Chapter 16 - Meet The Players

In the previous chapter, Serenity and her team went to a town in which a festival called Sword Festival was held and there was a sword competition in which Serenity entered, in order to showed her skills in front of all players. Also, she admitted the truth to Jesse that she was already in romantic relationship with Kirito and in the end, Jesse accepted the truth. Serenity passed every rounds until she reached to the final round in which she defeated the undefeated champion. But unbeknownst to her and her teammates, someone was watching at them from behind but an another cloaked player saw him and he ran away from the stadium. On the other hand, Kirito met a little pixie boy (similar to Yui).

Will Serenity and her team can able to reached to the castle of the Dark Force? Who was the cloaked player who was watching at the mysterious stranger who was spying at Serenity and her team? Is this mysterious player was an ally or an enemy?

Find Out

After the sword fight competition, Serenity and her team were finally reached to the final floor, the Dark Force hideout. When they saw the view, they were surprised in awe.

" So... this is the hideout of the Dark Force, huh? " Sana wondered

" What a huge place... " Lala uttered

" Let's go, team. " Tana said to them

They went continued walking until they are finally entered in a town named " Puckbecker ".

" Woah... this place has some few people lived here. " Serenity said, as she turned her head, watched at every persons passed by in the road

" Is because most of those people here were terribly afraid because currently for the past few months lot of innocent people who were been killed and tortured by Apsu and her minions. " Tana said to her

" Say what? They were been killed and tortured by Apsu and her armies?! Even non sword players that they had been killed with? " Serenity asked, with a shocking surprise expression on her face

" Probably it is. That's the reason why some of the people were feared of the great terror of Apsu and her minions but there are some of them were flee away from this town, to get avoid being caught or been killed by Apsu. " Tana said in response

" Somehow, they cannot hold a protest or a battle fight against the Dark Force but still... they were very afraid to fight off against some strong and powerful sword players of the Dark Force. " Jesse stated

" I see about it. I had finally realized that Apsu was a cruel and selfish person. She killed anyone without second thought.. even an innocent person without defense... " Serenity said, with anger on her face, gripped both of her hands

" I had understand of what you are truly feel with, Serenity. You had feeled in your heart that you are feeling sympathize to others. " Tana said to her

" I swear to myself that I will gonna defeat her no matter what it takes. " Serenity said, with determination on her face, and then she thought on her mind " ... even for Kirito as well... I won't let myself down... I have to do this, for the sake of everyone lived here including him as well... " gripped her hand

" Serenity... " Jesse uttered, as he looked at her

They decided to continued walking but suddenly a mysterious voice said to them " I guess there was an another threat arrives in.. "

Serenity, was surprised by the voice and she turned her back, asked " an another threat? What do you mean by that? "

The mysterious cloaked player went out of the shadows and it was revealed himself in front of them, and they were surprised.

" a mouse? " Aldrin wondered, with curiosity on his face

" No way... he looks like Jerry Mouse... but... don't tell me that.. he was playing Sword Art Online game too?! " Serenity thought

" Who are you anyway, mouse creature? " Tana asked

" My name is Gereson, I'm a sword mouse player. I wanted to joined in your team, in fighting against Apsu and her minions. " the stranger replied

" So.. are you telling to us that there was an another threat? " Sana asked

" Yes, I had saw a spy of the Dark Force was watching at the battle arena a hour ago. I think that he was been ordered by Apsu to eliminate all of you, including you, Serenity. " Gereson replied

" Me? " Serenity asked, with curiosity on her face and she thought on her mind " I think Jerry was easily recognized me who I really am. "

" Yes, I was thinking that Apsu had already know your secret intention. I guess we have to move faster so that the spy will never recognize all of you. " Gereson said to her

" I see about it. You should come with us then. " Serenity said

" Really? " Gereson asked

" Sure thing, Serenity. " Gereson replied

And so, a new member was added, a mouse player named Gereson (in which it was revealed that he was the virtual identity of Jerry Mouse). The team went continued walking, going to the castle of the Dark Force.

As they were went walking, they are having a conversation with each other.

" So, Gereson. How long you are playing this game? " Aldrin asked

" For four months it seems. I'm already in Level 56. " Gereson said in response

" You at Level 56? Not in a bad shape that a mouse creature just like you should have great skills in sword fighting. " Sana asked, with a good impression on her face

" But Serenity was a little bit stronger than ever. She was already at Level 80." Jesse said to him

" You at Level 80?! That's was fast! I had been heard that you were the second strongest player in the world of Sword Art Online besides Kirito, the Black Swordsman. " Gereson said, with a surprise manner on his face

" Yep " Serenity said, with a smile on her face and she thought " I think he had already knows about my relationship with Kirito as well. What a surprising... "

Suddenly, a familiar voice was heard, asked " Are you the new strongest player named Serenity, isn't that correct? "

Surprised by the voice, she answered " Yes, and who are you anyway? "

The familiar voice was heard was no other than Klein, the first ally and close friend of Kirito along with Silica, Agil and some other few sword players, went approached to them.

" My name is Klein and this is Silica and Agil. You are the second strongest sword player in the whole Sword Art Online, I am right? " he asked

" Yes, I am. It was a great pleasure to meet all of you. " Serenity said

" You too, Miss Serenity. " Silica said, with a smile on her face

" We have been heard everything all about you. We never thought that you are the most strongest sword player in the whole Sword Art Online game. " Agil stated

" Well... I guess all of you were on the same side, right? " Tana asked Klein

" Yes, we are on the way to the castle of the Dark Force, to fight against Apsu and her minions. " Klein answered in response

" And to rescued the remaining captives in inside the castle including Kirito as well. " Agil stated

" Wait.. you guys know Kirito too? " Serenity asked, with a surprise expression on her face

" Yes, I guess I will explained everything to you after the battle. Hold on, are you going to the castle to rescued Kirito too? " Klein asked

" Yeah, he sent me a message that he was been held captive by Apsu once again and so I decided to entered in this game, in order to rescued him and to defeat Apsu. " Serenity answered

" I see about it. But are you really sure that you will gonna defeat her all by yourself? " Klein asked

" She was so very strong and powerful and besides, she was the final boss of this game. " Silica stated, with a worried expression on her face

" Don't need to be worried and besides I had already know her main true weakness. " Serenity said to them

" her true main weakness? What was it? " Klein asked

" I will explained everything when we get there to the castle. There is no time to waste, let's go! " Serenity said in a rush

And so, the team of Klein was teamed up with Serenity's team to get to the castle of the Dark Force. But unbeknownst to them, the mysterious spy whom Gereson saw at the battle arena a hour ago, watching at them from farther distance and after a few seconds, he jumped through the trees.

Meanwhile at the Dark Tower, Kirito was surprised when he was talking to a little pixie boy (in which it was similar to Yui).

" Hold on... who are you anyway? and how did you know about me? "

" I'm Yumo, the programmed fairy pixie. It was a great pleasure to meet you, Black Swordsman Kirito. "

" programmed fairy pixie? I had been heard of that legend from before. You were responsible for guarding the safety of every virtual reality games, right? "

" Yes, I am. And also, I was guiding every players here in Sword Art Online and to tell them of every informations about everything in this game. I was been heard in my ears that a strong female player named Serenity, was on the way to stopped Apsu and her minions. "

" No way! She is? " with a surprise expression on his face

" Yes, along with some few sword players of course. They were on the way to the entrance of the castle. "

That very moment, Yumo saw the engagement ring on Kirito's finger, and then he asked him " Is that an engagement ring? I think you will be.. "

" Yes, I was already engaged to the only lady whom I really wanted to loved with, Sailor Moon or by her real name Usagi Tsukino. "

" Sailor Moon? I had been heard of her from before. But I think that Serenity that I saw, was strongly looked like her too. " and he shown the image of Serenity to him

When he saw the image, he recalled in his mind about his first encounter with her in the real life world and then he was surprised in shocked, and he said " No way... she is really Sailor Moon... I'm so sure of it. They both got the same physical appearances, same eye color, same color of her warrior uniform and she got the same sword weapon. No doubt about it, she was really her after all. I never thought that she will gonna rescued me in inside the castle. "

" So... shall I sent your message to her, Kirito? "

" Yes, send this secret message to her, to make sure that she needs it. I will be counting on you, Yumo. " and he handled the envelope device to him

" Sure thing, daddy Kirito. " and he covered his mouth with both of his hands, and he apologize " Um, I'm so sorry, It was just an accident to addressed you just like that. "

Kirito laughed of what he had said, and he said to him, with a smile " It was okay, Yumo and besides, I was already engaged to Serenity, I mean Sailor Moon. I think you will be become my adopted child. "

" Really?! It is?! Thanks, daddy Kirito. I was just thinking in my mind that Serenity will be my new mommy. Well, I will be going out now. "

" Sure thing, Yumo. Be careful. "

" I will! "

And Yumo flew out of the cage of the Dark Tower. Kirito looks at him from the farther distance, hold his locket necklace, through his hand, placed on his chest, and he looked up at the skies, thought " Please, hurry, my dear Usagi.. I mean... Serenity... I need you so much... please.. "

Back when, Serenity and the two teams were on the way to the entrance of the castle of the Dark Force. But then, they heard a mysterious voice, was calling the name of Serenity.

" Hold on.. who was calling me? " she wondered

" Serenity, look! Someone's approaching! " Gereson shouted, as he pointed the mysterious figure through his finger

Yumo went approached to them, with excitement on his face, making the others were wondered in confusion.

" I'm so glad that I find you here, Serenity. What a relief. " Yumo said, with great excitement on his face

" Who are you? and how did you know me? " Serenity asked, with curiosity

" My name is Yumo, a programmed fairy pixie. I am the guider in every missions in this game. " Yumo answered in response

" a fairy pixie? Really?! Wow, I had never seen a real fairy pixie from before. " Lala said, with a surprise expression on her face

" So, what news did you brought for us? You are a messenger, right? " Klein asked

" Well, I had a secret message that it was came from Kirito, the Black Swordsman. " Yumo said to them

Everyone were surprised of what he had said including Serenity.

" a message from Kirito? Can you showed it to me? " Serenity requested

And he handled the envelope device to her and then she opened it. There was a message wrote, and it says:

Dear Serenity and to my fellow friends and allies of Sword Art Online,

I'm so sorry that I cannot get out of the Dark Tower because Apsu might get me. But somehow, I had already know about every secrets of the Dark Force castle. All of them. Here are some of the hidden secrets that I had already known with in my mind:

* There was a secret passageway that it was found at the ground floor. That was the only secret shortcut, going to the second floor of the castle.

* The entire guards were not in full armor shield, only helmets and swords on their hands.

* There was a secret room that Apsu that she had entered in in during afternoon. That room was full of energy counters that they had kept for all those years.

* Watch out of the electrical chains and whips and some pointed sword objects that it was posted at the walls when you guys were reached at the sixth floor of the castle. Jumped away immediately, and avoid being getting hit by those things.

And lastly

* There was an another exit way that it was at the bottom of the eighth floor. You guys must escaped yourselves except for Serenity.

That's all I wanted to say with. I hope all of you will understand all things that I had said to you. I cannot let Apsu to knowed about this secret plan. Be careful and good luck.

P. S (to Serenity)

Please come on time on the Dark Tower before Apsu comes back because she was making an another threat against the oppressors and those who are against her rules. I'll be waiting for you, my love.

Sincerely Yours,

Your Beloved

Kirito

After they had read the secret message that Kirito had wrote. They looked at each other faces for a moment.

" An another threat... " Serenity uttered, and she turned her head to Gereson, said to him " I guess you are right, Gereson. There was an another threat will occurred in. " and she told the others " I guess we have to get hurry to the castle before she arrives back. "

" Well, we have no other choice. We need to followed of what Kirito said to us or else we will be dead for good. " Agil said

" There is lot of time left, everyone. We need to get hurry before Apsu arrives back. " Yumo said to them

" Shall you lead us to the entrance door then? " Serenity requested

" Sure thing, Serenity. Follow me. " Yumo said

And so, they followed Yumo in going to the entrance of the Dark Force castle. As they were keep on running, Yumo looked at Serenity, whose facial expression was became more determined, and he thought " I think she was very determined and strong lady. I think that she will be my new mommy. After all, she and daddy Kirito were meant for each other. " with a smile on his face

But Serenity interrupted his thinking moment, asked him " Is there's something wrong, Yumo? "

" Um, nothing, Serenity. " with a giggled expression on his face

This makes Serenity to get wondered of his reaction.

After a minute later, they were finally reached the castle entrance of the Dark Force.

" Don't worry, Kirito. I will gonna rescued you in there, I promise. " Serenity thought, and she raised up her head, looked up at the top edge of the castle, the Dark Tower, in which Kirito was been held as a prisoner

And they secretly entered together in the entrance door of the castle.

The other Sword Art Online players including Klein, Silica and Agil (Kirito's closest friends and allies) joined with Serenity and her team in their quest in going to the castle of the Dark Force, to stopped Apsu and her minions and to rescued the remaining captives including Kirito as well. But before they could reached to the castle, a programmed pixie fairy named Yumo sent to them a secret message from Kirito about the hidden secrets of the Dark Force castle. A few minutes later, they were finally entered in inside the castle of the Dark Force.

Who will be the closest minion of Apsu whom will be encountered against the two teams? Will they can able to survived in this deathly sword battle fight?

Find Out

In the Next Chapter

Chapter 17 - A Battle of Death and Courage

Don't Miss It!

" Love have no specific distance, nearer or farther away from with each other. The most important thing is to stayed your stronger love bonds with each other and don't lose hope in your hearts and keep on fighting for you and your sake. "

- Kirito / Kazuto Kirigaya