"Dun-du-na-na! A brand new field!"We all gasp collectively as we enter the third area of the game, Jeweled Peak Lakes. As the name implies, it is more of a wet, mountainous region, with crystal-clear water everywhere we can see. A perfect area for swimsuits as winter comes to an end in the real world.

"It's beautiful," Leafa says. "I've never seen so many lakes...and those waterfalls are stunning!"

"This is amazing," Asuna agrees.

"And like the water is crystal clear," Sinon says as she wades her hand in a pool. "It's perfect!"

Yuuki takes it a step further and splashes in the water. "Ahh! It feels great, too! It's so pure and cool!" Amidst her splashing, she pauses and points to the far side of the pool. "Hey, is that a sign over there? By the waterfall."

"Yeah, there is," I say. "Let's take a look." We walk over to the sign adjacent to the large waterfall, and I read out what it says. "'Fortune shall rain down upon those who endure.'"

"'Those who endure'," Philia repeats. "In other words…"

"We have to stand under the waterfall.'

"I guess something is supposed to happen if we stand there. 'Fortune shall rain down.' Some kind of Luck buff, maybe?"

I shrug at Kirito's guess. "Doesn't really say, could be anything."

"Is it some kind of quest," Silica asks?

"I wouldn't say that, but in a way, it is. Seems pretty simple, if all you have to do is stand under a waterfall."

Lisbeth frowns. "Maybe it's about fortitude and you have to stand under it and meditate for like four hours."

Kirito shakes his head. "And that sounds like no fun."

Philia turns to the waterfall. "As soon as you said 'Luck buff', my ears did perk up."

"Yeah! What if it increases your rare drop rate too?" Lisbeth gets very excited thinking about that. "But you need some crazy confidence to just leap under a waterfall though."

"Yeah… And the water is pretty chilly."

Klein steps forward. "Come on, man up you guys! I'll do it!"

Agil, from the back, chuckles. "That's all you, Klein. SHow them you're a real man!"

"You know it! Klein's got this, baby!"

As Klein runs off, Agil steps between me and Kirito. "This is gonna be the best thing."

I cannot ever stop the smirk growing on my face. "Good going hyping him up. This shall be good."

Kirito sighs. "Even if you do get some kinda buff, it may not last that long."

"But the memory of Klein getting washed out is forever."

"EEEEEEEK!"

"Wh-What are you thinking? No! Bad Klein!"

"Fine, fine, I'll put it back on. Geez!"

Kirito and the rest of us guys stare in confusion at the girls and the distant Klein. "What… What just happened?"

"I figured I'd take off my equipment first, but the all the ladies started freaking out like I was gonna be butt-naked."

Kirito chuckles. "I think Agil meant to show us metaphorically that you were a real man."

"Come on! Being naked is 'Standing Under Waterfalls 101'! And I will note that I only took off my shirt. Guess I'll just do it normally. Kill joys."

I snicker. "Aww, now I'll have nothing to show the older ladies in Crimson Squad. Oh well, tough luck."

"Hey, Jaymes," Strea says suddenly to me, "I'll like to take the challenge too."

"Oh ho," Yuuki shouts, "Strea's up for the challenge!"

"It looks fun!"

"Hehehe! I was thinking I'd try it myself."

Kirito grins. "Ah, what the heck! I'm in. I need to know what the reward is!"

Strea cheers. "Go, Team Waterfall!"

"YEEEESSSH! It's f-f-frigid!"

"It's really coming down too!"

"Eeeep! S-So cold!"

"Whoa, ow...ow… OWWW! It's so cold it actually hurts!"

Hearing Klein, Kirito, Lisbeth, and Philia's complaints from beyond the lake, I try my best to hold in my laughter as my friends attempt the trial. I'm no fool, it's a challenge I know is beyond my ability. I'm not alone in that thinking either, for Sinon, Asuna, Leafa, and Agil pass on going under the waterfall as well. But the best part is that if there's a reward, I got Argo ready to be contacted. Information like this should pay well in Col, right? "Hey, how are you idiots doing?"

Silica groans. "There is n-no way we are going to g-get enough good fortune to make it up f-f-for this!"

"Brrrr! Are we sure this isn't ice?"

"I-It looked like fun, but th-th-this sucks!"

"How can water even b-be this cold?"

"C-Called it! N-No way this quest would b-be easy!"

"I don't want to stand here for hours. This is hell inverse, really cold hell…"

"Is that complaining from the original Black Swordsman," I call out. "You know this isn't a good look on you!"

"How about you get in here!"

"No, no, I went to Jotunheim and that was enough cold for me virtually. I got nothing to prove here."

Silica cries and steps out from under the waterfall. "Nnngh! I-I'm out! I can't take it!" She isn't alone. Philia, Lisbeth, and Klein drop out immediately afterwards, soon followed by Strea and Yuuki, leaving Kirito by himself. As the girls return, fortunately drenched in their armor (yes, my time with Lisbeth still remains in my mind) Agil and I laugh at Klein's failure.

"What a man."

"You sure showed us."

"Shut up!"

Meanwhile, Kirito is the last player standing underneath the frigid water. "i-I'm the only one left… So cold. I'm almost-nope, past the limit. But I gotta know… I gotta know what transcendent moment waits at the end. It's a trial!"

Leafa sighs in embarrassment. "I'm not sure if what you're saying is super cool or the lamest thing I've ever heard."

Asuna cheers him on. "You come this far! I believe in you!"

Spurred by his love's belief, Kirito hardens his resolve. "Arrrrrrrgh! Come on fortune! Bring it-GAH!" Kirito suddenly falls into the pool underneath the waterfall, though it seems to not be of his own accord. Asuna rushes out to help him while Leafa searches for the thing that knocked him down.

"What did you find," I ask.

She holds it up. "A… A bucket?"

Kirito, holding the back of his head, looks at his attacker. "It looks like a bucket, but...apparently it's a shield?" Leafa hands it to me, as I am the only one besides Lisbeth who uses a shield. Kirito's conclusion is correct, it looks to be a shield.

"How is that 'fortune raining down,'" Silica questions.

Lisbeth chuckles and points at Kirito. "Ha! Haha! You suffered through all that for a bucket to conk you on the head? Pfft! Hahaha!"

"Hey! Don't laugh!"

"Sorry, I'm sorry. Hehe! Maybe it's super rare?"

"Let's take a look," I say. "This better be awesome, the best shield in the game…" I look at Kirito and bonk him on the head with the shield. "You did all that for the weakest shield I've ever seen? Hahaha, you idiot!"

Philia sighs. "After all that suffering, it's a gag equip? You let that waterfall pound you for so long for that?"

Sinon takes hold of the shield. "Maybe the drop is entirely random? It could be up to 'fortune.' Care to try again, you guys?"

Kirito, Klein, Yuuki, Strea, Lisbeth, Philia, and Silica speak all at once. "NO!"

After a few days of exploring the Jeweled Peak Lakes, I return to the Oldrobe Forest with Sinon in tow. The monster Argo spoke of weeks ago is nearby, and though Kirito and Premiere got a whack at it sometime ago, they and the group of random players with them were unable to take the beast down. So he decided to give it another go, this time with seven of us. Sinon, Yuuki, Strea, Agil, Klein, and us two. The monster might require more players, but Kirito, Klein, and I can attest that we're stupid enough to risk such a feat. Gleam Eyes has not been forgotten.

"Seems there are other players here," Sinon says. "We might get more help and take it down."

I lean against a tree and look in the other direction for the rest of our team. "Not a bad idea, though I'd prefer the glory of us taking it down alone."

Sinon faces me with a smile. "Ever the glory-hog. Isn't life going well enough for you? You're got money to your name, a profitable business in your inheritance, an awesome home, a car and a motorcycle, great friends…a...great girlfriend… Good things for you."

I do notice Sinon's lack of enthusiasm at the end of the list, but I don't understand why, so I ignore it. "Yeah, but Kirito gets all the credit whenever we're around. Kirito didn't clear SAO, Asuna and I fought Kayaba too. He beat Death Gun, which is not saying much, you were there and I was elsewhere. He gets his nickname stolen… Actually, that's fine with me, no one else can be me."

Sinon shakes her head and leans with me on the tree trunk. "Jealousy does not suit you. Anyway, tomorrow is Valentine's Day, any plans?"

"Rika has a family thing this weekend, which is why she isn't online, so we did our Valentine's Day date yesterday after school with Kirito and Asuna. So since I'm free, I made plans to hang out with Philia during the day before she has to work… If you want, I don't mind spending time with you either."

"Are… Are you sure? I mean...it could lead to several misunderstandings and-"

"Let them misunderstand," I say, turning to her. "Yeah, sure, Valentine's Day is a day of love and crap, but why should it be reserved for just couples? I don't see a law stating that I cannot spend time with my partner in virtual crime."

Sinon looks to retort, then sighs bashfully and turns away. "Well, can't argue with that. Very well, tomorrow night, then?"

I nod. "Tomorrow night it is."

"Yahello! Sinon and Jaymes!" We turn to see Strea and Yuuki approach. The AI is in an especially higher than normal mood, for nothing else excites her more than when I take her out for a monster hunt. "Your favorite cuties in purple have arrived."

I scoff. "Sure, Strea, you are my favorite, but Yuuki… No."

Yuuki raises an eyebrow. "You're saying I'm not cute? Harsh...yet I don't see what Lisbeth sees in you either. Maybe she just feels pity for you because your best friend has a cute girlfriend." Wow… Even though I know that's false, it hurts to hear that from Yuuki. She wins this round, and she knows it as I grumble to myself about "what the hell does she know" and whatnot. "Hehe! Where's everyone else? Are they already fighting? I hear fighting."

"Those are other players," Sinon says as she thumbs in our target's direction. "The men have not arrived yet, except the one acting like a girl now."

Strea chuckles. "Reminds me of the one time Rain and Philia made Jaymes wear a maid dress after losing a bet, and he served us tea."

I drop on my butt as Yuuki and Sinon laugh at me. "Why… Why do you remember that?"

"Because the tea was fantastic...and so was the outfit. You looked good."

I sigh. "Okay, okay, laugh it up… Hey, Sinon, how many players are fighting the monster?"

"We never looked, did we? Let's see." Sinon takes a few steps away to get a view of the clearing, Yuuki eagerly following behind. As that happens, I face Strea, the girl sticking her tongue out at me teasingly. It's so cute I almost forget what just transpired.

She suddenly turns around and cheerfully waves. "Ah, Kirito! Hi!"

Kirito, joined by Klein, Agil, and surprisingly Philia, nods to us just as Sinon and Yuuki return. "Hey, you four."

Yuuki points towards the clearing. "You guys, come quickly! You have to see this!"

"That guy's already fighting it… Alone."

"Alone," I question, then the identity of the player who could do such a reckless thing pops in my head. "Oh man… Not him." We follow Yuuki and Sinon towards the clearing, just far enough to observe the battle. As I thought, Genesis, the monster-stealing player, is fighting the dragon-like monster alone. For the first time since I first saw him, I get to see his skills in action.

"Ngh! You're a stubborn one, aren't you?" Taking on a stance with his greatsword, Genesis leaps out the way of the monster charge. "Gyah!"

"Genesis," I hear Kirito softly say.

"Know him," Agil asks.

"I wouldn't say we're friends. Jaymes first told me about him."

"Saw him a few weeks ago, never met him face to face."

Klein hums, seemingly impressed with Genesis. "Dude's holding his ground, but he's definitely taking a beating. Wait a minute...is he really holding his own in this fight? You needed a party of fourteen for this monster, right?"

"Do you think it already cleared out its allies," Philia asks.

My head shakes. "From what I know of him from Argo, he's solo."

Agil scoffs. "Damn shame. Should we help him out?"

"Uh, yeah," the fired up samurai exclaims. "Wouldn't you want to be saved from becoming a monster's chew toy? Let's jump in on this!"

I throw my arm out. "Hold on, wait." I'm sure they're confused, but I want to see what makes him so powerful before we intervene. He doesn't fit the bill so far as he slashes the dragon's head but slides away from the counterattack. He continues to dodge as we eventually join in the fight.

"Sup, bro," Klein greets. "The cavalry has arrived!"

"Ha! I don't need help from the peanut gallery! If you're here to gape at my skill, gape from afar!"

"Hold up, what did he call us?"

"I believe I said to back off! This is the part I live for." Genesis then sheaths his sword and opens his menu. As Klein warns him about having it open in the middle of battle, Genesis eventually closes it and bows low. "Huah… Huah… NGHAAAAAA!" He rises up, arms outstretched like he just powered up to a new level...if that red aura around him means anything, that is. "Heh… Haha… HAHAHAHA! The fires rise within me! Watch them burn! Every cell is on fire! Every fragment caught up in the explosion of energy! INCREDIBLE! INVINCIBLE! ETERNAL! Now watch!" He springs forward, slashing the dragon with a combo almost equal to ALO's Original Sword Skills. "Hyah! Rrrrragh! DIE! To your knees, beast! Like all the others before you!"

"That is a crazy sword combo."

"Nothing about this is right."

Kirito shudders beside me. "This is what Argo meant… His true sword style." I, too, am in disbelief watching Genesis fight and defeat the beast, yet I can't see where Kirito is wrong. This is his power, his style...but it isn't something natural. What did he do beforehand?

Proud of himself, Genesis reaps the reward of his successful hunt. "Hahaha… Heh… Hehe! Dead already, beast? Pathetic!"

Klein's jaw almost ejects from his face. "He really did it… he killed that thing all on his own."

"Heh." Genesis turns to us, smirking. "Now you've seen it. The true fury I wield? Still eager to face me, boy?" He eyes Kirito, who stays silent. This amuses the other Black Swordsman. "No? What happened to the outrage? You bore me, like all the others. I suppose it's not unexpected. Even the mighty Hero needed his whole entourage just to stand a chance! Any fool could tell I would slay you in a heartbeat."

Offended, Klein defends Kirito. "Oh! Now he's done it! Listen here, you little punk! You got no idea who you're pissing off!"

"Hahaha! It couldn't matter less. I stand on another level. Another species! Feel free to keep playing at 'hero'. Soon enough, I'll throw you down from your little throne! Farewell!"

As Genesis departs, Klein spits on the ground where Genesis stood. "Yeah, you better run! What was that dude's problem?"

"What was he saying," Yuuki asks.

Kirito folds his arms as he looks at the retreating figure. "Nothing important. 'I stand on another level', 'Take you down in a fight', 'Something, something kick your ass.'"

"You think he pushed on ahead of us just to get here and show off?"

"Not sure. Wouldn't put it past him."

"Let's just put it out of our minds," Philia pleads. "That guy is creepy."

"Mega creepy," Klein agrees. "Did you see that guy fighting? I mean, what kind of moves were those?"

"He looked almost like a trance player."

"A...trance player?"

I cup my chin to answer Yuuki. "Think of hacking a game back in our childhood. On traditional consoles and PCs, that'd be the case, but you can't perform such a feat in VR. Well, not normally, Strea, Yui, and Pina are here technically by hacking, but more so akin to modding a game. No consequences come from their presence. But a trance player… They use digital drugs to make themselves better, in simple terms. Since VR is done by neurological processes, these drugs work to interfere with the Amusphere's actions on the brain. But recent patches to the device should detect and kick trance players out of games due to the device's safeguard system. But Genesis...he became a whole different beast..."