"Alright, we're here. This is the boss room."
Hachiman turned to his team before the ornate labyrinth door.
"Let's take it down quick and hit floor 22!"
Asuna, beside him, chimed in instantly. Hachiman silently clamped a hand over her mouth, addressing the team again.
"No way. Take a break first."
"Mmph!"
Asuna protested, but Hachiman ignored her. The others laughed, settling into a rest. Asuna calmed, and Hachiman released her. They sat at the group's center.
"I get the excitement, but rushing in isn't my style. Chill, Asuna."
"Sorry…"
"No big deal, I get it."
Kirito backed her up, and the team nodded. Asuna, ever earnest, apologized to the four guests.
"Sorry, guys, I got carried away."
They brushed it off.
"It was exhausting, sure. This pace is faster than when we joined right after Aincrad's release," Sakuya said.
"Same. First time at this speed, so I could use a breather," Alicia added.
Eugene scoffed.
"Pfft, you're just undertrained."
"Don't lump me with you battle maniacs, Eugene!" Sakuya snapped.
"I'll take it as a compliment, right, Kirito?"
"Don't drag me into this!"
Kirito's retort silenced the group. He glanced around, confused. "What, am I like that?" The team's vague smiles or averted gazes left him slumping beside Lizbeth, who patted his head.
"There, there. It's your only redeeming trait, so cheer up."
Ignoring their moment, Eugene turned to Hachiman.
"Your team's terrifying when serious."
"Only for this floor. We won't pull this spoiler stuff elsewhere. For boss fights, we'll probably go all-in on floors 25, 50, and 75."
"What's special about those?"
"Well…"
Hesitant to spoil too much, Hachiman explained the quarter-point floors.
"…So, those floors had brutally tough bosses, with heavy losses."
"Good to know. We join raids sometimes, so we'll keep it in mind," Eugene said.
"We don't raid much, so we're fine, right, Sakuya-chan?" Alicia asked.
"Maybe, but if allies join, we can't let them die pointlessly. Spread the word," Sakuya replied.
"Smart! As expected, Sakuya-chan!"
"Objection!"
Kirito, sulking moments ago, shouted, drawing eyes. He rushed to Hachiman, fervent.
"What's up, Kirito?"
"There's another key floor besides those three!"
"Another? Asuna, any ideas?"
"No clue…"
Asuna glanced at the SAO veterans, who tilted their heads. Yukino spoke softly.
"Hachiman-kun, maybe that floor you mentioned… where Kirito basically soloed it?"
"Ohhh!"
The six SAO veterans exclaimed in unison.
"Floor 74, Gleam Eyes? You wanna fight it again, Kirito?"
"It's like that thing's still haunting me. If it is, I'll take it down again!"
"Uh, weird logic, but got it. Everyone, sorry, but join us for floor 74's raid someday."
The team roared agreement.
"Hachiman, what's special about floor 74?" Eugene asked.
"Well… an idiot went rogue, stormed the boss room with a small group."
"So, Kirito went rogue?"
"Why me?!"
"Wait, an idiot went rogue…"
Eugene's deadpan remark left Kirito speechless. Hachiman stepped in.
"Kirito's a battle nut, sure, but this was a different kind of idiot. Guy's dead, so I'll drop the 'idiot' label. The Aincrad Liberation Army had a reckless leader who rushed the boss room unprepared with a small team. Kirito, Asuna, Klein, and a few others, including me, stepped in to help. Kirito finished the boss solo."
"Classic battle nut…"
"No! Everyone wore it down first!"
Kirito protested; Hachiman nodded.
"By the way, Kagemune, you fought that boss once."
"Huh?"
Hachiman grinned. Kagemune blinked, then noticed Kirito's awkward look.
"Kirito… you mean that Lughru…?"
"Yeah… that was Gleam Eyes."
"Argh!"
Kagemune screamed, recalling being chomped by Kirito's transformed Gleam Eyes.
"Sorry, man, really!"
Kirito apologized profusely. Hachiman explained to the clueless, earning Kagemune sympathy. The team then tackled floor 21's boss, with Kirito shining to redeem himself, clearing it easily.
"Alright, Asuna and I will secure the home. Everyone else, head to floor 22 and activate the gate. This is today's real climax—don't screw it up."
"Leave it to us!"
"You got it!"
Kirito answered for the team. Hachiman and Asuna nodded, sprinting up the stairs at blinding speed, vanishing instantly.
"Wow…"
"When those two get serious, they're unreal," Klein said.
"No one else can reach floor 22 until we activate the gate, so they don't need to rush, but… given the stakes, it makes sense," Yukino noted.
"Yeah, the home, Yui, Kizmel—it's everything they've been waiting for. Let's go!"
At Kirito's command, the team ascended. Hachiman and Asuna reached floor 22 at breakneck speed.
"Huff… Asuna, you okay?"
"Yeah… I'm fine…"
"Let's catch our breath. Look over there."
Hachiman pointed to a white tower's peak—their secret base.
"It's really it!"
"The scenery's so nostalgic."
"Nothing's changed!"
"We're finally back."
"We're home! Everyone, we're home!"
Overwhelmed, Asuna shouted to NPCs, who replied with stock lines. She didn't mind. Hand in hand, they approached the tower, found the hidden home-purchase panel, and claimed it. A new input field appeared.
"'Name the house,' it says."
"A new feature, huh?"
"Didn't hear about naming, but we decided already, right?"
"Yup! Our home, our new secret base—Valhalla Garden!"
Hachiman entered the name, and a bell-like chime rang, signaling the key entering his storage. He duplicated keys for the guild and made four for guests.
"Asuna, here."
"Yay, thanks!"
"Wanna open it?"
"Can I? Alright!"
Asuna held the key, and the tower wall slid open silently, revealing the entrance. They climbed the spiral staircase to the white building atop.
"Wow, nothing's changed!"
"Yeah, just like old times. Too small for our crew now, though. Let's expand it."
"Yup! Can't wait to see how!"
"Argo said the exterior stays the same, but it's instanced, so we get more floors."
"Got it. I'll watch upstairs."
"Alright, here goes."
Hachiman activated the home's console.
"Rooms… Asuna, how many of us?"
"Uh… you, me, Kirito-kun, Leafa-chan, Recon-kun, Liz, Silica-chan, Haru-neesan, Mebius-san, Yukino, Yuiyui, Yumii, Iroha-chan, Komachi-chan, Argo-san, Klein-san, Egil-san, Krushite-san… 18?"
Asuna counted on her fingers.
"Let's make 30 rooms, including guest ones."
"Sounds good."
"Add an observatory, bar with a great hall, large external monitor?"
"We can add more later if needed."
"Training yard with bleachers?"
"Don't forget beach chairs!"
"That's not on this console. I'll buy some later."
As Hachiman worked, the interior expanded before their eyes, Asuna cheering excitedly.
"Done. Now for the climax—Yui and Kizmel's revival."
"Yes, please!"
"Here goes… link the storage items… should work."
"Yui-chan! Kizmel!"
Hachiman finalized the console. The stored items vanished, and Yui and Kizmel appeared. Asuna hugged them instantly.
"Mama! I'm back!"
Yui, in her old SAO form, clung to Asuna joyfully. Kizmel, oddly in a maid outfit by default, looked confused, then stared at Asuna, realization dawning.
"You look different… Asuna, is that you?"
"Yes, it's me! Welcome back, Kizmel!"
"I'm with you again…"
"Sorry for the wait. We're together now, forever."
Kizmel smiled warmly.
"I'm so glad to see you, Asuna."
"Me too, Kizmel! Yui-chan!"
"Mama! Mama!"
The three embraced tightly. Hachiman watched, content.
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