Yukino Yukinoshita settled more comfortably into her fiancé's lap, her blue eyes studying his face with curiosity. "Then what do you plan to do now?"
Hozuki Nozomi's smile carried that familiar hint of triumph. He lowered his head and pressed a kiss to her cheek before answering.
"Simple. I'm going to take advantage of this opportunity to strip Kayaba Akihiko of all his ownership rights. I already asked Haruno-nee to start the process." His tone turned thoughtful. "After pulling something like this, he's clearly unfit to remain the game's chief designer."
He continued, "I'm sure people from other countries are already stirring. The best move is to take complete control of the game ourselves."
...
Meanwhile, in the game company's headquarters, Akasaka Ryunosuke stared at Kayaba Akihiko's lifeless body with complex emotions swirling in his chest. As Kayaba's assistant, he'd been responsible for game operations and maintenance, even helping with important programming tasks. But this? This was beyond anything he'd imagined.
The genius game designer hadn't just removed the logout button, trapping ten thousand players in a death game. He'd left himself no escape, committing suicide after transferring his consciousness into the digital world.
Before Akasaka could fully process the situation, Yukinoshita Haruno arrived with her bodyguards, efficiently taking control of the scene. She officially listed Kayaba as a criminal, revoked his game shares, and stripped him of all control over the game. A public statement followed, assuring everyone that the problem was being resolved.
Kosaka Daisuke had already filed charges and "arrested" Kayaba Akihiko—his body, at least. The shares naturally transferred to Yukino Yukinoshita as part of the legal proceedings.
Hozuki Nozomi, that old fox, had planned this meticulously. Before logging out, he'd instructed Yui to freeze the game world entirely. The trapped players would simply wait, suspended in time, while events unfolded outside.
Let the situation ferment. Let Kayaba's evil become widely known. Then, when the moment was right, he could step forward as the hero who saved everyone.
There were also parasites to clean out—those so-called researchers who wanted to conduct human brain experiments using the game as cover. With Yui's clone controlling the backend, human operators became unnecessary anyway.
...
After hours of hectic activity, Yukinoshita Haruno finally returned to her room. A long shower washed away the stress of the day, and she emerged feeling somewhat refreshed.
She walked into her bedroom—
And strong arms swept her off her feet.
"Ah!" The startled cry escaped before she could stop it. When she recognized her captor, she shot him a resentful glare. "What are you doing here?"
Hozuki Nozomi grinned, settling onto the bed with her in his arms. "I'm here to reward my capable fiancée, of course."
"Bah." Haruno's tone was dry, but a smile tugged at her lips. "So you do remember I'm your fiancée. I was starting to think you only had eyes for Yukino."
"I spoil Haruno-nee too." He nuzzled against her neck. "Look at it this way—without me, you wouldn't have had this chance to shine. And could you really let Yukino handle all those stressful negotiations?"
"Yes," Haruno answered immediately, her expression deadpan. "Easily. I get jealous of her sometimes, you know."
Hozuki Nozomi laughed softly and pulled her closer. "Then let me help you and Yukino deepen your relationship even more."
**Smut warning. skip if you wish to**
Nozomi's eyes twinkled with a mischievous gleam as he looked at Haruno. "You know, I've been thinking," he began, his voice low and husky. "Yukino is always gonna be a part of our lives, won't she? It might be nice for the three of us to... get to know each other better."
Haruno raised an eyebrow, surprise and curiosity warring in her eyes.
"What are you suggesting, Nozomi?" she asked, her voice cautious yet intrigued.
Nozomi smiled, his hands tracing the curve of Haruno's back. "I'm suggesting that we invite Yukino to join us. I think it would be... enlightening for all of us."
Haruno's breath hitched, her heart pounding in her chest. She looked at Nozomi, seeing the sincerity and desire in his eyes. She bit her lower lip, considering his proposal.
"And what if Yukino refuses?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
Nozomi chuckled softly. "Then we'll respect her decision. But I have a feeling she won't refuse. After all, she's always been curious about us, hasn't she?"
Haruno nodded slowly, her mind made up. She reached for her phone, her fingers flying over the screen as she sent a message to Yukino.
"I've invited her," she said, turning back to Nozomi.
Nozomi smiled, his eyes filled with anticipation. He leaned in, pressing his lips softly against Haruno's. The kiss deepened, becoming more passionate as Nozomi's hands explored Haruno's body. Haruno moaned softly, her body pressing against Nozomi's, her fingers tangling in his hair.
A soft knock at the door interrupted their passionate embrace. Nozomi pulled away, a smile playing on his lips.
"That must be Yukino," he said, his voice low and husky.
Haruno nodded, her heart pounding in her chest. She called out, "Come in, Yukino."
The door opened, revealing Yukino standing in the doorway. Her eyes widened in surprise as she took in the scene before her - Haruno and Nozomi, their bodies entwined, their breaths ragged. She hesitated for a moment before stepping into the room, closing the door behind her.
"Haruno-nee, Nozomi," she said, her voice soft and hesitant. "You wanted to see me?"
Nozomi smiled, patting the bed beside him. "Come here, Yukino. We have something we want to talk to you about."
Yukino bit her lower lip, her eyes filled with uncertainty. She walked over to the bed, sitting down beside Nozomi. She looked at him, then at Haruno, her eyes questioning.
Nozomi took Yukino's hand, his thumb tracing circles on her palm.
"Haruno and I were thinking," he began, his voice low and gentle. "That it might be nice for the three of us to... get to know each other better."
Yukino's eyes widened, surprise and excitement warring in them. She looked at Haruno, seeing the desire reflected in her eyes. She took a deep breath, her heart pounding in her chest.
"I... I think that's a wonderful idea," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.
Nozomi smiled, his heart swelling with affection. He leaned in, pressing his lips softly against Yukino's. Yukino moaned softly, her body pressing against Nozomi's as she deepened the kiss. Haruno watched, her eyes filled with love and desire as she began to explore Yukino's body, her hands tracing the curve of her breasts, her waist, her hips.
The room filled with soft moans and gasps as the three of them explored each other's bodies, their pleasure building with each touch, each kiss. The scent of jasmine and sandalwood filled the air, a heady mix of their combined scents creating an intoxicating aroma that clung to their skin and hair.
Haruno and Nozomi worked together to undress Yukino, their hands moving in sync as they revealed her body to their hungry eyes. Yukino gasped as Nozomi's mouth found her nipple, his tongue swirling around the hardened peak. She moaned as Haruno's hand slipped between her thighs, her fingers finding the sensitive nub hidden within.
Nozomi and Haruno continued to explore Yukino's body, their touches gentle yet firm, their kisses passionate yet tender. Yukino's breath came in short, sharp gasps, her body tensing with each touch, each kiss. She let out a soft cry as she reached her peak, her body convulsing with pleasure.
As Yukino's body shuddered with release, Nozomi and Haruno looked at each other, their eyes filled with love and desire. They began to undress each other, their hands moving in sync as they revealed their bodies to Yukino's hungry eyes. Yukino watched, her breath hitching as she took in their naked forms, her eyes filled with anticipation.
Nozomi and Haruno positioned themselves on either side of Yukino, their bodies pressing against hers. They began to move in sync, their bodies rocking against Yukino's in a steady rhythm. Yukino moaned softly, her fingers gripping their backs tightly as she lost herself in the pleasure of their touch.
The room filled with soft moans and gasps as the three of them moved together, their bodies entwined in a dance as old as time. The scent of jasmine and sandalwood grew stronger, the air thick with their combined arousal. The sound of their bodies slamming against each other filled the room, a primal rhythm that echoed through their bodies.
Yukino cried out as she reached her peak once again, her body convulsing with pleasure. Nozomi and Haruno followed soon after, their bodies shuddering as they found their releases. They collapsed onto the bed, their bodies entwined, their breaths ragged.
For a moment, there was silence in the room, broken only by the sound of their ragged breaths. Then, Nozomi laughed softly, breaking the tension. "Well, that was... enlightening," he said, his voice filled with amusement.
Haruno and Yukino laughed, their bodies shaking with mirth. "Yes, it was," Haruno agreed, her voice filled with happiness and contentment.
Yukino looked at them, her eyes filled with love and affection. "I'm glad we did this," she said, her voice soft and sincere. "I love you both."
Nozomi and Haruno looked at each other, their eyes filled with love and happiness. "We love you too, Yukino," they said in unison, their voices filled with sincerity.
**Smut end**
...
The next morning, Hozuki Nozomi reconsidered his approach.
He had Yui release all the trapped players.
The original goal had been achieved—Kayaba was neutralized, the company was secured, and the dangerous elements were being handled. Whether Kayaba's death game continued or not no longer mattered.
Truthfully, the change of heart came from Yukino and Asuna. Neither could bear the thought of other players suffering, and Hozuki Nozomi had no desire to damage his image in their eyes. After reclaiming Kayaba's shares and convicting him, freeing the players was the natural next step.
The parents of those ten thousand players expressed profound gratitude to the Yukinoshita family. Haruhiko Yukinoshita's standing as a councilor actually increased from the positive publicity.
Unfortunately for Haruhiko, no matter how his political fortunes improved, Mrs. Yukinoshita continued to ignore him completely.
Hozuki Nozomi admitted to himself that he'd been curious about experiencing Kayaba's real dungeon-crawling game. But Yukino's feelings mattered more. Creating a safe, enjoyable game space for everyone was the better path.
At his request, development began on new game modules featuring firearms and magic.
....
Days passed. Kayaba Akihiko's incident remained a hot topic, the mad game creator dissected and discussed across every media platform.
In an empty white room, Kayaba Akihiko sat motionless, staring at nothing.
The door opened. Hozuki Nozomi entered, holding Yui's small hand.
Kayaba's eyes focused on them, understanding dawning. "You saw through me from the very beginning, didn't you?"
Hozuki Nozomi didn't confirm or deny.
Kayaba continued, his voice carrying a note of genuine regret. "I only wanted to share a wonderful game with everyone. It seems that wish cannot be fulfilled."
Hozuki Nozomi rolled his eyes. "You call that a game? You were playing with people's lives."
Perhaps geniuses were always isolated, always misunderstood. Kayaba offered no defense.
Instead, he opened his palm, revealing a glowing seed. "Though I failed, I acknowledge your excellence, Hozuki Nozomi. I've decided to create a new world. When that time comes, let us play together properly."
The seed pulsed with soft light.
"This World Seed contains the core of my research. Consider it a deposit on our agreement."
Kayaba Akihiko faded, disappearing from the white room.
Hozuki Nozomi studied the seed thoughtfully. Kayaba claimed he would create a new world—and he just might succeed. Perhaps Alice, from the third arc of the SAO series, would be born from this very seed.
"Kayaba Akihiko," he murmured, "when that time comes, I'll take you up on your offer."
He had accepted the deposit. There was no backing out now.
Kayaba was a true genius, having achieved the miracle of world creation. If the world of "Alice" truly emerged from this seed, calling him a creator god wouldn't be an exaggeration.
But those were future concerns. Hozuki Nozomi had Yui store the World Seed safely and exited the game.
....
He closed his eyes, lying on his bed. The Enmusubi Rope activated, and when he opened his eyes again—
He was in Itomori Town.
He looked down. Mitsuha's youthful figure greeted him, as familiar now as his own.
After his routine chest-massage (purely for health monitoring purposes, of course), he endured Yotsuha's strange look at breakfast. Then, carrying supplies for Miyamizu Hitoha, he headed toward the Ura Shrine—the inner sanctuary.
Yesterday, Miyamizu Mitsuha and Yotsuha had performed the Kagura dance, completed the pre-festival rituals, and prepared the sacred kuchikamizake. Today, that sake had to be properly offered at the inner shrine.