"No matter how fun a game is, you can't get addicted to it!"
Hearing this, Kirito retorted, "This isn't a game, this is another life!"
Sato couldn't help but roll his eyes. "Why did you suddenly get so chuuni?"
But after thinking about it, Sato had to admit that Kirito had a point.
Even if their understanding was different.
Kirito probably felt that the realism of this game was unreal, while Sato understood it as a second life after awakening.
With that thought, Sato decided not to argue further.
He patted Kirito on the shoulder. "Forget it. But right now, you guys are pretty famous. I heard a lot of people talking about you on the way here."
"Huh? Talking about what?"
"They're saying you're the strongest beater group!"
"The strongest beater group… huh?"
Kirigaya Kazuto scratched his head and glanced at Kanna, then said with some trouble, "Most of that is thanks to Kanna. Without her, there's no way a small group like ours could clear bosses."
"Is that so… then you probably won't be able to rely on her much longer."
"Why?"
Hearing Sato's words, Asuna felt her heart skip a beat and stepped forward. "Is it because her parents won't allow it?"
Kirito guessed.
Kanna looked at Sato with her usual blank expression, though there was confusion in her eyes.
"Because… in a few days, she has to go to school."
Sato smiled as he patted Kanna's head.
The light in Kanna's eyes suddenly brightened like the first light of dawn, her clear, lake-like eyes shimmering.
A feeling of joy rose within her, and a rare expression of happiness appeared on her face. She asked again, a bit uncertain, "Sato, I can go to school now?"
"Yeah."
Sato nodded.
Kanna immediately lowered her head excitedly, clenching her fists in front of her chest as if cheering herself on.
"Yoshi!"
Her eyes were filled with longing and anticipation, her thoughts already drifting somewhere far away.
The others quietly let out a breath of relief. Asuna shot Sato a playful glare and said with a hint of complaint, "So that's what it was. I thought something else had happened."
Megumi crouched down in front of Kanna, quietly watching her. The girl looked soft and gentle, like a sweet bundle of cotton candy, as if she could be picked up with ease.
There was a faint expectation in her eyes as she turned to Sato. "Then Kanna-chan can still come in on weekends, right?"
Although they hadn't known Kanna for long, after so many sessions together, they had all grown fond of the adorable little girl.
Sato thought for a moment, then said uncertainly, "She probably can."
Actually, when Hiratsuka Shizuka came earlier to deliver the documents, she had also mentioned something else. Kanna's presence was disrupting the game's progression and balance, already affecting the experiment.
Although she hadn't said Kanna would lose access to the game, her abilities would definitely be restricted.
So in the future, Kanna would probably be like Sato, just a casual player. As for combat, she likely wouldn't be able to participate.
"You seemed to hesitate just now."
Megumi suddenly said, looking at Sato. Her tone was calm, but impossible to ignore.
Sato felt a bit surprised as he looked at her.
This girl named Megumi seemed unusually perceptive when it came to people's emotions. She had actually noticed his hesitation.
After thinking for a moment, he said, "Yeah… Kanna's parents seem a bit against this kind of thing, so she might spend less time in the game from now on."
Sato gave them a bit of a heads-up. If the Hero Association made any official decisions, Kanna's playtime might change. It was better to say it now than have misunderstandings later.
"I see…"
Everyone fell silent for a moment, feeling a bit reluctant.
"Then… how about we stay in touch more in real life?"
Suddenly, as if she had made up her mind, Asuna looked up and suggested it.
Oh, so this suddenly turned into an online friends meeting offline?
Sato was a bit surprised. He exchanged a glance with Kirito and said, "I don't mind."
Kirito nodded as well. "Me neither."
After that, they all looked at the quieter Megumi. She glanced at Sato, her expression a little hesitant, a little strange.
"I don't mind either."
Finally, she spoke.
Asuna let out a sigh of relief, then happily asked, "Then where do you all live? I'm in Tokyo right now."
"Chiba City."
"Chiba!"
"Chiba."
"You live in Chiba too?!"
Kirigaya Kazuto looked at Megumi in surprise.
Sato, however, looked thoughtfully at the girl named Megumi. That familiar feeling surfaced again.
He suddenly looked at her and said, "Ghost girl?"
Ripples appeared in Megumi's eyes as she looked straight at him. "That's not very polite."
Kirigaya Kazuto stood there, completely confused.
Ghost girl? What ghost girl?!
Wait, could it be…
His expression changed as he stared at Megumi in shock. "You're also a student at the private mixed high school?"
Megumi nodded lightly. "Second year, Class B. Kato Megumi."
Kirigaya Kazuto froze for a moment, then quickly said, "First year, Class A. Kirigaya Kazuto!"
"W-wait!"
At that moment, Asuna finally reacted. She looked at them in a daze. "Y-you're all from the same school?"
"Probably…"
"Maybe…"
"Seems like it…"
Sato and the others exchanged glances, answering one after another.
"Huh?"
Asuna covered her mouth in surprise, then said a bit dejectedly, "Doesn't that mean I'm the only one far away from all of you?"
Sato smiled. "We're within reach."
Asuna paused, then looked at the distance between them and couldn't help but laugh.
"That's true."