After Yuna's death, I succumbed to despair like the others. However, unlike them, I relieved my stress and anger by fighting. Every day would run like this: wake up, fight, go home, drink, and sleep. Not knowing what to live for, I fought like a machine, emotionless.

After two months, I heard special news of an item that could bring back the dead, the Divine Stone of Returning Stone.

"It's almost Christmas..."

Leaning on a fir tree, I've waited two days for it's spawn and to protect it from others. I knew that this stone could revive someone from 10 second after their death, but I had a cheat that let me strengthen items dramatically.

[Self Afflict - Strengthen (lose emotions to strengthen anything)]

Even though it was highly unlikely to revive her after two months of her death, I hoped that I could retrieve her as data like how Kirito did to his loli. And speaking of Kirito.

"Yo," said the iconic pervert of the series

"You followed me?" asked back Kirito.

"Pretty much. Are you after the resurrection item?"

"Yeah."

"Don't risk your life for something that might be a sham."

Kirito didn't respond and now it was my time to enter.

"It isn't a sham."

"Where did that come from" "Where are you?"

"Right here." I got out and showed myself.

"This item is real, but this is mine. You better leave," I said with dead serious cold eyes.

"Is that Prickling Flash?" shouted Klein surprised. Kirito just stood there with his teeth gritting.

"I know I have no chance against one of the strongest front line players, but I need this desperately." begged Kirito.

"...sure. I'll let you have it, but if you are going to discard it, give it to me."

"I promise-." When Kirito was about to finish his line, players started popping up.

"The Divine Dragon Alliance?" "They'll do anything for a rare item." "What should we do?"

"Kirito! Go fight Nicholas now! We'll fight back!"

Kirito without hesitation ran to solo the flag mob while Klein and his group formed a formation.

"Okay Zhong Yuan, you better show us why you are the number one throwing specialist!"

Imbuing magic into my needles, I added paralysis de-buff and threw it precisely into the necks of the players.

"Seriously? No chant or pre-motion? Was that just him throwing?" asked Klein.

"There's no time to waste. Defend me!"

Taking in magic into my body, I whispered.

"No pain."

Running up to the Divine Dragon Alliance players, I took out two Sword Breaker daggers out of my belt. Then, going up close, I dodge a player's Vertical by jumping above him and getting behind him. While amidst of him turning his body, I quickly slashed my knife on his weapon, destroying it's durability.

"M-m-monster!"

Getting him by the neck, I put my dagger on his neck.

"If you guys know me, you must know my past history, right?"

All the player shivered when they remembered what happened. A PK guild was destroyed because of one guy, Zhong Yuan. He infiltrated the guild with stealth and apparently, no one escaped to tell the tale of him. All that was seen in the scene was emptiness.

"You don't have to do this!" said a member of the alliance.

"If you guys take one step fucking further, I will make sure to destroy your guild completely, understood?"

"O-okay!"

They all turned back to march away, but I didn't want them to go that easily.

"15 Finger Shoot," positioning my attack, I gather 15 custom made picks from my belt and threw them right into their necks.

............................

"Damn, how did you make the throwing skill so OP? Some people leveled it to 500, but you are the only one that can actually kill people and bosses with these."

"It's a secret." The secret was getting a special skill known as anatomy and attacking on certain spots. Of course, it doesn't work well if they have tons of armor.

'Kirito is about to come out around now I guess.' And Kirito appeared.

"Hey... here's the item." Tossing it to me.

"Thank you."

And one by one, Kirito, Klein, and Klein's guild members left until it was only me left.

"Now system, upgrade Divine Stone of Returning Soul."

[How much will you sacrifice?]

"As much as I need to recover Yuna for a while."

[System will take 5% of your emotions permanently]

And with a glow, the item dissipated off my hand and a human outline appeared in front of me.

Crying, I ask, "Yuna... is that you?"

"Zhong Yuan, this is the data of me left when I died so I can't last very long."

"That's fine Yuna. I missed you. I'm sorry for everything. I should have let you be in my side."

Moving her head sideways, she replied, "Don't worry. It wasn't your fault I died. It was my choice."

"But still!"

And she suddenly wrapped my head with her arms.

"No matter what you did, thank you for everything Zhong Yuan. I loved the view of flowers and fairies and I'll be returning there."

"Wait! Not yet! Don't go!"

Seeing me cry, Yuna smiled and went up close to my face. Peck. Shocked I look back to see her laughing.

"Sayonara..."

This is how I've spent my Christmas, crying and sobbing, returning as a powerful fighter.