Why did Hikigaya save the anime girls in Sword Story?

"Retake, retake! This time I have to make Xiaoqi look handsome..."

"Yuigahama-san, you're going to use up the spare film stock."

"What's the big deal? When Xiaoqi wakes up and sees hundreds of failed photos, she might complain, 'Miss Tuanzi's photography skills are still the same!'"

Isshiki suddenly leaned over to the bedside, her fingertips hovering above the boy's messy bangs. "Senior, it's time to trim your hair." She turned to look at Yukino, a mischievous glint in her eyes. "How about a bet: when you wake up, who will complain about Yukino-san's black stockings or my manicure first?"

"I bet he'll say, 'This modern smell of disinfectant is suffocating.'" Yukino said as she secretly wrote down a to-do item on her phone's memo: "Contact the barber."

When Komachi pushed the door open with a laundry basket in her arms, she saw a magical scene: the student council president was applying hand cream to her brother, the current representative was adjusting the angle of the breathing mask, and the senior Yukinoshita, who was known for her coldness and arrogance, was using tweezers to pull out the threads on her brother's white coat one by one.

"Everyone..." Komachi's devil horn hairpin suddenly trembled, "Are you playing a real-life version of the Bishounen DreamWorks?"

"I'm just practicing my service~" Isshiki shook the nail polish, "When the senior wakes up and finds that the manicure is more exquisite than that of the idol, he might be moved to tears."

Yukino coughed lightly and changed the subject: "Komachi-san is running for student council secretary next year?"

"That's right! My goal is to become the youngest in the history of Sobu High..."

"The youngest tyrant?" Yuigahama blurted out a complaint that stunned everyone, and then the laughter that broke out startled the nurse patrolling the corridor.

Xiaoyi Niluyinsan②er⒐②Cheng wiped the tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes and suddenly pulled out four game brochures from her bag. "Would you guys like to try ALO? It allows you to get together in the virtual world."

A few months ago, ARGUS, the company that developed SAO, went bankrupt due to huge debts.

The server management of SAO was transferred to RECTPROGRESS, which launched the next-generation NERvGear, which was sold as absolutely safe, and simultaneously launched the game "ALfheim Online" based on the SAO server copy, abbreviated as ALO.

The fairy wings on the cover reflected rainbow light, and Yukino's fingertips paused on the slogan "Sword Art Online Data Inheritance".

Yuigahama excitedly flipped to the race introduction page: "The wind elf is suitable for Xiaoxue No! The fire elf and Xiaocai are a perfect match! Then I choose the cat demon..."

"Please allow me to refuse." Xueno closed the manual with an especially crisp voice, "Party in the virtual world or something..."

"But Yukino-senpai," Isshiki waved his phone, "Hiratsuka-sensei just emailed me saying she won the limited edition Elf Queen skin."

At this time, there was a knock on the door and a man walked into the ward.

"Oh, everyone is here."

"Mr. Kikuoka, oh ha!"

"Oh, oh ha."

Seijiro Kikuoka is an employee of the Virtual Space Management Division within the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications.

He has visited the ward several times since Hachiman was trapped in SAO and is already familiar with all four of them. Judging from the way he matches Yui's greetings, he has excellent social skills.

"Hello Mr. Kikuoka, any progress?"

Kikuoka took off his glasses and wiped them, but his movements suddenly slowed down. "The only thing I can do now to save Hikigaya-kun is..."

"So, I guess we can only wait for the strategy?" Komachi's voice was so light that it seemed to float.

“I’m sorry I can’t help you.”

"Of course not. I'm grateful enough for the special school you've prepared for my brother upon his return."

Komachi learned from Kikuoka that if Hachiman returns,

The government will set up special schools for the victims, and knowing that Kikuoka has made a lot of efforts for this, he expressed his sincere gratitude.

"This is already the limit... I'm really sorry," Kikuoka Seijiro lowered his eyes and stared at the shaking tea in the cup. The bottom of the ceramic cup made a crisp sound when it hit the glass coffee table.

Yukinoshita Haruno leaned against the armrest of the sofa, her fingertips curling a strand of flaxen hair. "So? You're not just here for tea today, are you?"

"I happened to be in Chiba Prefecture on business," the man in a suit and tie cast his eyes towards the closed door on the second floor.

"Kikuoka-san has been coming to our place so often lately..." Hikigaya Komachi, who was sitting on the single sofa, suddenly leaned forward, the hem of her school uniform sweeping across the edge of the coffee table. "Could it be that he's visited the families of all the trapped players?"

"Well..." The man rubbed his nose with his index finger. "Actually, I only contact players who are considered to have strategic value for clearing the game."

"Strategic value?" The voices of several people unexpectedly overlapped under the light.

"Yes, for example—" Kikuoka pulled out a holographic projector from his briefcase and projected floating data onto the wall. "As of this morning, 52.7% of Aincrad players are still stuck in the starting town, and there are approximately 1200 active players on the 35th floor. As for Hikigaya Hachiman-kun..."

"Where is my brother?" Komachi's knuckles turned white as she clutched the hem of her skirt.

"They should be part of an elite raiding group consisting of about a hundred people. Judging by their rank, they are also among the top organizations."

"My brother is in the top raider group."

"Additional explanation: He is often accompanied by two players."

"Both of you?"

"Yes. One is the highest-ranked male player in SAO.

The other is the previously mentioned female player who has been working together since the beginning. She's a young lady. These three currently occupy the top three of the SAO rankings, with Hachiman-kun in second place.

"She's the same age as Hachiman-kun and a very lovely young lady."

Under everyone's eager questioning, Kikuoka thought awkwardly for a moment and decided to reveal what he could say.

Yuigahama dropped the Polaroid camera in his hand, and the photographic paper slowly revealed everyone's dazed expressions. With a forced smile, he broke off a cotton swab and asked, "How about telling me more about that 'lady'?"

"It's said that in the game, she wears pure white armor and is called 'Shining'. Incidentally, that 'Shining' lady seems to be inseparable from Hikigaya-kun. According to eyewitness reports, there are wives, wives, and children. Someone saw them in the flower fields on the 52nd floor..."

"Flower field?" Isshiki suddenly smiled as she opened a new cotton swab package. "What kind of flower is it? Lavender? Rose? Or..." The plastic wrapping made a teeth-aching sound in her hands. "Ahahaha, well..." Kikuoka sweat visibly seeped out. "Speaking of which, in real life, that young lady is..."

With a "click", Yukino closed the paperback book that she never left behind.

"Hikigaya-kun...please explain it to me when you get back."

"Is Xiaoqi dating that person?"

"Although Komachi basically agrees with the increase in candidates for my brother's bride,

But it’s hard to judge without actually meeting in person this time.”

"That's too much, Komachi! Are you going to betray your future sister-in-law?"

"Isshiki-senpai is probably just a junior with whom I have a close relationship in my brother's heart..."

After Kikuoka finished checking Hachiman's condition, he said goodbye to the four and left.

As the sky grew darker, the few of them said goodbye to Hachiman and went home.

A strange blue light was shining in the study of Yukinoshita's mansion. Yukino returned home and began to investigate ALO's information. The moment her phone suddenly vibrated, she almost spilled her hot cocoa on the keyboard.

The caller ID showed it was her older sister, Haruno. The sisters' relationship had improved a lot since Hachiman was trapped in SAO.

"Yukino-chan, guess where I'm going to start work tomorrow?" Haruno's voice was so sweet it looked like honey. "The clue is...it's about a weird boy trapped in a game, okay?"

Yukinoshita silently moved her phone ten centimeters away. "If it's RECT, then my mother should..."

"Huh?! How did you know!" Yang No's exaggerated exclamation was mixed with the sound of shuffling papers. "Could it be that Yukino has finally awakened to become a psychic? Then can she predict next week's lottery results..."

"Sister," Yukinoshita suddenly interrupted her, "that lady from the Yuuki family..."

"Oh, are you talking about Hina?" Yang No's voice suddenly became serious, "I met her at last year's Christmas dinner, the elegant lady in a pure white dress, but I heard that in the game..."

Yukinoshita unconsciously pressed the Enter key, making a loud noise. "How about in the game?"

"She's called 'Sparkle'~" Haruno's deliberately drawn-out tone made Yukino's hands tremble, "and she's one of the top three female players in the game."

Hearing this, Yukino froze. Aren't the top three female players Hikigaya-kun's...

"What? That child is with Hikigaya-kun? I understand your anxiety, but we can only do our part."

"I'm not anxious...or anything."

Listening to her sister's words, Yukino suddenly came to her senses.

"...Sister, you're asking even though you already know the answer."

"Oh my, after all, our intelligence class is also analyzing the data simultaneously~" The sound of sipping pearl milk tea came from the receiver.

"Why are you telling me this now?"

"Who told Yukino not to answer her sister's calls lately?" she said in a suddenly agitated voice, "Three whole days! The Line message still shows as unread!"

"......Sister"? Is she dead?

"Yukino is so scary! I'll just die now. I have to start preparing for my job at RECT next month."

"Really... Good luck on your job search."

"By the way, Yukino-chan, happy graduation."

"...Thank you in every way."

That night, the LINE group exploded with 99+ messages.

[Current Life Go Die (Issue)]: Emergency meeting! Who is that Flashy Na?!

[Pastry Chef (Yuigahama)]: Could it be an NPC in the game? Like a princess or something...

[Black Long Straight Saigao (Yukino)]: According to Article 5 of Chapter 3 of the ARGUS Employee Handbook, NPCs will not participate in speedrun records.

[Go to hell with the current guy]: Why does Yukino-senpai even have this kind of information?!

[Devil Sister (Komachi)]: Everyone, why don't you log in to SAO now? (Just kidding) You might even run into me~

[System prompt: Saigao has uploaded "SAO Beginner's Guide (Revised Edition).pdf"]

[Pastry Master]: When did Yukino write this?!

[Black long straight Saigao]: Just now

Moonlight cut through the darkness of the room through the blinds. Yukino's laptop screen reflected her slightly red cheeks. The browsing history of "SLO Couple Mission Guide" in the search bar was sealed forever with the pressing of the power button.

SAO: Chapter 42 "Smiling Coffin"

Hachiman leaned against the wooden signpost, his fingertips unconsciously stroking the dagger at his waist. Fifty meters away, beside the stream, Rosalia was polishing a dagger that glowed purple, the blade reflecting an unsettling cold light.

"The next target seems to be that team."

Adjusting the communication crystal hidden in the collar of his cloak, Hachiman glanced at the four-person team that was packing up their camping equipment in the distance.

When his eyes passed by the petite figure holding the baby blue dragon, his pupils involuntarily contracted: "Yeah... Hey Kirito, look, that little one, what is that?"

"Is that... a familiar?" Kirito's voice was interspersed with the rustling of leaves. "Probably a young ice dragon. Tamers of this caliber are rare."

"Come to think of it, I've heard rumors about a player like a dragon tamer. It should be that one. I remember her name was Silica."

From that day on, Hachiman and Kirito began to closely monitor Rosalia, and a few days later they learned that Rosalia had set her sights on a new prey.

It seems that Rosaria intends to stay with the group of dragon trainer Silica for a while.

As the wind whipped through the bushes, Hachiman seemed to smell the faint scent of blood. Rosaria suddenly stood up and walked towards the familiar girl who was sorting her potion bag. Her long dark red hair swayed around her waist with each step, like a venomous snake ready to pounce.

"Shit~" The sweet voice gave Hachiman goosebumps on the back of his neck. "It's better to throw away this low-level recovery potion. I have extra high-level ones here."

The girl took a half step back in panic, and the baby dragon in her arms suddenly let out a sharp cry.

Hachiman clearly saw Rosaria's left hand, hidden behind her back, flash with a blue light, the tool she used—the "Frenzy Dust" that could drive familiars into a frenzy, but in the end, nothing happened.

"I'll monitor that team from now on."

"Then I'll gather intelligence in town."

"Okay, contact me immediately if anything happens."

"clear."

However, the incident happened faster than expected. The next day, something unusual happened. After confirming that Rosalia had emerged from the forest, he immediately contacted Kirito: "Only Silica is missing from the team. 爾意⒊无⒎,'久63爾-峮"

Hachiman momentarily wondered if they were attacked, but except for Silica, the other members didn't seem to be out of the ordinary, so he guessed that they might have been acting alone for some reason.

From time to time, you can see the members stealing glances at Rosaria and looking back worriedly, probably because Rosaria and Silica had a conflict.

(Rosaria did seem to be unhappy with Silica, so Kirito probably went after Silica.)

Hachiman continued to monitor the team.

Shortly after returning to the town, Rosalia saw Kirito and Silica returning from the forest together. After discovering this, she began to harass Silica.

Kirito seemed to have discovered Hachiman's whereabouts. After secretly signaling, he said something to Rosalia, and then disappeared around the corner with Silica.

Hachiman continued to follow Rosalia, waiting for Kirito's contact. Rosalia followed Kirito and his group while muttering to herself.

(Just now I heard her say, "I'm annoyed by the sight of that woman now," deliberately complaining loudly enough for others to hear. She seemed quite annoyed, and her jealousy was even stronger than expected.)