"So what is it you want, Mr. Morte. An active actor who seems to know quite a bit about me?" Satoru looked straight at him through the drifting smoke in the night.
"Hah. You're speaking in uncertainties, yet your tone is so steady." Morte slipped back into his exaggerated tone. "But I suppose that's just confidence in your own strength."
He crossed his arms and cleared his throat theatrically.
"So, Yurnero, what do you think of this world?"
"You went through all that trouble to follow me just to play reporter? If you want answers, answer my question first."
"Oh come on, that's exactly why I'm here. Right, I'm a reporter now. Not an actor anymore!"
"Call yourself whatever you want… You were at the Divine Dragon Alliance meeting yesterday too, weren't you? And the one muttering those cringeworthy lines when I wasn't paying attention. That was you." Satoru spoke while taking a drag from his cigarette.
"Of course. I mean, those clueless guys just call you something like a mob-grinding maniac, don't they?"
Satoru ignored him.
"I don't recognize the name Morte. But if you were able to attend that meeting, your level must be decent. And calling yourself an actor reminds me of someone who spread lies during the Second Floor boss fight."
"Oh? You mean…"
"I don't remember his name. I don't make a habit of remembering idiots."
"I feel bad for him already." Morte clutched his chest in mock sorrow.
"In the end, you're one of his kind, aren't you? People chasing unrealistic, anti-mainstream ideas. That alone draws a clear line between us. I want to clear this game as soon as possible. You people, on the other hand, seem to enjoy struggling in it. So that question you asked earlier had no value."
"Asking something you already know the answer to. Don't you get bored?"
Satoru frowned.
Morte nodded along as he listened.
"Trying to seize control and pry information out of me already?"
He smiled.
"But the difference in how much we know is huge. Take what you just said. It sounds fitting for the newly appointed Vice Leader of the Divine Dragon Alliance. One of the so-called liberators of this game. But in truth, it's nothing more than a righteous façade."
"You know you're lying."
"You agree with that kind of thinking deep down. You just wouldn't act on it. At least not unless the reward outweighs the risk. Someone like you, who's always applied real-world logic to dominate virtual worlds. In this perfect fusion of reality and virtuality, Sword Art Online. Did the pressure of death really turn you into a savior for low-level players?"
"You're thriving here. In a place where your value can be unleashed freely. Where everyone admires you. Haven't you ever thought, even for a moment, about staying here forever?"
Morte's voice echoed around him.
"Staying means death. No one would choose that," Satoru replied.
"But leaving guarantees survival?" Morte chuckled softly. "Admit it. This world is just as real."
"So your idea of 'real' is causing trouble for others here?"
"No, no. That's just one way to enjoy this world." Morte's tone turned oddly serious. "Hey, don't you think this is incredible? It's like being reborn. No family, no social ties holding you back. You can live however you want. And there are sights here you'd never see in that other world."
"How is this any different from a vibrant fantasy world? No burdens. No crushing expectations. You live freely and effortlessly. It's so cool. So addictive."
"In a world this perfect, there are still people who want to leave. Worse, the kind who would drag me out with them once they go. That's what really pisses me off." Morte stomped his foot.
"So that's why you interfere with the clearing progress?"
"Exactly. And let me tell you, it's an amazing feeling. Whether it's deceiving people with words or trapping them in setups. The satisfaction just overflows and spills everywhere."
"Letting yourself go sounds appealing. But those who go against the greater current rarely end well," Satoru said calmly. "Have you considered the risk of being hunted down and thrown into prison Black Iron Palace?"
"Going against the current? Going with the flow? Listening to the so-called wisdom and lectures of adults?"
Morte let out a sharp, twisted laugh.
"Haven't I had enough of that in the real world? After finally getting a second chance at life, why would I repeat the same thing?"
"Don't you find it strange yourself? You struggle so hard, suppress yourself, break out of this game to return to reality. And what do you get? The same disappointment. What's the difference between escaping one abyss only to fall into another you can never climb out of?"
"Why assume reality is an abyss?" Satoru said. "There are six billion people out there living full, vibrant lives."
"Pfft…"
Morte let out a laugh of genuine surprise.
"Hahahahaha! Oh, oh! You mean that, right? Work hard to make money, plan out your life, find your ideal partner, grow old together, experience life's ups and downs. And then things like immersing yourself in art, cultivating your character. Even if you're living like a dog right now, you still struggle on, never giving up, never abandoning anything."
"You mean that kind of feel-good soul soup, don't you?!"
"It's impressive how far you've taken your self-deception, Yurnero!" He clapped loudly.
"Alright then, tell me. When you return to the real world, what are you going to do? Clean your room, take care of plants, go out and reconnect with old friends, visit your old school and reminisce about that girl you once had a crush on? Put on a suit and start living a healthy, upright life?"
"…" Satoru frowned deeply, staring at him.
"Well? I can speak some sense too, right? Not to brag, but even if I were picked as a school announcer, I could deliver a touching young love story on the spot. Something bright and positive, encouraging everyone to work hard and face life properly!"
Morte raised his voice.
"But, Yurnero! After feeding people that kind of nonsense for so many years, I still think. Right here, I'm unbelievably happy!"
"So-called morality, good and evil. Those shackles bind you, and in the end they twist you out of shape. There are countless 'truths' in this world, and people say you should stay focused and consistent. But what if I want to focus on being what you call a villain? I'm freer than you hypocrites!"
"As Dante's Divine Comedy says, the deepest part of hell is reserved for those who remain inactive in the face of right and wrong!"
His voice grew heavy.
"If you're evil, then be evil! If you're good, then be good!"
"The most pitiful are those stuck in between. They understand the cruel rules, they can be cold, they can be ruthless. But they still go with the flow, lacking the courage to truly become villains. In the end, they think they're being clever, but they're just drifting through life!"
"And then?" Satoru asked calmly.
"The wicked get hunted down and killed. The good get killed by the wicked. And those 'in-between' people you talk about are the ones who live the best."
"In that case, it would be better not to have been born at all," Morte muttered.
"If all you do is act on survival instinct, isn't that just pathetic?"
"Who wouldn't want to stand at center stage? To feel the spotlight shining on them alone?"
"Morte." Satoru looked at him. "Everyone has their own way of living."
"True. But I'm not here to debate philosophy with you, Yurnero. From the start, you knew exactly who I was talking about. You've just been avoiding it."
"What I said doesn't apply to everyone. But for you, it fits perfectly," Morte said sincerely. "You know living like this. Numbing yourself. It's no different from being a walking corpse. But you're not useless. This world is practically built for you."
"I know you're not some altruistic hero. You're only doing what you're doing because it benefits you."
"But… living a life of self-suppression for the sake of advantage, or taking on some risk and living vividly, brilliantly."
"Which will you choose?"
Morte extended his hand toward him.
"I'm your friend. That's the truth."
"You've suffered too much, living in between."
There was a feverish intensity in his voice.
"I know your talent. Come on, partner. Join me. Let's live loudly, brilliantly!"
Partner.
Friend.
Trust.
Satoru looked at him, and a faint smile appeared.
"You're right. I won't deny it."
Morte's expression brightened.
"But…"
Satoru continued.
"What I'm doing now isn't just for myself anymore."
Sheeta. That girl deserved a better world. To stand among the frontline group, to be accepted, to be cared for.
"I understand the risks better than anyone. When everything comes to light, I'll be ruined. But before that happens, I need to make sure she can settle in properly. She's not good at dealing with people."
"Morte. Unfortunately, before you, I already have a partner."
"And even though there was a moment I considered trusting you… you and that raincoat player seem connected somehow. So we were always going to end up as enemies."
Morte fell silent.
"Do you even understand what you're doing? When it comes to how you live, you struggle in between. And even now, faced with a choice right in front of you, you still choose that path?"
"The assault team won't tolerate you. And you're rejecting us as well."
His voice turned cold.
"You'll die miserably."
"Is that so? Weren't you the one who said you understood me? That anyone who knows this nickname would fear its past?" Satoru let out a soft laugh, flicking the cigarette butt to the ground and crushing it underfoot. "But it seems you don't understand me as well as you think."
With a soft hum, he drew the Crimson Sickle Fang.
"No. I do understand," Morte replied. "You fight like you're playing chess. You see others as blank pages. You know their moves, their thinking. It's like you're standing in the future, crushing the past. That's why you're unbeatable."
"But once your trump card is known, you have no chance of winning."
"Right. If my trump card is known, I'm not strong."
Satoru's face remained expressionless.
But no one has ever known my trump card.
He buried those words deep inside.
[Duel Request. Life Reset Mode. Target: Morte.]
Satoru immediately rejected it, letting the window vanish.
Facing the masked player, he grinned sharply.
"Why bother with all that. Just…"
"Let's begin!!"