Unlike previous times, Ling Feng is settling his mission rewards in the "consciousness" rest space opened by the system.
"Ding! Multi-Anime World 'Sword Art Online' Training Completion: 100%. Excluding hidden rewards and the world-saving mission, all other rewards are doubled."
"Ding! Statistics in progress..."
"Ding! Main mission 'Clear the Game' completed: Earned 3000x2 Wish Energy.
Sub-mission 'Positive Reputation' Title 'Sword Saint' completed: Earned 2500x2 Wish Energy. NPC favorability increased to normal for fifty people: Earned 1500x2 Wish Energy.
Achievement mission 'Boss Reaper' completed: Killed a total of 55 bosses, soloed 5 times, total earned 30500x2 Wish Energy.
World-saving mission completed: Earned 3000 Wish Energy, 3 Merit Points, one super technology lottery chance (5-star).
Hidden mission 'Understand Heart Skill' completed: Earned 1000 Wish Energy, improved 4-star sword skill 《Star Bombing Airflow Slash》, and the choice to take one item from SAO (including lost items, excluding resurrection items).
Total: Seventy-nine thousand Wish Energy, 3.5 Merit Points, one super technology lottery chance, 4-star sword skill 《Star Bombing Airflow Slash》, and the choice to take one item from SAO."
"Ding! This comprehensive world has been recorded in the host's traversed world list."
"Ding! The will of this world has recognized the host, so the host will not consume Wish Energy while staying in this world."
Looking at the series of rewards before him, Ling Feng would have been so excited he couldn't sleep in the past.
However, Ling Feng couldn't be happy now.
"System, can I choose a person as one item from SAO?"
"Sorry, host. I know what you're thinking, but unfortunately, you cannot."
"What about Fog Wind?"
"You can, but it's the damaged Fog Wind, and you'll need to repair it yourself. Are you sure you still want it?"
"Yes."
Ling Feng nodded without hesitation. Fog Wind was given to him by Saigiri, and its meaning was profound.
No matter what, he would find a way to repair it.
"Ding! 'Damaged Fog Wind' has been placed in the system space."
Ling Feng looked at the Wish Energy displayed in the upper right corner of the system interface – 79536.
"E"
Then he put Saigiri's physical body into the system space to carry with him.
This way, when he found a way to treat Saigiri, he could do so promptly and with peace of mind.
...
In a room in Akihabara, Ling Feng, who had been asleep for over a year, opened his long-closed eyes.
Ling Feng quickly sat up, tossed the game helmet aside, and jumped off the bed.
As for why his body wasn't covered in dust, it was likely the system's doing.
"Bang!"
Perhaps due to not moving for over a year, his bodily functions hadn't fully recovered, and Ling Feng fell flat on his face.
"Damn it."
Ling Feng leaned on the bed and shakily stood up.
As soon as he tried to circulate the true qi in his dantian, he found that there was no true qi left.
"System, what's going on? Where's my true qi?"
Ling Feng asked anxiously. He still needed to fly his sword to find Saigiri. What was happening with an empty dantian?
Before coming here, his dantian was full of true qi.
"Host, the true qi in your dantian has been converted into nutrients to maintain your body's nourishment. It is naturally depleted now."
"Damn it."
Ling Feng cursed inwardly and quickly took out a bottle of Qi Recovery Pills from his space.
Without hesitation, he swallowed them all, as if eating candy.
Earth was now in an era of spiritual decline, with scarce spiritual energy. It would take him months to absorb and recover to his peak.
While the pills were digesting, Ling Feng didn't want to waste time and ran towards the door, intending to travel some distance on his own first.
Once his true qi recovered a bit, he would use stealth and his sword.
"Host, on the shoe cabinet to your right by the door, there's a set of keys. Among them is a motorcycle key."
Hearing this, Ling Feng, who had rushed to the door, glanced to his left.
He found a set of keys on the shoe cabinet as expected.
He grabbed them and dashed out the door.
Ling Feng ran downstairs and pressed the car key's horn.
"Beep!"
A clear honk sounded.
Ling Feng looked in the direction of the sound.
He saw a cool black motorcycle parked there.
If it were any other time, Ling Feng would have admired it closely.
But with Saigiri's situation unresolved, he had no mood to admire anything.
He climbed onto the bike, started the engine.
Once the motorcycle was running, Ling Feng twisted the throttle and sped onto the road.
Following the shortest route planned by the system, he raced towards the hospital.
...
On a cross-river bridge, Kirito was leaning on an IV stand, swaying as he made his way to the general hospital in the city center.
However, due to his current weak state, he was exhausted after just a few steps and had to stop and rest.
"Asuna, wait for me."
Kirito panted heavily, moving slowly forward.
After waking up, he used SAO's information to inquire about Asuna's location from the person in charge at the 'Ministry of Internal Affairs SAO Incident Countermeasures Headquarters'.
Upon learning that Asuna was in the city center and still unconscious, he rushed towards her without a second thought.
However, without money or a phone, he had walked all the way to this point.
"Clang!"
"Bang!"
Kirito hadn't walked far when his legs suddenly felt weak, and he stumbled to the ground.
"It hurts, damn it, I can't give up here. Asuna is still waiting for me."
Kirito gritted his teeth and, leaning on the IV stand, stood up again.
"Kirito!"
A familiar voice reached his ears. Kirito was startled and turned his head.
He saw Ling Feng on a motorcycle stopped by the roadside, and he was stunned.
He was utterly confused.
Why did Ling Feng look so well, with little change from in the game, while he was so weak?
"What are you still standing there for? Get on!"
"Oh, okay."
After Kirito got on the motorcycle, Ling Feng twisted the throttle, and the motorcycle roared forward, kicking up dust.
On the way, Kirito rested for a moment, calming his pounding heart, before finally asking.
"Ling Feng, are you going to the general hospital in the city center?"
"Of course. Saigiri is there. And you, where are you going?"
"I'm also going to the general hospital. Asuna is there."
"Then it's perfect, we're going the same way."
"..."
"By the way, Kirito, you looked so funny just now, I really wanted to laugh, hahahaha."
"Shut up! If you dare to tell anyone about this, I'm not done with you."
"Don't worry, don't worry, we're brothers who've been through thick and thin together. How could I do something like that? (͡°͜ʖ͡°)✧"
"I don't believe you! Damn it, you were the one who sent that photo of me and Silica traveling to Asuna back then!
I haven't settled that score with you yet! Do you know I had to kneel on the floor all night? (ﾉ｀⊿´)ﾉ"
"Uh... how could it be me.
(´ﾟwﾟ)"
"You're still denying it? Asuna told me herself! (｀Δ´)ゞ"
"Σ(ŎдŎ|||)ﾉﾉ"
"Hey hey, steady the bike! This is two lives on one vehicle!"
With a wobble, the motorcycle managed to regain stability from the brink of flipping.
On the road, the two continued to chat about gossip, which also helped Ling Feng slowly move past the incident with Saigiri.