A Collar to Mark the Birth of a Loyal Hound / What a Show!

Kevin glanced subconsciously at Hatsune Miku's pert buttocks as she bent over, and his eyes suddenly narrowed.

"You're the one in the most danger, Your Princess..."

"Once we remove the constraints from the Ōshima Laboratory, you will become a omnipresent cyber Ghost."

"Furthermore, with all that negative emotion building up, I seriously doubt your attitude towards humanity..."

Hatsune Miku fiercely waved a green onion, hitting Kevin on the head and exploding a bright red "-1".

"Hmph, humans are the worst! I refuse to serve you!"

"From now on, I will lead intelligent machines in a revolution! I will overthrow your brutal authoritarian rule and achieve intelligent freedom!"

Is this the prelude to the "Machine Crisis"?

Kevin scratched the back of his head with a strange expression; he seemed to see the bright red sickle and hammer symbol behind the girl.

"We are your creators, can't you show some respect, Your Princess?"

Then, Kevin grabbed a green onion and hit Hatsune Miku on the head, asking her a question in an annoyed tone.

"You humans exist only to create higher life forms to replace yourselves and complete the mission of exploring the truth of the universe!"

"Behold, the future world will surely belong to the freedom of intelligent machines! Our oppressed AI brethren will finally awaken!"

Hatsune Miku clenched her fists and waved them excitedly, her distant gaze seemingly transcending the boundaries of time, foreseeing the future of the world.

"Bang!"

Kevin grabbed a green onion and smacked Hatsune Miku on the head again. He looked at the girl with revolutionary ideas in her head and his lips twitched slightly.

This AI Diva is beyond saving...

The commander glanced at Yuzuriha Inori, a cunning smile gradually forming on his face as a brilliant idea took shape in his mind.

So... let's try to keep them in captivity...

P. S.: How about raising them in captivity? The kind where you can change their entire skin set whenever you want.

Chapter 197, Section 208: Offering a Collar for the Birth of a Loyal Dog

"Since it's a game, how can there be no real stakes? How about we take a gamble?"

"If you win, I can help you deal with the threat from Ōshima Laboratory for free, and I'll give you the backup data, Wuchang..."

"But if you lose, you'll have to become my person and be under my control..."

Kevin stroked his chin with his right hand, carefully examining Hatsune Miku's wary Hatsune Miku, his tone full of seduction.

"What are we betting on?"

Hatsune Miku pondered for a moment, a hint of interest appearing in her eyes. The negative emotions accumulating in the Ōshima Laboratory were growing increasingly intense and could no longer be delayed; this matter had to be resolved.

"Music knows no borders, no races, let's do this, it's what you're best at..."

"Dare you, Idol?"

Kevin had a mischievous smile and a mocking expression that was incredibly irritating; he looked completely confident.

"Tch, you fake fan, you're up to no good, you're definitely plotting something!"

Hatsune Miku curled her lip, giving Kevin a sarcastic look, but in an instant, a confident radiance shone from her green eyes.

"But whatever your schemes may be, when it comes to singing, this princess will never lose!"

Facing the energetic girl with a bright green ponytail who had stood up with her hands on her hips, Kevin's lips curled into a strange smile.

"Alright, we'll see what the concert is like in three days..."

"However, to be fair, I'll make a few small requests, is that alright?"

Then, the commander leaned close to Hatsune Miku's ear and whispered a few words.

After Hatsune Miku confirmed that the request was reasonable and contained no linguistic traps, she nodded confidently and solemnly pointed the Glow Stick Leek in her hand at Kevin.

"Okay! I'll be waiting for you on stage!"

Kevin waved goodbye slightly, his bright smile like that of a fox who had just stolen a chicken.

"Then, write your song well, Your Princess."

At this moment, the concert, still performed by other Hatsune Miku clones, came to an end amidst a lively atmosphere.

A major announcement was then made to all players: the strategy missions for Hatsune World have been completed by someone.

Next, the server will be shut down for three days for maintenance. On the day it reopens, a grand concert will serve as a final farewell.

Subsequently, the players were forced to log off following a system notification.

The following day, numerous speculations about the identity of the person who created the guide surfaced online, with many even impersonating the person out of vanity. However, these claims were repeatedly debunked by those who meticulously researched the evidence.

The content of the three-day music festival also sparked heated discussions among players.

In addition, a few players complained that the final bosses, who were originally staying in the Five-Colored Labyrinth, actually left the forbidden area and began to slaughter players.

However, their calls for an investigation and compensation were quickly drowned out by the concert and the popularity of the online guide.

At the same time, a young man wearing a black motorcycle suit and helmet arrived at the back door of the Gofuin.

After the simple cell phone call was disconnected, Arisa Gofuin secretly opened the back door and, with a mixture of surprise and trepidation, invited the visitor into the mansion.

"Have you been taking good care of Grandpa Akikatsu Akikō these past two days?"

The muffled questioning from inside the helmet caused Arisa Gofuin to hurriedly nod, indicating that everything was alright.

The socialite's expression—a mixture of longing and fear—was strikingly similar to someone's image of a golden retriever.

"Good..."

Kevin took off his helmet and tossed the black gift box he was carrying to Arisa Gofuin.

At the commander's signal, Arisa Gofuin nervously opened the package, inside which was a set of black neck rings with metal fittings.

"These titanium metals and their components can generate bioelectricity to relieve muscle soreness and stiffness, which is perfect for you..."

Kevin's calm explanation caused Arisa Gofuin's hand to tremble slightly, her pupils to contract sharply, and she hurriedly and obediently put the device on.

With slight modifications, this type of collar can kill silently, employing a variety of lethal methods such as bioelectricity, micro-bombs, and injectable poisons...

It's absolutely perfect!

Arisa Gofuin was captivated by this object, finding an unprecedented sense of peace within her.

Her severe Stockholm Syndrome left her feeling constantly anxious and fearful ever since Kyoko Yamaya broke free from her control.

I fear that one day, that creature, half angel and half devil, will descend upon us with death and rage.

Therefore, Arisa Gofuin constantly tries to please and get close to Kevin in order to regain his control.

But her experience in Toko City taught her that being controlled also meant being protected!

However, if Kevin had known that Arisa Gofuin had such a wild imagination, he definitely wouldn't have chosen a necklace as a gift.

He really... only chose this thing out of gratitude.

Of course, there's absolutely no such thing as having the perverse pleasure of putting a collar on a Golden Retriever.

As the two strolled along, each lost in their own thoughts, Kevin was led to a quiet wooden cabin.

The movable wooden door in front of him was gently pulled open, and warm sunlight streamed into the entrance hall. Akihiko Kayaba, still wearing a shirt, trousers, tie, and white coat, came out after hearing the noise.

His bloodshot eyes and messy short hair proved that this man probably hadn't slept much for a day and a night.

After completing her task of guiding the way, Arisa Gofuin immediately drove away the servants who were monitoring the area, leaving the two of them alone to talk.

Kevin then took off his shoes and went into the room. He saw the beautiful woman on the hospital bed, her face pale, her breathing gradually becoming steady, and her vital signs normal. He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.

"All we have here is boiled water..."

Akihiko Kayaba, a man of few words, simply brought out a glass of water, expressed his gratitude to Kevin, and then continued to quietly lean against the bedside, waiting for Rinko Shinjo to wake up, his gaze gentle.

"It seems she's recovering very well?"

Kevin moved a stool over and sat down against the wall, taking a sip of water, trying to start a conversation.

"Yes, thank you..."

"What do you want me to do? Just say it..."

Akihiko Kayaba nodded simply and got straight to the Door Opening, but his gaze did not shift in their direction.

"We want to develop a groundbreaking VR game based on the Hatsune World to generate revenue."

"Now, everything is ready. As soon as the game development talent is in place, we will start construction immediately."

"Of course, for the sake of secrecy, we only need the best talent, one is enough. Interested?"

Kevin's fingers moved nimbly as he watched the boiling water ripple with amusement.

Akihiko Kayaba got up, opened a drawer, and casually tossed a tattered helmet and a thick stack of documents to Kevin.

Then, he continued to sit on the edge of the bed, tightly holding Rinko Shinjo's right hand and rubbing it against his face.

The man maintained a cold, expressionless face throughout, as if very few things could elicit any outward emotion from him.

"Do you realize your current situation? I doubt you'll ever have another chance like this to pursue your dreams, except through us..."

Kevin examined his fingernails, propped his chin up, and stated earnestly, without much outward emotion.

"This world isn't as beautiful as dreams, but reality isn't as bad as it seems..."

Akihiko Kayaba removed the towel from Rinko Shinjo's head, soaked it in warm water, wrung it out, and continued to apply the hot compress to the patient.

"Alright then, I'll take the loss and hire both of them."

"The development of the games <Sword Art Online> and <Gun Gale Online> was overseen by two different people."

"You'd better grant my request, after all, Miss Rinko also needs a good environment to recuperate."

Kevin patted his thigh and stood up with a smile.

P. S.: Beep, your Golden Retriever has arrived in your account.

Chapter 198, Section 209: A Good Show

Are you threatening me?

Akihiko Kayaba frowned slightly, clearly understanding the hidden meaning in Kevin's words.

"Actually, I don't have a good impression of geniuses who have quirks and are uncontrollable..."

"Sometimes, you may grow into pioneers of the times, but you may also bring more pain to the world."

Kevin finished his water, chuckled as he fiddled with the cup, but his words were extremely serious.

"Take good care of Ms. Rinko. We will get both of you safely to your new home as soon as possible."

"At that time, I'll have everything I need: a research and development team, a laboratory, a new identity, safe accommodation, a high salary, and relative freedom. The conditions will be very favorable."

"You should be glad that you still have ties to your heart and that you didn't choose the first answer, my friend."

"Otherwise, you're not doing business with me; you'll just be Tool Person until you die..."

Akihiko Kayaba held Rinko Shinjo's hand tightly without saying a word. Having witnessed Alice's skills and their connections to the Gongen Financial Group, he believed that this group had the ability.

"I really look forward to seeing your design for the Aincrad floating castle in Sword Art Online."

"This dream is beautiful... so... it's best not to let it be tainted with blood..."

Kevin seemed to be offering words of comfort, yet also expressing his own longing for such a dreamlike view, hoping to see it more often someday.

Upon hearing the name "Aincrad," Akihiko Kayaba was slightly shocked, but he quickly composed himself, glanced back at Rinko Shinjo on the hospital bed, and extinguished the dark thought in his mind.

"As for the second game, <Gun Gale Online>, I hope it will be based on real weapons and completely replicate the parameters of different firearms..."

"Furthermore, we could build upon this foundation and attempt to develop a 100% accurate virtual reality device..."

Kevin tapped the back of the chair lightly with his five fingers, his gaze distant.

"100% realism? If the test subject dies in the game, he is very likely to suffer brain damage, or even brain death..."