Sword Art Online: Forgotten Edition

Fragment 57 - Different

Floor 55 - Granzam
KoB HQ

By himself, the Silver Bullet stormed into KoB Headquarters, ignoring all the players who approached and attempted to stop him.

"Get out of my way," his usual cheerful demeanor was gone. It was as if he were possessed, an entirely different person.

He approached the grand doors to the room where he had once vouched for Volt. Instead of pushing them open himself, the doors swung open for him. At the back of the room was a lone individual who looked up with a smug smile. Seeing his face caused Haru's emotions to waver, quickly turning to anger.

"Heathcliff," he glared at the gray-haired man sitting comfortably in his chair.

"How can I help you?" Heathcliff spread his arms open to welcome him.

"Who are you?" Haru went straight to the point.

The man only smiled and tilted his head as if he didn't understand the question.

The lance user felt his anger rising. To calm himself, he took a deep breath and exhaled.

"You had an 'Immortal Object' pop up during your fight with Kirito. Don't tell me you've already forgotten."

He recalled what Volt said in the hidden dungeon after Yui disappeared. Yui had "Immortal Object" attached to her, just like Heathcliff did during his fight with Kirito. It couldn't have been a coincidence.

The two had to be connected.

"Interesting... Is that all you came here to talk about? If so, you may leave. We have nothing further to discuss," Heathcliff waved his hand dismissively.

Haru frowned and walked closer to Heathcliff's desk. His vision was succumbing to red pixels, and his mind was plagued with thoughts not his own.

"Tch..." he shook his head and reached over the table, grabbing Heathcliff by the collar and raising his voice. "Why did you HAVE IT?! If there was something we could've done to save Yui, YOU should have the answer! So...." He let go, "please..."

Adjusting his collar, Heathcliff spoke, "Floor 100. Make it all the way to the top, and you'll find what you're looking for."

"That doesn't answer my—"

"So be it. Your friend is gone. You can't undo a death. That's not how this game works. Instead of focusing on something so trivial, you might as well focus on clearing the floors—"

A loud bang interrupted his sentence. The next thing Heathcliff knew, his table was smashed in two with a fist-shaped imprint embedded in the center. The fragments glitched as the system attempted to repair them, but the table remained broken, seemingly beyond repair. Normally, such destruction was impossible in a safe zone, but it appeared that nothing could stop the enraged boy.

"What a waste of my time," the young player's arms were coated with gauntlets as he walked away.

Hearing the noise, members of the guild rushed into the room, his weapons disappeared almost instantly.

"Acting guild master!" one player said, rushing to his aid. "Are you alright?" said another.

"Yes, just a bit of a dispute, but nothing to worry about."

Interesting. Heathcliff smirked.

Floor 83 — Serpentis Sea of Trees INN

Nestled high among ancient, towering trees, the inn offers a tranquil retreat where the rustling leaves and birdsong create a soothing ambiance. Its rustic wooden architecture blends seamlessly with the forest surroundings, featuring cozy rooms with large windows that provide breathtaking views of the verdant canopy. Guests can unwind on the spacious deck, enjoying the serene atmosphere and the gentle sway of the treetop haven.

Despite the unique scenery, Haru walked into his group's temporary base without glancing at his two teammates sitting on the wooden furniture, which was surprisingly comfortable. He strode past them, his weary expression evident, and headed straight to his room.

"What's up with him?" Hero tilted his head as he asked Musashi, who was sitting across from him.

"...Couldn't tell ya," Musashi replied, watching as Haru headed up the steps.

The young man let out an audible sigh. "Say... don't you think we should talk to them? They're both cooped up in their rooms."

"About what? I gave them their warning about pulling a stupid stunt like they did on the 82nd floor," Musashi said, crossing her arms. "There's nothing more to say."

"Yeah, but..." there was genuine concern in his eyes, a deep worry that reflected his unease about the current situation and the well-being of his friends.

"We just need to give them more time. Trying to talk more sense into them would just ruin their mood. Though, I have a feeling Volt will bounce back faster than Haru."

"What makes you say that?"

Musashi exhaled. "Volt's... been through a lot. She knows better than anyone about the pain of losing someone. As for Haru..." her eyebrows scrunched together. "The best thing we can do for him is to be by his side and watch over him so that he doesn't do anything stupid. After all, he's just a kid."

She walked over to Hero and put a hand on his shoulder. "I'm counting on you for some support, okay?"

He nodded his head. "You got it."

"Cool. Let's call it a night."

Hero and Haru's Room

In the bed next to him, Hero snored loudly, but that didn't seem to be what was bothering Haru. The young boy scowled at the ceiling, replaying his interaction with Heathcliff earlier in his mind.

His lips parted as he murmured the word, "Program." He had to face the harsh truth that Yui was merely a data construct created for the game, and she had been deleted for reasons unknown. All he could think about was that Kayaba Akihiko, the mastermind behind everything, was to blame. Yet, his limited understanding of programming left him feeling helpless and frustrated.

"Ngh..." He winced as red pixels flickered in his vision, appearing unwarranted and persistent. He hadn't meant to smash the table in the KoB room, but something inside him had driven him to it. He wanted to stop this troubling compulsion but didn't know how. As his concern mounted, Haru struggled to calm his racing thoughts before finally drifting into a restless sleep.