Part 23 (2/2)

I hesitantly opened my mouth: ”...Asuna...”

”What?”

”...Please don't get angry and listen to me. This boss fight today...could you not take part and wait here for my return?”

Asuna first stared at me, then she lowered her head with a melancholic expression and said: ”...Why are you saying this...?”

”Despite what Heathcliff said, we simply can't predict what will happen in a place where crystals can't be used. I'm really afraid...when I think about it...that something will happen to you...”

”...You want me to wait in a safe location while you go somewhere that dangerous by yourself?”

Asuna stood up and walked towards me with confident steps. Her eyes were aflame with pa.s.sion.

”If I did that and you didn't return, then I'd commit suicide. Not only would I lose my reason to keep living, I would also never forgive myself for simply waiting here. If you want to run away, then we'll run away together. If that's what you want to do, then I'm fine with it.”

She finished talking and touched the center of my chest with the fingertips of her right hand. Her eyes softened and a soft smile appeared on her face.

”But, you know...everybody taking part in today's battle is afraid, and they all want to run away. Yet, despite the fear, they still agreed to join. That's because the leader and Kirito-kun...because the two strongest people in this world are leading them...that's what I think...I know that you don't like to bear responsibility. But I hope that you'll try, just this once, not only for them, but also for us...so we can return to the real world, so we can meet again; I hope we can try our best together.”

I raised my right hand and clasped Asuna's hand softly. The feeling that I didn't want to lose her flooded out from deep within my heart.

”...Sorry...I, became weak for a moment. To tell the truth, I really wish we could just run away together. I don't want you to die, and I don't want to die either. We don't have to...”

I gazed into Asuna's eyes and kept on talking: ”It's fine if we can't return to the real world... I want to go on living with you in that forest lodge. The two of us...forever...”

Asuna grasped her chest with her remaining hand. She closed her eyes and frowned, as if she was trying to endure something. Then, a dejected sigh escaped her lips.

”Yeah...it really is like a dream... It would be great if we could do that...spending each day together...forever...”

She stopped here and bit her lip as if she was letting go of a hopeless wish. Then she opened her eyes and looked up to me with a serious expression on her face.

”Kirito-kun, have you ever thought about it...? About what's happening to our real bodies right now?”

I was struck speechless by this unexpected question. It was probably something that every player here wondered about. But since there was no way of contacting the outside world, it was useless to think about it. Although everyone was scared, they also avoided confronting this question.

”Do you remember? That person's...Kayaba Akihiko's introduction at the beginning of the game. He said that the Nerve Gear would permit two hours of disconnection. But the reason for that was...”

”...to move our bodies to the proper medical facilities...”

Asuna nodded as I muttered this.

”Then a few days later, everyone had been cut off for about an hour, right?”

Something like that had definitely happened. I had looked at the disconnection warning and worried about whether or not the Nerve Gear would kill me in two hours.

”I think everybody had been moved to hospitals then. It's impossible to take care of a comatose person for years in a normal household. They most likely moved us to a hospital and then linked us back up again...”

”...Yeah, I think you're right...”

”If our bodies are just lying on a bed, managing to stay alive only through the numerous cords connected to them... I don't think that they'll remain safe in that situation forever.”

I was suddenly overtaken by the fear that my body was starting to fade away; I hugged Asuna to confirm our existence.

”...In other words...regardless of whether or not we can clear the game...there will always be a time limit...”

”...And this time limit will differ from person to person... Since talking about ”the other side” is a taboo here, I haven't discussed this with anyone else... But you're different. I...I want to spend my whole life by your side. I want to go out with you for real, get married to you for real, and then grow old together. So...so...”

She couldn't continue. Asuna buried her face in my chest and let the tears flow. I slowly stroked her back to help her finish her words.

”So...we have no choice but to fight right now...”

My fears didn't actually go away. But how could I give up now when Asuna was doing her best to open up our future while trying so hard to keep herself from collapsing.

It's alright-it will definitely be alright. As long as we're together, it will definitely- I strengthened my arms and hugged Asuna tightly to get rid of the eerie feeling that threatened to overtake me.

Chapter 21.

There was a group of obviously high-level players waiting in the seventy-fifth level teleport gate plaza in Collinia, so I figured they must be the boss party. As Asuna and I stepped out of the gate and headed towards them, they all closed their mouths and sent a tense glance our way. Some of them even gave us a guild salute.

I stopped walking as surprise overwhelmed me. But Asuna saluted in reply and then jabbed me on the side.

”Come on, Kirito-kun, you're a leader now, so you have to greet them properly!”

”What...?”

I saluted them awkwardly. I had taken part in numerous boss parties up until now, but this was the first time I had received so much attention.

”Hey!”

Someone thumped me on the shoulder, and I turned around and saw the katana-wielder, Klein, smiling under his bandana. Surprisingly, Agil's huge build also stood beside him, fully equipped with a two-handed axe in his hands.

”What......you guys are taking part as well?”

”Why are you surprised!? Aren't you taking us a bit too lightly!?”

Agil shouted indignantly.

”I even left my shop because I heard that you guys were having a hard time. To think that you don't appreciate my selfless sacrifice....”

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