What the hell is this movie theater?

"Goal in life?" Tetsuo Shigemura asked, "Besides wanting to be a music singer, does Yuna have any other goals or dreams that you want to achieve?"

"It's the goal I set in SAO." Yuna Shigemura retracted his gaze from the distance and showed a heartfelt smile to his father, "At that time, I was thinking about returning to the real world in the future. You must sit under the cherry blossom trees to enjoy the cherry blossoms, wear a nice yukata to attend the fireworks display, and want to see the real scenery in reality...it doesn’t actually require effort.”

Houzawa Eiji could only speak with guilt in his heart, "Yes, I'm sorry."

"I told you a long time ago, right? Ruiji has never done anything sorry for me, so there is no need to apologize to me... I volunteered to rescue other players with you, and I also volunteered to attract the hatred of monsters. , you don’t need to feel guilty about me.”

"But……"

"Okay, as long as the final result is good, that's fine. If you get too entangled in the process, you will get into trouble, right?" Yuna Shigemura said with a smile, "In these aspects, I am more hopeful. Eiji can learn from Mr. Triga's shamelessness."

At this time, Tetsuo Shigemura suddenly spoke.

"As for the 'Mr. Teliga' you mentioned, I haven't seen a similar existence on the Internet so far, and I haven't found anyone who has any contact with the 'Mr. Teliga' in reality - but this Over the past year, I have collected a lot of urban legends related to it and summarized some of its characteristics."

Only then did Eiji Gozawa raise his head and look at Tetsuo Shigemura, "Urban legend?"

"Well, urban legends," Tetsuo Shigemura nodded, "For example, 'Teliga is an electronic ghost among the players' and 'the out-of-control AI created by Kayaba Akihiko' have obvious characteristics, and they were all mentioned together. Even if he clears the game, he will die with the game."

"Is that so..."

After taking a brief sip, Shigemura Yuna looked back at the dividing line between the sea of ​​flowers and the sky in the distance. He didn't taste the pastry, but he seemed to suddenly return to the time he was still in the game a year ago. last moment.

------------

In February, after the first month, Shigemura Yuuna followed Eiji and participated in the team's rescue.

Because her childhood sweetheart Eiji Gozawa encountered a stealth obstacle in the FNC game during a battle with a group of monsters, which put the entire rescue team's defense line in great danger, so she didn't think much and focused on the [Chanting] she had obtained. With her skills, she attracted the hatred of all monsters to attack her.

The price of this decision is death.

'Mr. Teliga' saved her from Kayaba Akihiko and the God of Death, but she only saw Mr. Teliga's leaving figure and didn't even say thank you to him.

She and Mr. Teliga have never been friends from the beginning to the end, and the number of times they have even spoken is no more than the fingers of one hand. Even if she wants Kirito to ask them to ask him out to thank him, Kirito and others The man shook his head and refused, but Asuna said that he would appear in the central square every night, so it wouldn't be that troublesome.

With this thought in mind, he settled down at the hotel at the beginning of his journey and prepared to wait for Mr. Teliga's arrival.

It's just that the central square was extremely quiet these two nights.

His unexplained absence also made all the players who came to watch the performance unexpected and a little uncomfortable.

It wasn't until the expedition ceremony on the third day that she saw Mr. Teliga, whom she had always wanted to thank. He punched through the crowd with the French stick in his hand, and changed into equipment under everyone's astonishment. , joined the expedition team of the strategy team without any resistance.

In this way, she had a feeling in her heart that something was about to happen.

She didn't even ask Eiji about Mr. Teliga, but ran to the transfer stone tablet, transferred to the initial town on the first floor, took out her harp, and with the inexplicable sadness that emerged in her heart for some reason, Just like what Mr. Teliga had always done in the Beginning Town, she started the performance by singing the only song that Mr. Teliga had truly taught her - "Freesia".

But while she was playing, what sounded in her ears was no longer the sound of her own performance, but a song she had never heard before. When she opened her eyes, what she saw was just garbled code on the game UI interface.

Without thinking much, she abandoned her harp and ran straight to the Black Iron Palace. When she came to the huge obelisk standing in the Black Iron Palace, she stretched out her hand and touched the obelisk. However, the system of the Black Iron Palace was not like It was like other systems that fell into garbled code, but the information of all players recorded in the [Monument of Life] popped up normally.

Although Asuna and the others already knew what Mr. Teliga's game nickname was, Su Hong's game nickname was Chinese - she didn't know how to type in Chinese to query this part of the information, so she could only click on the filter list to prepare. Filter out recently deceased players.

Even during this intensive preparation, there was suddenly an additional visitor to the Black Iron Palace.

That was Argo, who was called [Mouse] by the players. The two looked at each other and explained their reasons for coming to the Black Iron Palace almost at the same time, and then she gave up her position neatly.

Relying on the game friend retrieval system of [Monument of Life] that was still running normally, Argo saw the message of the player with the game nickname [Su Hong] without much effort.

[The Arrival in the Electronics World@Su Hong]

[Died by being defeated by Sky Striker's Access Code Talker brother. ]

"This...what's the matter?"

"Because that's what Yui said to me before she disappeared... She told me that it was the emotional support AI created by Kayaba Akihiko to assist players..."

The complicated look on Argo's face at that time was still unforgettable to her.

"The current errors in the system are due to the destruction, interference and modification of the underlying structure of the Cardinal control system. However, after the Cardinal control system has been impacted, interfered with and modified, the subsystem that can still maintain normal operation is the Black Iron Palace. The [Monument of Life] - she said, the answer I can find must be here."

87. I have been waiting for three years!I just want to wait for an opportunity!

When SAO was breached, the players all quit the game. However, due to the fact that their bodies were inactive for many years in real life, SAO players did not return to normal social life so quickly. Instead, it took several months, half a year, or even It took a year of rehabilitation training to restore the physical fitness that a normal person should have.

Furthermore, because there are quite a few minors in SAO, they have been trapped in the game for nearly a year and three months, and due to the physical rehabilitation period, it is expected that there will be a school specially built for the minor survivors of SAO. time to be built.

During this period of rehabilitation training, Kirito also investigated information about "SAO" on his own.

After Kayaba Akihiko released the news about the death game "SAO" to the outside world, about two hundred players died after their family members removed the NERvGear gaming helmet. The NERvGear gaming helmet has the function of a battery pack. All players trapped in "SAO" 》Players were transferred to hospitals in various places during this period.

Japan officially established an emergency response team for the SAO incident, but it was not until a few months after the start of the game that the corresponding policy was adopted to transfer all SAO players to the same hospital for treatment - just judging from the efficiency of this work , it is completely impossible for SAO players to wait for outside rescue.

Because the store manager took it upon himself to transfer all the AI ​​data of Storea and Yui to the local data of his NERvGear gaming helmet, he is now investigating how to entrust the store manager to his two AIs. ——That is, how the two AIs, Storeya and Yui, restored their proper program operation.

But if they want to continue to live a vivid life, the game itself of complete stealth must be suitable for their survival.

After ARGUS, the production company of "Sword Art Online", exposed the death game scandal, its assets were absorbed by RECT Progress, and the game's servers were also taken over and developed a full stealth game "Alfheim Online".

In fact, it is not impossible to speculate that this game should inherit Kayaba Akihiko's research and technological achievements on virtual reality, but can Kayaba Akihiko's AI and this game share data...

This is still unknown.

"It's obviously a gathering of SAO survivors, but you still have this expression."

Lingyin - Zhike Hongjie came to sit next to Kiritani Kazuto, touched his cheek with the drink in her hand, making him instinctively lean back, and then handed the drink to him. he.

"Still thinking about SAO?"

"After all, the trouble the store manager left me with has not been completely resolved..."

Kiritani Kazuto sighed, but no longer thought about related matters. Instead, he turned sideways from the bar where he was currently and looked behind him - all the players who used to be members of the Blood Alliance Knights were now here.

The shop he is currently in is the shop opened by his friend Agil in real life, and it is also the reason why the players of the No. 40 floor strategy team can gather here.

"The way Yuuki-san and Usagi-san still get along is so aloof..."

"After I returned to reality, I made some inquiries about this matter," Zhike Hongjia whispered into Kiritani Kazuto's ear, "Tuzawa is also a closed beta player like you, but Asuna is not. The two of them They were real friends before they entered the game. After the death game started, Usagi found Asuna and relied on his own game experience to upgrade - but Uzawa believed too much in his experience during the closed beta period, which almost led to him still Asuna, a new player, died in the game."

"Almost?"

"Tuzawa said that in the early stages of the game, Xinka had been trying his best to show the store manager's performance to the closed beta players, explaining to the closed beta players that there was a problem with their game-playing mentality, and even been trying to persuade us, the closed beta players, to The player slows down the pace of the game and takes it step by step, so she keeps an eye on this kind of thing."

"that's true."

In the early days of SAO's server opening, it is an indisputable fact that many players in the closed beta died because of relying too much on their 'closed beta experience' - after understanding that SAO is a death game, almost all the dead in the early stages of SAO were players in the closed beta.

Because 'people who drown are basically people who know how to swim'.

"No wonder their relationship is still inseparable even now..."

"Actually, being able to let Yuki and Tuzawa stay with her is a good explanation, right?" Zhike Hongjia still said in a low voice, "Their relationship may only be separated by a chance."

Kiritani Kazuto said belatedly, "Ah, just like us?"

After hearing this, Zhi Ke Hongjia's face immediately turned red. She raised her hand and lightly hammered his shoulder before standing up and leaving. "I, I'm going to go chat with everyone! If you want to continue to be in a daze here, just be in a daze." !”

Kiritani Kazuto did not expect that his words would cause Zhike Hongjie to react like this. He just awkwardly raised his middle finger and index finger to touch his cheek and thought for a moment before getting up and following Zhike Hongjie.

But he had just followed Zhi Ke Hongjie to sit down at the table where everyone was chatting, and Klein's meaningful teasing voice came out, "The flash bomb is coming! Everyone, be careful to be blinded!"

"The strongest flash bomb here is me now, right? The fact that you can gather here is proof." Agil smiled and helped the embarrassed Kirito and Lingyin, "When I was trapped in the death game of SAO , my beautiful wife did not choose to abandon me, but supported this Dicey Cafe by herself, right?"

"You are so disgusting!" Klein said through gritted teeth, "I have to find a cute girlfriend to blind you!"

"Before that, why don't you change your habit of getting nervous when talking to pretty girls?" Asuna teased Klein with a smile on her face, "Otherwise, you'll be like you were when you first met me. , so nervous that you can’t even speak, right?”

Klein's eyes widened immediately, "Why did the eldest lady from Lianhe City say that!"

Mitt also complained, "Is that because you already have this problem? You are already a mature member working in the company, so does it really not matter if you still have this problem?"

"My job is nothing to do with beautiful girls! So no problem!"

"That's why your problems can't be changed!"

——Kirito held back for a long time and finally found an opportunity to hit Klein's weapon with a critical hit.

88. Keyboard Warrior·Infinite!

The gathering of SAO survivor players came to an end at eight or nine o'clock. After a comrade who fought side by side in the game left for various reasons, Al, who was not very active in this gathering, Ge Ye finally excused himself by saying that he had something to do in the evening, and then left the Dicey Cafe in Agil.

"I'm going to see Argo off."

After Kirito simply said this to the others, he chased after Argo who left the store, and Argo turned sideways and looked at him while listening to the footsteps.

"Tongzi? Do you have anything else to do?"

"Ah, I still have something to tell you," Kirito came to Argo's side and walked side by side with her. While seeing her off, he brought up the topic he wanted to talk about, "Although we didn't mention the store manager's presence. I told you, but after comparing the list of dead people recorded in the Black Iron Palace, the Countermeasures Department found something was wrong."

"Black Iron Palace?"

"Because RECT Progress inherited the technological achievements and equipment of ARGUS, and the original SAO server located under Shibuya was also taken over by RECT Progress, Seijiro Kikuoka of the SAO emergency response team has discovered that SAO's dead players... are actually better than In reality, one more player was killed."

"Anyway, according to the efficiency of the Japanese government, even if it wanted to investigate, there would be no results," Argo raised his hands and held his head, "not to mention that the bastard is already dead."

Kirito stopped, and Argo also stopped and turned to look at Kirito. He also saw the serious look on Kirito's face, "Argo... do you really think the store manager is dead?"

"Probably," Argo curled his lips, "The only player that bastard knew in the Starting Town was a casual player who was about to retire in real life... I talked to him about that bastard."

"How to say?"

"The casual player said that the bastard fished with him before the game ended. They only briefly discussed the topic of ending the game while fishing, but he also guessed that he might have joined the strategy group with the determination to die—— Looking back now, he was prepared to die."

Argo said clearly.

"I guess that bastard thought he couldn't survive, so he acted abnormally two days before he conquered the [-]th floor? So he's probably dead now."

"You think so..."

"Then what do you think?"

"I think Kayaba Akihiko is not dead... the store manager is probably not dead either, it's just that we can't find any trace of them... If the SAO emergency response team finds that the store manager can disrupt the Cardinal control system, maybe the Japanese government will try Use AI to create military applications..."

Argo looked into Kirito's eyes and thought for a moment before saying, "Science fiction?"

"It's a reality that could happen."

"You don't have to make excuses like this if you want me to be interested in that bastard," Argo shook his head and waved his hand to Kirito, "I don't think there is any need to be interested in that bastard...if he dies. We just need to live well, if he hadn't died, he might have jumped out from somewhere one day."

"Ah...do you really think so?"

"Isn't that the kind of person he is?"

Argo raised his hands to hold the back of his head again.

"He is doing his own thing, deciding to end the game, fighting Kayaba Akihiko, and destroying Cardinal's control system. Maybe one day he will I can't tell if he just jumped out on his own... And after all, why are you so concerned about that bastard? Is he asking you to owe you money?"

"..."

Kirito showed a slightly embarrassed expression, but still sighed and said.

"I just feel... if even those of us who were rescued from SAO by the store manager don't care about the store manager, and only those who have ulterior motives for his existence pay attention to him, the store manager would be too pitiful. ”

"Ah, then you don't have to worry."

Argo finally stopped maintaining his somewhat casual behavior, and seriously put down his hands to tidy up his clothes, and then said to Kirito.

"Because that's what he's for."

"……what are you saying?"

"Not long after Aincrad breached the second floor, Yui suddenly said she wanted to talk to that bastard about something - and then I asked her to chat with that bastard for a while."

"so?"

"As early as that time, he said that he didn't want to establish any solid connections with other people in the game at all, and he didn't care whether he would be remembered by others. Or rather, he would be hated, hated and forgotten by others. This kind of thing is more in line with his heart and purpose - he did it on purpose."

"why?"

"Maybe it's just a simple brain problem," Argo spread his hands, "How can you ask me to understand the thoughts of a mental patient?"

"..."

——You are acting more like a store manager now.

Despite this, Kirito still didn't say these words. If he did, he might make Argo angry and steal his pocket money, so he just smiled helplessly.

"Maybe it's like what you said."

"Who knows? After all, he is just a psychopath talking to himself to die. If I really understand the thoughts of a neurotic patient, maybe I will become a neurotic patient. I don't want to become like this."

When Argo turned around and left, Kirito, who was left shaking his head, looked at her leaving back and stretched out his hand, waving to him.

"Ah, let me give you some advice... You'd better eat well, sleep well, live hard, and stop thinking about that bastard."