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

Just as Soza Samonji was filled with anxiety, his fingers gripping the hilt of his sword tightly with tension, a pair of gentle hands lightly covered the back of his hand. Feeling the warmth of the Saniwa's palm on his hand, Soza Samonji's heart slowly calmed down. He slowly lowered his grip on the hilt, his eyes lowered as he stood beside Yu Bai.

"Lord Yu Bai~ I'm so happy to see you again~ Since we've met again and you've become a Saniwa, let's exchange Honmaru IDs. It'll be easier to keep in touch in the future, since it's not easy to meet someone you know in a place like this." Nobuko Sagawa didn't address him as Yu Bai suggested, but continued to call him Lord Yu Bai on her own.

This gesture seemed to allow her to recall or retain something through this form of address. As Nobuko Sagawa spoke, she slowly approached Yu Bai until her figure was only a step away from his. During this process, Soza Samonji's muscles tensed up again, and his fingers unconsciously pressed against the hilt of his sword once more. If Nobuko Sagawa made any sudden movement, his sword would be at her neck without hesitation the next second.

Nobuko Sagawa's gaze swept over Sozo Samonji's face, body, and the hand gripping the hilt of his sword. It was a deep and sticky gaze, carrying an indescribable gloom and complexity, making Sozo feel an involuntary sense of suffocation as if he were being stared at and coiled by a giant python.

The cold and sticky feeling almost made him want to vomit, and his disgust and discomfort grew stronger.

Seeing this, Yu Bai subtly shifted his feet, perfectly blocking Nobuko Sagawa's unsettling gaze: "There's no need to exchange Honmaru IDs. I just thought you looked familiar, so I came over to say hello. Now, I should head back."

"Oh? Is that so? But judging from Lord Yu Bai's appearance, you seem more like a novice Saniwa who has just arrived. As for me, I have been a Saniwa for three whole years, during which time I have accumulated a lot of experience. For example, some secrets to finding rare swords~ as long as..." Nobuko Sagawa leaned forward slightly, almost touching Yu Bai's ear, her words carrying a hint of temptation and smugness.

……

Three years ago

At the time, Yu Bai discovered that she was bullying other classmates. Later, her parents learned that the other protagonist in this incident was actually the heir of the Yu family. In order to prevent their daughter from provoking the Yu family and bringing disaster to the family, Nobuko Sagawa's parents immediately decided to withdraw her from school.

However, when this decision reached Nobuko Sagawa's ears, she was struck dumb, instantly losing control of her emotions and throwing a tantrum. She couldn't understand why she should drop out of school for someone from a humble background, simply because she didn't want other girls to get close to Yu Bai and had done some so-called "minor things."

If Yu Bai was angry because of her, she would apologize another day. In her heart, Yu Bai had always been a gentle, refined, and tolerant person. If it was merely because she had upset him, she was willing to apologize in person.

She believed that with her sincerity and Yu Bai's good temper, someone as gentle as Yu Bai would surely forgive her. She didn't want to leave, didn't want to transfer to a school where she couldn't see Yu Bai.

From beginning to end, Nobuko Sagawa didn't think she had done anything wrong, and she didn't care about the girls who were bullied. In her eyes, they were just people from weak families. She believed that if she just humbled herself and admitted her mistake, they would forgive her unconditionally, just like elders in their own families.

After all, I have enjoyed such "privileges" countless times in the past.

It was precisely because of Sagawa Nobuko's emotional outburst that a slight fluctuation of spiritual energy was somehow generated. After the Time Government detected this fluctuation, they sent Kitsunenosuke to inquire whether Sagawa Nobuko wished to become a Saniwa.

Of course, prior to this, the Time Government had requested to examine Nobuko Sagawa's usual conduct to determine if she was qualified to be a Saniwa. But sometimes it must be said that corporate parasites exist everywhere.

The Sagawa family is quite powerful, though not as powerful as Yu Bai, Atobe Keigo, and Oshitari Yuushi's group. Otherwise, Sagawa Nobuko wouldn't have dared to bully female students who wanted to get close to Yu Bai so viciously.

Therefore, when Nobuko Sagawa's parents learned that their daughter had become a legendary Saniwa and was associated with the mystical side, they used their influence to bribe the staff of the Time Government who were investigating Nobuko Sagawa, thus making her a Saniwa.

Now, when Nobuko Sagawa gazes at Yu Bai again, he is still as gentle and dazzling as he was three years ago, like the bright moon in the night sky, and a strong possessive desire suddenly rises in her heart.

Since becoming a Saniwa (master swordsman), Nobuko Sagawa knew that among all the swordsmen, there was a sword called "Mikazuki Munechika," hailed as the most beautiful of the Five Great Swords of Japan. Many Saniwa praised it highly, bestowing upon it beautiful nicknames such as "the most beautiful old man," "the mascot," and "the bright moon." Whenever she heard these descriptions, the image of Yoruichi would involuntarily appear in Nobuko Sagawa's mind.

Ignoring the advice of the other swordsmen, she resolutely ordered the swords in the newly established citadel to keep clearing the map and going into battle to obtain resources, even if their levels were low and their stamina was insufficient, so that she could forge this legendary one of the Five Great Swords of the Land.

However, reality is always cruel. Although Nobuko Sagawa has awakened her spiritual power, she doesn't possess much of it, and it's mixed with a lot of impurities, resulting in low purity.

For a long time, Nobuko Sagawa was unable to forge the Mikazuki Munechika she so desperately desired. The resources of the citadel gradually dried up due to her constant squandering.

Sagawa Nobuko, who never reflects on her own actions, blames all the reasons for the failure of the sword forging on the other sword spirits, accusing them of being incompetent and unable to provide her with more resources, and even having to consume her already scarce spiritual power to heal after she was injured in battle.

This selfishness and stubbornness made Nobuko Sagawa's mood extremely bad. Her dissatisfaction and anger hung over the citadel like dark clouds, making the atmosphere throughout the citadel gloomy and oppressive. The flowers and plants that could be seen everywhere in the citadel gradually withered due to the lack of care from their owner.

This situation continued until one time the Saniwa went out and forbade any swords to follow. It was on that occasion that Sagawa Nobuko somehow obtained a Mikazuki sword.

Upon returning, Nobuko Sagawa clutched the hard-won Mikazuki Munechika tightly, her eyes gleaming with fervent passion. She was almost impatient to possess this beauty, to make it belong solely to her…