Sword Art Online Crossover: They're all close friends, how did I become a player?

"Hmm~ It's definitely the most comfortable place in the citadel~"

Yu Bai suddenly slumped onto the soft sofa and let out a long sigh. His body and mind were completely relaxed at that moment; all his fatigue seemed to vanish with that sigh.

"Master Saniwa, you're back!"

When Kitsune saw that it was his master returning, he leaped up from the ground, nimbly jumped onto the sofa, and then bounced onto Yu Bai's body.

It nestled obediently against Yu Bai's chest, its fluffy tail wagging back and forth.

Feeling a little breathless from the sudden weight pressing down on his chest, Yu Bai slowly opened his eyes. What came into view was Fox Spirit sitting on his chest with an innocent look on his face.

Yu Bai sat up with a smile, gently holding the cute little fox under the armpits of its front legs with both hands, and lifted it up to his eyes.

"Kitsune-no-suke, have you gained weight recently?" Yu Bai asked in a teasing tone.

"?? No way!! Kitsune-no-suke didn't get fat! I'm a shikigami mass-produced by the Time Government, it's impossible for me to have any physical changes."

Upon hearing Yu Bai's words, Fox-no-Suke, whose body was stretched into a single line, stiffened and stopped wagging his fluffy tail.

Without even thinking, he retorted that as a mass-produced fox shikigami, his body shape was fixed from the moment he was produced.

But then Kitsune-no-suke suddenly remembered how often Shokudaikiri Mitsutada had been feeding him fried tofu lately, and for a moment he felt a little guilty. Had he really gained weight?

"Maybe... well... it's because Shokudaikiri-dono has been feeding me too often lately? But that shouldn't be it, right? No way, has the Saniwa-sama really gained weight?"

Kitsune-no-suke still wants to try and salvage the situation. What if he gets too fat and the Saniwa stops liking him?

Seeing the nervous yet expectant expression on Kitsunenosuke's face, Yu Bai couldn't help but laugh.

He gently stroked Kitsunenosuke's back and said tenderly, "Haha~ Okay, you haven't gotten fat, and even if you have, you're still the cutest Kitsunenosuke in my eyes."

Kitsune-no-Suke squinted his eyes happily, "Really? Lord Yu Bai, you're not kidding me, are you? Is Kitsune-no-Suke really the cutest Kitsune-no-Suke?"

Holding the Saniwa in his arms and having his head and tail touched, Kitsunenosuke was so happy he was practically swooning like a blizzard of cherry blossoms from the sword spirits.

"Really? Although I don't know what other Kitsune-sukes look like, at least in my eyes you are the cutest Kitsune-suke," Yu Bai said again with certainty.

"Hey hey hey~"

Kitsune nestled in Yu Bai's arms, grinning foolishly, a happy smile on its face. Yu Bai smiled and ruffled its hair, then carried it out into the corridor.

Watching the lively scene in the courtyard where Tsurumaru Kuninaga was being chased and beaten by the little swords for his prank, Yu Bai felt a strange sense of peace.

This is his citadel, his home.

His friends and his swords are here.

"Speaking of which, the national competition finals for Xiao Jing and his team are the day after tomorrow, right?"

……

"Beep----"

"Match ended, 3:2, Hyotei Academy wins!"

With a whistle

The National Junior High School Tennis Tournament has come to a close. In the final match, Hyotei University faced Rikkai University, and Hyotei emerged victorious, ending Rikkai University's three-peat in this final year.

"Yay!!! We're the national champions! Yuushi, can you see that? We're the national champions!"

After the one-on-one match between Atobe and Yukimura Seiichi, Yukimura Seiichi had only been discharged from the hospital not long ago. Although his rehabilitation training was going well, he was still recovering from a serious illness.

Undeniably, this illness has indeed weakened the abilities of this Rikkai University minister.

During the fight, even though Yukimura Seiichi used his ultimate move, the Destroy the Five Senses, which initially plunged Atobe Keigo into darkness, after being trained by the sword spirits and having his killing intent released by those sword spirits every day, Atobe Keigo had developed a strong heart and mental strength.

Therefore, the Five Senses Deprivation technique did not control Atobe Keigo for long. Once he broke free from the control of the Five Senses, he directly used the Light Strike, which no middle school student had mastered yet, and won the final match.

"Xiao Jing, congratulations."

As he presented the flowers, Yu Bai smiled happily at Atobe Keigo and the others. No one knew better than him just how hard these boys had worked in their training.

"Oh, you unglamorous guy, you finally came to watch our match?"

Sweep his grayish-purple hair back to reveal his full forehead, Atobe Keigo looked at his long-lost friend and complained.

"Of course I'll come to watch your final match, didn't I promise? Besides, if I don't come, I'm afraid someone will break off all ties with me the next day."

Yu Bai smiled and handed Atobe Keigo, who was still sweating, a clean handkerchief.

"Hmph~ You're smart to know what's good for you."

"Of course. I..."

Looking at the arrogant Atobe Keigo in front of him, Yu Bai was about to say something when he suddenly felt someone pounce on him from behind, followed by a lively voice.

"Ah Bai, Ah Bai, look, we're the champions!"

"Yes, yes, congratulations. But, Cilang, could you please get off me?"

Yu Bai turned to Akutagawa Jiro, who was standing close by with a head of curly hair, with a somewhat helpless expression.

"Hehehe~ Shall we go celebrate together today? What do you say, Atobe?"

Jumping off Yu Bai, Akutagawa Jiro looked at Atobe Keigo with starry eyes.

"Well, winning the championship is definitely something to celebrate. I've already booked a hotel. You guys get ready first and then we'll head out together."

As an unofficial member of the Hyotei Tennis Club, Yu Bai naturally accepted everyone's invitation to go and celebrate together.

Looking at the lively scene at the dinner table, Yu Bai turned to look at Atobe Keigo, who had lost some of his arrogance and was now watching the two little animals playfully fighting with a gentler expression.

"This summer is almost over. Is Xiao Jing planning to go abroad for high school?"

The national competition has ended, which means the end of the third year of junior high school and the start of high school for everyone.

As heirs to a conglomerate, Keigo Atobe and Yuushi Oshitari naturally cannot focus all their energy on tennis anymore, as they also need to begin to shoulder the responsibilities of their family.

"Well, I'll be going to high school abroad. After that, Oshitari will apply to the medical school at the University of Tokyo. High school probably won't be in Tokyo. As for the others..."

Looking at the lively atmosphere around him, Atobe Keigo felt a pang of sadness. "And you? Have you made your choice for Shiro High School yet?"

"Hmm... I might go back to China, or I might go to Green Cherry High School." (A high school the author made up)

"Green Sakura? Speaking of which, Oshitari and the others will probably go too, since the specialization there is the strongest."

Green Cherry High School, also a prestigious private high school, occupies a very large area and offers the best education in the entire Sakura Country. Whether in medicine, politics, science and technology, or sports, the academy focuses on cultivating the most outstanding successors and talents. Those who study here are either rich or noble, and talent is also highly valued. Sometimes, even money cannot get you into this high school.

Of course, if you are very talented, you can be admitted even if you are an ordinary person.

"Speaking of which, it's Seiji and his team's game in a few days. Do you want to go and watch?" Yu Bai thought that the basketball finals at Teiko Academy would be in a few days, so he asked Atobe Keigo if he wanted to go along.

"Hmph. I don't want to watch that guy's game. That kind of team has players with serious psychological problems. There's nothing to watch."