Another white light flared on the plaza—it was Asuna.
Asuna spoke first: "Kimi-nee has sent an order. Since all our elites are currently searching for Futayo Honda, the exploration progress of the other floors' labyrinths has stalled. Other players are having trouble leveling up. So Kimi-nee has ordered us to recall most of our elites to continue exploring the uncharted labyrinth areas, complete the missing entries in the recent Sage's Manuals, and lower the leveling risk for other players."
Everyone exchanged glances. Finally, Kirito stepped forward to speak on behalf of the group: "Then what about Honda-senpai? The higher the labyrinth floors, the more dangerous they are."
"Kimi-nee hasn't forbidden us from continuing to search for Honda-senpai. But clearly, we can't all go together anymore. So I suggest selecting a small portion of members to form an elite team to keep looking for her," Asuna proposed.
"Honda-senpai's whereabouts are unpredictable! A single team will have a hard time finding her. How about we form three teams? I'd like to lead one myself," Kirito suggested.
"Mm. One team led by you, Kirito-kun, and another by me," Asuna nodded in agreement. Within the Crystal Guild, she and Kirito ranked as the fourth and third strongest players respectively. Searching for Honda-senpai was naturally their duty.
"Can I lead the last team? No matter what, I want to find my master, Honda-sensei," said Diabel. Back in the first month after the game began, during the battle to clear the first-floor labyrinth, Diabel had nearly been killed by the boss when he selfishly tried to claim the kill for himself. It was Futayo Honda who had saved him back then.
He had never forgotten Honda's heroic figure from that moment. Since then, Diabel had always paid attention to her and, deeply moved by her loyalty and honor, had earnestly taken her as his master.
Many people later started calling Little Honda "Master" precisely because of Diabel's example. Among everyone in the Crystal Guild, Diabel respected her the most—perhaps even more than anyone else in the entire world.
"Mm. Even within the guild, your combat ability is top-tier. Very well, you'll lead the last team," Asuna said with authority, then added, "Each team will consist of three members. Choose your members accordingly."
Soon, the groups were formed. Diabel's teammates were Kibaou and Yulier. Kirito's teammates were Klein and the delicate-looking youth "Hokuto," who had arrived late during the Wolf King raid. Asuna's teammates were a bespectacled boy named "Starlight" and a serious-looking girl called "Fierce Tiger."
Once the teams were set, Asuna nodded and said, "Alright, the three teams will continue searching for Honda-senpai. The rest will follow Kimi-nee's command—return and clear the unexplored labyrinth areas."
The teleportation light of the 54th-floor plaza shimmered, and everyone vanished. In SAO, there was no such thing as a global system announcement, so even if Little Honda cleared a boss, the Crystal Guild wouldn't receive the news immediately. They were always a step behind her trail.
Meanwhile, at the headquarters of the Knights of the Blood, the once solemn grand hall had turned noisy. Many players in red-and-white knight uniforms gathered around the entrance, their faces filled with excitement as they stared at a slowly approaching woman. Their expressions were no different from those of crazed celebrity fans.
"It's Kimi-nee! The Crystal Guild's Kimi-nee!"
"So beautiful! Truly worthy of being called Sage-senpai by all!"
"Vulgar! Kimi-nee isn't called Sage-senpai just because she's beautiful!"
"She's so charming! I want to join the Crystal Guild too!"
"Forget it! The Crystal Guild's combat players are leagues above us. You saw them in the Wolf King raid, didn't you?"
"Can't I join as an external member?"
"Oh? Planning to get a gender change operation in Tai Country? Best of luck then..."
As she passed through the entrance, the members of the Knights of the Blood chattered endlessly. And at the center of all their talk stood the woman wearing a gentle, serene smile.
Her flaxen hair was thick and lustrous, and her indescribably alluring figure made every onlooker's heart stir. People were used to seeing Kimi-nee's passionate and radiant smile, but this time, her calm, graceful expression carried an entirely different charm.
"Ah~ how enthusiastic my foolish brothers and sisters are." The great hall doors slowly closed as Kurumi, wearing a faint smile, walked gracefully to the long table in the center of the room and sat down elegantly.
"An honored guest—what a rare privilege," said Heathcliff curtly, his words few and precise before he fell silent. He did not sit opposite Kurumi, but rather stood at the side of the table.
"We both have at least some understanding of each other's identities. And both of us possess things the other seeks. We need to communicate." Twirling a strand of her flaxen hair, Kurumi smiled with refined elegance.
"As a bridge for that communication, let us first exchange questions unrelated to identity. Tell me your doubts, and I shall answer them." Kurumi's tone remained calm and her smile gentle. Though she was currently using Kimi Aoi's proxy body, her Divine Aura manifested fully—forcing Kimi's own personality to retreat obediently.
Heathcliff nodded without further words. With a flick of his hand, he opened the system interface and made several adjustments. In an instant, the hall around them transformed into a vast, endless starry sky.
Heathcliff had returned to his true form—Akihiko Kayaba—standing amidst the stars. Kurumi, however, remained seated, though her ordinary chair had turned into a towering throne. Kayaba now stood far below her—his position dwarfed by her elevated seat.
"Oh? It seems you know more than I expected." Resting her hands lightly on the throne's armrests, Kurumi shifted slightly, and in the next moment, the voluptuous and alluring Kimi Aoi respectfully stood beside the throne, while the one seated upon it became Tokisaki Kurumi herself.
Her black Astral Dress adorned with fine white ribbons gleamed under the cosmic light, making her appear divinely radiant. Her leg remained crossed, one foot encased in sheer black, swaying softly above the void.
"Is your question about my identity?" Kurumi sat upright with saintly composure, her serene expression exuding an invisible pressure that weighed heavily on Akihiko Kayaba's heart. That overwhelming presence made him feel nearly compelled to kneel.
"No... I want to know the truth of this world." Kayaba shook his head slightly. The scientist within him had awakened, suppressing the instinctive awe he felt toward Kurumi's divine presence—though the system's protection certainly helped.
"So it's not my identity you wish to ask about." Kurumi's dignified image suddenly collapsed. Leaning one elbow on the throne's armrest, she rested her chin lazily in her hand, her expression languid. Her striking black-red-white Astral Dress transformed into a soft pink gown.
"Then tell me first what you know about this world." She covered a small yawn with her hand, her elegant smile returning to her flawless face.
"The world we live in—Earth—is merely a planet within the Solar System," Kayaba began, and the surrounding starry expanse shifted to form the Solar System itself. His explanation accompanied by visuals made it feel vividly real.
"The Solar System is but a small system within the Milky Way, and the Milky Way itself is just a speck in the boundless universe. Whether other worlds or alien civilizations exist in this vast cosmos—" As he spoke, the view expanded from the Solar System to the Milky Way, and then to the entire universe, creating a profound sense of insignificance.
For ordinary people, such thoughts were awe-inspiring. For scientists, perhaps, they were an obsession bordering on madness.
"Let me ask you this—why do you assume the world is part of the universe?" Kurumi's smile grew more amused.
"Please enlighten me, my lady," Kayaba replied, dismissing the projection. The scene shifted to a blue sky over a bustling city below.
"The anthropic principle," Kurumi said softly. "Humanity believes the Earth revolves around the Sun—so it does. Humanity believes the Solar System belongs to the Milky Way—so it does. Humanity believes the universe is infinite—so it becomes infinite. The boundless universe is nothing more than the world you inhabit."
(Note: This theory applies only within this story's context. Due to the existence of Alaya, the anthropic principle is the truth of this world.)
"So this universe is merely one world... Then, does that mean other worlds exist?" Kayaba's voice trembled. He felt as though he were drawing closer and closer to unveiling the truth of existence itself.
"They do exist," Kurumi replied, her smile widening with delight. "And they are as countless as the stars in the sky."
"Where are they? How far from us?" Kayaba began gesturing with his hands, consumed by his obsession. His fixation on other worlds had already reached the point of insanity—after all, he had created SAO, trapping ten thousand players within it, all to observe his imagined other world.
"How far do you think they are? If you believe they are light-years away, then so they are. But if you believe they are right beside you, then all that separates you is a thin veil of water," Kurumi said with a gentle smile.
Other worlds, she explained, existed right beside this one. As long as one knew their coordinates and possessed the means to cross, one could reach any world. One could even, with supreme divine authority, dissolve the "world barrier" separating realities—merging two worlds together, expanding one's Divine Kingdom and cultivating believers.
For a fleeting moment, a spark of ambition flickered in Kurumi's heart—but she extinguished it almost immediately.
Kurumi-chan was willful. Perhaps she might occasionally take an interest, spending effort to fuse another world and expand her Divine Kingdom, but she would never obsess over such things. Achievement and domination were not what she sought. She was simply whimsical.
To Kurumi-chan, excess in anything was undesirable. Her way had always been moderation—allowing others the freedom of choice, serving only as a guide. She might be domineering, but she was never a tyrant.
Snapping out of her reverie, Kurumi smiled faintly once more. Why do I act? she mused. Perhaps no reason at all—only to witness the things that bring me joy.