Last One Standing

Hey guys! This is a one shot I thought of as a way to tide you over until my next update. It's about when Kirito is practicing his Dual-Wielding before it was revealed, so it's not set in a particular time, but I'll just make one. It's after Lisbeth makes him the Dark Repulser, and ends right before he meets Asuna to go to the boss dungeon in episode eight.

He's not going to meet any of the characters from the anime, but he's going to have flashbacks of times in various episodes as he fights.

Also, one more thing: I was listening to "Last One Standing" by Simple Plan while writing this, so I originally intended for this to be a song-fic without the lyrics… but it grew on its own, so it won't really have many ties with the song.

All right, I'll be back at the ending A/N!

Surrounded by a pack of [[Ferocious Chimeras]], I found myself in quite the bind… or so you would think.

While dodging the beasts' attacks, I opened my menu, equipping my [[Dark Repulser]] to my sub-weapon slot.

I remembered how I got the whitish-green sword, smiling at the memories.

"A one-handed longsword, right?" Lisbeth queried, setting the [[Crystalline Ingot]] on the blacksmithing table.

"Yeah, thanks."

Lisbeth took a deep breath, donning a look of determination.

That look… I can tell that she's gonna make me a great sword.

She swung her hammer down on the hunk of crystal, and I watched in awe as it began to flatten out.

After a series of swings, the [[Crystalline Ingot]] began to glow.

"Whoa…" I whispered.

It began to take on the shape of a sword, and when it was finished, all I could do was stare in awe at the beautiful blade before me.

The sword was the color of sea foam and had a spear-like point, a crossguard that looked like two arrows pointing opposite each other, and a gem in the middle of the crossguard, just below the beginnings of the blade.

"Its name is [[Dark Repulser]]. If I've never heard of it, then it isn't in the Information Brokers' directory," she said, a hint of nervousness in her voice. "Try it out."

"Yeah."

I picked it up, taking a second to admire the fine craftsmanship.

Then, I swung it around twice, noting the trail of color that it left in its wake.

"H-how does it feel?" Lisbeth asked nervously.

I smiled. "Heavy… it's a good sword."

"All right!"

"It feels like a soul is forged into it."

Now, with my [[Elucidator]] and [[Dark Repulser]], I felt ready to take on the beasts with ease.

I activated an area skill called [[End Revolver]] and destroyed all of them within two spinning attacks.

"Let's move on."

All alone, I walked further into the seventy-fourth floor boss dungeon, condemned to a virtual life of solitude as the first [[Beater]].

"A beta tester and a cheater! He's a [[Beater]]!"

"A beater, huh? I like it. Okay, you can call me a beater. Just make sure you don't confuse me with those lowly testers."

I came across a mark on the wall, noting that it looked exactly like the door to the trap room I saw long ago, during my last day with… the [[Moonlit Black Cats]].

Why the hell not?

I put my palm on the symbol, making it glow, and eventually a door was revealed.

I opened the door and found a treasure chest that resembled the one from … that day… to a T.

Ducker opened the door, revealing a treasure chest in the middle of the room.

"A treasure chest! Yes!" he exclaimed, running to the chest along with Tetsuo and Sasamaru.

"W-wait!"

When he opened it, alarms began to blare, and the walls turned red.

The door shut and locked. A panel slid upward from one of the walls, revealing a hoard of [[Bloody Ghost Miners]].

[[Mannequin Golems]] spawned throughout the room, and soon we found ourselves surrounded by them on all sides.

"It's a trap!" Sasamaru exclaimed.

"Everyone! We're getting out of here!" I shouted.

"Ducker was the first to get out his [[Teleport Crystal]].

"Teleport: Taft!" when it didn't work, he tried again. "Teleport: Taft!"

"We can't use our crystals!" Sachi squeaked.

"This is a [[Crystal Nullification]] area?!" I said to myself.

The [[Bloody Ghost Miners]] came charging at us, and I started slashing at them to keep them back.

One of them knocked Ducker to the ground, sending the [[Teleport Crystal]] flying out of his hands. Then, four of the miners ganged up on him, swinging their pickaxes down on him until he exploded into polygons.

Watching this, I slashed one of the [[Mannequin Golems]] in the abdomen, destroying it in misguided anger.

Tetsuo was destroyed in one hit by a slash from one of the golems. Sasamaru tried to avenge his fallen comrade by using a skill on the golem that destroyed his friend, but his attempt was futile. The golem lived.

It slashed him with its left spike hand, destroying him in a single blow.

Seeing this, I activated a seven-hit skill, killing six of the mobs I hit.

I saw Sachi fending off a [[Mannequin Golem]] with her spear, looking exhausted.

"Sachi!"

She noticed me, shouting, "Kirito!"

I destroyed the last mob in my way, reaching out my hand in an attempt to save her.

Too late.

As she reached out her hand, another golem came from behind… and slashed her back.

Her HP dropped to zero.

She said two words to me, which I would later find out to be the only words I would never expect. "Arigatou… Sayonara."

Bringing my attention back to the room, I walked inside.

A trap room is perfect for leveling. The mobs give fifty percent more EXP. As long as you survive, you're guaranteed to gain at least a couple levels.

I opened the treasure chest, waiting to see what kind of mobs I would be fighting.

When a violet version of [[Illfang the Kobold Lord]] appeared before me, along with three golden-clad [[Ruin Kobold Sentinels]], I smiled wryly to myself.

How ironic.

"KUREAAAAGH!"

I charged, using another [[End Revolver]] to kill all three Sentinels in one hit, proceeding to activate the [[Starburst Stream]] on Illfang.

Right, right, diagonal up, spin, double right, downward X, upward V—

I looked at the Illfang clone's HP bar, noting that it had gone down to a little over the halfway mark.

It slashed me with its [[Nodachi]], taking a good fifteen percent of my HP.

Faster!

Jab, double diagonal down—

It punched me with its left hand, a move that the original Illfang didn't have.

I reversed the grip on my swords.

Drill spin, cleave, cleave—

In punched me in the face again, sending me to the ground.

Even faster!

I landed on my feet, continuing my assault.

I slashed wildly, scoring three more hits.

The violet Illfang grabbed my [[Elucidator]].

Too bad for you, I don't even need it!

It began to thrust its [[Nodachi]] downward, towards my chest.

At the same time, I began to thrust my [[Dark Repulser]] at the mini-boss's chest. Normally, it wouldn't reach that far, but…

A blue spear of energy shot out of the [[Dark Repulser]], stabbing straight through its chest and sending it flying into the back wall.

The Illfang clone shattered into countless polygons that flew in all directions, signifying my victory.

It's over.

I looked at my HP bar, noting that it was dangerously close to the red.

It's strange… it feels like I'll be doing this again soon. Well, whatever.

A [[Congratulations]] sign appeared before me, telling me that I beat this dungeon level's optional trial.

In addition to the bonus item for clearing the trial, I also gained three levels, putting me at level ninety-four.

I opened my [[Dual Wield]] skill window, looking for my mastery level.

When I found it, I marveled at the sight of a perfect 1000.

Yes! I finally mastered [[Dual Wield]]! Now I can learn [[The Eclipse]]!

I headed for the staircase, intending to go to the next level of the dungeon.

Once I get to the next level, I'll teleport out and head for Kamdet. I need to meet up with Asuna, and I can map the rest of the dungeon with her.

Once I went up the staircase, I got a [[Teleport Crystal]] out of my inventory. "Teleport: [[Kamdet]]!"

A/N:

There we go! A one shot about Kirito leveling (and maxing) his Dual-Wielding skill! This wasn't really meant to please as much as it was for me to get this idea out of my head. If you guys like it, that's cool, but if you don't, then that's okay too. I really just wrote it to make room in my head for ideas for my chaptered stories.

Like I said, I intended for this to be a song-fic, but it kinda evolved into more than that.

So yeah, this takes place in between the time he parties with Asuna at her house and when he meets up with her the next day.

Also, End Revolver is a Dual Wield skill from the video game adaptation, called Sword Art Online: Infinity Moment, which is also where the character Strea came from.

All right, it's time!

I don't own Sword Art Online, its characters, its game adaptation (though I DO own a copy of it), or any of the skills I borrowed for this story!

See ya!