Reunion! A World Falling Apart...

The crisp sound of shattering echoed into the ears of everyone present. Looking at the fragments scattering in every direction and Wu Yan standing amid them, every player seemed to have lost consciousness, standing rooted to the spot like puppets, including Asuna, Kirito, Keita, Klein, Agil, and the others...

"Is... it over?..."

After a long while, a voice filled with uncertainty and disbelief rose from the crowd...

"It's over...?..." The other players blankly repeated those uncertain, incredulous words, their eyes fixed firmly on the fragments scattered all around them. Even now, they could not believe that those were Heathcliff's—Kayaba Akihiko's—remains...

Was it over?

This question surfaced in everyone's heart more than once as they stood there in a daze. Their bodies trembled, their fists clenched until their knuckles turned white, as though they were holding something back. Finally, two tears streamed down one player's face...

"It's over... It's over..." "Yeah... It's over..."

"Everything is over..."

"IT'S OVER!!!"

All the top players who had come to take part in the final battle shed tears. Whether the people beside them were acquaintances or strangers, they pulled them into their arms and burst into tears...

At that moment, the wild joy of clearing the game, the pain they had endured, the fear of death they had once felt, and their hopes for the future all became the simplest tears, falling on the spot. It was as though they were venting everything, and the air above the Crimson Jade Palace filled with heartfelt sobbing.

After three years of living in 'SAO,' they had finally been freed...

At the same time, a mechanical voice that resounded throughout the massive floating castle of 'Aincrad' slowly reached every player's ears, informing them that the game had been completely cleared!

Within the Crimson Jade Palace, throughout 'Aincrad,' every