Railgun Online. Book 3, Phantom Bullet

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Down at a café in an ordinary part of town.. Kazuto Kirigaya couldn't help but feel he was making a bit of misake.. looking at the inside of the desert restaurant, he was absolutely sure this was the kind of place only people with a lot of yen to burn would go to eat.

But, he wasn't here for the food. He was here because he had a rather important meeting to be getting to.

Given all the well dressed people around the place, Kazuto figured that in his ordinary black jacket and jeans, it was probably better not to draw attention to himself.. as if he was that lucky..

Because at that moment, a certain well dressed man in a suit with glasses waved at Kazuto from the round table he was seated at. "Oy! Kirito!! Over here!"

Kazuto sighed, what was this guy thinking? Using his in game name like that?

Much to Kazuto's relief,  a certain chestnut brown haired girl wearing a pink shirt and shorts with a cute green Gekota design on the front was already seated there.. looking just like Kazuto felt.. rather reluctant to be with the important looking man.

Mikoto Misaka, the 3rd strongest Level 5 in Academy City, and the fastest one handed sword user in ALfheim Online. And also one of Kazuto's best friends.

"I told you that you're not supposed to use that name in public." Kazuto told the man as he took his seat next to Mikoto.

"That's what I told him." Mikoto muttered. "I let it slide when he called me Railgun though.. I mean that part of me is already pretty known to the entire public.."

"Sorry Kirigaya-san." said the man cheerfully. "I just seem to know you better by that name, that's all.."

Seijirou Kikuoka. Supposedly he was the head of the Second Separated Advanced Network Division, Technology Bureau, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications and etc.

In other words, he was part of Japan's VR division.

Though Kazuto long suspected he might be part of the JSDF. Even so, he had no way to prove so. And since Japan's smaller division of defense was answerable to the JSDF, it was possible that Kikuoka might be a superior to Azume, a friend who worked in the Cyber Division as a skilled gamer.

In any case, Kazuto felt indebted to Kikuoka, despite his misgivings about the man, as he was the one who had told Kazuto where Asuna was hospitalized after he had been freed from SAO. And he himself had paid for Mikoto's physical rehabilitation when it became apparent that the side-effects of her Esper power while under the Nerve Gear had given her temporary arthritis.

So as repayment, Kazuto and Mikoto, along with several players had become Kikuoka's eyes and ears in the VR world. In ALO, Kikuoka had an Undine Mage avatar named Chrysheight. He was good enough that Eugene had recognized him during the Floor Clearing missions of New Aincrad, but other then that, not much else was known about Kikuoka.

"Kirigaya, it's great that both you and Misaka could make it." said Kikuoka cheerfully. "How are you?"

"Well enough I guess." said Kazuto, ruffling Mikoto's hair.

Mikoto blushed with embarrassment and brushed away Kazuto's hand. "Hey, I told you not to do that.."

"I do it all the time." said Kazuto with a shrug. "You didn't mind in SAO."

"That's because everyone knew we were just a bro and sis relationship after you started dating Asuna." said Mikoto. "Honestly, we're in a public restaurant full of people who don't know you, and probably know I'm the Railgun."

"Right.." said Kazuto. "Sorry." Yet all the same, he ruffled Mikoto's hair once more..

"Well.. " said Kikuoka. " Don't be shy, order anything you like from the menu.. it's all on me!"