January 3rd 2025

Things had been gearing back up to the way that they usually where since Christmas and new years had ended. They had managed to already find the next boss floor and had began scouting it out. If they played things right then they should be able to get past the ninety third boss floor without to many problems. They where really starting to reach a visible end point of this game that they had all been a part of for so long and you could tell that people where starting to feel it as well.

Kirito went over the notes in front of him and once he was finished walked out of the HQ. Asuna was doing some extra grinding and taking care of a few other things. He slid his hands into his pockets as he walked out and then glanced over as Klein came running up.

He laughed looking at his older red haired friend and stopped.

"You said that you had something to show me?" he asked wondering what it was.

Klein stopped taking a few deep breaths and laughed nodding.

"Oh yeah man! you aren't going to believe this! I wanted to make sure I had it all figured out before I showed you but look at this! I got it as a drop from that Christmas boss quest."

Kirito raised an eyebrow as Klein pulled out the silver blade with deep red markings covering it. He reached forward looking over the description and name of the sword.

"Dragons Flame...wow a one of a kind weapon drop huh?" he asked looking it over.

He nodded.

"Kinda like your dual wielding ability you got from that quest isn't it?"

Kirito nodded thinking about it as he continued looking over the sword.

"Yeah I guess it is."

Klein chuckled.

"And wait until you see what it's ability is."

Kirito raised an eyebrow.

"Ability?"

He nodded.

"That really is rare a weapon with an actual ability as well."

Klein smirked.

"Just wait I bet even you can't beat me now!" he laughed.

Kirito laughed.

"Maybe."

The two of them headed out to a open plain and waited for a few monsters to spawn.

Klein held the dragons flame in place and then smiled twirling it around as flames surrounded it.

"Dragons skin!"

Kirito watched as the flames engulfed him and then blew away just as quickly.

Klein grinned lunging forward at intense speeds and slashed the two monsters down in seconds.

Kirito blinked.

"Wow...thats crazy..."

Klein laughed slashing down two more then quickly putting the weapon away.

Kirito took it all in and looked at him as he walked back over.

"So that dragons skin ability highly increases your core stats for a period of time while eating away at your health while you use it."

Klein nodded.

Kirito tapped his chin then looked at him seriously.

"That can be very useful but don't over do it man. My skill is very similar in a way and you have to be careful with your timing and when you choose to use it. Only use that ability if you have no other choice."

Klein nodded.

"I know still pretty cool though isn't it?" he laughed.

Kirito chuckled.

"It's flashy that's for sure."

January 5th 2025

Asuna hummed as she finished cooking and walked into the living room where Kirito was sitting on the sofa reading something. She tilted her head to the side a bit watching him as he seemed to be quite into what ever it was that he was reading. She walked up behind the sofa and leaned over resting her chin on her palm as she looked at it.

"Oh you saw that to? I was reading about it and a bit curious myself. You think it's for real or just over hyping a rumor or something?"

Kirito kept his eyes locked on the article he was reading about a new player who had popped up. Apparently they had been showing some real power and skill if everything that the info brokers where saying was true. They had been caught battling some very high level monsters in dungeons and others places a few times alone as well as apparently now had been seen taking out a fairly well known mid level guild all by themselves that was known to pick on and harass other players. Other than this though not much was known about the player other than that they fought in and every time they had been seen large completely covering black Armour. Kirito was quite curious about this not only because of the player apparently being strong but the fact that this late in the game so little was known about them. What he had read was all that the info brokers and everyone else knew of them. He had asked Argo and she also knew nothing. As well as he himself not knowing anything though he liked to keep a decent watch on things that where going on. He couldn't do it as well as he once had being a pure solo player and being much less known but he still tried and it was rather impressive that a player especially if they where strong had remained this unknown.

"Yeah, it just seems a bit odd to me though that a player that seems to be strong like this has kept themselves a secret this late in the game. Why would they begin to reveal themselves more now though?"

Asuna shook her head patting his shoulder lightly and laughing.

"Who knows people have their reasons for things I guess but the foods ready if your hungry."

He laughed and nodded as he stood up from the sofa.

"Yeah guess your right."

January 7th 2025

"Nooooooooooooooo!"

Klein moaned as he shuffled his feet out of the HQ after the meeting about strategy for the next boss fight.

"Come on man! pllllleeeeease"

Kirito rolled his eyes as they walked out Asuna holding back giggles.

"No Klein you can't use your Dragons Flame ability to start off the boss fight. You know just as well as I do that is a finishing ability and even then is to only be used if necessary."

Klein groaned.

"Yeah yeah but it's just so cool and if just vooooosh bang!"

Kirito chuckled.

"Yeah yeah your health will go voooosh bang if you use it that early on."

Klein sighed covering his face.

"Touche sir touche."

"Hmmmmmm?"

Kirito blinked turning away from Klein to look at Asuna as he heard her.

"What is it?"

He blinked following her gaze and looking off into the distance at a figure approaching the HQ. Two of them actually. He tilted his head as they came into view better and one was larger covered in all black metal Armour from head to toe with barely even and eye slit. The other was a smaller boy who looked around twelve or so years old walking beside them in just normal gear. Kirito noticed that the two of them where coming their way and stopped as they neared.

The person in black stopped in front of Kirito and the others looking at them.

The smaller brown haired boy scratched the back of his head and laughed a bit awkwardly.

"Ummmm hey there...kinda awkward I guess but would you happen to be Kirito? or the black swordsman or whatever you go by?" he asked

Kirito and the others looked between each other and he blinked looking at the smaller boy.

"Uh Yeah i'm Kirito. Who are you guys ?" he asked

The boy grinned with a slight laugh now that he knew this guy was Kirito the supposed strongest player in the game.

"Great! my names Toka and this here is...uhhh Ri...Ri...Riska. We have heard alot about you and was wondering if we could join up with you on the front lines only for the boss battles." he smiled.

Kirito blinked once again in surprise at all of this looking at Asuna and Klein before returning his attention to the smaller boy giving the other figure a quick glance before answering him.

"Not to sound rude or anything but isn't this kind of sudden and I mean...no offense but you look like you're a kid are you sure you should be fighting on the front lines? and r...guhhh!"

Toka narrowed his eyes scuffing at the dark haired boy and grabbing him by the collar ignoring Klein yelling at him and Asuna watching not knowing what to think exactly.

"Hey buddy! i'm not a damn kid and of course i'm strong enough I could probably take you if I need to really! and...huh?"

Toka blinked looking over as the other figures armored hand moved onto his chest and he sighed letting go of Kirito and stepping back placing his hands on his hips.

"Look i'm alright and all but this person here their the real deal. If you want this game to be cleared quicker then you are going to want them."

Kirito looked from the boy to the other person and stopped on them.

"Umm...would you happen to be that person the info brokers have been talking about recently in articles. The one they have been calling the black butterfly or something like that?" he asked

They just stood there tilting their head to the side looking at Kirito.

Toka nodded.

"Yeah that's them."

Kirito blinked looking at the person again and scratched his chin thinking about sighed throwing his hands up.

"Well it seems like your pretty strong from what i've heard so let's give it a shot but i'm going to need a bit of evidence to know that you won't just go in their and get destroyed."

Klein looked at Kirito.

"You sure man? what if they are planning something shady?" he asked

Kirito shrugged.

"I got a vibe from them and plus from what I have seen about them. They don't seem like the type."

The person just stood their waiting tilting their head to the side curiously.

"Alright then here is what where going to do. Klein looks like your going to be needed here for a moment."

Klein smirked already knowing what he had in mind and backed up a bit from the other person bringing up his menu.

"Way ahead of you chief." he said sending the duel challenge to them.

Kirito kept his eyes on Riska as they looked at the duel challenge.

Riska looked it over and then looked up glancing at Kirito before bringing their finger up and accepting.

Toka smirked backing up away from them toward Kirito and Asuna as the countdown began.

"This should be interesting." Asuna muttered still surprised a bit by all of this.

Toka scuffed looking up toward the pretty girl blushing a bit but quickly looking back toward the other two.

"I doubt it."

Asuna raised an eyebrow looking down towards the boy.

Klein grinned as the countdown hit zero rushing forward simultaneously pulling out his new Dragons flame. He slashed straight at the armored figure following it up with another combo attack.

The person simply side stepped dodging the first blow and then with amazing grace dodge the other spinning to the side and flipping back. They tilted their head to the side looking at the red haired man now taking out their blade as well.

Asuna blinked in shock.

"Woah...that fast with all of that Armour on?"

Toka smirked proudly.

Kirito raised an eyebrow watching the two of them.

"Well well looks like you do got some skill to ya after all." Klein smirked rushing forward full speed know lashing out with a barrage of different attacks.

Riska blade flashed around and they swiftly moved in and out dodging and blocking Kleins attacks. Leaping forward a bit smashing into him knocking him back a bit having yet to throw a real attack themselves.

Klein grunted wiping his mouth and cracked his neck.

"Hey I guess this is as safe a place as any to test it out right?" he smiled bringing his blade up.

"hmmmmm?" Toka blinked watching.

Kirito sighed closing his eyes and covering a hand over one side of his face.

"This isn't really fair now Klein is it?"

Klein grinned as flames surrounded the silver and red blade.

"Yeah Yeah! Dragons skin!" he called out

Flames engulfed him and the blade and then just as quickly disappeared. He flashed forward at insane speeds and launched attacks at high speed at his opponent.

Asuna watched the insane speed boost Klein was now fighting with and looked at Kirito.

"Hey they still did pretty good you going to let them join us they could really help." she said smiling.

Kirito kept his eyes on the fight more focused now than ever and shook his head.

"Wait."

Asuna blinked.

"What?"

Riskas blade and movements blurred rapidly as they blocked parried and dodged almost all of Klein attacks steel clashing and sparks flying. They kept guard up sliding off to the side making Klein follow them with his attacks as his heath dropped.

"What the hell no way that your actually keeping up with me using my Dragons skin!"

He gritted his teeth continuing his attacks but then his eyes widened as suddenly the persons hand came out like a flash catching the blade in it taking the damage head on. He gritted his teeth trying to jerk away.

"Damn it!"

Riska narrowed their eyes holding Kleins blade in place with their free hand ignoring the damage and brought their blade forward slashing him down and knocking him back across the ground.

Asuna gasped covering her mouth as Klein went flying across the ground.

Kirito looked from his friend to the figure in black.

Riska kept their eyes on the downed red haired man holding his sword in their free hand. They looked up as the message that they had won the battle came up.

Toka chuckled.

"Told ya! wooooooo! way to go Riska yeah!" he cheered.

The figure slowly made their way over to the downed man and tilted their head looking down at him.

Klein coughed cringing a bit as he looked up at them.

"huh..."

They looked at him reaching him his blade as they knelled down before standing up and making their way back over beside of Toka.

Kirito blinked watching them hand Klein back his blade and then watched as this person walked over. That was incredible...that speed even with all of that Armour on. He had never seen anything like it.

Toka smiled standing next to Riska and put his hands on his hips with a laugh lookign up at Kirito, Asuna and Klein as he rubbed his head walking back over.

"So...? we in?" he asked looking at Kirito.

Kirito looked between the boy and the other figure and sighed.

"Yeah your in."

Toka cheered excitedly.

"Hell yeah! we'll clear this game now in no time. Let's go Riska!" he said happily skipping off back the way that they had came.

Kirito was still quite shocked about all of this but couldn't help but chuckle lightly at the young boys abruptness.

"hmmmm?" he looked over as he noticed the other person still there.

Riska waited nodding to him slightly before turning and following after Toka.

Kirito gave them a nod and then watched them walk off.

"Weeeeellllll this day took a weird turn i'd say..." Klein muttered

Kirito looked at him and laughed with a shrug.

"Yeah for sure but looks lie it may have been one for the best this time. Anything that can help us clear the game faster and better is a plus in my book."

Klein and Asuna nodded agreeing.

Kirito smirked.

"Heeeeeyyyy you also got to try out your ability man how was it?" he teased waving his hand.

Klein gritted his teeth lunging at Kirito and grabbing him.

"Hey man how about you shut the hell up and just go get ready for the boss battle tomorrow huh!" he squeezed him.

Asuan laughed.

"Come on guys."

Next Chapter 36-A Butterfly's Wings.