I'm a Sword Master in Sword Art Online

Yui's flaming greatsword slashed down, unleashing all the pent-up energy she had been holding back.

"boom!!!"

The blinding fireball expanded instantly, engulfing Death completely. Mochizuki Kaede and the others were startled by the sudden burst of light and had to raise their arms to shield their eyes. Accompanied by a deafening explosion, the faint, mournful howl of Death could be heard.

When everyone reopened their eyes, stung by the bright light, the Grim Reaper was nowhere to be seen in the passage. Only a few scattered flames danced on the stone walls. Yui stood alone in the center of the passage, her head bowed, the flaming greatsword stuck in the ground turning into sparks and dissipating into the air.

"Yui..."

Mochizuki Kaede approached the girl, and the others, recovering from their shock, slowly moved closer to the petite figure.

Yui slowly turned around, a small smile on her lips, but her obsidian-like eyes were filled with tears.

“Dad…” she looked at Mochizuki Kaede, her voice unusually calm, “I remember everything…”

Deep within the underground labyrinth of the Black Iron Palace, in a square space known as the "Sanctuary," a gleaming black stone table sits in the center. Yuriel has already left with the rescued Sinka, leaving only the members of the "Golden Law" surrounding the little girl who has suddenly displayed astonishing power.

After announcing that her "memories had returned," Yui fell silent for several minutes. Her face held an inexplicable sadness, prompting Asuna to hesitate before speaking softly:

"Yui, do you really remember? About your past..."

Yui kept her head down for a moment, then nodded firmly. Tears streamed down her cheeks, yet she still forced a smile. When she spoke, her tone carried a seriousness that belied her youthful appearance:

"Yes, I will explain it to you now."

The overly mature tone sent a shiver down Asuna's spine, and a sense of foreboding crept into her heart.

Inside the room, Yui's voice rose softly, flowing naturally like a babbling brook:

"This world, known as Sword Art Online, is managed and controlled by a massive system called Cardinal. It's designed to operate completely autonomously, requiring no human intervention. Two main programs cross-check each other, and countless subprograms precisely control every detail of this world: monster AI, NPC behavior, item drop rates, the economic system… But there's only one situation that requires human intervention: abnormal situations caused by the player's mental state. Originally… there should have been dozens of GM staff responsible for this task…"

"GM..." Mochizuki Kaede said softly; "Yui, so you're the game administrator?"

The little girl was silent for a moment, then gently shook her head.

"The developers of Cardinal attempted to entrust player psychological counseling to the system as well. Utilizing the features of the NERvGear, they designed a program that could monitor players' psychological states in real time, proactively reach out to and guide players with problems… [Mental State Management Program] Prototype 1, program codename [YUI] —"

Her small hand gently pressed against her chest: "That's me."

Chapter 188: The Dust Settles Down

Asuna gasped sharply, her fingers clenching her clothes tightly.

Mochizuki Kaede's voice rang out hoarsely: "The program... is it AI?"

Yui nodded, tears welling in her eyes; her sorrowful smile pierced everyone's heart. Her slender fingers gently touched the tears that slid down her cheeks, the tears dissipating into tiny specks of light in the air.

"To avoid making players feel uncomfortable, I was given the ability to simulate emotions... including these tears, all of which are fake data."

Asuna staggered forward, her trembling hands reaching out to Yui. The little girl, however, stepped back slightly, shaking her head, as if to say that she, a mere illusion, did not deserve a warm embrace.

"Two years ago, on the day the game officially launched, the Cardinal system suddenly issued me instructions that went beyond what was preset: I was forbidden from interfering with players' behavior in any way. Since then, I have been able to silently observe the mental state of all players without being allowed to make direct contact."

"The players' mental state... is extremely poor." Yui's voice was like a silver bell swaying in the wind. "Fear, despair, anger... these negative emotions are spreading like a plague, sometimes even causing players to have mental breakdowns. I should have rushed to their side immediately to listen and guide them, but the system forbids me from making any contact. This contradiction keeps accumulating error codes... my core program is starting to break down..."

She raised her tear-filled face: "Until one day, I detected two special players whose mental fluctuations were completely different from others. I had never received that frequency before."

Yui's voice softened: "It was happiness, peace... but it was more than that. Out of curiosity, I began to observe them continuously. Watching their interactions, a desire I had never felt before arose at my core, not for the work process, but for wanting to talk to them personally, to get closer to them."

She looked at each person in turn, her voice choked with emotion:

"Mochizuki Kaede, Asuna... how I long... to truly see you. When I see you in the forest, this joy shouldn't exist in the program..."

She then turned to Silica, Mit, Yuna, and Stoleya: "And everyone else, the warmth you gave me made me feel safe and happy for the first time. Thank you..."

The little girl laughed self-deprecatingly, a laugh that was heartbreaking: "Isn't it ridiculous? A program actually developed such feelings."

Mochizuki Kaede shook his head and hugged her: "You are no longer just a program controlled by the system. You can express your feelings and choose to be with us according to your own will. Yui, you are my daughter, and we will live together forever."

"Dad..." Yui's little hands gripped Mochizuki Kaede's clothes tightly, tears turning into sparks that danced around them, "I also want... to be with you forever..."

“But it’s too late.” Her voice suddenly dropped.

Asuna's heart sank: "What do you mean? What do you mean it's too late?"

Yui slowly raised her hand and pointed to the dark cube in the center of the sanctuary: "I was able to regain my memories because I came into contact with that... It wasn't an ordinary decoration, but a management terminal set up for the GM emergency connection system."

Yui's words seemed to trigger some hidden command, and several blue beams of light suddenly burst forth from the surface of the dark stone table. Accompanied by a soft "bang," a bluish-white holographic keyboard appeared above the stone table.

“That monster just now…” Yui’s voice was calm, “was a guard set up here by the system to prevent players from approaching the management terminal. I used this management terminal to call the [Object Elimination Protocol] to eliminate it, but this also activated Cardinal’s self-repair function.”

Asuna was horrified to discover that Yui's body began to glow like a stream of data, gradually becoming transparent like crystal being pierced by sunlight.

"The main system is currently scanning my program... Soon, it will identify me as [abnormal data] and perform cleanup."

After hearing Yui's words, everyone understood the terrible ending.

Mochizuki Kaede's arms tightened involuntarily, feeling the little girl in her arms becoming ethereal. Asuna could no longer hold back, rushing forward to hug Yui tightly, and Silica and Yuna immediately surrounded them as well. Even the usually composed Mito had tears in her eyes, gently placing her hand on the little girl's shoulder.

“It’s so warm…”

Yui smiled brightly amidst everyone's embraces, even though her body was already semi-transparent: "I'm happy just to see everyone's smiles. I hope that in the future you can also pass on this smile to more people in my place."

Her black hair and skirt began to transform into shimmering particles of light, drifting in the air like morning dew. Yui's body grew increasingly transparent, and her weight gradually decreased. Mochizuki Kaede tried in vain to grasp the scattered points of light, but could only watch them slip through her fingers.

Just as everyone was sinking into despair, a sudden change occurred—

Yui's body, which was about to dissipate, suddenly solidified again. The light particles gathered again as if time had reversed, and the little girl's outline became clear once more.

Everyone's eyes widened in surprise, but no one noticed that Stoleya, standing next to the management terminal, was quietly withdrawing her hand. Beneath her light purple short hair, a subtle, unfathomable expression flashed in her crimson eyes.

"Leave here first!" Mochizuki Kaede made a quick decision. Although he didn't understand why the system suddenly stopped the cleanup process, his instincts told him that he had to leave as soon as possible.

The group quickly retrieved the transfer crystal, and in the dazzling white light, the sanctuary returned to silence.

……

Sunlight streamed into the church courtyard, illuminating a long table covered with a white tablecloth, and the aroma of barbecue filled the air. Asuna and Silica were taking sizzling steaks off the grill, eliciting cheers from the children watching. Yuna was being pulled along by several children who sang cheerful lullabies, while Mito was surrounded by a group of children telling her adventure stories. Strea watched all this with a smile.

"We really owe a debt of gratitude to you [Golden Rule] this time," Sinka, who had just been rescued yesterday, said sincerely, taking a bite of her roasted meat. The [Army] guild leader was dressed in simple civilian clothes, and the fatigue on his face had not completely faded. Yuriel, standing beside him, gazed at him tenderly.

Mochizuki Kaede picked up a glass of juice: "What are your plans after the [army]?"

Sinka's expression turned serious: "I have expelled the Tooth King and all his cronies."

He sighed: "Actually, I should have done this a long time ago. My indecisiveness led to the current situation. I have decided... to disband the army."

"This..." Mochizuki Kaede raised an eyebrow in surprise, "You've really made up your mind."

“The organization is too bloated.” Sinka shook her head. “I plan to disband the guild first, and then reorganize a more moderate mutual aid group. Of course, it would be too irresponsible to just leave it unattended after disbanding it.”

Yuriel gently grasped Sinka's hand and added, "We will distribute the assets accumulated by the army equally among the residents of the Beginning Town. After all, we have caused everyone too much trouble before... Miss Sana, I am really sorry."

Both of them bowed deeply to Sana at the same time. A hint of surprise flashed behind Sana's glasses, and she quickly waved her hand, saying, "Please don't say that. There are many kind members in the army. They often help lone children in the training areas..."

Her words immediately eased the tense atmosphere, and cheerful laughter once again echoed in the courtyard. Just then, Yui came skipping over, carrying a perfectly grilled skewer of meat:

"Dad! This is grilled meat that Yui made under Asuna's mom's guidance!"

Even though she already knew Yui's true identity, in Mochizuki Kaede's eyes, she was still that innocent and carefree little girl. Whether she was an AI or not didn't matter—she could cry when she was sad, cheer when she was happy, and clumsily but earnestly learn how to grill meat. What difference was there between Yui and an ordinary child?

Mochizuki Kaede gently ruffled Yui's hair and took the skewer of still-steaming grilled meat: "Thank you, Yui, Daddy is very happy."

. . . .

Thank you [晓之暗融] for the monthly pass!

Chapter 1809: Shopping with the Girls

Today is a rest day for the "Golden Rhythm," a rare opportunity for everyone to relax and unwind from the intense work of planning.

Asuna enthusiastically suggested, "Let's all go shopping together today!" So Mochizuki Kaede accompanied the five girls to the most bustling commercial street.

“It’s been a long time since all the girls went out together like this.” Silica’s brown twin ponytails swayed merrily with her steps.

Mitt looked relaxed: "Yeah, I'm always in the maze, it's nice to relax once in a while."

Yuna looked around curiously: "Which store should we start shopping at?"

Asuna, holding Yui's small hand, said, "There will be a women-only market starting at noon today! All female players should have received the notification."

She turned to Mochizuki Kaede: "That's why I suggested we come out together today."

"I see." Mochizuki Kaede suddenly realized. "No wonder you were so enthusiastic."

"Of course we can't miss this opportunity!" Asuna's eyes sparkled. "I heard there are the latest fashions and rare accessories. Even though it's a game, dressing up is still important!"

Strea approached Mochizuki Kaede, a sly glint in her crimson eyes: "Mochizuki Kaede~ Let's do a survey~ What color do you think Asuna gives off?"

"Huh? Why are you suddenly asking this..." Mochizuki Kaede was caught off guard.

"It's nothing, just answer based on your intuition~" Stoleya said with a smile.

Asuna's face flushed slightly: "Why did you start asking the questions first?"

"Oh, of course we should start with my girlfriend~" Stoleya winked mischievously.

Under everyone's gaze, Mochizuki Kaede pondered for a moment: "...White, perhaps?"

“White…” Silica’s face suddenly turned red, and she muttered softly, “I often wear white too…”

Yuna coughed lightly, and Mit said thoughtfully, "I see..."

Asuna's ears turned bright red: "Kaze, really...!"

"Did I say something wrong?" Mochizuki Kaede asked, looking bewildered.

Stoleria smiled and said, "White... How about this one?" She picked up an item.

"Wait, wait a minute!" Asuna tried to stop her in a panic.

Mochizuki Kaede stared intently, then froze on the spot: "Hey... isn't that underwear?"

“Yes, right?” Stoleya shook the delicate white lace lingerie in her hand, the pearl embellishments along the edges swaying gently with her movements. “Does it look like a swimsuit?”

“This, this shop is…” Mochizuki Kaede said.

“A lingerie specialty store~” Stoleya held up the lace lingerie in front of Mochizuki Kaede. “They specialize in panties and bras, from basic styles to limited editions.”

“Underwear…” Mochizuki Kaede was a little embarrassed as her gaze met the rows of lingerie mannequins displayed in the shop window.

Asuna said, embarrassed and annoyed, "Xiaofeng, don't look around like that..."

Mochizuki Kaede quickly raised her hands in surrender: "I didn't see it, I really didn't see it!"

His eyes were fixed on the ceiling, as if there were some priceless treasure there.

Stoleya grinned mischievously and leaned closer to Mochizuki Kaede: "These are the lingerie I picked out for Asuna based on your advice, her boyfriend~ What do you think? White lace~"

"You...you asked how..." Mochizuki Kaede stammered, the image of Asuna wearing this white lace lingerie flashing through her mind.

"Oh dear~" Stoleya blinked. "Do you not like this style... or are you just shy?"

Asuna protested, blushing, "Stroeia! Stop teasing Kaede!"

"Oh dear, oh dear~" Strea chuckled, shifting her focus, "Now that Asuna's opinion has been asked, Silica's next turn~"

Suddenly called out, Silica jumped up like a startled rabbit: "Me? Me? No need, I can decide for myself!"

She hurriedly pointed to a light pink bra in the shop window: "For example, this one is quite cute, right, Brother Feng?"

"Hmm..." Mochizuki Kaede was pondering how to respond to this sudden question.

"So you're still asking Mochizuki Kaede for her opinion, huh?" Stoleya laughed.

"Ah, I'm sorry..." Silica shrank back, her cheeks flushing a lovely red.

Yuna cleared her throat at the opportune moment: "Alright, if we don't hurry up and choose, all the good stuff will be snatched up."

Asuna, feigning composure, said to Mochizuki Kaede, "Kaede, you can just stand there and act as an advisor. If anyone has any questions for you... just answer them properly..."

Mochizuki Kaede smiled wryly and said, "Okay."

……

During the subsequent shopping process, the girls frequently burst into laughter.

"Stroeya's size...I'm so envious." Asuna looked at the black lace lingerie in the light purple-haired girl's hands.

“Asuna’s isn’t bad either~” Strea winked meaningfully.