The SAO Incident Victim Rescue Force was a group of volunteers formed in the year the Sword Art Online incident began, driven by a desire to assist the 10,000 players trapped in the VRMMORPG: Sword Art Online.

These volunteers were stationed across Japan to transport victims to local hospitals.

Their duties included monitoring the players' vital signs, providing necessary medical care, and maintaining a stable environment to prevent any harm to their bodies while their consciousness remained trapped in SAO.

The hospitals handling these cases were managed by top medical professionals and equipped with uninterrupted power supply units to ensure players didn't face accidental power outages during their entrapment in the game.

In Tokyo, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) Hospital, specifically referred to as Chiyoda Hospital, housed SAO players from Tokyo and surrounding areas.

That night was destined to be anything but peaceful. The quiet room, filled with the hum of life-support equipment, was suddenly disrupted by an anomaly.

One of the SAO players woke up!

Of course, that player was Yuuki Asuna.

Naturally, this caused a commotion. Doctors and nurses on night duty rushed to Asuna's VIP ward, the sound of hurried footsteps and medical calls echoing through the corridor. They came to check her condition, ensuring she was truly conscious and free of adverse side effects.

Not only that, but Kikuoka Seijirou, an investigator with the SAO Incident Victim Rescue Force and a member of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications' VR World Division, arrived at Chiyoda Hospital as soon as he received the news.

Kikuoka asked Asuna numerous questions. The most pressing was how she managed to log out while other players remained trapped in SAO.

In the end, Kikuoka could only sigh in disappointment. Asuna herself didn't know the exact reason.

Given that Asuna had just woken from a long coma, Kikuoka didn't press her further. He only asked her to contact him immediately if she recalled anything relevant about how she logged out.

With Asuna's background as the daughter of a major CEO, Kikuoka knew he couldn't act recklessly or push her too hard.

Sitting on the hospital bed, a thick blanket covering half her legs, Asuna stared out the window. Snowflakes fell gently, piling up on the windowsill.

"This must be Charlie's doing, right?" she murmured softly, his name immediately coming to mind as the only explanation for this anomaly.

"As expected from an honor student. Congratulations, Asuna, your guess is correct."

Suddenly, a calm male voice broke the comfortable silence in the VIP ward.

"Charlie!"

Turning toward the voice, Asuna exclaimed in astonishment, seeing Charlie standing nearby without her noticing.

Asuna instinctively tried to stand, but her legs felt weak and trembled. She nearly fell off the bed.

"Stay lying down. You need therapy before your condition returns to normal."

Rushing forward, Charlie caught Asuna before she fell, helping her lie back comfortably on the bed.

After more than three months of physical inactivity, Asuna's body had suffered significant effects.

Her muscles had undergone severe atrophy, particularly in her legs and arms. This meant her muscle mass had drastically reduced due to lack of activity, making her legs feel like jelly and unable to support her weight. Her joints were likely stiff, with limited range of motion.

Her bone density had probably decreased, though not to a dangerous level in the short term, but it still required recovery. Her skin might appear paler and feel thinner in some areas, and her hair might be slightly more brittle.

Overall, while her consciousness was active and sharp in the virtual world, her physical body in the real world was a weak and vulnerable shell, requiring intensive physiotherapy and proper nutrition to restore her strength and mobility.

"How did you get me out of SAO?"

It was the first time Asuna had been this close to a man other than her brother or father, and the warmth from Charlie's hands supporting her made her cheeks flush faintly.

"Nothing special. I just found Kayaba Akihiko and tried to eliminate him, but I failed. That mad scientist used cheats to make himself invincible; even I couldn't kill him."

"However, Kayaba couldn't do anything to me either. He didn't want me to keep fighting Floor Bosses because it disrupted SAO's progression. So, he tried to take me out."

"Though I couldn't defeat Kayaba, that mad scientist was in a similar situation. In other words, we were evenly matched, with neither side gaining an advantage."

"Kayaba realized I cared about you, Asuna. So, he offered to log you out of SAO if I promised not to interfere anymore."

"And I agreed."

Charlie only told Asuna part of the truth.

He didn't want her to know that the main reason he failed to kill Kayaba was because the latter used her as a hostage.

If Asuna knew she was the burden that caused the failure to free the SAO players, Charlie worried she would blame herself.

That burden was too heavy for a girl her age.

"I see. Thank you so much, Charlie."

What woman wouldn't be moved by such a gesture? Asuna, still a teenager, with all the fear and despair she felt in Aincrad, was no exception.

For some reason, a faint blush colored her cheeks.

"You're leaving soon, aren't you?"

The question came out with a sad tone, as if Asuna dreaded the answer she already knew.

"Yes."

Charlie didn't deny it. They had discussed this topic in SAO.

"Charlie, can you come closer?" Asuna asked, her voice barely a whisper.

"Mm."

Unaware of Asuna's hidden motive, Charlie leaned closer. Then—

"…!!!"

His eyes widened as the cool, soft sensation of Asuna's lips touched his.

A brief, unexpected, yet meaningful kiss.

"That was my first kiss. You saved me; it wouldn't be fair not to give you a reward, right? So, my first kiss is my gift to you." Asuna said softly to a stunned Charlie, her cheeks growing redder.

(Haaa… Is it a routine for heroines to give me their first kiss?)

(I wonder how much time has passed there? Is the flow of time the same as mine, faster, or slower?)

Charlie couldn't help but think of the heroine from his previous Quest who did the same as Asuna—Nakano Nino.

"Stay with me until your time runs out."

"No problem."

Charlie agreed to Asuna's selfish request. It was the least he could do after everything they'd been through.

Thus, they spent the rest of the night until sunrise, ignoring the outside world and the lingering worries.

During that time, Asuna listened to Charlie recount his extraordinary life in other worlds.

For Asuna, whose life was tightly controlled by her mother, Charlie's free and boundless lifestyle was something she deeply envied. Her eyes sparkled, captivated by every detail.

Of course, medical staff occasionally came to change her IV or check her condition. But they didn't notice Charlie's presence at all, thanks to his Spirit Arts making him invisible and undetectable. He would stay silent and wait until they left, then continue his stories.

Finally, Charlie's time ran out. A faint light began to emanate from his body, slowly but surely, signaling his imminent return to his own world. His body gradually faded, starting from his fingertips.

"Goodbye, Charlie. I'll never forget you for the rest of my life."

Biting her lower lip, Asuna fought hard not to cry. She didn't want this farewell to be steeped in sadness.

"Goodbye, Asuna. I hope you live a happy life."

Charlie replied, his voice gentle, a faint smile on his face as parts of his body turned transparent.

Soon after, his figure completely vanished from Asuna's sight and from that world.

The ward fell silent again, with only the soft beeping of the medical monitor.

"He's gone…"

Unable to hold back any longer, tears streamed down Asuna's cheeks, wetting her face.

Though her time with Charlie was brief, it was the most precious and unforgettable moment of her life. Asuna knew her life would never be the same again.