I'm back, here with a lovely update, and finally became one year older yesterday (June 23)! Haaaaah, my room is FINALLY clean and I only need to stress on this story, my other story, and passing off on thursday! Anyway, this chapter has a loooot of OOCness (if you haven't noticed lately), so please excuse some of their odd behavior.

Thank you to Teal96ko, Impstar, Riku Uzumaki, o realisticFantasy o, LiberatorKen, DarkStoo, InvisableTarget, and Guest for reviewing last chapter! You guys are really loved!

Chapter 10: The Guild Leader, Heathcliff

Right after Klein took Kirito back with him, the ≪Fuurinkazan≫ guild members were relieved. In fact, all of them practically vowed to never let the "pesky little brat" get away ever again. Kirito, of course, denied ever being a brat.

Odd but not surprising, Kirito never officially joined the guild. He just stuck to them like glue; going out with Klein to map out an area or out on a quest with the guild members. Sometimes, one of the members (mostly Issin) would take Kirito wherever he wanted to go when Klein was busy with the Guild or other stuff. Of course, this slowed Kirito's constant leveling up drastically, but he took every opportunity to gain Exp. On some days, Asuna would hang out with him whenever she gets the chance to get away from her appointed bodyguard.

And today was just one of those days. Well...kind of.

._._._._._.

It was almost 11:00 when Kirito was sitting underneath the shade of a tree as he waited for Asuna and Klein to show up. Today, the three of them decided to take a little break from being in the front lines for over three months straight. Lately, Asuna's duty as a Sub Leader had been placing a bit of stress on her. It doesn't help when her dumb (Asuna said so herself) bodyguard, Kuradeel, is always tailing after her.

Klein just wanted to spend some quality time with them (although Kirito seriously doubted that since he always wakes up to a singing Klein in the morning, telling him to get up). It was pretty much quest after quest and exploring several places. Kirito didn't actually mind the constant activity. It gave him an excuse and some time to look for someone.

Kirito leaned against the tree and sighed. He knew that the first year anniversary of this death game was nearing and his time was running completely short. If he doesn't find the creator of SAO soon, he wouldn't-

"Issin said you would be here, Kirito!" came Klein's familiar, loud voice. The said teen rolled his eyes and mentally groaned.

"Well, I was bored." Kirito admitted with a frown. "Don't expect me to actually sit and uwait for you in that house for almost three hours."

Klein took a seat next to him and ruffled the teen's black hair. Kirito narrowed his eyes and leaned a bit away from his "leader".

"Oh, stop over exaggerating. It was only just for a little over two hours." Klein defended himself. Kirito gave him a side glare.

"Yeah, for exactly two hours, forty-eight minutes, and thirty-two seconds. Or, in other words, 10,080 seconds were spent sitting under a tree. You were supposed to be here 5,168 seconds ago." he said. Klein stared at him blankly. The teen rolled his eyes and sighed as he brought his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around it. "I meant an hour, twenty-six minutes, and eight seconds ago. I thought you would know that."

"Why are you even counting?"

"It's called boredom."

The two lapsed into silence as they waited for one more person. Kirito was half asleep when Klein finally spotted Asuna and her bodyguard running towards them. The two mentally groaned at the sight of the bodyguard. They met him once and Asuna nearly had to hold Kirito back from drawing his sword if Klein hadn't picked him up and physically carried him away using the "It's time to go!" excuse.

"Hey, Asuna!" Klein greeted as they came to a stop in front of them. "What took you a while?"

Kirito glared at Kuradeel, Asuna's bodyguard. "You made her 5,882 seconds late."

Kuradeel's face fumed red. "I did not make her late, you stupid boy!"

Asuna gave him a curious look before giving an apologetic smile as she plopped herself on the ground. "Kirito, sorry, don't mind him. He has no manners to anyone. I know I'm an hour, thirty-eight minutes, and two seconds late and we were supposed to take it easy today, but something else came up."

Klein's eye brows shot up. "Woah, woah! Wait a minute!" he said as he raised his hands. "You understood what Kirito meant?!"

Asuna gave him a confused look while Kuradeel narrowed his eyes. "Well, yeah. Of course. How could I not?"

The guild leader looked at her dejectedly while Kirito smirked. "You guys are pretty darn smart..."

"Are you saying that my Sub Leader wasn't?!" Kuradeel demanded. Klein glared at him and opened his mouth to defend himself, but Kirito gave him a sharp glare that told him to shut up.

"Anyway," Kirito said as he tried to veer the conversation back on course. "Asuna, what happened?"

The Sub Leader huffed and crossed her arms. "Before I left, Heathcliff wanted to speak with me and..."

"And...?" Klein prompted with a waiting expression. She sighed and gave the boys a weary frown.

"He asked to meet the ≪Black Swordsman≫." Asuna said. Kuradeel scoffed.

"I don't see why our leader should waste his time on a brat like him." he said. Kirito resisted the urge to get up and give him a good, nice roundhouse kick.

"What?" he asked with his eyebrows furrowed. "Why? I'm not causing any trouble."

Klein nodded in agreement. "Yeah, he's been stuck with me and my guild for three months-"

"Actually, Klein, it's three months, twelve days, fourteen hours-" Kirito was cutoff by Kuradeel.

"What? That brat's a smarta-"

"Don't finish that, please. We have enough on our hands." Asuna said with a sigh.

"-So, what could he do other than attempt to run away?" Klein said as he ignored the interruption.

Asuna shook her head. "It's not that. Heathcliff found out that one of my friends is actually the ≪Black Swordsman≫. Well, more like Kuradeel wouldn't stop complaining." She sent a glare at her bodyguard, who pretended not to notice.

"I kinda thought so." Kirito said with a sigh.

"He wants to meet Kirito in person and ask him a few questions..." She paused and gave him a questioning look. "Is that alright...?"

Klein frowned when Kirito stayed silent. "Well, there goes our day off."

"I, personally, think that this is just a waste of time. Why even bother to hang out with these-" Kuradeel began but Asuna cut him off with a slightly irritated tone.

"If you have better things to do at the current moment, then please. Feel free to go. I have no need for service right now. And besides, I have two of the strongest clearers at my side." she said with a smirk. Kuradeel's face darkened while Klein laughed.

"Haha! Yeah, don't worry! Your lovely Sub Leader is in safe hands!" he beamed.

Kirito sighed. "Sorry, Kuradeel. But he isn't lying. She really is in good hands. Heh, I guess I should say, I'm in good hands because she's here. Plus, Heathcliff may come."

The bodyguard narrowed his eyes as he placed a hand over his sword. "Is this a challenge?"

The teen laughed tonelessly. "Haha, naah~. Too lazy."

To prove his point, he fell to his back with his arms behind his head and closed his eyes. A stiff silent fell upon them as Kuradeel silently glared at the teen before turning to Asuna.

"If you need anything, I mean anything," he emphasized, "Please send me a message and I'll come running."

Without waiting for her reply, he left the three in a stormy fashion. Stomping away with clear frustration and annoyance. Klein couldn't help but laugh.

"Good! That got rid of him!" he said.

"Thanks, guys." Asuna said with a relieved smile. "I thought I was never going to get rid of him. I swear, he's like a stalker!"

"I don't doubt it." Kirito muttered, opening his eyes. He sighed as he sat up. "I really want to avoid meeting this Heathcliff person, but if he really wants to meet me, then I have no choice but to do so..."

"You'll meet him?!" Asuna sputtered as her eyes widened. She sat up with a slightly shocked expression. "I honestly thought you would refuse."

"Woah! Wait a minute! You never give in this fast. Are you sure you're still the Kirito I know? Not anything weird, again?" Klein asked as he looked over the teen. Kirito casually smacked Klein's hand out of the way and got up with his arms stretched over his head. Asuna shook her head in amusement.

"I'm fine." Kirito assured as he dropped his arms by his side with a curious gaze. "So, where are we gonna meet Heathcliff?"

Asuna looked up at him. "He said that he will meet us here in about...less than half an hour?"

Kirito crossed his arms and sat back down with his legs crossed with a look of irritation. "Great. More waiting."

Twenty minutes later (Although Kirito counted nineteen minutes and fifty-nine seconds), the three spotted a muscular man dressed in red armor with a gigantic shield and sword and a white cape flowing behind him. Kirito couldn't help but stare at him with wide eyes.

'This...is sooooo not who I'm looking for...or expecting to be Asuna's leader...' he thought to himself. Klein's eyebrows shot up as he whistled.

"I can see why people listen to him." he assessed. Asuna rolled her eyes with a small shake of her head. She greeted her leader with a small smile.

"Heathcliff, I'm glad you're here." she said.

"Hello, Asuna." Heathcliff greeted with a nod. "I am assuming that the boy dressed in black is the ≪Black Swordsman≫."

Asuna glanced down at Kirito, who frowned at the mention of his 'title'. "Yes, he is." She gestured to Klein, who waved. "And this is Klein. The ≪Fuurinkazan≫ Guild Leader."

Heathcliff nodded to both of them. "It's a pleasure to meet you both. Especially you, Bla-"

"Please. Don't call me that." Kirito interrupted with a raise from his left hand. "Just 'Kirito' is fine."

Surprise was clear on Heathcliff's face as stared at the boy. "Well, seems like you aren't very fond of that name."

Klein scoffed. "Hah! This kid practically loathes it."

Kirito forced a smile. "I don't loath it. I simply dislike it. There's a difference."

Asuna cleared her throat, catching everyone's attention. "Well, was there something you wanted to ask Kirito, Heathcliff?"

Her leader gave her a smile. "Actually, I don't."

The other three gave him blank stares. "Eh?"

"I just used that as an excuse to meet the rumored swordsman." Heathcliff explained. Kirito kept a straight face.

"That is lamest excuse I've ever heard." he said bluntly. "But a good way to get out of something...I guess."

Heathcliff chuckled with a slow shake of his head. "You have no idea how many times I actually used that excuse in real world."

Kirito gave him an odd look. "I think... I do."

"So, anyway..."

In the end, Asuna and Heathcliff ended up talking about some battle stratagies they could use in the near future with Klein and Kirito giving their own two cents. But while they were talking and switching to many topics to kill some time, Kirito couldn't help but feel very uneasy. There was something in Heathcliff that seemed so familiar, yet a stranger.

"-irito!"

He was comfortable, yet really tense.

"-ention? Hey-"

Like he should know him-

"Are you alright?"

Kirito snapped out of his thoughts and nearly yelled when Heathcliff was waving a hand in front of his face. He instinctively grabbed it and held it still with a small glare. "I'm fine. What you even doing?"

Klein frowned. "You spaced out for a of couple minutes."

"I was trying to get your attention." Heathcliff answered. Asuna gave him a concerned look.

"Are you sure you're alright?" she asked. Kirito released Heathcliff's hand with a huff of irritation.

"I'm perfectly fine, Asuna." he replied. Looking for a way to change the subject, he stood up and stretched. "I'm hungry. Are you guys? I haven't eaten since breakfast, which was 19,006 seconds ago."

"19,006 seconds?" Klein repeated. Asuna smiled.

"That would be five hours, sixteen minutes, and forty-six seconds, Klein." she clarified. Heathcliff nodded in approval.

"Well done." he praised. He got up with a smile. "Why don't we all go out to eat? My treat."

Klein immediately shot up. "Great! I-I-I mean, thanks, Heathcliff."

Asuna lightly laughed as she got up. "I wouldn't mind. You up for it, Kirito?"

The said teen shrugged his shoulders. "Whatever you guys want. I don't care, as long as I eat."

Asuna placed her fist into her open palm. "Then it's settled! Lunch all on Heathcliff."

"Yeah! Free food!" Klein cheered.

"Wow, leecher." Kirito said as they all began to head to a town with a good restaurant. He followed close behind. If he really wanted to make sure that Heathcliff wasn't the person he was looking for, then he has to come up with something that would prove his suspicions wrong. Which, sadly, weren't normally wrong.

He unconsciously rubbed the back of his left wrist with a frown. "I guess...a childish game should do it."

Aaaaaaand done. I was going to make it longer but I'm making you guys wait awhile. Well! Tell me what you guys thought about this chapter! And stuff. Again, thanks for reading! And...Java a great summer! Or hope you're having a great summer.