Disclaimer: This chapter has spoilers from SAO: Alicization (Part 1) and a very minor spoiler from SAO light novels but is very minor.
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Kazuto P.O.V
"Kazuto Kirigaya?" A nurse called. I got up from my seat and followed the nurse through a hospital that I was all too familiar with.
This was where not only Shino and Sugu is being kept but the hospital that I, Asuna, and hundreds of other people were kept during the SAO incident. Where I spent months in rehab after I got out of that world. The smell of the hospital still puts a sour taste into my mouth.
First I see Sugu. My aunt has been too busy to visit her daily. Keeping up with multiple jobs to keep up with our income. I promised I would help out each and every way I can once I get out of school since Sugu plans to go to university afterward. It was not a problem for me. It was just me and her in the room.
It was also me in the room when I visited Shino. It was so hard watching her be in the same position I was in just a couple of years ago. About two to be exact. It's just so bizarre. How in the world did this happen again? Wasn't the Amusphere designed so something like SAO doesn't happen again? I internally kept hitting my head trying to come up with some sort of explanation.
(Flashback)
"It's just so weird that happened. GGO usually never have bugged out like that." Sinon said as she drank her water. It was about two days after our battle with some squadron that she is acquainted with. We decided to log back in but avoid the battlefield for a bit despite her cute protests to re-do the fight.
"Yeah. Have you received the recent update patch for the Amusphere and GGO?" I asked. I was just relaxing on the opposite side of her.
"Yeah, I did. 5.07(1) and for GGO 4.151. I got an update for ALO as well but by mistake deleted the email." She said as she looked at me. Our relationship is a unique one, to say the least. Ever since our battle with Death Gun, and Asuna following that, our relationship is nothing else but close. It is something only her and I can truly understand. Only she can understand my fears, my trauma, and I can understand hers. Not just understanding, but a unique connection is between us. It's tough to really bring it into words.
But then something troubled me. "5.07(1)? I just received the 5.07 update for the Amusphere." I questioned. Something bugged me about this small detail. But Sinon shrugged it off.
"C'mon Kirito. Let's do some PVE. There's an accessory for my Hecate that I need and I need more currency to get it." She said eagerly. She quickly got up and left the cafe.
(Flashback ended)
She refused to let me lend her the currency for that silencer. She wanted to get it with her own strength, her own willpower I thought. Even though she says otherwise, I still see sides of Sinon that is very similar to her real-life counterpart. After the Death Gun incident, Sinon and Shino slowly became one person in two different worlds.
Thinking about our short conversation about the update, I started to question it more. Was Shino targeted? If so, who could possibly do it? I would speculate Asuna, but she doesn't have that type of connection. My thoughts were interrupted by two messages on my phone.
' Daddy, something is going on with the World Seed. All the data from the disappeared worlds are now moving rapidly. I am safe' Yui texted
'Mr. Kirigaya, we need to meet. This is urgent revolving around the World Seed. I am bringing Mr.Kikoua with me. I suppose you guys know each other already. We will meet in the cafe.' Dr. Rinko said.
I sighed and got up from my chair and took my leave after softly telling Shino to stay cool. Annoyance started to come to me as I got into my motorcycle and prepare for what Mr.Kikoua had to say to me this time. The last time I spoke to him was right after the Death Gun incident. For some weird reason, he gave Shino the right to sentence her former best friend. I still don't know why he did that, or the reason for most of his actions.
I parked my motorcycle and did a little look around my surroundings before stepping inside the cafe. I spotted Dr. Rinko and Mr. Kikoua and took my place in the table
"Ah, Kazuto! Good to see you all well and healthy." He said with a friendly smile.
"Likewise." I said respectfully but not so sweet. I looked back at Dr. Rinko.
"So with the help of Mr.Kikoua and one of your friends, I gained access to information and the current activity of the World Seed. Things were going as you said, but on further inspection, I realized that the data that is disappearing from the different VR worlds are not totally disappearing. They are migrating, to be more precise, moving into a singular meeting place in the World Seed." Dr. Rinko informed me. "This is all speculation, but it seems like either someone or something is commanding the World Seed to disperse data from different VR worlds and transfer it into a singular place in a cluster."
"And just starting 25 minutes ago, it started going at a very fast pace." Mr. Kikoua finished
"So, you're telling me, in my understanding that is, that the World Seed is essentially combining all the VR worlds into one world. What about Shino, my sister and all of the other VR players?" I asked.
"They are getting sucked into that 'world' as well. Another question is once they are there, what exactly will happen after." Mr. Kikoua thought out loud
That thought made me turn to Dr. Rinko again "Dr. Rinko, I'm sorry for being intrusive. But did Asuna ever mention the situation in the slightest?" I asked
"While Ms. Yuuki was directly connected to the second GGO incident Kazuto, I don't believe she is as connected to this incident as you believe. That same question I asked her if she was connected, she didn't have a complete answer for me. My conversation with Ms.Yuuki was more about a patient I currently have." She says "Mr.Kikoua, we have to talk about that on another time."
Patient? That's right. As soon as the SAO incident was done, Dr. Rinko started working on the Medicubod. But even so, it has already been completed for the consumer used? No that can't be. Maybe she has someone testing the current prototype. But based on the information about the Medicubod that has been released so far, a person must be constantly in the VR world, 24/7. At the current condition of the World Seed though...
"Kazuto, I have found a way for you to join the other players that are stuck in the World Seed without you being in any danger as well. With the technology we have at RATH, you can use a more upgraded version of the Amusphere, log in and see what's going on. We have authorized access to the World Seed, so we can see what's going on as well." Mr.Kikoua. It's the first time he has offer to help me with anything since the SAO incident. But I know how he works.
"And what's in it for you?" I ask
"Once everything is settled, you can help me with a certain Project. A project that once you know the details, you will be invested in as well." He said with a smile. Dr. Rinko seemed to know what he was talking about but wasn't on the same page as him.
"Okay." I replied.
Minutes later I bid my farewell from the two scientists after agreeing to meet in two weeks. I got on my motorcycle and drove back towards the direction of home, my head filled just like the day Asuna got released.
As I wait for the day I go to the Ocean Turtle comes, my next task will be to find that tester of the Medicubod. The best place wouldn't be to find them in the real world but in the virtual world. But they can be in any world. I'll be lucky if they are in GGO or ALO. I thought. My mind started to go back to Asuna and her connection to the tester. And then it hit me.
It's only a hunch, but I have to find Yuuki again.
YOU ARE READING
Guns, Swords, and Love 2
FanfictionAbout a year has passed since the terrifying B.O.B tournament. Still logging into virtual worlds, both Kirito and Sinon continue to recover from what happened and possibly forget it too. However, things are not over yet. Things could turn at any mo...
