Bitter End

--- Yui---

Deep down, a question has been nagging at me for a while now.

What is my worth, now that I have taught him enough?

I knew I was blessed, as he cared about me and was willing to accept me even though I was not human. But the question still lingered.

Once he thinks I am not useful anymore, will he...throw me away?

I know Haru is gentle and kind; he would likely never do that in a direct way.

Just the thought of one day noticing the corners of his mouth twitch as he tries to give me excuses, tell me I can still find something I'm useful at for him...

There's nothing that would hurt me more than seeing that.

But it's not just this I'm afraid of.

Honestly speaking, I've had enough of being a mere spectator.

Since I was born, that has been all I've ever done. When have I ever thought about myself?

It's mostly his fault. When he told me I'm my own person, it made me happy, but it also sparkled this greediness, a thirst that cannot be easily quenched.

Is it so wrong for me to want something different?

I am still new to emotions and don't know how to act upon them.

I only know how to deal with others', after all.

But even so, I could tell this faint 'pain' in my 'heart' is probably one of the deepest emotions I have felt so far.

I don't even know what being in pain is truly like, yet, why do I associate this feeling with pain?

This...is a mystery that will go unsolved, for now.

Even when my mind was consumed by all the negative emotions of the players, I could still hold on, because those were things Yui-MHCP0001 was supposed to bear as a counseling unit.

But when it's my own, how should I behave...?

...

Shoot, I did it again.

As of late, it's really easy for me to get lost in thought.

Now, back to the present.

Finally able to roam around now that Kayaba was taken down, I was freely spectating the whole thing.

I felt quite angry.

You have no idea what you're talking about, Player Kirito! Stop assuming he's like that!

The latter was sure the players were dead, but Haru merely logged them out of the game, you dounce!

Why did he not explain himself, though? I'm sure they would've listened if only he explained things properly...!

But if he chose to do things this way, there must be a reason.

That's fine.

But how dare he call him a murderer!?

That's no good!

I decided to show how gentle and cool Haru is, using my administrator powers to make him appear like an angel, with wings sprouting from his back.

Now we're talking!

Look at that stupid face he's making! He must be quite impressed!

Proud of my creation, I watched Haru call me out on my 'prank'.

I was 100% serious, though?

Smiling, I materialized myself for everyone in the Boss Room to see, holding out my tongue in a cheeky gesture. "This was the least I could do to make those two understand how great you are!" I stated.

Haru's expression turned awkward.

Well, was I wrong?

His expression changed a few times, but ultimately, he sighed, patting my head. "I can't win against you, can I?" he said.

I smiled, quietly enjoying his gestures of affection...

"...Are you done?"

Kirito's voice cut through our moment, laden with annoyance and confusion. He looked lost, not understanding where this situation was heading anymore.

Do you want to taste my fist!?

I felt a surge of anger. Pointing at him, I snapped, "It's your fault that Haru appears as such a wicked person when he's not, and now you even ruin my moment with him! You're a really bad person!"

Kirito's face twisted in defiance. "Appears as a wicked person? Look at what he did! How many people died at his hands? What is he, if not an evil person!?"

My rage intensified. "Hah? You're an idiot if you believe that! Did you see anyone die with your own eyes or something!?"

I stamped my foot on the ground with force, the impact making it tremble.

"The game is no longer under the previous administrator's control. The Cardinal System has been instructed not to kill players who 'die.' Haru did things in his own peculiar way, but that doesn't excuse your behavior in morphing him into a beast!"

Kirito fell silent, his gaze lost in thought, my words sinking in. But before I could continue my outburst, Haru lifted me up, making me look him in the eye.

...Don't smile at me like that, you fool!

"Yui, don't complicate things anymore," he said calmly. "I acted this way intentionally. Otherwise, Kirito wouldn't have taken this seriously, and I couldn't have benefited from it."

"B-But..."

His stare made me somewhat uncomfortable. I had to look away.

Kirito, snapping out of his daze, opened his mouth to demand an explanation, but Haru shook his head.

He whispered to me, "I'll do what I planned now."

No, you can't!

Grabbing him in worry, I pleaded, "It's not worth the trouble. It's too risky for you to attempt this again."

His lips curved up.

"Remember what I told you when we first met? I may even be mistaken for half-AI! You didn't even believe I'm really human until I confirmed it. Do you think I'm incapable of doing it?"

I was forced to shake my head, because I knew the truth.

Yes, it's not difficult for you to do that, but the burden on your brain will be no joke. You barely managed to do it once, and now you want to do it for two of them...

I was saddened, but I couldn't stop him.

I glanced at Kirito and Asuna with a small bit of hate. It was because of them that he felt this need to go through with it. Because of them...

Haru gently put me down, and I stared on, feeling a mix of worry and anticipation. He closed his eyes, and when he opened them, they were filled with a steely resolve.

Turning to Kirito, he addressed his earlier question.

"You want an explanation? Fine. Here's your explanation. Let's see if you're ready to receive it."

As he spoke, the air around him shimmered and filled with streams of glowing 0s and 1s, cascading like a digital waterfall. The streams swirled around Haru, creating an ethereal, almost divine aura.

In less than a second, the streams surged forward, converging on both Kirito and Asuna.

The numbers entered them, weaving into their very being. Kirito's eyes widened in shock, and Asuna, though still apathetic, seemed to flicker with a hint of awareness...

--- Asuna ---

Noise.

That's all it was to me now.

My will, once a blazing fire, had been extinguished, doused abruptly like water thrown on a dying ember.

...I can't do this anymore.

That is all I felt.

Sounds that once held meaning now only disturbed my ears, reduced to meaningless noise. I felt my body freed but my will to move was gone.

What could I do even if I moved, anyway?

My life as I knew it had collapsed, leaving me waiting for death with an empty mind, void of thoughts or solutions.

If this was a dream, I wished to wake up and forget everything.

That is when an image suddenly appeared in front of me, as my surroundings abruptly changed to an endless darkness.

This different stimuli, so unlike the noise, stirred a faint reaction within me. My mind, for just a few seconds, followed the contents of the image. It was fortunate that I did, because once the brain sees an image, it instinctively tries to understand it.

At first, I saw what appeared to be myself sitting alone on Aincrad's First Floor. The gears in my mind, which had refused to work, began to creak slowly, attempting to understand the intent behind this image.

Soon, however, I realized it wasn't just an image—it was a video.

Someone else appeared in it, a man I knew all too well.

"Kiri...to...?" I barely managed to utter, confused.

That's strange.

On the first floor, I had no memory of meeting Kirito. We met in the 1st Floor's Boss Room, but before then, we hadn't crossed paths.

Was this some sort of prank? I didn't know, but my head began to ache slightly. It felt... somewhat familiar.

My mind, now focused on getting to the bottom of this, continued to watch the video.

It wasn't curiosity that held me captive, but something else. It was like I was seeing an alternative version of myself, which was quite weird.

How was I so sure this was the case?

In the first place, why was this being shown to me? Was there a specific purpose behind it?

Even so, my eyes remained glued to the video.

I soon noticed, In this reality, Haru was conspicuously absent.

No matter what scene played out—whether it was the 1st Floor Boss fight, beating the Field Bosses, completing the quests—he never appeared, and no one ever mentioned him. What was the meaning of this?

As I continued watching, my expression grew uglier.

The unfolding of events was completely different.

PK Guilds were formed.

The frontlines took way too long to initiate a Floor Boss, even though they were much weaker than normal.

But what bothered me the most was something else.

I could see the signs before it even happened. In this version of myself, I was falling in love with Kirito.

The most sickening part was that it felt 'only natural' for me to end up feeling that way.

And it wasn't just me. Silica, Lisbeth... those other girls in the video, they too shared this trait, with all the events perfectly leading to convenient 'excuses' for Kirito to become the object of everyone's affection.

The me of this world was so naive that she fell before anyone else.

Pathetic...

I struggled against my emotions, but the worst part had yet to come.

In the next scene, I saw myself inviting Kirito to my... house.

After our meal, the atmosphere changed, and we ultimately ended up doing...

I couldn't watch anymore, as I was forced to stop myself from throwing up.

Even though my mind was awakened from its previous state, for a moment, I thought perhaps it was better staying closed off.

It was sickening. But even so, I kept on watching. Even when the two of us bought a house and lived 'happily ever after,' which I found cringeworthy, even when we shared a bed happily...

But then, a turning point in the video. A child with black hair and eyes appeared. Was she a lost player?

Judging from her behavior, I reached this conclusion.

But deep down, I knew that wasn't the case.

This child was different. That's what I felt.

As the video continued, my counterpart's affection for the child began to mirror my own burgeoning feelings.

Though the connection with Kirito sickened me, this one was different.

I felt an inexplicable longing to be this child's mother. It was as if a deep, instinctual part of me awakened, one I didn't fully understand.

"Yui..."

I whispered, barely audible.

In the video, Yui's 'sacrifice' for us played out before my eyes, shaking me to my core.

I reached out instinctively, trying to grasp onto those tiny shoulders which had faced a burden far too big for a small child, but my hand passed through it, leaving me even more hopeless.

It felt as though I was an impotent spectator to my own helplessness, mirroring the hopeless version of myself in the video who shamelessly relied on others like it was nothing.

The scene of Yui's selflessness cut through my apathy, a bitter reminder of what I had failed to be.

As the video progressed, I exhaled all the air I was unconsciously holding when I saw Kirito manage to save Yui.

I was lost in thought, reflecting on the enormity of what I had just witnessed, when the scene abruptly changed.

Now, we were on the 75th Floor, just like in reality.

But there was no Haru here.

Kirito did it all himself, with my sacrifice playing a crucial role in his victory over Akihiko Kayaba.

Bitterness welled up within me.

That version of myself had at least managed to accomplish something.

Even if I was just a tool for the hero, I had managed to act decisively and contribute meaningfully. But the video was unforgiving.

The scenes continued to unfold mercilessly, going even beyond the current time.

Could it be...

The future?

No, more realistically, a possible one.

But honestly, I wished I could unsee this.

My heart pounded in my chest as I continued to watch, my face growing increasingly distorted with each passing moment.

What I saw next scarred me deeply. I watched myself being sexually harassed, and then... almost... violated.

The horror of it was too much to bear. If I had been on the verge of throwing up before, now I couldn't hold back anymore. I retched violently, emptying the contents of my stomach.

Unbeknowst to me, the video finally stopped, and my surroundings returned to the grim reality of the 75th Floor.

Before I could say or notice anything else, my vision focused on a certain girl with black hair and black eyes.

No way...

The realization hit me like a lightning bolt. The girl from the video was now standing in front of me. It was undeniably the same person. An unexpected surge of determination coursed through me, igniting a spark of the will to live and fight for something.

I knew I was doomed. No way could I go back to my cheerful self, but I could still protect something.

If only for my own selfishness, I must fight.

As my gaze assessed the situation, I saw that Kirito wore the same shocked expression.

He saw all of that, too...

Thinking back to everything I had seen made me feel a little sick again, but there was no time to dwell on that now.

Who cares if this dude saw me naked or something. It's not like we did it in this life.

I'm sorry, but even though I know what my other self felt, I do not share those feelings.

That's all there was to it.

Right now, I needed to understand the current situation. The negativity that had enveloped me couldn't be entirely shaken off, but I forced myself to stand.

I didn't bother grabbing my weapon.

Instead, I focused on Haru, the man whose presence was conspicuously absent from that alternate life. Haru was the one who held all the answers. If he had bothered to show us this much, he must be willing to tell us the rest.

I hope, or I might really go insane this time.

Although my instinct was to rush to Yui, I held myself back, waiting for Haru to say something, anything, and indeed, the time came.

"What you have seen is the history of a different timeline. You can make your own assumptions about the implications of this, but I cannot tell you anything myself about that, so give up your hopes on that." his words were somewhat filled with bitterness.

My hopes were instantly shattered.

But I took it surprisingly well.

I was quite used to him ruining my expectations, at this point.

--- Kirito ---

I couldn't believe what I had just witnessed.

It felt like I had been robbed, even though I knew none of it was 'real'.

Yet, deep down, it felt like how things should've been. I began to understand why I had this strange, favorable opinion of Asuna. The feelings I had when I saw Asuna die in front of my eyes, when I adopted Yui—all those emotions were now etched onto me, as if the version of me from that timeline was begging me to treasure them.

My determination boiled. I had to protect Asuna from the terrible fate I saw befall her. But above all, seeing Yui now, I understood something crucial.

Haru, the one who had shown us this alternate reality, didn't exist in that timeline. Yet, in this one, he had prevented countless tragedies, thwarting PK guilds before they could form, as if he knew what was going to happen.

When Haru confirmed he couldn't tell us more, my suspicions solidified.

"Are you like one of those isekai protagonists who have read the light novel and used it to prevent disasters or turn things in their favor?"

It meant this entire world as I know it was nothing more than a novel, but honestly, compared to all the shit I've been subjected to those past few hours, it feels like it's nothing much.

At least, I'm the protagonist, maybe?

That's not too bad.

Haru didn't reply, but I didn't need him to. There was a reason he had gone this far, and it wasn't to see us despair. Although my trust in him was destroyed, I concluded logically that he wasn't doing this to prove something. He had a purpose.

That should be to...

"Is your aim to 'enforce' me to protect Asuna, chaining me with the romantic feelings between us in that timeline?" I asked, my voice edged with a mix of disbelief and irritation.

Only a crazy bastard would come up with such a sick plan, but it's Haru we're talking about.

As expected, he nodded in agreement.

How come I'm not surprised?

"I won't be able to protect her this time. If I wanted to be 100% sure you'll do your part, then that was the only way," he stated coldly, his gaze unwavering and filled with conviction.

No matter what, you will do what I want. Those were the words I could almost hear him saying.

I smirked, knowing how cruel this was on me. Normally, I would be angered by this, but it was to save someone. I couldn't call Haru out for that. If I had the same weapons as him, and I had to accomplish my goal no matter what, perhaps I would've done the exact same thing.

As Haru and I spoke, I noticed Asuna's eyes narrowing. She was furious, her hands clenched into fists at her sides. "Enforcing someone to protect me? What gives you the right, Haru!?" Her voice trembled with anger.

Haru turned to her, his expression unchanging. "Asuna, this was the only way to ensure your safety. I couldn't leave it to chance."

"You think you can just manipulate our lives like this?!" Asuna's voice rose, her anger palpable.

Haru's gaze softened slightly. "I did what I had to do. I wasn't asking for your understanding in the first place; it's about survival. If you want to be angry, be angry at me, but understand that this was necessary."

Damn bro, that's cold.

Asuna glared at him, her chest heaving with each breath.

Since it wasn't my place to butt in, I didn't say anything, silently let the two get over it on their own.

After a moment, she sighed heavily, her anger giving way to resignation. "Fine. Let's talk about... Yui..."

Well, it's quite a complicated topic, if you ask me.

I think Haru was about to say something, but he was stopped by Yui herself.

"Although the memories showed us as a happy family, it was just a result of me conveniently losing my memories and wandering around like a lost puppy. I'm grateful for how you treated me, but I don't consider you my parents. The figure who feels most like a parent to me now is Haru, and Haru alone."

Well, can't say I didn't feel my heartbeat drop a little from that, but I have no right to actually feel this way.

This is tricky.

But even so, there was a need to make a choice.

Those memories represented another timeline, and it was unfair to build relationships on things that hadn't even happened.

Instead of showing my bitterness, I spat back, "Hah, who wanted to be your parent anyway?" Yui stuck her tongue out at me, and I smirked. In this timeline, I had no right to say anything to her. But I worried about Asuna's reaction.

She most likely felt much more attached to her, compared to me.

As I expected, Asuna was in tears, but instead of sadness, I saw happiness in her eyes.

...?

Her smile was the gentlest I had ever seen her wear, in both timelines.

It urged an awkward silence as although Yui was eager to reply to me, it doesn't seem like she could, for now.

"Yui," Asuna began softly, her voice trembling with emotion, "even if you don't see us as your parents, that is completely fine. I have no right to push those feelings onto you. Just know that I am genuinely happy you were saved from that fate and that you managed to find someone you could connect with. My only wish..."

Her voice caught in her throat, and she looked away, unable to hold back her tears. "My only wish is for you to be happy. Please, live a long and healthy life. I hope Haru will be able to... take care of you..."

She began choking on her tears.

Seeing her like this, made me feel like crying as well.

Yui blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Thank you... Asuna," she said quietly, her voice filled with a mixture of emotions.

Haru's expression softened as he gently urged Yui, "If you want, you should go to her, Yui. There's no need to hold yourself back."

Yui hesitated, her steps timid.

Once she was close enough, she extended her arms, wrapping them gently around Asuna's hips. Asuna trembled at the touch, her own arms slowly encircling Yui's shoulders in a cautious, yet earnest embrace. Their movements were delicate, as if afraid to shatter the moment's fragile beauty.

Asuna's tears mingled with her relieved smile, her emotions pouring out in silent sobs. Yui, equally moved, clung to Asuna, her own eyes shimmering with unshed tears.

At this moment, I could tell.

The bond between them transcended the concept of different timelines.

At this moment, all I could see was a mother and daughter sharing a deep, heartfelt moment.

I stood there awkwardly, glancing at them with a pang of envy as they found solace in each other's arms.

But when Yui finally found the will to stop hugging her mother, she came over to me.

Why, though?

I mean....

Our gazes were locked, assessing each other.

Finally, after a few seconds, Yui sighed. "I don't feel the same way as that Yui, but I still acknowledge that you took care of me. I'm thankful for that. Thank you very much."

I had so much to say, but in the end, I simply smiled. "There's no need to thank me, Yui. I would've done what I did anyway. I share Asuna's opinion. You should just be happy with who you've connected with. I have no right to tell you anything else."

Yui nodded, a small teasing smile playing on her lips. "You're a decent human being, at least."

I smiled awkwardly in return, feeling a strange mixture of relief and regret.

Our relationship wasn't anywhere similar to what it was, but that is fine.

In the end, I did all I could.

No more questions were asked.

Although there was a fundamental one that was left behind.

Why does this all sound like a goodbye? Will we never see each other again?

The thought gnawed at me, but neither Asuna nor I could muster the strength to voice it. I feared that if my suspicions were confirmed, I wouldn't be able to hold back my tears.

And if I felt that way, I can't imagine what Asuna is feeling.

Determined to seek closure, I approached Haru, stopping right in front of him. We stared at each other in silence, the weight of everything that had transpired hanging between us.

After what could be considered hours from my perspective, I found the right words.

"Haru, you've manipulated me to the extreme, and I'll probably have to keep upholding your wishes for a long while. Even if this makes me hate you a little, I don't want to end everything in hate."

Those were my honest thoughts.

Yes, he's the very definition of scumbag.

Yes, he's the shadiest person I've ever known in my life.

But even so...What can I do?

I can only put my trust in him again.

I extended my hand to him for a handshake, seeking a semblance of peace.

Haru's eyes flickered with surprise as I continued, "Let's make a deal. I'll take care of things on my end. I'll do my best to protect Asuna."

My words were filled with convinction.

"In return, you'll do your best to protect Yui. I know it's a selfish request from a stranger, but you've been far more shameless than this to me."

I challenge anyone in this room to argue with me about that.

With the silence that ensued, I could continue.

My voice softened, filled with sincerity. "With this, I want to set aside our differences and end this for good."

Haru looked at me, his expression shifting from surprise to amusement. He took my hand and shook it firmly. "Got it," he replied simply.

Now, there was really nothing else we had to say to each other.

It was time.

As I thought, he did not hesitate. With a simple wave of his hand, I knew he was sending us back to the real world.

With the corner of my eyes, I glanced at Yui, silently exchanging the last goodbyes.

The next thing I knew, I woke up in my hospital bed.

My muscles were atrophied from the extended time in the game, my body weak and unresponsive.

But I didn't care. I forced myself to rise, my thoughts consumed with only one target: saving Asuna. I had made a promise to that bastard, and I intended to keep it.

Smirking at the thought, I slowly pushed myself out of the hospital room...

--- Akira ---

To be honest, I was surprised. This wasn't the overall reaction I expected, but I didn't dislike it.

I pondered over everything that had happened, lost in thought.

But I was swiftly interrupted as I heard Yui's small voice cut through the silence. "They're gone..." she said, staring at where they had just been.

I smiled softly.

It seems the effect of those memories is way higher than I ever expected.

Before showing them to Kirito and Asuna, the first person I had shared them with was actually Yui.

I felt like I owed her that. If she perhaps felt like she wanted to be with them, I wouldn't hold it against her. She didn't have the possibility to choose, which was kind of unfair.

From the moment she watched them, though, her reaction had been intriguing.

She hadn't shown much emotion at first, but later she told me that she felt some form of 'attachment' transfer to her, almost as though she had experienced another timeline in its entirety, growing attached to her former 'family' even though I had barely shown her the events through Kirito's POV.

This piqued my curiosity. Was this phenomenon unique to Yui, or would it happen with others as well?

The answer was clear: there was some strange force at play here.

However, I didn't care much about the specifics, for now.

My research could wait.

I could simply take back those memories to analyze them better in the future.

Right now, what mattered the most was...

I gently patted Yui's head.

There was no need for me to say anything, as even if I did that, those words wouldn't ease neither her feelings, nor shake her resolve.

It would simply be a form of disrespect.

She responded by hugging me tightly.

But a question still lingered.

How did I manage to show everyone 'the original timeline'?

Leaving aside the past, as it's obviously not something that should even be a problem to show, the only questions would be related to the future.

Normally, having others learn about it would break the conditions, but there are tricks to avoid that.

First, what I showed them were only parts that can't be considered the future anymore, but rather a completely different timeline.

It's an easy concept to get.

The original timeline diverged from this one to a point that even if I did show them small bits of the future, thanks to the butterfly effect, it's high likely that those events will not repeat themselves, and moreover, since I had free will to change whatever I wanted in the story, I simply changed the person attempting the rape, or the location.

It's a bunch of really cheap tricks that combined together made it possible for me to avoid the System penalties.

In addition to those, I avoided showing them anything about the Underworld or Gun Gale Online.

They'll have to deal with those things on their own. I've already stretched my tricks to their limits to pull this crazy stunt.

Also, I hadn't shown them, but my condition wasn't good either.

As Yui had noted, projecting memories to both Asuna and Kirito was incredibly difficult.

I couldn't use magic, thus I had to create an entire videoclip by converting it from 0s and 1s for me to be able to precisely manipulate each content of the video to my liking, which was...really hard to do. It wouldn't be wrong to say my brain had reached its limit.

'Haha, will I end up killing this poor dude as well?'

At this point, I'm not surprised.

All the poor people I've ended up taking the identity of have died, after all.

It is what it is.

Now that we were alone in the Boss Room, I used my administrator authority to kick the rest of the people left in Sword Art Online out of the game. There was no need to keep them here, as I only had a few things left to do before this game could even explode, for all I cared.

The only thing I made sure to do before that, was to give The Seed to Kirito.

There was no particular reason behind that choice. He's simply the perfect person to decide its fate.

Before I could proceed further, Yui stopped me, her voice trembling.

"Will you really take me with you, even though I may not be that useful to you anymore?"

...What?

Her concern was evident, but I was simply confused. "If I wasn't planning to take you with me now, you might as well call me a demon, right?"

I think Kirito and Asuna would seriously search all over the Multiverse for me if I did that.

There was a brief silence before Yui replied, "It's true. My former parents would revolt in their tombs if they knew about this."

I deadpanned. "They're not dead yet, Yui."

No, I can't admit this kind of humor is the best one. Children shouldn't be led astray so soon in their life...

"Where did you get this shamelessness from?"

She confidently replied, "It's rubbing off from you." I had to admit she was right, and I couldn't help but be silent.

Despite the silence, it was not unpleasant. For some reason, it felt warm instead.

I picked her up, bumping my head gently against hers. "Don't come up with stupid notions again. I'm not taking you with me because you're useful. I'm taking you because I care about you. Whether you're useful or not, you'll be stuck with me, for life!"

Speaking of which, what's my lifespan like?

Now I've gotten curious...

But sadly, I won't get an answer, for now.

Yui shook slightly, on the brink of tears, but she only nodded and thanked me.

After our little moment, I sighed. "Are you ready? This is the first time I've done anything like this."

I'm the one who was kind of anxious.

Yui hugged me tightly. "I'm ready."

Alright...

I had already used all my mana previously on [Mana Explosion], but with [Weakest Magic Generation], I managed to regenerate a few units of mana. The amount was small, but the quality was remarkably pure.

This meant that, although I would face difficulties in executing my plan, I could still do it.

No, I had to do it.

Calling upon the few scraps of mana I had left, I focused intently. Mana sparked to life, shimmering with will as it was ready to be used.

Using my administrator authority, I began to 'revert' Yui, converting her into her source code, then transforming her into a stream of 0s and 1s.

I stared deeply at the process, absorbing every detail to replicate it later, even though I knew very well how it worked.

With [Thread Manipulation], I carefully used the smallest amount of magic to assemble the 0s and 1s in a way that I could better absorb this 'knowledge.'

I would've gladly done it through the Cardinal System, but sadly, my mind is incapable of handling it. The strain was too high.

Coordinating the absorption with precision, I utilized [Mind Manipulation] to simulate on myself the translation from 0s and 1s to source code, and then to her manifestation state.

In other words, I had temporarily become an entity close to the Cardinal System itself.

The side effects were disastrous on my mind, as it was not ready for this level of complexity, but right now, I couldn't really care about that.

Either I do it, or I do it.

The process was extremely complicated, my mind feeling like it was on the verge of overload. Forced to my knees, I knew that in the real world, my body was probably be in a dire state. But my only concern right now was whether this had succeeded.

We had instructed each other that after I completed everything, she would send her thoughts to ensure she could be heard.

As I finished, I waited anxiously, the seconds feeling like hours. When I didn't hear her immediately, my anxiousness grew, threatening to engulf me.

Finally, relief washed over me as I heard Yui's voice echo in my mind.

["This library's amazing! It's full of books!"]

I let out a deep sigh, smiling broadly. "Welcome to your new home, Yui. I'm glad you like it. Feel free to browse whatever section you want to."

The library currently held every single second of my life within it, making it a vast, seemingly endless place.

While I saw it as an aggregate of information I could quickly access in macro-areas, for Yui, it must be some kind of endless wonder.

Even if she didn't hold back and tried to absorb all the information, she'd have plenty to read about or even research if something piqued her interest.

For now, this would have to be enough. It was a temporary solution, but with this method, I would at least be able to bring her with me in my next trials.

'Man, I'm so fucking tired I can't even think straight'

My mind nearly buckled under the strain, but it was worth it.

Now, there was one last thing I had to do before leaving for the next Trial.

"...Cardinal System."

[001000101110101010000101010100010101000...]

Right. Why didn't those idiots give you the ability to talk like a normal human being in the first place? I kind of forgot about that.

With a thought, I added that feature as I was too tired to convert all the stuff she was saying into text.

Although I knew it sounded crazy, I called out, my voice echoing in the vast expanse of my mind.

[...Have you called for me, Master?]

Much better.

Now, I know it sounded insane, but...

"Yes, I did call. You see, I need you to implant all the knowledge you can about Martial Arts, and if possible, Sword Arts, into my mind. You can prioritize Martial Arts, though, don't worry. Ah, before that, give me a random Unique Skill and get me to level 100. Thank you!"

My request was laced with sarcasm. I knew full well what asking for this would imply. Given how tired my mind was, the logical course would be to wait until I had recovered to make the most out of it.

But ever since the battle with Kayaba concluded, my Sixth Sense had been silently warning me.

[Your Sixth Sense has passively activated]

[It is advised to leave this world as soon as possible]

[Evaluation: Danger]

I didn't know the exact reason, but this intuition had kept me alive so far, so I trusted it.

Yui's voice trembled with concern.

["What you're doing now is really toying with death. Your mind won't be able to hold on."]

I smiled. I didn't have time to argue with you, Yui, I'm sorry.

She has not seen my memories yet, and although I know Yui does not count as a 'person' by the Trials, thus it was alright to explain everything about me, right now it wasn't exactly the right time nor place for that.

So...I pulled the unfair card.

"Do you trust me?" I smirked.

She sighed, her reluctance evident.

["That's an unfair question to ask at this moment."]

Grudgingly, she stopped talking.

But it wasn't just Yui who was against it.

The Cardinal System had the same worries.

[Warning! The amount of knowledge is too vast for the human brain to process. There is more than an 83% chance the Administrator won't be able to withstand it]

I chuckled, a bitter smile on my lips. "I know well, but do it anyway."

Who cares? I'll be fine...probably?

Having confirmed my reckless request, the Cardinal System didn't add anything more, silently working on it. It first fulfilled my requests regarding my Trial Tasks.

[Congratulations. You have completed the 3rd Trial of Fate]

[Achievements: ...]

.

I ignored the prompts.

Once again, the familiar light enveloped me, ready to transport me back to the [Rest Room].

But even so, this light needed a few seconds of delay, enough time for the Cardinal System to transfer all the knowledge given its extreme capabilities.

As the transfer began, waves of nausea hit me, my mind teetering on the edge of collapse.

In the real world, my body probably had a nosebleed again, but all I could focus on was enduring the torrent of incoming knowledge.

[You have learned the fundamentals of Karate all over again]

[You have watched more than 3000 hours of footage of Karate Masters explaining their moves]

.

[Your Martial Art [Karate] has leveled up]

.

[You have learned the fundamentals of Judo]

.

[The Martial Art [Judo] will be available to purchase in the Skill Shop for 25 SP]

[Your Attributes are high enough. The Cost of the Martial Art [Judo] has been halved]

[The Authority of Balance does not consider the price balanced]

[The Martial Art [Judo] is now available for 10 SP]

[The Authority of Balance goes back to sleep...]

[The cost of the Martial Art [Judo] has decreased]

.

[The Martial Art [Judo] has been automatically learned]

[Your Martial Art [Judo] has leveled up]

.

Surprisingly, Yui immediately started aiding me, frantically sorting and storing the overwhelming waves of information to lessen the burden on my brain.

Despite our best efforts, the accumulated strain was too much. My vision blurred, and I could feel my grip on consciousness slipping.

Yui's voice echoed in my mind, filled with desperation. ["Haru! Hang in there!"]

But it was too late. My body gave in, and I felt myself falling to the ground, the world around me blurring into darkness. Just in time, the light enveloped me, ready to transport me away.

Yet, amidst the void, a small, almost sorrowful [Goodbye, and Thank You.] echoed softly...

Though, of course, no one was there to hear its last words.

---

END OF TRIAL 3.

Author's Note:

Yui's glazing is off the charts.

Any thoughts on this chapter?

While I could've released multiple parts for this 7000+ chapter, I guess It's growing into a small tradition for me to pack a lot of stuff into one big last chap and then release everything in one go.

I hope you're liking this way to end things, because to me it makes the last chapter feel special compared to all the others.

Anyways! Be sure to join my discord / patreon if you didn't. Although I may be unreliable in release schedule, you can be sure I'll show up once in a while to tell everyone I'm still alive :)

章 147: Bitter End

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章 147: Bitter End

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