Why did Hikigaya save the anime girls in Sword Story?

When Kirito suggested "taking you to meet someone interesting," Silica was stuffing the rock salt cookies she had just bought into her backpack. The girl's slender fingers paused in mid-air, and her honey-colored pupils trembled slightly - this was the third time she had received such an invitation this week.

(But others always have bad ideas)

"Um...is this too much trouble for you?" She subconsciously grabbed her reindeer skin skirt. Ever since Bina was resurrected, the black swordsman would always appear and help her for various reasons. At this moment, the setting sun was shining through the floral curtains in the house, reflecting tiny spots of light on Kirito's body.

"Not at all," Kirito said with a warm smile. He bent his index finger and tapped the tabletop lightly. The metal finger guard made a crisp sound when it collided with the oak tabletop. "Hachiman always said that his tower was as deserted as an ice cellar. He just needs a lively visitor like you."

"Ah...Is that so?" Silica looked at Kirito, her cheeks flushed red and her gaze dodged.

(It’s great to meet Kirito)

Although she was a little uneasy about visiting a stranger's house, her trust in Kirito prevailed.

They were taken to a tower located on the edge of the empty twenty-two-story main block.

"Clang clang~ This is the secret base of our strategy team! Haha, of course this is also a house bought by someone." Kirito scratched his cheek a little embarrassedly, then reached out and brushed away the drooping wisteria flowers.

Just as Silica was about to speak, she was stopped dead in her tracks by a voice floating from the corner of the corridor.

"Kirito, you're thirteen minutes late." A young man wrapped in a dark gray windbreaker leaned against the spiral staircase. Under his messy black hair were a pair of dead fish eyes that looked like they could never wake up.

"Hachiman, the people are here."

"Nice to meet you! I'm Silica!" The girl's beret almost slipped off her head when she bowed ninety degrees.

She hurriedly held down her hat, but heard laughter coming from above her head - the man named Hachiman was pressing his fist against the corner of his mouth, making a "haha" sound.

"Ahem... I heard about Bina." He leaned down to look the blue-feathered dragon at eye level, his fingers gently brushing against Bina's beak. "It must be difficult to transcend life and death and meet again, right?"

"Yes!" Silica suddenly felt a sore nose.

(Although he speaks bluntly and bluntly, he's probably a gentle person...)

"I heard that Mr. Hachiman also helped. Thank you very much."

"Ah—that was mainly Kirito's credit. I didn't do anything big."

"Thank you even so!"

"Oh, oh, I see."

After being brought into the house by Hachiman, Silica excitedly walked around saying "how amazing".

Hachiman seemed pleased to be praised and took the initiative to teach Silica how to use the dagger.

After the instruction, they took Silica to a bath and the three of them went to bed early for tomorrow's hunt.

It seems that tomorrow will be a leveling session for a five-person team. This is the first time that Silica is so looking forward to hunting, and she fell asleep with a relaxed mind.

When Silica saw the assembled members the next day, her heart nearly jumped out of her throat.

"Hey, Heathcliff," Hachiman waved casually, as if the person before him was not the leader of the Blood Alliance Knights but an uncle selling sugar-roasted chestnuts on the street, "I didn't expect you to actually come."

"Thank you for allowing me to participate," the captain said, still as calm as ever, smiling at Hachiman.

Then his eyes swept over Silica, who was cowering behind Kirito. "But bringing newcomers to the front lines... you're truly worthy of being Kirito-kun, right?"

"After all, the more combat power the better."

"But how did it turn out like this?" Kirito, who was completely unaware of the situation, expressed his doubts.

"Well, I originally mentioned it when I applied for leave, but the captain also said that he must participate." Asuna explained a little embarrassedly.

"It's a rare occasion, or perhaps the first time, for Heathcliff to attend such an event."

"No, I just want to relax outside the guild sometimes."

"Ah, it's true that I feel this way sometimes."

The top experts of the rumored strategy team gathered here. Naturally, Silica only knew Kirito and had never even seen the others from a distance.

Heathcliff, leader of the Blood Knights, Asuna "Flash", a famous member of the strategy team, as the deputy leader, and Kirito, the black swordsman.

Although she had only heard of Hachiman's name yesterday, seeing how he could remain calm among this group of people, and considering the short sword skills he demonstrated yesterday, Silica was sure that he must be very powerful.

"So, what's the battle plan for today?" Heathcliff suddenly turned to Kirito who was stealing honey bread.

The black-clad swordsman nearly choked to death on the breadcrumbs: "Ahem... I was originally planning to take Silica to the 55th floor to farm some crystal scorpions..."

(Ahhh! This is simply impossible for me, Kirito-san!)

"How about we go to the front lines with this lineup?" The captain's suggestion made Silica's ears perk up in fear. "Remember, there's still a maze a little further from the town that hasn't been broken through."

"Yes, I think that's all right."

"Then let's choose that place," several people agreed at the same time. After all, the team composed of the strongest few people in SAO is currently invincible.

(Aiya aiya aiya aiya——)

"Silica, we're going to the frontline maze next, so it's okay to relax."

“Yes, yes…”

Of course Silica couldn't refuse.

Although she had seen Kirito fight the Hand of Titan, that was not a real battle at all. Today, Silica witnessed the battle between top players.

When the first wave of Minotaur rushed out from the rear, Silica realized what the "strategy group's rhythm" meant.

The moment Asuna's rapier turned into a pure white meteor and pierced through the monster's throat, Heathcliff's shield had already blocked the second monster's charge route, and Kirito's interpreter directly exploded a cross star at the monster's body weak point.

"Switch to Silica immediately after Kirito attacks. Switch back to Kirito immediately after Silica attacks with all her strength. And don't take your eyes off Silica when Kirito retreats."

"Understood, Silica, three o'clock!" Kirito's low voice woke the stunned girl.

"Yes Yes!"

Bina (01); At the same time that Yiqishouwu+~jiusijiuzhi's healing breath enveloped Asuna, her dagger accurately pierced the monster's knee joint - at the exact angle she had practiced repeatedly during special training last night.

The system notification sounded in her ears, and Silica stared at the experience value progress bar in shock - this was more than ten times faster than when she was soloing the poisonous spider on the 43rd floor.

"Then I'll lure the next wave of enemies."

In the dazzling high-speed battle, Silica's level increased rapidly. During the battle, Hachiman actively taught her short swordsmanship, and the other three also taught her movement and exploration techniques.

"But it's my first time experiencing this, and the familiar is really powerful."

“Thanks to Bina, we can continue fighting!”

Silica instructed Bina to skillfully use her breath to restore HP.

"Well, Silica's instructions were also timely."

"I'm just trying to keep up with everyone, that's all."

Kirito patted the other person's head and said, "Don't be modest. Bina's strength is all yours."

Hearing this, Heathcliff said, "This leveling method is good, but it requires such a strong lineup..."

"Heathcliff, I understand how you feel, but forget about work today."

"Oh, sorry, I'm used to it."

"Go on, are you ready?"

"at any time!"

"Then I attracted the monster."

SAO: Chapter 45: Silica's Meeting Training (2)

In the subsequent battle, when the two-headed flame dog fell to the ground, Silica remained frozen in place, still in the posture of throwing a dagger, the modified tamer suit was still steaming, and Bina was busy combing her frizzy sideburns with her beak.

"Is this... the end?" The girl's voice was filled with tears. The floor boss that had been out of her reach in the past was like a slime in the Novice Village in front of these people.

"After all, we have the captain here," Kirito said, playing with the fallen flame crystal, and suddenly a mischievous smile appeared on his face. "Silica, how about trying to fight the boss alone? We can serve as a backup team~"

"Kirito-kun!" Asuna's scabbard pierced the black-clad swordsman's head with precision. "Don't teach this child bad things!"

On the way back, Silica was caught between four people who were discussing tactics.

She quietly looked at Hachiman's profile, which was framed in gold by the sunset, and suddenly realized that the man's eyes when he was giving orders were very similar to the black cat she had raised in the real world - seemingly lazy, but always able to predict every move of its prey.

Afterwards, everyone went to the ramen restaurant that Kirito discovered.

"This soup... is just boiled salt in water, right?" Hachiman's chopsticks were suspended in the air, and the golden noodles in the bowl were emitting suspicious heat.

The dish known as "Tokyo-style Shoyu Ramen" now exudes a mysterious caramel aroma, shrouding the entire table in an eerie silence - until Kirito suddenly coughs as if choking.

"Surprisingly...refreshing." The leader of the Blood Alliance Knights slowly wiped the corner of his mouth. The ramen in his bowl was not much different from when it was first served.

Everyone had strange expressions on their faces while eating the noodles.

Incidentally, Asuna decided at this time that one day she would make her own miso and soy sauce.

"I've had a change of heart today, thank you."

"Don't be so nervous, Heathcliff."

"Thanks for the guidance, Mr. Heathcliff!"

"Well, take care of yourself too."

"I'm home, how about you guys?"

"I have something to do"

"Is that so? Where are Asuna and Silica?"

"If it's convenient, I'd like to go to Hachiman-kun's house with Silica."

"It doesn't matter. You two are getting close fast."

"After all, there are very few opportunities to meet female gamers."

"This is also the first time I've met someone of Asuna's age, and I want to get closer to her.

"Then I'll go back to my room to rest. You guys can do whatever you want."

After parting with Kirito, the three of them were teleported to the 22nd floor. After arriving home, Hachiman went back to his room to rest as promised, while Asuna and Silica chatted after taking a bath together.

Silica rested her chin on the edge of the pool, watching Bina chasing bubbles in the steam. "How did Sister Asuna..."

"I've had Hachiman-kun from the very beginning. I'm quite lucky in that respect," the Blood Alliance Vice-Leader said with a gentle smile. "Hachiman-kun always claims to be an energy conservationist, but it seems he ended up being my babysitter for a year and a half."

"You two already knew each other?"

"No, at first..."

Asuna evaded the main point in describing their encounter, and Silica listened intently, a look of envy on her face.

"If I had someone like Kirito-san..."

"Silica likes Kirito-kun?" Asuna's eyes sparkled with little stars. The members of the strategy guild found it hard to imagine that the vice-captain who was always decisive in commanding would show such an expression when encountering gossip.

"How should I put it... It's like having a brother."

Silica's face flushed with panic.

"Kirito-kun and Hachiman-kun do give me that feeling."

"Ah, yes! Hachiman-san is very gentle too."

"I used to always rely on others, but later I decided that I couldn't do that anymore, so I joined the Knights of the Blood Alliance. But now I still rely on everyone a lot."

Looking at Asuna's happy expression, Silica felt envious again and secretly decided to become Kirito's helper as soon as possible.

At the same time, the girl remembered the candy that the man stuffed into her pocket at the end of the special training. There was a note on the wrapper with scribbled words saying: When you are scared, think about Bina's body temperature.

When saying goodbye the next morning, Hachiman hesitated for a moment before handing Silica the key to her house.

"Uh... you can take refuge here when you're in danger. It's like insurance," he said, as if explaining something else. "Kirito will eventually make you a permanent NPC anyway."

"Thank you, thank you!"

On the way to the portal, Asuna smiled and said, "You got the key. This means that Hachiman-kun considers you one of his own."

"Really?" Xili San IV Ling's wife Er Si Ba Fu Yue Yika hugged Bina tightly, and the demon's tail was about to leave an afterimage.

"The only people who have the key to this place are me, Kirito-kun, Liz, and Silica. We call this the secret base."

"But if it's not an emergency, please contact him in advance. He is not used to sudden visits." In order to avoid disturbing Hachiman, he explained.

"Understood! 6 (One) Qi Yidu's father's furniture scar group"