Chapter 83: Just Awakened and Given Such a Shocking Favor?

In Tokyo District, on the second floor of the Wenren Sword Art Dojo, in Shengzai’s room.

Shengzai, his body covered in medical devices and an IV drip hanging from his arm, suddenly opened his eyes on his own bed.

Beside Shengzai’s bed, a slender figure stood with her back to him, wiping her body with a damp towel, clearly unaware that Shengzai had awakened behind her.

“Cough, cough, cough…”

Shengzai never expected that after being trapped in SAO for two years, the moment he opened his eyes, the world would gift him such a shocking favor.

Hearing the weak cough behind her, Suguha Kirigaya first thought she was hallucinating.

But soon she realized that, aside from herself, the only person in the room was Shengzai, who had been unconscious for two years, so she spun around in sudden delight.

And as she turned, seeing Shengzai’s open eyes, tears instantly filled her eyes!

“Shengzai-ge, thank goodness, you’re finally awake! Two years—you and Kazuto-ge have been unconscious for two whole years!”

At the sight of Shengzai awakening, Suguha Kirigaya burst into tears of joy, and in her excitement, she forgot her own state of dress and the medical devices still attached to Shengzai’s body, rushing forward to embrace him.

Two years ago, during SAO’s public beta, ten thousand players were trapped in the game, sparking massive public uproar.

At the time, Kirito and Shengzai were also immediately taken to the hospital for treatment.

While their consciousnesses were trapped in the game, their physical bodies still needed nutrition—otherwise, if their bodies died before their consciousnesses could escape, even clearing the game wouldn’t save them.

Unlike most other players, SAO patients who remained bedridden and fed only through IVs gradually grew emaciated.

But Shengzai, due to power-sharing from Shengzai in other worlds, did not lose weight during his two-year bedrest—on the contrary, all his bodily metrics were absurdly healthy.

Because Shengzai’s vital signs were so normal and his data so unusually stable, doctors recommended his family take him home to recuperate—it would be easier to care for him and significantly reduce expenses.

As everyone knew, the Shengzai of this world was completely alone, so the burden of daily care fell entirely on Suguha’s shoulders.

Since Suguha herself was only a student, she hired a temporary nanny to watch over Shengzai during school hours.

The cost of hiring the nanny was paid from the compensation claim filed by the electronic and mechanical manufacturer “ARGUS.”

It’s true that the SAO developer and the one who trapped the players, Kayaba Akihiko, was the culprit.

But as the equipment manufacturer, “ARGUS” also bore some responsibility, so it was perfectly normal for players’ families to file compensation claims afterward.

That morning, while at school, Suguha received news that her brother Kazuto Kirigaya had awakened; after visiting him at the hospital, she rushed Pobujidai to Shengzai’s home.

But when the nanny she hired said Shengzai showed no signs of awakening, Suguha felt as if the sky had collapsed.

At the hospital, Suguha had heard from her brother Kazuto Kirigaya that their awakening was entirely because Shengzai had defeated Kayaba Akihiko.

After hearing Kazuto’s account of what happened, Suguha was undeniably thrilled and proud.

Because her Shengzai-ge, whether in reality or in the game, remained as outstanding and reliable as ever—nothing like her useless brother.

But when she asked about Shengzai’s final fate, Kazuto Kirigaya fell silent.

In SAO, Kirito and the others had witnessed Shengzai and Kayaba Akihiko perish together.

In SAO, a depleted HP bar meant death—this was nearly an iron rule—so when Suguha asked about Shengzai, Kirito truly didn’t know how to answer his sister.

Seeing Kirito’s silence, Suguha immediately sensed something was wrong, and rushed without delay to the Wen family home.

Then, seeing that Shengzai had not yet awakened but all his medical data remained normal, she breathed a huge sigh of relief.

According to today’s news, Shengzai was not the only SAO player still unconscious.

Although Suguha didn’t know the exact reason, as long as Shengzai wasn’t dead, there was still hope he might awaken.

Frustrated, Suguha glanced at the unconscious Shengzai, then ran downstairs to practice swordsmanship for a while to calm her mind.

After breaking into a sweat, she returned to Shengzai’s room, thought of his unconscious state and the absence of anyone else, and decided to simply remove her top and wipe her body with a damp towel.

That was why, the moment Shengzai awoke, he saw such a “favor.”

Overcome with emotion at seeing Shengzai awaken after two years, Suguha didn’t realize how inappropriate her current state was.

Originally, with her back to him, the scene was still suggestive but at least passable.

But now that she had turned around… Shengzai felt his blood surge violently, rushing straight to his nasal cavity!

After two years, he wouldn’t die from blood loss just after waking up, would he…

Two years ago, Suguha Kirigaya was still a middle school student, but now she was a high school student.

And though they hadn’t seen each other for two years, Shengzai could now confirm—Suguha’s development had progressed remarkably well!

“Suguha, although we haven’t seen each other for two years, I’m glad to see you—but you’re hugging me so tightly I can’t move.”

Hearing Shengzai’s words, Suguha Kirigaya finally realized her situation, especially when she noticed how poorly dressed she was—her face instantly flushed bright red.

“Shengzai-ge, I was just too excited… you didn’t see anything, did you…?”

Only now, after the rush of joy faded, did Suguha realize how inappropriate her actions had been.

“I didn’t… because I just woke up, my eyes haven’t adjusted to the light yet, so I didn’t see anything.”

With Shengzai’s dynamic vision, he had seen everything—clearly, in slow-motion, frame-by-frame, now stored as multiple JPGs on his brain’s hard drive.

But to spare Suguha embarrassment, Shengzai could only lie and claim her rush had been too fast and his eyes hadn’t adjusted yet, so he’d seen nothing.

“(///▽///) Shengzai-ge really didn’t see anything?”

Shengzai: “(▽｀), No, absolutely not! I swear it on Kazuto Kirigaya’s lifelong single status!

You know we’re best friends—I’d never betray him.”

(End of Chapter)