Chapter 82: The Princess Needs a Kiss to Wake Up
When he came to, Hachiman Hikigaya was wandering in the darkness. He only remembered losing consciousness after his vision shattered. At that moment, a familiar voice suddenly reached his ears, and Hachiman opened his eyes.
"Where is this...?"
Before him was a scene he had never seen before. The sunset filled the endless sky, and the ground was made of crystal-like material. Looking closely, it seemed to be a circular platform made of crystal. At Hachiman's feet lay Asuna, unconscious.
"..."
Hachiman gently picked up Asuna.
"Did we catch up? Or is this the afterlife? But since Asuna is still here, it doesn't matter. We will be together forever, Asuna."
Just as he spoke, Asuna's cheek suddenly showed a slight smirk, but before Hachiman could notice, a voice came from behind.
"Looks like we're not dead yet."
It was Kirito's voice. Hachiman turned and saw a tired Kirito sitting on the ground.
"Any proof?"
"You're so calm even at a time like this... Check your status screen."
"Alright."
Holding Asuna, Hachiman skillfully operated the interface and noticed their clothes were still the same as in their last battle. The opened interface showed no menus, only: "Final Stage Executing, Current 3356/6147."
"Left side is the number of survivors, right side is the number logged in?"
"Seems so. Looks like we all survived safely."
"Then, where exactly is this?"
Kirito answered in a teasing tone: "First, wake Asuna up."
"Why that tone? Whatever... Hey Asuna, wake up."
Hachiman shook Asuna, but she showed no signs of waking.
"Maybe she needs a prince's kiss to wake up~"
Kirito said, clearly forced to joke.
"..."
"You should understand now, look at Asuna's face..."
Hachiman looked down, and Asuna was pouting, posing as if expecting a kiss.
"..."
Hachiman took a deep breath and kissed her.
Asuna at first laughed proudly, but as Hachiman delayed letting go, she gradually started to struggle for breath and patted his back.
Hachiman reluctantly released her, and Asuna immediately protested:
"Haah... That's too much, Hachiman!"
"That's what I should be saying! What are you two doing at a time like this?"
"Can't help it! This fairy-tale like scene, we might never get to see it again in life!"
"I was forced! Just now when explaining to her what happened during his unconsciousness, Asuna suddenly burst out: 'So Kirito-kun killed Hachiman-kun, right? I have to cooperate with her to be forgiven!'"
"Oh, oh, I see... Sorry."
Overwhelmed by their energy, Hachiman apologized.
"I understand the situation... But Asuna, why did you act like that back then?"
"Sorry... Although I knew Hachiman still had some HP left, I really couldn't just watch you die right before my eyes."
"I didn't want to see you die either."
Hachiman softly stroked Asuna's head.
"Anyway... I'm so glad we're safe..."
"Hachiman was totally panicked later."
"Sorry..."
"No, it's not your fault. Now everyone really survived, so let's properly celebrate this good fortune. You're okay with that, right Hachiman?"
"Absolutely don't make me worry again. I'll be careful too."
"Let's just wait for logout. How about celebrating victory first?"
As Kirito suggested, a voice suddenly came from behind:
"Sorry to interrupt your celebration, but may this loser join the conversation?"
The three turned around and saw not Heathcliff, but Akihiko Kayaba, dressed as a researcher in a white coat.
"I truly lost to you all. You're indeed formidable."
"The biggest credit goes to Asuna, right?"
"But the commander was Hachiman, right?"
"The final breakthrough beyond limits was Kirito's. In the end, I could only entrust everything to him."
"But the basic plan was yours. I sincerely admire that."
"See, Captain, my husband is amazing, right?"
"Hard to imagine this is the same shy Hachiman from before."
"Mr. Kayaba, about the past..."
"Sorry. As compensation, let me show you something nice."
Kayaba snapped his fingers, and the floating castle Aincrad appeared in the sky, gradually collapsing from the bottom up.
"Spectacular."
"I can see forests and lakes... is that the 22nd floor?"
"The secret base is collapsing..."
"Thanks to that guy, it helped a lot."
"Yeah."
As they gazed, Kirito suddenly asked:
"Why did you do all this?"
"The trigger was encountering the development of full stealth technology, but the root may be the childhood imagination of a floating steel city. This obsession grew stronger as I got older."
"So you used technology to realize it?"
"Exactly. Meeting Hachiman and hearing the word 'real' shocked me deeply, and I began thinking about my own reality."
Hachiman got flustered and said:
"Is... is it my fault?"
"No. By that time, development could not be turned back. It's not your responsibility."
"I see..."
Asuna and Kirito gently patted Hachiman's back.
"I pursued reality and created this world, but you all have surpassed the laws of this world. Witnessing this moment is already enough for me. Hachiman, did you find your reality?"
"The bonds with my friends and meeting Asuna are real. But as you said, we have surpassed your reality. Perhaps I will always be chasing the next reality."
"Even if you never find it?"
"Yes."
"My reality is collapsing before my eyes, but I still believe that somewhere that city exists."
Suddenly, the three felt a strange emotion—somewhere, in some world, friends reunite and fall in love, gathering in a secret base... Hachiman blurted out:
"...I hope so."
"Yeah."
Though they had much to say, they inexplicably agreed with Kayaba. While not forgiving his crimes, they understood his contradictions.
"I forgot to say: Congratulations on clearing the game."
Only now did the three truly feel the sense of victory. Kayaba glanced at the interface and suddenly froze, then looked deeply at Hachiman:
"The final process is about to complete. It's time to say goodbye."
"Remember to meet at the Cafe."
"Definitely."
"Hachiman will always be together, right?"
"Of course, in the real world."
"Yeah!"
"Then, farewell."
With Kayaba's words, Asuna and Kirito disappeared.
"As expected."
"Aren't you surprised?"
"Well, you seemed like you had something to say. What will you do next?"
"Next?"
"Run away or surrender?"
"Losers just quietly accept death."
"But you're still talking now, meaning you're freed after clearing SAO, right?"
"I see, so you didn't hesitate..."
"Even I can't kill acquaintances, actually I secretly told Asuna and Kirito beforehand."
"Oh, sorry for putting you in a difficult position."
"Everyone has their own will."
"There's something I must apologize for."
Kayaba said sadly:
"I wanted to talk more with you, but there's no time."
"What do you mean?"
"My brain will be intensely scanned next. If successful, my consciousness will drift in the network sea, whether success or failure, I will die."
"Why?!"
"To witness unseen things, to find the next reality."
"Mr. Kayaba..."
Hachiman's eyes teared up.
"Don't be like that. Maybe we'll meet again."
"Now, I must tell you something important about your future."
Kayaba operated the interface and said:
"Though the final process is completed, about a hundred NERvGear devices are unresponsive. Asuna is among them."
"How is that possible! Then what about Asuna...?"
"Hachiman, find the culprit and save her. If you can preserve her consciousness, please show me your wedding photo."
"Understood! I will definitely find Asuna!"
"The SAO I created must not be defiled. I'm counting on you. It's time to say goodbye."
"...Mr. Kayaba."
"Remember the name 'Heathcliff' in the end. It will be useful someday. Farewell."
"Until we meet again."
"Yeah, farewell."
Before his consciousness plunged into darkness, Hachiman heard Kayaba's final words. The completely collapsed Aincrad disappeared with all traces.
SAO had come to an end.