Aincrad, 22nd Floor…
The night gave the forest a beautiful coat made out of silvery moonlight. In the distance, the lake surface glistened ever so gently with the wind. The tall mountains and the flowing water did their job, they executed their primordial duty with one staying unmoving while the other slowly ebbed on.
The quiet night just got deeper. Although the two forces of nature were different in nature, they gave anyone who gazed upon this wonderful scene a sense of peace like no other. Anyone with a troubled heart would find calm in this fantastic scenery.
On the balcony of the wooden house, the windows slowly opened as Wu Yan came into the scene. He moved from the living room and onto the balcony. With his palms supporting his chin, he looked at the world from his house. Suddenly, he was struck with the same question Asuna had.
Is this world really just a fantasy world?
The forest is very real to him. The water, the mountains, the lake, all of it, even the winds brushing the trees here, these felt real to him.
He relished the sensation and he continued observing everything here. Analyzing the parts of this scenery, the trees, the mountains, the waters, they weren’t different from anything one could find in the real world. When the components came together, it’s the fantastic beauty of this scenery that made one question reality.
Wu Yan reckons it’s hard to find any place in the real world that can compete with this scene here. This is one reason why Wu Yan started having thoughts he would normally never have.
Looking at the night sky which looked like it came straight out from someone else’s dream, he went over each and every gem in the night sky that formed a breath-taking silver stream in the sky. Individually, they were dim at best, however, in groups, they lit up the dark and solemn night sky…
Will this beautiful sky disappear along with the defeat of the Final boss in the Red Jade Palace?
Wu Yan treated this world as just another game world. He never thought much about it. He didn’t hate it, felt despair over it, or got terrified by it. He went about his business with indifference.
With power none of the players can possibly imagine, he logged into this game with an undying immortal body. He came into this world without using Nervegear so he wasn’t pressured with death via a microwaved brain, not that he could die like that anyway. This world is just a game to him.
After he got to know Asuna, Yui, Kirito, Sachi, Silica, and the others, he slowly but surely changed his mindset. This game became a social platform that allowed him to share bonds with Asuna and the others. He still didn’t feel the scythe of Death following him with each of his steps.
He is probably the only player who can truly enjoy this world for what it is, without being blinded by feelings of hatred, terror, and disgust. He enjoyed what this world had to offer and that was it.
But, after three years, his living habits changed. He’s not at the stage where he wants to stay in this world forever. However, when faced with the prospect of being freed from this world, he felt reluctant!
When he was still an Otaku, unmarred by the boons the System brought him, he had always dreamt of one day going into a full-immersion virtual reality, just once would be enough. Well, his wish got granted. In some ways, he owed the System and Kayaba Akihiko thanks.
This world also gave him tons of good memories. The house on the 22nd Floor, the stunning floral garden on the 47th Floor where he held his wedding with Asuna, Asuna’s house on the 61st floor were all beautiful floors for sure.
Wu Yan doesn’t want these little pieces of heaven to disappear along with the ugly places in SAO. He didn’t want these floors to disappear along with Kayaba Akihiko’s death.
He wants to preserve everything here…
Light footsteps came from behind him, calling his consciousness back into the present. He immediately identified the newcomer without looking back.
Soft porcelain hands wrapped around his waist. Her soft mounds pressed gently against his back. He picked up her fragrant scent and gentle warmth.
“What’s wrong?…”
Wu Yan asked Asuna who was hugging him from behind.
“Why are you still awake?”
“I can’t sleep…”
Asuna mumbled softly, she rubbed her face on his back.
“I feel a bit lonely without you sleeping near me…”
“You’re already a big girl, I am sure you don’t need anyone to tuck you into bed…”
Wu Yan laughed out loud before he asked her another question.
“What about Yui?”
“She’s sleeping…”
“I see…”
Wu Yan thought about it and he continued.
“Are you okay with that? I mean, Yui…”
Today, SAO is coming to an end. Players, including Wu Yan and Asuna will be leaving.
Yui is a denizen of this world, the world everyone calls a digital emulation is her home…
When they leave, Yui will be the only one left in this world, she’s going to be alone…
Given SAO’s nature, it’s highly likely this evil world will be deleted and Yui too, will perish along with it.
Asuna shook her head and she repeated what she heard.
“Yui said she believes in papa who said there is a way…”
“That brat…”
Wu Yan chortled.
“Luckily for me, I do have a way out of this, it would be a great sin if I failed to live up to her expectation.”
Asuna released her hands. She shifted her position, now in front of Wu Yan, she hugged him with her arms wrapped around his neck. Her eyes turned misty as she gazed into his eyes.
“We always believed in you, Yui and I…”
Wu Yan rubbed her head, he placed his chin on her head. His firm action gave Asuna the boost of confidence she needed. Her unease regarding tomorrow got dispelled.
“Hey…”
Asuna embraced Wu Yan in a tighter hug.
“We are going to win tomorrow, right?…”
“But, of course!”
Wu Yan said with a cocksure look.
“I am going to end everything. I will send you back into the real world. Then, I am going to find you and reunite our family with Yui in tow, no one will be left behind!”
Asuna’s eyes glistened with tears as a dash of hope flashed in the windows of her soul.
“Meeting you in the real world? I am looking forward to that…”
Wu Yan grinned and he lowered his head to whisper something in her ears.
“Just you wait and see!”
Asuna hugged Wu Yan again. The two enjoyed each other’s company silently, their heart resonating in sync. They had two different bodies, but their minds and souls merged at this moment.
This is the feeling Wu Yan is very familiar with. After all, every time he summoned a girl, he would get this synchronized feeling.
What’s more amazing is the fact that Asuna isn’t his summon yet. But, he still felt this sensation.
“Tomorrow…”
Asuna’s voice came from behind him.
“Nothing can go wrong…”
Wu Yan laughed.
“I am going to be fine. I am definitely not going to let anything happen to you…”
“It’s a promise then…”
“Yeah, you have my word…”
