"We'll do this as one!" - Speech
'I so, so hate you…' - Thoughts
"The game is done." - Flashback
*Whoosh!* *Tzzz!* - Sound effects
'`Chapter 23: A New Beginning, From an Ending'`
A battle between man and monster is sure to rouse the attention of the crowd, be it young or old.
In the virtual world of «Sword Art Online», these battles were the integral factor to the players making their ultimate escape from this world. To be free from the shackles that bound them to this world, they must break through the countless obstacles.
Nier was worshipped as the hero of the world, setting free thousands of people, returning them to the families and lives they once lived.
And Kayaba agreed on the notion.
Real World
"That boss is going to be difficult," hummed Shuvi in obvious worry.
Why wouldn't she? Before this, all the other bosses were quite easy. But this time, however, Nur was going to up against what could potentially be his end.
However, thinking like that made her scoff. It was unbefitting for her, she thought. Why could she not have trust in her brother?
Time and time again, the boy had proven himself in so many unexpected situations, somehow able to turn the tides and ultimately win the game. It was almost second nature to him.
It was as if he was naturally so good at these things, even though «Sword Art Online» had been his first true game that really forced him into such a risky position.
And hopefully the last one.
Shuvi, at one point, thought of trying to forcefully tear apart the codes that restricted anyone from logging into the game anymore and possibly join in the fight to help her brother out. But no progress had been made, ever since the very beginning, which was equally frustrating as it was worrying.
She had not been able to get any information on the monster until last minute, and what she was looking at certainly was enough to get any prepubescent child to cry.
The reason why the boss room was so large to begin with was because it was extremely large, looking like a centipede made out of just bone, with a skull that looked really strange and with bright red eyes. The most intimidating trait about it was the way its limbs, including its arms, legs and rib cage worked like scythes.
That meant that it would indeed have just about every chance of attacking the players. It was literally a walking weapon.
Just trying to get close enough to strike it was going to be a challenge, since it would be able to attack them when they get close enough, damn those ribs of it.
Pushing away all her thoughts, she decided to focus on the upcoming battle, knowing for sure that it was certainly going to get everyone's attention.
Today, Asuna's parents, as well as the elder Kirigaya's, had come over to watch the battle alongside her family, all possessing looks of worry. Heck, even Ms. Kyouko was clearly trying to hold herself from biting her fingernail.
Clearly, this was worrying, scary, and everything else.
"Don't worry," the Prüfer heard her sister's voice, which held steadfast assurance. "Nii will get through."
"Yeah… As far as I know, your brother's stubborn when it comes to dying," laughed their friend, Suguha, who had came with her own family.
The sole machine of the three friends nodded.
Right now, was not the time to get worried.
From the kitchen, where mewling and barking could be heard, Morgana and Koromaru were just talking to each other about stuff. Of Nur.
"Think he's gonna' win this thing?" The cat asked.
*Arf!*
"W-Well, that's true… But no one's luck is ever going to keep working all the time, you know," sighed the feline, before making his way towards the living room, where everyone else where at. "Still, I suppose you're right. He's a 'Protagonist', so there's no way he's just going to lose."
*Rhaf!*
"Hmm?" His ears perked, staring into the bright red orbs of the canine. "You think he's not going to lose because that's just how he goes? Hah, that may be right as well…"
Still, it was strange that those two beings sent both him and his friend into the real world, and not into the virtual gaming world to directly help him.
Oh well. All they could do now was await the return of the 'Protagonist'.
In Another World, Untouched by Space and Time
"What do we do?" Asked the first person, his black hair swept to the side by a bit to give him a bit more view of the screen in the air. He had a noticeable frown on his face, clearly worried for the safety of the 'Protagonist' and just about everyone else. "Do we just watch?"
"Of course. We have been told not allowed to intervene, not until the proper time comes," said the man, clapping his hands once. "In any case, do any of you wish for tea? I can prepare some if you'd like."
"It's cool. You've already helped us come here from… You know what," sighed the second person, white-haired and all. He tapped his fingers against the table, sighing one more time. "You know, just letting us here is already a pretty big deal. Thanks for that, by the way."
"It's of no problem," replied the man with a smile. "And you, milady?"
"None, thank you," Vabel answered simply, focusing on the screen.
'Must be incredibly worried for the boy,' the man thought, though even he couldn't blame her. Whatever she had gone through just made her that way.
It was extremely hard for her, he understood. To watch your loved one, the very same person who had been there to help her find life—had no one really accounted for the fact that Nier had apparently crafted her a body, and somehow transferred her mentality into the body? That's something—to die in front of her.
With his death, the two had completely reincarnated her into a human girl, however they had retained her capability of «Acceleration», a strange skill that Nier had implemented into her long ago, when she was still a machina.
Right now, however, she was powerless to do anything. Fate hung equally on Nur's virtual shoulders, and it was this battle that would somehow decide their futures.
The black-haired one, as he watched the clearing guilds enter the floor of the seventy-fifth boss, he couldn't help but feel dread creep into him.
The battle, in his time, was terrible. The first recon for the boss consisted of ten player, all dying when they were unable to leave the room, seemingly turned into an 'Anti-Escape' area, of all things. Then when the clearing guilds charged the monster… fourteen never made it out alive.
That was just how difficult all of it had been. How, despite how much they all prepared for the incoming fight, to ensure that none of them would die, it could not be avoided.
The white-haired one merely remained in his place, keeping silent as he wondered on why he felt as if the two beings of this room had something planned out for all of them. As if this was some story they wanted to prolong, for absolutely no reason.
He just sighed in his mind, knowing that trying to understand them would be absolutely useless. They were an enigma on their own, and their existence was shrouded in mystery. The only thing that anyone could even know about them was that they just existed.
In times of normalcy, they were spectators who sat on the seats of the common audience. In times of danger, they played the hands of fate, interjecting and providing assistance. In other times, however, they could not be understood.
They were powerful… they could basically destroy the entire solar system, let alone the entire galaxy itself, if they so wished to. They had the power after all.
So why hadn't they just logged all the gamers out? That should have been nothing compared to any other out-of-the-world feats.
Before his thoughts could continue spiralling on, however, there was a cough that got his attention.
"The battle will be starting soon. I suggest that all of you watch it, unless you'd miss the outcome of it all," chuckled the midnight dragon as his own gaze drifted to the screen.
The three people—the swordsman, human, and time traveler—watched on with heavy curiosity and anticipation, praying for the safe return of everyone.
Floor 1: Black Iron Palace
"I heard that the clearing guilds are going to take on floor seventy-five," lazily said XaXa, who had been holding an old mug of wood in his hand for quite some time. "They're not going to get through. What'cha think?"
"Seriously? Are you a damn imbecile? They've got that brat Nier on their side. And as much as I hate to admit it, I think they're going to get through just fine because of him," Johnny spat, just as mad at him.
Being put behind bars was the worst thing that could have ever happened to them, as they now no longer had any freedom. They were forced into a life of submission, boredom, and ultimately no killing.
They swear… Once they got out of here , they were going to make Nier pay.
"So… why not we pray for whatever the f**k's out there to kill him, eh?" Suggested one of the killers.
"Meh. Might as well," nodded the other. 'Anything to kill of that piece of sh—'
"Hey, hey! Who the hell sh*t here?!"
"It wasn't me! It was Ronald, I swear!"
"Oi, leave me out of this!"
Although, they could wish to get better jail mates than this bunch of idiots.
Four red eyes stared the players down, glowering. The entity was extremely large, the reason why the room was sos spacious to begin with now elucidated. It looked like a centipede. Made of bones, limbs like scythes, depicting the reason to its name.
Yup. If Nier had to simplify his overly long description of the abomination that he was currently looking at, before forced to jump away as it lunged at him, then that would be it.
"Hrgh…" Unconsciously, he took a step back.
"H-Holy sh*t… Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t!" Screamed a player before he made a break for it towards the entrance.
*Khakahak!*
"Wait, be careful!" Screamed the monochromatic-haired «Blank», trying to move forwards… only to realise that he couldn't move. 'W-What?!'
*Shing!* *KrhaHAA!*
"GhHAHAA!"
To his utter horror, the young teenager was forced to bear witness to the sight of the previous player, one whom he specifically remembered having spoken to, conversing with a few friends of his—in fact, his sister had dived in with him, and they had been inseparable ever since—and being one of the veteran players in the game…
Getting a long scythe of ivory rammed straight through his gut, lifting him off the ground before he was forcefully slammed down, causing a powerful magnitude to shake.
The boy felt pale, blood draining as he stared at the sight with a shell-shocked expression.
From a distance, the man's sister cried for him.
"L-Live, Lord Nier…" Was all he said.
*Chh!*
*Nier Automata—A Beautiful Song (Play Song)*
"N-NOOO!" The sister screamed, falling to her knees and clenching her head in her hands as she was forced to watch her sibling disappear. Forever.
Nier had stood there, absolutely breathless at what he just witnessed. That… that person died, didn't he? He just died in front of him, and he couldn't do anything.
'G-God...' Wait, this never happened before, right?
It was a short moment later before he he forcefully returned to reality. This… this was not the time to stand around like an idiot. The time to grief would come later, but not now.
*KhaKahak!*
Taking advantage of his stupor, the mass of bones rushed towards the boy, raising one of its scythe-like limb and readying itself to end him for good.
*Clank!*
"Hmph. Certainly a challenge," Heathcliff rushed to the boy's side, shield raised and blocking its attack before he pushed it away. "Nier, are you fine?"
It took a moment before he managed to regain his composure, nodding stiffly.
"Y-Yeah. I'm good to go," the commander noted the way that the boy's gaze drifted ever so slightly to where one of their men just died, sighing in his mind. He was far too sensitive to things like this, it seems. "C-Come on… We have to do this..!"
The boss rushed them once more, and Nier managing to parry it, he charged after its ribcage, activating a «Vertical» and striking strongly at the bones that would have encased the internal organs—but this one lacked any such—suddenly feeling his health bar getting damaged.
'Huh?' His mind suddenly stopped for a moment, wondering why he just got damaged.
*Krhkakaka!*
Forced out of his thoughts, the boy jumped back once more, avoiding a narrow slash from the creature, before it entered a 'sprint' and went after the rest of the guilds, aiming for their heads.
And sensing its killing intent, he was quick to giving out the orders—even if he didn't really want to.
"All «Sentinels» and shield bearers! Be prepared to defend! Every able person, engage the creature, but keep your distance!" Roared the young «Blank» as he too jumped into the fray, bringing his sword into a swing to attack the titanic beast. "Hrah!"
*Clank!*
The clash between players and the terrifying monster intensified as the time continued to pass, forcing each player to be extremely vigilant and on their feet, constantly worrying over themselves and others as they continued to engage «The Skull Reaper».
The monochromatic-haired player was still trying to get the situation under control, but against such a boss it was really making everything difficult.
It was… it felt like it was reading them, slowly adapting to the fighting styles of the players.
'Crud… At this rate, everyone's going to get themselves killed!' That thought did not linger long enough to distract him from the incoming attacks, deftly parrying them before allowing others to switch with him and get a hit at the thing.
As the battle was dragged on, the creature seemed to be sticking to attacking them head on, charging into them as its legs sliced against the players, constantly damaging them.
It leapt at the wall, crawling up it before leaping towards the players, cutting a group of them down. With Yuna's help, however, their health bars were automatically repaired, back to full green before they decided to return the favour.
However, something that got his attention was that, every time they got close to attack it, there seemed to be an effect where the players are automatically damaged, despite not actually coming into contact with its body.
"What sort of effect is that?" Wondered the boy as he dived under a swing of the scythe, striking back at the creature's blade arm to deflect it, sending it slightly off its feet and giving him the chance to activated a «Vertical», dealing a critical hit to its skull. "Agil, Liz, down it! Pina, slow it do—"
*Khrahaa!*
Before he even had the chance to finish his sentence, however, the creature had revved itself into action once more, backing away and slamming its tail into a few of the other fighters.
"D-Damn..!" Paling, Nier ran after the monster, blade shining as he rushed in to stop the beast. "Agil, Liz, I'm making you an opening! Crash him!"
"Got it!" Shouted the blacksmith.
"And Pina, shoot it down before they make their move!" He continued.
*Kyuu!*
"Alright… Here we go!" Letting out a loud battlecry, he rushed the creature, successfully parrying it with his powered-up blade.
The little dragon took flight, sky-blue feathers shining against the light that glowed in the boss room before it released a bubble breath, striking against «The Skull Reaper», covering a wide range and slowing its movements.
"Here we go!"
"Watch this!"
The two blunt-weapon wielders of the «Blank» willed power into their individual weapons, shouting as they brought down their weapons onto the colossal beast with a powerful«Sword Skill», the two blows on its back causing it to fall to the ground.
"All players! Surround and siege!" Commanded the «Blank». "Bahamut, Shagaru, keep him down!"
*Grhaaa!*
*RhuUAAAH!*
The two dragons took flight as well, charging up a powerful breath attack in the pit in their throats, before finally releasing their individual fires down on the boss, crippling it and extending its duration of down.
The players took the order well, rushing down the creature and swinging down their weapons on the downed boss, letting loose their own battle cries as they continued to attack the creature.
Something that he noticed about this was that the players were no longer taking damage.
'What is that effect?' Thought the boy once more as he watched some players back away from the fight, healing themselves with 'Healing Crystals'. Yuna, the sole «Medic», was doing well, keeping up her singing and healing everyone, whilst Yui, Tatl and Tael kept the inflow of buffs continuing, as well as weakening the boss with debuffs.
Soon enough, tired of being on the receiving end of their vengeance, the boss stood on its many rows of skeletal legs once more, with the players beginning to distance themselves from the boss once more, trying to block its scythe-like limbs.
'Nier,' the boy perked up, hearing the voice of the man from the strange room resonate in his mind. 'Do you remember the effects of «Monado: Purge»?'
'Yeah. It supposedly inflicts something called 'Aura Seal' and nullifies 'Spike' effects, whatever those two things are,' mentally answered the boy as he narrowly did a combat roll to avoid the tail from the creature. Several players were sent flying, quickly healed by the songstress and dragged away from nearby allies before they got attacked any further.
'Well, whatever you've seen earlier is exactly that. The latter, I mean,' his words got the boy's eyes to widen, connecting everything together. 'So, I think you know what to do.'
'Yeah, I do. Thanks,' the teenage player charged up his «Monado», before letting loose a ranged blast of energy towards the creature, which slammed into it and suddenly caused it to look weaker than usual. Heck, even slightly less intimidating, at best.
Looks like its 'Spike' effect had been effectively cancelled out, even if temporary.
The effect was certainly noticed by everyone, as they seemed to be more confident in engaging the monster in close-combat now, thanks to the boy.
"Everyone, buy Heathcliff an opening to topple it! Heathcliff, strike it as hard as you could to down it once you're ready!" Yelled the boy, with everyone immediately rounding up to draw aggro onto themselves. The «Sentinels» more so, slamming their weapons on their shields and getting the boss's attention.
"Of course," nodded the man in response, readying himself. 'Like a true leader.'
That thought brought a smile to his lips, happy that he had been the person to have found his daughter—though she remembered absolutely nothing about him, and though this was just a virtual interpretation of her, he still cared dearly for her.
He had never tried to approach her all that openly because he was afraid of what the others may think. Plus, he didn't want to scare her off.
The last thing he wanted was to see her die in this game as well, although she was just an A.I., thus probably seen as some 'Immortal Object'.
"«Monado: Purge»!" The plasma blade and the disc glowed a pretty green, before the wielder swung it in front of him, sending a blast of energy at the creature.
The creature, mad at him for doing that, rushed at him with its blades raised and ready to cut him down. Sensing it, he pivoted over the blade, effectively dodging it before needing to raise his blade, blocking a powerful swing of its tail.
"HhyhaHAHAA!" Letting out a very loud battle cry, so much so that it even made a few other players jump, Klein went into a swinging frenzy, cutting down the skeletal monster from every angle. "Go for it, guys!"
"Hrhaa!" At the maroon-haired player's command, five other players followed-up with their own attacks, poking at the boss with their weapons, dealing damage that got boosted due to the combo count clicking past ten.
Then the other players joined in, fearlessly cutting it down and slamming it with whatever weapons they had, forcing its attention solely onto them.
'Well, if they're really okay with it, I suppose it's fine,' the boy gulped, staring at Heathcliff. "Now!"
"Hmph..!" Willing energy and power into his kite shield and sword, his weapons glowed a heavenly light, radiant as the knight that weld the two weapons. Immediately, he broke into a run towards the skeletal monster, with all the players clearing a path for the knight to use. "Hrha!"
*Crash!* *Khrkaa..!*
The blow behind such an attack took form in what could be a tremor, vibrating across the room and sending the massive creature off its balance, forcing it to the ground and into a daze.
"Alright, there's your cue! Keep striking at the monster!" The boy yelled, readying his own weapon to unleash a «Monado: Buster». "Argo, how much longer?"
"We've still got three health bars to worry 'bout! Just a bit more, though, that's for sure!" The whiskered girl answered at his side, before running forwards and nicking at its health using her claw weapons, striking hard and fast.
"Yeah, got it," he nodded her way, rushing in and striking hard at «The Skull Reaper's» abdomen, causing it to rattle. A piece of its rib shattered, sent flying off to one part of the room, God knows where. "Just a bit more, people! Let's finish this!"
The thing just jumped everywhere, attaching itself to the walls as it continued to dodge their attempts at attacking it, before lunging out at them and trying to get them.
"No!" Activating «Monado: Speed» on himself, the boy quickly rushed in to deflect the boss's attack, protecting a random player in the process. "Whoa, it's strong..! Hrha!"
Forcing himself to put more force into his sword, he effectively knocked it backwards, but was unable to counterattack before it swept in its other blade, forcing him to run away.
"Dang it… It recovers fast," remarked the player, before staring at the other man. "Dude, watch yourself! If I couldn't have gotten there, y-you would've been dead."
"S-Sorry…" The player, fazed by the younger person's scolding, only nodded back.
"Whatever… We've still got this thing to watch out for," the skeletal boss jumped away from a group of axe wielders, ready to strike at them until Agil intercepted, joined by Shagaru and Bahamut, both of which were letting loose individual blasts on it. "Just a bit more, everyone!"
The monster stayed not in place, opting to rush around the entire room, crawling up the walls and onto the ceiling, dropping onto unsuspecting players with a loud—
*Crash!* *Shing!*
"Gah!" Two players were unable to parry nor defend themselves from the incoming scythe swing, decapitating them in a smooth manner that sent their avatars' heads flying into the air, the avatars dissolving into pixels immediately.
"Crap!" Klein ducked under a body sent flying towards him, sighing in relief when he hadn't been hit… only to wince when the person was immediately shattered into nothingness. "D-Damn, this is bad…"
Things hadn't gone this terribly before. What's going on?
All of a sudden, «The Skull Reaper» prepared a full twisting motion, catchings its countless prey off-guard and sending them all flying back with that one simple attack, crackling in honest pride—
*Boom!*
Before it received a powerful blow of flame, purple and light blue respectively, sent squarely in its bony jaw, sending it reeling backwards. Only when it managed to calm itself did it finally catch sight of the two dragons in the air, flapping their wings to maintain their position.
Snarling in anger, the skeletal creature had readied itself to lunge at the two of the wyverns, had not Heathcliff jumped at it at that precise moment—
"Now!"
"You got it!"
Before twenty players or so suddenly formed a square around the titan-sized boss monster, allowing absolutely no chance to escape whatsoever.
And, with a mighty roar, tens of men with war hammers, battle axes, large poleaxes and any other large weapons stormed it with their activated «Sword Skills», pooling together all the weight and power into a collective impulse, the result being a massive damage to the boss's health bar.
Sending it to its final two.
'We got it down!' All but screamed the young leader of the «Blank» in his mind, feeling more than ready to finish thi—
*Nier Automata—A Beautiful Song (End Song)*
*Boom!* *Crash!*
"Whoa!" It was far too fast. Too fast to actually understand, to actually think of. Instead, the entire room shook, like a tower beginning to meet its crumbling end. "What the—"
*Kah-chunk…*
The sounds of chains rattling could be heard from all around the boss room, and all of a sudden, everything went silent.
True, it would have meant nothing in normal circumstances, but given by how the skeletal centipede-like creature was suddenly down on the ground, unmoving and making low moaning-screeching noises, he knew that there was something wrong here.
Nier turned to look at every angle of the room, finding absolutely nothing out of place. And yet, the feeling remained that something terrible was just waiting to happen, and he was about to find out..
He didn't know what was going to happen. All that he did know, was that this was—again—not good whatsoever.
"Umm… Nier?" Somehow, Strea had managed to arrive by his side, lightly clutching his coat, with everyone else from his guild slowly approaching him. "What's going on..?"
"I don't know," he admitted, somewhat relief that he wasn't just being paranoid, and that the others were beginning to realise that there was something going on as well. Absentmindedly, he pulled out «Binary», putting it in his right hand. "But certainly one that won't be pleasant, I can say that much."
And true to his word, no less.
Why does he have to jinx it every time?
*Bang!*
"Whoa!" Nier knew not what his first instinct was, but it was somehow meant for him to jump out of the trajectory of something flying past his head at incredible speeds, the origin unknown, with one of Klein's friend almost getting his head sniped off.
"Issin!" Worriedly shouted Klein as he nearly watched his friend die from that mysterious attack. "Y-Yo! What the hell is this?!"
"Don't know. And I'll be honest, here. I think we're going to die," quietly remarked the boy as his grip over his weapons tightened. "Sorry for that negative comment, though."
"It's fine," chorused all the members of his harem, which he still doesn't realise he has.
*Bang!* *Clank!*
"Hngh..!" Heathcliff barely blocked that shot with his shield, a look of disbelief on his face. 'What is going on..?! I didn't programme this into the game!'
"Nier," the black fairy was cowering atop his head, his sister at a lost of words. "I know you don't want to hear this, but we're going to have to finish this fight. And fast."
"That's obvious, isn't?!" His sister screamed back.
*Ghra…*
The «Familiars» landed beside their master, sounding extremely on edge. Every scale on their skin lightly vibrated in place, trying to ascertain the identity of the next obstacle.
"I have a question," Nautilus spoke, their leader absentmindedly nodding his head. "Since you're the most experienced out of all of us, have you ever encountered a boss that makes rattling sounds—"
*Bang!*
"HYHAA!" A group of players fell to the ground, this time the bullet visible to the eye. Not at all large, but would have absolutely killed them right off the bat if it hit them. That speed it travelled at was certainly scary.
"And has guns, when this entire game's premise is about medieval fantasy, and up to this point THAT THERE IS NO GUNS IN THE GAME?!" Lisbeth shouted finally, losing it.
"Nope," answered the boy, quickly activating a «Monado: Shield» and «Monado: Protect», allowing streaks of yellow and orange lights to wash over him and every other remaining player in the room. "And we're about to find out what."
*Kah-chunk…*
*Persona 5—Jalbadaoth (Play Song)*
*Bang!*
"Crud..!" Acting on pure reflexes, the boy quickly deflected the bullet that was aimed straight at his chest, the force behind the thing almost making him fall, but luckily he managed to send it off to another direction. "Dang it! What in the world are—"
Any other things he had to say was lost in his breath, expelled as a gasp of shock.
His head, alongside all of his guild members', had turned towards «The Skull Reaper», its body beginning to convulse in multiple spasms, as if it were being forced through an excruciating spell.
And without so much of a warning—
*CHINK!*
The spine of the beast was sent flying everywhere, shattered into thousands of splinters and the programmed pain more than enough to make the boss monster howl in absolute pain—
*Kscch!*
Before it disappeared into a thousand polygons.
But no fanfare ever came, for what stood in the place of their previous enemy was now some form of humanoid… thing, carrying with it a pair of long-barrel revolvers. Its face covered in a blood-stained cloth sack, with just a single eye popping out and blinking, staring down at the humans in the room. Two chains travelled around its body, intersecting to make a cross, with another pair of chains travelling from the back of its waist and rattling against the ground.
It was tall, scarily so. And emitted an ominous wave of dread that seemed to make the players quake in their boots.
Above its head, rested the words «The Reaper», with four health bars showing up.
"Hrhuhaaa…" Lowly moaned the masked thing, staring at them one-eyed, shifting its gaze from one person to the next.
*Bang!*
A random player was not even given the chance to scream, let alone retaliate, before the creature had seemingly raised its gun in a smooth and quick fashion, taking his life with just one bullet. And in that quick moment, he had shattered.
Immediately, some even screaming or jumping in fright, every player raised their weapons, gritting teeth as they stared at this new monster.
Sensing their fear, it finally grinned, one that belonged to a madman as it did what could have been described to a be a mock bow.
And then, without so much of a warning, it raised its guns, firing away at every players.
"Get down!" Heathcliff ordered as he in turn readied his shield, blocking the multiple gunshots, grunting as each blow threatened to throw him off balance.
"Damn it… Where'd that come from..?!" Nier shouted, peering over the shield before retreated with a small yelp, almost getting his face busted with a bullet.
And without so much as needing to be told, Agil and Nautilus too stood in front of him and the rest of the guild, all piled up and hiding behind the safe covers of the three players' combined shields.
"Shagaru, Bahamut, Pina!" The three «Familiars» turned their heads to monochromatic-haired player. "Engage «The Skull Reaper» from a far distance and keep it off the other players! Keep its attention off of us long enough for us to strike it!"
*Rhaa!*
"Klein, Nautilus, PoH, Agil, the four of you are our heavy-hitters. I'm going to give you a signal, and you're going to strike that thing all at once! I'll take care of the bullets, so just go all-out!" The four men nodded at their leader's words. "Yui, Tatl, Tael, weaken that thing as much as you can! Yuna, heal them at all costs! Everyone else, brace for the hell to come!"
"I-I'll try my best!" The songstress clutched her lute to her chest, nodding with a shaky but determined gaze.
"Heathcliff!" The man heard his name called, turning his head to the left. "Get to the other players! Round them up, and we'll take on «The Reaper» together!"
"Understood!" Hollered back the leader of the «Knights of Blood» as he continued to raise his sword, blocking each gunshot, and to the other players.
"Right! Damn… This is getting way too out of hand," there was a worried sound coming from his lips, followed with a raise of the voice. "Alright, guys. Get ready! On one, two, three! Go!"
"HyhhHAAAA!"
"L-Let's do this!"
"Oh dear..!"
The four men rushed forwards, wielding katana, sword, knife and battle axe and quickly crossing the distance between themselves and the powerful ranged fighter.
"Hrruaghaa!" Screeched the being as he now focused his shooting towards the group of four.
*Bang! Bang!* *Shing!*
The bullets' trajectory were true, aimed at them with deadly precision. Luckily, with help from the fairies, «The Reaper's» shots were slower, and—
*Clank!* Ching!*
"Hngh!" Nier opted to spare no time as he too made a run towards the monster, his blades making contact with the ballets and sending them away, keeping the attacks off of his friends.
"Here we go…" Sucking air, Yuna began playing her instrument, activating a skill to heal the players, watching as their health bars clash in the process of healing and taking damage.
"Alright!" Shouted Klein, willing energy into his katana and preparing a «Sword Skill». "Let's do this! All at once!"
"Yeah!"
"H-Here we go!"
"It's showtime!"
With their own shouts of determination, their individual weapons shone just as bright, streaks of colours rushing down «The Reaper» as it broke his concentration, causing one health bar to empty completely.
The force behind the group's attacks successfully shattered an arm, causing it to drop its revolver. Even so, it remained with one gun, firing away once more.
"Not happening!" Shouted their leader as he struck at each bullet, arms moving at blurs and sword striking bullets. "Argo! Think you can restrain this thing?!"
"Yeah! Just give me a second!" Hollered back the whiskered assassin as she operated her money, searching for some binding rope.
"Hgh..!" Its eye shook in its spot, but it had fired towards Nier, who parried the bullet in turn, then the next, and the next. "Hyhahahaa!"
And then in cackled, its previously crippled arm regrowing into a perfectly fine one. Its eye travelled around each and every one of them, and Nier could see it suddenly grow big as it landed on a person or people, before it suddenly fired everyone around it, breaking into a run towards—
"Yui!" Feeling his blood cold, Nier ran towards the boss, casting a «Monado: Speed» onto himself and allowing him to catch up with the monster. "Leave her alone!"
With a strong strike, he had managed to knock it to the side, quickly forced to block the boss's bullets.
"N-Nier!" The girl's face paled, hiding behind her leader.
"I-It's fine! I've got this!" Shouted back the black-white haired boy.
And just as things looked dire..!
*Bang!*
"Eh?"
"You… leave her alone, you filthy abomination!"
Of all things to have happened, he hadn't expected a livid Heathcliff, one who was described as usually calm and cool-headed, to suddenly unleash what felt like the wrath of an Olympus god unto the completely taken aback boss monster.
'W-Well, that's something that I'll have to ask him later on,' he gulped in his mind. "Asuna, strike him down! Argo, ensnare him, then everyone rush him with a «Sword Skill»!"
"Hai!" Shouted everyone back with equal vigour.
His instructions were taken well, with the 'Vice Commander' of the «Blank» raising her «Wind Fleuret» in front of her, a mental command causing it to become strengthened.
Then, she kicked off the ground!
"I'm good to go!" Shouted Argo, the necessary items in her hands.
The rapier-wielder's weapon shone like a trillion stars, leaving behind a beautiful streak of colours as it pierced the fleshless body of «The Reaper» once.
Aggro built on her almost instantly, but instead of firing at her only, the thing did a complete spin in midair, pulling the trigger on both revolvers multiple of times to hit the entities around it—
*Boom!* *Ghraa!*
Shagaru and Bahamut had released their built-up flames, cast upon the monster with nary a mercy, depleting its health bar greatly.
And then, without so much of a warning, the girl with whiskers had been able to rush the monster, playing zig-zag motions over and under it, giving it no time to even get a glimpse of her—thanks to her 'AGI'-build—as thick, strong rope was tied all over it.
"Good! Now come on, everyone! Activate your «Sword Skills»!" He shouted, activating a «Birth From Bytes». 'Uurgh, if only I don't have to get tired from using this all the time…'
And with one loud battlecry, the players viciously hacked down «The Reaper», aiming their weapons at every part of it that they could get. Each time the boss seemed intent on moving away, the blunt-weapon wielders would strike at the legs, forcing it to its place.
*Zzhh…* *Khh!* *Shing!*
"Hha!" Powering up his sword, Heathcliff quickly dealt a blow to the creature's abdomen from beneath, followed-up with a bash from his shield that caused it to spit.
*Shshss!*
"Up and at em'!" Shouted Nier as he activated «Monado: Buster», cleaving his sword across the boss's face, causing it to reel back with a painful screech, followed up with another attack. "Let's see how you like this. «Monado: Cyclone»!"
The plasma blade now glowed a bright white, calling upon the howls of the wind as it trapped its wielder in the eye of the storm and mercilessly continued to cut against the boss, not letting it free whatsoever.
Asuna dived in with a «Star Splash», unleashing a blitz of attacks, assisted by Yuna with a simple but coordinated «Linear».
Agil and Klein tag-teamed with their own attacks, a consecutive amount of hits that crippled it from escaping its fate.
Strea and Nautilus slashed it at the abdomen, blades producing an intersecting line to form a red 'X' over it, followed up with the other «Knights of Blood» attacking.
Philia lead the charge, backed up by Argo and Silica, all three of them assaulting the boss with fast strikes before it could even counterattack.
Rosalia and Yolko weld the bonds of which they shared, their weapons producing results that came in the form of its health bar depleting all the way to its last one.
Sachi, Lux and Lisbeth finished the attack with a spear, rapier and mace striking at exact spots, eliciting a loud howl from «The Reaper».
"Just a bit more!" Cheered Tatl with much anticipation.
"It seems that way," hummed Nier, looking at Heathcliff. "One last attack."
"Of course," the old man nodded back.
"On three."
"Two."
"One. Go for broke!"
At his cue, the two most powerful players of «Sword Art Online» broke into a run at the boss, drawing aggro onto themselves as they suddenly hacked away at the creature, letting loose a multitude of sword swings that was rapidly cutting down the boss's health bar.
And it was on its last legs. Final one!
"H-HYHAAAGHAAGAHA!"
*Khhh..!*
"We'll end this! Now!"
In that single instance, however, he felt his stamina undrained, but the adrenaline had spun his focus too much for him to even notice it.
Instead, his «Monado» and «Binary» swung down in one single instance, leaving large red gashes across its body, the two blades cutting into its body and almost halving it.
'Well… That sucked…' Its final thoughts were absolutely its final words, and even before the light could leave its single eye…
*Rhohaaa!*
*GhrRAUA!*
The two dragons of «Aincrad» revived the fires in their throats, casting a massive epiphany of flames and death unto the being, that final attack having decimated him completely, no mercy for him whatsoever.
*Boom!* *Chh!*
*Persona 5—Jalbadaoth (End Song)*
Every player felt the adrenaline still pumping through their avatar's veins, panting with anticipation. «The Reaper» was no longer standing where it once stood.
And soon enough…
'CONGRATULATIONS! THE BOSSES HAVE BEEN DEFEATED!'
The message suddenly displayed itself high in the air, large capital letters that seemed to have meant absolutely nothing at first…
*Thud!*
Before everyone fell to the ground altogether, panting and trying hard to catch their virtual breaths, too tired to actually celebrate their victories and not at all believing what had just happened.
For one, they had just defeated two bosses, one of which had just appeared out of seemingly nowhere, both of which were extremely difficult. This… this was the worst one yet.
And two… It was a terrible day, one for morale, one for the players and one for Nier. Even under his command, he had allowed at least six players to expire, much to his disbelief and fear.
And three…
"Finally…" Heathcliff sheathed his sword in his shield, wiping away a sweat from his brow, letting out a sigh of relief he only now realised he had been holding in.
The programming of this game must be seriously broken or something. No way would «Cardinal» insert some random monster that he had never designed before, let alone know existed in the game files, into the map to fight the player.
While he certainly was a, to put it simply, a cruel bastard for placing all these innocent—and not innocent, referring to the members of «Bloody Coffin» and its predecessor, «Laughing Coffin»—lives at stake, he was definitely fair.
All these times, he had been opting for a fair gameplay, pitting players against a challenge that they could win, and not something too bad.
In this case, however, this was… just not his work.
«The Reaper», I mean. That was not him.
Where did it come from..?
"Hey," he looked up from where he had been staring at the grey floor, into the black eyes of Nier's, who had a certainly worried look on his face. "Umm… thanks, for helping us. That battle was really dangerous, and your help was really great."
"It's fine. We're playing the same death game, aren't we? Of course we should be protecting each other's backs," chuckled the older man.
"Y-Yeah… Again, thanks…" Muttered the young one with a nervous tone.
Heathcliff, at that moment, understood just why Yui looked up to this person so much. He was just too good of a person, too kind, too much of everything else…
Constantly putting himself in danger, all for the sakes of others. He was willing to forsake his own life, all to prolong everyone else's.
Just how selfless can a person get?
"Oh yeah. Actually, I… I have something that I want to ask you," the boy, operating his inventory, placed away his swords. "A really long time ago, actually."
"Well… sure. What is it?"
"It's just… can I ask what Yui is to you?"
That sudden question actually made Heathcliff momentarily jump, a shocked look on his face that betrayed his wish to remain calm in the face of this boy. This player, who had achieved so much in this virtual life.
Many people described him to be a person who had never felt afraid at all. Never had he ever displayed fear in the eye of the public, a living definition of dauntless. However, there had been many instances when such a thing was not the case.
He felt his blood run cold once. Back when his wife, Rinko Koujiro, passed away on her sick bed. Even when her hand dropped, when her eyes lost the strength to remain open, she kept on smiling, until the very end.
The second time was when Yui Kayaba, his daughter, passed away, which shattered whatever sanity that remained of his already fragile heart, turning him into a broken man.
The third time was not what he wanted to experience. It was when Yui, the virtual interpretation of his daughter, meant to be the collection of her memories so to prolong her life, almost died because of «The Reaper».
The fourth time… was now.
Staring into the eyes of Nier, who had a serious look on his face, his words like a bullet far stronger than «The Reaper's», which pierced right through his heart.
"W-We're just acquaintances," nervously spoke the man, averting his gaze from the younger player.
"Liar," his retort actually made the man jump slightly. "Heathcliff, you never flinch. The only time I've ever seen you this nervous was the first time you met Yui, back before we fought «Mechonis»."
Damn, he actually remembered that. How long had that been?
"Heathcliff, there's definitely some sort of history you have with her. And you're going to tell me what it is, whether you like it or not," continued the boy, getting a shake of the head from the commander.
"N-Nonsense. There is absolutely nothing to speak with you. Now, if you will," he made a move to go back to where his own guild was resting up, until Nier caught his arm.
"You haven't answered my question. Who is Yui to you?" When he got no answer, the boy sighed. "Fine. Then I'll be making the shots. She's your sister, daughter, wife, love interest, friend, niece, aunt—"
"Are you seriously going to list every relations there is?" Sweat-dropped the older player.
"Yes, until I get a response from you," the boy nodded, actually missing his previous look of calm seriousness. "Anyways, where was I..? Oh yeah, aunt. Then she could be your—"
"Nier, I assure you, Yui has no connections to me, no matter how much you think of it," the man managed to get his arm away, walking away. 'Finally…"
"That look on your face," his words got another reaction from the man. "I know that look, you know. It's one where you're seeing your loved ones dying in front of you."
It was very subtle, but his body seemed to have tensed slightly.
Their conversation was needlessly louder than any of them would have liked, causing attention to build on these two players, which resulted everyone to look on with unveiled interest.
"You were worried, scared even, when «The Reaper» was about to finish her off. But both you and I know that she's an A.I., which means that she's been gifted with the state of an 'Immortal Object'," said the boy, narrowing his eyes, feeling himself to have hit a bullseye. "Why is that? Other than getting hurt, she wouldn't actually die, you know."
"I-I wonder," he coughed into his fist, sounding so out of character.
"Heathcliff, I will say this again. Who is Yui to you?" There was no running, this time. Everyone else were here, listening to their conversation, and just wanting to know what was the man's response.
And Nier had honestly hoped that he would get something from Heathcliff, even if it was a subtle one. But knowing him, he was probably going to remain stubborn.
Kayaba Akihiko, in the skin of the player, felt his teeth gritted, his muscles tensing, his veins popping…
And Nier had just been ready to force it out of him, but didn't want to do it, since he didn't have it in him to do such a thing.
However, of all the things to have happened…
For the commander of the «Knights of Blood» to suddenly turn around, stomp his way towards the boy and reaching for his collar, pulling him off the ground to meet his eyes, meeting the boy's suddenly afraid look with his own mad one, was not one of them.
"It's all my fault, alright?!" He yelled, having lost all his calm, sounding grieved. "It's all my fault! I failed her, I failed Rinko, I failed! I wanted to save her, I wanted her to keep on living, but I failed! This was the only chance I had, and I did everything in hopes of saving her, and—"
"Umm… I would appreciate it if you could let me go… Please?" The younger player blinked with a soft, pleading tone, taken aback by the sudden outburst from this usually-calm person.
The latter tensed, noticing the shocked gazes from everyone else in that room. Biting back a sigh, he dropped Nier onto the ground, muttering an apology.
"Umm… I'm fine with it. But you certainly aren't," adjusting the collar of his cloak, he tapped the man's shoulder in a comforting manner. "Look, whatever you're bottling up, just let it out. You should know that such a thing is just bad, right?"
"…Haha…" Suddenly, he began laughing, but it was soft and devoid of any usual joy. It sounded dead, sad even. "Even now, you've just proven how good you really are… And worrying for me, no less…"
"Umm… I think it's more of prying, but yeah, sure. Why not," the «Blank» scratched the back of his head, uncertain of what to say. "Well, I can certainly say for sure that whatever's bugging you must be pretty personal. But, you can trust us. I mean, we trust our lives in your hands, after all."
He looked at everyone, noticing the calm looks they all had. How pitiful… Should he reveal his true identity, then no doubt everyone would just hate him right there and then.
This boy… He knew nothing.
"You can't keep hiding something that's going to keep tormenting you. Tell us, what's the problem?" His concern, however, was genuine, so much so that it actually managed to draw a smile out of Heathcliff.
"…Ahh, fine," he sighed, deciding to just say it there and then. He did not care if he was going to Hell for it. Then again, he was fated for the road there since the very beginning, wasn't he? "The truth is…"
In Another World, Untouched By Space and Time
"I'll be honest. This world is way more different than what I remember," the teenage guest of the strange room admitted, scratching the back of his head. "To think… that Yui and Kayaba are related by blood, whereas there had been no ties between them in my own world."
"Oh, indeed. But I guess that's why you can't help but sympathise with the guy, huh?" The other male just laughed, crossing his arms. "But damn… At least Nier saved her."
"Was she Kayaba's daughter in your world too?" The teenager asked.
"Yup. She died because some dastards thought it was funny to go out with a gun in hand, shooting everyone to take their money," his next words were cold, vicious, all of the anger lost with just one sigh. "Well… I can only hope that she lives happy now."
"Indeed…" Vabel nodded, truly hoping that for the Yui of this world.
"Everyone," the three guests looked to where the man on the throne called them, pointing at the screen. "Listen."
The sole dragon of the room decided to just stay asleep, though peeked an eye open to watch what was about to unfold.
Seriously though, they had just survived an ordeal with the most powerful boss up until now, and were then forced to tackle another one.
Losing six people was already an immense shock, more so for Nier, since he had thought that he had been able to protect everyone.
No one blamed him, though, as they knew some things could never remain in control. And it was this knowledge that strengthened their trust in him, and the sole commander of the «Knights of Blood», who they trusted to the very end.
He had fought alongside them, bled virtual blood with them, and it was because of him that they had been able to get this far.
So for him to suddenly reveal his identity was just…
"Y-You're Kayaba..?" Asuna had believed herself to be impervious to any surprises in her life here in the game, except for the times for when Nier almost got himself killed. But now, however, she could feel her feet losing all its strength, almost falling down if it weren't for Yuna catching her, the latter possessing a look of dread on his face.
"W-What the hell..?" A member of the «Knights of Blood» actually thought his ears having failed him.
For the entire «Knights of Blood» standing here in this room, they could not believe the fact that their leader, the very same person who had been the very same person to have lead them into the battlefield, to have been there to save them from danger…
To think, that the same person they all loved and respected, was the very same person they loathed since they stepped foot into this world.
"S-Sir… T-This can't…" Nautilus had been wondering as to what the matter was, but to think that his previous leader is really Kayaba… It was hard to actually digest it, and he could feel the virtual bile pooling in the back of his throat.
"…I don't get it. What's that have to do with your relations with Yui?" The boy managed to keep up a poker face, but even his own brain was wrecked with a multitude of thoughts. The man dropped the bomb, and this really shocked his entire world.
"I suppose you don't know… I kept our marriage a secret," chuckled the man with a morose tone, leaning against the wall now, crossing his arms. "I… was a husband to a woman I had met in university. A very beautiful woman, I tell you. She had been the one to have taught me joy, and I had a daughter with her. That daughter…"
"Is m-me..?" The girl-in-question asked, voice slightly shaky and in disbelief—who could blame her for that? To think that you were merely just some A.I., only to know that you were really a human being once.
Heathcliff just nodded.
"Indeed… Your mother passed away on the very day that you were born. Years later, you received an infection, which also caused you your life," he sighed, sounding defeated. "And I… I created this game to save you. So that you could continue to live."
"But why the death game concept, though? It doesn't make sense," Nier's point got a few murmurs of curiosity, with everyone actually agreeing with him on that.
"I don't know… I suppose, in the end, it was the dreams of a madman, who wanted nothing more than to show the world that he does indeed have his rights, that he should still be acknowledged as just a person. A person who had ultimately fallen to the crevices of madness and despair, and, in a moment of desperation, ultimately lashed out at the innocent people, all because of his guilt of not having saved his family," he sighed, finally saying no more.
No doubt, it would be difficult for the people to actually believe him. To actually absorb all that knowledge easily.
The players all seemed to have looks of pity… For once, their hatred for the sole person who had placed them in this hellhole to begin with was dispelled, replaced now with a sense of sadness for the man.
Kayaba, however, scoffed at the thought. They would never understand him. Never understand his pain.
What it felt like to watch the one person he had promised to devote his love and life to die, just after the second person of whom he wanted to protect until the very end, the latter of which also lost her chance to live longer, and finally left the world.
He had mourned their deaths a long time ago. He had shed tears for them too many nights ago. He… lost everything.
"Well, I wouldn't know what sort of sad story this is, but I'm actually fond of it, I think."
"Uh..?"
"Hh..!"
Every living being present in the room at that moment felt suddenly tense, but Nier was the one that felt the chill up his spine.
Turning to the source of the voice… he could not believe his eyes.
But there was no mistaking whatever he was seeing right now.
Red hair, green eyes.
Green hair, red eyes.
Both had vicious grins.
Those were the ones he saw in his dream..!
"Who the hell are you..?" Kayaba felt his eyes narrow slightly, somewhat feeling on edge with these two newcomers. They didn't look so out of the blue—when compared to the boy and his strange guild of stranger friends—but something about them just made him feel off…
Plus, he was seriously not in the mood to deal with these two bastards. They way they described his story was trying to make it seem like some form of entertainment. The audacity..!
"Just a pair of brothers who, by all means, came here unannounced. Is that so hard to think of?" Snickered the green-haired one as he crossed his arms over his chest. "Then again, this story of yours has truly gone on for too long. I'm surprised you're still alive as is."
"Indeed. For a couple of pests, they sure do come off as a surprise," laughed the redhead, before his gaze dropped onto a scowling Nier. "Ahh… you. Why am I not surprised?"
"Hold up. Nier, you know them?" Klein was the first to speak, tilting his head in confusion.
"It's a long story. One that I won't bother you with," he shook his head, returning his sneer at the two entities before them. "One thing's for certain, though… these two are unlike anything that we've seen. Don't let your guard down whatsoever."
"Why? What's so dangerous about them?" Agil asked, feeling suspicious of those two smiling 'people' already.
"Yeah. I mean, we've got an 'ole army behind us. What's so dangerous about em' two?" Their information broker / spy asked next.
"Can't say for sure, although…" and that's all that he said before «Binary» materialised in his hand, breaking into a run as he stared down at the two, charging up a «Horizontal Square».
Such a speed would have left no room for them to block or parry, but—
*Clank!*
"Predictable," spat the green-haired one as he pushed back the teenager with his own sword, getting looks of shock from everyone else in the room.
"That sword… it can't be…" Heathcliff blinked, taking a few steps back from these two beings.
"Indeed. The «Monado», as my brother's aggressor over there wields," the red-haired one nodded, pulling out his own sword, surprising everyone even more. "Although, ours is not exactly the same one as the one he wields. Ours are… variations, to put it in your simple words."
"Is he calling us simple?" Strea, not at all having taken offence to that, tilted her head in questioning.
"Don't even pay them any attention…" Sighed the boy before he stared back at the two. "So, what now? Came here to stop us from leaving «Sword Art Online», now that Kayaba's secret is out and whatever?"
"Oh, no. That would be rude, utterly embarrassing, and just plain sad," scoffed the redhead as he did a shake of the head, extending his arms as he did a shrug. "Rather, we'd just like to extend our time together. Wouldn't that be nice?"
"Extend our time together? The hell does that mean?" Liz wasn't certain of this feeling inside of her, but she could tell that whatever they had in mind was not going to be good.
The two brothers put away their swords, giving a curtsey as they looked down on the group of players and others.
"I am Cain," the redhead introduced himself.
"And I, Abel," the green-haired one did so next.
"And we are here, by the order of ourselves of course, to continue Kayaba's test of will," the now-named Cain said, in a tone that sounded like he was far too proud for his own good. "How far will you go to make it out of this game?"
"And how far will you go, when your very own pillar is taken away from you, and you could do nothing to stop it?" Laughed Abel as he pulled out his sword, his own brother doing the same. And, in perfect unison, the two raised their blades over their heads, charging them up.
"They're about to do something… Everyone, get back!" Nier shouted, pulling out his own «Monado» in a swift motion and unleashing a «Monado: Shield» over everyone, just in case.
"Don't worry."
"The game has only just begun."
"What do you..?!"
And yet, the «Blank» was never given the chance to even finish his sentence, before the two of them shouted something—once more in synchronisation, only achieved through the brotherly bonds they shared, Nier thought—that sent everyone's blood cold.
"«Aincrad»! Spread your wings, and let there be the moment of infinity!"
"Moment of infinity?!"
"Cheesy as he—"
And once again, while Kayaba had been given the opportunity to truly voice out his worries, Nier was unable to shout his opinion on the matter, as the world around him suddenly shook.
*Craaaah!* *Chunk!*
"Ghahha..!" Nier gasped as his body began to flicker, like a thousand tiny lightbulbs… Wait, no, this was his body turning into pixellations, like that of a poor-resolution television. Even the room began to crack, colours mixing with nonsensical patterns that got everyone off their nerves.
"W-What's going on?!" Asuna and the others didn't seem to be affected, but were forced to watch the room turn into blurs, distorted colours, blocks and chunks of failing data; it was glitching!
"Let's see if the 'Protagonist' of this world can do any better! Any better than whom you have killed, Kayaba!" Cain shouted, gleefully mad for a reason unknown.
"D-Damn it..!" When Heathcliff tried to move, he was unable to do so, feeling his body so heavy as if someone had weighed him down with a million boulders, with completely no reason whatsoever.
Suddenly, he felt his hand disappear, prompting him to look at his hand… or where it should have been, now replaced with just a wrist connected to absolutely nothing.
"N-No!"
"Y-Yui! Whaa!"
"T-Tatl! / Ngghaa!"
*Rhaa!*
And others were beginning to glitch as well. Yui, Tatl, Tael, Strea, Bahamut, Shagaru… all undergoing an unknown process and forced into an unknown world in this virtual game, beyond their understanding and even Kayaba's it seems, as if he had been dethroned…
And rose two powerful and mad kings, drowned in the blood of those they had conquered, screaming murder and death as they played every card in their arsenal.
The last thing Nier could see, before everything around him blacked out, and as he forced his eyes just above the void, wanting to scream for his friends' names as they began to leave his vision…
Was the cackling figures of Cain and Abel, both of whom looked far too pleased with themselves.
"The game has only begun!"
"Let's see how far you can go."
Then everything was gone.
"W-What?!" Vabel immediately stood up, chair she had been sitting on falling to the ground, not believing what she was seeing. "W-Who are..?!"
"My sons…" The one with white hair whispered, slowly getting onto his two feet. "W-Wait a minute… What are they doing here? I thought I k-killed them."
"Indeed you have. And yet, as we had managed to bring you here, they must have found a way to bring themselves here, as impossible and cheap it sounds," the dragon explained, frowning.
"T-That's impossible! I died with them that day!" He shouted in disbelief, staring at the screen.
"W-What's going to happen to them?" The teenager with black hair asked, feeling somewhat taken aback by how things just progressed.
"Milord will be fighting, obviously," he nodded. "And of course, extra help will always be nice."
"Extra help?"
"That's true… Wait a minute."
"What do you mean by tha—"
And then, the ground below them just 'disappeared', replaced now with a large rectangular gap that revealed pure blackness, akin to the comedy skits in those well-scripted plays shown in certain dramas and / or videos.
And that was all they could actually think and appreciate, the fact that they were still standing above it, just blinking as they remained still in place, still looking down—as if there had been a floor below their feet—before gravity finally worked their magic.
"Whaaat?!"
"Oh, hell no!"
"Damn it..!"
The human and two A.I.'s disappeared down the hole, the last thing heard being the silverette's screaming about how he was going to kick the crap out of the two beings of this room the next time he sees them—
*Snap…*
With a snap of the fingers, the gap closed up. Ominously so. As if there had been nothing there to begin with.
"Don't you think that was a bit too much?" Chuckled the black dragon as he watched the spectacle, not at all wanting to do anything.
"Don't worry too much. I'm sure they'll figure something out," chuckled the human as he made his way to some bookshelf that he concocted out of thin air. "Besides, they are 'Protagonists' of their previous worlds. I'm certain they'll overcome this problem."
"True… Though I can only imagine how angry Kazuto will be with us when he—she steps foot in there," the beast shuddered for a moment, knowing for sure that, if she would be entirely serious, she would threaten him with castration.
And he would rather avoid such a dreadful thing, thank you very much.
"Let's just hope that they will finish the game. And help them when the time becomes necessary," nodded the human as he sat back in his throne, looking off into the distance.
Finally, the game has ended. And in its place, a new one began.
Time to begin. The bet for humanity versus the corruption of machine. Who shall make it out?
Then again, the answer laid in Nier's hands. He'll know what to do when he gets there…
A/N: And thus, the curtain calls!
First one on the block, thank you for sticking through this ridiculous, non-sensical story with your one and only! Really, your support is what keeps me going, and it always reminds me that, if I can at least help you guys after a really bad day with really cringy love and not-so-epic battles, then I'm more than happy to help.
Next up, you've just seen what happened in this piece of work—the fanfiction, and not «Sword Art Online», I mean. To finally see Kayaba let go of his past, truly makes you wonder just what else will come, huh? And looks like trouble from the alternate past is catching up to this story's present. How will things progress? We'll just have to see.
And finally, this puts a solid fullstop to the «Sword Art Online» arc. Next up, the future of virtual reality. Get ready for the «Infinity & Hollow» arc!
And don't worry, people. Though the girls never got to show their love to the boy yet, they'll get their chance soon. But first… trouble strikes, and in the form of two very old foes. And looks like we're getting to see two old faces once more. What will be «Blank's» next move, huh?
Well everyone, leave a comment if you'd like! What did you think up so far? Critics appreciated all round, and be waiting for more updates! And possibly new stories, if I'm feeling like it...
Nah! I'm always good to write a new story or two!
Anyways, goodbye for now!