"What do you mean by that? What do you mean by 'as you thought' I'd bring up clearing bosses?" Asuna said, sounding a bit dissatisfied.
"I don't know why you're making this mistake," Kirito said. "Haven't you noticed that something is wrong with Kaede yet? You should have been the first one to notice."
"Kaede is currently..." Asuna was also thinking. Kaede's behavior was indeed different from before, like how she often went out now.
"It's a good thing she's going out to play, right? I can't be by her side all the time."
"Play?" Kirito paused for a moment, then said, "I mentioned clearing bosses to Kaede the other day. Guess how she reacted."
"What?" Asuna suddenly felt her heart skip a beat.
"Can you not mention the word 'clearing'!" Kirito said, emphasizing each word.
"But, Kaede..." Asuna widened her eyes and took a step back, recalling every incident before a boss fight. Every time, she had indeed smiled in front of her.
"Could it be that she was smiling just so I wouldn't be sad?" Asuna felt a bit overwhelmed. Recalling how Kaede would sometimes avoid her gaze, she couldn't help but feel a pang of heartache. It must be that...
"Get it now? Although I don't think what you're doing is necessarily wrong, and you haven't completely ignored Kaede, she's different from others. What she needs is for you to focus on her."
Asuna fell silent. She thought that focusing on clearing was for Kaede's sake too; she really wanted to meet Kaede in reality, as everything here was fake.
"Why? It's clearly better in reality." Asuna couldn't help but ask that question.
Kirito paused, smiled bitterly, and realized. Then he looked up at the azure sky and said, "Do you think this world is fake?"
"Isn't it?"
"Then, are the feelings between you and your sister here also fake?"
"Impossible!" Asuna said excitedly.
"Then, since you admit that, and seeing how Kaede has accepted this world, do you still deny it?"
"I..." Asuna paused. Had she neglected this world for the sake of reality? Closing her eyes, Asuna walked away without saying goodbye to Kirito.
"Sigh, I'm not a relationship expert." Kirito sighed and lay back down on the grass.
...
"Is that all you've got?" Kaede asked, tilting her head while gripping the weapon the woman had attacked with.
"Damn it!" The woman's eyes were filled with shock. She had actually grabbed her weapon directly; she hadn't been able to react to that speed at all.
"Get her!" the woman roared.
"Hmph!" The coldness in Kaede's eyes deepened as she moved her feet while the opponents attacked.
Her figure moved back and forth within a circle, her movements as graceful as a dance, surrounded by weapons.
However, from beginning to end, Kaede's HP bar hadn't moved at all.
In other words, even though the opponents were already panting from exhaustion, they hadn't managed to land a single hit on Kaede.
"So cool..." A young girl watched, her eyes shining with little stars.
"Is this the extent of your ability to go around causing trouble? Too weak." Kaede had always wanted to become stronger to protect her own life, yet people weaker than her were actually harming others. What a joke!
"You... you're Kaede of the flower of strategy!!" Looking at Kaede, the woman's eyes widened as she suddenly remembered one of the top-tier players in this world.
Immediately, there was an uproar all around, and several people wanted to drop their weapons and flee.
The young girl in the back had stars shining even brighter in her eyes.
"I am Kaede." Without refuting, Kaede looked at the woman and said, "Now it's my turn."
"Run!" As soon as Kaede finished speaking, everyone around dropped their weapons and fled in all directions, including that woman.
"Running? You know how to run too?" Kaede tilted her head, watching the people fleeing in all directions.
"Do you think you can escape?"
Her figure flashed, and she caught up to one of them. She raised her blade, but paused when she was about to strike, remembering that Asuna had always told her not to do such things.
The person trembled under Kaede's blade, cold sweat breaking out on their forehead.
Her hand trembled. The inner suppression made Kaede want to vent fiercely, but, but, if she vented, Sister...
In the end, Kaede still didn't strike. She was afraid, afraid that Asuna would show her a look of disappointment. Then, she caught them one by one and tied them up.
With her speed, it was impossible to escape from her.
"Big Sister, so cool!!" At this moment, the young girl trotted over, jumping beside Kaede.
Glancing at the girl, Kaede sent the guy from Titan's Hand to prison, then took out a crystal to teleport.
"Huh?" Seeing Kaede's glancing gaze, the girl blushed. Truly cool, even her gaze was so intense.
"Big Sister, I'm Silica." After Silica shouted, she saw Kaede's figure disappear under the effect of the teleportation crystal.
"Kaede of the flower of strategy." Silica nodded, clenched her fists, and took out the Pneuma Flower, placing it on a crystal.
"Pina, we have to work hard too!"
...
Arriving in the city once again, Kaede walked alone on the street, looking for the man's figure.
"My Lady!" Finally, the man saw Kaede.
"It's done. Titan's Hand has been sent to prison." Having said that, Kaede continued walking.
"Thud!" The man knelt on the ground, a look of relief on his face. He said to Kaede's back, "Please take my life!" Saying this, the man closed his eyes, a smile appearing on the corners of his mouth.
Kaede paused, then continued walking. That kind of smile—even though he was losing his life, why smile? It was truly unpleasant.
"What use is your life to me?"
The man was stunned, then finally collapsed on the ground, burying his head and sobbing.
As she walked, Kaede looked at the sky and added in her heart, "Can you pay a little more attention to me, Big Sister?"
Kaede continued walking, completely ignoring the cheers of the people around her. She didn't know what they were saying, and she couldn't be bothered to know. She just walked aimlessly until she disappeared from the street.
At this time, Asuna's figure also appeared in the teleportation gate, running out directly to search.
However, looking at the crowd shouting "Long live the flower of strategy," Asuna was a bit confused.
She couldn't help but ask someone about the whole story.
Knowing that Asuna was the other person of the flower of strategy, they naturally told her everything.
After hearing this, Asuna was stunned. Kaede, who was still just a child in her eyes, had already been able to do such things on her own. Had she been neglecting Kaede too much?
Or was it that Kaede only showed her childish side in front of her?
Asuna ignored the worshipful gazes of the people around her and ran in the direction Kaede had walked, feeling a bit guilty in her heart. So, without her knowing, had Kaede already grown up?
Eventually, Asuna saw Kaede's figure.
"Kaede!!"
Asuna put her hands on her knees, bent over, and shouted.
"Big Sister?"
---------------------------------
I hope you're enjoying the fanfiction so far! If the fanfiction has you hooked and you can't wait to see what happens next, you can unlock 30 or more chapters in advance over on my patreon: patreon.com/FTLGenBen
Also every bit of support means the world to me so if you're loving the ride, don't forget to drop a Power Stone, Thanks.