"Alright, alright, I was just joking with you, don't take it so seriously.
We've grown up together as childhood friends—don't I know better than anyone what kind of person you are?
Did Auntie make little cakes again? Perfect timing, I went to the department store today and haven't eaten much yet."
Since it was the latest release, the NERvGear terminals were extremely sought after. For the sake of playing a death game together with Kirito, Seiya had gone out early in the morning to line up.
Pushing open the dojo doors, Seiya was followed naturally by Suguha, who slipped inside and changed into her slippers at the entrance.
Seiya's house was a two-story building: the first floor was the family's kendo dojo, while the second floor was his living quarters.
The dojo was simply decorated—several bamboo swords on wooden racks, and in the center of the hall hung two large calligraphy scrolls: "Honor" and "Perseverance."
In the past, this time of day would see plenty of students training here. But ever since Seiya's grandfather passed away, the dojo had been temporarily closed.
Now, the only people who still practiced here were Seiya and Suguha.
"Seiya-nii, haven't you thought about reopening the dojo? That must've been Grandpa's wish too, right?"
Looking at the empty, quiet training hall, a hint of sadness showed on Suguha's face.
She truly loved kendo, and she also loved this place that carried so many of her childhood memories. She couldn't bear to see the dojo fall into decline.
"To reopen it, I'd at least need to be an adult and qualified to run it.
Besides, I have a lot of things to deal with right now. Even if I wanted to reopen it, I doubt I'd have the energy to manage."
Reopening the family dojo had indeed been part of Seiya's original plan. After all, running a dojo could be profitable, especially in Japan where bushido still held prestige and kendo was highly respected.
But that was then. Now? Things were different. Seiya had thought he was just an ordinary transmigrator. But now that he had a cheat ability, to only aim for reopening a dojo would be far too embarrassing for a transmigrator!
"Hmph, so these so-called 'things you're busy with'… are you talking about that?"
Suguha's eyes went to the NERvGear box in Seiya's hands.
Though she rarely paid attention to games, the full-dive NERvGear was a revolutionary invention that had made waves in the news, so of course she had heard of it.
"Let me guess—my brother asked you to buy it for him? Honestly… it's bad enough that he wastes his time on games, but now he's dragging you down with him.
When I get home, I'm definitely giving him a piece of my mind!
Seiya-nii, you're a kendo genius! Grandpa had such high hopes for you—you can't just throw that away for games!"
Hearing her lecture, Seiya could only break into a cold sweat.
Though she was a year younger than both him and Kazuto, she was always the one lecturing them like an elder.
And in Seiya's home, Suguha acted as naturally as if it were her own house. She not only plated the small cakes she had brought, but also brewed soba tea to go with them.
Frankly, she probably knew where things were kept in Seiya's house better than he did.
As Seiya wolfed down cake, Suguha propped her chin in her hands and watched him with a smile full of warmth.
"So you haven't eaten all day, and you woke up early just to buy this? My brother is one thing… but you too? I don't get it. Are these games really that fun?"
Her gaze lingered on the NERvGear box on the table. Truthfully, she wasn't happy about it.
Ever since the dojo closed, Seiya had already spent less time sparring with her. If he got hooked on this device too, he'd spend even less time with her.
And it was all her useless brother's fault. Fine if he wasted his time, but dragging Seiya down too? Unforgivable.
"Well, it's not just for playing. According to Kazuto, this SAO game is completely full-dive—our consciousness fully syncs with our in-game characters.
And since it's a sword-based game, real-life kendo skills can carry over well.
Honestly, I don't have any real opponents left in reality. So why not look for strong rivals in the game?
In SAO, no one cares if I'm just a middle-schooler. Plus, it can sharpen my awareness and reflexes. That's why I agreed to play with Kazuto."
Suguha's expression softened with sudden understanding.
She knew it—Seiya wasn't like her worthless brother. Kazuto only played for fun, but Seiya used it as a way to grow stronger in kendo. The difference between them was night and day!
"In that case, I won't nag you anymore. By the way… do you know if the department store still has any NERvGear left?"
Her resistance toward the device vanished instantly. In fact, she suddenly found herself intrigued by SAO.
If she played too, wouldn't that mean she could spend more time with Seiya, not less?
The thought made her heart race.
"By now, it's probably sold out. And with the SAO beta test starting tonight—Suguha, you—"
"Seiya-nii, I have to go! I'll wash the plates later, don't worry!"
Before he could finish, she had already darted off in a hurry.
Watching her back disappear, Seiya let out a long sigh.
He knew exactly what she was planning. Honestly, he didn't want her to follow them into SAO. After all, it was going to be a matter of life and death.
Still, given how scarce the NERvGear was, and with SAO's launch happening tonight, he doubted she'd manage to get her hands on one. That thought reassured him somewhat.
That evening, Kazuto even called to check if Seiya would actually log in, worried he might bail or mess up using the device.
And right after he hung up, Suguha called as well—disappointed, saying she couldn't buy one. But she promised she'd have a friend secure a unit for her, and in two days she'd join them.
"Full Dive——!"
As the device connected, a sharp electronic chime rang out. Seiya's consciousness instantly plunged into the virtual world!
(End of Chapter)