Sword Art Online - Volume 2 - Aincrad (Side Stories)

by Reki Kawahara

  Asuna faced towards Yui, who decided to finish up the rest of the sandwich and was drinking some milk tea with a satisfied look, before speaking.

  “Oh, Yui-chan, let’s go out for a bit in the afternoon.”

  “Go out?”

  Looking straight at Yui’s puzzled face, she paused, wondering how to explain when Kirito cut in.

  “We’re going to look for Yui’s friends.”

  “Friends… What are those?”

  Reacting to that answer, the two instinctively exchanged glances. There were many peculiar traits to Yui’s «syndrome». Rather than merely her mental age receding, it was closer to giving the impression as if bits and pieces of her memory were vanishing.

  In order to improve her condition, it would be best to find her actual guardians… Telling herself that, Asuna faced Yui and answered.

  “Well, friends are the people who are able to help out Yui-chan. Now, let’s get ready.”

  Yui’s expression still showed signs of doubt, but she nodded and got up.

  The white one-piece dress worn by the girl, having short puff sleeves and made from a thin material, looked like it would be cold to go out in during this season, the start of winter. Of course, feeling cold, or perhaps catching a cold, suffering from some damage, things like that do not happen— well, it would be a different story if you were to strip and go to a frigid area, but— The fact that one would usually feel at unease does not change.

  Asuna scrolled through her item list, materializing heavy clothing, one after another, and when she finally found a sweater that suited the girl, she came to a sudden stop.

  Normally, when equipping clothes, one would manipulate the equipment figure from the status window. Cloth, liquids and such soft objects were not very well reproduced in SAO, and thus, rather than an independent, separate object, clothes were treated as a part of the body instead.

  Taken note of Asuna’s hesitation, Kirito questioned Yui.

  “Yui, about your window, can you open it?”

  As expected, the girl tilted her head to the side in complete ignorance.

  “Well then, try moving your finger on your right hand. Like this.”

  Kirito waved his finger, and a purple rectangular window appeared under his hand. Seeing that, Yui mimicked the motion with an unsteady hand, but the window did not open.

  “…As I thought, there’s some kind of system bug. But still, not being able to open your status is just way too serious… You can’t do anything like that.”

  Just as Kirito bit his lips, in that instant. Getting annoyed, Yui, who was waving her finger on her right hand, waved her left hand instead this time. Right at that moment, a glowing purple window was displayed under her hand.

  “It’s out!”

  Above Yui, grinning away with delight, Asuna exchanged glances with Kirito, who was taken aback with surprise. She had no idea what was going on any longer.

  “Yui-chan, let me take a look.”

  Asuna leaned over, and peered into the girl’s window. However, the status was usually hidden to all except the owner, and all she got a glimpse of was a bare, plain screen.

  “Sorry, let me have your hand.”

  Asuna took Yui’s hand in hers, moving her slim index finger, clicking around where she thought the visibility mode button was by intuition.

  Her aim accurate, the features of the screen soon came into sight with a short sound effect. Typically, as stealing a glance into another’s status was considered a heavy breach of etiquette, despite the uncommon circumstances, Asuna tried her best to keep from looking at it and nimbly open only the inventory, but…

  “Wh- What’s with this!?”

  The second she glanced across the top section of the screen, she burst out in astonishment.

  The top screen of the menu window was normally, separated into three areas. The arrangement was such that in the topmost section, the name was shown in English characters along with the long and thin HP and EXP bars, and below that, in the right half, would be the equipment figure, while the left half would be the summary of command buttons. There were countless sample designs to customize with for the icons and such, but the default layout cannot be changed. On the other hand, in the topmost section of Yui’s window, only the strange name display, «Yui-MHCP001» exists, with neither the HP bar nor EXP bar, or even the level display. Although the equipment figure was there, the amount of command buttons was drastically less than usual, with only «Item» and «Option» there.

  Finding Asuna’s freeze fishy, Kirito approached and peeked into the window as well, losing his breath. Yui, not knowing the significance behind the window’s abnormalities herself, looked up at the pair curiously.

  “Is this also… a bug in the system…?”

  Asuna muttered, and a deep groan escaped from Kirito’s throat.

  “For some reason… rather than a bug, it looks more like it was designed in this manner from the very start… Damn, I don’t think I’ve ever been more irritated that there aren’t any GMs around, more than I am today.”

  “Normally, in SAO, there aren’t really any bugs or lag to speak of, so there isn’t really any need for GMs… There’s no point brooding about that issue anymore, I guess…”

  Shrugging her shoulders, Asuna moved Yui’s finger once again, opening up the inventory. Placing the sweater she picked up from the table onto it, the item was stored into the window with a glint of light. Next, she dragged the name of the sweater towards the equipment figure, dropping it there.

  Along with a sound effect resembling that of a bell, Yui’s body was enveloped in particles of light right away, modifying the light-pink sweater into an actual object onto her.

  “Waah…”

  Wearing a sunny expression, Yui stretched out her hands and looked down at her own body. Asuna continued, getting a skirt of a similar color with black tights, red shoes and equipping the items on, one after another, finally having returned the original one-piece dress back to the inventory, she dismissed the window.

  Finished dressing, Yui looked delighted, rubbing her cheek against the fluffy sweater’s texture and pulling on the skirt.

  “Now, let’s get going, then.”

  “Um. Papa, carry.”

  Responding to Yui reaching out with both hands without a care, Kirito shyly gave a wry smile as he lifted the girl’s body up. While doing so, he glanced at Asuna, and spoke.

  “Asuna, just in case, be prepared for battle anytime. We shouldn’t be going out of the city, but… that is the «Army»’s territory, after all…”

  “Hm… It’s best not to let our guard down.”

  With a nod, Asuna checked through her own inventory and walked towards the door together with Kirito. It would be good if the girl’s guardians are found; those really were her honest feelings, but imagining parting with Yui made her feel strangely uncomfortable. They have met for only a single day, but Yui seemed to have completely taken over the tender part of Asuna’s heart.

  It had actually been months since last descending to the first floor, the «Starting City».

  Feeling complex emotions within her, Asuna stood still near the teleport gate’s exit, scouting out the huge plaza and the streets stretching out beyond that.

  Of course, as this is Aincrad’s largest city, comparing the number of facilities essential to adventuring here with those of other cities, there was no competition at all. Prices were generally low, and all sorts of inns can be found here, judging in terms of efficiency, this was a most suitable place to be used as a base town.

  However, if you were to go by Asuna’s contacts, not even a single high level player had stayed in the Starting City all the way until now. The oppression from the «Army» is one of the reasons, but it’s mainly due to the fact that when standing in the central plaza and looking up towards the skies, one cannot help but recall what had happened at that time.

  The start of it all was merely a whim.

  Born through a relationship between a
businessman father and a scholar mother, Asuna— Yuuki Asuna, was raised, subjected to the expectations of her parents from the very time she gained awareness. Both of her parents were people who were mercilessly firm with themselves, while being gentle to Asuna, and due to that, she was afraid of how they would react if she did not live up to their expectations.

  Her brother was probably the same. Both Asuna and her brother had went to the private school chosen by their parents, and without a hitch, constantly retained their excellent results. From the time her brother finally reached the age to be admitted into university and left the house, she existed with nothing on her mind, but solely to live up to her parents’ expectations. Taking up lessons for multiple activities, socializing only with friends approved by her parents, but as she went through life like that, Asuna eventually felt her world shrinking, as though it was steadily deflating. If she continued on this predetermined path— proceeding onwards to the high school and university chosen by her parents, marrying the partner chosen by her parents, she believed she would definitely be trapped within an extraordinarily hard shell, even smaller than she was then, and be forever unable to escape from it; these were the fears she had always suffered from.

  That’s why, when her brother was employed by the company managed by her father and came back home, speaking so spiritedly with a NERvGear and copy of SAO that he gotten through his connections, about what would become the world’s first «VRMMO», that even Asuna who had not touched a television console game before, felt a minor trace of interest about that strange new world.

  Of course, if her brother were to use it within his own room, she probably would have soon forgotten and not bothered about things such as the NERvGear. However, thanks to bad timing, her brother had to go on a business trip overseas on the very first day of the start of the SAO service, and so, Asuna ended up requesting to borrow it from her brother, for just a single day on a mere whim. Feeling the desire to peek into a world she had never seen before, that was all it was—

  And thus, everything changed.

  Even now, she could still recall the excitement of that day, when she changed from Asuna to “Asuna”, finding herself on an unknown street, among people unknown to her.

  But immediately after that, when that god of emptiness descended down and announced about this death game, with the inability to escape from this world, the first thing Asuna thought about, was the Mathematics work that she did not yet start on.

  If she did not hurry back and settle that, she would get scolded by her teacher in the following day’s lesson. For the life that Asuna had led thus far, that would be a failure that she could not allow… but of course, the severity of the situation was not of such a degree.

  One week, two weeks, even as each day was idly passed by, there was no sign of help from the outside. Secluding herself within one of the rooms of a Starting City’s inn, cowering atop the bed, Asuna constantly experienced a ridiculous amount of panic. Screaming every now and then, even beating on the walls as she wailed. It was the winter of her third year in middle school. Soon would be her examinations, and after that, the new school term. Being derailed from that path, was considered the same as the devastation of her life to Asuna.

  Asuna spent each day amidst troubled fits, embracing deep, murky convictions.

  Her parents were definitely, rather than being concerned over their child’s body, they were probably busy being extremely disappointed over the daughter who failed her examinations due to a game console. Her friends, while suffering from some grief, were probably pitying the one who dropped out of their group, or perhaps sneering over it.

  When she passed her critical point with those dark thoughts, Asuna finally made a decision, to leave the inn. Not waiting to be rescued, but to escape from here with her own strength. To become the savior who will put an end to this incident. Without taking that path, she would most likely not be able retain her presence within the minds of the people around her any longer.

  Asuna prepared some equipment, memorized the entire reference manual, and headed out into the field. Sleeping time for each day was restricted to two, three hours, and the rest of her time was sunk into level training. As a result of focusing all of her natural wisdom and willpower onto clearing the game, it was not long before she could enter the list of top level players. This was how the ardent swordsman, Asuna the «Flash», was born.

  And back to the present— Two years have passed, and the now seventeen years old Asuna looked back at the self from that time with bitter feelings. No, not just the period right after the game started. Towards all that had happened before that, that self that lived within that solid, shrinking world too, she recollected that part of her past with a wretched, painful sorrow.

  She did not understand the meaning of what it was like, «to live». All that she had done was to think about nothing but the ideal future, sacrificing the present in the process. The «now» was naught but the means to bring about the perfect future, and hence, with the demise of that, there was nothing left but to disappear into the middle of nothingness.

  It was no good with only one or the other. Overlooking the world of SAO, she thus concluded seriously.

  One chasing the future would be like what she once was, fanatically advancing towards the clearing of the game, while one who clinging onto only the past would still be cowering in an inn’s room. And the one who lives only for the moment, would seek transient pleasure as a criminal at times.

  But despite being in this world, there were people who enjoyed the present, making memories, one after another, while working hard to escape. The one who taught that to her, was the black-haired swordsman she met a year ago. The desire for his way of life, from the moment that entered her mind, the hue of her day to day life changed.

  Now, even if it was in the real world, she felt like she would be able to break through that shell. She believed that she would be able to live for her own sake. As long as this person stayed by her side—

  Asuna gently approached Kirito, embracing his own deep feelings as he stared down the streets. The pain that she felt once again as she gazed upon the stone roof in the skies, was a mere, faint thing.

  Shaking her head once as though she was trying to clear up her sentiments, Asuna peered into Yui’s face, still being carried by Kirito.

  “Yui-chan, do you have any memories of any buildings, or things like that?”

  “Uu…”

  With a complex expression, Yui looked around at the rock structures, extending out from the plaza, before finally shaking her head.

  “I don’t know…”

  “Well, the Starting City is pretty darn big, after all.”

  Kirito spoke while rubbing Yui’s head.

  “Well, something will probably ring a bell sooner or later if we keep walking around. Let’s just check out the central marketplace for now.”

  “I guess you’re right.”

  Nodding in agreement, the couple started walking towards the main street to the south.

  But still— As she walked, Asuna looked over the plaza once again with some doubt. There were an unexpectedly small number of people around.

  The gate plaza of the Starting City was wide as expected, being able to fit all ten thousand players two years back, at the opening of the server. In the middle of all that stone-paved empty space in the shape of a perfect circle, lies a towering clock tower, with the teleport gate flickering blue within its lower section. Flowerbeds extended out, set in concentric circles around the tower, with multiple elegant, white benches lined up between them. It would not be strange at all for it to be crowded with people seeking a moment of rest on such a nice afternoon, but all of the human figures around were either at the gate, or heading towards the plaza’s exit, with barely anyone standing around or sitting on the benches.

  For the major streets on the upper floors, the gate plaza would always be in a clutter with a flood of players. Engaging briskly in gossip, searching for party members, setting
up modest street stalls, as a result of all the people hanging around, even walking forward was difficult, but—

  “Hey, Kirito-kun.”

  “Hm?”

  Asuna asked as Kirito turned around.

  “Around how many players are over here right now?”

  “Hmm, well… The number of players still alive are around six thousands, and roughly thirty percent of that are still in the Starting City if we include the «Army», so it would be just below two thousands, wouldn’t it?”

  “Considering that, don’t you think there’re too little people around?”

  “When you point it out that way… Maybe they’re gathered around the market?”

  However, entering the main street from the plaza, even as they drew close to the market area with shops and carts lined up, the streets remained quiet. The random touting from the energetic NPC shopkeepers echoed futilely through the streets.

  Despite that, they were able to find a man sitting under a large tree in the middle of the street, and Asuna approached and tried calling out to him.

  “Ah, excuse me.”

  The man, staring upwards towards the treetops with an oddly serious expression, spoke as though it was a bother, without adjusting his view.

  “What is it.”

  “Well… Around this area, are there any places that act as a space for searching for people?”

  Hearing those words, the man finally shifted his vision towards Asuna. He scrutinized Asuna’s face without reserve.

  “What, so you were an outsider.”

  “Ah, yes. Well… we’re kind of trying to look for the guardians of this child…”

  She pointed at Yui, dozing off while held in Kirito’s arms, behind her.

  Garbed in a plain uniform that made it hard to determine his class, the man widened his eyes slightly when he gave a fleeting glance at Yui, but he soon moved his view back to the treetops.

  “…A lost child, huh, that’s rare. …At the church beside the river of the seventh district in the east, there’s a bunch of kid players gathered and living there, so try there.”