23 Chapter 23

At present time, the front line is on the 46th floor and the subjugation of the floor boss is underway.

The capture group was fighting with the boss right now and the composition was mostly the same in every floor.

First of all was the KoB's commander, Heathcliff and its vice-commander, Asuna. There's also people from some guild like DKB and more little guild like the Fuurinkazan take part in the capture group. Aside from people from some guild, the only two solo player was also taken part there. The Black Swordsman, Kirito and Nao who all the upper player called Oni-gatana these days.

He used to be called Murasaki-gatana before, but because the event that recently happen, it change become Oni-gatana instead.

The Oni-gatana used to call him was mainly because, he really looks frighteningly like an Oni when fighting these days. His eyes was cold, but the glint always there staring dagger at the enemy with hatred. Added with how he torture one of the KoB members and cut the hand of the other, the only fit name for him was Oni.

His way of fighting also become very sharp and dangerous with two katana. He inflict the most damage, but because of it he become the most hated enemy for the boss and make the boss aggro always directed at him for the entire fight.

However, he didn't seem to care at all and always put on the same plain expression in every fight. The frighteningly indifferent expression which doesn't care about life and death of the others and even his own too.

It can't be helped, though. These days, Nao become more and more impatient because Yuna's condition always the same when he asked Sebas about it.

Her brain need more time to adapt with the nerve system because forcefully ejected from the game. His clone always cast healing magic too, but to no avail because her condition wasn't caused by any damage to the body, disease or something caused by bacteria or virus and not a curse or some supernatural like thing either, but it has something to do with her brain adaptability. So, what he can do was only wait and wait.

However, waiting make him impatient and if he did nothing, his anxiety would be worsened. He would feel restless in the end. So he tries to distract his attention to the fight in the labyrinth.

It work, but just slightly because he had the [parallel thought] skill, so he can't distract his attention completely. But at least, it work a bit as a solace for him and make him feel a bit better.

He spent almost all his time in the labyrinth and only back to the town to resupply and do a maintenance to his equipment. It's very rarely done too.

He never sleep either until now, it's ridiculous, but he want to know as soon as possible when something happen to Yuna. There's unusually an uneasiness for him to sleep when Yuna still in this state. He didn't know from where this feeling comes from, he just afraid if something happen to Yuna when he asleep.

Nao enter the labyrinth to distract his mind, so he fight all the time, non stop. He think it's a good chance too, so he fight with closed his eyes to add more pressure to him. With more pressure, he would forced to be more concentrate and his Prediction ability would raise too.

He fight like a madman. To begin with, He fight to distract his mind and vent all his feeling, which weighing on his mind, so he vent all of it when fighting.

This make his attack filled with rage, anxiety, regret, loneliness and all of his feeling he has. Added with his speed and strength, his movement become much more dangerous and improve his swordsmanship. He didn't think too much about it though, because his mood was always bad.

It's the same for boss subjugation battle right now too. He fight to make himself feel better and vent his feeling, so he do it too right now. His face was cold and his eyes was empty, but the glint in those eyes could be seen clearly.

He slash the boss, attack it again and again while let out all of his feeling in it. He didn't care anything, just fight and fight, that's all.

The other let him be. He didn't disturb the rhythm of the other, rather, all of them very helped because the boss aggro directed at him completely. Even though fight side by side with him make them frightened but his strength was needed, so all of them bear with it.

The fight last for some times and in the end, the boss was defeated. It disappear into fragments and the notification showed up. The window notification for items they manage to get also popped up. They cheered up after that and celebrate the victory, except one person, Nao.

He sheathed his two katanas simply and walked silently to the stairs lead to 47th floor. He even didn't look at the notif window to check what item he got and just brush it away.

He quietly walked passed through many cheering player. His expression still indifferent, didn't show anything at all.

The other didn't want to make him upset, so they let him be and mind their own business. Though they still could feel a strange pressure and fright from time to time when looking at him.

The ones who closed to him didn't know what to do either. They didn't know the feeling he experienced after all, so they think didn't have the right to said anything. It'll leave bad impression after when someone who didn't know anything speak like they know it. So they let him be and just look at his back which felt more and more solitude.

Kirito didn't know what to do either. He experience the same thing, but different at the same time. In his case, it was his guild member. While in Nao's case, it was his lover, his woman, his most beloved one. So it's very different in the end considering the different feeling included.

Asuna could only watch his back in silent too. She want to console him, but she didn't know how. She didn't know how painful he felt right now after all. She didn't want to leave bad impression in him with her ignorance word too, as someone who didn't know how it feels. So she decide to let him be for a while and approach him slowly when he feel a bit better. Though look at his state right now really painful for her.

Nao reach the entrance soon and could finally see the 47th floor view.

"So many flowers here." Nao said while looking at the floor's view.

This floor was a garden-themed floor. Most of the floor consists of small grassy hills that are covered in numerous flower patches of various colours.

"Sugu and Yuna would love this place if they come here." Nao said while smiled slightly.

However, it disappear soon after he recalled Yuna's condition. He take a deep breath to calm himself.

"Right, there's a field dungeon here which has a flower to revive the tamed monster. Though it'll only bloom if the monster already died and I don't want Haku to die just to get the flower either. Let's just see the place then. Let's go Haku."

"Kyuu~" Haku responded to his word.

He ran fast after that followed by Haku behind.

----

It's December already and winter come along with the cold white blanket which blanketed many area already these days. This place wasn't an exception either.

Here was the labyrinth entrance, where the player could be seen come in and out from time to time to explore the dungeon. All of them who come in and out these days could be seen more motivated than before. The reason wasn't only because the Christmas, but also because the front line was at the 49th Floor now, so if the player could reach the 50th floor, they would be half way from their final goal.

A man could be seen come out of the labyrinth with a white fox on his head. Its color was very similar with the snow around the area, make the man's head looks like covered with snowball instead.

Nao finally get out of the labyrinth after almost two weeks in there. He felt the great different in temperature as soon as he reach the outside.

"So, white Christmas, huh." Nao mumbled the words while looking at the snow around.

"Well, It's late already, so Kirito would be annoyed again. Better hurry up, let's go, Haku."

"Kyu~!" Haku replayed right away.

Nao ran at the town's direction to use the teleport gate and teleport to the 35th floor.

At the time around the end of november, Kirito send him a message that he has an info. Nao who was in the labyrinth at that time tell him to go to the labyrinth and meet him at the save zone in it.

Nao was rarely could be seen at the town after all because he always in the labyrinth or the hunting ground every time. Not to explore the labyrinth and create a map data or leveling, the main reason was just to fight and nothing more.

What make him went back to the town was only to resupply his and Haku's food. His equipment was rarely need a maintenance as its durability raised too every time he upgrade it.

So the only main reason was the hunger system which make him need to go back and resupply the food. Though the foods was mainly the dried ones, so it can last longer before expired and disappear into fragments. There's an expire time too in the food after all.

But this foods problem solved soon too thanks to Asuna.

Everyday, she would cook for him and delivered the foods herself to him in the labyrinth. She would send him a message first and ask him which floor he's at in the labyrinth. After he replay the message, they would meet in the safe zone and Asuna would use this chance to talk with him.

She knew the messy mind and depressed feeling he felt. So she want to around him and talk with him to make him feel better. Nao could see it too right away and chat with her at every given time.

He would feel a bit better when he talk with someone like her and Kirito, who would come too from time to time. He can feel the same relax feeling when he fight with the monster and make him feel a bit better.

Asuna was the vice-commander of the KoB, so she didn't come to the labyrinth alone. She would come with the KoB's labyrinth explorer party with her. So after she delivered the foods to him and chat a bit, she would explore the labyrinth with her party again.

She always feels very reluctant to leave him alone and go with her party. She wanted to throw away the cape dyed in the white and red colors of her guild, throw away the sigil ring she wore on one of her right fingers, ran at him and hug him tightly, then said 'I've withdrawn from my guild, so I'll stay by your side from now on'.

However, she couldn't allow herself to do that. Because the one who chose to leave him at that time to join the emerging guild, Knights of the Blood, was Asuna herself.

Beside that, after all what happen between him and her guild members recently, considering her position as the vice-commander, he would be dragged into unnecessary trouble if she really leave the guild for him.

She decide to be more honest before, but she didn't want to drag him into much trouble because of her. She want to be by his side as someone he can trust and rely on, also if possible, as ....his loved one too. Not as a burden and bring much trouble for him.

Her attempt to forget her feeling was futile in the end, it become stronger and stronger instead these days. So she decide to love him honestly and keep her feeling inside her heart. She didn't care if he accept her or reject her again, but one thing she know was that she love him, so she would love him and that was enough for her.

Aside from Asuna, Kirito and Klein also occasionally talk with him. Klein felt a bit guilty because Yuna's death was to help and save his guild members. So the fuurinkazan and him included, want to help him if possible.

Kirito would send him a message before meet him. Sometime they would make a party too and fight together. Kirito tell him any info he has too when they meet, though Nao rarely interested.

Around the end of November, Kirito tell him the info he got from Argo few days before. It was an info about Christmas Flag Mob which appeared on Christmas Eve. Nao felt a bit familiar with it, so he asked him for the detail.

Kirito then said that he learn this info from Argo. She told Kirito that the event would be appeared on Christmas Eve and that the event rumored to drop a very rare items. He was a bit hesitant to tell Nao about the item, so Nao asked.

"What's wrong? What kind of item the event drop?" Nao asked him. Kirito calm himself down and tell him in the end.

"Rumors said that it's a rare item drop which can... revive dead players." Kirito said in the end make Nao surprised.

'Ah!, I remember now. It's that event, huh. I just remember that it happened on Christmas.' Nao finally remember about the event. He sigh slightly while said inside his mind, 'To think I forget this event.' and sigh again after that.

'I see. So he think that it can be used to revive Yuna, huh. Well, Sachi was still alive after all, so he needn't it. Rather, he think that maybe I need it more so tell me about it. Well, the item was useless even if Yuna really..., sigh~' Nao said inside his mind and look at the sky think of something.

Kirito let him to think of it first. Nao always help him after all, so he hope that this item maybe can be a help for him.

'What should I do?' Nao said inside his mind.

'Well, it was still a very useful item. We don't know, maybe we will need it in the future.' Nao said inside.

"Well, I don't think there's a harm to try the event." Nao mumbled under his breath.

"So you want to try it?" Kirito asked.

"Hm? Ah, yeah." Nao simply said to him.

"I will help then. There's about a month before Christmas, we need to prepare and raise our level first." Kirito said in the end.

"Well, sure! Thanks for the help." Nao said to him and smile at him.

"It's nothing. I need to repay your help too from before after all." Kirito said to him again.

After that, they make a party again and start to rise their level. Nao didn't need to raise his level at all, though. He always fight without sleep after all and when fight a boss, the most damage inflicted was his, so his level was already ridiculously high. But he know Kirito's goodwill, so he play along with it. It isn't good to slap a smiling face after all.

After that, they always leveling and explore the dungeon together again. But of course Kirito will always go back to the town first and Nao stay to continue the fight again.

It last for some time until their level was high enough and what left was to wait the Christmas to come and the event to appeared.

----

Nao arrived at the town soon and go to the teleport gate, then teleporte to the 35th floor right away.

He then reappeared in Mishe, the main settlement oaf the 35th floor. He ran to the outer area after that and go to the Forest of Wandering.

Kirito said in his message that he found a new info from Argo that the boss event "Nicholas The Renegade" would appeared there, under a certain fir tree. Kirito know the place and he know that Nao knew the fir tree too because he found it with Nao before, so he said to Nao that they will go first there because many guild looking for it too.

"He said in his message "We will go first," huh. So he isn't alone?" Nao said.

He didn't know after all that Kirito will invite the other too, besides of him in this event.

Nao ran through the falling snow which brush his face along the way to the forest while Haku flying beside him closely.

Soon he can see the forest and entered it right away. He enter the field and could heard the sound of weapons colliding with each other as soon as he arrived there.

He look around and could see clearly the fight.

'Hoo~' Nao said in his mind and his eyes narrowed with a sharp glint in it.

He saw Kirito, Asuna, Agil, Klein together with his Fuurinkazan guild's member fighting with more than thirty people from the DDA. He remember that in the story, they are appeared too.

'I know they would appeared from the story, but this number ... Looks like they really want this item that much, huh, considering they still attack them even with Asuna here.' Nao thought.

Even though the DDA have one sided rivalry with KoB, and KoB's reputation was a bit "tarnished" by Nao with the event from before, but Asuna was the vice-commander. Nao thought that the DDA will has some self-control, not like in the story when it was only the fuurinkazan and Kirito.

'And if we talking about DDA, then there's that annoying guy too, huh.' Nao said inside while looking at Lind and narrowed his eyes. He has a friction with him at the 3rd floor after all. He band the three, namely Kirito, Nao and Asuna from the two guild formed at that time. Not like he want to join, but his behavior was very lofty and make Nao quite annoyed.

Nao then step forward and put his hand on his katana's hilt while walking slowly.

"It's a very grand Ballroom here, eh~" All of them jolted hearing this chillingly cold voice.

All of them look at the source of the voice and could see the "Oni" there. Walking slowly and take out one of his katana.

"Nao!"

"Y-you"

"What is he doing here?"

Many reaction could be heard from the "audience" after knowing who said the words before. His friend surprised with glad along with it, while the other surprised with fear and dread along with it. He is the madman who called "Oni" by all of the clearers after all.

"Let's see how well you dance." Nao said with half closed eyes make all of them gulped.

He walk slowly and readied his katana with very ominous and sharp glint in his eyes. The situation tensed up and Nao started to make his first move.

Nao ran to the side and turn around to the other side after that, put the katana on his lower right waist, he run to one of the DDA guys, Lind. Lind readied his sword too.

Nao slash diagonally from lower right to the upper left side. Two metal collision's sound could be heard and Lind's weapon repelled upwards. Nao's level was very high now days so his parameter was very high too. Lind stunned that his attack was this heavy and couldn't readied his weapon for the second attack.

But Nao didn't attack directly at Lind's body yet. He draw his katana back and make diagonal slash on Lind's repelled weapon from upper left to lower right. Then slash again from upper right to to lower left and while spinning, slash horizontally still the same, to Lind's weapon.

Nao's attack was very fast and Lind didn't have time to react at all. Even though he has the time, Nao's every slash was very heavy make his weapon repelled again an again. And looking at Nao's cold expression while slashing make him pressured greatly.

Lind's weapon was in "death" position and the wielder couldn't use it in this knocked back situation. Nao attack again, but not with his katana. After slashing several time and repelled his weapon, Nao kicked his gut make him flying backwards and stopped only after collided with a a tree behind him.

"You...."

The other members attacking too, but Nao didn't move and wait for the attack to come. Three attack descend at the same time and Nao block all of it above his head at the same time too.

"Wha...?!?" All the three of them surprised.

Nao look at the three with half-closed eyes make cold sweat run through the three's back. Nao kick one of them while repel the other two's weapon to the side and cut one of the two's shoulder. He then draw the katana upwards and cut the last left hand from his back. They couldn't react at all caused by how fast Nao move.

The other could only look at him blankly. They heard how he defeat KoB's group party, but they didn't ever think that it'll be this domineering. Not even around ten seconds and four of them, Lind included was already laying on the ground and didn't wake up yet.

On top of it, his weapon was a katana, but how can it repel two on-handed sword easily? Though it isn't as light as rapier or estoc for example, but still katana was a light type weapon. How could it's that heavy?!

Nao flicking his katana down like cleaning it from blood and turn around. He look at the rest from the corner of his eyes with half closed eyes and very sharply ominous glint.

"Who want to dance next?" He said coldly.

Even his friend shiver heard his word. It's very cold. His voice was very deep and very frightening.

Nao always try to act normally all this time with his close ones. When fight with the boss too, he choose to not talk too much and only fight. So this is their first time looking at him fight with the other player and directed his pressure not to monster, but to the other human or player i this case.

The other DDA members shiver too and could feel their spine frozen from the head to the tail. His pressure was directed to them after all. They retreat one by one and didn't dare to step forward.

"I'll be the one who come at you instead then." Nao said and dash at them.

"S-stop him!!?!??"

With that all of them fight again, not with people from before, but with the new arrived "Oni" in front of them. They try to attack him but their attack would be easily evaded or repelled. Then he would slash them on the wrist, elbow or shoulder to cut off their hand.

They very frightened looking at their chopped limb and the look of his eyes.

"Hiiiiiii!!?!?!"

"My haaand"

"S-st-aaaahh"

Many scream could be heard from time to time. Nao's katana was a ruthless weapon. Every movement he executed have a vibe of cruelness inside. Nao didn't realize it yet that his state of mind change his style slightly.

At the begining, his sword was inclined to the beautifulness. Nao love katana because it was a very beautiful weapon since his previous life. So he want to make a beautiful movement and beauty inclined style for his trait.

But his state of mind these days influenced his first style, make it not only beautiful, but also ruthless at the same time. His mind who want to distract all his feeling and the movement he executed as a solace for all of it, change his style.

His [Extreme Super Growth] skill learned it and fused it with the already existing style, and influenced it, make it not only beautiful anymore, but also ruthless and filled with solitude at the same time.

Time passed and the fight finally ended. All of the DDA members laying on the ground, some kneeling, some sat with frightened face and some stood still while shivering.

His prediction ability raised greatly these days make it almost as good as when he used it in the real world. So an amateur who only use their parameter, like speed and strength, without technique or good enough reflex was very easy to defeat for him.

They usually fight a monster and monster has patterns with it, so fight with it with only parameter and very insufficient technique was enough. But everything was different when fight with someone who master his weapon greatly, Nao's parameter was higher too on top of that.

All of their HP was red and Nao's cursor was orange again. This is the third time his cursor become orange. His cursor will be back to the green again this time after a few hour, but if his cursor become orange again for the fourth time, he'll need to do a quest to change it again. And he won't able to change his color cursor again if he change it for the fifth time, it'll permanently orange like if he kill a green player and become a red player thenceforth.

He didn't mind it, but has an orange cursor make him unable to near an [Area] effect place like village, some street even will chased out from town by the NPC guard and that was very troublesome. But if he didn't have another choice, then he would gladly become a red player without hesitation.

"Still want to continue?" He said make all of them shiver and retreat as soon as they could.

They run from that area as fast as they could.

Nao sigh and look at the sky. His heart feel more and more restless and heavy these days. Snow brush his cheeks and melt away on his face. Even if his mind not in a turmoil, but it isn't feel well either.

Only one question that always linger in his mind.

'Is she really fine? Will one day Yuuna be really awake?'

That was the only thing he want to know these days. That very words was the only thing which always clouded his mind.

He sigh again while still looking at the sky and gaze for a long time with longing in his eyes.

The other look at him in silent. They hope this event was a real deal. They want to help him overcome this state no matter what.

For the fuurinkazan members, Yuna was their savior and Nao was their friend on top of that. The same went for Agil, Nao was a good guy and very friend too.

For Kirito, he was his pal in both world. They meet often and has same thing they like. He was Sugu's lover too and he will never let him in this state for Sugu's part too.

As for Asuna, it's more simple. She love him and she will do everything to pull him out from this state.

Nao then sigh for the last time to calm his mind and sheathed his katana. He turn around and smile a bit to them.

"Sorry, I think I am late." Nao said while scratch his back head.

"Not think, You are late." Kirito said.

"Ahaha~ sorry there's a ..."

"I don't care with the cat, UFO or the grandma. Let's go." Kirito said and turn around.

"Ahahaha~" Nao laugh wryly.

The other could only shook their head and smile wryly. Asuna smile slightly looking at him.

'I hope he can back to his previous self soon.' She thought. She miss his warm smile and teasing very much.

They then go to the fir tree direction to wait for the event boss to appear.

They soon arrive under the big fir tree and wait there for Nicholas The Renegade to appear.

"How long we need to wait?" Klein ask.

"It'll appear at 00.00 and now still 23.48, it'll appear soon." Kirito said.

"About twelve minutes, huh. We need to prepared soon then." Agil said.

The other nodded and take out their necessary item like healing, antidote and teleportation crystal. They take out their weapon too and ready to fight. Nao readied his two Katana in both of his hand, Kogarasumaru in the right and Myouhou Muramasa in the left.

They wait patiently and soon, time become 00.00 and all of them could heard Santa Clause bell like sound and look at the sky. Something fall down!

They readied their stance and the figure finally landed with a loud bang and scattered snows.

The event boss, Nicholas The Renegade finally arrived and roar as soon as it spotted the player before it.

"Let's dance." Nao said and dash at the Santa before him to start the fight.

The other follow him closely behind and Haku start to flying around ready to support them. At least, Haku can cast Paralysis once and thrice the Stun in every fight. The Paralysis has more cool-down time than the Stun so it can only used in a fight.

But if the fight takes a long time, it can use the skill multiple time accordingly. But Nao choose to use Haku's attack not too often. Especially when fighting a boss. He didn't want the same thing like when fight 40th floor boss repeated again, where the both two Haku's attack in a cool-down state and he in a dire situation. Luckily its healing flame has more less cool-down time.

Nao attack meet Nicholas's attack first and the both knocked back, but Nao's condition a bit better and regain his balance soon and dash again and ready to attack.

Kirito and Asuna didn't need a command, they knew this pattern well. From the first floor until the 25th floor when Asuna leave the party, if Nao do the first parry, then....

Kirito move slightly to the right when see Nao knocked to the left. He execute his skill at the right side when Nicholas and Nao still knocked back. He execute slice after slice perfectly, and connected with Asuna's attack when Kirito's attack was ended.

When Kirito's attack almost reach its end, Nao already regain his balance and start moving to the right side and attack its side while moving to its back.

Nao could soon regain his balance after collision because he could calculate where he would knocked and choose the better angle. So Kirito and Asuna need to see where Nao knocked back first to give him more space to move after knocked back so, that he can do it more freely and can move quickly.

When he arrived at its back, Kirito's attack was ended and Asuna start to attack from the front and Nao from its back. The both of them was speed inclined type, so the attack ended quickly at the same time as Nicholas regain its balance and start to attack again.

The three attack inflict the damage almost evenly too this way, so its aggro evenly shared too.

Then after this, the second who would parry its attack would be Kirito and then so on until it use its another attack pattern. These was what one of many patterns they usually do as three player party at the lower floor, before Asuna leave the party after the 25th floor boss fight ended and join the KoB.

Agil would enter the fight from the opened front side when there's an interval between the three and at the time Kirito and Nao not in position to parry.

Klein switch with Asuna from time to time when she need time with her cool-down and his guild member would assist him at every given time. They would do the parry to some time and let Kirito or Nao switch with them.

Nao fight normaly this time. Share the aggro with the others and not dominate the fight alone. It's a very rare Flag Mob that appear only when Christmas, so aside from the main drop item, ther would be another nice items too. The exp from it would be the generous one too, so he want to share it with them. He knew their goodwill after all.

'Fight together with them wasn't a bad thing either.' Nao said inside his smile with a little smile on his face. It's been a long time he enjoy a fight with this guys.

The fight keep going and Nicholas HP slowly decreased. They rotate from attacking and parrying among them. When their HP reach yellow, they would stand back to be healed and ready for another round and switch with the other.

Nicholas HP finally reach the red mark and all of them stopped and stand back, waiting to see the different of its attack pattern.

Nicholas's face become distorted and its arms become longer along with its hand which become more bigger. Its enter the state of rage make all of them couldn't close their distance with it.

"I think one more knocked back and switch and its HP will be drained completely. Its red mark lower than others field boss and even another flag mobs like the spider at 3rd or the witch at 22nd floor." Nao said while looking at its HP.

"To think of it, you're right. Is it to balance with how complicated its pattern just now?" Kirito said too.

"Either way, we need to close enough with it first." Agil said too.

"I will knocked it first then. Among us, the only one who familiar with torrent like onslaught was me. So I will do it. When it stopped, attack at the same time to drain its HP completely." Nao said and te other nodded.

Nao then readied his katana and dash at it with full speed and evade its attack one by one and parry some of them to the side. Its ready to attack again when Nao close enough with it. The both readied their attack and two attack collided make the both knocked back.

"Switch!" Nao said at them and all of their weapon glowing one by one.

Kirito do an opening first and the other followed after that. All of them attack Nicholas who still couldn't regain its balance and its HP drained slowly but surely.

After Nao get his balance, Nao attack to with them.

Lower left to upper right, then draw it back to make another slash. One after the other slash hit its body and with last vertical slash while spinning, the event boss HP completely drained.

Its roar for the last time and its body start to glow, then disappeared into fragments right after that.

In the end, Nao was the one who get the last attack and the item drop given to him. They cheering after looking at the notif window in front off them.

Nao smiled slightly looking at them. They do all this thing for him, so he still feel very grateful even in the end, the item drop wasn't that useful for him now.

Nicholas The Renegade was defeated and they get the drop item. Nao knew that the item was useless even if Yuna really died, but he still check the item to know its uses.

He take it out from the item storage and see its properties.

The item's name was The Divine Stone of Returning Soul and to activated it, the user need to said 'Revive' then said the player's name who want to be revived.

However, there's ten second's rule in its uses and this ten second was the time a death player before disappeared into fragments after their HP hit the zero point. So in other words, if the player already disappeared into fragments, the item would be useless.

'Sigh~ So ten seconds, huh. Well, after all the microwave would be activated after the player's avatar disappeared and become fragments.' Nao thought.

Nao sigh slightly and lift his head after reading the description of the item. He looked at the sky, the snow touch his cheeks gently and melted away on his face.

"What's wrong?" Kirito asked him after seeing Nao's reaction.

Asuna, Klein, Agil and the other fuurinkazan was a bit nervous too. 'Is this event was a false event too?' They thought a bit worried that this event was just like the other false event and the item wasn't the revival item it rumored to be.

"Is the item couldn't be used to...., revive someone?" Klein asked and a bit hesitated to said "revive" words. It's related to "death" directly after all, so he afraid and a bit hesitated to said the word in this situation.

"Mm~ Mm. It really could be used to revive someone." Nao said after shook his head then throw the item to Klein. He was surprised that he actually just throwing the item that can be used to revive Yuna to him. The other surprised too because he throw the item just like he needn't it.

Klein catch the item carefully and start to look at its properties.

"Let's see. The item name was... Divine Stone of Returning Soul?, can be activated by uttering [Revive] Then the [Player's Name]. The effect will only work during the time frame between The HP of the player hit zero point and the disappearance of [item's effect light] before it become fragments, which is approximately ten.....seconds?"

All of them stunned hearing the items effect and its ten seconds rule. It can't be used to revive Yuna. 'Ten seconds? It's been more than two months already!!' They all thought in their mind and shouted their helplessness.

"Well, it's still a useful item to help someone if there's a player who his HP hit the zero in front of us." Nao said while smiled slightly after looking how dejected they are.

All of them agree with him. It's really a useful item, but that wasn't what they mean here. 'There's a ten-seconds rule in it, then how about you, how about Yuna.' They thought.

All of them very disappointed. They come here because there's a hope to revive Yuna here. There's a hope to save the man in front of them from his suffering. In their eyes, his recklessness, his aggressiveness and the regret expression which always he put after a long sigh, one day would be reach its limit and they didn't know what would happen.

"Nao-kun,....." Asuna want to said something but hesitated and stopped in the end.

Looking at his condition these days makes her heart feel a really unbearable smarting pain. She always trying his hard so he could feel better every time and when there's a hope here, a hope to pull him out of his suffering, she decide to go right away. She want to grasp every tiny strand hope available, she want his warm smile back.

However, this little tiny hope was shattered too. She really depressed and frustrated about it.

Nao knew the reason why all of them look very depressed was because the item couldn't be used to revive Yuna. So he said again to them.

"Like I said before, there's many possibility. We knew that some of the nerveger has problem within it, like Nautilus and the chakram throwing guy's FNC case. So there's a possibility that Yuna has that problem too in her nervegear." Nao said to them.

All of them felt more depressed after hearing what he just said. All of them clench their fist tightly with sour expression.

"Nao-kun, ....." Asuna stepped forward to said something. Nao could see that she was verry depressed from the look of her eyes, so he try to said something to make her more relaxed.

"You see, it's been more than two months already, so she must be undergoing something like therapy these days. Fufufufu~ Tonight was a Christmas eve too, so maybe she is drinking hot chocolate right now when we talked about her. She liked it so much after all." Nao said with a bit of chuckle.

All of their heart gripped tightly and no words could escape from their mouth.

Asuna's lips quivered and a blue tinge color could be seen from it. It's not because the coldness she felt, but caused by the helplessness and frustrated she felt. She look down to hide her face and didn't want to see him. Looking at him like this makes her heart in pain so much.

"That's why, you needn't to think much about it. We will meet again after this game ended. She would be alright. I am sure she is .....alright...."

Asuna want to said something, but she heard his voice was faded in the end. So she lift his head to look at him. The other also heard his faded voice and look at him too.

All of them could see that he has blank look. Many conflicated feeling could be seen there. He looks couldn't said anything with empty eyes.

They didn't know what happen with him, but the next moment, all of them stunned. Something trickled down from his eyes, through his cheek and fell down from his jaw. It wasn't the melted snow, it wasn't it. It ... tears.

-----

Through the window of a room in a hospital, colorful light could be seen from many shops in this area. Tonight was the Christmas Eve, so even it's already late at night, the street still crowded with people who want to celebrate it together with their loved ones.

This room was where a girl, one of the ten thousand people who trapped in SAO, miraculously still alive even after ejected from the death game. Though she hasn't wakes up yet.

There's five-people in this room. One was the girl herself, Shigemura Yuuna. The other two was her parents who come to celebrate the Christmas with her. One was someone from SAO Incident Victims Rescue Force.

This three-people think that there's only the four of them, but actually, there's the other invisible one who always monitor her all the time.

All of them talked from time to time about many thing. Especially Yuna's father with the man from SAO Incident Victims Rescue Force, while her mother sat beside her bed, holding her hand and caressed her softly.

They remained like that for sometimes until the voice from Yuna's mother attract their attention. All of them looking at the bed and could see that Yuna's eyes was quivered slightly. All of them neared the bed right away.

Yuuna slowly opened her eyes and what she could see for the first time was the white ceiling. She look around and could seen her mother who was crying and her father beside her. She also could see another man with them.

"Yuuna!" Her mother called her name.

"Okaa-san?" She said.

"Yuuna!!!!" Her mother hug her. she cried out of relieve because her daughter finally wakes up after a whole year.

Yuuna was a bit confused. Where is it?

The doctor also come together with the nurse not long after that and check her condition. The doctor asked what her feeling and she answered all the question still with a bit confused expression. The doctor finally said that she was alright and leave the room to let her be with her family.

After he let the three of them be for a while and all of them finally calmed down, the man from SAO Incident Victims Rescue Force step forward and introduce himself.

"Glad to see you finally wakes up, Yuuna-san." He said.

Yuuna nodded slightly to thank him, but also with a bit confused too because she didn't know him.

"Ah~ Let me introduce myself. My name is Kikuoka Seijirou, Investigator of the SAO Case Victims Rescue Force." The man said.

When he said SAO, Yuuna jolted a bit.

'SAO?' She felt she has forgetting about something. So she tries her best to remember it and many memories back to her again at once.

The whole year inside a death game, the fear she had inside the game and finally, the most warm place she found in the end. The one she loved. The one who love her very much too.

Tears fell down when she remember him and her last moment she had with him. His smile in the end before enter the portal. Her last moment when she swarmed by the monsters. She remember all of it and start to crying.

"What's wrong, Yuuna?" Her mother asked worriedly.

"Nao-kun" She said unconsciously.

She then remember that he was going to the battle the last time they meet. Anxiety and many other feeling filled her at once and she reflexly move to get up from the bed. But his body unused for a whole year so he fell down again.

She tries her best to get up while crying and sobbing remember about him. The other was very surprise seeing her suddenly crying and sobbing then desperately trying to get up after saying a man's name.

"Yuuna!! What's wrong?" Her mother asked worriedly.

She can't hear her mother's voice at all. Her mind was filled with only worry and anxiety about her love.

"Nao-kun." she said while still tries to get up.

"Nao-kun." She said again more desperately.

"Nao-kun," She said again, again, and again while crying and sobbing.

She want to meet him. Want to know if he was alright. She want to tell him that she was alright. She was alive. She want to only see him.

----

After everything was done and she was alright, the invisible clone contact Nao right away and tell him that Yuna has already wakes up.

Clone: Yuna has regained her consciousness and the doctor says there is no problem. She is alright now.

Nao stunned right away. He surprised, shock, didn't know what to react about this news. He stood there blankly, didn't said anything.

However, his eyes feel a bit blurry. There's something in his eyes and it finally fell down to the ground. It felt warm when its fell through his cheeks.

He remained like that for a while didn't react at all. He try his best to digest all of the words his clone said.

'She wakes up.' Nao said inside and more blurry his eyes become.

'She is alright.' More tears fell to the ground as the words reverberated inside his mind.

He look down, staring at the the snow on the ground. He fall on his knees and keep staring down.

'She is alright.'

He grip the clothes in front of his chest. Tries to hold his feeling but failed, more and more tears fall to the ground.

All of his Anxiety, guilty, regret, all of pent up feeling inside, all of it gush out at once.

'She is alright.'

He couldn't hold back anymore and let it out all. He cried silently while kneeling on the ground.

'She wakes up. She is alright.'

This words was the words he want to heard the most these two-months.

'She is alright.'

He crying there, kneeling. His frustration, his depression, all of his anxiety and all the feeling which weigh on his mind these two months, he let all of it out, nothing left. She was alright now, she really alright and has already wakes up. She is fine, she is fine now. Everything is gonna be okay. All of his anxiety was over now.

The other was surprised look at him suddenly crying and fell on his knees. They didn't know what happen but they knew that it's better to let him vent all of his feeling out. They didn't said anything, didn't do anything either and just stood there, looking at him venting his feeling out.

Asuna couldn't hold anymore, looking at him crying on the ground make her heart in pain so much. So she didn't care anymore and ran at him. She hug his head and tries to console him. She want him to share all his feeling with her.

She hug him and caressed his head softly and affectionately to console him. He crying silently while grip his clothes tightly in Asuna's embrace. Everything is gonna be okay now, its fine right now.

Time passed slowly, no one said anything and silently remained like that under a big fir tree, accompanied by the snows, which falls and caressing them softly on Christmas Eve.