I guess this would have been better said during the previous chapter but welcome to Unital Ring II: The Virtual Study Society. It's 98% written (because I keep adding and changing things), so updates will be consistent and maybe 1-2 chapters at a time.
The majority of the story is from Jaymes' perspective. One reason is that he doesn't stray too far from Kirito in UR, so there is no need for the differing views UR I or the Progressive series has. The other reason is because of what happens from Jaymes' perspective in the Underworld.
Plenty of new characters are showing up; some are from the books, some from past stories, a couple of original characters, some first-timers pulled from the games, and one from another SAO story spinoff. You can see some of them on the cover art. Aside from the canon characters, not all the newbies will have a significant role. I think only three do, all of whom are Underworlders. Also...considering what I said in UR1's AN, I might have lied a tad bit about Kureha.
With that said, if there's not another author's note between now and the end, thanks for reading, and enjoy the story!
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When I logged on, I came just in time for a meeting with Kirito, the four AIs, and all the teenage girls. Everyone's assembled in the living room of the large cabin. They're all seated on the floor, for there isn't a large table and seats in the place yet. Asuna loved the one she had before, and it'd be nice to have one for meetings for the nineteen of us.
I hop up to my feet from the wall and walk over to the giant circle. Asuna and Lisbeth are standing in front of the intact oven with a pot. Looks like Lisbeth is boiling water, and Asuna's adding some powder to it. "What's that, Asuna?"
"While I was waiting around for you last night, I picked a bunch of leaves in the forest, then tried dry roasting them in the pot. They turned into powder, and I got the Pharmaceutical skill. Anyway, I boiled half of them and turned them into liquid, and the rest turned into dyes."
"Dyes," Kirito repeats, then glances harder at Asuna. "...You dyed your own hair?"
"You finally noticed." I didn't understand until I realized that Asuna converted from ALO on her undine account, and her hair is blue. Her hair now is light-brown, much like her real-life and SAO hair color. With that in mind, I look to Koharu, whose hair should be purple as with her imp avatar, and it remains that way.
"How many other dyes did you make?" Kirito follows up.
"Ummm, there's a darker brown, a deep red, and a dark gray, if I remember."
"Hrmm..."
"I'm guessing that bright colors and also pure black are probably rare dye colors." Silica says while playing with her light-brown hair. "It would be a waste for you to change your hair color."
"Hrrrrrmmm," my best guy friend growls.
Chuckling, I sit between Kureha and Rei, disappointed that I'm not being verbally beaten by my longest friend. At the same time, Asuna comes to the table with clay cups made from pottery techniques and fills them with the contents of the pot. "I also managed to make a couple kinds of tea. These leaves were the ones that got the best response."
"Only in comparison to the others," Alice points out while Koharu and Silica nod in agreement. They must have been Asuna's taste testers yesterday evening while the rest of us were out in the world. I look down at the cup present in front of me and stare at the blackish-purple liquid. I smell a scent that could be like tea or medicine. It could be good, but my hesitation to drink the tea is a long-embedded fear of tea made online.
Asuna, Lisbeth, Koharu, and Silica were with me and a few others back in SAO's thirty-fifth floor when I consumed a bitter tea to make an NPC feel better (as we were hesitant to drink it based on the presentation). While I played around with the after-effects to mess with Koharu, I did pass out for a moment after drinking it the first time. Sometime later, we were betrayed by a person named Morte, who used tea to paralyze us. Later on, Koharu and I were caught in a trap with Argo after drinking some tea and were at the mercy of a card game between Argo and another player.
Funny how I've killed players and seen people die in my face and arms, but the three instances I drank tea with bad moments tied to them is what traumatizes me about SAO. It still haunts me when I drink in other games or in real life, but only if the offered drink is tea, even if it's Asuna's. I take a testing sip to ease my fear, tasting a barley tea-like sensation on my tongue.
Slowly consuming the tea, I feel my left shoulder being patted. I turn to Kureha, who gestures to the door with her head and gets up. I joked about being chewed out for my tardiness, but her sky-blue eyes said it was another matter. I wordlessly rise and follow after her.
As we stand on the porch, Kureha makes sure the door is closed before she faces me. Crossing her arms, she leans against the exterior wall. "You met with Kikuoka, right?"
I place my hands in my pockets and nod. "Yeah. So you know yourself?"
"No, not much. I was told to come to Tokyo and head to Rath tomorrow, but no explanation from your old man. Mind telling me what's up?"
"Of course, he leaves me with the finer details... In short, someone has entered the Underworld outside of Rath and RoboTelligence." Kureha doesn't make much of an expression. She seems...unhappy but not phased in the slightest. When did she grow a stronger spine than me? "Momiji? Act surprised."
"Oh, I am. Ever since the project went public... No, since we joined the war, it bugged me that Yui could easily lead thousands of players there. The act itself isn't shocking, but that it occurred."
I sigh and look out to the yard. "Well, we'll figure it out. From what Kikuoka knows, the intruder converted character data from elsewhere, similar to PoH and Subtilizer. In any case, we'll meet you after school tomorrow."
"Mhm... And besides that, are you going to do it? To meet the emperor's...to meet your daughter?"
"I..." I bite my lips, unsure of my answer. On the one hand, of course, I want to meet her, but on the other hand, I don't want to. When I knew I would be stuck in the Underworld during the maximum acceleration phase, I told Eydis that I did not want to leave the world with a legacy I'd forget. It was one of the reasons I chose her over Medina. For ninety-nine percent of my time there, I held firm to that, but near the end of my rule, I guess I...lapsed in my resolve or something. I don't even want to question how it happened.
Yet I'm happy Eydis wasn't alone the past decade and a half since I left her world. It's the most relieving part of the news.
"...If we cross that bridge, we cross it," I respond indecisively. Kureha, who comes up beside me, nods and places her hand on mine. I glance down at it but make no note of it. I simply squeeze it tighter. "So you're coming home?"
"Yeah. I'll be back home."
"I'm happy to hear that. I've missed you." Those words may seem careless, but they're my true feelings. Since I came back last month from a month-long slumber post-Underworld, Momiji's been in Kyoto working on Alice's integration into the world with my father and Dr. Koujiro. I've been dying to ask why she left, for from what my father tells me about her work, she can easily do it from Tokyo. Was it something I did before it? Maybe she wanted to be around her family? I don't know, and I'm too cowardly to ask.
I just know I miss the person who had the most remarkable impact on my life before and after Sword Art Online, which no one else can claim.
"Same here," Kureha says, though differently - slugging me in the shoulder.
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At seven o'clock, Klein logged on, followed by Zeliska. Agil will be on later in the night. I realize how quickly things progressed from my three o'clock meeting with Kikuoka. I got home shortly before five but didn't log on until half an hour ago as I sat in my car thinking things over. None of those things concerned the meeting that's about to proceed over what we're to do next about Unital Ring.
First things first, the name of the town...is Kirito Town. Kirito and I were against the name, but someone asked if I wanted my name to be included, and I denied that instantly. People are already coming after him; I don't need my name out there...though my claim to widespread fame is GGO, not ALO. For now, the town's name is still open to being changed.
Next was our NPC neighbors. I was informed that the Patter reproduced overnight, so five more babies are in the Patter neighborhood. I didn't need the explanation for why it was possible; I've played enough simulation games to understand how a population will increase if there's space. I'm just glad it's limited to their part of Kirito Town.
Next was our next choice of neighbors. The first candidates were the closest group of NPCs, the Bashin. They already have relations with Koharu, Liz, Silica, and Yui, so we can talk to them about coming here. There's the Ornith that Crimson Squad met on the other side of the Giyoru Savanna, but while we managed to travel that area, most of the enemies there were high-level dinosaurs. As vital their musket weaponry and ammunition would be to Sinon, Kureha, and the other ranged-preferred fighters, the trip was dangerous the first time for us. No guarantee it will be survivable the second time.
As such, we chose the Bashin for now. Lisbeth nominated herself as the negotiator and asked Yui, Asuna, and me to accompany her. I want to visit the Bashin and see what's up with them. However, I didn't want to leave Kirito alone to head to Argo, so I declined. The trip would find its fourth member in Koharu, the strongest equipped person in our entourage.
Last came Sinon's point of the vast resources in the woods outside of town. There were many opinions on the matter, but we settled on defending the town while we could. Because Crimson Squad has more experience with defensive tactics (having to defend the entirety of the city of Glocken almost a year ago from invading rogue Arfa-Sys, courtesy of Lievre and her former master Subtilizer), I asked the other members to look into what can be done to better our defenses.
With that, we dismissed.
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Before I left the cabin, Lisbeth called me to meet her at the forge. There, she quickly produced a metal shield just like hers and handed it to me. Without hesitation, I equip it on my avatar, then test it with a few swings and air bashes. I have mixed feelings about equipping a shield with my GGO avatar and associated gear, but I am glad I was able to.
I was afraid I'd have to take off the Ultra Fiber Gun to put on the shield, but the two are different slots on the mannequin. The shield goes into the proper weapon slot, as shields have sword skills, while the UFG is part of an auxiliary slot on the left hand. It works the same way in GGO, too, as I can have both the UFG and a second pistol in my left-hand slots.
"How is it?" the blacksmith asks while I muse to myself. I glance at her and give her a nod.
"Weird, since there aren't physical shields like that one can carry like this in GGO. I'm also using that game's avatar and equipment right now, so it's just weird overall. But I feel complete now with it; it is your craft, not a looted shield."
"Hehe, thanks. What about a sword? Is your lightsaber thingy going to be okay instead of a steel sword?"
"Hmm, for now, it should be fine. I'll have to get used to this combo while on the trip." I lower my arms and look in the direction of the southwest entrance. Kirito should be there by now; it isn't like we have much to prepare. Asuna ensured Kirito, Kuro the panther, and I had all the necessary provisions to make it to the Stiss Ruins and back. "Speaking of trips, sorry I can't go to see the Bashin, but I can't let Kirito go alone."
She crosses her arms and gives a knowing, sad smile. "I'm not even going to argue with you on that. I learned there's no point to it... But stay safe, both of you. This isn't SAO, but you and Kirito are pivotal to what we do here, so dying, as always, is unacceptable."
I salute her like a soldier receiving orders. "Yes, Madam Liz!" I giggle a bit while dropping my arm and holding her shoulder. "Same to you. You're our best blacksmith for now."
"'For now?' Screw that; I'll always be the best." She punches my shoulder and holds her head and pride high. I simply shrug and turn around.
"Don't let Asuna and Koharu get you killed. You're free to abandon Asuna whenever, Koharu if it spares your life and Yui's. Just bring Yui back, at least." I hold up a peace sign and smirk in her direction, which she mirrors.
"I'll keep that in mind. See you later." I march towards the southwestern gate, not wanting to make Kirito wait any longer. We're supposed to meet Argo somewhere around the Stiss Ruins at nine, and there are fifteen miles of travel between here and the starting point for ALO players. Lisbeth's team, who'll be leaving after us, only have to travel half the distance to the Bashin camp.
I mentally go over the map of Unital Ring we know of so far. Southwest of the Zelletello Forest is the world of UR as we know it. West of the woods is the Giyora Savanna, and on the other side is a mountain region that separates us GGO people from the ALO people. South of the forest, following the river, is dryland, and that's where Aincrad fell. North of Aincrad is the location of the Bashin, and south of the castle is a grassland where the Stiss Ruins are located.
I haven't gone over the travel route with Kirito, but since we know the river flows to the south, we should follow it. Aincrad will be our landmark to point us towards the ruins, so - "Gah!" I yelp as a throbbing pain shoots up my back...well, not really, but I'm still caught off the ground by a sharp elbow to my back. I turn around to see a black-hair girl in leather and metal armor holding grinning at me.
"You know, in the old days, you would have detected me hiding in the shadows. The years softened you up quickly."
In the old days, I would have attacked her by now. "What the hell, Philia? When did you... No, why are you here?"
She shrugs and tugs on the short blue coat she must've transferred over from ALO since she hasn't been in UR long enough to learn sewing or whatever the associated skill is. I'm surprised she can equip it. "I'm coming along."
"Huh? Why?"
"Do I need a reason?"
"...Yes."
"It's been a long while since we've been on an adventure to the unknown, and as you know, I am best at exploring the unknown."
I wasn't going to deny her; we have plenty of defenders for Kirito Town. The "big three" or "big four" are heading out themselves, and even if I was going to deny her, just up ahead, I can see Alice with Kirito. I'm going to assume she's coming too... "Ugh, fine."
"Okay!" Philia joins me with excitement for our first adventure together in forever. As she skips towards the wooden gate that Kirito and Alice start to open, something I pushed to the back of my head crawls its way to the forefront. I haven't thought about it since Monday since I haven't seen the subject, and I pushed it back again after leaving the meeting. But now that I'm with Philia, it bangs my head to talk about it because of the seven of us who go to the survivor school, four of us are in the upcoming graduating class. Philia's class just happened to gain one of the new students, whom I know little about.
I clear my throat and grasp Philia's shoulder. "It might be good your coming; I need to talk to you about something..."