[Kiku-sann!! Someone's calling from inside! No, from inside Underworld!! This... aaahh, it's him,
it's Kirigaya-kunn!!]
[Wha... whaat!?]
Footsteps running in. The mic jerked as someone grabbed it.
[Kirito-kun, you there!? Are you there!?]
This was definitely Kikuoka Seijirou. Pushing aside my hesitation, I shouted.
“That’s right! Listen here, Kikuoka… you… you damned…!”
[I'll take on all the criticism you got later! Listen to me now!!]
I couldn’t help but to shut my mouth at this desperation that didn’t suit him at all.
[Listen... Kirito-kun, search for a girl called Alice! And then...]
“Search for… she’s right here!”
I shouted back and Kikuoka instantly turned silent this time round. Following, he sounded
agitated as—
[I-I can't believe it... it's a miracle! Ri... right, the moment this transmission cuts off, I'll return
the FLA to one thousand times, so take Alice and head for the «World End Altar»! The internal
console you're using now is linked to this main console, but this place's going down!]
“Going down… wait, just what…”
[Sorry, no time to explain! Listen, the Altar is straight south after you exit the eastern large
gate...]
At that time, the first voice I heard echoed out from point-blank range.
[Lieutenant Colonel, we shut down A7's barrier, but a few minutes' our... no, aah, damn it! It
looks like they're starting to cut off the main electric wiring!!]
[Eeehh, they can't, that'll be real bad!!]
The reply wasn’t Kikuoka’s, but a shrill scream from Higa.
“Kiku-sann, cutting off the main electric wiring now will cause a surge! The Light cube Cluster’s
safe… but there’ll be a spike at the sub-con where Kirigaya-kun’s STL is… it’ll fry his fluct light!!]