Kanazawa Chronicles
By Alexia Lunaria
Chapter Seven: The Power of a Woman's Scorn
ASUNA
Rika and Sinon knocked on Asuna's bedroom door, already hearing her cries and sniffs through the wood. "Hey, it's just us," Rika said opening the door.
Asuna wiped her nose and looked up to see Sinon offering her a tissue. "Thank you…" She took it and blew her nose.
Rika and Sinon exchanged looks but it was Rika that said, "Don't think too much on it, Asuna. Kazuto has always been this way."
"Yeah but we're husband and wife now. Doesn't he know that going off on his own and having something happen to him means I'll be left alone, too?" Asuna countered.
"He knows that," Sinon rubbed Asuna's back in large circles. "But I think the idea of being left alone if something were to happen to you on his watch is a scenario Kazuto refuses to let happen."
Asuna blinked. "The others did tell me what happened after I supposedly died in SAO."
Rika nodded. "I wasn't there for the final battle myself but Ryoutatou and Andrew said Kazuto snapped. His body couldn't live without its other half." She snorted and crossed her arms. "It's annoying to see how attached you guys are to each other. It's like someone made one copy of a program, duplicated it, downloaded it into each of you then made it so it didn't work unless each of you has the other."
Sinon and Asuna just looked at her. "Huh?"
"Oh nevermind!"
The three laughed and Asuna wiped away the last of the tears. "I understand why he does it, I really do, but it scares me…like he's moving further away from me."
"I can't say I have a lot of experience with boys," Sinon said. "After all the first boy I trusted tried to kill me but I've read a lot of books. They usually say moments apart is good for a couple, even if it's just emotionally. The red ribbon of fate is still wrapped around both of you so no matter what you know he'll come back to you."
"That's right!" Rika agreed. "Kazuto always comes back."
"I guess you're right." Asuna smiled. "Thanks guys."
KAZUTO
Kazuto was exhausted but there was work to be done so he took Ryoutarou with him while the girls worked on Asuna. He felt terrible but he had plenty of time to make it up to her later after all of this was over. He patrolled around a little bit, though he didn't expect to find anything. Just getting out of the house and walking around in the cooling air of the setting dusk seemed to clear his head.
"So this other group, is there any way to find out how many of them are out there? It could just be one guy or even Shinji himself, right?" Ryoutarou commented.
"I don't think it's Shinji though it would be exactly what Kayaba would do. Shinji is not his father. His father made a fair game with a set of rules that could be beaten. Shinji…I don't think he has that kind of moral fiber," Kazuto replied. He stopped and suddenly took out his phone. "But maybe there is a way to find out their numbers…"
Ryoutarou allowed Kazuto to make a call but kept his eyes about for any monsters.
"Chief Haruto, have you had a chance to check the census and airport logs against the refugees in the three safe houses we made?" Kazuto asked.
"Well, we've been able to catalog the hospital and city hall to account for some but the stadium doesn't have the organization of the other two and we're finding that it's slowing us down. Why?"
Kazuto filtered what he wanted to say. "It seems some actual people have been kidnapped and made a part of this game, people we're expected to save by completing each dungeon."
"Yes, I heard from Mrs. Kaoru and her grandchildren."
"When you finish cataloging the stadium can you create a list of potential victims for us? It might also give us an idea if there is anyone else still hiding out in the city."
"Sure, I'll get my men right on it."
"Okay. Thank you."
Ryoutarou looked backwards at him. "Nice move, Leader."
"My first right move all day, it would seem." The two returned to the house and while Asuna busied herself in the kitchen making dinner, Kazuto looked over the map of the city. "We need to see about the ice dungeon and about saving that man's wife. We have to assume moving forward that there's an actual person trapped in there."
"Then as soon as we eat, we should go," Ryoutarou said.
But Kazuto shook his head. "Once again, we'd be too tired from the first dungeon to be of any use. I know you want to save these people all at once but some of them are going to have to wait. If there is a group out there preparing these dungeons then they'll make sure the quest givers are given food and water. It does them no good to let them die."
"We could stake out the dungeon and see when they pop up," Sinon suggested.
Kazuto opened his mouth but it was Andrew who beat him to it. "We have to be careful because any interference could set off Shinji and he still has Asuna's father."
Rika rubbed her chin. "Wait a minute…if Shinji is with Asuna's dad and Asuna's dad is in the final dungeon then doesn't that mean Shinji is in the final dungeon too?"
"He could be…we just don't know."
SHINJI
"As it stands, no forces have been able to enter or leave from Kanazawa and all attempted communication with those on the inside has failed," the TV announcer spoke as she turned to her guest. "I'm here with technology innovator Shinji Koujiro. Mr. Koujiro, what do you make of these events?"
"Well, of course, it's too early to begin pointing fingers but based on my expert opinion I think it's safe to assume Kazuto Kirigaya's cor cube's are to blame," Shinji confidently spouted.
"Do you believe Mr. Kirigaya's actions to be intentional or is this just a fatal error of his technology?"
"If it was just the cor cubes malfunctioning then I would say it was purely accidental. However, none of Kazuto's plans for the city involved a force field so I can't help but think it's intentional."
The TV announcer turned back to the camera. "You heard it here first. Kanazawa, a city under siege. More here when we come back."
KAZUTO
Kazuto didn't hear from Chief Haruto until the following morning. He clicked so that it sounded over speak phone
"I'm still working on the stadium but something else has come up that we need your help with. One of the priests from a local temple was treated here at the hospital and insisted on returning to his temple to retrieve some things. I wanted him to wait until I could arrange an escort but he left before I could arrange it. One of his assistants came back and told us the priest and his assistant had been taken. I asked him what it was that took him and he said they were all human."
Kazuto withheld a curse. "I had a feeling there was someone else out there working against us. If I had to take a guess I'd say they took the priest to force our hand and clear a particular dungeon. Which temple did the priest belong to?"
"It's the Jomyoji Temple."
"We'll head there immediately."
"And we'll keep working on the stadium. Hopefully I'll have those numbers ready by the end of the day."
When he hung up the group assembled before him. "Jomyoji Temple. Who was in charge of scouting that one out?"
"I did," Andrew spoke up. "The problem with that one was the path leading to the temple goes along this route here." he pointed to a spot on the map. "It's called Mt. Utatsuyama and the path is supposed to be a spiritual path that eventually ends at Jomyoji Temple. I was only able to scout the final temple from afar because I didn't want to travel too far down the path and not be able to fight my way out."
Sinon traced a line from the point Andrew had marked. "The spiritual road is supposed to have 50 or so shrines to various people. There are a lot of plants and trees so we can assume it'll be a lost temple/ruins with a forest background kind of theme."
Kazuto nodded. "Okay so forest and jungle types of monsters, probably some undead and ghosts because of the shrines. We're going to need fire and light elements."
"What about the husband whose wife is inside the ice dungeon Rika spoke of?" Ryoutarou said. "We can't make him or his wife wait anymore than we already have!"
"Don't you think I know that!?" Kazuto exclaimed. "If Shinji's underlings have taken a priest hostage then they're dictating that Jomyoji Temple is the next dungeon we have to fight. If we go out of order, what then? Maybe he offs the priest while we're trying to save the wife!?"
Andrew came up and got between the two. "All right, let's just calm down and think about it." He looked at Kazuto. "Is there any chance we could split up and each handle one of the dungeons?"
Kazuto sighed and shook his head. "I honestly don't think three of us could handle one of those dungeons and to try is suicide. However, I have a theory that'll lay this argument to rest." He looked up at Ryoutarou. "Take Andrew and Sinon and go to the ice dungeon. Check on the guest giver, for lack of a better term, then come back here."
The taller man blinked. "That's it?"
"If I'm right then yes. That's it."
While Kazuto waited for their friends to return, he went to find Asuna and found her on their bedroom balcony. He came up behind her and watched the wind pick up her hair and it danced on gentle breezes all around her. Back in that house on Floor 22, he had never seen Asuna so happy. If he had gained nothing else from that leave of absence than the view of her on that porch it would have all been worth it.
Back then when Heathcliff had called us back to the frontlines…somehow I knew…I knew we were never going to go back to that house again. That's what made it so hard to leave that day.
Dreams of those days in that home had been what kept him going when he was still developing the cor cube. Losing that house had almost made him regret beating the game. It was why he had been so happy about the New Aincrad including that single property located in the woods next to the lake. Like Asuna, he had never felt more at home, even in reality, than he had within those four walls.
The look Asuna wore now was a far cry from his beautiful newlywed wife. "Asuna, I…"
"Do you remember…waiting in that room hours before the floor 75 raid?" Asuna cut him off. "You asked me not to fight."
"I remember."
"I was angry and I told you if something were to happen to you I'd kill myself." Asuna turned to face him now, her face devoid of emotion. "I asked for three things that day and you've held up your end on two of them. Do you remember what they were?"
"You wanted to date for real, you wanted to get married, and…" he looked away. "You wanted to grow old together."
Asuna came up and cupped his face, getting him to look at her once more. "You have an obligation to take care of yourself so that I can see the Kazuto when he's old and gray and his daily activities involve fishing and yelling at the local children to get off our lawn."
Kazuto laughed softly. "I hate fishing."
"You protect me but I protect you, too. I'm not some princess you get to lock away in a tower to go off and be someone else's prince charming. You belong to me." Asuna moved in and kissed him. Kazuto's arms lifted on their own to hold her against him. "Are we together?"
Kazuto smiled. "In this world and the next."
RYOUTAROU
Ryoutarou went to where the ice dungeon was and the closer the trio got the higher the wind began to pick up. It started off low but by the time the dungeon came into view, the winds were gale-force, filled with snow and ice shards.
"We can't get any closer than this!" Andrew shouted above the winds.
"We'll be shredded to pieces!" Sinon agreed.
Ryoutarou gritted his teeth. "Sinon, can you see the quest giver?"
Sinon narrowed her eyes. "There's no one out there! He's probably taken shelter inside if he's still there at all!"
Ryoutarou held back a curse and turned around. "All right, let's head back!"
Kazuto watched as the three entered. Ryoutarou couldn't look him in the eye. "The dungeon is blocked with a snowstorm of some kind. We couldn't get near it."
"Then let's make plans to head to Jomyoji Temple." Kazuto didn't say anything more on the matter and simply referred them to a new map. This one was something Kazuto had sent Rika out to get. "This is the spiritual path and every shrine marked along the way. It's 2.6 kilometers or one and a half miles long. Depending on the density of monster spawns, it should take us a little under two hours to get through. The beginning of the path is here at the Kosaka Shrine and it ends at Jomyoji Temple where we should find the missing priest."
Andrew looked at the map. "There are lot of places someone could hide in all those buildings and behind trees."
"Right," Kazuto agreed. "So we'll have to be extra careful. Everyone ready? Then let's go."
Kazuto stopped at the foot of Kosaka Shrine and turned to face the group. "One thing I forgot to mention: this area in particular is very important to our nation's history. Most of these temples are at least 500 years old. It goes without saying but let's try and avoid collateral damage at all costs. I don't want the city to have more reason to hate me than they already do."
Asuna walked up to the shrine and lit some of the incense still sticking out of the bowl of sand. Folding her hands in front of her she silently prayed.
"Your prayers have been heard and the gods smile down upon you," a deep voice sounded from all around.
Asuna gasped as her body, along with those of the party, glowed blue for a moment before it died down. Her phone beeped and she read the text message. "We received a magical defense buff for two hours."
"Sweet!" Ryoutarou exclaimed.
"Let's make good use of it." Kazuto started down the path, taking point this time while Andrew brought up the rear. The first monster that appeared leapt out of a nearby bush and immediately went for Kazuto's throat. He lifted one sword to block but the power behind the lunge knocked him flat on his back. The vicious black panther roared and tried to claw past Kazuto's sword. "Somebody get him off of me!"
Andrew appeared and grabbed the cat by the back of the neck, throwing him into a nearby tree. Undeterred, the panther landed on its feet and came rushing in again. Its eyes were ice blue and the hue perfectly matched the crystal adorning its forehead. When it leapt this time, it was Asuna who appeared and stabbed the panther, shattering the crystal and the panther. Two more appeared out of the surrounding bushes and the group went on the defense.
"Do these things travel in packs or what!?" Ryouratou whined.
"Not normally," Sinon notched an arrow. "Panthers are solo hunters." She fired an arrow but the panther ducked and went for Rika instead. "Unless we just killed the mother then these could be her children."
Rika leapt up and came down with her hammer, destroying the cor cube in the first hit. Andrew killed the third but remained alert for any others. When nothing appeared, they group continued on through the path. It took several twists and turns, creating a lot of blind turns. The screaming of monkeys was heard overhead but this time the group was ready. The monsters leapt in from above but none of them ever touched ground. Their cor cubes were located in their bellies, making them easy kills.
There was a larger clearing preceding the Seiganji Temple and Kazuto paused to extend his senses. Almost immediately a display of decorated fans sprung to life and flew across the clearing, spinning horizontally. One caught Kazuto across the cheek, slicing it open. "Take cover! These things are as sharp as blades!"
A loud pounding was heard and a large statue of Buddha came to life and stood up. It's body grew muscle and shifted to look like a silverback gorilla's while the head still resembled the original stone carving of the deity.
"Okay, that's just creepy," Rika commented.
The monster beat on its chest with its fists and opened it mouth to let out a resounding roar. Immediately the group winced and rushed to cover their ears…only to find that they couldn't move!
"Paralyze!?" Asuna exclaimed.
"Dammit!" Kazuto cursed. The next instant the sub boss slammed both fists down on the ground creating a shockwave that knocked back and flattened everyone to the ground. Kazuto tried to get to his feet but he was dizzy. The shrine's fans appeared and spun in for another round. He tried to block but his equilibrium was off and he missed, receiving cuts on his back and thighs. The effect eventually wore off and he re-centered his focus on the creature.
"We can't afford to let that string of attacks happen again," Andrew grunted, sporting a shallow cut above his eyebrow that bled over one eye, blinding it.
"Sinon! Next time he beats on his chest, fill his mouth full of arrows! Maybe that'll stop his attack pattern!" Kazuto ordered.
"Okay!" replied the archer.
"We still need to find the cor cube!" Asuna said before diving in. She aimed for the head, the most likely place to have a weakness. She hit seven points with lightning speed however all the monster did was cry out and swat Asuna away.
"Asuna!" Kazuto leapt up and caught her before she could fall through the roof of a nearby building. When he landed he placed her gently down to recover and jumped back into the fray. Other than Sinon everyone leapt in and out attacking different places on the monster's body trying to find its weakness. The attack pattern remained the same and before long it beat on its chest and opened its mouth. "Sinon now!"
Sinon fired off several shots and the effect was immediate. The monster staggered back and clawed painfully at its face.
Ryoutarou wiped blood from the corner of his mouth and frowned. "Do monkeys usually wear jewelry?"
Kazuto looked and saw what he meant. Hidden beneath thick fur on the arms the sub boss had thin silver bracelets. "I think we found our new target!"
"But which one?" Ryoutarou asked.
Asuna got to her feet and stood at Kazuto's side. "Both. At the same time."
Kazuto looked at her and in a single glance husband and wife were on the same page. "Same time," he confirmed with a nod. It happened a couple times before: once during the first floor boss. There was no calling out commands, or switching with a shout, there was just two fighters with a single purpose. Each strike was perfectly choreographed with the other, two minds working as one, and since the first time they partied together…Asuna and Kazuto were one.
Once it had recovered, the sub boss opened its arms wide and snapped the shafts of the arrows with a single bite. It beat his chest and began the attack pattern again. Kazuto and Asuna moved together, switching from the left and right, confusing its programming. They dashed in and at the last possible moment Kazuto went right and Asuna went left. Their weapons flashed and two bracelets shattered before the beast's image disappeared.
Ryoutarou dropped to one knee, taking a deep breath of relief. "Not my favorite battle so far."
Rika came up and gave him a smirk, offering her hand to him. "You have a favorite?"
At this the samurai snorted and stood up with her help. "Of course. When I was a bad ass and took out ugly baby from mars."
"Is that what we're calling that one? Ugly baby from mars?" Andrew wondered.
Sinon came up to the group. "Why do we need names?"
Rika replaced her mace to her side. "Because eventually when all this craziness is over, people are going to want the juicy details and I for one am calling this last one Gorbuddha."
Ryoutarou shook his head. "No, that's a terrible name. Buddhilla is much scarier. It sounds like Godzilla which, as we all know, wrecked havoc on Japan before SAO ever could."
Sinon sighed and hid her face in her hands. "Are we seriously discussing this?"
While the group spoke amongst themselves, Kazuto went over to Asuna who had remained quietly standing off on the side. She gazed up at the shrine. "You okay?"
Asuna startled at his approach slightly and nodded. "Yeah…it's just being here, seeing these places, it reminds me of home. My mother must be going out of her mind missing both father and me."
Kazuto pulled Asuna towards him and rested his forehead against hers. "She's a strong woman and she knows that she has a very capable daughter: someone who is fierce and loyal, dependable and true of heart. Not just in the virtual world but here in the real world. You're proving that now. This isn't the Asuna Yuuki who rose to the ranks of lieutenant within the Knights of the Blood Oath. You're fighting in reality as Asuna Kirigaya and no monster here can contest with your strength. We're going to make it out of this and we're all going home."
Asuna and Kazuto shared a kiss which was quickly interrupted by gagging sounds from Rika. "If you guys are done with the fluff, we still have the boss to fight and a priest to save! Geez."
Asuna winced and looked at her best friend. "Rika, perfect time as always."
"You like that? I try and be ready at any and all times for a good one liner. After all you two give me more opportunities than I can count." Rika stuck out her tongue and pulled down one eyelid.
Kazuto gave her an evil smile. "Just wait. One day you'll receive your revenge tenfold. I promise."
Rika froze and while the two passed by in front of her, continuing on down the path, Ryoutarou whistled. "I don't think I'd want to be on the Black Swordsman's bad side."
Andrew shook his head and followed after the two with Sinon. "Nope, not me neither."
"Been nice knowing you," Sinon waved goodbye.
Rika laughed nervously. "Oh come on guys! We all know Kazuto is too much of a softie to follow through on his threat!"
Asuna looked back behind her with an evil glint in her eye. "But you know what they say about Karma, right? Karma moves in two directions. I'd be careful if I were you."
ASUNA
They were approximately halfway through the spiritual path so it was almost another hour before they came to the final bridge that separated them from Jomyoji Temple. A thick fog grew and the group slowed before starting out over the water.
Asuna looked around and shivered. "Does anyone else have a really bad feeling about this?"
Rika nodded. "There's an evil presence in the air."
Kazuto's irises glowed red as he attempted to look through the fog. "There's someone there."
The group walked across the bridge until they were midway and stopped, watching with trepidation. With the long sleeves and dress, the person was obviously a woman. "Where? Where is he?" she asked to no one in particular.
Kazuto took a step forward. "Who are you waiting for?"
The woman blinked and seemed to notice there was someone there. Her eyes watered and she rushed at Kazuto, wrapping her arms around him. "I waited! I waited so long for you to return to me!"
Asuna's eyes went wide. "N-Now hold on a second!"
In an instant the tearful, weeping woman's attitude transformed and with one look the majority of the group was blasted back to the end of the bridge. "You can't have him! He's finally mine and he will remain with me for all eternity!"
Kazuto made a move to take out his swords but the woman's embrace tightened and her nails grew to puncture his back. Immediately he found himself paralyzed.
"Kazuto!" Asuna shouted in fear.
The woman shrieked and beneath her billowing dress the long, thick tentacles of a squid grew, elevating the woman at least a story and a half high. Her mouth opened and her teeth had serrated tips several inches long. One tentacle wrapped around Kazuto and kept him behind her, away from the perceived threat.
Rika blinked, "So Kazuto's our damsel in distress?"
"She's portraying the story of the Maiden of the Bridge," Sinon explained. "It's about a sad, lonely woman who apparently waits for her lover to return. For years she waited until eventually she's turned into a demon and consumed with jealousy."
"And now she believes Kazuto to be the love of her life?" Andrew asked.
"Oi, Oi, Oi, how do we know this isn't an actual person?" Ryoutarou asked. "We can't attack recklessly."
Asuna grit her teeth but opened up her phone. "Yui," she said, the girl picking up the house phone. "Can the cor cubes be used in a real life hostage to create a half human half monster boss?"
"Yes, Mama, it's possible and unfortunately it will make the battle much harder because the cor cube can be located anywhere either on the human or as part of the monster," came Yui's reply.
Asuna snapped the phone closed and put it in her pocket. "I'm open to suggestions."
"She sees you as the biggest threat, right Asuna?" Andrew said. "You distract her and we'll free Kazuto."
Asuna nodded, "Okay, Rika you're with me. Andrew and Ryoutarou work your way around to the back. Sinon, as soon as they free Kazuto cast purify to remove the paralysis."
Before they could execute their plan the woman screeched and the water on either side of the bridge rose upon her command and hit the group like a tsunami. The force of the water could have wiped them out easily but when the waters receded each member of the party was surrounded by a blue-hued shield. After the waters disappeared, the shield shattered leaving everyone confused.
"That prayer you made," Sinon reminded. "The magical defense. It took the hit for us."
Asuna bent at the waist and poised her rapier. "Then let's not let this chance go to waste." She rushed forward without fear and swiped multiple times, severing limbs which dissolved as soon as they were broken off from the main body. So the cor cube isn't in those parts.
"He's mine! He's mine! After all this time, he's mine!" The creature focused on Asuna and Rika and tried swatting with its remaining tentacles.
Asuna saw the others start to work their way around so she shouted, "Is that so!? Then what does this mean?" She held up her hand that sparkled with her engagement and wedding rings. "He loves me and whoever you thought you were waiting for isn't Kazuto! I won't let you have him in this life or the next!"
The tentacles "regrew", their projections being restored, and that's when Asuna saw the prayer beads around the woman's neck glow. It's in the necklace!
KAZUTO
Kazuto cursed himself for being caught off guard so easily. What was it about a woman throwing their arms around him that made it impossible to think? It happened when Rika hugged him and they were falling from impossible heights in SAO but that wasn't the only time. Now a seemingly innocent woman hugged him and she turned out to be a demonic monster.
It may not be her fault though. She's probably being controlled as easily as those before her. They had to make it passed her in order to get to Jomyoji Temple and save the priest. Andrew batted aside one tentacle to allow Ryoutarou through while his samurai friend activated a sword skill and sliced through the appendage locking him in place.
As soon as he fell to the ground, Sinon was there and cast Esuna. Realizing what had happened the boss turned around and roared in defiance. "No!"
Kazuto drew his swords and prepared to fight.
"Kazuto!" he heard Asuna shout. "It's in the necklace! The cor cube is in the necklace!"
"How are we supposed to destroy the necklace without hurting her?" Ryoutarou asked.
Getting an idea, Kazuto put his swords away. "Leave it to me." He ran forward, unarmed, and leapt up the monsters body until he was right in front of her.
She gasped and her head snapped back in surprise. "Anata…"
He looked at her kindly and put a hand on her shoulder. "This isn't who you are." Then with the other hand he snapped the necklace off her and threw it to his comrades below. "Now!"
Sinon took aim and fired, shattering the main, slightly larger bead, in the center of the necklace. The portions of the monster that were projections disappeared and released from the influence, the actual girl fell to the ground where Kazuto gently caught her.
Asuna came up to him and looked down at her. "She's not any older than us."
Kazuto looked sadly down at the unconscious girl. "Just another victim." Half the group remained with the girl while the others rushed across the bridge to the temple. They returned shortly after with the old man. When the priest saw the girl he showed obvious recognition.
"Hitomi!" he exclaimed. "Oh thank you for saving her!"
"Of course." Kazuto said. "Is she one of your assistants?"
"Yes, she keeps the temple grounds clean with me and aids in the prayer of anyone who comes to us."
Kazuto tightened his lips. "Can you tell us what happened?"
"I needed to return to the temple, to ensure that our family's ancient relics were safely hidden away and protected. Hitomi and one other insisted on coming with me and though I knew Chief Haruto said he would arrange an escort I simply could not wait. I can see now that it was a mistake. A group of individuals appeared and took Hitomi, threatening harm upon her if I tried to leave the temple."
"Well you're safe now," Asuna said. "We'll get you back to a safe house. Hitomi will be fine once she wakes up. Your other assistant was the one who told Chief Haruto about your abduction. He's still safely back at the hospital."
"Can you tell me how many people were in the group?" Kazuto wondered.
"Hmm…if I remember correctly, there were six or seven in the group."
"I see…" A part of Kazuto's gut twisted. It could just be a coincidence…He turned to Andrew. "Did you find the cor cube for the force field?"
"Yeah, it was projecting from the top of a Buddha statue. We destroyed the cube and the statue was left unharmed."
"Okay good. Then after our escort we head back home. We'll scout the ice dungeon again and see if it's opened up."
UNKNOWN
"The temple priest has been saved and the maiden was recovered unharmed."
"Of course she was. This is him we're talking about. Mr. High and Mighty I'm better than everyone." The leader of Hand of Destiny licked her lips. "No matter. Our fun is just beginning."
"Are we going to reveal ourselves?"
"In time. When they're strong enough. If we fought them now it wouldn't even be a contest. I want to savor my revenge against that short little pipsqueak." I can't wait to see the look on his face when he realizes it's me. Never underestimate the power of a woman's scorn, Kirito…
