Vol 2 Ch 4 - Expatriation


January 21, 2025

With an inter-school karate tournament in the midst, Mizushima Sakura was hard at work in training and preparing. The last few months were a fiasco, but fortunately, things were slowly turning back to normal.

Clad in full karate sparring gear, she squared up against someone wearing the same gear - Mai, a fellow club member that was a year younger than her.

They were in the middle of sparring, weaving in and out of each other's reach and trying to bait the other to make an ill-timed attack.

Sakura suppressed the urge to nod approvingly. Mai was rough around the edges, but she made up for it with dedication to constant training. She already had the basic concepts down, so all Sakura needed to do was to focus on teaching her on situations beyond that.

Like this one.

Sakura rushed in, boldy getting into Mai's range and letting out a faint towards her opponent's head. Mai flinched, raising her guard. Sakura took the opening and landed a clean hit on her opponent's chest.

The whole exchange happened quickly, but both of them knew that if they were in a real match, the referee would give Sakura a point.

The two broke away, and Sakura relaxed her stance. "You're getting there. All you need is experience. Keep training and keep practicing, but don't forget to reflect and review your matches."

Mai bowed. "Thank you very much, senpai!"

"Alright. Let's take a breather for now." Sakura said before she turned around to get a drink on her bag.

And froze as she saw an unexpected but familiar face.

Her little brother.

Rin handed her a towel and a bottle of Pocari Sweat. "Nice moves."

"Wh...what are you doing here?"

"I came to see how you were doing." He turned to Mai. "My sister over here isn't slacking off and passing responsibilities to you, right?"

"Far from it!" Mai exclaimed with a huff. "Senpai sets the standard for us! She encourages us to train and learn - to strive for the best not just in karate, but also in the way we live!"

Sakura cleared her throat. "That's enough, Mai."

"Heeh…well, that's good to know that she's been doing well…" He muttered before he let out a deep breath and looked at Sakura. "I need to talk to you about something. I'll try to make short, but…"

By his tone, Sakura got the impression that it was something important. "...gotcha. Just let me do some cooldown exercises." She replied.

"Alright."

Sakura took off her protective gear and started stretching. As she did that, she saw that something had caught Rin's attention - a sandbag on the edge of the gym. "Call me when you're done." Rin said before he walked towards the sandbag.

Sakura watched him take a stance and hit it. It was different from karate - instead, it resembled something out of MMA. His attacks as well - aside from punches and kicks, he also used elbow and knee strikes - things that fell by the wayside with regards to contemporary karate - in addition to shoulder tackles and arm shoves. Not only that - He was also darting and blocking as if he was imagining an enemy hitting him back. He was comfortable with his stance, unlike inexperienced people who usually flailed their limbs with no thought for efficiency or accuracy.

Sakura was drawn in, almost forgetting that she should be stretching. Others also stopped what they were doing and observed an unusual sight that was her brother doing MMA moves in an area occupied by karate practitioners.

After a few moments, Rin broke away from the bag. "Whew…" Rin let out a smile and gave a little fist bump before he realized that he was drawing a crowd. "Uh…" His confident stance slowly shrank under their gazes.

Fortunately, Sakura had a way to bail him out. "Rin, I'm done stretching! Let's go!"

"Alright!" He said as he jogged over to her. They exited the gym and walked, with Sakura taking the lead.

Her university, while offering a diverse selection of academic majors, focused mainly on three categories: sports, agriculture, and horticulture. As a result, the surrounding area was filled with beautiful gardens that pleased the eyes and calmed the nerves, but occasionally, one could see groups of people in tracksuits jogging, and the announcements on notice boards encouraged physical and mental well-being through exercise and other healthy living habits.

The two walked, with Rin following her. "So, lemme get this straight." Sakura broke the silence. "You practiced unarmed combat in Sword Art Online, a game full of swords and other cool weapons?"

"Yeah." He replied. "Unarmed combat is perfectly viable in SAO. Makes for a good secondary, especially when you're disarmed."

"I see…so what did you use as your primary?"

"...polearms."

"Really? I'd love to see you with a naginata, then."

"Maybe someday."

They went down a hallway, went up a flight of stairs and stopped at a veranda on the second floor. "Nice place you got here." He remarked.

"Yep, and I'd appreciate it if you keep this a secret."

The veranda provided a view of a vibrant garden, but also the surrounding metropolis. A balanced view of the work borne from nature, and the work borne from humans.

Rin leaned his body and stared at the horizon, engaged at the sight. Sakura posted up right beside him, trying to act like she wasn't observing him. Ever since he woke up and started opening up to them, they were on the lookout for signs of post-traumatic stress. Occasionally, he would stare into space and they needed to call him out, but it didn't take much to catch his attention.

Aside from that, the boy in front of her was undeniably her brother.

Now, onto other matters.

"So...what did you want to talk about?" She finally asked.

Rin looked away and took a deep breath as if steeling himself. After a second, he turned back to her. "Now, don't freak out, but you remember that they gave back my NerveGear a few days ago?" He asked.

"...yeah?" She replied cautiously.

"When I get home...I'm gonna use it to log in to this game." He reached into his jacket and took out what appeared to be a game cover, showing two winged humanoids, their backs to the frame. They were flying up as they looked up at the moon. The words Alfheim Online were written down.

Sakura turned to him and gave him an incredulous glance. "...are you kidding me?! After all of that, you want to go back?!"

"Look - there's some stuff that I need to look at." He tapped at the game cover. "This game and the company that's in charge of this might have a connection as to why some of my friends are still sleeping, even if SAO has been cleared. Besides, when the guys gave me back the NerveGear, they removed the microwave-your-brain functionality, so it's just another AmuSphere."

"Why not contact Kikuouka-san? You don't have to do this. Leave it to the authorities."

"The 'proof' that I have is nowhere near concrete, and even if they believe me, they'll probably take too long with all of the bureaucracy they have to deal with. Since I'm not doing anything at home, I might as well check it out further."

"...do Mom and Dad know this?"

He looked away. "...it'll only be a short time. If I think it's gonna be longer, then I'll tell them."

"..." She crossed her arms and grunted, not pleased with the idea.

"I can tell you're not on board with this plan."

"Yeah, no sh- no kidding."

"You can curse, it's alright. I've done a fair share of that myself in the last two years…" He muttered before he shook his head. "Anyways, what can I do to ease your worries? Aside from not going?"

Sakura glanced at him. As far as she knew him, Rin was the easy-going type - someone who was willing to perform his duties with little to no fuss.

But this time was different. She had sensed it earlier, but it was apparent as his gaze laid on her.

His eyes were brimming with determination and resolve - something that reminded her of their father. Not quite identical, but very similar.

She looked away from him and focused her gaze on the horizon. "The girl that you visited yesterday…you mentioned that her name was Asuna?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Tell me about her. When you mentioned her, the two of you seemed close."

Rin moved beside her, gazing at the horizon himself. "...remember when I stopped calling you Nee-chan?

That came out of left field, but the memory made Sakura chuckle. "Man...that was quite a while ago…you said that it was embarrassing, so you downgraded to Nee-san." Back then, times were simpler. All she had to worry about were her grades and her training. It still ate at her, but not as much as wondering when her brother would wake up, if he would even wake up at all.

He looked away. "Sorry...yeah, Asuna was one of the very first people that I befriended in Sword Art Online. We talked and bickered...fought alongside each other, struggled together...I just...spent a hell of a whole lot of time with her, and even then, for one reason or another, I didn't feel anything romantic for her. Instead of that...I started to see her as an older sister." He looked at her. "One thing led to another, and I call her Nee-chan now."

A pause. "...On the one hand, you can argue that I was replacing you with her. And to be honest, I can't completely refute that claim. But it's so much more than that. It made me remember so much of what the two of us were like when we were kids, and it furthered my desire to get out of SAO." His gaze turned back to the horizon. "And now I'm here...but she's not. And that shit isn't sitting well with me."

"...you know...I've never heard you talk about someone so passionately before." She remarked.

"Well, we didn't always have heart-to-heart talks in the past." He let out a mischievous smile. "But if you're up for it, I've rehearsed a 30-minute pitch on how Keiko is just the best."

"I'll pass for now, if you don't mind." She paused. "...speaking of heart-to-heart, I'm feeling a little jealous, not gonna lie."

"I've been thinking about that, and I've got just the thing. If Asuna's Nee-chan, then I'll just call you Aneki."

"Aneki…" Sakura repeated, her lips curving into a smile.

"You like it?"

"*ahem*" She cleared her throat and nodded. "Asuna, huh...I'd like to meet her someday..."

The two enjoyed a moment of silence. Sakura knew that Rin was waiting for her answer, so she finally spoke up. "Call Mom and Dad."

"I will. I promise."

She shook her head. "Not good enough. Call them right now."

"It's in the middle of the day! What if they're busy?"

"It's you who's calling them. They'll make the time. I won't budge on this."

He opened his mouth to retort, but he bit back his words as he looked down and took a deep breath. He took out his phone and held it close to his face. After a moment, he perked up. "Hi, Dad." He started. "...I'm good. I, uh...is Mom there? I need to talk to the two of you in video. I-it's important- well, not very...um, it's a little important, but it can wai-...you can?...thanks..."

After an exchange of greetings, Rin slowly explained his case. It was clear that he was more hesitant compared to when he talked with Sakura.

When he finished, their parents gave him a hard stare. Rin all but cowered under the scrutiny. "If it were me, that NerveGear would've been turned to scrap. You understand that, right?" Linda said, her terse tone causing Rin to shrink. She then turned to Rinnosuke. "Are you sure that his NerveGear cannot hurt him?"

"If it hadn't, then they wouldn't have given it back. And if it did, I promise that everyone involved in it would pay dearly." Rinnosuke turned back to Rin. "The NerveGear's safe to use, but it would make us feel better if you used something else, like the AmuSphere."

"I know, but…" Rin took a deep breath. "...I feel like part of me hadn't left Sword Art Online. By using the NerveGear to find a way to bring back the ones that were left behind, I'm hoping to get even just a little bit of closure. I know that it's just one piece of electronics to another, and if you want me to use an AmuSpere instead, then I'll do it. But I'm afraid that my feelings wouldn't be fulfilled. "

Their parents once again gave him a stern look, but in contrast to his earlier demeanor, Rin stood firm and stared back. It was something that surprised all of them. Rin's usual response was to cave in to what their parents wanted for him. This was one of the rare instances where he acted otherwise, which spoke volumes of how much this meant to him.

"...you know, it did occur to me that you would be interested in diving back to the virtual world again." Rinnosuke admitted, breaking the silence. "Why else would you have wanted your NerveGear back?"

"...so...you'll allow me?" Rin asked hopefully.

Their parents exchanged glances. Linda still seemed reluctant, but a nod from Rinnosuke made her cave in. She turned back to look at Rin. "On one condition. Tell me more about your lead."

"...it's only a hunch. And aren't the two of you busy over there?"

"we'll do some snooping around on our own. The more info we get, the less time you have to spend on the virtual world."

"Alright." He spent a few more minutes elaborating on the requested topics. "...and that's everything I know right now." He concluded.

"I see...we still have our stuff to do here, so we can't start into it yet." She took a deep breath. "...go do what you have to do."

"...thanks, everyone."

"If you run into any problems, call us immediately."

"I will."

"And don't be late for dinner. Get something nice delivered if the two of you won't have the time to cook."

"Alright."

"And don't forget to brush your teeth and sleep before midnight."

"Mom...yeah. I got it, I got it..."

"...if I find out from Sakura that you're not following this, then I'll have your head. Understand?"

"Yes."

"Good. We have to go now. Just…be careful, alright?"

"I wouldn't be here if I wasn't. I love you guys. Bye."

"We love you, too. Bye."

Their parents waved goodbye, and the call ended.

Rin let out a deep breath. "That went well…" He muttered.

Sakura approached him and wrapped her arms around him. He was startled initially, but soon after, he let out a chuckle and returned the embrace.

"...hey." She started.

"Yeah?"

"..despite the rehab, you're still a bit scrawny, noodle arms."

"And you're as muscular as always, She-Hulk."

"Some people are into that."

"Touche." He snorted. "You stink, though."

"...some people are into that."

"...touche."

After a beat, the two of them chuckled. "...Don't do anything stupid." She muttered.

"I'll try not to." He replied.

They broke away, and Sakura gave him a grin. "Sounds like you've got your work cut out for ya."

"Yup. I'd best be going now."

"Well, go on and get to it."

"Thanks, aneki."


Loading...Complete
Changing Perspective: Riwet


After my talk, I took the bus home. While I was there, I was browsing my phone, scouring the articles on my newsfeed.

What SAO Survivors missed during the two years…the current political and economic hot news...an interesting article arguing the possibility of alternate realities which was backed by credible data…all interesting reads, and they served as good appetizers for the ALO beginner's guide that I found.

After skimming through my news feed, I started reading the guide. Firstly, I had to pick a race. There were nine races offered in ALO, with their own traits, specializations, and drawbacks. I took the time to review them and take out the ones that didn't catch my eye.

After a few moments, I was down to two races - Salamanders and Sylphs. Salamander's racial trait was enhanced overall physical ability, which was compatible with how I played in SAO. They bridge the gap between the races considered Lightweight, which were fast on their feet and capable of doing advanced maneuvers like wall-running, and the races that were designed from the ground up to stand their ground and shrug off any adversity.

However, Salamanders have that jack of all trades, master of none weakness - what they can do, others could do better, with varying orders of magnitude.

In contrast, Sylphs were Lightweight, and give bonuses to stealth, and most importantly, speed - something that I have lacked when comparing myself to my friends. However, Sylphs were specialized in those areas, and would lose to Salamanders in terms of strength and survivability.

As for magic, all races could learn all types of magic, but Salamanders and Sylphs had affinities towards Fire and Wind, respectively - meaning that magic belonging to that type would have fewer prerequisites and bonuses on a handful of things, like Proficiency gain.

What should I do? Should I stick with what I knew, running the risk of being behind the times in this strange, new world? Or should I try being different, opening different pathways but also closing the ones that I'm most comfortable taking?

Hmm…

...

What would Kirito do in this situation?

I guess he's gonna pick Spriggan. Association to the color black and all. He's simple like that. Also, being a Lightweight would amplify his already acrobatic fighting style, though I don't know how much benefit he'd gain from the race having an affinity towards illusion magic.

In this case, I couldn't do that. The race associated with the color blue was Undines. Lightweight and affinity towards healing and support magic were appealing, but they didn't have much to offer in terms of physical strength or speed. Also, I'm not interested in their trait of being very good at underwater combat. Based on my research, all races could augment their underwater combat with magic anyways. They still couldn't reach parity with Undines, but still...

Hm...

Silica-desu, nya! She says with a wink as she did the trademark catgirl pose, with one leg raised and both arms held close to her as her wrists pointed forward. A pair of cat ears twitched alluringly while a tail made a heart shape.

That shit's freaking dangerous.

Keiko's for sure gonna pick Cait Sith because of its affinity towards taming, though, in reality, I'm not sure if Keiko even wants to play another VRMMO after all of that fucking shit.

Regardless, Caits Siths were also out of the question for me. Sure, they were speedy similar to Sylphs, but their racial traits of being the only race capable of taming monsters, and having the best eyesight didn't interest me, either. We've already got Pina, and the enhanced eyesight would mainly suit bow and crossbow mains, which I don't plan to be, though I'm considering having either one as a backup secondary.

But if I choose Cait Sith, I'd be where the catgirls are at. I'd be literally drowning in-

For the love of God. Cease.

Wait, what am I supposed to be doing?

Oh yeah, choosing a race.

After a final moment of deliberation, I chose Salamander. There's no time to try the new tools that I'd get with being a Sylph. I just gotta believe in the past me - the one who fought all 75 Floor Bosses and managed to not die.

When I got home, I researched a bit more before I nodded to myself and looked at the NerveGear. I hooked it up just like two years ago before I laid on the bed and put it on my head.

Well, here goes nothing.

"Link Start!" I shouted.

A familiar sensation rushed over me - a feeling of motion, not unlike the feeling I got when riding a train. Back when I was forcibly logged out, I was too preoccupied with my thoughts that I forgot the feeling. It was noticeably distinct from all forms of non-conventional transport in SAO - which were all reminiscent of an elevator ride - and thus, a welcom-.


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...wut?

What was that? Did something happen?

Well, it's been a while since I linked back into VR. Probably re-acclimation or something like that.

Eventually, the ride ended, and I was greeted by something so very troublesome. One that I usually had to spend quite a bit of time, even though I've faced it countless times in other games.

The fucking character creation screen.

Fortunately, appearances in ALO were randomized, so I don't have to faff about in that aspect.

Please enter your name.

I typed Riwet, hoping that it wasn't taken.

Name accepted. Please pick your race.

I chose Salamander.

Salamander chosen. Your appearance will now be randomiz-

Rand-Ra-Ra- The announcement repeated like a broken record. Uhh…I think the game's glitching. Should I wait, or reset?

You will now be transported to the Salamander's hometown. The announcer continued as if nothing happened. We wish you the best of luck.

My body started glowing, and I closed my eyes. When I opened them, I was falling into a new world. It was a gentle fall, similar to Selene's magic. I read that this was part was scripted, so I just enjoyed the ride.

I could see a city below me - a large collection of buildings made from sandstone, surrounded by a desert. That must be Gattan, the Salamanders' capital city.

However, something unexpected happened. I was frozen mid-air, accompanied by flashes of lightning. Then, I was falling again, but away from the city and at an alarming speed.

In a fit of panic, I completely forgot one of this game's most iconic feature - flight. Instead, I curled my body, crossed my arms in front, and hoped for the best.

"Urk!" I landed hard, dust kicking up as I rolled, and rolled before I skidded to a stop. I laid there for a few moments, processing what the hell just happened to me.

I looked at my HUD. My HP didn't decrease. Strange…

Eventually, I sat up and looked around. It seemed that I was in an oasis in the middle of the desert. The water itself was fairly small - around 2 city blocks - and palm and date trees peppered its surroundings, but other than that, sand and dunes were almost all that I could see. There were mountains in the distance, and Gattan was a bit of a ways away.

Speaking of water, I was curious about my appearance, so I approached it and looked at my face in the reflection.

...what?

I thought they randomized my face.

So why the hell do I still look like myself?

It wasn't a perfect recreation, though. My ears were pointed like a fantasy elf, and my eyes and hair turned deep red. I never dyed my hair IRL, but this wasn't too bad.

Did the error back in Character Creation cause this…? Hm...

I should check my inventory next.

I tried to open my Player Menu, but I couldn't. After a moment of panic, I recalled that, instead of gesturing with the right hand like in SAO, ALO used the left hand.

When I did so, the Player Menu appeared. I noticed the Log Out button and pressed it.

Warning: Logging Out outside of designated Safe Zones will leave your character vulnerable. Are you sure that you want to Log Out?

I let out a relieved smile and pressed No.

Alright. Not stuck here in the virtual world. Sounds good to me.

Moving on.

I selected the Status overview. Hm…Name: Riwet..

Player Level: 95

...what?

Skills…

Wow.

Turns out, it wasn't just my face.

All of my Player Skills transferred over to ALO. Polearms, Knives, Unarmed, Parrying, Improved Constitution…all of them returned.

Wait…is my stuff still here as well?

I clicked to the Inventory tab.

And I let out a grimace.

My inventory was filled with dozens of items with names consisting of a random assortment of numbers, symbols, English letters, and Japanese characters.

I found one that hadn't glitched out, though, and I took it out. It was a Recording Crystal that held all of the photos I took when I was in Aincrad. I turned on view mode, and all of my pictures were still there.

However, other than that item, all were duds. No Caerulus, no Cobalt Cloak, no amulet, and worst of all, no wedding ring.

The last one sucks balls.

Taking all of that into account, I have reached a conclusion.

The 'Riwet' I had made in ALO was not a new Riwet.

The same 'Riwet' from SAO traveled through worlds.

And for one reason or another, I know it's the NerveGear to thank.

Nowhere in ALO did it mention this functionality, and considering my items turned buggy, I was certain that this was not intended.

I'll have to report this to an admin sooner or later, but for now, I should try to lay low and use my this for as long as I could get away with it.

"Urgh." a draft of wind sent sand flying near my face. That snapped out of my reverie as I pulled my hood back.

Right. Time to move. Head back to Gattan, buy some supplies, ask some people, and make my way to the World Tree.

It was night, and the temperature was cool, but I was still in a desert. It's true that there are worse places to be, but it's gonna be hot as hell come morning.

Before I could move, my eyes widened as I realized that I wasn't alone. Two figures silently skulked amongst the trees, one to my left and one in front. I pretended not to notice them as I started walking out of the oasis.

They were good. Even though my Scanning was reasonably high, I could only barely sense them.

To be fair, I probably did make a bit of a ruckus. Someone probably noticed. However, they still kept hidden. Any friendly soul would have called out to me, or at least not conceal their presence.

Be it a monster or player, they weren't friendly. Though if they were, I'd be sure to offer an apology.

Let's get started.

I sprinted towards the figure in front. As I did that, the figure winced back, further revealing their position and form - a hooded player. They drew a knife and held it in a defensive stance.

I feigned a wide haymaker. The figure moved to intercept. With one quick motion, I wrenched their dagger away from them as I pushed their arm slightly to the side, maneuvered behind them, and locked them in a hold, snaking my arm under their armpit while my other hand held the dagger near their neck.

I couldn't help but grin. Looks like I've still got it.

At this point, the other presence had caught up, both their hands holding a longsword that glimmered slightly under the moonlight.

I turned towards them, holding my hostage as a shield. "That's far enough!" I shouted.

I don't know what they want, but it was clear that they were stalking me. The bastard's first reaction was to draw their weapon instead of placating me, so at the very least, I should regard them carefully.

Now, how should I deal with this? I should probably negotiate. Stuff like promising to let them go and stuff. But I've heard that this game rewarded PVP by giving you experience and a chance to get your opponent's item. The knife that I held felt well-made, to be completely honest.

Before I could decide, a voice cut through my thoughts -

"...Riwet-kun?" It came from the figure wielding the longsword.

I froze. "...what?" I asked.

The cloaked figure slowly reached for her hood, stopping halfway. When I nodded, they pulled it down, revealing a brown head of hair, cut in a simple symmetrical medium bob cut with her bangs naturally parted.

I didn't recognize her, but I felt that her voice and hairstyle were familiar.

Before I could say anything, she let out a smile. "You probably don't know the person you're holding...but...it's me, Nairi."

"...what?" I gasped. I almost let the figure I'm grappling go, but I wasn't about to be fooled just yet. "Alright. I'm more than halfway convinced, but I need some more evidence. Tell me something only you know."

After a second, 'Nairi' replied. "Sword Art Online...we first met way back...when I was fairly new to the Knights of the Blood. Our first mission together...didn't end well…" There was a tinge of sadness in her voice.

Man...what the hell's this? I thought that this was a new game that I was in.

So why were so many things the same?

I let out a deep breath and let the hooded person go. "You look a bit different in this game."

"Can't say the same about you." Nairi remarked.

I turned to the hooded person. "Sorry about the roughness."

The hooded person turned to me. Their clothing obscured their body, but from what I could tell, they were slightly smaller than Nairi. They kept their hood up - concealing their upper face, but I could see a smile form. "No harm, no foul. Thanks for reminding me to underestimate no one, even if they were wearing starting gear." They said. They had a high-pitched feminine voice, but I was still not sure, so it was not yet appropriate to assume.

"Good to know." I turned back to Nairi. "So...you spies or something?"

"That's right." Nairi replied.

I should try to get her as an ally for this.

"I want to talk to you about something, but the two of you seem busy. Send a friend request my way, and I'll let the two of you be. I'll look away for old time's sake."

Nairi sent me a friend request, and I accepted. "So you still go by Riwet, huh?"

I let out a smile as I accepted. "Same as you." My smile disappeared as I sensed something. "I can sense people coming. Go hide - properly this time." I let out a smile. "Don't worry - I'll cover for you two."

The two nodded and hunkered down behind some trees. I sat down and stretched.

Their only option was to hide. They'd stick out more if they tried to leave the oasis.

Eventually, two figures came - a man clothed in robes holding a staff, and a woman with a two-handed sword, plate mail breastplate covering her vitals. Both of them had crests on their chests. Official guards?

"Whoa!" I feigned surprise, scrambling to stand up.

The woman stepped forward and raised her hand in a placating manner. "Don't panic. We mean you no harm. We're guard from Gattan, and we just want some questions answered."

"O...okay…" I wonder if these people were buying my acting. "What do you need?"

"Have you seen anyone pass by here? It can be from any race."

"I mean...I thought I saw something disappear on that side." I pointed to a location near Gattan. "It was blurry and it's dark. Sorry."

"It's alright. They were most likely concealing their presence."

"Are spies of that sort common? I haven't played ALO very much."

The girl glanced at me before she shook her head and smiled. "No, this is a special case. Regardless. You can rest easy - this won't affect you or the other new players. We'll make sure of that."

My, how diligent.

I faked a smile. "Thank you for your service!"

She smiled back before the two of them turned to the west and flew away.

When the guards were far enough away, the two emerged from hiding.

"Can I talk to the two of you about something? Preferably somewhere without interference?" I asked. "It can wait after your espionage. I'll just wait here."

"No need. We've already gathered enough data." The hooded figure replied.

"We did?" Nairi asked.

"Yup. Remember in the briefing? They outlined the area of where the guards usually roamed. We're nowhere near that area, and yet, there they were. The fact that there were guards meant that the Salamanders were on higher-than-average alert. And it's not just normal guards, either. Worst case scenario, we have to assume that they know about that."

That, huh? Interesting. "Can't you just make a Salamander character to spy on them, instead of risking your main characters?" I inquired.

"All races have their ways of dealing with those kinds of spies. Also, our main characters are Sylphs, who are masters at stealth...usually."

"I see…"

The hooded figure turned to me. "As for your talk - we have some time, and a safe location. But first…" they turned to Nairi. "Do you trust this person?"

"Yes."

They turned back to me. "Go to that forest on the west. We'll go on ahead, message some people, and wait for you. Sounds good?"

"Okay."

When they left, I summoned a control stick from my inventory. When it appeared and I held it on my hands, four wings sprouted from my back. They were red, translucent and let out sparkling particles as they expanded outward. I took a deep breath and moved the control stick around the way I read it online.

Flight was very intuitive, and I learned the basics with just a bit of practice. The tradeoff was that one of my hands was focused on flight controls. Flying without a control stick would get rid of that issue, but it needed more time investment, so I'll have to make do with what I got.

I made my way to the forest, and landed on the edge before I walked in between the trees. It didn't take long for the two to find me.

They led the way, and I followed them. We huddled up to one of the trees, with the hooded figure keeping watch.

"So...what do you want to talk about?" Nairi asked.

"...I want to get to the top of the World Tree." I replied.

"...alone?"

"Preferably."

"It's impossible alone."

"I know. I've read about that."

Ascending the World Tree was the final Grand Quest given to all races. Only one race can ascend to be Alfs, so there was fierce competition between them.

Also, since there were no consequences in dying, the developers thought it would be fun to turn it into a meat grinder the likes of which even SAO had the mercy to not implement on its victims.

"Then why did you want to talk to me, if you already knew that?"

"Because I want you to know why I'm here."

Keita was one of those who still slept, even though SAO was long gone. Since Nairi was already here, I figured that she would be in on it.

Had I not met her, I would have struck a deal with the Salamanders. Maybe even leverage my skills to aid the Grand Quest. But she deserved to know the circumstances. Also, the two of them lived in ALO for longer, so their advice was sound.

Besides, I could still go back to Gattan. I didn't do anything wrong yet.

Over the next few minutes, I told them why I'm here. "All I have as proof is a picture, so there's a chance that I'm talking out of my ass. But I have no other leads. This could hold the key to figure out why they're still sleeping."

Nairi let out a sigh. "It's a lot to take in…"

"But the part where people flew while they piggybacked each other did happen recently." The hooded person spoke up. "All I knew was that it was a picture of an Alf girl, but the picture was erased from the Internet."

"Yeah. Even the Wayback Machine was no help, which can be indicative of something. Of course, new developments may occur given time, but time is not a luxury that we have." I let out a deep breath. "As of now, I hold no interest in anything other than access to the top of that tree. All I can ask is your input."

Nairi looked torn. I could tell that she believed what I had said, and she wanted to help, but didn't quite know how.

The hooded figure jumped down from their vantage point and faced me before they pulled their hood down. I was greeted by a normal-looking female face - the kind that you'd pass by in a street and not notice. Goes hand-in-hand with being a spy if you think about it.

Her eyes narrowed. "If this is an elaborate trick to betray us, then you'd best quit ALO right now." She warned.

I let out a smile. "I've been called a lot of things, and I've done some shit. But I'm not so monstrous that I'll use my still sleeping friends' name to do that, especially someone as close to Nairi as Keita."

"...right now, you're not playing this game...are you?"

I shook my head. "That can wait for later."

"Was this how you felt when you played Sword Art Online?"

"...pretty much. We get some breathing room here and there, but if you slack off, you die."

Her gaze narrowed. Another beat. Then, her eyes softened. "...since you don't care about ascending as an Alf, I'll give you this offer. If you're willing to turn your back on Salamanders, send Nairi a message two days from now. If everything goes well on our end, us Sylphs would be in contention. I'll invite you in, but you'll have to abandon the Salamanders and join us. If not, then you're free to stick to the Salamanders, as long as you don't do something stupid and burn any bridges."

She didn't seem to be lying, but I didn't have enough information to tell whether her beliefs would deliver or not. "You seem very willing to help someone you've just met." I pointed out.

"I have my reasons, and I'm not yet comfortable enough with you to share them. Just know that I am for your cause."

To the side, Nairi gave her a sympathizing look before she turned to me and nodded. There was something there, no doubt about it, but considering Nairi's guarantee, I saw no need to pry until evidence to the contrary appeared.

I let out a smile. "Thank you, um…I just realized that I didn't get your name. You are…?"

"...Kaze_Strider. Just Kaze's fine." She replied.

"Thank you, Kaze." I let out a deep breath before I turned to Nairi. "...I'm sorry."

"For what?" She asked.

"...first off, why are you here in ALO, even though SAO turned into a big freakin' disaster?"

"...Someone close to me once said video games are made to be enjoyed first and foremost. I...joined ALO to learn what it feels like without the consequences of death hanging upon us."

"And that is exactly why I'm apologizing. I'm dragging SAO's baggage onto this new world. A lot of SAO Survivors wouldn't even think of going back to the virtual world. And for that, I am sorry."

Nairi looked down. "...yes...I admit, this is quite a lot…" She looked up at me. "But I also realize that the fight isn't over yet. Not until every single player still trapped is free. That's what we, the Clearers, stand for, and it's why you're here...right?"

"...you're right." I paused. "So, I think we don't have any more to discuss. You guys are still on the job right?"

"Yes, we are." Nairi answered. The two of them stood up. "...what will you do in the meantime?"

"Lay low and try not to cause any ruckus, keyword being try. You know, the usual. Also, I'm gonna practice flying, and interested in what death in this game feels like, so I'll probably kill myself multiple times to get used to it. "

"..." The two of them gave me a look.

"...what? I'm curious. I can't do that thing in SAO."

"You're...quite the person, aren't you?" Kaze remarked.

"Well, after all of this, let's have a sit-down and I'll tell you some of the...more interesting stuff that I've tried."

She chuckled. "Heh. I'll take you up on that. But for now...it's time to part ways."

The two of them looked at each other and nodded. They unfurled their wings and prepared to fly.

"Riwet." Kaze called. "...good luck to you."

I nodded. "...and you as well. Have a good one."

With that, I watched the two as they lifted into the air and flew away.

Well, back to Gattan.


Loading...Complete


"...and that's everything on my end." I concluded.

"Hm…" I could hear Kirito hum in thought from the other end of the phone call.

"So, let me get this straight," I started, "You're Spriggan, but due to a system error, you're in Swilvane?"

"That's right."

"And Yui's there, too, along with your stuff and skills, just like mine?"

"Yup."

"So it's the NerveGear to thank for this, huh…" It was a little late at night, but I figured Kaz was still awake. We both just finished telling our experiences in ALO.

I let out a deep breath. "Speaking of the NerveGear, how did your family react when you told them?"

"...uhh..." He hummed.

"..."

"Well…'

"...you're not hiding this from them, are you?"

"N-no. I didn't know how long it would be so I wanted to find out how long first. I've heard from our guide that the trip isn't gonna be a quick walk in the park, so I'll tell them soon."

"If you say so. But take too long and you'll be hearing it from me and Yui. Do you understand?"

"Yeah."

"Good."

He let out a sigh. "Now that that's settled...Rin."

"Yeah?"

"When you mentioned allying with the Sylphs vs Salamanders...what do you think, personally?" He asked me.

"Normally, I'd say that I'll follow you in whatever you choose. But since we already have connections with the Sylphs - both new and old - I'd say we throw in our lot with 'em."

"...you're right. I've made friends with the person I met, and I don't want to sour that friendship if I could. But...even taking all of that into account, I still want to go to the World Tree and see it with my own eyes."

"...me too."

We discussed our plan with that in mind. Kirito befriended someone willing to take him there and to the Tree itself. Their route involved going through a cavernous Dungeon called the Legrue Corridor which connected into Alne, the city where the Tree resided. In the middle of the dungeon was Legrue, a neutral mining town.

"Since Legrue's neutral, we can meet each other and party up." I suggested.

"That sounds good."

"Is there anything else we could plan for…?"

"I think that's enough planning. We should call it for the night."

"Right…hey, Kaz."

"Yeah?"

"Hang in there, alright? We'll see Asuna in no time."

"...thanks, Riwet...say…"

"What's up?"

"..."

"...uhh, Kaz? Still there?"

"Yeah, sorry. It's...nothing. I'll see you in Legrue."

"You got it. Goodnight, Kaz."

"Goodnight, Rin."


Chapter End


A/N: Alright. Fairy Dance Arc is officially on.

guest: I don't know about the specifics of the log-out system in SAO. Like, if you can still log out before it got locked, or if it was locked the moment you logged in. It's one of the many unexplored parts of SAO.

In my headcanon (and by extension AWE), the lockout happened around the afternoon. To deceive the players, early in the afternoon, an announcement was made that an update was running. People can still play, but they shouldn't log out.

The ones lucky enough to forcibly log out were probably celebrating on how they dodged that bullet.

totallynotaduck - I'm glad that you like my fic. I hope I can make my spin on Fairy Dance.

In all honesty, out of all of SAO's arcs, I like Fairy Dance the least, by quite the margin. For comparison, my second least liked arc is Alicization, not because I didn't like it, but because that was the part where I caught up with the LN. Back then, I was binge-reading pretty hard, so when I had to wait for new translations, it killed the hype I had. So really, it was not the arc's fault.

Going back on topic - let me explain why I like Fairy Dance the least.

For the longest time, I'm a little peeved that after the Aincrad arc, either Asuna or Kirito got relegated to the sidelines while the other was the focus. It took quite a while for me to change my perspective, but instead of lamenting on the characters that were left out, we should take a look at its benefits on the character that was the focus of the arc. It gave them screentime to grow and develop as characters, and prove that they were able to stand out on their own.

I feel that Fatal Bullet and Mother's Rosario did that well. Fatal Bullet explored Kirito's trauma as well as him overcoming them, while Mother's Rosario shone a light on how much Asuna wanted to look strong in front of Kirito, as well as resolving her issues with her mother.

In contrast, what did Fairy Dance do? They did Asuna dirty by turning her into a damsel in distress while Kazuto is being set up with yet another love interest. The worst part is that even though Kirito was the focus, I felt that he never got to grow as a character in this arc.

It's not all bad though - Kirito brutalizing Oberon was great, and ALO also housed the events in Mother's Rosario.

Yes. Kirito knows that Riwet saved Asuna with the revival item. It was not a secret since Riwet shouted it at the top of his lungs.

No, Kirito hasn't told his family yet. That'll be in the future. I've got a thing planned, and I hope I can pull it off.

I will keep the Kirito transforming into Gleameyes scene intact, but I've made some changes. Kirito was already dominating that fight so just adding Riwet wouldn't make it more exciting.

Finally, the next CH will be delayed. Sorry. Expect it to be released around the first half of May.

Anyways, that's all for now. Thank you very much, and have a good one.