Chapter 41: It Was My Loss

A few minutes later, the Ruby Palace on the hundredth floor of Aincrad also collapsed. The once enormous Aincrad finally announced its complete disintegration, vanishing entirely from the sight of Morin and Kayaba Akihiko.

"You brought me here to watch the ending ceremony. Is there anything else, Senior Kayaba Akihiko?"

Seeing the collapse and disappearance of the Ruby Palace, which had not even been used in either the original SAO game or after his own intervention, and with the last traces of Aincrad fading away, Morin finally turned around, looking directly at Kayaba Akihiko, whose expression had returned to indifference. He asked the Boss about his next intentions without any hesitation.

In any case, Morin did not believe Kayaba Akihiko had brought him here simply for idle conversation. With the butterfly's wings having flapped so far, Morin could not even be sure what Kayaba Akihiko would do next.

"When my health reached zero, the clearing condition for Aincrad was already met. The remaining eight thousand plus players have already begun to return to reality." Kayaba Akihiko's tone was exceptionally calm, matching his largely expressionless face. Looking up at Morin, who was staring at him intently, a particularly sincere look appeared on his face. "The reason I kept Morin-kun here alone now is because there are some questions I very much want to ask you, to seek the answers I could not find."

"Questions? Even the former genius Kayaba Akihiko has questions for me?"

Morin blinked and used Sugou Nobuyuki's memories to make a sarcastic remark.

"That is right. There are indeed some things I do not understand."

Kayaba Akihiko did not seem to notice the sarcasm, nodding very sincerely as he replied.

In the next instant, Kayaba Akihiko slightly raised his right hand, and virtual projection screens the size of walls appeared before them. Scenes of Morin's training and battles in SAO filled the projections.

After glancing around, Morin immediately recognized many scenes among the at least sixty projection screens.

The first day of SAO, where Morin stood in the central plaza of the Town of Beginnings, using a search method to find Asuna, while other players took the stage. The first floor Boss battle, where players fought with all their might, the unlucky Kibaou trying to take advantage only to be killed by the Boss, while Asuna landed the final blow and obtained the Coat of Midnight, marking the beginning of her title as the Black Swordsman. The scenes of Morin and Asuna recruiting players, establishing the Star Reavers guild, and celebrating. Battles clearing various Floor Bosses of Aincrad. The training scenes of Morin and Asuna during their leisure and daily life, practicing personal combat skills and sword techniques.

After watching for a while, Morin noticed that in about sixty projection screens, the SAO Floor Boss battles occupied more than half the screen time. The rest, aside from a few unimportant situations or the establishment of the Star Reavers guild, were mostly scenes of Morin pulling Asuna to conduct daily training, honing their personal combat skills and sword techniques.

"At the beginning of SAO, I noticed the existence of you, Morin-kun, an acquaintance. Then, after your first successful raid on the first floor, I began to pay closer attention to you and the Star Reavers."

Kayaba Akihiko raised a hand to adjust his glasses. His gaze inexplicably made Morin feel a sense of unease. After the initial calmness, his words now carried a hint of admiration.

"Originally, when I announced that SAO had become a death game, I had already prepared to appear in disguise to encourage those players who had truly lost their fighting spirit, giving them the confidence to clear Aincrad."

"But, Morin-kun, your performance truly exceeded my expectations. Your initial appearance and subsequent actions within SAO were remarkably decisive. The Star Reavers guild you established successfully rallied the confidence of all players, clearing several floors and becoming a symbol. Other guilds were established one after another following your example. Even my idea to create the Knights of the Blood Oath was prompted by your actions, not to mention you and that player named Asuna breaking down system sword skill moves and converting them into practical swordsmanship."

"However, what I do not understand is that when I observed the actions of SAO players, I believed I had a general grasp of your situation and that of a few other interesting individuals. According to my predetermined plan, I intended to stage the final drama of the hero fighting the demon in the Ruby Palace on the hundredth floor to determine the victor of Aincrad."

Kayaba Akihiko, having poured out his questions in one breath, turned his gaze sharp as he looked directly at Morin.

"However, I failed. What I want to know is, when exactly did you recognize me? And when did you secretly begin your actions?"

"...Senior Kayaba Akihiko, the first moment I saw that Heathcliff, I already recognized that it was just a slight disguise on the appearance, but the temperament had not changed much from yours, Senior."

Morin remained silent for a few seconds, watching the Kayaba Akihiko who had been outsmarted by his own calculated moves. Morin's sincere words sounded as if he truly believed so, and the reason he gave next made Kayaba Akihiko's lips twitch, though he had no way to refute it.

"Regarding secret actions, I did not believe that you, Senior Kayaba Akihiko, who invested so much into the SAO project, even trapping a whole ten thousand players in a death game, would simply ignore us players. Therefore, I did not put all my hopes on clearing all one hundred floors. Instead, after discovering irregularities in the Black Iron Palace, I took action to completely end you, Senior Kayaba Akihiko."

Hearing Morin's explanation, Kayaba Akihiko could not help but open his mouth, only to realize that his previous questions had been completely answered, albeit with answers that left him speechless.

Morin's reply was entirely directed at Kayaba Akihiko himself, who had underestimated the players' capabilities. Recognizing Kayaba Akihiko the moment he disguised himself and entered the game, Morin's subsequent actions were not difficult to understand and could even be said to be inevitable.

"I see. So, I lost."

Opening his mouth as if wanting to say something, but ultimately remaining silent, Kayaba Akihiko stood still for a moment before speaking with a wry smile, admitting that he had indeed lost.

It was not that SAO's security level was too low. It was purely Kayaba Akihiko's own folly. He disguised himself and entered the game, intending to enjoy the world he had developed and play out a scenario of raising a hero to defeat and then eliminate, only to ultimately, under the flapping of Morin's butterfly wings, deliver his weakness directly to his opponent. Kayaba Akihiko did not even know that even without Morin's intervention, he would have had his identity exposed by the protagonist Kirito and ultimately would have conceded and ended the game.

At the same moment Kayaba Akihiko admitted his defeat, a subtle hint of joy flashed in Morin's eyes, but he did not show it, keeping his attention firmly on Kayaba Akihiko.

------------

Try Other Fics I Have

•SAO: I replaced him?

•Anime: I Want Harem

•DxD: I am Kanda Sorata

•Anime: Curse Of Immortality

•Genshin Impact: I have Broken System