Chapter 16: You

“Miss, I’m Wen Shengzai—sort of a longtime friend of this guy’s.”

“Tong Ren’s friends are my friends. If you need to borrow money, I’ll give you the highest limit possible.”

“And when you repay, I’ll accept either real-world currency or SAO currency.”

Though the figure sitting beside Tong Ren was fully wrapped in a cloak, Shengzai knew exactly who it was.

Even if the person weren’t wearing a cloak—even if they were naked… cough, it’s none other than the legendary Hentai Na.

In short, having read many of her works, Shengzai recognized her instantly, even with her face and figure hidden beneath the cloak.

“You’re willing to lend me money? And I can repay in real-world currency?”

“Are you so certain we’ll ever escape this death game?”

Asuna was taken aback by Shengzai’s words. From what those others had said, borrowing from Shengzai seemed to come with a generous limit—but she’d never heard anyone could repay in real-world money.

In the SAO world, perhaps a contract could prevent default.

But if real-world currency is acceptable, that means repayment can wait until we return to reality.

Yet once we’re back in the real world, wouldn’t he fear I’d just vanish and never pay?

After all, contracts within this game hold no power over those who’ve already returned to reality.

“Didn’t I just say? Tong Ren’s friends are my friends.”

“If you’re a friend, you get special treatment. Borrow as much as you want—I’ll cover it, as long as it’s within my means.”

“As for your second question: we will absolutely clear this game and return to reality.”

“Don’t ask why I’m so sure—if I didn’t believe it myself, what’s the point of lending money if I don’t even expect to get it back?”

Joking aside, Shengzai knew Asuna was a bona fide rich, beautiful, and refined girl in the real world—her defaulting was practically impossible.

As for why he was so certain they’d return—it was obvious, because he was a transmigrator.

Of course, Shengzai’s explanation convinced Asuna, making her believe he was doing this to give himself a reason to keep going.

She understood that feeling—when she’d first been trapped in the game, she’d gone through the same period of doubt.

If you don’t know how to keep going, then create a reason to keep going.

In Asuna’s eyes, Shengzai lending vast sums to others, hoping to collect in the real world, was precisely the motivation and belief they needed to survive.

To Tong Ren, Shengzai was doing this purely to save face for him—this stirred a tiny pang of guilt in Tong Ren, who had just betrayed his… oh no, his best friend.

As for Shengzai’s true thoughts: this was a rare chance to fleece a wealthy patron—Asuna was nothing like Tong Ren’s broke-ass self. If he didn’t take advantage now, he’d be betraying himself.

In a restaurant in Tolbana, Shengzai sat across from Asuna and Tong Ren, who were devouring their meals, and he could only stare in silence.

“So… you came to borrow money just to have a proper meal?”

Watching Asuna, wrapped in her cloak, eating like a commoner with zero grace, Shengzai was utterly speechless.

Just minutes ago, he’d imagined lending her a fortune and reaping a massive reward in the real world.

He never expected she’d borrow money not to strengthen herself or improve survival odds—but simply to eat a decent meal.

“Even if I die now, I have no regrets…”

Watching Asuna, now fully sated after eating enough for three people, slump back in her chair with a satisfied hum, Shengzai’s mouth twitched involuntarily.

He had the strange feeling that this Hentai Na was nothing like the one in his memories.

Asuna was a foodie, yes—but no one ever said she ate like a bottomless pit.

Seeing Shengzai’s twitching mouth, Asuna finally realized her behavior had been uncouth.

Back home, she’d have been scolded for eating like that.

But here, in the game, with Shengzai and Tong Ren just meeting today, she shrugged: “Hmph. If you’d eaten nothing but rock-hard, tasteless black bread for a month, you’d understand how I feel.”

“And yes, you can lend me a lot—but I’m still just a stranger to your so-called friend.”

As the daughter of the Kusunoki family, Asuna had strong morals and impeccable upbringing.

Had it not been for a month of black bread pushing her to the brink, she’d never have begged anyone for a loan.

In SAO, beyond combat mechanics, there were life-simulating systems to enhance realism.

If a character went too long without rest, fatigue accumulated.

Similarly, failing to eat regularly triggered a “satiety” warning.

Once satiety dropped below the threshold, the character began losing HP continuously—until death.

The cheapest food in the game was the black bread Asuna mentioned—it provided minimal satiety but tasted like chewing a rag.

Tong Ren could endure it, but Asuna had been a pampered heiress who loved fine food. A month of this tasteless gruel was pure torture for her.

So after borrowing money from Shengzai, her first act wasn’t buying gear—it was going straight to a restaurant.

And she generously treated her new creditor and teammate, Shengzai and Tong Ren.

Since SAO fully immersed the senses via brain control, taste was perfectly replicated—this was why Asuna had sighed so deeply.

“Shengzai, do you think this raid will succeed?”

After eating their fill, Tong Ren finally raised the question weighing most heavily on his mind.

(End of Chapter)