A/N: Hello again readers. Time for another chapter. I'm really happy to hear all the great feedback you guys are giving me. Please keep it up. Any comments or suggestions you have are more than welcome.
DeoxysSpeed: Thanks. This next chapter will be even more revealing. Hope you like it.
Deviljho's Hatred: Thanks man. Glad to see you're enjoying this story.
"Alright, let's get this meeting started." Heathcliff said, addressing the group of tacticians. "As the front lines elite tacticians, your main job has been to make plans for the boss fights. However, this time is different."
"If we're not here for a boss meeting, then what did you call us here for?" Shino asked impatiently. "I've got other stuff to do."
"Put a sock in it Shino." Asami told her fellow tactician. "We all agreed to this position, including you. Your personal agenda will have to wait."
"Whatever." Shino said, rolling his eyes. "Let's just get this over with."
"Ahem!" Heathcliff coughed. "If I may get back to the topic at hand, the reason I called you all here is because we now face a battle far more dangerous than any floor boss fight."
"What would that be?" Eve asked.
"Yesterday, we discovered the location of Laughing Coffin's hideout."
The group of five froze at his words. They knew that the front lines had already been investigating where the guild of murderers was. Even still, knowing that their base of operations had finally been discovered brought conflicting feelings towards the group. There was no doubt that they had to take action as soon as possible and take out the guild. On the other hand, their opponents were skilled PKers who would kill a player without hesitation. Careful planning would have to be done or attacking them would be suicide.
"So where exactly is this hideout?" Ren asked.
"Floor 23. It's in a small cave dungeon." Heathcliff explained. "The layout consists of numerous floating platforms connected by stairways. According to our info, their main base is at the deepest part of the dungeon."
"Well our first objective should be to make up a formation." Eve considered. "For starters let's think of-"
"Well form up in a square formation." Ren interrupted. "Tanks will form the outer wall, equipped with status resistant items and antidote crystals. Speed type players will make the next layer, and can parry the first attackers they throw at us. Heavy attackers will be the third wall and will deliver the finishing blow after the parry. The center will consist of players that will work as our chain of communication."
The other tacticians stared at Ren in amazement. The formation seemed complex, but was actually pretty simple. "Th-That's incredible Ren." Asami gasped. "How did you come up with that formation so quickly?"
"I've had this formation in my head for a while now." Ren explained. "I have a certain… score to settle with Laughing Coffin. That's why I made up a formation idea for when the time came to fight them. Their players almost completely consist of speed type players with weapons that inflict status ailments. However, as a drawback those weapons don't have incredibly high attack power. Tanks that can take several hits from them are our best defense against them."
The group decided not to peer into what this score was that Ren had to settle with them. They knew he was usually laid back unless the situation called for him to be serious, and revenge wasn't really his style. Whatever Laughing Coffin did to piss him off must have been serious.
"I think Ren's idea will work." Heathcliff decided. "Does anyone have any objections?" None of the group had any objections to give. "Good. The attack will be in three days. You are dismissed."
Three days passed by fairly quickly. When it finally came time for the attack, the front lines was able to gather a group of about fifty volunteers. The large team moved through the cave that was said to be Laughing Coffin's hideout. Ren observed the layout of the dungeon as they walked, with him and the other tacticians in the center of the group to preserve a solid line of communication. Alice, Helios, and the rest of his guild were nearby him. He would rather have told them to stay behind, but he knew they would never do it.
"Ren? Ren, you ok?" Ren finally heard Alice as she nudged his shoulder, snapping him back into reality. "You ok? You're spacing out a little."
"Y-Yeah. I'm fine." Ren assured her. "Just a little nervous."
"Alright. If you need anything, just tell me and-" Alice was interrupted as Ren quickly signaled for her to be quiet. He then perked his ears up.
'What was that?' Ren thought to himself. 'I could have sworn I just heard something'
The sudden sound of quick moving footsteps entered the hearing of the tactician. Just as he realized what it meant, Laughing Coffin had already revealed themselves and began their ambush. Ren and the others watched as their solid formation quickly fell apart from the surprise attack.
Ren watched as more and more cracks slowly formed in the formation he had come up with. But something was off. There was no way they could have discovered the weak points of the formation so quickly. The only explanation was…
'They had help!' Ren realized. 'Someone leaked our plan to them!'
It was the only thing that made any sense. But even still, there was barely anyone that knew the structure of the formation ahead of time. The only ones that knew long enough to get the information to the PK guild was… the other tacticians!
Ren quickly looked around him, wondering who had betrayed them. It wasn't hard to guess as he saw Shino charge at a defenseless Asami with his blade drawn. Ren quickly reacted as he sped over to the blonde girl and blocked the sword coming for the back of her neck.
"Shino! Why?!" Ren growled. "Why did you betray us?!"
"Of course you'd realize my plan right before I could get a kill." Shino chuckled. "I'm sick of you! You stupid know-it-all!" Shino quickly leaped outside of the formation and jumped up to a higher platform.
"Oh no you don't!" Ren yelled as he followed the traitor. When he landed on the platform, he found two other Laughing Coffin members there to greet him. Ren leaned back as he played limbo with the sharp blade of one of the PKers. He then jerked his body to the left, evading the second player's attack. Ren then stabbed his blade into the chest of one of the Laughing Coffin members, following up by kicking him off the platform and down below the fight to his death. Ren was about to attack the second one, when Asami showed up and ripped through the murderer's avatar with her large two-handed sword.
"Go on Ren! I got this guy!" Asami told her fellow tactician. Ren nodded and pursued the retreating Shino. He found the traitor waiting for him on the next platform, with a devilish smirk on his face.
"Geez, it's so hard to find good help these days." Shino sighed. "I thought they'd at least damage you a little."
"Why…" Ren snarled.
"What?" Shino asked.
"WHY DID YOU BETRAY US, YOU BASTARD?!" Ren yelled. "YOU WERE ONE OF US!"
"One of you?" Shino chuckled, slowly breaking out into laughter. "You've got to be kidding me. I was never one of you bleeding hearts."
"What?!" Ren gasped. "But you-"
"I was only on the front lines as a spy." Shino explained. "In reality, Wild Fang is a guild that was working with Laughing Coffin all along."
"But why?" Ren asked. "Why are you all doing this? Don't you want to go back to the real world?"
"Go back? You must be joking." Shino laughed. "I've never felt more alive than when I'm in here! You can't have this kind of fun back in the real world!"
"That's it? That's your reason for killing all those innocent people?!"
"You know I'm right Ren." Shino said. "Admit it, you've never felt as alive before this game."
Ren thought about what Shino said. It was true, even in this death game, Ren had never felt more alive. The heart racing feeling of being locked in combat. It was exhilarating. But there was still a flaw in Shino's thinking.
"You're right." Ren admitted. "But there's still something you're forgetting."
"Oh? And what is that?" Shino asked.
"You're forgetting about all the sadness this game has caused." Ren explained. "There's people that are terrified every day in here. There's people on the outside that want their friends and family back more than anything."
"What do I care about that?" Shino shrugged. "That's not my problem."
Ren sighed, realizing that this was getting them nowhere. "It looks like we'll never understand each other." He said as he got into a fighting stance. "I'll just have to take you down."
"Bring it on." Shino smirked. He sped at Ren full speed. "But you won't beat me!"
Ren met Shino's attack with his own. The blonde haired traitor continued a relentless assault of quick slashes to his opponent. It took everything Ren had to block the non-stop barrage. Ren finally found an opening and hit his opponent's thin blade back. His sword gave an orange glow as he delivered a powerful horizontal slash to Shino's chest. The traitor was sent flying back. He lost his grip on his blade as his back hit the floor hard. The thin blade clanked across the floor, falling over the edge. Ren firmly planted his boot on Shino's chest before he could even stand and pointed his sword at the traitor.
"You lose, Shino." Ren glared.
Laughing Coffin's attempt to destroy the front line's team with an ambush failed, though both sides took heavy casualties. About ten people from Laughing Coffin survived and were sent to prison, along with Shino and the surviving members of his guild. Before they dragged him away, Shino said one last thing to Ren.
"This isn't over. I'll get you back for this someday."
XXXXXXXXXXXXXX
Ren sat on the bench in the city park, looking at his cellphone. It was ten minutes from the time he had told his friend to meet him. The tactician waited for a few more minutes, when she finally arrived.
"Hey Reny-kins!" Hikari waved. She ran over to her friend and sat down next to him. "So, what did you want to talk about?"
"First of all, could you stop calling me that?" Ren asked the blonde girl. "Second, I need to ask you something. Have you heard from any of the other front line tacticians?"
"Hmm… Not really." Hikari replied. "Last I heard, Eve was going to her old high school and Makko was out of high school before SAO started. I don't even want to know about Shino."
"I was hoping for something better." Ren sighed.
"Why are you asking this anyway?" Hikari asked.
"I… met someone in a game that I think is one of the tacticians from SAO." Ren explained. "Whoever they are, they have a huge grudge against me."
"Oh, I see." Hikari said. "Well if I had to guess, it's probably that jerk Shino."
"Yeah, that's probably true. I was hoping to get some info on where he is so I can confront him directly."
"Is that really a good idea?" Hikari wondered. "He was in league with Laughing Coffin."
"I don't have much choice." Ren sighed as he got up from the bench. "Thanks anyway Hikari. I'll see you tomorrow at school."
"No problem. See you later Reny-kins." Hikari giggled as she ran off.
'So much for her not calling me that anymore.' Ren thought a he headed back home as well.
XXXXXXXXXXXX
Ren logged into Fire Emblem Online, appearing in the capital city of Roiyaru. Unsure of what to do, he went to a tavern to think. Dark Knight's identity had to be Shino. It's the only one that made any sense. But Shino's location in the real world was unknown to the tactician, and without legendary class equipment there was no way Ren could beat him. As Ren wondered what to do, a familiar face stepped into the tavern.
"Hey Ren." Alice waved as she walked over and took a seat next to him.
"How'd you know I was here?" Ren asked.
"I called your phone and Clair picked up. She told me you were in the game." the black haired teen explained. "So, did you get any better idea of who Dark Knight is?"
"The only person that was a front line tactician and has a grudge against me is Shino." Ren answered. "He's the only person I can think of."
"So what are we waiting for?" Alice questioned. "Let's just tell Kirouka and be done with it."
"But they can't do anything. Dark Knight isn't doing anything against the rules. Plus we don't have any solid proof that it's actually him."
"Then our only option is to beat him?" the black haired girl asked.
"Pretty much." Ren said. "But without any legendary equipment, I don't think that's possible."
"I may be able to help with that." another voice said. The couple turned towards the tavern's door to see Gancelot. "Come. I need to show you something."
Gancelot brought Ren and Alice with him to the castle. He led them through the mazelike corridors of the building, finally stopping in front of a set of two large blue doors with a golden outline.
"Inside here is one of the Sacred Regalia of Roiyaru, a sword named Stormripper." Gancelot explained. "It is a weapon that can only be used in times of a crisis."
"What do you mean?" Ren asked.
"Once the weapon has been unsheathed, its durability will gradually decrease. The only way to replenish that durability is to put it back in its scabbard, which is in this room. However, it takes a long time for it to repair itself." Gancelot opened the doors. "I'd like you to use it."
"What?!" Ren exclaimed. "But it's such a precious treasure!"
"I know. But I believe it may be our only chance."
Ren walked through the doors and entered what felt like another room. There was a walkway leading to the top of a dark blue pillar with yellow patterns decorating it. Down below was a bottomless abyss. Ren walked across the pathway and stood on the pillar, where a scabbard was partially sealed into the ground. A golden hilt stuck out of it. Ren grabbed the hilt of the legendary weapon and slowly unsheathed the sword. The blade called Stormripper was a shimmering silver color. Ren did a practice swing with the blade. Simply by swinging the sword, a mighty gale blew in the direction of the slash. Amazed by its power, Ren stared in awe of the blade in his hands. He sheathed Stormripper in a new scabbard on his back and walked out of the room.
"Thanks." Ren told Gancelot. "I'll make sure to take Dark Knight down with this."
"Good. Now what plan shall our army use this time?" Gancelot asked.
"There is no plan this time." Ren answered. "I'm going to take Dark Knight down with my guild."
"B-But he wiped out an entire army! How are you going to beat him with such a small group?"
"We lost, because Dark Knight knows the way I think." Ren explained. "Using a large scale army won't work on him. I'll need to take him down myself."
Gancelot hesitated a little but finally gave in. "Very well then. I wish you good luck."
Ren and Alice exited the castle and walked into the city. "I'll need to get everyone together." Ren said. "You still good on time, Alice?"
"I'm always free to kick some butt!" Alice grinned. "Now let's do this!"
XXXXXXXXXXX
Dark Knight walked through the woods where he had fought the other day. The scars from his blade, Nemesis still showed signs of life. He walked over to the cliff he had destroyed the army of players at, looking out into the distance from under his helmet. As he looked down at the destroyed trees below, two dots appeared in the afternoon sky's horizon. The two dots slowly became larger and larger, revealing two flying mounts, a pegasus and a wyvern. As the airborne mounts hovered over the heavily armored knight, a player jumped off the pegasus and landed in front of him.
"Well at least searching for you wasn't hard." Ren said as he unsheathed his new blade.
"Back already are you?" Dark Knight questioned. "I thought the difference in our strength was made clear the last time we faced each other."
"I can't let you keep doing this." Ren told the knight. "You said you'd quit if I defeat you."
"And you think you stand a chance? How amusing." Dark Knight unsheathed Nemesis and pointed it at his opponent. "Do your worst."
"Bring it on!" Helios yelled as he charged on his wyvern. "Light him up Burner!" Helios's mount fired a stream of fire at the knight, who seemed completely unfazed by the attack. The wyvern rider then leaped off his mount to deliver a powerful blow with his axe. Dark Knight quickly swung his sword upwards, intercepting the attack and sending Helios flying back into his wyvern.
"Lucky shot." Helios moaned as he struggled to get up.
"You're gonna pay for that one pal!" Dagger snarled as she sped at Dark Knight with her blade drawn. The heavily armored player didn't even attempt to dodge, as the thief's sword simply bounced off after making a small hit.
"Is this all? How pitiful." the black armored player said in disappointment as he grabbed Dagger by the throat and lifted her into the air. "I was expecting more."
"How about this then?" Dagger smirked, pointing her blade into the air. "Now Mai!"
Mai quickly chanted a spell while holding out a bright yellow tome. A beam of light fired from the book, reflecting off Dagger's sword and right into Dark Knight's eyes under his helmet. Blinded by the glare, he let go of the red haired girl and stumbled back a bit.
"Now guys! Finish it!" Dagger called to her guildmates. They didn't need to be told twice as Mai fired a wave of magic attacks at the knight, making him stumble back further. Helios then followed up by ramming into the knight with his wyvern, knocking the guild's opponent off the cliff.
"Do it Ren!" the wyvern rider yelled to his guild leader. Ren jumped off the cliff and dived after the knight. He stuck his legendary blade into Dark Knight's helmet and used his full strength to pull it off. The helmet was blown off by Ren's Stormripper and the tactician leaped off the falling knight and landed safely on the ground while his opponent crashed into the earth. The rest of Ren's guild descended from the cliff and landed at his side.
"Alright, now let's your face Shino." Ren glared at his opponent, who slowly got to his feet. The smoke cleared and the knight's face became visible, although it wasn't who Ren was expecting.
'No way… it can't be.'
The person standing in front of them could only be recognized as one person. Only one of the front line's tacticians had that long blonde hair and those blue eyes.
Hikari.
A/N: Phew, writing two chapters in one week was not easy, but definitely worth it. Next chapter will be the finale of the Fire Emblem arc. I hope you have enjoyed this one so far.
