“All of us are here now,” Sam announced.
His voice was steady, carrying a quiet authority that immediately drew everyone's attention.
“YES!”
A chorus of eager voices answered him. Excitement and combat readiness hung thick in the warm summer air, turning what should have been an ordinary amusement-park outing into something far more serious.
Sam crossed his arms and gave them a sharp, decisive nod.
“As promised, Allya and I will head off to enjoy the rides. You kids get to have your fun after completing the mission. Handle it well, and the rest of the day is yours to chill.”
Kirito stepped forward, tilting his head as one skeptical eyebrow rose.
“So… what exactly are we dealing with here?”
Sam didn't answer immediately.
Instead, he reached inside his coat and pulled out a slightly crumpled photograph. With a casual flick of his wrist, he tossed it toward Kirito.
Kirito caught it.
The glossy photograph showed a middle-aged man dressed in a sharp suit. His expression was cold and calculating, his eyes seemingly devoid of anything that might reveal what he was thinking.
“This man is a traitor,” Sam said, his tone dropping into dead seriousness. “He stole classified documents from the Tokyo branch. He's tied to a high-risk shadowy organization—and now, it's our job to bring him in.”
Kirito lowered the photograph.
A grin slowly spread across his face.
He flexed his fingers, the joints cracking softly beneath his tightening grip.
“So we just track him down… and beat the hell out of him? Sounds easy enough.”
Reno flashed a sharp grin, resting one hand on his hip.
“Piece of cake.”
“Guys…”
Asuna stepped between them, arms tightly crossed over her chest.
“Shouldn't we take this a little more seriously? Let's actually listen to Sensei for once!”
Sam gave them one final, heavy nod.
“Good luck. Come back alive.”
The casual atmosphere disappeared instantly.
The smiles faded.
The joking stopped.
In its place came the quiet tension of a team switching completely into mission mode.
“Huh?”
Kirito turned his head, noticing that their mentor had already begun walking away.
“Best of luck, everyone!”
Allya waved enthusiastically before happily jogging after Sam.
The team eventually split apart, each member moving toward a different section of the sprawling amusement park.
Around them, the park continued as though nothing had changed.
Children laughed.
Roller coasters thundered along their tracks.
Joyful screams rose from the rides while cheerful melodies drifted through the air. The sweet smell of popcorn and freshly made churros mixed with the summer heat.
Yet beneath the appearance of casual visitors, the team remained alert.
Their eyes tracked every passing face.
Their steps were measured.
Their attention never wandered for long.
“I'll take the west side,” Reno called out before disappearing into the crowd.
“I'll head north,” Asuna replied.
Kirito glanced toward the eastern side.
“Guess that leaves me with the east.”
His familiar smirk returned.
“Let's move.”
Asuna made her way toward the crowded food court, her gaze constantly shifting between the people around her and the small photographic print resting in her palm.
She slowed near a bubbling stone fountain.
For a moment, her attention was drawn away from the mission.
A high-school-aged couple stood nearby, sharing a double-scoop ice cream cone. They laughed together, their hands occasionally brushing against one another as they enjoyed their afternoon.
It was such a simple scene.
Yet somehow, amid the overwhelming noise of the amusement park, it felt strangely peaceful.
A sudden tightness formed in Asuna's chest.
I… I want to do something like that with Kirito too…
The thought hit her so suddenly that her cheeks immediately flushed.
She snapped her head away.
W-What the hell am I thinking?!
Asuna covered her burning face with both hands, shaking her head furiously.
“Me? With Kirito?! Get it together, Asuna! Focus! Mission first… feelings later!”
She took a deep breath.
Then another.
Eventually, she lowered her hands and forced herself to look at the photograph again.
“Right. Mission.”
Meanwhile, on the eastern side of the park, Kirito sat alone on a cold stone bench beside a cascading fountain.
Water spilled continuously over the stonework, but the soothing sound barely registered.
Kirito let out a long sigh.
He lifted a cold can of Coke and took a slow sip, condensation running down the aluminum and dampening his fingers.
“Seriously? Who in their right mind chooses a bustling amusement park to hand over top-secret classified documents?”
He stared blankly into the distance.
“What an idiot…”
A small sound suddenly interrupted his thoughts.
“Sniff… Mom… Dad…”
Kirito's eyes shifted.
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A tiny boy, no older than six, stood alone near the path.
His knees were scuffed, his clothes were dusty, and his red-rimmed eyes were filled with tears. His little fists rubbed desperately at his cheeks, but the tears continued to fall.
People passed him.
Some glanced briefly in his direction.
Others simply kept walking.
Kirito's expression darkened.
What the hell is wrong with people…?
His brows drew together.
They're all just watching—acting like he isn't even there.
He stood.
Without another thought, Kirito crushed the empty soda can and dropped it into a nearby bin before walking toward the boy.
His boots struck the pavement with measured steps.
When he reached the child, Kirito lowered himself onto one knee until they were at eye level.
He gently placed a hand on the boy's trembling head.
“Hey… there's no need to be scared,” Kirito said softly, forcing a reassuring smile. “I'll help you find your parents, okay? So try not to cry.”
The boy blinked through his tears.
The kindness seemed to catch him off guard.
Kirito reached into a paper bag he'd bought earlier and pulled out a fresh ice cream bar.
He held it out.
“What’s your name, little guy?”
“M-My name is Rin… Rin Sozu.”
Rin accepted the ice cream with trembling hands.
Kirito chuckled softly.
“Rin, huh? That's a real cool name.”
He leaned slightly closer.
“Do you know your parents' phone number? Or maybe your home address?”
Rin's lower lip trembled.
“Umm… no. But… I think I remember where we parked our car!”
Kirito smiled.
“Good man. That's plenty to go on.”
He gently ruffled the boy's messy hair before lifting him securely onto his shoulder.
“Alright then, Captain Rin. Let's go find 'em.”
The midday sun beat down mercilessly as Kirito carried Rin toward the sprawling parking lot.
The pavement radiated heat beneath their feet, and the shadows cast by the parked vehicles were short and sharp.
“Where are you headed?”
Kirito stopped.
Reno stepped out from between two parked sedans, raising an eyebrow.
Kirito adjusted Rin on his shoulder.
“This little guy got separated from his parents. I'm helping him track down their car.”
Reno's tense posture relaxed slightly.
“Got it. I'll tag along and cover your back.”
“Anaki, look!”
Rin suddenly pointed toward the far end of the parking lot.
“Huh?”
Kirito followed the boy's finger.
His expression changed instantly.
Near the perimeter fence stood a young boy roughly their age.
His hands trembled violently, yet his grip around the dark metallic handgun remained tight.
The weapon was aimed directly at a man in a suit who stood nearby.
Rin immediately clutched Kirito's shirt and hid his face.
Kirito narrowed his eyes.
“What is this…? A cosplay skit?”
Reno's eyes widened.
“No…”
He looked toward the man in the suit.
“Look at the target! That's the guy from the photo!”
Kirito's heart skipped a beat.
“Rin, stay back!”
He quickly set the boy down behind a massive concrete pillar and placed a protective hand on his head.
“Don't move from here, no matter what, okay?!”
Rin nodded nervously.
Kirito and Reno exchanged a glance.
Then they moved.
Both sprinted toward the confrontation, drawing their sleek black sidearms as they advanced.
“HEY! KID!” Reno shouted, his voice echoing across the asphalt. “DROP THE WEAPON! THAT MAN IS A WANTED CRIMINAL!”
Nearby civilians began gathering, many pulling out their smartphones.
“Whoa, is this some live-action promo?”
“Looks like an intense cosplay performance!”
The young gunman snarled.
“I'm not a damn cosplayer!”
His eyes burned with anger.
“I'm from Team-11 of the Dark Knights!”
Kirito blinked.
“Dark Knights…? What the hell is he talking about?”
The youth's gaze darted between Kirito and Reno.
“What is going on here?” Reno demanded, keeping his weapon trained on the target.
“I don't know…” Kirito muttered. “Just don't lower your guard.”
“You brats talk too damn much,” the youth snapped, his jaw tightening. “Get out of my way!”
A sudden blast tore through the air.
“INCOMING!” Reno shouted.
“I see it!”
The man in the suit moved.
His hand flashed through the air in a lightning-fast gesture.
For an instant, everything seemed to blur.
Then—
An invisible shockwave erupted from the point of impact.
The compressed force ripped across the parking lot, throwing nearby civilians from their feet and sending dust and debris swirling through the air.
Reno was caught in the blast and hurled backward.
He slammed into a brick retaining wall before managing to roll away from the worst of the impact.
Screams erupted across the parking lot.
Dust filled the air.
Yet amid the chaos, one figure remained standing.
The traitor.
He loomed over the fallen youth, his handgun pressed against the man's temple.
“Now this… is checkmate,” Kirito said coldly.
He scanned the wreckage.
“Dr. Hawk…”
His eyes narrowed.
“How the hell did he dodge that shockwave strike…?”
“That’s Takashi… from the Dark Knights,” Reno called from the rubble.
He pushed himself upright, wiping a streak of blood from his hairline.
Takashi clenched his jaw.
“How… how is he not affected by that spell?!”
“Simple,” Reno rasped.
He staggered to his feet.
“He used his slime ability to construct a localized barrier, cloaked it with the exploding dust, and slipped behind him while we were all blinded.”
Dr. Hawk looked toward Kirito with a faint smirk.
“You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that—”
The sound of automatic gunfire suddenly tore through the air.
Dr. Hawk jerked as several rounds struck his side, forcing a sharp gasp from him.
A squad of hidden enemy mercenaries in tactical gear had opened fire, their weapons aimed toward the panicked crowd.
“Rin!”
Kirito reacted instantly.
“Slime Wall!”
A translucent, gel-like barrier erupted in front of him and hardened almost immediately.
Kirito lunged back toward the concrete pillar.
He gathered Rin into his arms and turned his body, shielding the child from the chaos as bullets struck the barrier and fragments of concrete scattered across the pavement.
“Just stay down… stay with me!” Kirito shouted.
Rin trembled violently against him.
Then his eyes shifted.
Through a gap in Kirito's jacket, the boy caught sight of two figures lying motionless near the parking gate.
His eyes widened.
“Mama…! Papa…!”
His voice cracked.
“MAMA—!”
Rin began struggling desperately against Kirito's arms, tears streaming down his face.
“Let me go! They're right there! MAMA!”
Kirito froze.
For a moment, he couldn't find the words.
He couldn't bring himself to meet the boy's eyes.
Instead, he tightened his hold and gently pressed Rin's face against his chest, shielding him from what he was too young to understand.
Kirito already knew.
Rin's parents were not getting back up.
They had been caught in the middle of a conflict that had nothing to do with them.
There's no point in telling him the truth now…
Kirito's fingers tightened around the boy.
Just cry… let it out…
He stayed there, silently protecting Rin as the child sobbed against his chest.
Then, just as suddenly as it had begun, the gunfire stopped.
A harsh, amplified voice echoed through the park's intercom system.
“Dark Knights… if you care about the lives of the civilians trapped in this park, hand over the documents Hawk brought, along with the boy hiding behind that barrier. That's the only clean way out of this.”
Reno gritted his teeth.
His fists trembled at his sides.
“Kirito… what happened to Asuna and the backup unit?!”
“I… I can't reach them!”
Kirito tapped his glowing earpiece.
His expression tightened with frustration.
“The signal's jammed! It's a high-level magic jammer. We're completely boxed in!”
Reno's eyes hardened.
“They put up a localized barrier. No one gets in or out. We're on our own.”
“Oh man… this is such a drag…”
Takashi groaned from behind a flipped car.
Despite the chaos surrounding him, he managed to sound almost bored.
“I literally just wanted to sleep today. Why do I keep saying yes to these missions?”
“He's utterly hopeless,” Reno muttered.
Despite himself, he let out a dry, breathy chuckle.
“Both of our designated healers are completely useless in a fight.”
Reno took a sharp breath.
His posture straightened.
The joking expression vanished.
“I'll provide heavy fire cover. Kirito, protect Rin and push the front line!”
“ROGER!”
Kirito tightened his hold around Rin.
“Levitation!”
Reno lunged toward a shattered vending stall.
Brilliant blue light erupted from his fingers as mana pulsed through the air.
Nearby, a heavy wooden crate filled with glass soda bottles began to tremble.
Then it rose.
The crate hovered several feet above the ground, held firmly within Reno's telekinetic grip.
“Rotation… Hold it… two to five seconds max…”
His eyes narrowed.
He looked like a sniper carefully calculating the perfect shot.
Then his arm snapped forward.
The crate shot through the air.
It tore across the battlefield toward the advancing mercenaries.
“Now, my turn!”
Takashi stepped out into the open.
He raised one hand.
“Flame Arrow!”
With a sharp movement of his fingers, a volley of blazing projectiles streaked through the sky.
The flames struck the airborne bottles.
The resulting impact erupted across the battlefield.
Glass shattered.
Pressurized soda burst outward.
Fire spread through the cloud of debris, turning the eastern plaza into a chaotic storm of flames, foam, and broken glass.
“WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!”
An enemy commander stumbled backward as burning soda foam and debris rained down around his squad.
“TAKE COVER! RETREAT!”
The mercenaries scattered in panic.
Some slipped across the wet pavement while others raised their arms to protect their faces.
But amid the chaos, they failed to notice the most dangerous person on the field.
Kirito.
He moved like a phantom.
Sliding behind a broad tree trunk, he pressed his palm against the rough bark.
His dark coat fluttered behind him.
His voice dropped to a dangerous whisper.
“This is checkmate…”
Kirito's eyes hardened.
“Aqua Prison!”
Water surged from the ground.
A massive sphere formed in an instant, twisting violently as it engulfed five heavily armed soldiers.
The trapped mercenaries flailed helplessly inside the suspended sphere.
“I… I can't breathe!”
“Get me out of here!”
The remaining soldiers outside the sphere panicked.
“Shoot him! Shoot them all!”
Kirito stared at them without flinching.
“Try it.”
Reno shouted over the roaring water.
“Kirito! Stop playing around and just finish them off!”
Kirito slowly turned his head.
His signature deadpan expression returned.
“I'm keeping them alive so we can send them to prison. Once locked in the sphere, they can't escape.”
“Yeah, well, they can definitely escape prison if they stop breathing!” Reno yelled back.
Before Kirito could answer, Takashi casually stepped forward.
He raised one hand toward the floating sphere.
“De-Materialize, Sam.”
A blinding wave of light swept across the battlefield.
For an instant, everything disappeared beneath its radiance.
When the light faded, the trapped enemy soldiers were gone, their forms reduced to glowing particles that drifted through the air before vanishing completely.
Kirito stared.
“Well… that was fast.”
He sounded genuinely impressed.
The smoke slowly began to clear.
A familiar figure emerged from the haze.
Sam.
He walked calmly through the battlefield, dusting off his shoulders as though he'd merely taken a casual stroll through the park.
Behind him came Asuna, the remaining Dark Knights, and a full tactical squad of police officers.
Reno's shoulders finally dropped.
A massive sigh escaped him as the adrenaline drained from his body.
He sank to his knees.
“Where the hell have you guys been?!”