A/N: I would like to go over one thing before I start this chapter, in Arc 3 of MegaMan X IS, the glitch which canceled Kirito and Asuna's marriage in Hollow Fragment did not happen, so they're still married. So without further ado, here is Chapter 38.
Chapter 38: Deal with the Devil: The Strongest Guild?! Dark Meeting between Strea and Sigma!
That night, everyone was celebrating their victory over Chill Penguin, so they had a huge banquet to celebrate not only the defeat of the first Data Maverick General, but to welcome the SAO players' new friends.
"This steak is delicious!" Cecilia cheered as she took a bite out of Agil's homemade steak. "You really outdid yourself, Sir Agil."
Agil laughed heartily and commented "Thank you. I know how to cook from my wife back in my dimension."
"Yes. Agil's cooking is best to none, well X's cooking is super-duper fantastic." Liz smiled cheerfully as she took a bite out of X's homemade stew.
"Thanks, I'm glad you like it." X smiled softly. Silica nervously walked up to X and he took noticed. "Hmm? What's up, Silica?"
"Um…" Silica pressed her fingers nervously with a shy smile. "I want to thank you for saving me during the battle with Chill Penguin, X-kun." Pina kyed in agreement. "Even Pina is giving you her thanks."
"Uh… Thank you." X rubbed the back of his head nervously. He noticed Kirito and Asuna kissing. "Hmm… Kirito and Asuna really loved each other a lot." He commented.
"Oh, that's because they're both married." Leafa told him as she walked up to him.
"M-Married?!" X gawked, Ling nearly spitted out her drink upon hearing that.
"They're not really married, but in-game married." Leafa corrected him. "From what Onii-chan told me, after Kirito joined the Knights of the Blood Oath, he married Asuna after clearing a Floor. They're so happy together. I bet when they married in real life, I can be Asuna's sister in law." Leafa giggled cheerfully.
"Say Leafa?" X asked her. "How long have you know Kirito in your dimension's real world?"
"Yeah, how do you and Kirito get along since you were babies?" Cecilia nodded, wanting to know Leafa and Kirito's relationship as family.
"Um…" Leafa was hesitated to say, but she found her courage and began. "Well, I have known Kazuto since his parents died. Now I have a mother, but she was Kirito's aunt. Kirito knew that my mom was not his real mom, but he still calls her his mom. Kirito was always busy with technology and what not, so we don't know each other that well…"
"Ouch, sorry to hear that…" Ling lowered her head despondently, but she remembered something. "Oh yeah! That reminds me! Your character looks like an elf, but it doesn't look like it's part of SAO. Why is that?"
"Well… To tell the truth, this character is from another MMORPG called Alfheim Online. The reason my character is in SAO is because I used the same VR helmet that trapped Kirito and the others in SAO for two years. It's because I wanted to see my big brother again." Leafa sighed despondently.
"I see… Your love for your brother is strong. I cared about my friends and I will do anything for them." X smiled slightly.
"R-Really?" Leafa blushed slightly.
"Yes. I will lay down my life to protect Houki and her friends. Hence why I came into the Mother Computer, to save them from their nightmares and fears. I managed to save two of them, now there's only three left." X explained with a kind smile.
"…You're really nice, X." Leafa told him with a sweet smile. "Just like Kirito, although a little dense."
"Um… Thank you." X nodded slowly. Sinon walked up to the group.
"So X… Have you decided which of the five girls you talked about so much you liked the most?" She smirked teasingly. Cecilia and Ling's eyes turned white dotted upon hearing that while X sweat dropped.
"I… I haven't decided on that yet." Liz walked up to him with a surprised look.
"If you want, I'll be your girlfriend." Liz offered.
"What?!" Ling and Cecilia roared in anger as they glared at Liz. Liz laughed heartily and said this:
"Relax, I'm just kidding. I was just fooling around as they always say." Liz reassured them.
"Well, it wasn't funny…" Cecilia frowned as she crossed her arms and glared at Liz.
"Take it easy, will ya?" Liz smiled nervously as she sweat dropped.
Phillia and Strea watched the conversation between X and the girls from their table. Phillia commented with "X has great potential. He's just like Kirito-kun." Phillia commented.
"Oh? Do you like him, Phillia-chan?" Strea asked sweetly. Phillia blushed madly.
"N-No! Well, maybe a little…" She stuttered. Strea giggled playfully.
"Well, you must really like X-kun. Even though you barely knew him for two days."
"T-That's not the point, Strea! I like Kirito and I'm just saying that X acts a lot like Kirito." Phillia's face turned bright red.
"Well, I dunno… Didn't you give the cold shoulder like with Kirito when you first met him?" Strea smiled playfully.
"W-Well, maybe. I dunno." Phillia sighed in defeat. Strea stood up from her seat. "Where you're going, Strea-chan?" Phillia asked her.
"Oh, the usual." Strea closed her eyes and smiled as she left the inn.
"And there she goes again…" Phillia muttered with a sigh.
(With Strea…)
Strea was happily walking down to who knows where for about 20 seconds until she tensed. She got out her claymore and got into a battle position. "Alright, I know you're out there…. Show yourself!"
A familiar sinister chuckle was heard. "My, you have sharp eyes, Strea…" Strea turned around and saw a mysterious cloaked figure behind her.
"W-Who are…" Before Strea can asked, the cloaked figure raised his hand to stop her.
"It'll save you the trouble if you don't know my name… How I know you is none of your concern. Instead, I have some questions to ask you, Strea…" The figure smirked darkly. It is none other than Sigma who is disguising himself with a cloak.
"Um… What is it, mystery person whom I don't know?" Strea gulped uneasily. Strange, it is unlike her to be nervous.
"Why are you friends with X and Kirito? What makes them interesting to you?" Sigma asked darkly and cruelly.
"They're my friends. And friendship is a great ideal to cherish." Strea told him simply. Sigma laughed cruelly at this.
"Friends? Friendship? Worthless ideas. You're just an AI who doesn't know the meaning of friendship and trust. For I know what will happen to you if you let X, Kirito and their friends and loved ones continue their mission." Sigma asked with an evil amused expression.
"W-W-What do you mean by that?" Strea stuttered in disbelief.
"Ever since SAO has merged with the Maverick Hunter Mother Computer, the object of clearing SAO has been modified by defeating all four Data Maverick Generals. Once all Data four Maverick Generals have been defeated, the path to the heart of the Mother Computer will open, leading to the correction of all the Mother Computer's problems." Sigma began with a dark and evil intent.
"W-What does that have to do with me?" Strea stammered.
"Tell me something, Strea… What will happen if X, Kirito and their friends fix the Mother Computer at the heart of it?" Sigma asked sinisterly. Strea was silent as she shook her head no. "It means, if they fix the Mother Computer, then SAO will be set to be cleared and you know what happens after that?"
"N-No, what?" Strea took a step back, having a bad feeling about this.
"I know all about you, Strea. You don't want to disappear, do you? Well if X, Kirito and their friends fix the Mother Computer, then SAO will be detached from this dimension and once back in its own dimension, it will be set to clear and the world of SAO will disappear forever, taking all computer programs with it, including you." Sigma chuckled darkly
"N-No! X-kun and Kirito-kun wouldn't do that! They have good intentions in their hearts!" Strea was starting to panick frantically.
"Heh. You dare doubt my words? Well, why don't you ask them tomorrow? See me the night after tomorrow and you'll understand what I mean…" Sigma smirked evilly as he disappeared into the shadows.
'W-Who was that man? And how does he know my name?' Strea stuttered in fear as she fell on her knees and looked at the moon.
(The next morning…)
"You want us to meet a guild that has been rising up in clearing the floors before SAO merged with the Mother Computer, Asuna?" Ling asked her. Asuna nodded.
"Apparently, they learned about us not being in our dimension and appearing in your dimension. So they want to join the Assault Team. They should be right about…" Asuna turned to see five men, the most notable of them has short blond hair, purple eyes, wore white royal clothes and has a sword sheathed on his back walking up to everyone.
"Nice to meet you. I'm Alberich." Alberich greeted as he bowed lightly. Kirie made a disgusted grunt.
"Why does this guy remind me of a certain someone?" She muttered.
"P-Please be nice, Kirie-chan." Koyomi stammered. Kirito however, glared at Alberich.
'He has some pretty good equipment with him, but… What is this discomfort that I'm getting?' He gazed over to X who too was glaring at Alberich. 'X must have felt it too…'
"Nice to meet you. I'm Asuna, the vice-captain of the Knights of the Blood Oath." Asuna smiled as she introduced herself. Alberich couldn't help but gaze at Asuna's beauty, which is making Kirito mad a little.
"I have heard of you, the 'lightning flash' Asuna. You must be beautiful. You must be a lady in the reality world back in our dimension." Alberich praised. Asuna blushed madly while Kirito glared at Alberich even further. "I'm sorry. It's a taboo to touch about real world subjects in this dimension." He chuckled darkly.
"Ugh, what a creep…" Ling muttered with disdain as she glared at Alberich. Alberich turned to face X, Kirito and their friends.
"By the way, Asuna. Who are these people with you?" He asked.
"They're observers for this interview." Asuna stated with a smile.
"My name is MegaMan X, but call me X." X greeted.
"Ah, so you must be the inhabitant of this dimension we SAO players are in. And who are these fine lovely ladies with you, X?" Alberich smirked.
"Uh… T-Their names are…" X was about to introduce Ling and Cecilia to Alberich until Cecilia stopped him.
"No need, X." Cecilia frowned at Alberich. "My name is Cecilia Alcott and this is my friend, Huang-Lingyin, but call her Ling. We're also inhabitants of our own dimension you're in. We're Maverick Hunters, soldiers that hunt down those fiendish rebellious robots."
"So you're the ones who…" Alberich gasped.
"Who what?" Phillia glared at Alberich.
"Forgive me. I just heard rumors about those two. It is an honor to meet all of you. Let us work together in fixing this Mother Computer I heard so much about." Alberich bowed politely.
'Something tells me he's full of it…' Kirito frowned.
"Well, what shall we do today? I believe by cooperating, we will defeat these three Data Maverick Generals and open the path to the heart of the Mother Computer." Alberich suggested with a dark glint in his eyes.
"Yes. You can start by dueling with me." Asuna suggested before Kirito stopped her.
"Hold on. It would be best if he can duel with me and X." Kirito suggested.
"W-What?" X gasped as he looked at Kirito.
"Kirito?" Asuna asked worriedly.
"I'm also part of the lead group, so I want to test the skills of the newly raised guild leader with X helping me." Kirito offered.
"What an honor, to cross swords with the Black Swordsman and the Blue Bomber. I heard that X's name means it is limitless, meaning, his power is not yet limited." Alberich smiled darkly.
"W-Wait just a minute!" Asuna protested. But Tomoka stopped her.
"Tomoka said that you should stand back and observe this guy. Tomoka has a bad feeling about this guy." Tomoka advised. Asuna was hesitant for a moment until she nodded in agreement.
X and Kirito were standing on the other side while Alberich did the other.
"…And that's how it is, Alberich. Just start whenever you want." Kirito told Alberich.
"Oh, but is it really okay? You and your friend, X are really confident on your abilities, Mr. Black Swordsman." Alberich smirked as he readies his sword. "In that case, I'll go after X first! Here I come!" Alberich let out a battle cry as he lunged at X.
X frowned as he was hit by the attack. 'Darn! He's stronger than he looks, and faster too…' X thought to himself.
Alberich smirked cockily and remarked "How as it? This is my power!"
Kirito glared at Alberich. 'His parameter is higher too. Probably higher than mine and Asuna's… But… he has unpolished movements and lack of experience…' He turned to X. "X! Let's try striking him together!"
"Roger!" X nodded as he back flipped out of the way and got out his X-Buster. He noticed Ling and the others glaring at Alberich. 'Ling and the others must have sense it too.'
Kirito then turned to Alberich. "Hey Alberich, you're not going easy on us, are you?" He questioned. Alberich took that as an insult.
"What?! Are you saying that I'm weak?!" Then he smirked darkly and said "Oh I see… I'll teach you how I fight then." He lunged at X again, but he back flipped out of the way and fired X-Buster shots at Alberich, giving him some small damage. "H-How dare you!" Alberich growled as he slashed his sword on the ground, making a dust effect, blinding X and Kirito.
"Ugh! Shoot! A dust attack!" Kirito covered his eyes. However, just as Alberich was about to strike Kirito, he recovered his senses and slashed Alberich across the chest. X charged forward and punched Alberich in the stomach, knocking him across the field a little.
"Ugh. You're not bad for rookies…" Alberich muttered, before he shouted "How about this?!" He lunged at X who switched to his Light Armor and gave Alberich a killer uppercut followed by a slash given to Alberich by Kirito. Alberich kneed on the ground.
X glared at him. "This battle is over. You're not fit to join the Assault Team on their mission…." He told him stoically.
"I lost?!" Alberich snarled as he stood up from his position and glared angrily at the sky. "There's no way I can lose! Is there something wrong with this stupid world's data?!"
"Hey, you lost fair and square. So no need to act like a sore loser or anything…" Cecilia frowned as she told him simply.
"I see… So that's the strength that defeated Him two times in the past…" Alberich muttered in disbelief.
"What was that?" Kirito questioned him.
Alberich smiled darkly. "Oh, it's nothing. I'll be sure to return to you when I'm stronger.. Until then…" Alberich bowed lightly as he and his guild left. X and his friends glared at his leaving figure.
"Did you guys see that?" X asked his friends.
"Y-Yes… Something's fishy about this Alberich guy, though I just don't quite place it." Yukinari scratched his chin as he pondered about this.
"Not only that, but how does he know who we are if he's meeting us for the first time?" Ling added in confusion.
"Something's not right here…" Liz muttered.
(With Alberich's Guild)
Alberich and his guild were walking down the alleyway until they heard Sigma's voice "I watched your battle with X and Kirito today…"
"Hmm?" Alberich blinked as he and his guild turned around to see Sigma who is still disguised in an alleyway corner. "Oh… It's you, Sigma… Don't scare me like that. You want to alarm anyone of our meeting?"
Sigma chuckled darkly. "My apologies. So, what do you think about X?" He asked, amused.
"To be honest, I don't think he's a threat to our plans. I don't even know why he defeated you two times in the past." Alberich remarked snidely.
"That… is because X hasn't released his true potential. When he unlocks his true power, no evil force in the omniverse can stop him… As long as those five IS pilots are his strength, no evil force can defeat him…" Sigma smirked darkly.
"That may be so, but we already have three of those girls trapped in their nightmares and fears." Alberich scowled. "Why the trouble of five girls?"
"Because they are a threat to our plans of omniversal domination. Do not forget why I recruited you to help me achieve that dream…" Sigma warned.
"Yes, yes, I know… But why did you recruit that cur, Healthcliff?" Alberich questioned.
"That is for you to find out… That is if you'll live long enough to see it." Sigma smirked darkly again as he exited, leaving Alberich and his guild confused on what he mean by that.
To be continued…
Next chapter: Spark Mandrill Redux: Part 1 of 2: Rescuing Houki and Duel with the Beater Hater
A/N: How do you like that? Next chapter is more Fukuyama shengains, the rescue of Houki and duel with that Beater hater, Kibaou, so stay tuned for more Mega Updates.