I saw Asuna's eyes, wide with disbelief, begin to grow teary, and shook my head vigorously in a hurry.

"Th... that's not it, that's not it at all! It will just be for a few days; I'll immediately transfer back! The... the truth is, because there is a certain reason, I have to check out another VRMMO... "

With this appeal, Asuna finally relaxed her shoulders and, this time, a dubious look rose to the surface in her eyes.

"Check it out...? If that's the case, why can't you make a new account like usual? Why do you have to convert over?"

"That, that is... it's that 'Gla.s.ses' from the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications ..."

Then, with some difficulty, I explained why Kikuoka Seijirou's summons comprised half the reason the place of the date was the Imperial Palace while intentionally omitting one part.

Just as we arrived at the gate, we finished our general conversation, returned our admission ticket at the window booth, and when we were near the Hirakawa Gate Bridge that spanned over the moat, Asuna, with a really complicated face, said.

"Kikuoka-san's request... then it seems like it can't be helped. I, somehow feel unsure if it's alright to put my faith completely in him or not... But I am extremely in his debt..."

"No, I have the same feeling."

At that moment, we both wryly smiled.

But Asuna immediately returned to a serious expression, gripping my hands tightly and saying.

"...Return as quickly as you can. 'That' place is our only home.."

I nodded, lowered my gaze to the surface of the moat and replied.

"Of course. I'll return to ALO as soon as possible. It's just research on what's going on in the "Gun Gale Online" game."

-That's right.

I wasn't completely honest with Asuna about the true purpose of Kikuoka's request. In short, the core of my mission was to contact the player who might possess a mysterious power, the rumored "Death Gun". I didn't tell her, because I believed that if I did say it, she would undoubtedly stop me, or perhaps propose to dive together.

It was a selfish excuse, but I had already decided that I have no intention of letting her anywhere near a virtual reality with the slightest hint of danger.

Of course, I also believe that, probably 90% of the time, the "Death Gun" talk was a product of rumors.

That, from a virtual reality, a human in the real world could be killed.

No matter how many times I thought about it, I could not believe that such a thing was possible. AmuSphere, no matter how you say it, is only a machine a bit more technologically advanced than a normal TV. Technology such as "Virtual Reality" and "Full Dive" tend to seem magical but, in the end, it was merely a convenient tool, and was by no means something like a magic item that could detach the soul from a person's real body and transport it to a parallel world.

But, the remaining one-tenth of the probability moved my legs to this place.

Many months ago, I was sorting an acc.u.mulation of old electronic magazines within my PC storage; one magazine was published just before the operation of SAO. In it I discovered a short interview with Argus Director Kayaba Akihito. There, while he was alive, he talked about 'it'.

-'It' referred to the "Realized World" called An Incarnating Radius, abbreviated as Aincrad. Within it, all players would see many dreams becoming a reality. They would find swords, monsters, and mysteries, without stopping to realize that amongst those game-like symbols, a power which forces even the players themselves to change exists in that world-.

Undoubtedly, I've changed. Asuna, as well, has changed. Even Agil, Klein, Liz, Silica and the others, as in that world, in the two years that pa.s.sed, we definitely experienced a change in personality to a degree that we cannot return to how we once were.

But, what if we a.s.sumed Kayaba's "evolution" did not stop there... ? Thanks to the VRMMO execution package "The Seed", now, while at the nook of the limitless growth of the VR Nexus, if we can a.s.sume the framework called reality and virtual reality itself are able to change, what kind of factors will be born... ?

Making an *uin* sound, the automatic door in front of my eyes opened and the smell of detergent and warm air surged forward and interrupted my unending thoughts.

On top of the fact that two GGO players died in the real world, I cannot affirm that contacting "Death Gun" would pose absolutely no danger. After I return to ALO, if I am honest about this to Asuna, she will definitely get mad. But eventually, she will surely understand.

To me-who supposedly cut off the time to monitor Aincrad, the person named Kirito who released "The Seed" package into the world-there were no other choices beyond this.

After visiting the bathroom, relying on the printout of Kikuoka's email, I finally arrived at the designated room on the third floor of the hospital ward. There wasn't a patient's name on the plate beside the door. After knocking, I pulled the door open- "Ossu! Kirigaya-kun, long time no see!"

The one who greeted me was a nurse I was acquainted with. She took care of me previously during my long rehabilitation.

Under the nurse cap, her long hair was braided into three thick strands where at the end of that, a small, white ribbon swung. Dressed in a light pink uniform, her considerably tall stature for a girl cast a sharp silhouette that most certainly appeared to be a temptation for the hospitalized patients. On the left side of her chest was a small nameplate with "Aki" written on it.

The small face expressing a smile was certainly, appropriately clean and beautiful like a white-robed angel, but, responding as necessary, knowing she can become scary when she likes, I got out of my stupor in one second and hurriedly lowered my head.

"Ah... he-h.e.l.lo, sorry for not contacting you."

At that moment, Nurse Aki suddenly extended both of her hands, and touched me, from my shoulders to my arms, and tightly grasped the sides of my stomach.

"Wa...waaa!?"

"O-, you've sufficiently put on some meat. But, it isn't sufficient yet, have you been eating correctly?"

"I, I've been eating, I've been eating. But, uh, how should I put it, why is Aki-san here?"

I looked around the room but in the small, private room, there weren't any other people.

"I heard about you while talking with that government official with gla.s.ses. By all means, for the sake of that government official, the virtual ... network? You're doing an investigation? Even though it hasn't been a year since you came back, it's difficult, isn't it? Given that, since I was in charge during your rehabilitation, I was requested to keep check of the monitors, and today, I got out of my normal shift. Having talked to my superiors, as one would expect from the power of the state, I certainly felt that. Anyway, again, for a short while, we'll be working together, Kirigaya-kun."

"Ah ... sa-same here."

Somehow, believing that I am weak to beauties, he came up with this shrewd plan, Kikuokaaaaa-while cursing the agent who wasn't there in my mind, with a smile, I grabbed the hand that Nurse Aki held out.

"...So, that government guy with gla.s.ses didn't come?"

"Yeah, he said something about a meeting that he couldn't get out of. He entrusted me with a message for you."

I opened up the manila envelope that was handed over and took out the handwritten piece of paper.

'The report was forwarded by mail to the usual address. It has been requested for the overhead expenses to be paid completely with remuneration after the mission is completed. P.S.: Just because you are alone with a beautiful nurse in a private room, you shouldn't let your youthful impulses run wild.'

At that moment, I crushed the memo completely with the envelope and threw it into the pocket of my rider jacket. If this was read by Nurse Aki, her hara.s.sment act could really be prosecuted.

Offering a stiff smile at the suspiciously winking female, I said.

"Ah-... Well then, we should immediately connect to the net."

"Ah, yes yes. Let's start the preparations."

At the side of the bed that I was guided to, bright colored monitors were lined up and on top of the bed rest, a brand new AmuSphere was giving off a silver radiance.

"Now then, strip, Kirigaya-kun."

"What ... What!?"

"The electrodes, to stick them on. In any case, when you were hospitalized, I saw everything already so you don't have to turn red-"

"... uh, is only the top okay ... ?

After Nurse Aki thought for a moment, fortunately, she nodded. Resignedly, I took off my jacket and my long-sleeved shirt and lay down on the bed. All at once, the electrodes used by the electro-cardiogram monitor were stuck to various places on my upper body. In terms of AmuSpheres, there exist some that also have heart rate monitors but Kikuoka seemed to have misgivings that the feature might be taken down by cracking. Looking at that one thing, I understood that he is, at least somewhat, truly concerned about my safety.

"Alright, with this, everything is ready."

When the nurse checking the last monitor nodded deeply, fumbling, I picked up the AmuSphere, put it on my head, and turned on the power.

"Uh, well then... I'm off. Probably, I'll be diving for around four, five hours so ..."

"Alright. I'll properly watch over Kirigaya-kun's body so don't worry and take care."

"I ... I'm in your care."

I wonder, how things turned out this way ... while I was thinking about this question, seemingly after everything that had happened, I closed my eyes.

At the same time, with my ears, the electronic sound informed me of standby completion.

"Link Start"

After reciting the command, the radiating white light that I had grown used to seeing blocked my field of vision, my consciousness was released from my body.

The moment that I landed in the virtual world, I remembered that faint uncomfortable feeling.

The reason was confirmed after a few seconds. That's because the sky had one side dyed with yellow with traces of faint reddish tinges.

I heard that the time inside "Gun Gale Online" was synchronized with reality. In other words, since it was just one o' clock, the sky was supposed to be the same blue that could be seen through the window earlier in the hospital. Despite this, the sky showed the depressing color of twilight, there was no discernible reason for this.

Anyway, after imagining one thing after another, I shrugged my shoulders and ignored it. The desolate earth setting of GGO was modeled on Earth after the last war. It was probably a production for the sake of giving an apocalyptic atmosphere.

Once again, I turned my eyes to the majestic appearance of GGO's central city "SBC Gurokken" spread out in front of me.

As one would expect, an excellence that only exists in SF VRMMO, that form differs a lot from the newly established capital city "Yggdrasil City" of the world up in the tree, Alfheim and from the previous Aincrad's layered levels' fantastic townscapes.

The buildings with a metallic feel rises as if piercing the heavens, air corridors connecting them together like the mesh of a net. Neon colored hologram advertis.e.m.e.nts were busily streaming in the gaps between the buildings; approaching the ground, they increased in number, like a flood of color and sound.

Finally, I looked at the ground and what I was standing on was not anything like soil or stone, but a path paved with metal plates.

Behind me was what seemed to be a domed building established as the initial character starting location, and in front of me, a street like a city's main street stretched out. To the left and right of the street, questionable shops were tightly lined up in a spectacle resembling some side street in Akihabara.

Then, the players coming and going were also only groups that held an atmosphere that couldn't go straightforward. Overwhelmingly, there were a lot of males. Perhaps it was due to my experience with ALO, which has a relatively high proportion of females, or possibly, that world's inhabitants' delicate fairies. The sight here instead was overwhelmingly of rough men, strutting while wearing military camouflage jackets and black body armor, truthfully, it gave a feeling of oppression and, how should I put it, excess, or if I say it clearly, filth. In addition, with all of those unfriendly eyes, truthfully, it was hard to talk to.

The reason to be overwhelmed was also, that the usual players hung on their shoulders and back; the clunky, black, rustic weapons-guns.

It lacked the decorative-like element of swords and spears and instead, there was only one intention with guns. They are weapons. It was only for the sake of defeating the enemy that it was of this form and color.

In other words, I saw something that can also be said of this world itself and I affirmed it in my mind.

The only purpose to exist in this game is to "fight, kill, and rob." ALO's touted component of "enjoying activities in an illusionary world" was almost completely stripped away.

Therefore, magnificent and pretty figures were probably a negative factor. For the sake of intimidating enemies, outward appearance was an important parameter for the soldiers. Why many of the males grew out their beards and carved out conspicuous scars on their faces was perhaps for this reason.

As for how it concerned me, what kind of appearance does my avatar give off?

I immediately wondered and looked over my own body. For the sake of my objective to be targeted by the prominent evil "Death Gun", I wanted the form of a macho soldier from a Hollywood movie- ... I had an unpleasant premonition.

The skin on both of my hands was gla.s.sy white and the fingers were also surprisingly thin. My body, which was wrapped in a black military fighting jacket, depending on the circ.u.mstances, was more slender than me in reality. From the feeling of my viewpoint, somehow, I didn't exactly think that my height was very tall either.

Corresponding to the dive into Gun Gale Online, as I explained to Asuna a few days ago, I didn't generate an initial character from the beginning. If I had done that, I would probably never be able to meet "Death Gun", who targets strong people.

Using the VRMMO development and support package, "The Seed", and making generate-more than that, if I were to go into detail, for the worlds that operate with the "Cardinal" system, only one mutual meta-rule existed.

If you use that function, it is possible to maintain those abilities if the character data that was built up in the game was transferred to a game administered by another company. It greatly resembled the SIM cards of cell phone terminals that you can potentially freely replace with a different carrier's terminal.

For example, you transferred a character with stats of 100 strength and 80 speed built up in a game labeled A to Game B. After doing so, a "Relative Preservation" transformation of Game A's strength would occur, and in Game B, a character with 40 STR and 30 AGI would be born. To put it simply, a fighter-type warrior with strength in the upper middle level in ALO would be reincarnated as an upper middle fighter in GGO.

Of course, this isn't a function that increases the copies of a character. The moment it is converted, the character in the original world is completely eliminated and more so, because the only thing that could be transferred was the character, items could not all be brought over, though it is convenient, it was an act that required courage. This time, when I had to transfer over the character that I used in ALO "Spriggan Kirito", to GGO, I forcibly left almost all of my items in a safe in the new general store that Agil just opened up on the 50th floor on New Aincrad.

Now then, by the convert function, I acquired the strength of ALO's Kirito, though, because the character was re-rolled and built up, it wasn't the ridiculous status of the Kirito in SAO, but because I couldn't bring over my appearance, like items, I couldn't predict what kind of form would be randomly generated. Therefore, I might as well hope for the form of a brawny soldier, but...

While feeling this unrelenting discomfort, I surveyed my surroundings, and walked up to the mirrored gla.s.s that adorned the dome that I had just left.

Then, my eyes widened in astonishment.

"What the h.e.l.l is this!"

What was being reflected in the gla.s.s was a form that was a hundred light-years away from my hopes.

The height was obviously shorter than when I was a Spriggan, and furthermore, it was thinner. The hair color, without changing, was still black but, the hair flowed smoothly from the top of my head to around my shoulder-blades. My face was, just like my hands, an almost transparent white, and my lips were a vivid crimson.

The eye color as well, even though it was black identical to the hair, it was shining excessively. Those eyes that were fringed with long eyelashes raised a pure yet bewitching sight from the mirror, so much so that I unintentionally forgot that the image was of myself and let my eyes wander freely. Again, I looked at the facade, and let out a long sigh.

Asuna often said that SAO's Kirito had a considerably feminine face but, this form was already beyond that level anymore. Just where the heck would you find a soldier's strength in this form, and with that, I stood frozen in place, in a daze. A guy who was eating something a little way away suddenly waved at me and from behind, called out to me who was reflected in the gla.s.s.

"Hey young lady, you have good luck! That avatar, F1300 type! That type rarely comes out. So how about it, since if it is now, you only just started, why don't you sell that account? I'll give you two mega credits!"

Stopping my thoughts about my current state for the moment, I looked at the guy's face but, suddenly, a certain possibility arose and, in a fl.u.s.ter, using both hands, I touched my chest. But fortunately, there was just a feeling of flatness so my misgivings were gone. It seemed that my fear of a s.e.x reversal accident was unfounded.

The recent VR games, for almost all of the t.i.tles, forbid changing the s.e.x of the player and avatar. The reason is because the long-term use of an avatar of the opposite s.e.x results in adverse effects for the spirit and body that cannot be ignored. However, I have heard that, because the identification of the players' s.e.x occurs due to the players' brain waves, in extremely rare cases, due to some impulse the system decides with the opposite s.e.x, players have been startled when they dive in.

Now that I think about it, changing the s.e.x setting was possible in the original SAO, but immediately after the start, the system reverted us to our original s.e.x, I wonder if after all, it was because Kayaba understood the adverse effects ... and with those sudden out of place thoughts wandering around in my head, I finally looked at the male face, and while shrugging my shoulders, I replied.