Ashera Also Wants to Play Sword Art Online

Just as Chen Changsheng was digesting his clone's memories, Toka, who was nearby, also heard the clone's previous words. Pleasantly surprised, she ended her cultivation and came before Chen Changsheng.

"You're here!"

At this time, Chen Changsheng, having digested all the memories, suppressed the weird feeling in his heart and smiled as he nodded to Toka.

"Sorry, Toka, it took me so long to come see you."

"You don't need to apologize. As long as you still remember me, I'm already very satisfied."

As Toka spoke, a blush crept across her exquisite face. She took a few nervous steps forward, looking up at Chen Changsheng's face that was now close at hand, her voice tense yet tinged with a trace of hope.

"Um... could you stay a little longer before you leave?"

Hearing this, Chen Changsheng thought of his clone's plan and the nearly completed divine spark he had just obtained. A gentle smile appeared on his face.

"Toka, I might be bothering you here for quite a while."

"Really?!"

"I'll go tidy up a room for you right now!"

Hearing that Chen Changsheng would be staying for a while, Toka's pretty face was filled with joy. She then prepared to go out and tidy up a room for him.

But Chen Changsheng grabbed her arm.

"Actually, you don't need to tidy up a room."

Toka was stunned upon hearing this. Her first thought was that Chen Changsheng wasn't going to stay here, but after looking up and seeing his beaming smile, she immediately realized what he meant, and her face instantly turned beet red.

However, her words still held a bit of resistance.

"Um... Rikka is still at home..."

But before she could finish speaking, Chen Changsheng pulled her into his embrace.

"Rikka will find out sooner or later anyway, won't she?"

"I'll listen to you."

Toka completely tossed Rikka to the back of her mind, happily pressing her face against Chen Changsheng's chest.

Feeling the completely obedient Toka in his arms, Chen Changsheng spoke softly.

"Toka, wait for me a moment."

After saying that, he gently let go of Toka, then pulled Anshera out from his pocket dimension and pushed her straight to the bedroom door.

"Anshera, don't just play around all day! Go out and take care of Rikka out there."

As Chen Changsheng spoke, he looked at Anshera, who was still holding a handheld game console, and glared at her with a look of disappointment.

Ever since Anshera discovered that Chen Changsheng didn't need her to do anything and truly just treated her as a pet, she had completely turned into a shut-in. Every day at the Chen household, she did nothing but eat, drink, and play.

She didn't even have any motivation for cultivation anymore.

Although Chen Changsheng felt helpless about this, looking at Anshera's pitiful little face, he still didn't say much.

He just considered it a lapse in judgment. Initially, he just thought Anshera looked pitiful, which was why he had the thought of adopting her. But he didn't expect that with his protection, Anshera would completely let herself go.

So now he just treated it as raising a cute little pet.

Anshera looked at Chen Changsheng's expression, nodded silently, put away her game console, and opened the door. She then saw Rikka, who had been pressing her ear against the door, fall into her arms due to the door opening.

Seeing this, Anshera reached out to support Rikka and spoke softly.

"Are you Rikka? Master asked me to take care of you."

Hearing this, Rikka looked awkwardly at Chen Changsheng, only to see him nod at her and say.

"Rikka, this is Anshera's first time in this world. Take her out for a walk."

"Oh, alright."

Rikka looked at Chen Changsheng somewhat reluctantly, then at her own sister, and finally could only look at Anshera, who was even smaller than her, and reached out her hand.

Seeing this, Anshera knew she was being sent away again, and that she also had the mission of taking Rikka away. So, without hesitation, she placed her hand in Rikka's and allowed herself to be led away.

Seeing this, Chen Changsheng closed the bedroom door with satisfaction, then looked down at Toka.

"Toka, it's been so long. Let me properly inspect the results of your cultivation."

"Mhm..."

...

On the street, Anshera looked at the somewhat depressed Rikka and spoke softly.

"Rikka, are there any fun games in your world?"

Anshera was very clear that once she and Rikka left the house, her mission was completed.

Since the mission was done, the rest of the time was naturally her break time.

Moreover, with just a few glances, she had already discovered that the technological level of the cities in this world was definitely much more advanced than her own.

This meant that the games in this world were also absolutely richer than those in the Campione world.

Thinking of this, Anshera immediately became a little impatient.

"Do you like playing games, Anshera?"

Rikka looked at Anshera somewhat strangely.

Seeing her nod, Rikka, who just thought of her as an ordinary little girl, thought for a moment and said.

"I don't really pay much attention to games, but if we're talking about the most anticipated game in the world right now, it would definitely be Sword Art Online. After all, it's a virtual reality game."

"A virtual reality game?!"

Anshera's eyes lit up, and she looked at Rikka excitedly.

"Rikka! I want to play this! How can I play it?!"

"Uh, this game hasn't been released yet. It won't officially start its public beta until tomorrow."

"I have to wait another day?"

Anshera immediately deflated.

Seeing this, Rikka comforted her.

"It's okay. Brother Changsheng already got two game helmets for me and my sister beforehand. When the time comes, I'll let you play with mine."

"How could I take your helmet? Master would definitely scold me if he found out. I'd better go buy one myself."

Anshera said, looking at Rikka.

"Rikka, where can I buy that helmet?"

Although this was her first time in this world, as Chen Changsheng's nominal pet, coupled with her own Golden Core cultivation, she was practically treated like a young master in the Chen household. Her storage bag contained a massive amount of treasures, including plenty of gold and silver used by mortals.

Not entirely ignorant of the modern world, she naturally knew the value of gold and silver here.

Therefore, she didn't feel the slightest bit that she wouldn't be able to buy a game helmet.

However, Rikka shook her head.

"The game helmets won't officially go on sale until tomorrow, and there are only a hundred thousand units in total. The stores selling the helmets are already packed with people lining up in advance. It's too late for us to go now."

"How could that be? Then how did Master get the game helmets?"

Hearing this, Rikka stuck out her tongue and said somewhat embarrassedly.

"Brother Changsheng secretly took them from the game company."

"I see."

"Then I'll just go secretly take one too."

"Umm..."

"Don't worry, Rikka. It's fine, I'll leave enough money behind."

Anshera was unwavering. No one could stop her from playing the legendary virtual reality game! No one!

"Al... alright."

Rikka hesitated, but ultimately didn't stop Anshera.

...

Tokyo Aincrad Corporation.

Anshera led Rikka unimpeded through the company's front doors. The surrounding staff members completely failed to notice them.

While the two girls roamed around the modestly sized game company, searching for the storage location of the gaming helmets, two young men in plaid shirts with somewhat messy hair were in the R&D department, excitedly debugging the data for the game's upcoming open beta.

After a long while, the slightly older young man stopped his work, let out a heavy sigh of relief, and looked at the young man beside him.

"Kouichi, thank you for all your support over the years. My dream is finally about to come true."

Hearing this, the younger man also stopped what he was doing, turned to look at the man beside him, and smiled as he shook his head.

"Senior, this is not just your dream. It is my dream as well, and the dream of every player who loves games. So, I should be the one thanking you."

Hearing this, Kayaba Akihiko silently lowered his head a fraction. In his heart, he said a silent apology to this junior who had always held him in the utmost respect—who had even emptied his own life savings to co-found this game company just for the sake of his plan.

I am sorry, Kouichi, but this is my lifelong wish.

...