Chapter 5: A Solo Player, Huh?
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A brief silence fell over the strategy meeting as Kamikawa Hikaru quietly shifted his gaze. His eyes landed on the cloaked figure in the distance—none other than the female lead of Sword Art Online, Yuuki Asuna.
Then, Hikaru turned to Diabel and gave him a small nod.
"…Alright."
"Ah! Thank you! On behalf of every SAO player here, I really appreciate it!" Diabel exclaimed cheerfully. He glanced at Hikaru, who had already returned to sit calmly on the stairs, then looked toward Kibaou—who now hung his head in shame before quickly retreating from the crowd.
"Well then," Diabel cleared his throat. "Let's begin the boss strategy meeting. But first, I'd like everyone to form parties of six."
The moment he made that announcement, Hikaru's sharp eyes caught the subtle shift in expression from one particular player—Kirito.
"As we know, fighting a floor boss solo is suicide," Diabel continued. "Forming parties will greatly improve our survival chances."
The crowd nodded in agreement.
It didn't take long for players—some friends, others complete strangers—to start forming small groups. In the end, three people were left standing without a party: Hikaru, Asuna, and Kirito.
Kirito glanced around for a moment before stepping over to the cloaked girl sitting nearby.
"Uh… you don't have a party either?" he asked.
Asuna nodded slightly. "It's not that no one asked me… It just seemed like everyone already had their own groups."
"…A solo player, huh?" Kirito mumbled with a soft chuckle. "Well, how about we team up, then? Just temporarily."
Asuna blinked, clearly surprised.
"I mean, we both know it's impossible to solo the boss. So a short-term team isn't a bad idea, right?" Kirito smiled.
After a short pause, Asuna gave a small nod. Kirito sent her a party invite, and the moment she accepted, her eyes briefly wandered—to Hikaru, still sitting alone at the edge of the amphitheater.
Kirito noticed her glance.
Taking the hint, he walked over to Hikaru and spoke in a low voice. "Hey… would you like to join our party too?"
"Hm?" Hikaru raised an eyebrow, clearly not expecting that. He glanced at Asuna, then paused for a second before smiling.
"Sure. I don't mind."
"Glad to have you with us," Kirito said with a nod as he sent the invite. Hikaru joined the party without hesitation.
Back in her seat, Asuna watched the exchange quietly. She was clearly curious about the so-called "Black and Crimson Sword"—a player whose name had been whispered across all of SAO since the day of that infamous duel.
She pulled her cloak tighter.
No one knew what was going through her head.
Truthfully, Hikaru had already seen Asuna several times before—usually while hunting monsters outside of town. But they'd always passed each other in silence.
A few minutes later, the meeting ended.
Asuna stood and walked off without a word. Hikaru left too, taking a different path.
Watching them go, Kirito scratched his head awkwardly. "Those two… don't look like teammates at all," he muttered before heading off himself.
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That evening, a relaxed post-meeting gathering was held in one of the town's corners. Players who had attended the strategy session mingled, laughed, and shared drinks.
As usual, Hikaru sat alone in the back.
He had no close companions, and solitude was something he'd long grown used to.
His eyes quietly observed the other players as they chatted and joked, but eventually shifted to a lone figure sitting on the stairs—eating a hard, dry piece of bread.
Asuna.
Hikaru stood and made his way over, sitting down beside her. His gaze flicked to the unappetizing bread in her hands… and a memory came to mind.
Right now, most SAO players didn't have high enough Cooking Skill to prepare anything decent. Gourmet food—burgers, sandwiches, hot meals—was practically unheard of.
Without saying a word, Hikaru opened his inventory and pulled out something that would be considered a miracle by most players:
A hamburger.
Stuffed with ham, crispy bacon, and fresh lettuce, the bun looked perfectly toasted—its aroma subtly wafting in the air.
He'd earned it after completing a hidden quest for a chef NPC in town. Ever since then, he'd maintained a good enough relationship with the chef to buy high-quality food, even without maxed cooking skills.
"The bread you're eating isn't bad," Hikaru said casually, holding out the burger, "but… how about trying something new?"
Asuna stared at it blankly.
She blinked once. Then again.
A hamburger…? In SAO...?
Her disbelief was written all over her face.
Hikaru chuckled softly. "We're in the same party now, aren't we? Go on—give it a try. It's fine."
"C-Can I… really?" Asuna whispered, as if she were afraid it would vanish if she spoke too loudly. She looked at the burger like a child staring at candy for the first time.
"I've got more. Take it," Hikaru encouraged, nudging it closer.
After a moment of hesitation, Asuna slowly reached out and accepted the burger.
"…Is it alright if I sit here?" Hikaru asked, gesturing toward the steps.
Without waiting for a reply, he took a seat a little further down and pulled out his own burger, unwrapping it leisurely.
Asuna stared at the one in her hands.
Its colors were vivid. The scent of warm meat and fresh bread tickled her nose. Her mouth began to water even before she took a bite.
Then—to Hikaru's silent shock—she devoured it in four or five huge bites.
Ever since SAO became a death game, Asuna had only eaten flavorless dry bread. Something like this… she hadn't tasted in weeks.
"Th-Thank you," she murmured, voice almost too soft to hear.
Hikaru smiled faintly. "Want another?"
Asuna shook her head quickly, pulling her cloak tighter around herself to hide her face.
Ever since being trapped in SAO, her life had been a nightmare. There were moments she felt like giving up.
But she chose to fight instead—grinding for gear, battling monsters, and pushing forward.
Hiding forever in the Town of Beginnings, waiting for someone else to win the game? That wasn't her style.
She would keep fighting, until the very end.
Hikaru didn't press her. He simply let the silence settle.
After a long moment, Asuna finally spoke.
"You… you're a solo player too?"
"From the start," Hikaru replied, nodding. "This is actually the first time I've joined a team."
"I heard you asked Diabel for the boss room's coordinates," Asuna said softly. "Were you really… planning to fight it alone?"
"That was the plan." He kept his tone calm. "My level and equipment give me a fighting chance. If we keep waiting for something to happen, how long do you think it'll take to clear all 100 floors? Kayaba already said—there's only one way out of this."
Asuna fell silent.
"But still…" she said, voice trembling slightly, "Fighting a boss solo is dangerous. Aren't you afraid of dying?"
"Afraid?" Hikaru let out a quiet breath. "Of course I am."
He looked up at the night sky.
"But if we don't find a way out soon… Have you ever thought about what's happening to our real bodies in the outside world?"
Asuna's shoulders tensed.
Hikaru stood and dusted off his coat.
"Well then… good night. See you tomorrow."
He gave a small wave and walked away, disappearing into the city streets.
Asuna watched him go.
She rose slowly, her gaze lingering on the place where he'd been.
His words echoed in her mind.
They didn't sound heroic.
They didn't sound dramatic.
But they gave her something she hadn't felt in a long time.
A reason to keep moving forward.
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