Chapter 4: Proceeding Procedure
I've gotta believe!
(A circle camera shot of Kirito and Asuna, back to back, looking around, as the world pixelates and revealing the title)
I don't wanna know heta na shinjitsu nara I don't wanna know shiranai kurai ga ii noni
(The SAO gang talking together)
Why? Why? Why? Why? Kizukeba I came too far
(The floor suddenly crash and all of them fall, their bodies pixelating into their SAO avatars. They slowly get up, looking around the pitch blackness)
Tomaranai kanjiru kono yokan wa
(The world shatters into color and the Riders walk up to them)
The new beginning
(Each Rider show their Gashats)
Michi no ryuoiki ima wo kirihirakunda
(The SAO gang prepare to fight as the Riders go into Level 1)
I've gotta believe!
(The Riders go Level 2)
(Turn it on!) soutou
(The Gamer Driver lever turns)
EXCITE! EXCITE! Takanaru
(Ex-Aid VS Kirito and Asuna)
EXCITE! EXCITE! Kokoro ga
(Brave VS Silica and Lisbeth, Snipe VS Sinon and Leafa)
Michibiku ano basho e kakenukete ikudake
(In an explosion, Lazer tears by with Ex-Aid riding)
(Hey!) I'm on a mission right now
(Ex-Aid (on top of Lazer in Bike mode), Brave, Snipe, prepare for battle with Kirito, Asuna, and Sinon respectively, and the SAO gang take back seat, despite posing for them too.)
(Hey!) I'm on a mission right now
(Graphite and Genmu also get into a battle stance)
EXCITE! EXCITE! Kotae wa
(Graphite VS the SAO gang)
EXCITE! EXCITE! Kotae wa
(Ex-Aid & other Riders VS Genmu)
(One!) kono te no naka
(Sinon (GGO) and Snipe raising their guns to their faces)
(Two!) susumubeki Life
(Asuna and Brave clashing swords)
(Three!) ikitekudake
(Kirito & Ex-Aid run towards each other as the title appears once more)
It has been a full week since the players have encountered Ex-Aid. Even in real life, they can't shake the feeling off. They couldn't focus on anything.
They were now just relaxing in Lisbeth's blacksmith shop. They all had something on their minds.
"Well…" Klein spoke up. "This feels weird."
"Yui." Asuna asked. "Did you get anything about the Bugsters?"
Yui popped out of Kirito's pocket, and landed on his head.
"No." She replied. "I've been running everything through, but these Bugster things are entirely new to me."
"This can't be coincidence." Kirito said suddenly. "Some people do have the ability to hack into games like this."
"Yeah, but doesn't that take about like a crazy amount of technical mumbo jumbo?" Lisbeth asked.
"Yeah, but the fact of the matter is that they are still out there." Kirito retorted.
"You think they caused this?" Sinon asked.
"No…" Kirito said. "It's too much to think about it at once."
"Then how about I simplify it?" asked a familiar voice.
Everyone turned and saw Ex-Aid again. He was standing at the entrance. He walked over and just tossed the Gashacon Breaker to Lisbeth, who fumbled a bit before getting a proper grip on it.
"You can fix it up, right?" He asked smugly.
"Well… yeah…" Lisbeth began.
"In exchange, I'll clarify everything." Ex-Aid said.
Everyone huddled around.
"We still have no idea of what the Bugsters are." Ex-Aid explained. "This is no simple hacker's job. This is way too much of a hassle for them to go through."
"But what we do know is they are bad!" Poppy said, flying on top of Ex-Aid's head.
Everyone was still surprised by the sight of Poppy, but they were still in shock of the fact that even the one exterminating them was given little information.
"Well, thanks for that." Asuna said. "But may I ask, who that is?"
She pointed at Poppy, and then Yui flew over to her.
"Yeah…" She pondered. "She's structured the same way I am."
"Now that you mention it, she's actually is similar to you." Ex-Aid replied, having Yui in his hands.
Poppy flew next to Yui, shaking hands with her.
"Hope we become good friends!" She said with a smile.
Yui smiled back, happily knowing there was someone else like her.
"One more thing." Silica asked. "What was that thing you used to defeat that Bugster thing?"
"That was something known as a Gashat." Ex-Aid said. "It contains all of the data of the game it's based on. Salty was actually the boss in that game. And that's all I could tell you. Everything else is classified."
And with that note, Lisbeth repaired Ex-Aid's weapon, and walked out of the shop. Klein yawned loudly.
"Well, I think I need to sleep." He said drowsily. "It's 10 PM right now IRL."
"I guess." Kirito chuckled. "We'll meet up again in a few days, okay?"
That said, everyone logged out.
The next day, Asuna was walking back home with Kazuto after their date. They were on his moped, and currently speeding through the streets.
"Do you believe him?" Asuna asked.
"I have no choice but to." Kirito replied. "If that's all he could tell us, that is all."
Asuna wrapped her arms around Kirito's stomach tighter. But that's when a car almost ran into them. Kazuto swerved just in time, but the force caused both Kazuto and Asuna to fall off his moped. Kazuto came out unscathed, but Asuna had a swollen ankle. He quickly got her to a hospital.
At the hospital, Kazuto waited impatiently at a bench.
"Come on… come on…" He said quietly.
In the office, Asuna was getting a bandage on her swollen ankle. When the doctor was done, he made sure if Asuna was able to walk. She stumbled, but the doctor was able to catch her.
"Thank you doctor." She smiled.
"Just doing my job, miss." He replied.
He helped her outside. Kazuto stood back up, and exchanged the doctor's place.
"How will her ankle be?" He asked.
"It may hurt for now, but given a week, it should be back to health." The doctor replied.
"Thank you." Asuna replied. She looked at the name. "Dr. Kagami."
"Please, call me Hiro." The doctor smiled.
Asuna and Kirito then slowly walked out of the hospital. Hiro walked back to his office and sat down at his desk.
"So… you survived eh?" He said, looking a picture on his desk.
The picture was of him in a Knight of the Blood Oath uniform. He was in the group photo of that Guild. Next to him stood the Lightning Flash Asuna.
"Heh." He chuckled. "Guess that reporter kid was right… maybe it's time I pay her visit."
He stood up and grabbed his coat. Then he walked out of his office.
Everyone was back in ALO. They were just chilling out in the forests.
"Okay. This is just weird." Leafa commented. "We've been in this forest for an hour and no monster has spawned!"
"Maybe it's the Bugsters?" Sinon suggested.
"Even if they're somehow involved, that shouldn't affect the monster spawns." Kirito said.
Then, there was a scream. Everyone ran towards the scream, and, as expected they saw a monster. However, it was just spewed out orange blobs and formed into a magician of sorts.
"Another Bugster…" Kirito muttered.
The magician saw them.
"Well, looks like we have full ensemble here!" He said.
"Let me guess." Asuna said. "You're a Bugster?"
"My! Such knowledge!" The magician acclaimed. "I am Alhambra, the game's most brightest wizard! Once more, if I defeat you, I shall be complete!"
"But knowledge will only get you so far if you don't have the strength to back it up." Said a voice.
The SAO gang and Alhambra looked at the source of the voice. There stood an Undine warrior with a ponytail that went up the back of his neck. His face was stoic, no emotion showing.
"Are you saying that you are far superior to me?" Alhambra said.
"Yep." The warrior said. He then opened up his cloak. He was wearing the same belt that Ex-Aid did and he also had a Gashat in hand. He twirled it around and pressed it.
TADDLE QUEST!
A blue game field spread out and treasure chests placed themselves around the area.
"Wait, you're a Rider too?" Klein asked in shocked voice.
"You're existence is a 'No thank you', boy." Said the warrior.
"Boy?!" Klein yelled.
He placed the Gashat on the other side, and placed the Gashat into the belt.
"Henshin." He said.
GASHATTO!
LET'S GAME! MECCHA GAME! MUCCHA GAME! WHATCHA NAME?!
I'M A KAMEN RIDER!
The figure was replaced by a chibi figure. However, unlike Ex-Aid's, the face was different. Instead of the pink punk hair, it had a warrior's ponytail on top. The figure turned the lever on the belt.
"Proceeding to Level 2." He said coldly.
GACHANN! LEVEL UP!
TADORU MEGURU! TADORU MEGURU! TADDLE QUEST!
The chibi figure's limbs popped off. It formed a new body sort of how Ex-Aid did. The figure landed gracefully unlike him though. He set one foot in front of the other, and gently put his hands in a position as if he was about to operate. Asuna recognized the stance.
'Wait…' She thought. 'That stance…'
Then, the player name appeared above the man. It read as "Brave."
"Brave…?" Asuna whispered.
"Scalpel." He said.
Just then, a weapon wheel appeared around Brave. And to his right hand, a sword spawned.
GASHACON SWORD!
A sword about the length of Kirito's appeared. He placed it in front of him, preparing for an attack.
"Proceeding with the Bugster extermination." He said almost robotically. "Beginning with standard attacks."
Then, in the blink of an eye, he was in front of Alhambra. He first slashed his arm, so he would be unable to cast any spells. Next, he quickly grabbed his sword backhanded, he sliced the back of it. Then, he pressed the A button on his sword, turning it into a fire sword.
GA-JIIING!
Finally, with another slash, he delivered the final blow to Alhambra.
"But I…" He shouted. "I just got separated!"
Then, he dissipated into nothing.
GAME CLEAR!
Brave then wiped his hands and turned to the SAO players.
"Don't interfere with this operation, children." He said coldly. "Leave this to the professionals."
Brave began to walk away, and just when he was about to cancel his transformation, Asuna had other ideas.
"Wait!" She shouted. "You're also a survivor, aren't you?"
Everyone froze at the statement. Even Brave. He turned back to face Asuna.
"You're just like us: A survivor of Sword Art Online. You were part of the Knights of the Blood Oath Guild. You were known as Brave: The Spear with no limits."
Brave sighed.
"Figured you'd know." He chuckled. Then, he pointed at Asuna and Kirito.
"I just met the two of you earlier today actually." He commented.
Kirito gathered his thoughts. Then he realized.
"Dr. Kagami?!" He shouted.
Brave raised his sword in response. He pointed it viciously at Asuna.
"Exactly." He smiled. "Personally, I would've just leave on good terms, but now that we both know each other in both worlds, I can't possibly let you live."
"So, Ms. Lightning Flash Asuna." He continued. "How about a duel?"