Asuna returned to the city to meet an NPC after defeating the White Guard Dog as per the mission requirements.
Receiving the mission reward, she nodded, satisfied with her achievement.
"How about we head to the labyrinth?" Asuna suggested.
"Sure... Huh?"
"What's wrong, Charlie?"
Asuna asked curiously, noticing the sudden change in Charlie's expression.
"The Abyssal Devourer was just defeated. Since it wasn't me, it must have been my comrade, Miguel."
"Oh, really? That's great! That means the evil woman won't bother us anymore."
Hearing the news, Asuna smiled with relief, a weight lifting from her chest.
"Yeah, you're safe now. At the very least, there are no external threats. You can focus on clearing SAO and returning to the real world."
Asuna, an exemplary student with a sharp mind, quickly grasped the implications behind Charlie's words. Though they sounded like good news, they also hinted at a farewell.
"So... Are you leaving?"
"Yes."
Charlie's confirmation erased the last traces of Asuna's joy. Her smile faded, replaced by a sad expression.
Though Asuna hadn't known him for long, she had grown accustomed to his presence by her side.
Over the past two months, Charlie had given her a sense of safety, an unexpected companion amidst the chaos of Aincrad.
And now, he was leaving?
It would be a lie to say Asuna felt nothing. Her heart felt heavy, as if something was being forcibly taken from her.
"Don't look so gloomy, Asuna. No party lasts forever. Every meeting comes with a parting."
Charlie patted Asuna's head, a gentle smile on his lips.
He had to admit, patting a girl's head felt really nice. No wonder male anime characters often did it.
"Can we meet again?"
Raising her face, Asuna looked directly into Charlie's eyes, seeking an honest answer without any lies.
"I... don't know. Maybe yes, maybe no. Only time can answer that. But I suggest you don't get your hopes up."
Pulling his hand from her head, Charlie gave a bittersweet smile.
He was powerless in this matter; he didn't have the ability to travel between Planar Worlds at will.
Taking a deep breath, Asuna gathered all the words she wanted to say.
"Charlie... Thank you for everything. When you saved me on Floor 1, when my best friend betrayed me, I was truly disappointed and hopeless."
"I felt so alone. I just wanted to give up, to hide until it was all over."
"But then you appeared. You saved me from those terrifying monsters, you stayed by my side, and you never let me fall into darkness. You protected me from danger..."
"You're my hero, Charlie. Truly. And even if you say we might not meet again, I'll always remember you. If... if we do meet again someday, I want you to know that you're the most important person I've ever met in Aincrad."
"Thank you, Charlie. Thank you for everything."
Thinking she might never see Charlie again, Asuna couldn't hold back. She hugged him tightly, as if trying to absorb every last bit of his warmth and strength before he disappeared.
"No, you're underestimating yourself, Asuna." Charlie said, gently returning the hug. "You're stronger than you think. Even without me, you can survive in this world."
If everything followed the original timeline, Asuna would become an exceptional frontline player, known as Flash Asuna, one of the best in Aincrad.
The existence of the Savior and the Abyssal Devourer were anomalies that altered the plot, a real disruption to the intended narrative.
"When are you leaving?"
After the hug, embarrassment slowly crept in. After all, they had embraced in the middle of a bustling city street with many passersby. Asuna realized her impulsive action, her face flushing slightly.
"I have about 12 hours left."
"Then let's spend that time exploring. Leveling up isn't that urgent."
"No, there's something else I need to do. If possible, I want to find someone before I leave this world."
"Who?"
"A secret."
Charlie decided not to tell Asuna that he was searching for Kayaba Akihiko. He didn't want to give her false hope.
If he found him, great. If not, Charlie could only accept it.
◆━⊰✧⊱━◆
Relying on his flight speed, far exceeding the speed of sound, Charlie visited every location on Floor 10 of Aincrad.
To avoid being monitored by Kayaba, Charlie remained in invisible mode, undetectable by the game system or other players.
Sunset Bamboo Forest, Waterfall Ravine, Wisteria Shore—every corner of the city, village, open field, and even the complex labyrinth—Charlie checked every possible place.
With the extraordinary vision granted by his Six Eyes, he could quickly scan numerous players in an area. If he didn't find his target, he moved on to the next location, efficient and relentless.
Unlike other players' avatars, which reflected their real-world appearances, Kayaba's avatar was a fully customized figure named Heathcliff.
He was the ideal figure: muscular, tall, physically strong, with rugged features and steel-gray hair with a single strand falling over his forehead.
Others didn't know Heathcliff was Kayaba, but Charlie did. After all, the advantage of information was the greatest asset for any Reincarnator.
Unlike Miguel, who enjoyed his downtime relaxing, Charlie was incredibly busy.
Though Floor 10 of Aincrad wasn't as vast as Floor 1, it was far larger than the Labyrinth City of Orario in the Danmachi world where he resided. Even after an hour, Charlie hadn't found Kayaba.
(Could Kayaba be hiding in a hidden zone?)
Charlie began to speculate, a possibility he hadn't seriously considered before.
(It's not impossible. In the original work, it's never mentioned when Heathcliff first appeared publicly in Aincrad.)
He continued his thoughts, analyzing the situation.
(With Game Master authority, Heathcliff doesn't need to grind levels like other players. With one click, he can level up easily or even make himself invincible.)
That meant Kayaba could be anywhere, without following the normal player progression path. He could be in a structure inaccessible to players. Charlie's search had just become far more complicated.
"It looks like I need to leave something for Asuna that might be useful if I fail to find Heathcliff." Charlie muttered to himself, shifting his priorities.
The search for Kayaba on Floor 10 proved more difficult than expected.
"If only I had Merlin's Clairvoyance to see everything happening in the present, finding Kayaba would be trivial." Charlie sighed, a hint of frustration creeping in.
He recalled the reward Frank had requested in a previous Savior meeting—a power that would be incredibly useful now. But he didn't have it. Time was running out, and he needed to make a backup plan for Asuna.