(Dammit, Hachiman… don't go giving me insane orders like holding him off all by myself. This guy's grown way stronger—he's nothing like he used to be.)
Seeing the signal flare pierce the sky, Kirito immediately shifted his strategy toward a defensive, time-buying stance.
(Still, for him to actually drop a Valhalla Call means something massive must have gone wrong. Leave things here to me and hang in there, buddy.)
The "Valhalla Call" was a simplified code system developed at Valhalla Resort. Typically, it relied on firing magic into the air rather than signal flares. Red signaled an all-out assault; green meant taking a defensive posture; yellow indicated approaching enemies; blue was the order to standby; white meant a full retreat; black was a call for immediate backup; and purple signified an emergency situation—hold tight.
The flares currently hanging in the sky were green and purple. Decoded, the message read: I'm immobilized by an emergency, so adopt a defensive stance and wait. Kirito interpreted this as a command to stall for as much time as humanly possible.
Once, when asked by members of Valhalla why they used magic signals instead of basic voice comms, Hachiman had given a characteristic answer:
"Signals like this only work because you let the enemy see them. For now, just sit back and watch how they react."
At the time, Valhalla was on the brink of battle against an allied coalition of hostile guilds. Outnumbered, Valhalla was at a severe tactical disadvantage, and the enemy held the psychological high ground. Because Valhalla was still a newly established faction, outsiders viewed its true combat capabilities with skepticism.
During the initial phase of that battle, Hachiman strictly ordered his guild members to hold a defensive formation. Then, at the precise psychological moment, he launched a massive flame spell straight into the sky.
The moment the crimson light flashed, Valhalla shifted to a ferocious counteroffensive, completely steamrolling the numerically superior enemy force.
As this scenario repeated itself in subsequent battles, a terrifying rumor spread through the battlefield: If you see a red light while fighting Valhalla, accept your death. Eventually, Hachiman merely needed to cast a red flare to send opposing forces scattering in a panic. Only then did the members truly understand the dark brilliance behind his strategy.
(Alright then...)
Kirito pondered his next move while smoothly deflecting the relentless barrage of attacks. He decided on a tactile approach: conversation.
"Hey, Zaza. Your voice might be altered, but I think this is the first time I've actually heard you speak today."
"..."
"Silent now? You were talkative enough a second ago. By the way, where's Joe? Isn't he usually the one who handles the talking?"
"..."
Even while maintaining the dialogue, Kirito's defense remained impenetrable. While the public focused heavily on his offensive capabilities, Kirito was exceptionally skilled in defensive swordplay—a mandatory trait for anyone who had survived as a long-term solo player.
(No good, huh...? No, wait. He's initiated conversation with me multiple times before. There has to be a nerve I can hit... What would Hachiman do in a spot like this?)
Kirito recalled Hachiman's knack for ruthlessly pinpointing an opponent's mental weakness in a matter of seconds, digging up a past conversation from memory.
"Hey, Hachiman. Why are you so damn good at egging people on?" "Hmm? Well, I guess it's because I actually listen to what they say." "How does listening turn into provoking them?" "Because whatever comes out of someone's mouth on impulse—or the exact opposite of it—is precisely what they want, or desperately don't want, to hear. People always drop clues in their words, especially when they get emotional." "I see."
(What came out of his mouth earlier...? That's it!)
Kirito let the phrase slip past his lips.
"...It's showtime."
"...!?"
Kirito didn't miss the faint, momentary hesitation in Sterben's movements.
"Pretty pathetic for a 'show,' isn't it? If I remember correctly, that XaXa guy or whatever is still alive, right?"
"...I left that to someone else."
(Hook, line, and sinker.)
Sterben had referred to Spiegel as "someone else." In Sterben's mind, Spiegel was no longer a partner or comrade, but merely a useless, ego-inflated dead weight.
"Huh? It doesn't count because you left it to someone else? Wasn't this whole scheme your idea to begin with? Figures. You guys really can't pull off a single thing without PoH, can you? Just like when he abandoned you."
"We were not abandoned!"
For the first time, Sterben's voice cracked with rage.
"Then why is he out there enjoying his freedom while you guys got thrown behind bars?"
"Our bond isn't like your pathetic little friendship games! We use every tool at our disposal—that is the way of Laughing Coffin!"
"Except you tried using someone else this time and failed miserably. Your logic is completely falling apart, man."
"..."
(Good, this is buying a ton of time.)
"Besides, why are you even taking me on head-o? This isn't how you guys operate. Even PoH sacrificed you all as scapegoats just to run away from me and Hachiman, didn't he?"
"Shut up! The Head didn't run away from you!"
"He ran. It doesn't matter how you rationalize it in your head; to any outside observer, he ran away and hid like a coward. That's the objective, absolute truth."
"It doesn't matter how it looks to outsiders!"
"Oh, really? Then what about what you're doing right now? If outsiders don't recognize it as PK, it's nothing more than dirty, low-life murder. How can you say that with a straight face?"
"Shut up... Shut up!"
Sterben trembled violently, his movements grinding to a complete halt.
(Looks like I can drag this out a bit longer.)
Contrary to Kirito's expectations, Sterben suddenly lunged forward with explosive aggression. His speed exceeded his previous limits, and Kirito instantly realized his miscalculation.
(Dammit, I pushed him too far... Sorry, Hachiman. I might not be able to buy as much time as I thought.)
Kirito braced himself, resolving to meet Sterben's assault with everything he had.
"Phew..."
"Advisor! I've pulled the line as instructed!"
"Good work, Godfrey. By the way, did you bring a gun today?"
"Huh?"
Taken aback by the sudden question, Freedom looked bewildered before responding with an embarrassed chuckle.
"Even for me, doing something like that would get me fired instantly..."
"Ah—my bad. Forget I asked."
Hachiman instructed Freedom to hold position for a moment while he made a series of phone calls to assess the situation across all fronts.
"Koneko, where are you right now?"
"Akiba. I'm searching for Zaza's real-world location."
"Impressive. You've already narrowed it down that far? Do you have enough boots on the ground?" Hachiman asked anxiously, considering the sheer number of internet cafes in the Akihabara district.
"Operation D8 has been initiated, so we're fine. Almost all staff members have been deployed for a full grid search."
Hachiman froze.
"...Wait, what? Wasn't that whole protocol just a joke?"
"Of course not! There's an official manual outlining procedures for when it's activated, and employees are required to review it once a week."
"You're kidding me... I had no idea."
"More importantly, I was watching the stream. Why did you suddenly commit in-game suicide?"
"Ah, right. Shino might be in danger. I'm heading to her place right now."
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