In SAO
In the town of Aincrad, a skinny boy walked around like a zombie every day...
It was Eiji, who had just lost Yuna...
"Is this me?"
Eiji's confused eyes showed a hint of surprise as he appeared on the light screen...
But when he saw Yuna, he froze. His chest felt extremely heavy, and though he wanted to shout, only a hoarse, low sound came out...
Tears streamed down uncontrollably, wetting the ground. The excitement in his heart made him tremble.
"Yu...na... you're still alive... That's wonderful..."
Eiji looked at that familiar face, wanting to reach out and touch it, but couldn't...
Inside the Knights of the Blood
The members stared in disbelief at the future Eiji.
Was this still the timid boy?
His strength seemed comparable to Kirito's. Had he been hiding his true abilities, wanting to be a hidden boss like the Black Swordsman?
In Reality
Professor Shigemura, who had been immersed in the pain of losing his daughter, was more excited than anyone else upon seeing her resurrection!
But now, his daughter's brain was burnt out and long gone!
So why was she alive in the future?
Could it be... fragments of her memory were preserved on the internet?...
"Yuna... don't worry... Dad will definitely bring you back!"
For his daughter's sake, no matter how many people had to be sacrificed, it didn't matter!...
[Screen continues]
[Eiji's speed and strength were greatly enhanced once more!]
["Round two!"]
[Eiji exerted force with his legs, leaving an afterimage. In an instant, he appeared before PoH, his sword like lightning!]
[CLANG!]
[PoH blocked his attack expressionlessly. This kid had some strength...]
[Yuna's singing continued to purify the players affected by Incite, bringing them back to their senses one by one...]
[BANG! BANG! BANG!!!]
[PoH was suppressed by him, rolled sideways, and left his attack range...]
["Who the hell are you!?"]
[Eiji frowned, feeling the memory in his heart, and said loudly: "I am a member of the Knights of the Blood... Nochiris!!"]
[Red light flashed, and the Knights of the Blood uniform materialized on his body!]
["I don't know you!"]
[PoH never remembered any unknown person. The only one who could spark his interest was the most violent Black Swordsman!]
[His heart belonged entirely to Kirito!]...
Kirito: "No need! You don't need to be devoted to me. I don't like PvP!"
PoH: "Black Swordsman! How dare you look down on me! I'll make you die under my blade sooner or later!"
Asuna: "Kirito-kun is mine!"
Everyone: "???"
Eiji: "I will never lose to this murderous maniac!"
Yuna: "Eiji... don't talk... Be careful not to get slapped later. This PoH is definitely not an ordinary person!"
Eiji: "Impossible! Absolutely impossible! With your help, he's no match for me!"
Eiji was quite confident in himself!.....
[On Screen]
[Eiji gripped his sword hilt and struck swiftly. PoH dodged sideways, but before he could react, Eiji swept a leg kick, lifting him into the air!]
[But PoH was unaffected. He twisted his body mid-air, slashed with his sword, spun, and jumped out of Eiji's attack range...]
[The two faced off for a few seconds. Eiji's eyes grew sharp and determined again, the blade glowing, extremely sharp!]
["Truly... I was weak back then... A useless person who couldn't do anything..."]
["But!!!"]
[Eiji stabbed out instantly. PoH alertly jumped into the air...]
["I have no reason to kill indiscriminately!"]
[Eiji followed closely, raising his sword with both hands and slashing down!]
[PoH broke into a cold sweat. This guy was actually stronger than Kirito!]
[Careless...]
[Not flashy...]
[At that moment, his father's ugly face came to mind, and his anger shot straight to the top of his head!]
["Aaargh!!!!"]
[He vowed to kill these people. The kitchen knife suddenly enlarged under his will, the terrifying momentum suppressing Eiji's sword!]
[CRACKLE!!!]
[Eiji's arm was severed by PoH!]
[PoH felt sick recalling these people. He slashed Eiji's armor again and kicked him away!]
[Just as he was about to end Eiji's life, Eiji got up and bit PoH back. Knights of the Blood are never cowards!]
[PoH, furious, swung the butcher knife again, kneed his chest, and shoved him away!]
[THUD!!!]
[Yuna hurried over to check on him...]
[Eiji stared blankly at the familiar figure, saying weakly: "Yuna... I did what I was supposed to, right?..."]
[The two turned into points of light and disappeared from this world...].....
Eiji: "As expected of the Laughing Coffin boss, I'm no match..."
Yuna: "What you did was very cool. You're the strongest in my heart!"
Inside the Knights of the Blood
The eyes of the entire guild were wide as saucers. This Nochiris was so brave!
This was a 100% painfully different world!
This person had been slashed so many times without changing expression. If it were them, they'd have been crying long ago if their arm was broken!
Compared to them, Nochiris was a real man!
This battle completely boosted the Knights of the Blood's reputation!
At that moment, those who feared Laughing Coffin gradually calmed down, seeming no longer so afraid...
[On Screen]
[With Eiji and the others gone, Asuna and the others were in crisis again!]
[Players from the Choi Bang Ja Country began to panic when they saw the emblem exposed on the back of PoH's hand...]
["That's the mark of Laughing Coffin!"]
[This sound instantly spread among the players. After all, the SAO incident affected the entire world!]
[PoH grinned and turned to look at them. The black smoke behind him gradually enlarged, turning into a huge evil face!]
[Incite had taken hold of them again!]
[The kitchen knife in PoH's hand instantly rose, a terrifying dark aura sweeping through everyone...]
[Asuna wanted to resist but struggled to stand. Just as she was about to give up...]
[A gentle voice sounded behind her...]
["It's okay... Asuna's words... stand up..."]
[Yuuki's figure appeared behind her and hugged her...]
[Asuna snapped back to reality, thoughts welling in her heart. She instantly rushed at PoH to stop him from killing further!]
[But he easily dodged and instead suppressed her...]
[Asuna asked him what he wanted, why he hated Kirito so much...]
["Hate? How much I love him!"]
["In that shitty world, that guy was the only one I trusted unconditionally!"]
[No matter how much PoH tried to break Kirito, he wouldn't shatter. This joy drove him mad!]
[So he couldn't allow Kirito to lie there like a zombie!]....
Asuna: "Do I have to guard against men now too?"
Is this reasonable? How long has it been!
Alice: "This devil doesn't deserve Kirito's love!"
Sinon, Liz, Silica, etc., all felt another level of hostility toward PoH simultaneously!
Lazy Archbishop: "Love? - Edes!!!"
Kirito: "..."
Everyone was shocked by PoH's obsession. For him, perhaps Kirito, who only knew how to fight, was his only salvation, right?...
[On Screen]
[The kitchen knife continued absorbing life force from the battlefield, growing larger and larger. Asuna's legs kept trembling; she was gradually unable to resist this force...]
[At that moment, Yuuki's figure appeared again, constantly encouraging her...]
[Instantly, pure white wings sprouted from Asuna's back, like a holy angel...]
[Together with Yuuki, she struck a blow with the ultimate sword skill!]
["YEAHHHHHHH!!!!"]
[The combo strikes from the Mother's Rosario made PoH's eyes turn white. The final blow pierced through his entire chest!]
[BOOM!!!]
[PoH's chest became hollow, and he lost consciousness...]
[But his kitchen knife was still absorbing sacred power!]
[He slowly rose into the sky. The black and red aura ascended, dyeing the sky deep red, like a doomsday hell!]
["Ha ha ha ha——"]
[PoH couldn't stop laughing. This feeling of power was so Spicy...]
[Countless sacred powers continued to condense. The controlled players attacked everyone again!]
[Asuna fell helplessly to the ground, trying to crawl to Kirito's side, but a player stepped on her hand...]
[Asuna closed her eyes as if resigned to fate, but at that moment, the scent of flowers reached her nose...]
[A cold atmosphere permeated the entire battlefield, accompanied by the scent of roses...]
[PoH's laughter stopped abruptly, then he became extremely excited. He turned and stared ferociously at Kirito lying on the ground!]
["Whoosh——"]
[——Enhance.Armament——]
[A huge magic circle appeared beneath Kirito. The cold air from the extreme ice blew like wind toward the players who had fallen into madness!]
[In an instant, they turned into ice sculptures!]
[CRACK——]
[PoH broke free from the restraints and slashed at Asuna, but before he could get close, an invisible force blocked him!]
[A golden hand formed a barrier, protecting Asuna and the others...]
[Kirito walked slowly toward the golden hand, overlapping with it...]
[BOOM!!!]
[Instantly, the violent airflow sent PoH flying dozens of meters!]
[Asuna stood up and slowly walked behind him. Seeing her beloved recovered, she felt relieved...]
["Welcome back... Kirito..."]
[Kirito turned and looked at Asuna with a smile, his face filled with confidence...]
["I'm back... Asuna..."]
[The Black Swordsman had returned again!]