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

"How...how come I'm alright?"

Kenji Hagiwara slowly opened his eyes, and what he saw completely shocked him. He had thought that he would surely die in this sudden explosion.

However, the scene that came into view at this moment was as unbelievable as a dream.

The massive flash of light from the explosion, like a blazing fire, instantly illuminated the entire space, so dazzling that it was impossible to look directly at it.

A deafening roar rolled in, like countless thunderclaps exploding in his ears at the same time, making his eardrums ache and almost causing him to lose his hearing.

The surrounding air seemed to freeze at that moment, and then suddenly exploded.

The flying debris was like the blade of death, mercilessly cutting through everything around it.

The fragments included pieces of wall, shards of glass, and even pieces of furniture.

They were torn into countless small pieces by the immense force of the explosion, scattering in all directions like a raging whirlwind.

However, Kenji Hagiwara, who was at the center of the explosion, found himself completely unharmed!

He looked down at his body in astonishment and realized that a green shield had somehow enveloped him.

This shield, about one meter in diameter, protected him firmly within it, like an indestructible barrier that isolated him from all external disasters.

Their gazes involuntarily fell on the amulet hanging around their necks. Because of Yu Bai's disappearance, they all carried the amulets that their friends had given them with them.

Firstly, it serves as a memento; secondly, when Yu Bai was still alive, he always said to remember to carry the amulet with you at all times. Over time, due to certain obsessions, the amulet has never been taken off by the five of them since the explosion.

At this moment, the amulet was emitting a golden light, and a powerful yet gentle aura was emanating from it.

So, this thing isn't superstition after all?

This is... so illogical!

Kenji Hagiwara stared in disbelief at the amulet on his chest, lost in thought.

At the same time, he seemed to hear something shattering in his mind's eye.

……

"Kenji!"

Matsuda Jinpei stood downstairs, his eyes fixed on the raging flames above, his pupils contracting sharply in shock and fear.

The firelight illuminated his anxious face, outlining taut lines.

The scene before him was like a sharp knife, piercing deep into the depths of his memory, instantly reminding him of the scene when Yu Bai disappeared a few years ago.

If he could, he would rather disappear like Yu Bai during his second year of graduate school, rather than die in this cruel explosion.

"Damn it!"

Matsuda Jinpei muttered to himself, then gritted his teeth and turned to rush towards the dangerous fire.

He had only one thought in his mind: find the second-year graduate student, no matter what. And what if? Maybe the second-year student had already escaped the blast radius?

With that in mind, Matsuda Jinpei wanted to rush forward.

"Officer Matsuda, you can't go up there! It's still in the midst of an explosion up there, it's too dangerous!"

Several police officers nearby saw Matsuda Jinpei's actions and knew that he wanted to go up, so they immediately stepped forward and stopped him.

It's too dangerous to go up there now, as the situation at the explosion site is still unstable.

……

At this moment, Yu Bai was firmly stepping on a man with a bruised and swollen face, groaning in pain.

His divine sense was like a huge, invisible net, and with a light sweep, he understood everything about Kenji Hagiwara and Jinpei Matsuda's situation, taking in every detail.

"Uh...uh...!"

The man whose face was being crushed on the ground by Yu Bai let out a muffled groan. This man was the culprit who caused the explosion.

He was emitting incoherent wails as he struggled.

But this action only intensified his pain, leaving him unable to move.

The bomber was subdued by Yu Bai in an instant after being detected by Yu Bai's divine sense.

They also received a lesson in "love" and, incidentally, relived their childhood experience of losing baby teeth.

"Quiet down, okay?"

Not in the mood to waste words with the bomber, Yu Bai increased the force of his foot.

Just then, a familiar light flashed on the virtual screen, and Mikazuki's voice rang out: "My lord, the time-space portal has been connected for you. You can return to the citadel at any time."

Now that the second-year graduate student and Jinpei are safe, all we need to do is hand the bomber over to the police, but...

"Well, I'm afraid that's not possible right now." Yu Bai turned the virtual screen's view toward the sky.

The once clear sky instantly darkened, and a huge black vortex emerged directly above Yu Bai, like the gaping maw of an abyss, swallowing all the surrounding light.

As the vortex spun, enormous monsters, somewhat resembling the Time Travelers, slowly descended.

However, these monsters were far more oppressive than the Time Travelers.

"Kenbi-vii?! Master Saniwa, how come you have a Kenbi-vii?" A sharp, explosive sound came from the screen.

The Kenbushi, like the government of the time, were historical revisionists, but they were completely different from the sword spirits.

Whenever these guys appear, they attack indiscriminately, eliminating allies and enemies alike.

Therefore, when sword spirits encounter Kenbishi in the wild, they often don't confront them head-on, since most of these guys are gun-wielding, and in a sense, they share the same stance.

As for why the prosecutor was here? Of course it was because... Yu Bai glanced indifferently at the bomber he was stepping on, and at Hagiwara Kenji upstairs, who was firmly protected by the energy in his protective amulet.

According to the original plot, Kenji Hagiwara would die because of the bomber, and because the police failed to catch the bomber, Jinpei Matsuda would also die many years later because of him.

Yu Bai has now essentially disrupted two predetermined future paths, kicking over the lunchboxes that were about to be fed to Kenji Hagiwara and Jinpei Matsuda, and giving them a bad review.

So he was not at all surprised that a fellow historical revisionist, the Kenfei Shi, had appeared.

Is it good for me, as the Saniwa, to change history?

Yu Bai stated that although he has always been in the Good Lawful alignment, he can switch to the Chaotic Lawful alignment at certain times.

The concept of a bottom line is inherently adaptable, and, just between you and me: as a Chinese rabbit, the Time Government should be grateful that its timeline is a melting pot of various anime and manga.

If I were placed in the first or second lifetime, do you think I would side with the Time Travel Army?

……

Yu Bai: I am in the good and lawful camp unless absolutely necessary.

Kenji Hagiwara: Holy crap! So this isn't superstition after all? (My worldview is collapsing)