It's All Kibaou's Fault
A week quickly passed, and *The Final Holy War* came to an end. *Ultraman Nexus* continued filming, set to be the next Ultraman series to air. Additionally, many manga series were gradually being adapted into TV shows.
One example is *Fullmetal Alchemist*.
This manga, highly praised both domestically and internationally, was the first to be adapted into a TV series by Ren. Since the manga's plot closely resembled the TV version from Ren's previous life, the TV adaptation didn't require many changes, offering a highly faithful rendition of the original work. As a result, the TV series inherited all the strengths of the manga.
Upon airing, the series quickly received a rating of 9.8 on Douzhi.com, maintaining a high rating consistently.
Moreover, the show was celebrated as a classic by many international fans. The stunning visuals and unique concepts attracted even those who hadn't read the manga, prompting them to demand local television networks to acquire the series.
This achievement was highlighted by official media, marking it as another successful example of Chinese cultural export.
Of course, while adapting works for TV, Ren didn't forget his company's primary business, so the manga continued to progress.
In *Sword Art Online*, the incident with Klad has deepened the bond between Kirito and Asuna, leading them to decide to get married.
At first, readers didn't have much affection for Asuna, as many believed Yui, who had previously died, was the best choice for Kirito.
Some fans even called Kirito a jerk for getting closer to Asuna.
But gradually, they changed their minds.
The character of Asuna is brilliantly portrayed in the series. Known as "The Flash," Asuna is a highly skilled vice-captain in combat and a masterful cook, combining strength and gentleness. This made her an ideal girlfriend in the eyes of many modern men, which, considering the majority of *Sword Art Online*'s readership is male, explains her popularity.
Thus, Asuna temporarily left the Knights of the Blood Oath and began living with Kirito in a lakeside cabin on the 22nd floor.
Their peaceful life there made many fans envious, jealous, and even resentful. Of course, it also led some players to reflect on how, even in the game, real estate remained highly valuable—a true form of currency.
It's undeniable that the SAO world in this game satisfied many readers' fantasies about virtual MMORPGs.
Even though dying from monsters in the game meant dying in real life, in reality, people can die if they are killed, right?
Thinking this way, this world doesn't seem so bad.
Apart from the threat of death, players could enjoy themselves, fish, climb mountains, and admire beautiful scenery in the game world.
There were no bosses pressuring for performance, no homework from school, and no industrial pollution—a true paradise!
"Why go back to reality?"
"Yeah, if I could get in, I wouldn't want to come out!"
"You'd have fun in there, but what if you die in reality? Someone would have to keep giving you glucose; do you think you'd survive well?"
"Hey, isn't there cryogenic technology now? We don't know if those people are alive, but if we had this virtual technology, we could put cryogenically frozen people in the game to see if they're still alive."
"Sure, but by the time that technology is complete, cryogenic technology might already be perfected."
Readers had different opinions.
While they were discussing these issues, Kirito's life was shaken by the arrival of a new character—Yui!
One day, while investigating a ghost rumor in the forest, Kirito and Asuna found a girl who had lost her memory in the dark forest and decided to take her in.
However, this girl brought many mysteries for the main characters and readers alike.
For instance, why was such a young child in this game?
Why couldn't they see her game name?
Of course, these questions didn't matter as much!
When the girl called Kirito "Daddy" and Asuna "Mommy," many readers congratulated them on becoming parents.
Many also grew fond of this little girl—who could resist a cute little girl?
But the happiness didn't last long. When the couple went to the Town of Beginnings to find Yui's guardian, they learned that the army commander, Thinker, had been tricked by Kibaou and left in the dungeon depths.
This news angered many readers.
"Damn, this guy's still around?"
"He's definitely not a good guy!"
Seeing Kibaou reminded readers of the spiky-haired character from the beginning, reigniting their anger.
So, Kirito, Asuna, Yulier, and the insistent Yui entered the first-floor dungeon.
They found the hiding Thinker in a safe zone, but they didn't expect a powerful enemy to be waiting ahead.
Just when it seemed they would be wiped out, an unexpected person appeared before the enemy, blocking its attack!
It was Yui, the girl Kirito and Asuna had taken in!
Yui easily defeated the enemy.
She also regained her memories.
As Yui explained, the readers learned her true identity—she was an MHCP (Mental Health Counseling Program) in SAO, an AI designed to maintain players' mental health, with access to GM privileges!
Upon learning this, readers sighed in relief.
With such a strong daughter, clearing the game should be easier, right?
But just as the readers felt happy, their joy turned to despair.
Because Yui had violated system management rules, she was set to be deleted. Thankfully, Kirito transferred her data to his NERvGear at the last moment.
But... can Yui really be saved?
Readers didn't know. Logically, since her data was transferred, she should be savable.
But who was the author of this manga?
The Porter, the warrior of love.
When the revival item was introduced, readers thought Yui could be saved, but it turned out she couldn't be. The Porter loves giving hope only to dash it away.
So, unable to vent their anger, readers directed it toward Kibaou.
Yes, in the readers' eyes, if it weren't for Kibaou tricking Thinker, Kirito and the others wouldn't have had to save him. If they hadn't gone, Yui wouldn't have regained her memories and violated system rules, leading to her deletion.
It was all Kibaou's fault!
But soon, after seeing Kibaou's fate, the readers laughed, finally feeling a sense of justice!
----------
For 10 advance chapters: patreon.com/angelictranslating