Why did Hikigaya save the anime girls in Sword Story?

When Asuna performed "Linear Thrust" with her amazing talent, he was hit again.

"Teacher! I'm used to it, so it's time to get serious!"

"What? Really? What are you talking about…"

Before he finished speaking, a flash of sword light flashed before his eyes.

Although it wasn't as powerful as Hachiman's full strength, it was a swift strike that was difficult to detect with the naked eye. After finishing the move, Asuna asked with a smug look on her face, "How about this?"

(I really want to protect that smile... Is this guy a genius? A Totsuka-type genius?)

Just as Hachiman was about to ask further questions, he suddenly felt a sharp gaze. He reflexively raised his weapon and the sound of a solemn bell resounded through the sky.

When the light faded, the two were transported to the central square, where thousands of players gathered. The entire virtual world underwent a radical transformation.

SAO: The bond with Asuna in Chapter 4 seems to be a mistake?

There was already a terrible commotion in the square, and it was no wonder—anyone would be panicked if they encountered such a situation on the first day of the official launch.

Hikigaya Hachiman gnawed his thumb anxiously, feeling uneasy about Kayaba Akihiko's strange behavior.

(Could it be possible... that the board of directors really removed Akihiko-senpai from the development team?)

The scene of their phone call last night resurfaced in his mind. He remembered himself saying, "I'm still preparing for the exam and can't get too caught up in it, but I've decided to play Sword Art Online."

Senior Jingyan was silent for three seconds before responding: "I hope you can find your own truth." This made him so embarrassed that his ears felt hot, and he quickly changed the subject.

"Senior, please don't use those chuunibyou lines! Do you really think I'll never make friends in my life?"

At that moment, two girls' faces flashed through his mind, but Hachiman immediately shook his head and shook off the thought - after all, they hadn't officially added each other as friends yet. Only then did he realize that he had subconsciously used the word "not yet".

"That's right, Totsuka is my only close friend."

"Is that so..." Kayaba Akihiko's voice suddenly broke. "But seeing that you were able to resolve your emotional issues, I'm relieved."

Hachiman looked at the darkening sky outside the game cabin: "Although I still don't fully understand the true meaning, I will try not to escape and try to understand others..."

Before he finished speaking, Kayaba Akihiko suddenly whispered something unexpected to Hachiman: "I really envy you now."

"What do I have to envy?" Hachiman almost buried his face in the pillow. "It's you who pursued your dreams and created SAO..."

"Chasing a dream..." Akihiko chuckled, "You said SAO will become a masterpiece?"

"It's going to go down in history... huh? I know it sounds like bragging, but I think it's going to be a masterpiece."

“I’ll take it at my own pace and will do my best to beat it!”

"I see... If you can make completing the game your goal, as a creator, I'd be very happy."

Hachiman sensed an unspoken feeling about him, but I didn't think much of it, thinking it might be because it was the day before church started.

"Well, Mr. Akihiko, I'm going to go to bed and get ready for tomorrow. I'll talk to you later, if that's okay."

"Okay... Hachiman-kun, no matter what happens, I believe you will find me. I will wait for you."

"I don't know if I can reach your level. After all, I'm a liberal arts student."

"Oh, I see. Yes. Well then...goodbye...Hachiman-kun."

"Well, see you later, Mr. Akihiko."

Amidst the noisy crowd, Hachiman was lost in thought.

(That's a weird, sentimental "see you later" feeling, right...?

And that message... I'm not sorry, I'm sure you'll understand...)

A deafening scream brought Hachiman back to reality. Looking up, he saw the second dome being swallowed by scarlet squares.

Hachiman was shocked, but then he thought to himself that this might finally be an announcement from management.

The moment the twenty-meter-tall red-robed giant appeared in the air, Hachiman looked into the pair of electronic eyes under the reflection of the blood moon - that was definitely the projection of Kayaba's consciousness!

"Welcome to my world."

Afterwards, the giant – Akihiko Kayaba – told us the following: There is no way to quit.

If you die in the game, or if an outsider attempts to remove your NerveGear, the player will die from the NerveGear's high-powered microwaves.

There is a ten-minute grace period before power is disconnected and a two-hour grace period before disconnection.

(Which means we'll need to take our real-world bodies to a hospital or somewhere in the meantime, which is a good calculation.)

Hachiman wondered why he didn't feel angry, thinking about the people who were important to him.

(Komachi, I'm sorry for making you sad.

Totsuka, don't get too close to the Zaimokuza people just because I'm not around...

I wonder if Yukinoshita and Yuigahama will be sad.

Good luck on your exams, Kawasaki.

I could have been friends with Orimoto.

And Mr. Hiratsuka, I'm sorry for being a bad student.

Finally, I believe Mr. Haruno will arrange for my body to be transported to the hospital.)

Hachiman told himself, trying to stay calm.

Kayaba then had everyone check how their belongings were stored and use the hand mirrors that were there.

At this moment, the crowd was suddenly enveloped by the light and their expressions changed.

From the conversations around me, it seemed that everyone had returned to their normal selves.

But this didn't matter to Hachiman.

Because, to be honest, I know that Hachiman's appearance hasn't changed much, the bigger problem is...

(It's terrible. If things continue like this, riots may break out and things will get out of control.

If it were just me, I could handle it, but now that I know her, I can't just abandon her.

This guy is new here, so I have to be strong now.)

Subsequently, 213 people died.

When Kayaba produced the complete video evidence, the crowd erupted in a huge commotion.

In the chaos, Hachiman grabbed the wrist of the hooded boy beside him and rushed towards the safe house in his memory with the posture of breaking through a rugby tackle.

He heard "Let me out" coming one after another from behind him, but he had no time to pay attention - the trembling in his fingers reminded him how scared this newbie named Asuna was at the moment.

(The hotel with unlimited milk and baths...I remember it was on the northwest corner!

Now, I have to escape there first and think about what to do next after things calm down.

Asuna couldn't just let this happen.

I'm a sister-con, but he's like a younger brother to me, so today I'm going to give up my sister-con identity.)

"Sorry, Asuna. I'll think about this later. I know a little-known leisure hotel.

This place is very dangerous now. If anything goes wrong, there is a risk of losing one's life.

Let's escape there before we get sucked into it."

"Uh, yes..."

Asuna looked a little dazed, but perhaps her survival instincts were kicking in.

He obediently let Hachiman hold his hand and they ran together.

Meanwhile, Kirito and Klein were running in the opposite direction of Hachiman.

The story of two boys and a girl who hold the fate of Aincrad in their hands.

At this point the two groups of people separated temporarily.

Just then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw a female player with her face covered in paint.

For a moment, Hachiman's eyes met hers.

(Argo... now that things have come to this, I can't be too cautious.

It's a good idea to establish some level of collaboration here.

But it turns out she's a girl... sorry, I thought it might be a boy.)

As he ran, he caught a glimpse of a painted information dealer. Hachiman opened a floating window with one hand, shoulder-bearing over the crowd as he sent a coded message: "Milk Bath."

He believed Argo could decipher the code, even though it sounded a bit like sexual harassment.

After arriving at the hotel, Hachiman quickly signed a contract and successfully made it his permanent residence.

After confirming that there was no one behind him, he turned around and was about to speak, but was shocked by the scene before him and stumbled back - where the hood slipped down, long chestnut hair cascaded down like a waterfall.

The moonlight streamed through the stained glass window onto the girl's face, and her amber pupils were staring at him with tears in them.

"You...are a girl?!"

"You only realized it now, idiot!" Asuna tugged at the hem of her uniform, which had returned to its original form, and suddenly threw a hand mirror at him. "My heartbeat was so fast when we held hands just now that I was definitely scared! It wasn't because of you!"

Hachiman covered his head to avoid the flying weapon, his lower back hit the coffee table, and warm milk splashed on his trouser legs. He looked at the mess on the ground and suddenly laughed out loud - this absurd feeling actually diluted the shadow of death.

But when Asuna curled up on the sofa sobbing, he silently picked up the hand mirror and pushed the hot milk in front of her.

"Listen." He knelt on one knee and looked the girl in the eye. "First, let's go take a bath and cool down. Don't get me wrong! It's a private hot spring, separate for men and women! Then..."

Before he could finish his words, Asuna suddenly grabbed him by the collar and said, "If you dare to say 'let's go our separate ways', I will chop you down right now, okay?"

Tears still hung from the corners of her red eyes, but she had regained her former pride. "Since you got me involved, you must take responsibility to the end! Mr. Lone Ranger!"

(Although I didn't know it, the fact is that I accidentally brought that girl into the hotel.)

Hachiman looked at his folded hands and suddenly remembered what Yukinoshita had said about the "bad fate".

He hadn't realized yet that he couldn't take his eyes off the beautiful Asuna.

Outside the window, the blood moon was dyeing the first layer into a purgatory, and a certain information dealer might be rushing here with a meaningful smile. Their battle for survival had only just begun.

SAO: Chapter 5 Is Asuna Cunning?

Hachiman sat upright on his knees, trying hard to think about why things had turned out like this.

(Being alone with a girl in a room is too difficult for me anyway... No, why did it become like this?)

"Hachiman-kun"

“Ah, yes!”

Looking at the trembling Hachiman, Asuna smiled wryly and continued:

"I'm grateful you saved me from that mess, but isn't it a bit problematic to suddenly bring a girl into a hotel room?"

"You're right... I'll reflect on it..."

"But it does seem safe here, and there was really no other way at the time. Besides, you taught me a lot and encouraged me, so..."

Asuna suddenly showed a smug expression and said:

"Let's just write it off this time."

"So cunning..."

Hachiman subconsciously responded with his usual complaint, then froze immediately: Oops!

Seeing Hachiman like this, Asuna puffed up her cheeks and said:

"I'm not cunning~"

"puff"

The two looked at each other, and it was unknown who laughed first. After laughing for a while, Hachiman stood up and said:

"Anyway, let's take turns showering. The door to the room has been changed so that only teammates can open it."

"Well, there are still many things to discuss later, and we may encounter many things that are difficult to accept, but too much has happened today, so let's calm down first."

"Then go wash first."