Disclaimer: I don't own anything apart from the words I write and the characters that i create. Credit goes to the original creator of the SAO Universe.


Those of us who were left in the match are enveloped by the bright light we've become accustomed to, and find ourselves with my team, Kazuma's team, and our closest friends outside the dome that leads to Yggdrasil City.

"Congratulations, Karen! You guys won the tournament!" Mamoru says happily.

"It wasn't easy; Yuuki was pretty close to beating Katsuo."

"Karen, let me be a bit blunt, but...I actually only fought at half strength. I wanted to win for my team, but my strong determination was wavering when I faced you all directly. I just didn't exactly have what it took to go all-out." Yuuki says quietly.

"Either way, we can't turn back time." Kazuma says in a dejected tone, apparently not liking that he lost.

"Nee-chan, I never knew you were this strong! I imagine Aincrad must've had at least one good quality to it." Madoka says with a small smile to Sylvia.

"Aincrad was terrifying, yes, but having death looming over you at all times has a gift for training you to survive anything. Though Karen was the reason a majority of us survived, even though she was a total nightmare to work with most of the time." Sylvia states calmly, though she grins rather evilly at the end.

"Sylvia!" I exclaim in both embarrassment and minor anger.

"Don't even try denying it, Karen." Katsuo says, with Hikaru and Kana nodding rather mischievously.

"You guys are evil." I say, crying a little.


Suddenly, I receive a PM which I notice is from the council of the Imp nation.

"Excellent news, Ashikaga. Aleia withdrew from the election as Imp leader since the pressure was becoming a little too intense for her in addition to how she was informed of the responsibilities she'd be burdened with if she were to become leader, same with the other candidate: Roland, and a majority of her votes went towards you. You have been elected as Imp Leader by majority vote. Congratulations, Lady Ashikaga. You now lead the Imp nation."

After reading this message I openly smile, which apparently everyone notice.

"What's up?" Haruka asks me.

"One of the three candidates for the Imp ruler succession dropped out, and a majority of the support to that candidate went to me. As a result, I was made Imp Leader by the majority vote."

"Woah, congratulations Lady Ashikaga!" Sylvia says happily, though it's with a minor sarcastic smirk. "But wait...you said you were going to be in Gun Gale Online. How will you manage such things? Won't you need to be on Alfheim rather often?" Sylvia asks, recognizing the potential issue on hand.

"Don't worry, I consulted the council when I was nominated and they are more than capable of leading the nation in place of the leader in nearly everything, but there are certain things only the leader can do. So I only really need to be on once a week or so." I say calmly, since I'm going to be busy with Gun Gale Online soon.

At this point, a male Undine player approaches us with a calm demeanor in his stance.

"Chrysheight, what are you doing here?" Kazuto asks in surprise.

"Ashikaga, Yamakage, Kirito, Pulse, Zekken, Yugana, I wish to speak with you six privately. Come with me."

"And why should we?" Katsuo demands with a hint of anger. He hates it when people bark orders at him. Aside from the others in Senryaku, he rarely listens when others try to force him to do things.

"Katsuo, Chrysheight was part of the SAO Case Victims Rescue Force. They were the ones who brought all ten thousand of us to the hospitals that kept us alive during Aincrad. Let's just hear what he has to say." Mamoru says in a mildly calm tone with a hint of fear at Katsuo's outburst. I presume he's nervous about how Chrysheight would respond to it, even though he not fazed in any way.


The six of us go with Chrysheight to a small house in the city, leaving Sylvia, Hikaru, and everyone else at the dome.

"What's this about, Kikuoka?" Mamoru asks very seriously.

"There's a report that came through about an American made VRMMOFPS called Gun Gale Online. There are rumors that a recent string of deaths is linked to this MMO. The details are still vague so I need your group to investigate things discreetly."

"So...let me get this straight. You want us to join Gun Gale Online to investigate something you know next to nothing nothing about?" I ask with unseeable anger. I'm not exactly thrilled about being thrown into danger's way again.

"Essentially, yes."

"Our taxes go to support this?" Katsuo asks with both anger and sarcasm.

"Calm down, Katsuo. Remember that you, Kazuto, Mamoru, and I were going to play Gun Gale Online anyway. There shouldn't be a problem if a different reason is given to us to play this MMO. But anyways, Chrysheight; I can understand you asking the four of us because of what we've been through, but why them?" As much as I want to argue, I won't deny that Katsuo, Kazuto, Mamoru, and I have been through a lot since we've met, but Yuuki and Ophelia, there's no way either of them have the experience we have.

"I've been watching all of the teams during the tournament. Alongside the fact that you four were in Sword Art Online, young Zekken here was able to defeat a dozen experienced fighters from Sword Art Online, not counting your friends. Her power is beyond comparison as a result and I learned through my contacts about Yugana's resourcefulness with technology. I imagine her skill set will be helpful in your endeavours. I picked you six specifically for this because of your unique skills. Solaris, you have a gift with strategy and leadership, and I ask that you use your gifts once more to acquire the answers the government seeks in this MMO. Masaru, Kirito, Zekken, you three have remarkably strong strength and adaptability. Use those skills to aid your friends. Pulse, your precision with ranged weaponry is remarkable, in reality and in the virtual world; use your talents to aid them. Yugana, as I said before, you are incredibly resourceful. Use your cleverness to your advantage." Chrysheight says, pride oozing from his words.

"Very well, we'll do it." I say with a sigh.

"Don't think you'll be doing this with no hint of incentive for this proposition however. The government is prepared to offer 80,000 yen* for each of you in exchange for this."

"Eighty thousand yen...wow...that's quite a tempting offer." Katsuo says with a whistle, surprised how much Chrysheight is offering for this.

"And for us six...that's 480,000 yen in total!" Yuuki says in awe.

"Either way Chrysheight, we won't be able to do this straightaway. We do have school to worry about." I say seriously.

"How about this, Kikuoka; Ophelia, Yuuki, and I will enter Gun Gale Online straightaway after we transfer our stuff to our friends and gather information. Kazuto, Karen, and Katsuo can join in when they get the opportunity."

"That is acceptable to me. But know that this needs to be done as soon as possible. Do not take too long in doing this."

"Yeah, yeah, we'll do this as quickly as we can, but we've lost three years of our lives, and we do need to make that a priority for us." Katsuo says with a hint of anger.


POV: Sylvia

Karen, Katsuo, Kazuto, Mamoru, Ophelia, and Yuuki left the area with an Undine player, leaving myself, Hikaru, Kana, Asuna, Haruka, Keiko, Madoka, and Rika around the dome to the Grand Tree: Yggdrasil. Michiru and the others left not after they did as well. We were about to head to Kana's shop when a single Krab approaches us all

"I was hoping I'd see you all here. I am here to bring a message to you all." The Krab states, broadcasting XANA's message to those of us here.

"What message do you have?" I ask curiously, wondering why XANA sent a monster all the way into a city zone.

"The Floating Castle of Aincrad will be installed into this Alfheim server in one month at eight hundred hours. If you so desire, you have the opportunity to perform what you have done in the past: Clear Castle Aincrad."

We all gasp in shock upon hearing that Aincrad is being brought back after the deletion of Sword Art Online.

"A-Aincrad is being brought back?! Karen and Katsuo will want to hear about this!" Kana says in utter shock.

"I wouldn't bring them into this actually. We shouldn't force them to stay in Alfheim when they may want to experience Gun Gale Online. It may seem unfair but we should let them do what they want." I say quietly.

"Well, I know we won't be able to reform Senryaku with Karen, Katsuo, Kazuto, and Mamoru not here. They were our core members and colleagues, and we're down to just you, Kana, Keiko, and myself." Hikaru says quietly, with him not feeling right about reforming Senryaku without the full group around.

"Why don't we form a new group...Heiko? It's the japanese word for Equilibrium." I ask the group in a serious tone.

"I wouldn't mind joining your group Kana-chan, Sylvia-chan, Hikaru-san. But Hikaru-san and I won't be able to contribute full-time because of how we do have to earn money in those tournaments." Keiko says in an upbeat tone, wanting to help the reformed Senryaku unit from Aincrad, though she does admit that she and Hikaru have to commit time into winning those MMO tournaments to keep our rent going.

"Sorry Sylvia, but I think I'll be working solo for this. Liz, would you want to help me with my equipment?" Asuna says in a mildly sad tone.

"I'd have no problem with that Asuna. I'd be glad to help one of my best customers back in Aincrad." Rika says with a smile.

"Nee-chan, I want to join in on this. Although it won't be the same, I want to know exactly what you lived through during your time in Aincrad." Madoka says in a calm tone.

"So we have myself, Hikaru, Kana, Keiko, and Madoka joining our new Heiko party. But of course, Hikaru and Keiko are going to be on and off. Based on our skills…Kana, I presume you have no problem with being our smith again?"

"I'm not much into combat. I loved being a smith back in Aincrad. So yeah, I'll take up that role again."

"Glad to hear it. I do use a heavy two handed sword, but I've built up a lot of support skills in my time here. I'll take up a role of short to mid range fighter/supporter. Keiko, you've gotten a lot better with strategies since Karen was teaching you in Aincrad. While you don't have the Unique Skill: Sleuth, would you mind staying in the back ranks, leading us all?"

"I'd have no problem with it, but I do want to fight every now and then."

"That can be arranged. Hikaru, I know you're a strong warrior, but I want you to focus on your speed so you can protect Madoka and Keiko, the Fimbulvet race is not good with melee confrontation, but their magical power is remarkably high. We'll need a front rank warrior to handle the fact that Katsuo isn't with us, Hikaru working on guarding our back ranks, and me being as the buffer. Having a specialized healer will be helpful as well."

"How about we plan this out when Aincrad is actually brought into Alfheim?" Kana says calmly.

"Fine by me." I say with a smile, unable to believe that we're getting the chance to relive Aincrad.


*(A/N: 80,000 Yen roughly equals 800 US Dollars)