The final strike rang throughout the snowy sky. The noise also continued to baffle the coalition of Divine Dragons and the Army.
The boss was going to die in their hands, someone came in to sneak the last hit in.
Driven by rage and frustration, members from both guilds started turning red-eyed. They forgot how they tried to steal a boss kill.
Wu Yan let the data fragments rain over him as he examined the item logs for his drop. He saw a gilded rhombus object and he materialized it in his hands. There’s a blue jewel in the center of this item.
He fiddled with it and then he tapped it to examine the item description.
“Hmm… Divine Stone of Returning Stone. ‘The item can be activated on the player’s shortcut menu or by holding the materialized item and uttering «Revive … [Player’s Name]». The effect will only work during the time frame between the death of the player and the disappearance of the item’s effect light, which is approximately ten seconds.’ Ah, I see, so it has a time-limitation after all…”
He read the item’s effect aloud, returning them to their senses. Passionate eyes fell upon the stone in his hand.
This is the only revival item tonight, it is also probably the only revival item in the entire game. They treated the item with a healthy amount of skepticism. Death in-game is equal to death outside in the real world. Can a game item even revive a dead person outside in the real world?
They didn’t think so.
They sent out guild members on the off-chance that this item turns out to be authentic. In short, they wanted to check it themselves.
Although it’s limited by time, its revival effect is true.
An item that can revive a player…
The others kept their eyes on the Divine Stone of Returning Soul. Even Asuna, Souta, and Klein treated the object seriously. Kirito is the only one who looked like he could do without the item.
Wu Yan gave the other players a sarcastic smile. He stored away the Stone after letting them take a good look. Then, he started walking towards the exit.
The Dragons and The Army exchanged a look as greed overwhelmed their rationality. They surrounded Wu Yan from all sides.
Asuna, Kirito, Souta, and Klein turned ghastly pale.
“As expected, they want to rob the item, huh?”
Souta snickered.
“I gave these idiots too much credit…”
“Hey, think we should go to help him?”
Klein elbowed Souta again.
“We can’t let the Dragons or the Army attack him, that will affect all of us!”
Asuna and Kirito recalled how Wu Yan stated his history of killing others. They were worried that Wu Yan might kill all the Dragons and the Army here, which would significantly slow down their progress in Aincrad.
They are damnable assholes but they felt like these players shouldn’t be executed for letting greed get to their heads. For the greater good, they couldn’t allow their deaths here.
“Stop right there!”
Asuna stood out with her guild members in tow. They stood between Wu Yan and the coalition of kill-stealers.
“The boss fight is over, he also obtained the item via the last hit. There’s no use fighting over this matter any further!”
Asuna continued.
“Do you want to harm yourselves over trying to rob another player outside of raids and battles?”
“Vice-leader…”
The leader for the Dragons came as he accused Wu Yan by pointing at him.
“He’s not someone in our raid group, the rule and norms between us do not apply to him, isn’t that right?”
“Yeah!”
The Army also glanced at Wu Yan as they tried to sling mud on Wu Yan.
“Vice-leader, the rules do not protect him, if it does, we will be very displeased!”
“You’re talking about frustration with me?”
Asuna started talking to them with repugnance in her tone.
“How about you guys? You guys tried to steal the boss kill from him!”
“It’s not like that, vice-leader…”
The Army started using their template excuse.
“To liberate all the players in SAO, the Stone would be more useful in the hands of the frontliners and raid group members, isn’t that what’s better for everyone?”
The Army used the “Greater good” card and Asuna didn’t have a proper response for that. She glared at the Army who are somehow proud of their misleading justification. They said that line like justice stood on their sides or something.
“Those are pretty big words you’re using there…”
Souta and Klein came with their crews following closely behind. The Black Cats and Fuurinkazan stood with KoB on this matter.
“You’re saying everyone should sacrifice something for the players, right?”
Klein pursed his lips.
“I seem to recall a certain Army going into retirement after getting slaughtered in a certain Boss fight though? Riddle me this, if it’s for the greater good of liberating all players, then shouldn’t the Army still be serving in the frontlines as the clearing guild they claimed they are?”
“You…”
The Army leader was choking on his own words.
The Divine Dragons decided to be gangsters about this.
“Anyway, if he doesn’t give that item up, we will not back down!”
“Okay, I have something to say about that!”
Souta declared.
“The Black Cats shall not back down from this side!”
Klein and Asuna also didn’t budge from their spots. They wanted to cover for Wu Yan.
Kirito knitted his brows as he mumbled.
“This is going to be troubling…”
KoBs, the Black Cats, Fuurinkazan, the Dragons, and the Army, they are all very crucial parts of the clearing raids. Without anyone of them, the clearing progress will grind to a halt.
If the raid group splits up over this then it’s going to significantly reduce the efficacy of the raid group. Again, the clearing efforts will also be negatively affected.
Wu Yan laughed out loud, no, he sneered loudly.
“You want it?…”
His question silenced every player here.
Wu Yan appeared from behind Asuna, Souta, and Klein. He eyed every Dragon and Army here as he lazily threw them one line.
“Don’t use fancy words you don’t know the meaning of…”
Wu Yan laughed while shaking his head.
“I hate it when people say one thing when they actually want another thing, it is in poor taste and you should be ashamed…”
Asuna and the others were worried about him.
Things were going so good for them, 3 vs 2, they would have dispersed after exchanging a few more verbal artilleries but that would be it. Wu Yan is adding fuel on top of the fire with his words.
Wu Yan didn’t mind it at all, he took out the Stone and he gave them a wide grin.
“You want it? Come get it then…”
