Chapter 10: Trembling
Kirito's brow twitched at Klein's mock-offended look, but he answered calmly,
"You never asked me either…"
"Fine, fine," Klein sighed, then offered a warm smile toward the two beside him. "Nice to meet you both. I'm Klein, guild leader of Fuurinkazan. Glad to have you here."
"Asuna," she replied with a polite nod.
"Kamikawa Hikaru," he added simply.
As their names were exchanged, silence settled in. Hikaru stared briefly at Klein, then drifted into thought.
Sensing the awkward pause, Kirito opened his mouth to say something—but a loud voice suddenly cut through the air, echoing across the hall.
"Attention! The emergency meeting regarding Laughing Coffin's suppression will now begin!" announced a representative of the Divine Dragons Alliance.
"We'll first go over the recorded atrocities committed by Laughing Coffin…"
One by one, the cases were listed. Cold, brutal murders. Ambushes. Torture. Even blackmail.
Hikaru unconsciously drew in a sharp breath.
Asuna's face went pale.
In SAO, killing a player meant killing them in the real world. And yet this bloodthirsty guild—built on slaughter—still had so many members? She couldn't comprehend it. A few minutes ago, she still had doubts about joining the operation… but now?
If they didn't crush Laughing Coffin here and now, countless more innocent players would die.
"Damn it…" Kirito clenched his fists. He'd been targeted recently as well. Had luck not been on his side, he might've been dead. That's why he accepted the invitation to join this mission.
"And with that, the list of crimes is complete," said the Divine Dragons rep. "Now we will proceed to a vote. If over 80% agree, the raid on Laughing Coffin will be authorized!"
"I agree!"
"Same here!"
"Let's take them down!"
"I support this!"
Nearly 90% of the assembled representatives gave their approval—including Hikaru and his group. The remaining few abstained from voting. To them, if the raid meant killing too… how were they any different from the murderers?
Hikaru smiled faintly at that logic. After surviving this long in SAO, his views had shifted.
Then, he stood and addressed the room in a calm, firm voice.
"All players who refuse to participate, please leave the operation area immediately."
"And anyone below Level 45—withdraw at once."
"What?! Who gave you the right to order that?!"
"Yeah! We're here to help too!"
Murmurs of protest bubbled up. Even if the words came from Hikaru—the strongest player in SAO and a symbol of hope—some still couldn't accept them.
But Hikaru's gaze didn't waver.
"The strength of Laughing Coffin members rivals that of frontline raiders. You all know what that means."
That quiet statement sent chills through the crowd. Some players went pale.
"No way they're that strong…"
"…He's right," Kirito suddenly stepped forward, eyes sharp. "I fought them. Not long ago. I barely got away. Their skill… isn't far from mine."
The room froze. Everyone knew Kirito—the Black Swordsman. Hearing that even he was nearly defeated was enough to silence all doubts.
Soon after, the lower-level players and dissenters exited voluntarily.
Back at his seat, Hikaru felt Asuna's gaze.
"…Can you really do it?" she asked softly.
She wasn't questioning his resolve—just trying to understand the weight he carried.
Hikaru exhaled. "It's not about whether I can. If we don't stop these lunatics—or at least imprison them—you know what will happen."
His voice turned solemn.
"They've lost their minds, Asuna. If we let them run loose, someday it could be your guildmates… or your friends lying dead. We can't hesitate anymore. We finish this—because I want to get out of here. Alive."
"…Alive," Asuna echoed, staring deep into his eyes.
What she saw there wasn't rage or fear—but unshakable conviction. She gave a small nod. "I understand."
"Then the operation will now begin!" declared the meeting leader. "We'll start sweeping from Floor 56. If you find Laughing Coffin members, subdue them. If they surrender, capture and imprison them!"
Sixty-three frontline elites moved out, spreading across Floor 56 in a coordinated sweep.
Hikaru drew his sword—Bloodlust. The deep crimson blade gleamed ominously in his hand.
Turning to Asuna, he spoke quietly.
"I'd rather you not join this fight. But if you do—stay alert. Even if the enemy surrenders, don't let your guard down. If anything happens… send me your coordinates. I'll be there."
Without another word, he pulled up a friend request screen and offered it to her.
Almost instinctively, Asuna tapped [Accept].
"Here," Hikaru handed her a small red crystal. "If you're in danger, smash this. No matter what I'm doing—I'll come."
"Why… why are you doing all this for me?"
Hikaru looked back with a crooked smile.
"Because I'd rather not see the prettiest girl on the frontlines die pointlessly. If that happened… I don't think my conscience would let me sleep."
He turned and walked away, leaving Asuna standing there, eyes wide.
"…Is that really all it is?" she whispered, clutching the crystal tightly.
Her gaze lingered on his back—until it disappeared into the light.
— — —
Meanwhile — Floor 25, Forest of Wavering Mists
Not long after the suppression operation began, the news had already reached Laughing Coffin.
Inside a shadowed grove, their leader, PoH, read the incoming message with a twisted smile.
Without hesitation, he tapped [Mass Send].
Minutes later, dozens of red-named players appeared in the forest clearing.
"Boss, is it true?" asked one of the senior members.
"It is," PoH replied coldly.
That was all they needed to hear.
The red-named killers grinned with bloodthirsty glee.
"Let's see how tough these frontliners really are!"
PoH's eyes gleamed beneath his dark gray hood. In his hand was Mate Chopper—a massive cleaver-like blade. His voice was icy.
"Everyone, listen up! Head to the Floor 25 boss room that connects to Floor 26. Kill anyone you see. No mercy. Leave no survivors."
"Yes, Boss!"
"Piece of cake!"
— — —
Two Hours Later — Floor 26, Teleportation Gate
The elite raiders regrouped. Hikaru was the first to step through the gate into the Floor 25 boss room.
As he emerged, his eyes narrowed.
In front of him stood dozens of Laughing Coffin members, already lined up.
At the center was a massive man gripping a meat cleaver.
"…So this is where you've all been hiding," Hikaru muttered, raising Bloodlust.
PoH's lips curled into a grin.
"Didn't expect the Crimson-Black Sword to show up personally…"
He spotted Kirito, Klein, and the others arriving behind Hikaru, and licked his lips in anticipation.
"Let's see how long your legends last."
Hikaru's gaze sharpened.
"All that awaits you now is despair."
Blue light surged along his blade.
Then—with no warning—he charged.
"Hikaru, wait—!" Kirito shouted.
But it was too late.
What followed left everyone speechless.
Hikaru moved like a phantom, his speed creating afterimages. His blade flashed across the battlefield—cutting down enemies before they even registered his presence.
Within seconds, red health bars plummeted across the board. Nearly all Laughing Coffin members were pushed into the danger zone. Even PoH's HP dropped into yellow.
"…Impossible…" Kirito's eyes widened.
"To be that strong… how far has he gone?"
Hikaru landed lightly and returned to the group.
Still holding Bloodlust, he spoke in a voice colder than ice.
"Laughing Coffin… surrender. Or die."
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