The Night Sky Swordsman (Sword Art Online X OC)

War of Underworld Finale Chapter 94 End of World

No one's POV

Monday, August 17th, nine AM.

Sora: V...vanished?! Like...electronically speaking?!

Sora said into the phone, dressed in his nightwear of a T-shirt and boxers. Dr. Koujiro was on the other end of the line. She kept her voice level, but there was clearly a considerable amount of anxiety in it.

Rinko(phone): No...I mean her entire machine body. According to security footage, she undid the security locks herself at nine o'clock last night and snuck past the guards to get outside.

Sora: All by herself...?

Sora asked, letting out the breath he'd been holding. There were enough formal organizations and loose groups in Japan who did not think highly of Alice that you couldn't count them on just two hands. Beyond that, Sora couldn't begin to guess how many individuals might seek to destroy her for practical, religious, moral, or emotional reasons. She didn't have a sword or sacred arts to defend herself; if someone like that captured her now, she would be helpless.

Rath had upped their security protocol at Roppongi to fortress-like tightness in recognition of the danger. The one thing they hadn't counted on, apparently, was Alice vanishing on her own. The only other question was why Alice would do such a thing. Sora recalled something he'd heard her mumble a week earlier, right before their voice chat was cut off when he was in ALO.

Rinko(phone): I was worried that we were putting too much stress on Alice. But every time I asked her 'Are you tired? Do you need a break?' she would just smile and shake her head...

Sora: Well...of course. She's a proud and noble knight—she would never admit weakness to anyone.

Rinko(phone): Except for you, that is. Sora, I think that she's going to contact you. So...I hate to ask this, considering that you just got out of the hospital, but...

As she trailed off, Sora stepped in.

Sora: Yes, of course, I understand. If I hear from Alice, I'll rush to her location. But, Ms. Rinko... is it even possible for her to get that far?

Rinko(phone): That's what we're worried about. On her internal battery, a full charge will last for about eight hours of walking, and half of that if she runs. If her power runs out somewhere around Roppongi...and some unfriendly person happens across her...

Sora: And she does stick out.

Sora noted, grimacing. That was another thing to worry about: Alice's bright-blond hair, pure and pale skin, and painstakingly crafted features made her quite visible in a crowd, even before you got to the robot part.

Rinko(phone): We have every available employee out searching the area now. We're tracking Internet posts, too, and even have a bot infiltrating public camera networks and looking at the recordings.

Sora: Then I'll just go to the office for now. If anything happens, I want to be able to get there ASAP.

Rinko(phone): That would be a great help. Thank you, Sora.

She said and promptly hung up. Sora pulled a random outfit out of the closet; stuck his arms and legs through it; grabbed his backpack, smartphone, and motorcycle key; and rushed out of his room.

Down the stairs, the first floor was quiet. His stepdad and stepmom were on vacation for the Obon holiday and had gone somewhere together, Kazuto was probably still asleep, and Suguha was probably at morning kendo-club practice. They were supposed to be celebrating his discharge from the hospital as a family tonight, but this was more important.

Sora chugged some orange juice straight from the bottle while standing by the fridge, popped the bagel sandwich Suguha must have left for him into his mouth, and raced for the door. Sora stuck his feet into his riding shoes and was just turning the doorknob when the intercom right next to him on the wall rang. Sora's heart nearly skipped a beat. Had Alice somehow found a way to get to his location on her own?