God of Gaming // SAO x Male Reader x Hoyoverse Harem

Chapter 20: Clarity

A/N: Alright I'm back with yet another batch, if that's what you want to call this one. It took me two weeks of straight writing to finish these lol. All of these chapters are WELL over 10,000 words so there is a lot of shit here.

Anyway, i hope you enjoy reading them as much as i enjoyed writing them.

The darkness of the night enveloped the streets of Coral, its once vibrant voices now fading into a hushed murmur. Step by step, you traversed the quiet streets, the moon casting its gentle glow upon the town below. Though artificial, its radiance held a mesmerizing beauty, drawing your gaze towards it.

Your hands found refuge in your pockets as you continued your solitary journey out of town and onto a short dirt pathway.

You were well aware that Yoimiya wouldn't take your lateness lightly. Over the past couple weeks, she'd repeatedly chastised you for your habitual dinner-time disappearances, and here you were, repeating the offense once more.

With a resigned sigh, you ascended the creaking wooden steps leading to your home's entrance. As your hand reached for the door handle though, a troubling thought nagged at your consciousness. Why had you spoken of Ganyu and Shenhe in such a way? The question lingered in your mind uninvited, and without an answer.

Y/N: Who exactly are they to me anyway... that level of rage wasn't logical given the circumstances. I lost my reasoning, I didn't even have a plan... why? Because they hurt Shenhe and Ganyu... Well, yes, that was the catalyst of my rage, I believe... But why?

You clenched your teeth in frustration as another unanswerable question plagued your mind, prompting a groan of exasperation.

Finally, you reached for the door handle, grasping it firmly before slowly pushing open the entrance to the cabin-style mansion. As you stepped inside, the warm May air gave way to the cooler atmosphere within the house, regulated to a comfortable in-game temperature.

The door clicked shut behind you as you slowly entered the living room, expecting the usual lively chatter that filled the air. Normally, you'd hear Shenhe and Clorinde engaged in their spirited fights, with Ganyu playing mediator, Eula occasionally joining in, and Yoimiya's futile attempts to engage Jingliu in conversation.

But today was different. Instead of the usual cacophony, the room was enveloped in an unsettling silence as you made your way deeper into the living room.

Right away you noticed that the tension in the air was palpable, thick enough to feel like you were wading through it. All the girls were seated together on the couches, with Ganyu slumbering on Shenhe's shoulder, a sight that brought a fleeting smile to your lips and a sigh of relief that she seemed okay.

Yet, that relief was short-lived as Yoimiya rose slowly from her seat, her movements deliberate as she turned her gaze towards you, followed by the rest of the girls.

As soon as your eyes met theirs, they widened with shock and you couldn't help but flinch. These were not the expressions you had expected at all. Normally, if you were late, Yoimiya would run up to you with an adorable pout, followed by a gentle scolding.

But this time, her eyes held nothing but deep, unending sadness, as if she was on the verge of tears. Her eyes were glossed over, and you noticed two large red streaks leading from her eyes down her face, as if she had already been crying.

And it wasn't just Yoimiya. Eula, Shenhe, and Clorinde all regarded you with a similar look in their eyes. Their cheeks were free of tear streaks, but it was only due to their immense willpower that they weren't breaking down completely.