Sword Art Online: Faithful Hymn

Chapter 55: The Sleeping Knights

Each and every time I dive into a VR world, it always takes me back to that first time I dove into Sword Art Online. No matter what I will do to restrain the pain, it won't ever stop me from thinking back to that unfortunate moment. There is no need to further explain what that moment would be to anyone. 

Everyone would immediately know what I'm referring to. More precisely, to who.

This time is no different. Using Shino's AmuSphere to log in to ALfheim Online, I am able to contact Yuuki, telling her everything that happened to me yesterday evening. Truthfully, yesterday felt like trip through memory lane. At first I thought I saw Wyatt, my old childhood friend. But unfortunately, it was Nautilus, also named Eiji. Despite hoping that such an event like yesterday will never take place again, I also secretly hope it will.

Without the bloodshed, of course.

Your friend Yuuki would like to teleport to you.
Accept?

A push notification broke my silence, not realizing I already was logged in to the VR world. I accept Yuuki's request, thus her figure appears before me. Regarding everything what happened yesterday, will she still see me as the same kind of guy she first clang on to?

"Shoji! It just felt like a lifetime!"

Yuuki shouted towards me before running into my arms. It's certainly good to see the purple-haired Imp back in her normal attire again. 

"Hey Yuuki, how have you been?"

Casually asking her, she moves away from me and looks over to my left hand before she answers my question.

"I've been great! I told the Sleeping Knights everything about you.They are really eager to meet you as well! "

Sleeping Knights, I've heard that name before. It was Yuuki's guild if I recall correctly. Who they are on the other hand, no clue. The girl keeps looking at my left fish, like she knows something happened to it.

"Why are you clenching your left fist like that?"

As soon as she reminded me, I indeed was clenching my fist. In the real world, I was doing the exact same thing in order to reduce the pain I would feel. I entirely forgot that you couldn't feel pain in ALO at all.

"Oh it's... something terrible happened Yuuki, and I have to inform you."

Yuuki immediately looks at me with a worrying gaze. It's incredible to see that so many people care for me so quickly, while I got the feeling I know most of these people only a few days.

With Yuuki, this is the case. Asuna, Silica and Lisbeth on the other hand were familiar faces for me.

Or maybe it's just because girls care about my safety more..?

"Did it have to do with what happened to us and Asuna yesterday?"

I already anticipated that this would be her major concern. Luckily I am able to shake my head as a response, immediately ensuring that it wasn't Yuuki's fault for my disaster yesterday evening.

"I got attacked by Eiji, that guy you fought when I left ALO a few days ago. He was ready to kill me, but... Yuna jumped on front of me to save my life."