Kirito found himself in an unfamiliar corridor.
"Transfer worked… Hachiman?" he called, noticing no one else was around. After a brief pause, he decided to move forward. "Guess I'll head this way."
Trusting his instincts, Kirito advanced, sensing a vile presence. His seasoned intuition proved right as a birdcage-like structure appeared ahead. He moved cautiously, halting when familiar voices—a man and a woman—echoed from within.
(Asuna… and Sugou?) Kirito thought.
"What do you want?" Asuna's voice demanded.
"Your friends broke in, so I'm waiting here, Asuna-san," Sugou sneered.
"Hachiman-kun's here!?" Asuna gasped.
"What's with that hopeful look? Pisses me off!" Sugou snapped.
"Kyaa!" Asuna cried.
"Asuna!" Kirito shouted, unable to hold back.
He burst forward, seeing Asuna bound by tentacle-like restraints, suspended in the cage.
"Kirito-kun!" she called.
"So it's you… How the hell did you get in here, you brat?" Sugou growled.
"You've gotten crasser since we last met, Sugou," Kirito shot back.
"Watch your mouth, kid!" Sugou barked.
"It's over. Log out and turn yourself in," Kirito said.
"Smart-mouthed punk… Your buddy Hachiman's one of the other two intruders, right? No worries, I'll bind all three, lock you out of logging off, and ship you overseas!" Sugou boasted.
"Three? So someone else made it…" Kirito muttered. "Guess I jumped the gun. I'll hold you off until Hachiman arrives."
Kirito readied his weapon.
"Oh? Feeling feisty?" Sugou taunted. "Fine, I'll play. Object ID [Excalibur], regenerate!"
Sugou summoned a massive sword, flaunting it. "Behold, the ultimate weapon, [Excalibur]! I'm a god here— I can do anything!"
"God complex, huh? Can you even swing that thing? Try it," Kirito challenged.
"You insolent brat!" Sugou roared, gripping [Excalibur] and advancing.
Kirito saw through him instantly—Sugou was a combat novice. Expecting no fair fight, Kirito braced himself. Suddenly, an immense force pinned him to the ground.
"Guh!" Kirito grunted.
"Kirito-kun!" Asuna cried.
"Hahaha! A god doesn't need to swing a sword! I can crush you without it!" Sugou laughed.
"Gravity magic…?" Kirito gasped.
"Castless, too! That's divine power!" Sugou gloated.
"You filthy coward!" Asuna shouted.
"Coward? This is just god's power!" Sugou smirked. "Oh, I've got an idea."
He opened the cage, approached Asuna, and slapped her.
"Sugou, what are you doing to her?!" Kirito roared.
"Watch closely, kid. Feeling no pain, right, Asuna-san? But…" Sugou grinned. "System command! Pain Absorber to Level 8!"
He slapped her again.
"Ow…" Asuna winced.
"See? Normally, you wouldn't feel pain, but I tweaked it!" Sugou cackled.
"Hit me all you want! I won't break!" Asuna defied.
"You're a lowlife, Sugou…" Kirito growled.
"You dare defy a god?!" Sugou screamed, storming over and stabbing [Excalibur] into Kirito.
"Ggh…" Kirito groaned.
"Feel that? You're nothing before a god! I'll violate this woman while waiting for that Hachiman kid!" Sugou sneered, kicking Kirito and approaching Asuna.
Asuna glared, unflinching. "Do what you want. You're just a gilded king, only powerful here. I won't be hurt!"
Enraged, Sugou shouted, "Then before I escape, I'll have my way with your real body in your hospital room! Still so tough?!"
"Shut your filthy mouth and step away from Asuna, Sugou," a voice interrupted.
"Hachiman-kun!" Asuna exclaimed.
"Hachiman!" Kirito called.
Sugou smirked at Hachiman's arrival. "Finally here, huh? Just in time to watch me defile this insolent woman. Stay there and enjoy."
Instantly, Hachiman was pinned by the same force.
"Ugh!" he grunted.
"Hachiman-kun!" Asuna cried.
A strange female voice whispered in Asuna's ear: (Don't worry, that look on his face screams he's got a plan. I'll free you soon, so hang tight.)
(Who are you?) Asuna asked.
(I'm…) the voice began.
Oblivious to the exchange, Sugou crowed, "Look at you two, pathetic!"
"That's your trump card?" Hachiman scoffed.
"God's power, apparently," Kirito added.
"Some god. This isn't even a pinch," Hachiman said.
"Right," Kirito agreed.
"Let's end this," Hachiman declared.
They gritted their teeth, fighting the gravity, slowly rising.
"Impossible! How are you standing?!" Sugou shrieked.
"Your… power's… fake…" Hachiman grunted.
"No way… I won't lose… to some system!" Kirito growled.
"It can't be…" Sugou stammered.
A familiar voice echoed in Hachiman's mind: (That's it… Good.)
A string of alphanumeric commands flashed in Hachiman's head.
(The final piece. Thank you…) the voice said.
Hachiman thanked the voice silently and shouted, "System login. ID [Heathcliff], password…"
He recited the code from his mind, then used the accompanying command: "System command, supervisor privileges change. ID Oberon to Level 1!"
"What… what did you do?!" Sugou screamed, flailing as his open window vanished, desperately trying to summon it back.
"Hachiman, Heathcliff's ID? How'd you get the password?" Kirito asked, the gravity lifting as he flexed his stabbed hand.
"Long story," Hachiman replied. "Yui, it's safe now."
"Yes!" Yui appeared.
"Hachiman-kun! Yui-chan!" Asuna cried, rushing past Sugou and leaping into Hachiman's arms. He caught her firmly as Yui danced around them.
Sugou gaped, realizing Asuna's restraints were gone. "How…?"
"That was me!" a voice called from behind.
Sugou spun around. "Who… When did you…?"
"I'm a scout, sneaking around from the start!" the voice said. "Sugou, right? A bit too careless, aren't you? Never played your own game properly, huh?"
"What?!" Sugou spluttered.
"And all that awful stuff you said to my future big sis? Komachi won't forgive you!" she declared.
"Future big sis?" Sugou stammered.
"Nice work, Komachi," Hachiman said.
"Sorry for making you wait, big brother! And Kirito-san, sorry I couldn't help sooner," Komachi apologized.
"No worries, Komachi-chan. I didn't even notice you—impressive!" Kirito praised.
"Ehe, I'm big brother's sister, after all!" Komachi beamed.
Sugou, face red with rage, screamed, "What's with you small fries, chatting like it's over?!"
"Looks pretty over to me," Hachiman said.
"Think you can still do something?" Asuna challenged.
"Posing as a final boss but really just a weakling, huh? My brother's merciless," Komachi teased.
"Time for your punishment," Hachiman declared, facing Sugou.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/Greyhounds
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