After dinner, Yutsuki asked Reine to watch over Tohka and the others. She then took Shido's hand and teleported into the Fraxinus airship.
"Yutsuki, where are we going?"
Shido asked, feeling confused.
"You'll see when we get there."
Yutsuki chuckled. Her small hand pulled Shido along. After making a few left and right turns through the Fraxinus hallways, they entered a room.
The large space was built with neat tal plates. Besides a large computer screen, there were only a dozen or so complex machines that looked like insect cocoons lined up. They looked less like hospital beds and more like sleep capsules.
"This is..."
Shido's eyes widened slightly. It wasn't because he was surprised that the Fraxinus had such sci-fi equipnt. Rather, not too long ago, in this very room, he had experienced many unforgettable things in a virtual world.
[Shido, it's been a while.]
Suddenly, a nun with long silver-white hair appeared on the large screen in the room.
"Maria!"
Seeing Maria, Shido called out in happy surprise.
"I haven't seen you since I ca looking for Yutsuki. How have you been? Are you doing well?"
[Yes! I've been busy with repair work lately. As you can see, Shido, everything is fine.]
Maria nodded happily. Then, as if rembering sothing, she turned her head and complained like a wronged wife:
[It's been so long, and you haven't co to visit us even once, Shido. Oh well, I'm just a side character who only appears in spin-offs and gets completely forgotten in the main story.](TL:and then we got bootleg maria in the main story, so sad, wish maria and marina were canon)
"N-No, that's not it! A lot of things happened recently... Anyway, I'm really sorry!"
Seeing Shido looking flustered because of Maria's pouting, Yutsuki couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Maria, stop teasing Shido. Look, he completely fell for it."
[Yes.]
Nodding lightly, Maria stuck out her tongue playfully.
[Don't worry, Shido. I was just joking. It was just a little revenge to you for leaving us hanging.]
"I see."
The corners of Shido's mouth twitched. She was crying and complaining like a neglected lover a second ago, and the next second she was smiling brightly. While it was a good thing that Maria's emotions were becoming more human-like, the direction they were developing in made Shido slightly uneasy.
"Maria, where is Marina?"
Seeing that the other girl hadn't appeared on the screen, Shido asked curiously.
[Big sister is currently handling so minor bugs left over in the digital world. You'll see her once you enter.]
"Enter? Does that an the computer world is fixed?"
"That's right."
Yutsuki nodded.
Honestly, when Marina blew up the computer world by self-destructing, Yutsuki actually felt it was a sha. After all, a virtual world where you could fully dive in, and which also had a ti difference with the real world... You could say it was the ultimate dream for an otaku of Yutsuki's generation.
"That's great news."
Shido said excitedly. After all, putting aside the trouble they ran into last ti, Shido was also quite addicted to this full-dive equipnt.
"When we have ti later, everyone should co dive into this virtual world and have fun again."
Hearing Shido's words, a helpless smile appeared on Yutsuki's face for so reason.
"Well, Shido. You don't have to wait until next ti. The reason we ca here is so you and I can dive into the computer world. Also, I want you to temporarily keep the fact that this world is fixed a secret from everyone else."
"Eh?"
A confused look appeared on Shido's face.
"I'll tell you the specific reasons once we get there. Spending three days in that world is only four minutes in the real world."
"Mhm... okay."
Shido nodded.
Actually, Shido really wanted to ask Yutsuki right now. Why tell him now? Why keep it a secret from everyone? What was she planning to do that would take so many days? And what exactly did Yutsuki intend to do after fixing this virtual world?
Although all sorts of questions popped into his mind, in the end, Shido didn't say much, trusting that Yutsuki would give him a reasonable explanation.
"Shido, sit here and put on the dive gear."
Guided by Yutsuki, Shido stepped into the cocoon like dive pod one step at a ti. Unlike last ti when they had to put on an eye mask and secure their arms, the dive equipnt seed to have been updated. Then, Yutsuki lay down in a slightly smaller pod next to him.
"Maria, I leave the rest to you."
Maria on the screen nodded.
[Understood. Program execution starting. Targets: Ryougi Yutsuki, Itsuka Shido. Simulated scenario: Tengu City. Counting down: twenty, nineteen...]
As Maria's voice fell, the sound of a running program echoed in Shido's ears. It made Shido swallow nervously.
"What's wrong, Shido? Are you scared?"
"Well, yeah, a little scared."
Shido answered with a bitter smile. After all, he almost didn't make it out last ti. He had a bit of trauma from it.
"Well, the people at Ratatoskr have added safety failsafes to the equipnt this ti. If we run into any weird bugs or danger, we'll be automatically ejected."
"I see."
"Well, if you're still uneasy."
Yutsuki reached out her left hand and placed it into Shido's right hand, which was much larger compared to hers.
She gave Shido a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, I'm right here with you."
"Isn't that usually my line?"
Shido smiled bitterly. He gently held Yutsuki's soft, delicate little hand. While feeling a bit embarrassed, the slight unease in his heart miraculously cald down.
(Looks like I have to try harder so Yutsuki can truly rely on , instead of always relying on her.)
Shido thought to himself secretly.
[Six, five, four...]
"Hey, Shido, did you know? Actually, before diving, you have to say a password to enter the computer world. Otherwise, we'll get stuck between the boundary of reality and virtuality forever."
Suddenly, Yutsuki said with a serious face.
"What? Then tell quickly!"
Hearing Yutsuki say this, Shido imdiately panicked.
"That command is: Burst Link——start!"(TL:first I thought this was the 'link start' from SAO reference, but it was actually Accel world reference huh?or is it both?)
"You just wanted to say that yourself, didn't you!"
Shido retorted loudly.
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