January 3rd 2023 8 am

Chie woke up for his normal grinding, this time not on the 23rd floor, hoping to find Lisbeth close to him. Instead he found nothing but a note.

Hello Chie, so we talk again. As I'm sure you've noticed, your beloved is gone.

Chie started to panic, had they killed her. Is she being put through horrors? He read on.

Don't worry, she is just imprisoned. I will tell you how to get her back now. Bring the clearing force to the 20th floor, our new base is at [1903.0103.2738]. There, we will fight like men, and women of course. After the fight, if your side should win, you may have Lisbeth back. Nothing will happen to her yet. Defy me and something will. Come at 19:30 AST (Aincrad Standard Time) today. Your little girlfriend was allowed to leave a note, it should be on your desk. Ta ta, Chie. Till we meet again.

Chie swiftly got up and looked over to his left where he saw the note. He hoped she was okay. Should he trust them? He picked up the note and read.

Chie, I'm not going to tell you to not come, which you shouldn't, too many lives will be lost. I'm going to tell you that I love you with all my heart. Even though we've been together for less than two weeks, you've made my life so much better. I remember in real life where I would just daydream about me being with you, but now, in this death game of all places, it's become a reality. If I die tonight, know that I love you and please move on and have a life. Beat this game. Find someone you love. Settle down. For me, Chie, for me. I love you Chie, never forget that.

Chie clutched the note to his heart and closed his eyes as tears started streaming out. I'll get you out Lisbeth. Even if it's the last thing I do.

January 3rd 2023 4 pm

Chie walked back and forth in the meeting room the entire clearing force had been assembled at. I'm coming Lisbeth. I'm coming.

Heathcliff put a hand on Chie's shoulder before standing up, he could see the distress in Chie's face. After all, if that was his partner, he would feel the same. As he was the unofficial leader of the clearing force, he had the final decision.

"I've reached a decision, if you all agree." he spoke in his almost trademark voice. After a few nods from the main clearing guild leaders, including Kirito, he carried on. "I say we do what they say, but, we go in earlier than they told us to. They will still be prepared, but not as much as their main plan. As you may remember, the 25th floor is very prone to dirty hiding places. We take around three quarters of the experienced clearers to the fighting grounds, With the others hiding, encircling the guild. After a minute of talking like PoH tends to like, the last quarter of experienced clearers plus all the other clearers come out, surrounding the Laughing Coffin. We place all of the PKers in black iron prison, guarded by the army. If it comes to it, we kill to protect each other, but we do not kill in anger or revenge."

All of the leaders stood up to give their verdict. After each leader agreed, they sat down.

"So it is set, we will follow our way. Who is with me." Heathcliff put a motivational hand in the air to some cheering.

January 3rd 2023 7 pm

The clearers had now set off to the meeting place. They set up as planned. Chie was in the front row of the experienced clearers, he would be doing the talking.

Chie took a deep breath before shouting, "PoH, come out and give Lisbeth back!"

A cloaked figure came out with someone in ropes a minute later, "Ahh, Chie. So you have learnt to play dirty. But you should have realized that we too would play dirty. Why don't we get all of our friends out of their hiding spots." PoH clicked his fingers and the PKers came out from behind the clearers.

Heathcliff shouted for the rest of the clearers to come out.

"Hmm, as we are all here. Attack!" PoH put his right arm forward, pointing at Chie.

As he did this, hundreds of PKers charged. Chie materialized his sword, 'Dawn'. He did not want to use 'Solstice Reaper' but if anything came to harm Lisbeth, or anyone else for that matter, he would not hesitate to use it. He slashed at the first oncoming PKer.

He dodged the next attack and used 'Dirt Eater'. A sword skill that would paralyze the opponent for a few seconds. It was normally only useful for tanks against bosses. He saw a PoH disappear, "Ta ta, Chie. Until next time."

"COME BACK HERE YOU DAMNED BITCH!" Chie shouted, unable to contain his anger.

He saw a PKer going for Lisbeth now that PoH was gone. The PKer swung down. Chie materialized 'Solstice Reaper'. He blocked the attack and stabbed the PKer through the chest, making him burst into millions of polygons.

The next few minutes. Hours. Whatever they were, they felt like a blur. Millions of millions of polygons were sent flying through the air. How many people had he killed? He looked around, there was only the clearers and a few criminals being sent off. Where was Lisbeth?

He found Lisbeth tied up, as he undid her ropes, she hugged him, "Are you alright, Chie?"

Chie smiled, "Why are you asking if I'm alright, you were the hostage?"

Lisbeth started crying, "It's all my fault. If I never got kidnapped, you would have never needed to kill the rest of the people."

Chie put a sympathetic hand on Lisbeth, "It's alright Lisbeth. How did it happen?"

Lisbeth put on a false smile, "I had a surprise for you and I was going to my blacksmith. I had to test it out so I went to the mob zone on floor 23. I saw a cave that would be good to grind in and when I went in, I was paralyzed by a poison."

Chie couldn't believe what he had heard, if he had just told Lisbeth what happened fully, none of this would have happened, "Lisbeth... It's all my fault. That was the cave I found them at..."

Chie looked with glassy eyes at the cave and was about to say something before he was interrupted by Lisbeth's lips. After they came apart, Chie asked what he always asked, "What was that for?"

"I just want to be with you." Lisbeth smiled before kissing him again.

January 4th 2023 2 am

Chie awoke, panting. He saw the faces of the PKers in his dreams. He had killed all of them. This time an unknown amount more than last time's tens. Some of them would have families. Most of them would. They could be fathers, mothers, husbands, wives, sons, daughters... friends...

He felt the comforting heat of Lisbeth beside him, reminding him of why he had killed them. He loved her. So much so, that he would want to be with her for the rest of his life. He laid back down and put his arms around Lisbeth. For some reason, whenever Chie was with Lisbeth, he felt like everything was going to be alright.

Dear reader,

Yeah, yeah. I know that this chapter is short. It is more of a continuation of the last. Not much to say about this chapter except to ask if you enjoyed it. Have you? And I know I said I was going to update more in school breaks but I just got a bit busy...

From Smartyul, the author who literally had a 14 hour anime mix playing while he finished what he was busy with.