(Altheim, Neutral Territory Central
Capital, Arun)

After flying for a few more extra hours, Kitsune, Leafa, and Kirito were finally able to reached Arun.

Kirito: The World Tree...wow.

He said staring up at the giant tree, that was
next to the city of Arun.

Leafa: Yeah, this is Arun! The center of
Alfheim, the biggest city in the world.

Kitsune: that's a big one alright.

He said it with a smile on his face, as Yui flew in right beside Kitsune.

Yui: I've never been to a city of this size.

Kitsune: Got some of the idea. The ore light looks like stardust. Dare say Jojo, I double dare you!!

Suddenly a massive alarm started to sound.

System: The server will be down today, January 22nd, from 4:00 AM to 7:00 AM for scheduled maintenance. Players are asked to log out ten minutes in advance.

Kitsune: The server will be down today, January 22nd, from 4:00 AM to 7:00 AM.

Leafa: That's all for today, huh? Let's log out at an inn.

Kitsune then wore a frown after hearing the
announcement bitter but understands that he can't truly control it.

Kitsune: Yeah..

He said as Leafa and Kirito stared at him in
confusion on their faces

Kitsund: Well, let's find an inn. I blew all my
cash, so nowhere too pricey.

Kirito: All your cash? But you said you've still
got more!!

Leafa: This is what happened when you decided to show off by giving all your money
to Sakuya. You should have saved money for
an inn.

Kitsune: just joking!! Don't worry, I've
still got money.

He said waving his dismissal as his eyes turned white for a bit

Leafa: You heard your Papa. Is there a cheap
inn nearby?

Yui: Hmm.... Oh!! There's a super-cheap one down there.

She said pointing her hand towards the cheap
inn, as Leafa tilted her head with an awkward
smile with a sweatdrop.

Leafa: S-Super c-c-cheap, huh?

Kirito: Well better than nothing, right?

Kitsune: Then, let's go. We need a rest after all
that fighting.

He then went ahead to the Inn.

Leafa: Ah, slow down, Kitsune-kun...

She said catching up to him with Kirito
following beside her. Leafa then stares at the
top of Arun, feeling the gentle breeze pushing her hair. She felt a calm aura coming from Kitsune as he smiles.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Asuna ran through the branched pathway and spotted a cave-like enteance.

Asuna: hey, that's...

She mutters as she sneakily walked towards it. Inside the cave, Asuna spotted a large metal door and placed her hand on the keypad, sliding the door opened.

The sudden, quick movement frightened Asuna, causing her to run and hide. After a few seconds passed, she takes a peek at the door and saw a long and bright lit hallway. She then walk through the hallway.

(Kirigaya Residents)

Kazuto was washing his face with water from a fountain.

Kazuto: Morning, sis.

Suguha: Morning, big brother.

Yami: morning. You look very sleepy. When did you get to bed last night?

Suguha; 4 in the morning, I guess?

Kauzto: a kid shouldn't stay up that late. What were you doing?

Suguha: I guess I was on the Internet.

Yami: I see...well don't go to hard on it. Hey Suguha turn around.

Suguha: why?

Yami: do it.

She did turn around.

What she didn't know that Yami grabs a handful of water and puts it on her neck as she screams and echos.

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

(Hehehe)
(Back at ALO)

Asuna was still sneaking around the hallway.

Asuna: how far does this hallway good?

She still continues sneaking around until she saw something that she got back but checks it again.

Asuna: is this a map?

Her eyes on what locations for an exit.

Asuna: somewhere...somewhere there's a console where I can log out.

She check a room that said "Experiment Hanger".

Asuna: Experiment Hanger?

She remembers what Sugou said as a sweatdrops from her face.

Asuna: what the hell?

(Back at Kirigaya house)

The trio were making a meal.

Suguha: Yami, you'd better buy me a green tea raspberry cream parfait to make up from before.

Yami: okay, I can do that.

Suguha: then you're forgiven. So do you want to get it today?

Yami: me and Kazuto have to do something in the afternoon. And we're planning to go to the hospital this morning.

Suguha: oh...hey Yami, big brother...could I come with you two?

Kirito: oh, sure you can. I'm sure that will make Asuna happy.

Suguha: yeah. All right, let's eat!!

(Back at ALO)

Asuna went to the "Experiment" room and in it were many pillar-like objects and each object was projecting the hologram of a human brain.

She then hears a beeping noise coming from
her left, as she turns to it, seeing one of the
captive's brains hologram was turning red

Asuna: This is..

She recalled Sugou's plan from her memories.

(Flashback)
Sugou: By expanding the brain's control
regions, it could be possible to control
thought, emotion, even memory.

The hologram brain displayed negative
emotions, that caused the brain to glow red.

(End Flashback)

Suddenly, a vision of Sugou holding a
hologram brain inside his palm, as he
destroyed it. Asuna gasped covering her
mouth with both of her hands, as she steps
back.

Asuna: They're suffering so much!!

She said as she turns around, as rows upon rows of  captives' brains could be seen all around Asuna.

Asuna: All of these? Awful. How awful! He
won't get away with this!! He needs to be stopped!! He's causing so much suffering!! Just wait for a little. I'll save you, okay?

She said to one of the captive's brain. Suddenly, two slug-like monsters entered the room.

Slug #1: Now, how it's going?

Slug #2: He's having another dream of Spica.

The two slugs look down on one of the brain
holograms.

Slug #1: The B-13 and B-14 fields are off the
scale. Same with 16. High excitement.

Slug #2: Sure it isn't a coincidence? It's only
happened three times.

Slug #1: No, it's due to the emotional
inducement circuits. If it's happening at this
rate, he's over the threshold.

Slug #2: For now, we'll put him on the list for
continuous monitoring.

Asuna who hid behind one of the pillars tried
to sneak away.

(Back at real life)

Kauzto, Suguha and Yami were on the bus stop, the buss arrived and they went inside. Suguha asked Kazuto and Yami question.

Suguha: weren't you supposed to start high school last year?

Kazuto: well..they said something about using one of the empty public school buildings as a temporary school for the students who came back from SAO.

Announcer: Now departing...

Yami: there's no entrance exam, and after graduating, you'll be qualified to take the collage exams.

Suguha: I see. That's sounds like a good deal.

Yami: I'm not interest of going to collage. It's not my thing to deal with stuff that you have to do on your own. I rather be in working. I graduated high school so yeah...

Suguha: but they'll he lumping lots of different students together.

Kazuto: after all, we spend over two years playing a brutal death game on a daily basis. They don't know what it did to our minds. Maybe we'll be together for observation.

Suguha: seriously?

Yami: any of us wanted to get a High school the normal way, we could've been starting the school from scratch and start the whole thing for a whole year. Of course, you Kazuto wanted to tame the exam on your own, I'm sure you could.

Suguha: I'm sure you'll do fine, brother. You got good grades!!

Kazuto: "were" past tense. I haven't studied for two years.

Suguha: I can tutor you!

Kazuto:*smirks* you can if you help me with math and information processing.

Suguha then step back didn't know that she
has to tutor the hard subjects.

Yami:*chuckles*

(Back in ALO)

In the experiment room atop the World Tree, Asuna noticed a floating black cube. A system console.

Asuna: That's... A system console?

She then looks back at the two slugs.

Asuna: Good, they haven't noticed me yet.

She ran to the console and slid the card slot.
Asuna: Please!

She said sliding the card slot before many
windows began to pop up, which a smile
graced her features. Asuna looked through
the window menu and noticed "Transport"
and the window asking to log out.

She then pressed the button and it shows a
notification.

All services will be terminated upon logging out. Cancel or Logout?

Asuna: yes I can log out!!

However, before she was able to confirm the
logout, one of the slugs approached her from
behind.

Asuna: oh shit!-

Back in the real world, Yami, Kazuto and Suguha arrived at Asuna's hospital. Yami gotten a smile but knows what's going to happened.

Suguha: This hospital is enormous.

Yami: The interior is wild too. Like a hotel.

The two of them then headed inside the
hospital and as they're walking, Yami and Kazuto notices something wrong with Suguha.

Kazuto: Sugu, what's wrong?

Suguha turns to Yami and Kazuto after looking unsure of herself of meeting with Asuna.

Suguha: It's nothing, Yami, brother.

The two were in the elevator heading up
towards the floor where Asuna's room was.

Yami: Don't worry, Sugu. And hey turn that frown upside down.

He said with a smile. Yami was smiling at her as Suguha briefly nodded as a small smile appears on her face. The elevator doors open up on the 12th floor as the two get off, and they head straight for Asuna's room.

Suguha: Yuuki Asuna.

She pronounced on the plat name beside Asuna's room.

Suguha: Her character name shared her real
name. Not many people do that.

Both boys turns to her with an impressed look.

Yami: You know a lot about it, Suguha. Asuna's
the only one that me and Kazuto know that ever do that. Let's get in to Asuna's room.

He offering his hand at Suguha, as she
accepts by taking his hand into hers. The three
walked inside the room and stood before Asuna's bed.

Kazuto: Let me introduce to you, this is Asuna.
Vice Commander of the Knights of the Blood
Oath, Lightning Flash Asuna. She had speed
and precision in her swordsmanship I was never able to catch up until Yami arrived and surpassed everyone.

Suguha: really?

Yami: yep, this is Kazuto little sister, Kirigaya Suguha.

Suguha: N-Nice to meet you, Asuna-san.

She greeted with a bow.

(I swear!!)

Asuna was caught by the two slugs and she was pulled away from the system console. She was hanging upside down as the left slug looks at her with its two eyes.

Slug #1: Who are you? What are you doing
here?

Asuna then looks at them nervously.

Asuna: Hey, put me down. I'm a friend of
Sugou. He was letting me look around. I'm leaving now.

Slug #1: No one notified me about this. What
about you?

Slug #2: Nothing. He wouldn't want outsiders
seeing this anyway.

Slug #1: Wait a second.

Then the slug gets a closer look on Asuna.

Slug #1: wait you're the girl that Sugou keeps at the top of the World Tree in that cage.

Slug #2: I've heard about that. It's so unfair
that the boss gets to have all the fun with the cute girl.

Asuna then tried to reach the log out button
with her foot but was restrained.

Slug #2: Come on, hold still.

Asuna: Stop it! Let me go, you monster!

Slug #2: That's so mean... We're in the midst
of an experiment on deep-sense mapping.

Asuna: You're scientists, aren't you? Aren't
you ashamed, participating in this illegal,
unethical experiment?

Slug #1: I think it's more ethical than sticking
electrical probes into an exposed animal
brain. They're all just dreaming.

Slug #2: That's right. Sometimes, we show
them the most wonderful dreams. I wish I
could have been them.

Asuna then narrows her eyes at him.

Asuna: You're insane.

Slug #2: The boss is on a trip, right? Get back
to the other side and see what he wants us to
do.

Slug #1: Fine.

The other slug said as he turns to the left slug well to his left.

Slug #1: Hey, don't have any fun while I'm
gone.

Slug #2: yeah, yeah, I got it. Get going.

The left slug said gesturing to him to go. The
right slug then presses the log out button, as
he disappears.

Asuna: Release me! Let me go! Let me out! Let me out of here!!

Slug #2: I can't! The boss would kill me!

The slug said as he grins like a gross freak.

Slug #2: Just forget it. Why don't we enjoy
some electro-drugs? I'm sick of dolls.

One on its tentacle licks Asuna's cheek, as
Asuna wore a frightened look. The tentacle
then wrapped around Asuna's body. She felt grossed out.

Asuna: Stop it!! I'm not going to be in a tentacle hentai!!!

She shouted in despair, as slowly she was
glowing yellow. The slug ignored it, as it
continues to molest Asuna with its tentacle
wrapping itself around Asuna's legs.

Asuna: What are you doing?

She said feeling as if the tentacles weren't
touching her at all, but she was still disgusted
by it.

Asuna: Yami...

The tentacles had wrapped all around Asuna's
body.

Asuna: Stop it...THAT'S IT I HAD ENOUGH BULLSHIT!! SUGOU CAN SUCK A DICK!!

One of the tentacles went near her face as she
bits it, and then the slug was suddenly blasted
off from Asuna.

With the slug completely blasted across the
room, Asuna immediately presses the Log
Out button, as she disappears completely.

Slug 2: boss is gonna kill me!!

(Back at Real Life)

Yami: Suguha, Kazuto, can you wait outside for a bit?

Suguha: Okay...

Kazuto: yeah we can do that.

Suguha said noticing that he wanted to be alone with Asuna, as she nodded and walked out of the room with Kauzto leaving him and the bedridden Asuna alone but her heart felt broken.

Yami extends his hand and slowly grasp Asuna's hand putting her hand inside his. He slowly massaged her knuckles, as a sad smile spread across his face.

Yami: Asuna...

He said quietly as a black tear escaped his eye, his hollow mask began to form but stopped at 1/4 and drop onto Asuna's hand. Feeling that he had said his goodbye and sense that it was time to leave, he slowly stood up from his chair.

Yami: Bye, Asuna..

He slowly let go of his hold on Asuna's hand.
as he turns around to leave. But before that
could happen, a hand mysteriously grip his
arm from leaving.

???: Yami, don't leave...

He open his eyes as Asuna was now awake with a smile on her face as he smiles back.

Yami: you're awake now.

Asuna: your mask...it's actually true...

Yami: yeah it's true...

The two stare at each other, as tears begin to
shed from Asuna's eyes, finally seeing Yami
after a long time. Asuna then instantly hug
Yami, to which he hugs back with a smile on
his face.

Asuna: I miss you, Yami.

She whispered as tears kept streaming down
her cheeks, as it fell onto Yami's black jacket.

Yami: I miss you too, Asuna, I missed you.

He said with a soft smile. The two pulled
away from the hug, and stare at each other, as
Yami slowly leans in towards Asuna's lips, to
which she replied by closing the distance
between them. Time seems to slow down a
bit, as the two shared a kiss after a long time
of separating.

Yami: was it some slugs?

Asuna: y-yes I hated it...

Yami:*growls*

Asuna: let me tell you what I saw.

She told them everything, everything that made Yami's blood boiled to unmeasurable levels of rage. He quickly calms down.

Yami: well I'm gonna kill that bastard...Asuna, I'm sorry but I have to return you to the game. Not just for you but the trapped players from SAO. I'll call the cops.

Asuna: I know.

Yami: bye Asuna...

She then puts on her NerveGear back on.

Asuna: Link Start.

(Back at ALO)
Asuna was back in the same room, with all the captive's hologram brains. She then looks at the slug who was still out cold from the blast that sends him through a wall.

Slug #2: Uh....... I forgot I turned off the pain
observer.

The slug started to wake up, as Asuna lay on
the ground faking that she was unconscious.

Slug #2: The girl.

The slug looking at the unconscious Asuna
who was on the ground and he breathes a
relief breath.

Slug #2: The boss is gonna kill me.

He then slugged his way towards the girl.
Asuna then started to wake up from the fake
unconscious state, as she tried to reach for
the console, but again she was restrained by
the tentacles. Then, the other slug appears
beside him.

Slug #1: What are you doing?

Slug #2: Nothing. What did the boss say?

Slug #1: he was pissed that she escaped and have the cage be watched 24/7 so she won't escape.

The second slug carries her back to the cage. She quickly takes a card from his. The arrived at the cage and puts her back in the cage. She takes out the card she taken.

Asuna: Yami, you can do it...

(Meanwhile)

Leafa logs back in first, she sat up as she looks down.

Kirito: sorry we're late.

Kitsune: yeah our bad. What's wrong? Did something happened Leafa?

Leafa: Um...

Then tears came out of her eyes, flowing out of her cheek and landing on the floor.

Leafa: um, Kitsune...I...I...my heart was just broken...I'm sorry, saying all this to someone I just met. It's against etiquette to bring real world problems here.

Kitsune puts his hand behind her head.

Kitsune: Whether you're here or in the real world, you can cry when it hurts. There's no rule that you can't show your feelings just because it's a game.

Leafa: Kitsune...

She cries on his shoulders as he rubs her head. Kirito looks away he didn't want to see Leafa crying as it hurts his heart.

Leafa: I'm in love with Yami, I want to be with him but told me he has a multi-relationship. I can't ever speak of these feelings. I have to bury them deep in my heart.  So that I can forget them someday. But my heart is saying that I want to be with him and be happy with a multi relationship.

Then she was able calm down.

Leafa: I'm now okay. Thanks, Kitsune. You're sweet, aren't you?

Kitsune: I told this to my friend, devils never cry... These tears, tears are a gift only humans have. And we humans, never give up... are you ready? You ready to do this?

Leafa: yeah, I've come this far. I'll go the rest of the way. Now let's go.

Kitsune: heh yeah, Kirito you ready?

Kirito: yeah.

Kitsune: hey Yui, you here?

Yui appears on his shoulder and yawns.

Yui: Good morning, Daddy, uncle, and Leafa.

Leafa: morning, Yui. Hey I was wondering yesterday...um...do Navi-Pixies sleep at night?

Yui: of course not. But when Papa not here. I shut down my input circuits and process accumulated data. It could be similar to human data.

Leafa: but you just yawned.

Yui: that's what humans do during their boot up sequence right? On average, papa's last eight seconds.

Kitsune: it's okay to have data but don't really have to say odd things. Okay let's go.

Leafa: yeah.

They left the inn and walked in the center of ALfheim.

Leafa: it's really bustling here.

Kirito: I guess it's really is the center of ALfheim.

Yui: it seems that all of the fairy races from around the continent are here.

The continued walking and looked up to see the World Tree.

Kitsune: the World Tree...shit that mean the tower will be 100 floors.

Leafa: yeah. Seeing it up close, it's amazing, isn't it?

Kitsune: there's like a city up there right?

Leafa: The Fairy King Oberon lives there with the light fairies, the Alfs. And they say the first race to meet the king will be able to reincarnate as Alfs.

Kirito: you can't climb it on the outside?

Kitsune: you can't it's off limits even flying will expire so we have to start to the bottom to the top. Also the game was patched so using shoulders won't work since the gm freaked out.

Leafa: yeah, let's go.

They continue walk, talking to each other on subjects or in general.

Leafa: once you pass through that gate, you're at the world's heart, the central district of Arun.

As they walked pasted the gate, Yui pops out of Kitsune's pocket.

Kitsune: what's wrong, Yui?

Yui: aunt...

Kitsune and Kirito:....

Leafa: huh?

Yui: aunty is...here.

Kitsune: she is?

Yui: yes I'm sure!! The player ID belongs to aunty!! The coordinates are right above us!!

Kitsune growls as he grows his devil wings and blasted up to the sky.

Leafa: wait!!

Kirito: hold up!!

Leafa and Kirito: Kitsune!!

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

End of Volume