"So, I'm here to help Hachiman!" Meguri declared.
"Thanks, Me… Meguri-san," Hachiman said, catching himself.
"Oh, and I brought three of your old friends!" Meguri added.
"What?" Hachiman blinked, only then noticing three players battling the Salamanders. Their overwhelming strength was evident, and the Salamander army seemed to be losing its will to fight.
"No way…" Hachiman muttered.
"Must be the reinforcements your sister mentioned," Yukino said.
"Yeah… haha, they actually came," Hachiman said, fighting back tears.
"Let's regroup while the enemy's crumbling," Yukino suggested.
"Before that, what the hell did I look like?" Hachiman asked.
Everyone averted their eyes, answering in unison:
"Santa."
"Santa!"
"Definitely Santa."
"Big brother, how long are you gonna stay in Christmas mode? Komachi's embarrassed…" Komachi groaned.
"Santa? Santa… no way…" Hachiman said, realization dawning. "I was watching Kirito's fight with that thing so closely it fried my nerves…"
"If you're satisfied, let's regroup," Yukino said.
"Right, sorry," Hachiman said. "Komachi, grab Leafa. Sakuya's group is probably out of MP, so tell them to stay alert and rest."
"Got it! Komachi's on it!" she replied, darting off.
"Alright, let's link up with those guys," Hachiman called. "Hey, you three, over here!"
Hearing him, Klein, Egyl, and Silica disengaged, intimidating the enemy as they approached with beaming smiles.
"Missed you, Nicholas!" Klein shouted.
"Long time, Nicholas! We're fighting with you!" Egyl added.
"Um… Hachiman-san, it's been a while!" Silica said shyly.
"Silica, you're my only solace," Hachiman sighed. "So I really turned into Nicholas…"
The trio grinned at him. Hachiman, meeting their gazes, took their hands and spoke earnestly. "You guys… thanks for coming. Really."
"Can't sit back when a friend's in trouble," Klein said.
"It's to save Asuna and Lisbeth, right? No big deal," Egyl added.
"It's only natural!" Silica said.
"You're the best," Hachiman said. "I hate to ask, but lend me your strength a bit longer."
The four shared a joyful reunion as Komachi and Leafa returned. The surviving Salamanders, down to about sixty, showed no sign of attacking, their morale shattered.
"Hachiman, care to introduce your friends?" Yukino prompted.
"Right," Hachiman said. "These three are mine and Kirito's old buddies."
"Klein, nice to meet ya!" Klein said.
"Egyl, pleasure," Egyl added.
"Silica, hi!" Silica chirped.
"And Meguri-san, obviously, is our dependable senpai," Hachiman said.
"Meguri here, nice to meet you!" Meguri said brightly.
Yukino's group exchanged introductions. Hesitantly, Leafa spoke up. "Um, I've been wondering… are you the Meguri, the Undine lord?"
"Huh?" Yukino, an Undine herself, blinked in confusion.
"Hold on, Yukino, you're an Undine," Hachiman said. "Why're you surprised?"
"Sorry," Yukino said. "I've been active around Arun, Sylph, and Cait Sith territories since the game started, so I never looked into Undine affairs."
"Got it," Hachiman said. "So, senpai, is it true?"
"Yup, I'm the Undine lord," Meguri said casually.
"No way…" Klein gaped.
"I haven't logged in for a while, so I might've been replaced," Meguri added.
"I heard talk of that," Leafa said, "but you're still the lord, according to Sakuya."
"Guess I'm still the lord then," Meguri said with a grin.
"That's wild…" Hachiman muttered.
"With that settled, shall we attack the Salamanders?" Yukino asked.
"They look like they've lost the will to fight," Hachiman said. "They're not even trying to hit us. If Kirito beats that Eugene guy, this battle might end right there."
"You're right," Yukino agreed. "It depends on Kirito, but it's likely."
Glancing at Kirito, Klein piped up. "Speaking of, that Salamander Kirito's fighting looks tough."
"That's General Eugene, the Salamander lord's brother," Yukino explained. "He wields the demonic sword Gram and is considered ALO's strongest player."
"For real?" Klein exclaimed. "That guy's that strong?"
"Too bad for him," Hachiman said. "That title's his until today."
Egyl nodded. "Kirito's not losing."
"Everyone really believes in Kirito, huh?" Silica said, awed.
"It's not just belief," Hachiman said. "There's no room for doubt."
"You're strong, Hachiman, but Kirito's the strongest among us," Klein added.
"Kirito's that good?" Yukino asked.
"Yup," Hachiman confirmed.
He shouted toward Kirito. "Hey, Kirito! Klein, Egyl, and Silica are here! Stop messing around and finish that guy!"
Kirito glanced over, his face breaking into a grin as he raised his sword high. "Got it!"
"Let's keep the Salamanders in check, even if we don't fight," Yukino said.
"If they attack, we can just wipe them out, right?" Hachiman asked.
"Depends on the situation," Yukino replied.
The group spread out in front of the Salamander army.
Rewinding slightly, Kirito and Eugene were locked in a fierce duel. "Hey, Eugene, your side's getting crushed. You cool with that?" Kirito taunted.
"Damn it, not just you but that other guy's a monster too," Eugene growled. "I've gotta take you down fast."
"I'm the one winning," Kirito said, swinging his swords.
They clashed fiercely, but Kirito noticed the battle's sounds had faded. "Hachiman's transformation wore off… and we've got four new allies."
"Four more won't change anything," Eugene scoffed.
"Your side's down a ton, though," Kirito countered.
Eugene pulled back to check. His forces were indeed reduced to about sixty percent. "Tch, lost forty percent," he muttered. "But you can't use that illusion spell again. We've got the advantage."
"Maybe, but Hachiman's strong even without it," Kirito said. "Yukino's team is here too."
"We've got five times your numbers. We won't lose," Eugene insisted.
"Really? Your men look like they're giving up," Kirito said. "If I beat you, this war might just end."
"Try it," Eugene challenged.
"Planned to," Kirito replied.
As they prepared to clash again, Hachiman's shout reached Kirito: "Hey, Kirito! Klein, Egyl, and Silica are here! Stop messing around and finish that guy!"
Kirito glanced at his allies, joy surging. "So they finally showed up, huh, Hachiman?"
Raising his sword, he shouted at Eugene, "Sorry, but I'm not feeling any chance of losing now. Here I come!"
"Come on!" Eugene roared.
Their duel resumed, but Kirito now dominated. "You're different from before… what is this strength?" Eugene gasped.
"You rely too much on your weapon," Kirito said. "That ability's too risky. If I dodge when it phases through, I can counter for massive damage. And if I'm ready to trade hits, it's guaranteed to land, right?"
"Guh…" Eugene grunted.
"I've got the timing of your phasing down," Kirito continued. "If your first strike phases, I block with my second sword. If I block the first, I hit with the second. Either way, you're done."
True to his words, Kirito landed precise strikes. Eugene, panicking, swung wildly, leaving openings. When Eugene unleashed a desperate attack, Kirito, accepting some damage, swung with full force. Eugene's phasing ability backfired, letting Kirito's counter land a critical hit. Eugene's attack missed, and Kirito followed with a flurry of strikes mimicking Starburst Stream, executed without system assistance.
"This is the end!" Kirito shouted.
"Argh!" Eugene roared.
Kirito's blades carved glowing trails across Eugene's body, shredding his HP. Moments later, Eugene's HP hit zero, and he exploded, leaving only a Remain Light.
"Magnificent!" Sakuya cheered.
"Kirito, you're amazing!" Alicia shouted.
The coalition erupted in cheers. Yukino seized the moment, issuing a surrender demand. The demoralized Salamanders complied, ending the battle. Eugene was promptly revived, and post-battle negotiations began.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/Greyhounds
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