Sword Art Online: Faithful Hymn

Chapter 40: Three Birds With One Stone

"Omg! You really are friends with THE Yuna?!"
"Can I have Yuna's autograph pleasee?"

These are the kinds of requests and questions I have been receiving the entire day by now. I must admit, at first it was nice to receive some attention, even if it wasn't purely towards me. Although now I finally begin to understand why famous people dislike such attention.

It really, really irritates you.

I thought it would be best to let Yuna stay home for a day, with both of us having in mind that it's best to stay indoors for the time being. Especially since Yuna's announcement in worldwide TV, she would get a lot of followers. In order to not get flooded, she asked me if it would be okay to stay home for the day.

It was lunch time at my school, not much later after 01:00 PM. It wouldn't take long anymore for lunch time to end, although it's difficult to eat with all of these fangirls standing next to you.

Yet from all the telling I could hear behind me, there were two yells that were standing out. Not only that, but I also recognized those two voices. One of them that would soothe my ears, while the other one... no one could possibly forget the yells that boy unleashed upon bosses, as well as on the Final Boss, Heathcliff.

They were Asuna's and Kazuto's voice.

"Shoji, you have to follow me. It's really urgent, please." says Asuna in quite a serious tone, as well as in a worrying one. Since I am in quite an annoyed mood, as well as a hungry one because I can't eat my food properly, I respond in quite a grumpy voice.

"Please, I'm attempting to eat with the crowd behind me. Could it wait a few minutes?" I say at the two, regretting it immediately. Kazuto looks at me, with his usual serious look. He knows all too well what would bother me. After waking up from a two year old slumber after Aincrad had been beaten, he received the same amount of fame.

The difference between our two situations however, is that I'm still in danger. Or so it seems.

"Shoji, your life is at stake. Please follow Asuna and I and we will tell you what's going on." says Kazuto, with a worrying look. Not realizing what Asuna meant up until now, I immediately let my lunch being for the taking while I follow Kazuto and Asuna to an empty classroom.

Asuna locks the door, while I take a seat as Kazuto keeps on standing in front of me. She then stands next to Kazuto, leaving me with questions in my head.

"We were not joking when we said your life was on the line. You were unfortunate, but also lucky to have joined ALfheim together with Yuuki." says Kazuto to me, while I still got no clue what's wrong. Yuuki and I both had a great time, and I still want to continue to play with her, really badly.

"That makes no sense. Tell me what's really going on, please." I command the two, who both look worried at me. If it has to do anything regarding Yuuki's sickness, I'm aware of that. But that also has nothing to do regarding my own life...

"When you logged off from ALfheim, Yuuki got attacked the second after you disappeared. And you might remember too well who this guy may be."

Right now I have no idea whether I'm really supposed to know who this guy is Kazuto is talking about, or that I'm held guilty for something. As far as I'm concerned, Yuuki and I don't really have any enemies. I consider Tetsuhiro an enemy by now, but I doubt he'd join ALfheim to attack us.

Besides, how would he know Yuuki?

"His name is Eiji."

...

...

...

That is impossible.

I have heard that name before. The boy only told me that name once before, but I know too well who wielded that secret name. Now I don't know if we have the same Eiji in mind, but what I do know is that he is an old friend of mine, who I haven't seen for years.

Not after the death game had been cleared.

Not after Yuuna's sacrifice.

"Did he say anything to Yuuki?"

My entire body started to tremble. I don't even know why I'm getting so frustrated about this. The moment I hit goosebumps all over myself, I felt dark times coming. I look at Asuna, who has trouble looking at me and Kazuto.

"Do you know that this boy had murdered his childhood friend, Yuuna? I loved her with all of my heart, and yet he made her kill herself for him. This is what he said to her."

Once more, my body starts to shake. I recall that horrible day every night as a nightmare. The day where Yuuna jumped in front of me to save my life.

"I have... never murderer... anyone..." I said horrifically. I lost my methods to speak, let alone my backbone. There is no doubt about it. This is the same Eiji that I were friends with roughly two years ago.

"That's not all. He also made an encounter with my niece, Suguha, ingame named Leafa. My sword shall be covered with your blood. See you soon, Shoji. This is what he said before logging off after killing her in ALfheim."

My head is covered with both of my hands I'm looking down, at the floor. It's a clean, dry floor. That's what it used to be. Right now, a pool is created there by both my sweat and tears.

"Kirito, you're freaking him out!" Asuna shouts at him while she runs at me, hugging me as tightly as possible to attempt to comfort me. It's too late though. Nothing could soothe my worries and fear now.

Not even Yuna could.

"Eiji... is... Nautilis..." I stutter, with Asuna still hanging on to me. She gasps, as soon as I call out the name: Nautilus.

"Did you just say... Nautilus..."

BRRRR-BRRRR

"My... phone..." I stutter, with no power to resist my fears and worries. Asuna aims for my pocket, where my phone is hiding. She hands the phone over to Kazuto, who looks at the contact number.

Unknown

Without knowing what to do, Kazuto accepts the call, taking the call for himself instead of me. With all of his power, he tries to mimic my voice, which surprisingly enough paid off.

"Good afternoon, with Sasaki Shoji."

"Shoji! Get to my office this instant! You'll pay for what you've done, and if you refuse, oh well."

Kirito, who assumes that this somehow is all connected to Eiji, talks back, in the manner only he would.

"Finish it, you coward!"

"Hah, else I'll just send Eiji, okay? The SAO Survivor School, correct, Kirito, Asuna and Shoji?"

Tetsuhiro then hangs up. Not only could I hear who was on the other side of the phone call, it seems that he also found out about Eiji. Asuna falls through her knees, with hands covering her face. Kazuto stares at my phone, with his eyes growing bigger as he starts to shake.

...

...

There is no way out of this.