Abyss of the Shrine Maiden

More Questions, No Answers

The next day, Seldona Laboratory, Vulcanus Citadel

“...And after that, he said nothing?”

“...Yes.”

“That’s… Wow.” Asuna crosses her arms, shaking her head in disbelief. “I… Nothing?”

“Nothing.”

“He didn’t kiss you back?”

“No.”

“He just stood there and...nothing?”

Kirito sighs and slides down with his back against a wall, looking at the two girls and Alice conversing in front of him. “What were you expecting, Asuna?”

“Something! Not nothing!”

“Yes, you expected this from the boy who was with her for two years and did nothing. The best he did was give her some flowers. Anything I’m missing, Klein?”

Klein ponders on the subject. “Hmm… You did buy Asuna a house, got a child, a ring, a future, and several headaches. But you’ve never sacrificed your life for her, not to the extent Jaymes has for Koharu nor the number of times. Actually, did you ever sacrifice your life for Asuna at all in Sword Art Online?”

“Kuradeel, yes?”

Leafa places her hands on her hips while raising her eyebrow at her brother. “But didn’t Asuna save you in the end because you were paralyzed trying to save her?”

“...” Kirito gets up on his feet and turns away, muttering something about “technicalities”. Koharu smiles at that and looks to Premiere, who sits quietly in the spot beside where Kirito once was. That’s right, they’re still on the hunt for Tia, and Koharu wants to help as much as possible. There are only seven of them currently, the original five from yesterday plus Leafa and Klein. Jaymes, Sinon, Philia, and Strea will be present in GGO today as representatives of Crimson Squad participate in an in-game event. Silica and Lisbeth are still on the way, and there was no way Koharu would have recounted the previous night’s events in front of Lisbeth (or Sinon, Philia, and god forbid Strea).

“All that matters is that I said my piece. Whatever comes of it, it now rests on him. But for now, I want to help Premiere, and I’m putting all my energy into that.”

Alice nods. “Well said, Koharu. There’s no reason to waste your energy on a scoundrel like Jaymes...or any males in general.”

Klein and Kirito stare at Alice wordlessly.

xxxxxxxxxx

“We’re all here? Then let’s continue forward.” Kirito leads the group through the Grand Cemetary gate to their destination, the sealed entrance to the Blazerock Fortress. Remembering the first time they were here, Koharu keeps her hand on her dagger, expecting the dead to surprise them in an ambush, much like they did to the masked NPC yesterday.

If Cardinal was reading her mind, it gave her exactly what she feared as the gates in front and behind them slam shut, then several graveyard mobs appear. The nine players circle up as the monsters appear, preventing them from running.

“What the… Guess this is the part where we fight!”

“We’re surrounded!”

“Quite the welcoming party we’ve got here.”

“We should split into teams. Keep an eye on your own team, and then lend a hand if you think another team could use backup.” Following Asuna’s instruction, Koharu eyes Asuna, Kirito, Premiere, and Alice. Silently understanding they’re a team (and the other four forming up on their own), they split off back to back but not advancing to attack.