Why did Hikigaya save the anime girls in Sword Story?

"Damn it! Damn it!"

Hachiman pounded the table repeatedly. If only he had been more alert, if only he had taken countermeasures... Regret flooded over him. Asuna spoke worriedly.

"Hachiman-kun, this isn't your fault."

"No, Asuna. I had information about him, and I could have done something, but I didn't."

Hachiman told the two about what he had seen and heard before.

"I see, there is such a thing."

"Yeah, I was worried about the dangers of getting involved rashly, so I didn't tell anyone, and it completely backfired."

"Hachiman-kun..."

"I understand how Xiaoba feels, but there's really nothing I can do this time."

"Maybe so, damn it!"

"Hachiman-kun always wants to shoulder everything alone. We should think about what we can do and work together."

"Well......"

Warmth suddenly enveloped his trembling right hand. Asuna sat beside him. Her fingertips, having removed her gloves, were cold, but she firmly grasped Hachiman's fingers. "Now is not the time to repent, Hachiman-kun."

After a moment, Hachiman looked up as if he had made up his mind.

"I'm sorry, both of you. I'm fine now. Let's think about our future plans together."

Restraining the feeling of powerlessness, Hachiman decided to look forward. After sorting out information from all sides, he found that the core problem was still insufficient combat power.

The Holy Dragon Alliance can provide 24 people, the Agil team and the Yawata faction have about 8 people, and the survivors of the Liberation Team can basically not be relied upon.

The gap in combat power was still huge, so Argo was once again commissioned to conduct an investigation, and the discussion ended there for the day.

Later, Argo reported that there were no clues, not even any eyewitness information, and the situation reached a stalemate.

----

In a situation where high-end combat power is urgently needed, Hachiman called Kirito up from the lower level.

"Long time no see, Kirito."

"You don't look well. Take care of yourself, Hachiman."

The two reunited and talked.

"Have you heard about the situation?"

"Oh, what a disaster."

"As long as we have more people, we can continue the attack, but the combat power is really..."

"what can I do?"

"Participating in the boss battle is enough. The current problem is combat power."

"Oh, I haven't been involved lately. Sorry."

"No, you don't need to apologize. Everything was going well before, and you weren't idle either."

"Having said that..."

"Have you joined the guild?"

"....Um."

"Just focus on that first. You'll need help sooner or later, but not now."

"understood."

Hachiman smiled at Kirito.

"In exchange, I'll take care of you during the real battle."

"Ah, I must give it my all."

The two high-fived each other goodbye.

SAO : Chapter 33 Asuna's Determination

As dusk dyed the brick walls of the main street on the 24th floor red, Hachiman was squatting under the eaves of the blacksmith shop, adjusting his newly acquired wristband. The moment the cold wind brushed across his neck, he could hear the crisp sound of hard-soled shoes hitting the cobblestone road behind him.

"Isn't this the same Hachiman-kun who always talks about 'energy conservation'?"

"Mr. Lan Zexiu, long time no see."

The one who called Hachiman that day was Lan Zexiu from the Holy Dragon Union. Hachiman had the impression that he was a gentle and rational person, and he had no bad feelings towards him at all.

"Mr. Lan Zexiu is unexpectedly here," Hachiman stood up slowly. "How is the recruitment of the Holy Dragon Alliance going?"

"It didn't go as smoothly as expected," he cut the conversation off lightly.

"That's it"

Perhaps because he hated the heavy atmosphere, Lan Zexiu changed the subject.

"Speaking of which, it seems the Liberation Team is going to change its name."

"Changing the name at this time?"

"It seems they're planning to merge with the lower-level guilds. It seems Kibo-kun is stepping down as guild leader."

"Who will be the next president?"

"I heard it's called Xinka. It seems the guild they're merging with specializes in non-combat support activities at the lower levels."

"I see. So, you're going to transform into a support guild?"

"I thought so, but the new name is said to be the Aincrad... Liberation... Army..."

"Jun? Judging from the contents of the merger, it's completely different from the original image." Hachiman almost choked on his saliva, "Is that guy going to carry out Kibo's hot-blooded idiotism to the end?"

He casually placed a stone in his palm and threw it towards the road in the distance, "But I heard that Vice President Ya Wang put a cross shield to someone's throat and insisted on changing it this way."

“That’s pretty much in line with that guy’s style.”

"I thought Kibo-kun was much more tactful than before."

"I feel the same way. This incident is really regrettable."

"In any case, we can only regroup our forces as quickly as possible."

"Yeah, let's cheer each other on."

"Well, please take care of me from now on."

The two men fell silent at the same time. The setting sun stretched their shadows very long, and the orderly footsteps of the patrol team could be heard in the distance.

When the second patrol passed by, Lan Zexiu suddenly reached out to brush the fallen leaves off Hachiman's shoulders and asked, "I heard that the Blood Alliance Knights are recruiting attackers?"

Hachiman's muscles tensed instantly. This information had just been obtained from Argo this morning...

"Don't be nervous," he took a half step back and raised his hands. The bandage that slipped off his sleeves stung Hachiman's eyes, "I'm just reminding you—" Before he could finish his words, a familiar shouting voice suddenly came from the street corner.

"Hachi! Asuna-chan! Emergency, meow!"

The information dealer wearing a mouse-ear hood rushed over like a cannonball, followed by the panting chestnut-haired girl.

The ginkgo pendant on Asuna's chest swung in a golden arc as she ran, and Hachiman subconsciously reached out to hold it.

"Heathcliff agreed to the meeting!" Argo slammed on the brakes and slammed into Hachiman's arms, his claw-like nails digging into his arm painfully. "But the condition is that it must be before eight o'clock tonight... Wow, why are your dark circles even worse than during the strategy meeting?"

Hachiman slapped her...random...touching...hand away and turned to meet Asuna's hesitant expression. She had her hair tied up in a high ponytail, a rare sight today, with grass debris from the training ground still on the ends.

"Let's get down to business first," he forced his gaze to the mustache sticker on the tip of Argo's nose. "That guy who claims to have the 'Holy Sword'..."

"That's not a claim," Argo suddenly lowered his voice and pulled out a recording device from his pocket. "Yesterday in the twenty-fifth floor labyrinth area, someone witnessed him blocking the Minotaur Lord's full-strength blow with a one-handed sword."

The moment the video unfolded, Asuna gasped.

The man in the scarlet cloak in the picture maintained a blocking posture, and his HP bar did not move at all. Hachiman stared at the cross emblem on his armor, and suddenly a shudder like an electric current ran through the back of his neck.

"Then what's the problem?"

“There are no strong attackers in the team”

"I see"

"If they can introduce the right person, they're willing to participate in the boss raid."

"But the only person I can think of is Kirito, but he..."

The only powerful attacker Hachiman knew was Kirito, but it was impossible to ask for help from Kirito who had already joined the guild and was doing well.

There was actually another candidate, but Hachiman didn't consider it at all.

"Can we recruit people from the Holy Dragon Alliance?"

“That’s really impossible.”

After much thought, Hachiman came to a conclusion: (In the worst-case scenario, I'll take the fall.)

Those who went to Heathcliff's residence at night were Hachiman, Argo, and... Asuna.

"Asuna doesn't need to come along, it's not a (y 2^)" Lin Er? Er Yi Shan Ling⑻ ② relationship."

"I'm going"

“Just talking”

Asuna noticed that Hachiman had no intention of recommending her. This was neither considerate nor inconsiderate, but more like a subconscious avoidance.

She secretly made up her mind: if Hachiman wanted to recommend himself, she would take the initiative to volunteer. Ever since the Liberation Team was destroyed, Asuna always felt that Hachiman was blaming himself. If she let it go, something would happen sooner or later, and this time was a turning point.

"Nice to meet you. I'm Heathcliff."

The moment he saw those eyes, Hachiman was shocked: (They look like Kayaba Akihiko's eyes, but he couldn't possibly be participating in the game, right? Although it was hard to believe.)

"I am Hachiman"

"I'm Asuna."

"It's an honor to meet two famous people from the strategy group. What can I do for you?"

"Let me get straight to the point, Mr. Heathcliff. The Knights of the Blood are short of attackers. Can I serve as one?"

(As expected...) Asuna thought to herself.

"You, though not very conspicuous, are indeed a powerful attacker. I thought you would recommend Miss Asuna."

"Letting Asuna join? I've never thought about it."

Heathcliff looked at the two of them. "It's not that you haven't thought about it, but you don't want to think about it, right? Miss Asuna seems to understand."

This sentence hit Hachiman like a hammer. At this moment, Asuna stepped forward and said, "Please pretend that Hachiman's proposal does not exist. I want to join the Knights of the Blood Alliance."

"Of course you're welcome, but is this okay?"

“It was my decision.”

"no!!"

Hachiman suddenly shouted, "Asuna can't join us! Let's go back as if today never happened."

"Hachiman-kun"

"Wait a minute, I understand you don't want to let go, but isn't that selfish?"

"Selfish? Where is it selfish?"

"If it's not selfish, then what is it? You didn't even consider Asuna on the list of candidates? She's theoretically the best choice."

"That is......"

"And they ignored Asuna's will."

In the silence, Asuna spoke, "Hachiman-kun, I didn't make this decision just to represent you.

While I do wish you could remain free, and I know you've been blaming yourself for wanting to take it all on your own, this isn't about that—this is something I wanted to do on my own.

I've actually considered joining a guild for a while now, but I've been holding it back because I longed for the joy of being with everyone. When I heard the news, I suddenly realized: It's time to stop relying on Hachiman-kun and choose my own path."

"Asuna..."