Secret of SAO

Living in the Shadows

Kazuto had spent many weeks in the TAD section. He helped them with updating the system computers and making them compatible with the VRMMO section. He would have to work even harder, to make it, so they could accommodate Augmented Reality adaption. Given his experiences working with it, he might be up to the task. No one else had any prior knowledge. Some resistance, they turned out to be.

His assigned assistant would bring him everything he needed, so he wouldn't have to leave the lab.

The single boys were bunked with other single boys, and single girls, with other single girls. There were up to twelve accommodated by each bunker. Kazuto was assigned a separate room of his own, because despite Hyme's decision to trust him, the other people, mostly picked on him, for being 'responsible' for the mess, the world is in.

Sometimes Kazuto even wondered how much Hyme trusts him, either. Even though, he isn't being forced, he feels like he is being kept away from his friends. He hadn't seen Asuna since his assignment. Not to mention, he felt like he was being watched by his assistant.

He was told to keep his work under wraps, just in case. Hyme would come down for a daily report and Kazuto would constantly have to tell him, progress was slow.

When he thought about their plan to destroy Augmented Reality, he was reminded that Yui was being compromised by these actions. He didn't want to lose her, when they had finally got so close. He kept thinking about how to avoid that outcome, by any way possible. But in doing so, he only dragged on his updating and progression, longer.

They were expecting him to use the system admin privileges to override the system. To do that, they would need to have access to the main frame. That is why they were putting so much pressure on Kazuto, to get it done.

They had no idea how long they had, before towers would be placed throughout these forests. There would be nowhere to hide, if that should come to pass.

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Asuna hadn't seen Kazuto in weeks or months. Time didn't really measure anymore. No one kept track.

She was worried and asked the guards if she could see him, but they told her, that she was not authorized to be in that division. She gave a guard a letter to give to Kazuto, but the guard, just gave it back to her. He told her that nothing can go in or out of that sector, to prevent compromising their efforts.

She felt like they were keeping her away from Kazuto on purpose. Maybe, she was just paranoid.

Cooking, day and day out, was tiring. At least, everyone was grateful for her personal touch. Though, they grew accustomed to her food and started expect it.

As she stared at the burners, stirring the soup, she wondered to herself, if things would ever be normal again. Not just for people to return to everyday living, but her and her friends, would they be able to continue on, like nothing ever happened? Somehow, she doubted it. What kind of effect will this have on everyone? Would it hit everyone as hard as Kazuto, or harder? While she was thinking on the subject, she wondered if Kazuto got over it at all. He has been known to push through things and mope about it, later. Maybe, he is just being strong, right now, because he has to be... Or maybe he isn't holding together as well, as she hopes... It isn't like she has seen him in a while.

She overhears people talking about Kirito, almost everyday, in the morning whispers. Like they have any clue, what they are talking about. They don't even know him. The real him. She wondered sometimes, if Kazuto was still under their control. She didn't think it were possible, because he fought them, in the end. He finally woke up and smelled the flowers.