Princess? Demon? / Kayaba Akihiko's Crisis

Leon, Demon Hunter Dante was becoming increasingly apparent, sat down next to Kevin and chuckled lightly.

"By the way, have you experienced any changes in your body in real life?"

Kevin frowned and asked, looking at the flamboyant white-haired man in front of him.

"Hmm, I'm stronger now. It seems some game skills, along with my improved physical abilities, can now be used in real life..."

"Also, could you ask the doctor to develop a hair dye for me? I still prefer my previous blonde hair."

Leon pondered for a moment, then gave a serious answer, casually grabbing his silver hair, somewhat dissatisfied.

"Forget blonde hair, blondes have always been associated with unfavorable looks. White hair suits you best! Handsome and cool, as dashing as the wind!"

Kevin chuckled lightly, his expression mocking, while inwardly he pondered that he should also try out the skills in real life more often.

"Master, what are you talking about? You seem so happy."

Koichiro Yuuki, who had already finished his monster-hunting activity, came up to Kevin and addressed him as "Master" repeatedly to show his closeness.

"What else can men talk about besides women?"

Kevin naturally wouldn't tell the kid the truth, and just gave him a perfunctory answer.

Unexpectedly Koichiro Yuuki, with the air of an experienced man, stepped forward in a lewd manner, casually pointed to where his sister was, and whispered something to Kevin with a grin.

"Master, if you teach me a few more moves, I'll tell you what Asuna likes and dislikes, and I guarantee it'll be exclusive information."

"If you teach me the Caslan family's knightly secrets, I can lock her out for you. I know the inns near my house well..."

"You really are her brother, "Kevin said speechlessly, worried that if Asuna Yuuki heard this, the kid would probably get another beating.

However, to be honest, I am actually a little tempted.

Chapter 189, Section 200: Princess? Demon?

Just as the three were chatting, Kirito's group, who had already completed their mission, arrived to join them. However, he was accompanied by a young couple.

The man held a red and white cross shield, wore crimson armor, and had his long gray hair tied in a single ponytail. Although he had a calm demeanor, his face was extremely ordinary.

The female character has transparent fairy wings, light green medium-length hair cascading over her shoulders, holds a small magic wand, has a beautiful face, and her gentle gaze always follows the man.

"They are also two players who obtained the map to the Elf Kingdom. I invited them to team up with me when we were doing the raid earlier."

Kirito stepped forward to introduce Kevin and the others. This kid was probably wary; the only person who could make such an invitation was probably that group of kids from the Black Cat Group who hadn't even left school yet.

"Heathcliff, the Sword and Shield Warrior..."

The man's response was simple and tinged with indifference.

"Hello everyone, this Rinko Shinjo, a level 70 Elf Sorcerer just changed jobs."

In contrast, this woman's attitude was much gentler and more polite.

Having encountered two extraordinary individuals... A look of surprise flashed in Kevin's eyes, and a slight smile appeared on his lips, revealing a strong interest in the two.

Heathcliff's real name in the real world should be Akihiko Kayaba, a main character in Sword Art Online and the creator of the future death game SAO.

Rinko Shinjo uses her real name to log into the game; she is also Akihiko Kayaba's junior and lover from university. Furthermore, both of them are geniuses in game development.

According to some business information from Shozo Yuuki regarding virtual reality game development projects, the organization to which Akihiko Kayaba and Rinko Shinjo belong is developing a fighting game based on the Hatsune World.

Akihiko Kayaba, a genius with a strong sense of purpose who is unlikely to be swayed by others, would not have entered the game to waste time simply to chase after celebrities or for enjoyment.

His real purpose was probably to conduct research and investigation.

He should have a lot of valuable information; it seems like we could consider cooperating.

Kevin gestured for the two to sit down and talk. Rinko Shinjo wanted to fit in, but when she saw Akihiko Kayaba's slightly furrowed brow, she immediately fell silent, preparing to politely decline.

"If we were to choose a developer for this imperfect game, I think Ōshima Laboratory would be the perfect choice."

"I'd like to ask you, what's your opinion on this game?"

Kevin asked quietly, and at his signal, Leon drew his longsword and shaved a rock into the shape of a stone table and benches, which he then placed in front of them.

Akihiko Kayaba didn't want to waste time socializing, but Kevin's words intrigued him.

Because not many people know about the relationship between Hatsune Miku and Ōshima Laboratory.

Once he crossed this threshold, he would have the right to talk to himself. Although Akihiko Kayaba was somewhat aloof and cold by nature, he didn't mind putting on a little disguise in order to achieve his goal.

"From a purely gaming perspective, the plot is simple, the world-building is mixed and crude, and the various class systems are not clearly defined. It's a failed product, like a child's scribbles."

"But it also has a certain forward-thinking aspect; its fully stealth technology and revolutionary character design are ideas worth learning from."

"The premise that the Princess is the Evil Dragon is particularly interesting..."

As a professional game developer, Akihiko Kayaba's assessment of this game is very accurate and insightful.

When he spoke about the concept behind the final boss, a hint of interest flashed in his eyes.

Is this why you've chosen to position yourself as the highest boss on floor 100 when designing the game SAO in the future?

Upon hearing this, Kevin's expression turned strange, and his thoughts began to wander.

However, in order to continue the conversation more effectively, the commander naturally had to reveal some information to show his sincerity.

"In my opinion, the greatest achievement of this game lies not in the game itself, but in its true virtual reality technology!"

"Perhaps you have already noticed that some skills are designed with combat techniques and human biomechanics so well that they can almost be perfectly replicated in the real world!"

"This world is devising the most suitable evolutionary path for each participant, and is unlocking their potential and connecting it with the real world."

"For example, Kirito, the young man next to you, was scolded by his grandfather when he was a child because he couldn't learn swordsmanship properly."

"But I heard from his sister that in real life, this kid once picked up a bamboo sword and actually reproduced all sword techniques up to 8 hits in a row."

"Furthermore, he easily defeated his younger sister, who had ranked among the top eight in the national swordsmanship competition during junior high school."

"The same changes are happening to many other people..."

"From that person's perspective, perhaps this game itself..."

Kevin's meaningful words made Akihiko Kayaba fall into deep thought. After all, he was just a researcher who mainly focused on game development, and he lacked reference material such as superpowered individuals.

Therefore, this news was a good gain for him.

"You mean, the one actually playing this game is her, not the player herself?"

Akihiko Kayaba then looked up and quietly met Kevin's gaze, as if he understood something.

"When the princess was abducted by the dragon, the tuners, as the protagonists, stepped onto the stage of the heroes."

"But the princess, hidden behind the scenes, sat in the audience, revising her script and watching the farcical spectacle on stage with a mocking expression."

"This world is bizarre and fantastical; players and monsters alike are merely toys in her hands."

"It's just that many people get too caught up in the role and always think they're the main character."

Kevin sighed with a hint of helplessness. In fact, he had gradually realized that Hatsune Miku didn't care about the logic and integrity of this whole thing at all; she was probably creating it all for fun.

After listening to the Akihiko Kayaba benefited greatly and began to re-examine the value of the game itself.

This is... the real virtual reality technology...

Imagine how magnificent and wonderful it would be if... the floating castles in that game were brought to life in the real world.

Akihiko Kayaba couldn't help but start daydreaming, his inner desire to create was reignited, and he even couldn't wait to log off and return to the research lab to calculate the feasibility of this strategy.

Rinko Shinjo was curiously observing Kevin. She rarely saw anyone who could evoke such emotional changes in Akihiko Kayaba, and he had done so more than once in just a few tens of minutes.

From what age did Akihiko Kayaba become obsessed with the fantasy of floating castles in the sky...?

That imagined scene remained vividly in his mind, no matter how much time passed. As he grew older, the image became more and more real and expanded.

Perhaps, his solitary genius was born to create that city, a world that transcends all the frameworks and regulations of the real world.

"So, let's continue our discussion about Hatsune Miku, this Artificial Intelligence."

Kevin tapped the table with his right hand, eagerly anticipating Akihiko Kayaba's evaluation.

"She didn't feel like Artificial Intelligence to me, but rather like a living, breathing person!"

Akihiko Kayaba pondered for a moment, then gave a serious response.

"And it's filled with negative emotions..."

Kevin recalled the group of twisted fairytale creatures he had encountered, and added, his expression somewhat hesitant.

"Perhaps, what we are about to face is not just a princess, but a demon in the process of transformation!"

P. S.: I had work during the day, and when I came home in the evening, I twisted my ankle going up the stairs. It caused a delay, please forgive me.

I promised to update at 3 PM, and I will definitely do it. I'm writing now, and it should be published around 2 PM.

Chapter 190, Section 201: Akihiko Kayaba's Crisis

"There's another thing that doesn't quite feel right: Hatsune Miku's emotions are too rich, which overshadows her rational thinking as Artificial Intelligence."

"Moreover, with current technology, it is extremely difficult to make intelligent programs break through from rational thinking to emotional thinking."

Akihiko Kayaba also shared his discovery: the evolution of machines and human thought is exactly the opposite.

Humans progress from rationality to sensibility, while machines need to break through the barriers of rationality and logic to achieve a breakthrough in sensibility.

"Perhaps, she originally possessed a human soul!"

Kevin paused for a moment, recalling the recent disappearances, and muttered unconsciously.

"By the way, is there any information on how to use this thing?"

Then, the commander opened the menu, took out the Glow Stick Leek, and tentatively asked a question.

"Coincidentally, I once obtained a scallion like this, and its raw data seemed to be from an audio comparison program..."

Akihiko Kayaba nodded slightly, recalling the "Admission Ticket" he had ruined earlier, which was definitely a pity.

He's becoming increasingly interested in Hatsune Miku, this unique form of Artificial Intelligence.

Just as Kevin was about to ask for more details, the menu in front of him popped up automatically, and the real call information made Akihiko Kayaba's expression slightly surprised.

"Sorry, something came up, we have to go now..."

Rinko Shinjo also received the call message, greeted them, and logged off. The two of them turned into specks of light and dissipated.

An audio comparison program? The key to starting it is... sound... or singing?

"Shino, does Hatsune Miku have a concert that's broadcast live every night at 8 PM?"

Kevin seemed to have thought of something and turned to ask Shino Asada, who was hiding some distance away. Ever since what happened that night, the little girl had clearly been avoiding him.

"Yes, that's right..."

Shino Asada's soft reply reminded Kevin that there was such a recreational activity in the game world.

As a fake fan of Hatsune Miku, I completely ignored her real profession and was so engrossed in exploring the game that I neglected my duty.

"What's wrong? Is something the problem?"

Asuna Yuuki frowned slightly and stepped forward to inquire.

After the conflict with the Yuuki Family ended, the Yuki couple completely lifted the restrictions on their children and encouraged them to have more contact with Kevin, their behind-the-scenes boss.

Although Asuna doesn't like this utilitarian mindset, Kevin has already gathered a large group of friends she enjoys socializing with.

Therefore, after two days of hesitation, she finally boarded Kevin's pirate ship under her brother's persuasion.

"Perhaps the answer will be revealed tonight..."

Kevin's Glow Stick Leek swayed slightly, its gaze fixed on Yuzuriha Inori, who was gazing at the sky at a 45-degree angle, its words carrying a profound meaning.

Akihiko Kayaba, you've done me a huge favor...

However, following the trajectory of history, in the future, Akihiko Kayaba will create the SAO game, achieving a leap forward in virtual reality technology.

But he was also a ruthless man who designed SAO as a death game and kidnapped thousands of players, forcing them to participate in this deadly game, ultimately leading to the deaths of thousands.

I don't object to you pursuing your dreams, but sacrificing innocent lives for them is ultimately an undeniable sin.

I hope you don't stray too far down that path, and I also hope I can pull you back from the edge of the cliff.