Ordinary Group Leader: "I don't know how far along your timeline has progressed, but if none of it has started yet — would you still insist on your original ideas after joining the chat group?"
Time flowed steadily. For some members, it took only a short while to sweep through the memory copies of both worlds.
Richest Man: "The stronger you get, the faster you can read through memory copies."
Richest Man: "Still, it feels a little uncomfortable."
Tony Stark — who had obtained the most powerful Sorcerer Supreme Tony Stark from a parallel timeline — had grown significantly stronger. He'd mastered all manner of magic.
Including spells that enhanced memory retention.
Which meant he no longer had to watch things episode by episode like in the old days.
Richest Man: "Though we're both researchers, there really is a difference between us."
Richest Man: "I can't agree with your philosophy."
Richest Man: "Right and wrong mean different things to different people — I doubt you care about others' disapproval anyway."
Richest Man: "I'm merely stating my own opinion."
Richest Man: "Your ideals are grand, but that's not a reason to drag innocent people into it."
Tony left it there. After all, everyone was in a different world — what one person did wouldn't affect anyone else.
If it had been someone like Vovin or Morgana, Tony wouldn't have bothered speaking. But Kayaba Akihiko? A fellow researcher. He could understand the man's obsession, but he absolutely did not endorse it.
If the events hadn't started yet in his version of things, Tony sincerely hoped Kayaba Akihiko wouldn't pull innocent people into his game.
Surely, after joining the chat group, Kayaba Akihiko wouldn't cling to his original ideas anymore.
Because a genuinely fantastical world had already appeared.
Utaha: "If it were necessary sacrifices on the path of science, that might be somewhat understandable."
Utaha: "But what Kayaba Akihiko did was purely because he wanted to create a near-realistic fantastical world — that's the real reason."
Utaha: "If you could resurrect after dying, if you could quit whenever you wanted, then no matter how real it seemed, it would always feel like an illusory game."
Utaha: "To pursue absolute realism, he added the setting where you couldn't log out and death was real death."
Utaha hadn't grown as powerful as the others. She'd only watched the first several episodes.
But even so, she understood Kayaba Akihiko's thinking.
In a light novel, that kind of thinking would absolutely shape a brilliant mad scientist character who pursued his dream no matter the cost. But in reality? It was terrifying.
Golden Flash: "Scientists — there are definitely mad ones among them."
Minato Namikaze thought of Orochimari from his world.
Beyond his talent in ninjutsu and forbidden techniques, Orochimari's talent in research was undoubtedly even greater.
In a world of ninjas, he'd devoted himself entirely to science.
You could tell just from the way he ran.
If the group leader and the others hadn't pointed it out, he'd never have noticed how completely different Orochimari's running form was from everyone else's — his was more scientific.
Unfortunately, for all sorts of reasons, Orochimari had gone down a different path.
But not anymore.
Because of Konoha's transformation, Orochimari had taken notice.
While Minato was handling administrative affairs in the Hokage's office, Orochimari appeared before him.
He very much wanted to know what means Minato had used to control all of Konoha — to the point that even Danzō was so utterly loyal to Minato.
As for what Orochimari wanted to know, Minato shared quite a bit of information.
He produced some physics textbooks, some technological creations that didn't exist in the ninja world, and some items from other worlds.
Afterward, both parties signed an agreement.
Minato had what Orochimari needed, and Minato needed a researcher.
Ordinary Group Leader: "Orochimari is a bit much, but Tobirama shouldn't be a problem."
Ordinary Group Leader: "That guy really is a jack of all trades!"
Ninjutsu, governance, combat, research — Tobirama had virtually no weaknesses.
According to Minato, many of Orochimari's scientific instruments had been created by Tobirama.
As for what they were used to research?
That was open to interpretation.
Heathcliff: "The opening plays out about as I expected."
Heathcliff: "Kirito — so this is the protagonist of my world."
Heathcliff: "Beater — how interesting."
Kayaba Akihiko observed the story of himself and Kirito from the memory copy with considerable amusement.
As for the romance thread in that story?
That sort of uninteresting thing — he couldn't be bothered to pay it any attention.
Heathcliff: "SAO isn't fully complete yet. None of it has happened."
Heathcliff: "After this, there won't be any death game going forward."
Heathcliff: "What I've longed for, what I've wanted to create — it's simply an utterly realistic fantastical world."
Heathcliff: "Now, I don't need to witness it through this method anymore."
Heathcliff: "If I want to, I can see a real fantastical world with my own eyes. I'm sure none of you would refuse a regular person visiting another world, would you?"
Richest Man: "If you're not afraid of the danger, I'd welcome you to my world anytime."
Kayaba Akihiko's decision drew a smile from Tony.
As for his request to visit another world? Tony had no objections whatsoever.
Ninth Prince of Qin: "A regular person has no reason to be refused."
Ninth Prince of Qin: "But before that, I'd suggest you read through the memory copies of other group members' worlds. Not every world is suitable for an ordinary person to enter."
Ninth Prince of Qin: "And some worlds aren't the fantastical worlds you dream of at all."
Ninth Prince of Qin: "Beyond their transcendent surface, they're wrapped in a layer of modern city life."
Ordinary Group Leader: "Take Ying Zi'nian's world's historical setting, for instance. Or Vovin, Touka, and Railgun's urban settings. My world and Baixuan's reality — none of these would be a good destination for you."
Ordinary Group Leader: "My personal recommendation? Try Flying Squirrel's world. The average level is incredibly low."
Ordinary Group Leader: "Whitebeard and Minato's worlds are also options."
Ordinary Group Leader: "With them around, there wouldn't be any real danger."
Su Yunqing made these recommendations to Kayaba Akihiko.
Flying Squirrel: "I'd welcome you anytime, personally."
Flying Squirrel: "Come to think of it, we do have something in common."
Flying Squirrel: "You're a virtual game designer. I'm a virtual game player. Though I never imagined that on the day the game shut down, I'd穿越 to another world with the guild I built in-game, my equipment, and my character template."
Flying Squirrel's thoughts drifted to this, and he couldn't help but marvel.
If he hadn't joined the chat group and experienced the穿越 firsthand, he never would have believed it.
Playing a game could actually cause someone to穿越? And with a maxed-out character, max-level faction — what kind of穿越 was that?!
Though thinking about that man named Kazuma, who'd穿越 after being scared to death by a tractor, he felt considerably less shocked.
(End of Chapter)
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