>>>>>
A few days after the stunt was pulled up by Kaito's plan, the player's excitement was still at its highest, knowing they are going to escape this game very soon.
Following that, DSA as the top guild announced that all of their members including Uta is going to participate and lead the final battle personally. This news does not get any opposition from any other guild, even most of them willing to cooperate under a DSA member's command, because those guilds know only DSA is worthy to do a such thing.
...
The player's populace also soon realizes the raid should be extremely dangerous to participate in, the frontliner is going to bet their life there-- and thus, also need the best equipment and potions they could ever carry in order to win in the final battle.
Using that fact, Crocodile also start a crowdfunding project for that matter, which turn into a huge success-- especially with Uta herself promote the idea.
...
Inside the DSA HQ, Crocodile, Aika, and Uta currently managing the result of crowdfunding together, which is listing all they need to get and allocate the funds fairly.
"Using our guild and Uta influence, we manage to gather funds from 7154 players across the SAO world, the result 145 billion were collected including all the fund's top guilds and frontliner," Crocodile stated, as he read the paper containing the information on his hand.
"More than 100 billion?! That's amazing." Uta responded with a clear shock.
As the player with the biggest income in this world (idol), naturally, she could easily gain a hundred million cols per concert, but 100 billion is something she never heard of before.
"Eh, the money in this world won't be worth anything after our task got completed." Crocodile snorted and then he turned around at Aika and asked, "How about the field training progress?"
"Hmm..."
Hearing Crocodile's question, Aika stopped working on her paperwork temporarily and answered, "Everyone in the group taking care of it. In 3 days, I will make sure to inform you how many groups we manage to form during the training including all of their respective roles."
"Please inform it as soon possible. We need to know how many players are going to participate, including their specialty. Using the said info, our next step naturally is to order the high-level blacksmith to make every participant needed for the raid... Like, how many high-quality shields do we need to order for our tank."
"Understood."
As a smart person, she understands what he means and agrees with it. After that, she continues working with the paperwork on her table, which was at least twice taller as other tables do have.
"For now, all we can do are hoard all the recovery potion in the market for the raid. Especially high-quality ones." Crocodile suggested, "Uta-san?"
"Leave it to me! I will ask all the alchemist players to cooperate with me."
Uta raised her hand excitedly, offering herself. Since everyone already entering the state of preparation for the final raid, there would be no more concerts in the future which made her the idlest member in the chat group. Naturally, as a person who really feels thankful for the chat group's existence bringing her out of loneliness, she wanted to contribute as much as she can.
"Thanks. Shouldn't be hard using your influence to do it." Crocodile said in relief, knowing it would be a small matter for her to do that.
"It's such shame we forget to ask Heathcliff to get us all the recovery potions available using his privilege, otherwise we don't need to spend money on it" Aika added.
"Well, it's already happened. The owner already come up with a good plan, but even so, we know that he is not that perfect." Crocodile wryly smiled.
Unlike in the past, he already fully respects Kaito as their leader-- as he has already proven his thinking capability and responsibilities for the past 2 years.
"Speaking of Kaito, where he is? I haven't delivered his birthday present to him." Uta curiously asked.
"Owner is visiting Itachi's home alone on the 35th floor to fulfill his promise, his girls meanwhile gathering material for Lisbeth to make the better weapon for everyone in the guild." Crocodile answered.
"Eh?"
"Meaning, He ran away having a free day by himself." Aika replied while rolling her eyes, "The reason why my paperwork is twice as taller as you all is because I also working on his paper."
"Again?"
"Yup."
"Are you okay?" Uta asked in a concerned tone.
"Fufufufu. Of course, it's not. Don't worry, I will make sure to make him 'pay' for all the trouble Kaito caused to me soon when we have finished the task on this world."
Aika's answer made both Uta and Crocodile quietly look away, afraid of the dark aura she just released the moment she answer the question. They also pray for Kaito's safety in the future... Knowing Aika must be really pissed off right now.
>>>>>
...
At the same time Aika said that, Kaito who just arrived and sit in the guest room suddenly feel cold on his back, which is something he would only feel when he face a dangerous situation.
*Shudder*
....!!!
"W-What was that?" Kaito said while looking at the surroundings but found nothing could threaten him.
"Owner, are you okay?"
Realizing he might just make fool of himself, Kaito shook his head and answered, "Y-Yeah, it was nothing."
"Your home looks really comfy, Itachi," Kaito said, trying to divert the topic. Unlike the cottage home style Kirito bought in the original, Itachi's home is just a normal medium size 2 stories house, with all complete appliances and a garden in the back.
"Thank you, Owner." Itachi smiled and then at the same time Kazehana, his new wife/Sekirei come to them bringing some tea and cake from the kitchen.
"I didn't expect you to want to visit our home when everyone really busy preparing for the final battle. Well, thanks to that we are also allowed to ne free today by everyone." Kazehana said with a teasing tone.
"Well, I already promised that I would spend some time coming here." Kaito wryly smiled and then he took the cup of tea, "Thanks for both of your hospitality."
*Sip*
After that, feeling it's not right for him to not bring anything with him, Kaito opens his SAO menu and then put out some exotic ingredients he does have from the inventory.
...
"Here. Some food ingredients from me. I know the fancy equipment is not going to be worth anything when the times are about to end... but the food is still worth something."
"No, no, you already helped us a lot by buying this house for us." Itachi quickly refused, aware of how much Kaito already helped him for the past 2 years. For example, the home they just bought now was bought with Kaito's private money, apparently as their wedding present.
"I insist. Do not worry about it. In fact, it would help you can process these ingredients into food."
Kaito refused his rejection, which made Itachi solemnly accept his gift. In fact, Kaito just wanted to get rid of them-- as all of them were present for his birthday recently. Kaito naturally does not have use for such ingredients, especially when he can't even cook a shit in this world.
...
"This... Black centipede leg... Where do you get it, Kaito-san?" Kazehana asked curiously, picking up the exotic ingredients in her hand.
"Let's say, Aika sent it as my birthday gift."
"And here... Fairy Cow Meat?" Kazehana pointed to light pink colored meat on the table
"Ah, that one was from Erina. I am not sure why she gifts me such ingredients when I can't even cook myself."
"These are very rare ingredients. You should be grateful Kaito-san."
"Indeed, at least it's not hair-growing medicine." Kaito wryly smiled and added, "Or custom-made Kunai."
"Pffft." Kazehana held her laugh while Itachi quickly look away in embarrassment, knowing Kaito was talking about his present to him.
"Well... I will leave you two to have talked together while I prepared the ingredients." Kazehana stood up, after putting all the weird ingredients in her inventory.
"Make the best dish, okay?" Kaito requested.
"I will try my best." Kazehana promised, then she quickly leave her husband alone with Kaito.
...
>>>>>
After making sure Kazehana went back to the kitchen, Kaito who actually have a real purpose for coming to Itachi finally spoke up.
"Anyway, Itachi... You should know why I am here, right?"
"I have a thought about it." Itachi slightly nodded.
"Do you still want to continue your so-called 'to death in your younger brother's arm' plan like in the memories?"
"Yes."
"...Are you serious?"
Kaito can't help but be speechless and confused by his answer. However, Kaito actually have considered this answer and prepare to convince him to stop.
"How about Kazehana? She is your Sekirei and now, your wife. If you are dead, she will follow you to death."
Hearing Kaito's words, Itachi who was aware of this fact frowned and asked, "Do you have a solution, Owner?"
"I do." Kaito quickly responded.
While they are having Yuu now to save members from complete death using her necromancer power, his initial plan to recruit Itachi into his peerage later doesn't change. But Kaito would rather keep Itachi alive than let himself get killed on purpose. After all, getting reincarnated into a devil doesn't really require someone to be close to death... and he has the guts that the system wouldn't approve Kaito to do that either.
...
"Honestly, I don't understand your way of thinking, Itachi-san. Why don't you just apologize to Sasuke for all the suffering you have caused him and explain the circumstances behind it?" Kaito trying to change his perspective.
"I... don't know" Itachi muttered.
"You are really one of the worst brothers I have ever known, Uchiha Itachi" Kaito stated, but Itachi didn't say anything as he know Kaito was right.
"..."
*Sigh*
"It would be much easier if you just kill Danzo alongside your brother together for revenge and then start a new life with him to make all of your mistakes. You also need to rebuild your clan, considering you are the one who made it near extinct in the first place" Kaito suggested.
"But my brother's role in my world... is important. He is also one of the so-called protagonists, right?" Itachi replied with confusion.
Hearing what he said, Kaito couldn't help but give him a weird look and said, "Indeed. But why do we need him to solve the problem in your world? When the time comes, we can always ask Saitama to smash the final boss, Ototsuki Kaguya into oblivion."
...
Does Itachi forget that there are people who basically could solo his universe alone within the chat group? Kaito can't help but have a such thought.
"..."
After that, Kaito manages to convince Itachi to agree with his proposal and follow all of his arrangements in the future. It would be a lie if Kaito were not happy about this development, especially in his mind there is no need for Itachi to be 'dying' in the future.
>>>>>
Doesn't Itachi have stage 4 cancer or something that most healers can't fix and that's why he wants Sasuke to have his eyes for the powerup?
What a pity, it left me with a bitter taste of not knowing what gifts he got, especially from aika....
