-353- Being alive is a form of enjoyment

"Which side is more real?"

This question truly left Asuna feeling lost.

In the past, if faced with this question, she would have answered without hesitation.

"The real world is true; everything in this world is fake."

That was a belief she had held onto for a while.

After all, in this world, everything visible was composed of data, her controlled body was virtual, and even the food eaten, things touched, and experiences felt were all pre-set and transmitted directly to the brain through the NerveGear. The real-world body lying in bed right now had not touched anything.

So, in this world, everything was fake, and only death was real.

In the past, Asuna had always thought this way.

However, in this moment, prompted by Rozen's question, the first thing that came to Asuna's mind was the battle she had witnessed during the boss clearing on the 1st floor.

The battle in which Rozen and Kirito fought together against Illfang the Kobold Lord, showing boundless passion and conviction.

Since that battle, Asuna realized that in this world, there were things other than death that were real.

Even though the body was a construct, the spirit, soul, and will were still her own.

And that's why Asuna yearned for that kind of battle.

Yes.

Asuna yearned deeply.

Because that was the only thing she had seen in this world, other than death, that felt truly real.

That's why Asuna wanted to fight, why she abandoned her past thoughts of self-destruction and embraced a new sense of purpose. She made clearing the game her everything, despite the obstacles along the way and the opinions of others, pushing forward relentlessly.

That was Asuna's battle.

At least, she believed she had finally gained something truly real in this world.

That something was conviction.

The conviction to completely clear the game, return to the real world, and utilize anything available to achieve that goal, even if it meant disregarding the permissible limits. This was something this man in front of her had taught her.

However...

"The so-called 'usable things' don't refer to 'anything that can be used to achieve the goal,' but rather 'things that can be used within the allowed boundaries,' you know?"

This was something Rozen had said to Asuna a year ago, after their duel with Heathcliff.

Honestly, Asuna still wasn't clear about the meaning of that sentence.

But one thing she was sure of was that the belief she clung to in order to keep surviving in this world was not acknowledged by this man.

This realization left Asuna with a mix of emotions as she remained silent.

"Since you don't acknowledge it, then I'll show you."

With this thought in mind, Asuna threw herself into clearing and frequently clashed with Rozen during strategy meetings.

Rozen always rejected her opinions, using "too extreme" as his reason.

For instance, when dealing with the heavily armored and high-defense guardian boss, Asuna suggested that all players equip high-attack, high-burst weapons. Naturally, this required players to free up a skill slot, which meant some players had to abandon a skill they had trained in for a long time. But the skill compositions of top players had become an essential part of their strength, and giving up those skills would undoubtedly affect their future capabilities.

Similarly, during the strategy for clearing a Labyrinth area, Asuna recommended a rapid advancement while the difficulty was under control and players were accustomed. This would speed up progress, even if it meant slightly increased consumption and fatigue. However, this approach ignored the possibility of unexpected events. Tirelessly pushing forward would only increase the risk of unexpected occurrences.

Several such instances occurred, and every time Asuna proposed similar ideas, Rozen would readily oppose them. Unfortunately, Rozen was the leader of the clearing group, a player with an unblemished record up until now. Players naturally followed his lead. Even if Asuna had significant influence, it was useless if he opposed her.

In other words, Asuna had never gained Rozen's approval.

Now, a year had passed.

Though Asuna hadn't given up on expressing her thoughts, she couldn't help but think this way:

"Have I ever had such a strong desire to assert myself and engage in heated arguments with others in the real world?"

The answer was, of course, no.

In the real world, Asuna had merely followed her parents' arrangements, mechanically enhancing her knowledge and leading a mechanical life. Even her life had been predetermined, and she mechanically accepted it, becoming the person others expected her to be.

In all of this, there was no room for Asuna's own will to intervene.

On the contrary, in this world, Asuna had picked up a weapon of her own accord, developed a sense of purpose, and fought in her own way. Regardless of whether it was right or wrong, she had undeniably gained things and experiences that the real world lacked.

Given this, which side was more real?

The mundane reality?

Or the fulfilling and passionate virtual world?

Thinking this, Asuna couldn't help but look at Rozen.

She saw Rozen still gazing at the distant sky and rainbow, devoid of the deep abhorrence for this world that had imprisoned him. All she saw was pure appreciation and acceptance.

Seeing this, Asuna finally understood.

For Rozen, both worlds were equally real.

After all...

"Just being alive is a form of enjoyment; don't be too picky."

Rozen lazily voiced these words, leading Asuna to involuntary thoughts.

(What kind of experiences has this person been through to have such a perspective?)

Surely it must be something unimaginable that made him content with merely "being alive"?

"Alright." Rozen stood up, dusted himself off, and said, "I'm going now; I still haven't resolved the matter of the weapon."

"Weapon?" Asuna was momentarily puzzled before recalling that Rozen had been holding onto a weapon.

Seeing the weapon, Asuna immediately understood.

(So, he wants to upgrade his main weapon?)

Asuna was no longer the newbie she used to be. A quick glance was enough to tell her that the weapon Rozen held wasn't a player-made item. It had already been enhanced to its limits, facing the crisis of being surpassed.

(So, he's been thinking about this here the whole time?)

Asuna had thought Rozen was just being lazy.

This sparked a slight sense of guilt within Asuna.

So...

"You want a high-performance weapon, right?"

Asuna blurted out those words.

"If you're not familiar with a blacksmith, I can introduce you to one."