Once again I am sorry for the delayed upload but my health has recovered so I positive that more chapters will come out this week. Enjoy!

Chapter 9

44th floor, 21st March 2024

Gideon had joined Anton and Knightmare at a back room of the tavern where their 'guests' were waiting for them. Anton and Knightmare had guarded them through the night and although nothing had been decided yet the most reasonable choice would be to kill them.

"How are they doing?"

"Fine I suppose. It's not like we're checking them or anything." Said Anton.

"I assume you have removed their crystals and weapons."

"Of course we have but what are we going to do with them?"

"Let's see what they have to tell us first then we can decide."

"Seems reasonable." Knightmare said always supporting his close friend.

"Very well although I doubt they can tell us much."

"I guess we'll find out." He put on his mask and they entered they room which had only three chairs and a small table. Asuna and Kirito were sitting down and Gideon sat on the remaining chair opposite of them.

"What do you want from us?" Kirito said with an angered voice.

"Information."

"Information about what?"

"About your business in those woods last night."

"We already told you. We were just scouting for the clearing group." Asuna said before Kirito could utter a word.

"And why were you scouting for the clearing group."

"A coalition was to be organized to deal with that guild but you seem to have taken care of them."

"I think it's more than likely that such a coalition could be organized but I was never informed of it." Knightmare whispered in Gideon's ear.

"Knightmare you know me. Explain to them that I am no pker." Knightmare chose to remain silent to Asuna.

"I don't believe you." Anton said as he stepped forward.

"Why not?"

"Because it's highly unlikely that the clearing group would sent their best players on such a dangerous mission. I believe you were there for your own reasons."

"We're telling the truth."

"I think they're telling the truth, guys." Knightmare said as he wanted to help Asuna but he received suspicious looks from both Gideon and Anton and a thankful look from Asuna.

"Fine. We believe you, somewhat." Anton was very angered but Gideon's words but he couldn't do much.

"Thank you. Can we now go?" Anton and Gideon laughed but Knightmare didn't as he knew that their odds of survival weren't that good.

"You clearly don't understand the situation."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, the thing is that you saw us and you recognize us so we can't let you live as you will expose us and put us in danger."

"Why would we do that?"

"I don't know but that is a risk I can't take."

"You're just going to kill us?"

"Yes, you unfortunately were in the wrong place the wrong time."

"We'll give you anything just please don't do it."

"There's nothing you can do about it so don't even bother." Anton told them as he wanted to get this over with.

"Actually there might be something you can do." Gideon said and he received a 'what-are-you-doing' look from Anton.

"What is it?"

"You can fight for your lives. Duel me and if one of you wins we will let you leave alive, you have my word."

"And if we lose."

"You die. We'll fight in a few hours. It's going to be a hell of a fight. The Black Swordsman and the Flash against me. How exciting" He said as he got up and left the room followed by Knightmare who had a smile that stretched from ear to ear. As they left the room they caught the girls eavesdropping but no one really said anything.

"So how did it go?" Elisa said looking innocent not knowing that they knew about her eavesdropping.

"You already know how it went."

"Yeah we do."

"Gideon can I talk to you in private?" Anton said as everyone left the tavern and they were left alone."

"What is it?"

"Are you crazy?"

"Yes I am. And it's what makes me so good at my job."

"Stop joking. Why are you giving them a chance to live?"

"It'll be more interesting this way."

"And what if you lose?"

"I will not lose. Trust me."

"I don't trust you and you know that."

"Yes I know."

"I am cancelling the duels."

"You will do no such thing."

"Why not?"

"If you don't want a civil war within the Order you will not do a thing."

"Don't threaten me."

"Don't doubt me." The atmosphere was really tense as a silence ensued but at the end Anton defeated left and he was shortly followed by Gideon who met Elisa on his way out.

"What happened to him?"

"He's just angry, don't worry about it."

"Ok, I guess. Knightmare told me about the duels."

"And?"

"I am worried about you. These are no common players."

"Today is not the day I die."

"You're reckless as always."

"If God is done with me then so be it but I have a feeling that he isn't."

"I hope you're right." A few hours passed and after quite a lot of Order members gathered to watch and to guard the event as Asuna and Kirito were escorted to the town square where the duels would take place. With news travelling relatively fast a crowd had gathered to watch but no one really knew what was at stake here. Seeing this Gideon approached Kirito just before the duel.

"It looks like I won't be able to deliver the killing blow so if you lose you won't die here."

"So be it but I won't hesitate in killing you."

"I don't expect you to." Gideon didn't believe that Kirito had it in him to kill another man but everything is possible. After a heated debate between Asuna and Kirito back in the tavern Asuna was chosen to be the first one to fight.

She steps forward and sends the duel request. Gideon accepts and follows his routine of praying during the countdown. Asuna is confused but nothing is going to stop her and as soon as the countdown ends she charges with her rapier towards Gideon who blocks her but keeps his distance and throws her back a couple of meters. Once again she charges but this time she uses an ability with a four hit combo and manages to do zero damage.

"My turn." Gideon says as he goes forward and prepares to charge at her but she gets out of his way and avoids him completely. No one really wants to face each other's attack as they both keep their distance and avoid a direct conformation until Asuna sees an opportunity to exploit and risks it. An eight hit combo is what Gideon is hit with but to Asuna's surprise it has not affect. Gideon seemed to have used an ability of his own but what kind of ability can block an eight hit combo.

He follows with a barrage of strong hits from really close that Asuna is not prepared to block but she withstands them nonetheless with her HP dropping to almost yellow territory.

"How did you block that?"

"Does it matter?"

"It does."

"Not anymore." He says as he once again charges and disarms her after her HP dropped to yellow and before she fell to the ground and to her surprise Gideon helped her up which was certainly strange. Everyone that isn't of the Order is shocked that someone has bested the Flash but after that victory Anton left the crowd and the floor entirely as he felt completely defeated. It is not over yet, Gideon thinks, as he walks over to the girls and Elisa to catch a breath and to prepare for the next fight.

"That was really cool." Phoenixia said to him.

"Yeah I guess it was but it's not over yet."

"Are you okay?" Elisa said as she took a look at him to see if he got hurt.

"I'm fine. Relax." He drank a potion and prepared to head back out.

"Thank you. For not killing them outright." Knightmare said to him before he headed out.

"After this is over we need to talk."

"I know." He headed out and faced Kirito who seemed ready and willing to put an end to his life.

"Whatever you do, don't mess up the mask. I paid a lot of money for it."

"I won't but this is the end of you."

"Is it? Well, I guess we'll find out, won't we."

The countdown started once again but this time Gideon didn't pray but was completely focused on Kirito as he pulled out two swords. Gideon was surprised but he expected that this would be a difficult fight to say the least. Everyone was shocked and Elisa tried to intervene but she was stopped before she could get far by Knightmare who completely trusted Gideon and his abilities.

"Fear not. He's got this." Elisa stepped back into line and watched silently.

The battle starts with a fierce and reckless charge by Gideon who rarely takes the initiative but he realized that he would need to attack in order to win. Kirito easily blocks him with his two swords and proceeds to attack with little success but he doesn't give up with more powerful hits hitting Gideon. Gideon's strength is more that adequate to block those slow hits and so Kirito takes a step back and decides to change his tactics. Faster blows are now Kirito's preferred tactic but he encounters little success with little to no hits hitting Gideon and when he did hit Gideon's health recovered before the next blow hit.

"That's all you got?"

"I haven't even started yet." As he says that Kirito charges again this time with equally powerful and fast blows that result to Gideon's HP dropping to yellow territory but this time Gideon prolongs one of Kirito's last blows with a devastating slash of his own to Kirito's stomach. Kirito retaliates with an equally devastating charge that drops Gideon's HP to red. Gideon tried to stab him but before he could do so Kirito stabs him in the stomach and Gideon drops to his knees. Kirito pushes his sword further in and pulls it out so that he could deliver the finishing blow.

"Any last words?" Gideon smiled, although no one could see his face because of the mask, and laughed at the face of Kirito who was equally confused and angered at Gideon's ignorance.

"This was fun, don't you think?" Kirito begins to bring down his sword when Gideon masters the strength to get up and stab Kirito who threw a weak punch at him which threw Gideon to the ground. The duel ended with Kirito as the winner as he had dealt the most damage.

Elisa run towards Gideon and helped him up after she gave him a potion to recover his health.

"Don't ever do such a reckless thing again." She said as she hugged him and tears were dripping down her cheeks.

"I'm fine, ok."

"You scared us." Phoenixia said not too worry about it as he was alive and all of the danger had passed. Knightmare took the time to inform Kirito and Asuna that they're free to go.

"You can let me go now."

"Oh yes, I'm sorry if I made you-"Gideon put his finger to her mouth and silenced her.

"You're far too naïve."

"What does that mean?"

"It means what you want it to mean."

"What?"

"Think and we'll talk about it when the time is right." He said as he entered the tavern leaving her and Phoenixia very confused.

The sun fell and both the girls, Knightmare and Gideon were having dinner at the empty tavern. They were joking around and the atmosphere was really light considering what went down a few hours ago. At one point when everyone had finished their food Knightmare spoke in a serious voice.

"Girls, I'm sorry but can we have the room?"

"Yeah of course but why?"

"We need to have a chat me and Knightmare so why don't you go on ahead and go to sleep."

"Fine." Phoenixia was not very happy but Elisa didn't mind much.

"Why do you want them alive so much?"

"I don't know but Asuna has already been kind to me and has supported me in the KoB. I wouldn't be who I am without her."

"I hope that's all there is to it."

"What are you implying?"

"Nothing."

"Tell me, dude."

"Look it might be just me but you don't like her by any chance, do you?"
"Of course not. You know who I'm interested in."

"I know but it seemed kind of suspicious."

"I guess it did."

"Well, it seems like I made the right decision."

"What do you mean? You didn't lose by choice."

"No but I accepted the fact that losing was the best option I had."

"You mean to say that you planed to lose so that you can let them live."

"I like to think that I am not arrogant. I knew I stood no chance at winning the Black Swordsman."

"And yet you still fought him and endangered your life and our identity."

"It was more than it seems. I gained valuable information on how he fights which could prove useful."

"You endangered your life for information we might not even need?"
"If God was done with me he would have killed me. But he didn't. And I have a feeling that they won't sell us out."

"I hope you're right."

"So am I but I will still get a lot of shit from Anton for losing."

"Yeah you better be prepared for that."

"And that is why you own me big time for this."

"Well, I really don't because I don't think you wanted to kill them."

"No I don't. Truth be told I am a godly man. I don't want to kill anyone no matter how bad they deserve it."

"I know. A small silence ensued as Knightmare hesitated to ask but asked anyway. "So how is it going with Elisa?"

"It's not what it seems."

"Well she likes you and I assume you like her so I think it's only a matter of time before…you know."

"Yes I do know but no need to concern yourself over my romantic life."

"As your close friend I am worried about you."

"No you're not. You just want to learn more about our relationship."

"That too but out of concern more than anything."

"You don't want me to start asking question about you and Phoenixia, do you?"

"No I don't."

"Then you should put your 'concern' aside."

"So be it. Good night."

"Good night."