Disclaimer: SAO and is subsequent characters are owned to their respected parties. PlainStoryTeller's fanfiction "A Second Chance" and its subsequent characters belong to him.

(Opening Theme is Endless Tears by Ayane)


January 27th, 2024 – 1735 Hours – Aincrad 51st Floor – Main Dungeon


Klein and the rest of Fuurinkazan ventured forward, looking at every nook and cranny that was in the dungeon's winding road. The dim lights of dungeon's torches radiated against the darkness of the castle-like cathedral.

A few of guild members cracked their knuckles, wondering what type of goodies they could find. Scouting had its advantages. The young samurai looked to the distance. Nothing exactly was great in every direction. Raising his fist in the air, the rest of his friends stopped behind him.

"Alright, let's stop for a quick dinner before heading back, k?"

"Sounds fair to be leader." Harry One nodded as the rest did as well.

The group of six slowly sat down as they withdrew several bags of dinner bread and water for a quick something to eat. HP regeneration outside of combat was based on the character's hunger value. It was a bit mind boggling thinking that something like that could be assigned to numerical values.

Klein's eyes happily gazed over his friends as he clacked his bottle of water against his friend's bottle, the echo bouncing off the stone walls and hallways. Issin, a lanky brown haired man taller than Klein himself raised an eyebrow at his leader.

"Something on your mind dude?"

"Nah, just kinda… well glad to have you guys around."

Dale bounced his shoulder plates against Klein's. "What? You getting all sentimental with us Tsuboi?"

"Just… Well that message did bring up sometime in the past. Was it only nine months ago?"

The faces of the Fuurinkazan lowered as they nodded solemnly. "It just reminds us the price of this world."

"Yeah…"

The six of them remained in silence until Klein looked around. Slapping his thigh paddings on his armor he said, "But wouldn't that be the price in the real world though?"

His friend's raised their head as their leader continued. "While we cannot bring them back, and what we may never know what exactly happened to them… We will never forget them."

Klein gave a small smile as he raised his bottle in the air. "To the fallen."

Harry One, Issin, Dale, Kunimittz, and Dynamm raised their bottles in the air as well. "To the fallen."

As they started to drink, a cry echoed, breaking the silence. The guild was startled as they immediately hopped to their feet.

"Is there anybody else in this dungeon?" Kunimittz asked, raising his long spear.

"Fuurinkazan, move out!"

The six of them dashed down the hallways as it opened to another white glowing stone area. Ignoring the message that the voice gave them, all six of them stepped into the middle area as the light turned red.

Klein withdrew his katana and readied himself for fighting as the rest of Fuurinkazan did as well. A massive blue fire spawned in front of them.

"Get ready guys…" he muttered as a mini-boss appeared as the flames disappeared.

A beast of light and dark manifested before them. On the right was a blackened angel, its face fair and saddened. Black angelic wings rested behind its back. But on the beast's left side was a white demonic wings on its side with razor claws.

Its name was The Dual Angel.

The beast lazily gazed upon the players, raising up its arms. Wasting no time, Klein, Kunimittz and Issin charged directly at the beast. The beast's demonic half slashed its claws at Issin as he barely sidestepped the incoming attack. With the attack of opportunity, Klein jumped up, slashing thrice. Issin jabbed at the beast's wings as red marked holes sputtered out red polygons.

The Dual Angel screeched as it kicked away Issin, charging at the off-balance Kunimittz. The dark-blue haired man raised his spear in anticipation. Just before the monster could get a hit, Harry One jumped ahead, blocking the hit with his shield. The angel cried as it lunged at Harry, only to be blocked by the spear end of Kunimittz.

The rest of Fuurinkazan grinned as they surrounded the monster, weapons raised and glowing. The angel angrily flapped its wings, cut off from any type evasion. The four other Fuurinkazan members rushed at the monster, slashing and hacking away at the monster. The angel tried to blocking their attacks in vain, as its HP constantly drained.

"This ends here!" Klein yelled as he charged in, unleashing a maelstrom of slashes, some guided by the System. The angel roared in pain as Klein finished the combo, calmly and collectively sheathing his blade. With a final cry, the Dual Angel exploded into thousands of polygons.

-.-.-

Bellona lunged at Freyja as she sidestepped the attack, as she delivered a kick to her stomach, pushing her back.

"You still live after all this time… You are difficult to kill." The white haired woman drily said, raising her nodachi at Bellona.

"You could say that…" The Cobalt Mercenary replied, slowing regaining her composure. As she reset her massive zweihander in front of her, Freyja jumped in again delivering heavy slashes at the woman. Red gashes appeared all over Bellona's weapon and armor as her HP was slowly drained.

Bellona bashed the pommel of her blade at her opponent's head, stunning her for a second as she swiped at her legs, taking them out from under her. The white knight fell as several members of the Wings of Liberty started to walk forward.

"Stay out of this fight!" Freyja yelled as she narrowly rolled out of the way from Bellona's impaling strike. From that prone position, Freyja kicked her legs up forcing Bellona to back off. Immediately following, the white knight was back up.

The two circled each other as Bellona jumped at her opponent again, delivering a vertical heavy slash as it broke the ground in front of her. Again, Freyja easily dodged the attack, aiming her nodachi at Bellona's face. The black-haired woman crouched under the attack as the nodachi's blade nicked at the back of her skull as red polygons sputtered out of the wound. Quickly grabbing her weapon she lifted it to Freyja's chest as she did the same with her nodachi.

"Heh. That hunger of yours. It doesn't go away does it?" Bellona's face continued to remain its natural stoic way as she listened in. "The trill of fighting, it's like a drug. Every time you had killed another beast or person, a mark on your person. Nothing can really seal that hole, can it?"

"Perhaps…"

Almost simultaneously, the women quickly jabbed into the armor of the other, as it pierced through. The backlash of the attack caused both of them stumbled backwards as their HP dropped considerably. Bellona reached for her weapon, but Freyja was faster. The white haired woman grinned wildly as she rapidly hacked away, Bellona not making a single noise as her body took the hits.

Ending the combo, the Cobalt Mercenary tumbled on to her back, her HP in the red zone. Freyja played with her weapon as she slowly walked closer to fallen opponent.

"Well… This is where…"

"Boss! We got five players heading this way." Warned a scout, rushing into the area.

Freyja grunted as she sheathed her weapon. "You live just for today… If another of my allies spot you… We are finishing this dual." Withdrawing a Teleportation Crystal as did the rest of the Wings of Liberty players, they quickly teleported out of the dungeon, leaving Bellona on the floor.

The woman continued to stare at the ceiling as the rumble of footsteps and boots clanked their way over.

"Hey! We got player over here..!"


April 10th, 2024 – 2232 Hours – Aincrad 50th Floor – Vega's Weapon Laundering


Bellona woke up as lurched forward in the bed, flinging the wet towel from her forehead. The water soaked rag squished against the wall as a small purple pop-up came up reading [Immortal Object].

She groaned as she saw the message, turning away. Breathing slowly, the black haired woman looked around more. She was in Vega's main room, the bed as comfortable as ever. The thudding of footsteps came from the door as Bellona resisted the urge to stand up. Forcing her body back down due to fatigue, Bellona sat up in the bed as Vega promptly opened the door, a bowl of soup in her hands. By the smell, it was chicken noodle. Or the Aincrad equivalent to it.

The redhead looked pleasantly surprised at her home-arrestee. "Oh, you're awake. Just in time too. I made some soup."

She walked over to Bellona and took a seat next to her.

"I don't need to be babied. Just give me the soup." Vega smiled and nodded as she handed the bowl over. As her black haired companion grabbed bowl, a familiar feel of heat warmed her arms. It felt alright considering her illness.

Taking a soup provided by Vega, Bellona started to drink the soup's broth. The noodle and chicken juices soothed her avatar's stomach as well as her body's brain signals registering hunger.

"So, how does it taste huh? Well?" The redhead smiled.

As Bellona placed the spoon back in the bowl she internally felt that the soup was good. Better than anything that she had made, or anything that restaurants in Aincrad could make. It was almost nostalgic taste, for reasons that Bellona had locked away for some time. Her head aching, she shook off the feeling literally.

"Are you cold Bellona?"

"No, I… The soup was good…" She replied, as she looked away. "Thanks…"

"You're welcome." Vega smiled as she stood back up. Silence hung between the two as Bellona tried dragging another spoonful of soup to her mouth. Before she could drink it, she allowed it to fall back into the bowl.

"… Why did you take me back up here?" she asked.

"It was suitable since you were sick." Vega shrugged.

"That does not answer my question."

"I couldn't just take care of you on the couch. That isn't good for a house guest."

"You mean prisoner." The black haired woman crossed her arms.

Vega lightly chuckled. Her chuckles made Bellona's headache return.

"Either way, I wouldn't just leave you to suffer on that cold. You need someone to help you."

"I don't ask for help."

Vega shook her head as she started to leave the room. "Glad that you enjoy the soup though." With that, she left her room.