class were murmuring in their seats, besides Kuroyukihime who was just sitting there scowling at him. This made even more people murmur, to Kazuto's annoyance, and seemed to give him a negative impression.

"He must be a pervert." One student muttered.

"Yeah. Must be." Another agreed.

As he sat down, as far from Kuroyukihime as possible, which only increased the murmurs, the class began.

First class was math.

Kazuto was good at math, even despite the fact he'd been stuck in another world for 3 years, as he did have special lessons in each subject afterwards. And this was even more the case when the math being taught was multiple years below his level. Kazuto ended up raising his hand for the first question, which the teacher didn't expect them to be able to do without paper and pencil, which Kazuto did.

"What is the standard form of 2(5x-3)(2x^2+9)-3?"

"'(10x-6)(2x^2+9)-3, 20x^3+90x-12x^2-54-3...'" Kazuto raised his hand, and after being called on, "20x^3-12x^2+90x-57!"

[Author's Note: The 'Italics' is him whispering to himself.]

The teacher instinctively started to answer, "Wro-" then he stopped for a moment, looked towards the ceiling as if concentrating, looked at the paper in his hand, which Kazuto assumed was an answer key, "Kirigaya-kun, please repeat your answer."

After trying to recall for a moment, he repeated, "20x^3-12x^2+90x-57."

"Ooh, looks like Hime-san has competition for the brightest student in class!" A student whispered a little too loudly.

"Yeah, and take a look at her face, she's completely stunned as well," Another student snickered.

Currently, Kuroyukihime was confirming that indeed, Kazutoki did not have Brain Burst installed, and was now thinking, "Does he have a chip?"

Kazuto continued to get perfects on everything, doing it quicker than anyone else, except for a couple times where Kuroyuki used Burst Link, which seemed to stun Kazuto, dissuading her from thinking he was a Burst Linker.

"Just who IS he?" Kuroyuki growled silently, scowling to herself, "I can tell he has some secret, a big one at that, but what is it, and does it have to do with his intelligence? Does he really have amnesia?"

Next class was History.

Kazuto was silent all of class, and when he was called on, for a rather simple question about the 2032 and 2036 elections in America (Most influential American elections in world history), Kazuto looked away, blushing, and muttered, "Ahh, I don't know."

The people who had been admiring his intellect the class before, were now putting their hands in their heads, giggling.

"H-how do you not know something as simple as that?" A student snickered.

"Amnesia. Retrograde amnesia negatively affects Episodic memory, which includes stuff like history." Kazuto shrugged, still blushing slightly, though trying to hide it.

The people who had been laughing at him not moments ago, looked away guiltily, except a few who still laughed.

"Kirigaya-kun, from now on on Saturday afternoons you are to report here for extra lessons."

"Yessir." Kazuto nodded, knowing it was necessary.

"After the test tomorrow, which Kirigaya-kun will be excused from, we will begin the Sword Art Online unit."

"Hmm, Kazutoki-san seems to be unusually uninterested in that subject, for someone whose dad was a part of the incident." Kuroyukihime noted, "In fact, it looks like he's dreading it."

Lunch

After locating the roof, Kazuto began to walk for the corner, but then he saw three of the four people he met yesterday, so walked over to them instead.

"Ahh, Chiyuri-kun, Haruyuki-kun, and Takuma-kun, correct?" Kazuto asked as he began to sit down next to them, "Fine if I sit here?"

They all nodded, having already stuffed their faces with food.

Kazuto opened his lunch box in anticipation, remembering the lunch boxes Asuna used to make him, but found only store bought food.

"Tche, looks like I'm gonna have to learn to cook…" Kazuto looked down at his food, "Technology has already gotten to the point where completely sentient AI exists, yet they don't yet have AI who can cook meals. Wasn't it, like, what, over 30 years ago that they predicted that people would be able to 3D print whatever food they wanted within only a few years inside their households?"

"Oh~, so you know that yet not who the American presidents elected in 2032 and 2036 were?" A familiar voice asked from behind him.

Kazuto's face contorted in annoyance, "What do you want Kuroyuki-san?"

"I just want to sit down with my friends, but there seems to be a mannerless boar in the way."

Kazuto looked at Haru, "This lady is that other friend of yours that you seemed to fond of yesterday?"

"Uhm… yes?" Haru nodded, not sure what was happening.

Takuma seemed to understand that the two of them met, and not under the best of circumstances, so he tried to mediate, "Now guys, you two should just calm down."

"No! Thanks to this girl scowling at me all of first class, half the class thinks I'm some sort of pervert who did something to her!" Kazuto growled.

"That's my fault? You provoked me!"

"How? Oh, let me guess, it's because of that, am I right?"

"How clever of you, of course it's that!"

The other three looked at them blankly, and Haru stuttered, "W-what exactly is that anyways?"

"You know how I told you yesterday that my father's old acquaintance adopted me? It just happens to be this person, Kuroyuki's mother." Kazuto explained.

The three of them looked stunned, but Kuroyuki only seemed to get angrier, "First of all, my name is Kuroyukihime, not Kuroyuki. Secondly, your father was not my mother's acquaintance, but her fiance."

"You're the one wrong there. Suguha-Obachan told me that Asuna-Obasan and Tosan were only dating, despite the fact that they had been married in SAO. She also told me that your mother wasn't even allowed to think about an engagement until she secured her future." Kazuto spat back. He then stood up, and left for the corner of the roof, sat down, and ate his store-bought bento, "Also, I knew about the 3-D printing thing, because Suguha complained to me about it on the way to Tokyo."

Meanwhile, as the other three ate in curious silence, Kuroyukihime was fuming in anger.

Kazuto was watching the four with curious eyes. He doubted a school idol like Kuroyuki would hang out with those three without a reason, such as them sharing a secret.

As always, his instinct were right. Well, partly. They shared a secret, but Kuroyuki genuinely liked the three, especially Haru.

He saw the connect their Neuro Linkers with cables, and thinking that they might be talking about the secret they're sharing, Kazuto, guiltily, asked Yui, "Yui, go listen on their conversation if possible. If their secret is none of my business, but something personal, don't tell me and try to forget it, but if it is something dangerous or something I should know, tell me. You used to be a mental health program, so I know you can be trusted with this." Kazuto quietly encouraged her, prompting Yui to reluctantly agree.

Not more than ten seconds later, as the four were unplugging their cables, Yui came back, but now into his Neuro Linker rather than cell phone, and said, "They were using an illegal program. I analyzed the contents, and they remind me of RECT's work. It seems to be a fighting game where time progresses 1000 times the rate of the real world, called Brain Burst. I tried to get a copy, but it wouldn't let me."

"Tell me, are any of them nicknamed Silver Crow in the game?" Kazuto couldn't help ask.

"Yes, Arita Haruyuki-san was." Yui nodded.

"Interesting… get me a copy of the game. Doesn't have to be from them, and, of course, it doesn't have to be legal. Don't mention this to anyone, not even your Mama." Kazuto decided after a few moments, now grinning.

A few moments earlier, Haruyuki turned over to look at Kazuto mouth the words 'Silver Crow'.

"He's a burst linker." Haru suddenly blurted out.

"Huh?" All three of the others, who had all checked for him on their lists, sounded.

"He just muttered my username over there. Silver Crow."

"But earlier he seemed genuinely surprised when I was faster than him in math, and not just the first time… That's it! Yui-chan!" Kuroyuki mentally facepalmed, and then elaborated, "He inherited a personal bottom-up AI from his father, which was once part of SAO's Cardinal system. Since she's so old and has no government affiliation, she has no restrictions. He probably had Yui see what we were doing, and she told him our usernames! He probably also used her to solve all those problems in math! That cheater!"

"That's invading our personal privacy!" Haru looked shocked, not having thought Kazuto was like that.

"How about we ask him?" Takuma suggested.

Agreeing with Takuma, the four stood up, and steeled themselves to confront the mysterious boy.

Next Chapter…

Silver Crow vs Night Sky Steel Ranger