Sword Art Online Crossover: They're all close friends, how did I become a player?

Chapter 158 That "brother" sent a shiver down one's spine.

"Huh? It's Furuya-nii, Matsuda-nii, what are you doing here? It's been so long!"

Just as Itako was recalling what Yu Bai had said before, a clear, melodious, and somewhat familiar voice suddenly rang in their ears.

Imaizumi had just finished his work as a garrison commander and was returning home laden with spoils when he stepped through the gates of the citadel. To his delight, he found five familiar figures standing in the courtyard. He quickly approached, and when he recognized the five as Rei Furuya and his companions, a bright smile instantly spread across his face.

Because he knew that those who could be brought into the citadel by the lord meant that Furuya Rei and the others already knew about the mystical side.

In this way, he no longer needs to pretend as carefully as before.

"Imaken?! So you're a sword spirit too! No wonder. I was wondering why someone would be named after a legendary sword. I should have guessed it sooner."

The five members of the police academy were quite surprised to see that the person who greeted them was Imagin. However, they quickly accepted the fact that Imagin was also a sword spirit.

Especially Matsuda Jinpei, when Yu Bai had just introduced Imagin to them as his younger brother. Matsuda Jinpei had secretly thought to himself, "Why is Yu Bai's brother's name so strange? What kind of good parents would let their child be named after a sword?"

Now that I look at it, Jin Jian is indeed "Jin Jian".

Having learned Imaizumi's true identity, Furuya Rei and his group felt a little strange when they heard Imaizumi call them "brother."

In terms of time span, Jin Jian, who looks no different from a child, is probably old enough to be their great-great-great-grandfather...

Wow~ This is an old sword from Heian-kyo.

So, the appearance of sword spirits isn't directly related to their actual age?

"Hey, Imaizumi, stop calling us 'brother,' it feels a little weird," Matsuda Jinpei said, scratching his face awkwardly.

Matsuda Jinpei, unaware of the Time Government's mechanism for splitting sword spirits, simply felt that having a sword spirit, possibly thousands of years old, call him "brother" was simply too much to bear.

Actually, if we calculate based on the time when Jin Jian was summoned by Yu Bai, Jin Jian is still just a "baby" sword.

"Huh? Is that so? Okay, okay. Then... Matsuda-kun?"

Although he felt there was nothing wrong with calling Matsuda Jinpei and the others "older brother," since he had been doing it for so long and was used to it, Imaizumi didn't insist that they change their address since they found it strange.

However, after changing the way we address each other, it doesn't feel as warm and friendly as before.

"Now that Imaizumi is here, let him show you around the citadel. Oh, and prepare a change of clothes for each of them. We'll take them to the hot springs in the back mountains later."

Seeing that Imagin and the group of five were chatting happily, Yu Bai instructed Imagin to show them around the Honmaru.

Fortunately, there is a natural hot spring on the back mountain, and Yu Bai has added some natural power to the hot spring, making it an excellent place for the zombies to relax.

For humans like Furuya Rei, hot springs help heal hidden injuries; in short, they are a good place to strengthen the body and relax the mind.

Yu Bai thought to himself that he definitely had to recommend such a wonderful place to them. After all, these guys had a special kind of work; they were either injured or on their way to be injured every day. The healing properties of hot springs couldn't be more suitable for them.

"Understood, my lord!"

Jin Jian gave Yu Bai a playful salute, indicating that he would resolutely complete the mission.

"Come on, come on~ Looking at your figures, the clothes for short swords definitely don't suit you. Let's go borrow five sets of clothes from the other katanas and tachi."

Imaizumi grabbed Furuya Rei's hand and rushed into the Sanjo-ha house, intending to check if his brothers were there.

Rei Furuya stumbled a step as Imaizumi pulled him along, looking at the boyish Imaizumi in disbelief.

Although he already knew that Imaizumi was not a human being but a sword spirit, when he personally felt Imaizumi's power, he still couldn't help but try to move his wrist, only to find that he couldn't move at all.

How come he never noticed this strength before?

It must be because he had been keeping a low profile when interacting with them before they knew Jin Jian's identity.

Instantly, a look of utter despair appeared on Furuya Rei's face, mixed with a hint of relief.

He was grateful that these non-human beings were under the jurisdiction of a mystical government belonging to his "lover," otherwise he couldn't imagine how chaotic the world would become if various tsukumogami, monsters, and ghosts appeared so openly in human society.

Watching the five police academy students being pulled away by Jin Jian, Yu Bai turned to Bu Yue and smiled slightly, meeting her obsidian-like eyes: "How about we take everyone to a hot spring later?"

Seeing that Bu Yue nodded in agreement, Yu Bai happily pulled Bu Yue along and asked the little swords around them to ask if any sword spirits wanted to go to the hot springs together, so that they could all go together later.

Before long, the news that the Saniwa had invited everyone to go up the mountain to soak in the hot springs had reached the ears of all the swords.

The tsukumogami, who held a very high level of goodwill towards Yu Bai, were naturally delighted to soak in the hot springs with their master. They all went back to their houses to get comfortable yukatas, then gathered in the courtyard to prepare to go up the mountain together.

However, in some rooms of the citadel, a little scheme was being prepared for this...

……

Imaizumi: Furuya-nii~ Matsuda-nii~ Date-nii~ Hagiwara-nii~ Morofushi-nii~

The five police academy students: (Their hearts skipped a beat) My God, this is a treasured sword from Heian-kyo! And now they're calling me "brother"... This... this...

Yu Bai: Let the five of them soak in the hot spring and heal their hidden injuries. You're always there, wherever there's danger.