Chapter 216: Chapter 215: The Teleport Crystals Have Never Once Worked. Why Would They Start Now

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With the strategic push from Kiyozawa Library, news regarding Haruto and Reina spread through the industry like wildfire. The subculture scene had always been a breeding ground for idol-like fandoms; popular creators were often treated with the same fervor as mainstream celebrities.

Given that both Haruto and Reina possessed striking good looks, it was incredibly easy for the fans to start shipping them. This wasn’t just limited to the light novel circles anymore; the marketing campaign successfully ensnared manga and anime fans who followed Haruto’s every move.

For several days, the online forums were electric. The fanbases of Shizuru, Reina, and Haruto clashed in spirited debates, creating an atmosphere that was slightly tense but highly engaged.

This, of course, was exactly what the executives at Kiyozawa Library and Weekly Prime wanted to see.

While the quality of their works was undeniable, organic growth could be a slow process. Injecting a bit of creator gossip into the mix provided the necessary fuel to accelerate their brands’ influence across the country.

As late November drew to a close and December arrived, the narrative momentum showed no signs of slowing down.

In the world of Initial D, the plot was finally building toward the high-stakes battle between the RedSuns’ ace, RyosukeTakahashi, and the protagonist, Takumi Fujiwara.

This anticipation propelled the reader vote count for Initial D in Weekly Prime toward the monumental three-million mark.

The surge was so absolute that the former top-ranked title had seen its support plummet significantly. The fan drainage was real; readers across the entire magazine were shifting their loyalty towards Initial D.

Meanwhile, Sword Art Online had settled into a comfortable rhythm. The story had evolved into a dual-track narrative: the domestic, blossoming romance between Kirito and Asuna interspersed with high-stakes floor-clearing raids. If you were to analyze the weekly content, you might argue that there weren’t many explosive, heart-pounding revelations in every single Chapter.

However, the work excelled at maintaining a constant, low-level sense of dread while providing the warmth of character growth and emotional intimacy.

Put simply, it was an incredibly comfy read. Every Monday morning, readers found themselves reflexively heading to the bookstores to grab the latest Kiyozawa magazine.

They would devour the latest Kirito and Asuna fluff, let out a satisfied shipping sigh, and immediately begin the agonizing wait for the following week.

Then came the newest issue. The cover of Kiyozawa this week granted a massive amount of place to Reina’s debut novel, Absolute Realm. Her heroine stood side-by-side with Asuna, the two of them occupying over sixty percent of the cover’s center position.

Ruri, a typical Tokyo salarywoman, didn’t make it to her local bookstore until after a session of overtime. She let out a breath of relief when she saw three copies still left on the shelf; she would have had a massive headache if she’d missed out. Back in her student days, she hadn’t cared much for light novel magazines, but over the last two years, specifically after falling under the spell of Shiori Takahashi’s writing, she had become a die-hard Kiyozawa reader.

Once home, she indulged in a long, hot soak in the bath to wash away the stress of the office. Only then did she settle into her living room to quietly flip through the week’s issue.

Naturally, the cover’s promotion for Absolute Realm caught her eye.

Most magazine fans will at least give a new series a cursory glance; if it’s good, they follow it; if not, they skip it in future issues. Ruri began reading Reina’s new work with a neutral mindset.

As the prologue unfolded and the protagonist appeared, Ruri blinked in surprise.

A female protagonist? That was quite rare for a flagship magazine like Kiyozawa, which primarily catered to a male demographic.

But as she read on, she was hooked. Within the first thousand words, Reina had established a gripping mystery and a sharp narrative reversal, all while seamlessly weaving in complex world-building.

Two minutes passed. Five minutes. Ten.

Ruri finally looked up, her eyes bright with excitement.

’This is actually really good. I’m definitely adding this to my weekly rotation.’

However, no matter how impressive the newcomer was, nothing could top Sword Art Online in her heart. She quickly flipped to the SAO section.

Chapter Title: The Blue-Eyed Demon.

The title alone told Ruri that this was going to be a Raid Chapter. It would likely focus on Kirito, Asuna, and the Clearing Group challenging a floor boss.

As the plot progressed, the tension ramped up. Klein, Kirito, Asuna, and the rest of the raid party reached the boss room, only to be caught in a lethal trap.

To make matters worse, the Teleport Crystals, the players’ only safety net, were disabled by the zone’s anti-crystal field.

"Oh, come on," Ruri muttered with a dry chuckle. "Those Teleport Crystals haven’t worked a single time since they were introduced in the lore."

The memory of Sachi, who had died because a crystal failed to activate in a trap, loomed over the narrative.

And now, history was repeating itself. The boss, The Gleam Eyes, unleashed an unprecedented level of power, nearly annihilating the entire vanguard of the Clearing Group.

’Is this going to be a total wipe?’ The thought flashed through Ruri’s mind.

Haruto’s prose was masterfully evocative.

As she read, the scenes played out in her mind with the clarity of a high-budget film.

"No! Stop!" Asuna, unable to watch her comrades be slaughtered by the towering monstrosity wielding a massive slab of a sword, let out a desperate cry and charged forward.

The Flash of SAO was in top form, her rapier a blur of silver light. However, Asuna’s build was focused on high-speed, high-frequency strikes with moderate damage output.

While she successfully landed hits on the Blue-Eyed Demon, the strikes were little more than surface scratches. Against a creature with that much HP and defense, she was miles away from delivering a killing blow.

Just as the demon’s blade was about to descend on the exhausted Asuna, Kirito lunged forward.

His slight frame stood in the way of a seven-meter-tall beast that radiated the crushing pressure of a mountain. A single glancing blow from the boss sent Kirito’s health bar into a freefall.

"Asuna! Klein! Give me ten seconds!" Kirito shouted, forced into a do-or-die gambit.

Ruri leaned forward, her grip tightening on the magazine. She flipped the page.

The ten seconds were up. Asuna and Klein had held the line by the skin of their teeth. Now, it was Kirito’s turn.

The next two pages were a stunning, full-color manga spread illustrated by the series’ dedicated artist, Shizuru.

It depicted the young swordsman’s slender silhouette clashing with the colossal demon. But he wasn’t wielding one sword anymore. He was holding two, crossed in front of him. The moment he gripped that second hilt, the world seemed to tilt on its axis.

Parries, counters, trading blows for blood, arcs of blue energy erupted from the blades. The expression on the boy’s face was one of focused, beautiful madness.

"Faster... faster... even faster!"

The prose worked in perfect tandem with Shizuru’s art, creating a seamless cinematic sequence in Ruri’s mind. Kirito’s twin blades became a whirlwind of destruction, meeting the demon’s jagged sword in a frantic, sparks-flying exchange.

In the final heartbeat of the struggle, Kirito parried the beast’s weapon aside. The demon reached out, grabbing Kirito’s shoulder, but it was too late. With a guttural roar, Kirito channeled every ounce of his remaining strength into a final, piercing strike.

His second blade tore through the monster’s chest.

The second color spread captured this exact moment.

Kirito’s frantic, high-speed sword skill finally had a name.

Starburst Stream.

Watching the narrative culminate in this breathtaking art, Ruri felt her heart ignite.

’This is way too cool! Go Kirito!’

The warrior had successfully protected his girl from the monster. And when the subsequent paragraphs revealed that the dual blades was a unique, secret skill Kirito had unlocked through his own insane reaction speed, Ruri’s satisfaction reached its peak.

’Yes! Exactly!’ she thought. ’The protagonist shouldn’t have the same skills as everyone else. He needs something that is uniquely his.’

"So cool!" she whispered to the empty room.