Vol 2 CH 6 - What's It Good For?

January 22, 2025

"Good morning, Sugou-san."

"Good morning to you as well, Mizushima-kun."

Sitting across from the bespectacled man was a youthful teen, clothed in a gray zip-up hoodie, denim pants, and winter shoes. As they were in a high-class restaurant, his clothes stood out from the others, but if he was bothered by the fact, he was not showing it.

Mizushima Rin. Sugou was aware of the Mizushima name - a respectable financing company that had experienced significant financial growth over the past two years, as well as fostering goodwill by constantly coordinating with the Japanese government in providing aid for the SAO Survivors.

"Do you know why I called you here?" Sugou started. Having done some snooping around and inquiring with the hospital staff, Sugou had realized that this boy was also a close friend of his soon-to-be wife.

"I have an inkling." He replied. "Congratulations on the wedding, by the way."

Sugou was taken aback, but he kept his composure and let out a smile. "I'm assuming Kirigaya-kun filled me in on the details?"

"Yep."

"Then I'm surprised that you even accepted my invitation."

The boy shrugged. "Considering that you went out of my way to contact me, it'd be polite to go through with it. And besides," He leaned in. "I wanna know about you a little bit more."

This has turned into quite an interesting situation. Sugou thought. Not only was the kid acting very cordial, but he also sensed that his words were calculated. Much more nuanced compared to Kazuto's impotent rage.

But then again, he had time to prepare his words. And even then, it wasn't airtight.

Noboyuki could see hate in his eyes. Try as he might hiding it, he got under this boy's skin.

"Before we proceed, should we go ahead and order our meals?" Noboyuki announced before he gestured to one of the menus on the side of the table. "Don't worry about the cost - I will pay for you."

"Many thanks."

After making their decisions, Noboyuki called a waiter and they placed their orders. Noboyuki noted that the boy picked out normal orders and didn't splurge on him out of spite. It didn't take too long before their meal arrived and for them to finish it.

"Thank you for the meal."

"I'm glad you like it." Noboyuki leaned back. "Now, shall we start? What do you wish to know about me?"

The boy leaned in. "I've got an inkling, but if you don't mind me asking, why are you doing this? I know it's not for money since you can afford to throw it away by feeding me."

Noboyuki smiled. "I think you already know the answer."

"It's power...isn't it? The power to lord over other people?" The boy shrugged. "I mean, I can relate why you want such things."

"If you can relate, then why are you pretending that you're even willing to breathe the same air as me?"

A moment of silence. For a split second, Noboyuki could see the boy's mask slip. Resentment and hate flared through his eyes before he took a breath and blinked. When his eyes opened, the hate seemed to dissipate, or more likely, buried under a tranquil veneer.

Noboyuki was disappointed that the boy was able to compose himself that quickly, so he elected to prod him further. "Tell me. Did Kirigaya-kun despair over my arranged marriage with Asuna?"

"Oh, he did." The boy replied frankly. This time, his emotions were fully in control. "He was devastated and inconsolable."

"Really? And you, who failed to do anything to save her from this circumstance?"

"About the same."

"You don't look like someone who is devastated." Noboyuki pointed out.

"You don't look like someone who cares either way." The boy retorted.

"Oh, believe me, I do care a lot. If I didn't, then I wouldn't be here."

The boy pursed his lips. "Makes sense." He admitted. "Though…I guess playing second fiddle to an infamous genius is gonna do that to you."

Noboyuki's eye twitched. "You've certainly done your homework." He snapped.

"Not at all." He countered. "Kayaba Akihiko has been one of the most talked-about people over the last two years. Since he's still at large, in an effort to find his location, all of his life's story has been dugged up and looked at, and that includes the people he was with. Oh, sorry. I meant people who worked under him." He nodded over to him. "Like you, for instance."

Noboyuki clenched his teeth. "Oh?" He was at a loss for words, not expecting the boy to get under his skin so much."

"If you didn't care, then being a politician is a more direct way of gaining power. The only reason you didn't is that there's a certain genius you want to hurt first, yes?"

Noboyuki's temper almost flared out of control, but he managed to hold it back. He took a breath and closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them, he felt in control once again.

"Even if I am not a politician, I still have power." Noboyuki said, a grin threatening to form on his face. "And because of what you had said, and for that, you will never have her back. I'll make sure of it."

"Really? So you've had something to do with it?"

Noboyuki leaned in. "...even if I did, no one would believe you." He let out a grin. "I may not be a politician, but for your sake, I hope that you are smart enough to stay out of my way."

The boy leaned back and smiled. "On that note, I believe that it's time for the two of us to go our separate ways."

"I agree." He replied.

The boy stood up and moved away from his seat. "Once again, thanks for the meal. However, I think that we both can spend the rest of our lives not sharing the same table ever again. Do enjoy the rest of your day." He concluded with a bow and left the restaurant.

After Noboyuki watched him leave, he leaned back and reflected on their conversation. He was certainly quite the character, almost worthy of his respect for how much he got under his nerves. Not many people could do that.

But in the end, he's just a kid. All he can do is wallow in despair. In fact, he was thankful for him. The boy tested his limits by bringing up Kayaba Akihiko, and Noboyuki weathered it.

Eventually, Noboyuki called the waiter, paid for both of their orders, and exited the restaurant.

Off to Alfheim to play with his toy.

Loading...Complete

The Legrue Corridor, while infested with monsters, was a dungeon frequented by many travellers as it cut through a mountain range that cannot be flown over due to the mountains reaching above the altitude limit, thus it provided the only way for much of Alfheim's southeastern territories access to the Alne plateau, which housed the World Tree.

It was a long and fairly wide tunnel composed mostly of monotonous dark, rocky exterior, but in the middle of the area, it opened up so much that it was able to house a city. Furthermore, that area's ceiling was home to many kinds of crystals that let out a dim glow, reminiscent of a starry evening sky.

However, its luster was lost on the two duelling groups right outside the city.

"-!" An unearthly roar shook the interior walls, as the monstrous, transformed Kirito emerged from a plume of smoke and rushed into a group of Salamanders that ambushed them.

To the side, two figures looked at the progressing carnage. One was a blonde-haired girl with pointed ears and a ponytail. She was in awe at how much the battle turned around. They had no chance of winning a moment ago, but that changed drastically when Kirito activated Metamorphosis and transformed into a giant humanoid monster with a goat head.

She had heard of the shenanigans this spell could produce, but she had never seen it in person because the resulting monster's combat abilities depended randomly on the caster's, with the calculations weighing heavily against them.

"Get them, Papa!" The second figure was a pint-sized pixie, cheering Kirito on.

The fight was swift, decisive, and brutal on the group's part. A far cry from earlier when the Salamanders backed them into a corner. With their formation broken, Kirito had the liberty to snuff out the most troublesome but most vulnerable mages before turning his attention to the rest.

With all said and done, all that was left was a lone Salamander, held firmly in Kirito's grasp. The captive could only sit and cower as the monster reached with his other hand and started squeezing his head.

"Kirito-kun, don't kill him! We need him alive!" Leafa suddenly shouted. While PK'ing was typical in this game, the Salamanders that attacked them were very organized. She had a hunch that this was related to the incident yesterday, but the only to make sure was through interrogation.

For a second, Kirito seemed to ignore her, his animalistic form affecting his mind as well. However, he quickly showed his compliance by throwing his captive towards Leafa's direction. The Salamander hit the ground and rolled to a stop, hurt but alive. Before he could collect himself, Leafa had already drawn her sword and held it close to his neck.

A lull permeated across the area, signaling the end of the engagement.

Almost, at least.

As Kirito started to regroup with the others, he stopped when the group heard a sound. Something percussive, and almost rhythmic.

Footsteps.

The group turned to see a person relatively close to them. Their hood was up, obscuring their face, but they wore similar clothing to the Salamanders.

Reinforcements.

Apparently unfazed by the presence in front of them, the hooded figure casually strolled towards Kirito, pulling out a halberd from behind him. Kirito roared and charged forward, his clawed fist stretching forward.

Leafa expected a shrill scream from the cloaked invader as the massive goat-man monster tore them apart. Instead, Kirito let out a cry of pain as he was blown back, clutching his hand. Looking closely, Leafa could see that two of his fingers were bent in unusual positions.

On the other side, the hooded person stood firm, a halberd in his front. Half of his body was covered in red marks, but compared to the others who died in one fell swoop, he was still standing.

"You're getting rusty, Kirito!" The hooded person shouted.

Yui's face brightened. "Onii-chan!"

Leafa turned to her. "Onii-chan…?"

The cloaked person pulled his hood back, revealing a youthful Salamander with burgundy eyes and hair. "That's some nice magic you got there, though you probably shouldn't charge in like an idiot." He said to Kirito.

Kirito's monstrous form straightened and relaxed. He gave the hooded figure a look before his form was swallowed by darkness. After a second, the darkness dissipated, and Kirito returned to his normal form. "How'd you know it was me?" He asked.

He nodded over to where Yui was. "Not that hard to figure out, considering the circumstances. Now, let's go have a word with our little friend."

With that, all of the attention was focused on their captive. It didn't take much negotiating for him to talk, but the enemy Salamander explained why they attacked the party. The Salamanders up top put a hit on Kirito and Leafa. As their captive was a rank-and-file grunt, he wasn't told much other than that the two were interfering with something big. The party decided that they had heard enough and let their captive go as agreed upon.

When he left, only the four of them remained. The halberd-wielding Salamander turned to Leafa. "You must be the guide that Kirito talked about." He said.

"...and you must be Kirito-kun's friend."

"Indeed I am." He bowed. "The name's Riwet. It's nice to meet you."

"...Leafa. Nice to meet you..."

Riwet looked around. "I hope my friends didn't give you too hard of a time." He nodded over at Yui and Kirito. "Hey, guys."

"Hey." Kirito replied.

"Onii-chan!" Yui flew over to Riwet and landed on his face

Leafa expected him to freak out, but he just sputtered for a bit. "Yui..." He groaned.

Yui climbed up and nestled on the top of his head. "Ehehe~"

Riwet let out a sigh before his expression turned serious. "This might be a little sudden, but let's hurry inside Legrue before more show up. What that guy said was worrying me."

The others took note of his countenance and they rushed inside the walls.

The city of Legrue was located inside a cave, on an island surrounded by a lake and a circular wall that enclosed its perimeter. Thus, outside of teleportation, the only way to enter the city was the two stone gates situated on either side. The streets were narrow, but full of all kinds of shops, restaurants, and vendors displaying their wares. However, despite all the lights and activity, the beautiful sky was still visible even inside the city.

After some searching around, they were able to find a relatively quiet area with a bench. The group quickly got situated before Riwet started. "Okay, first off, I don't know what it is, but I know that something big is gonna happen soon on the Sylph end." He said. "A Sylph spy named Kaze told me as much."

Leafa gave Riwet a hard stare. "How do you know her? And how did you know that?"

"We...met. Long story for another time, and if you can message her right now, she can validate it. Anyways, our guy told us that there's a ton of Salamanders moving up north. Now, that big event...where is that going to take place?"

Leafa clenched her jaw. "...up north…"

Kirito decided to chime in. "Leafa, you said one of your friends gave you a cryptic message, right? It may be related to this, so why don't you contact them to see what that was about?"

The blonde-haired elf nodded and opened her Friends list. "...he's offline. Come on...of all the times…" She muttered.

"Maybe try contacting him IRL? Don't worry, we'll watch over your avatar."

"We don't have much choice other than that." She didn't know Riwet yet, but she trusted Kirito and Yui to prevent any shady things from occurring. "Alright, I'll be back soon." She said before she opened her Player Menu. She sat down, leaned on the wall, and pressed the Log Out button.

Almost immediately, Leafa's avatar slumped slightly, like a puppet whose strings have been cut.

"So...if this turns out to be as big as it sounds, I guess we've caught ourselves in quite the situation." Kirito expressed.

"Let's hear her out first, but I'm okay either way." Riwet replied. "I dealt with some small fry but I'm still feeling a little rusty, so hopefully that'll jog me back."

"What? Me skewering you in the gut and you breaking my fingers weren't good enough?"

"...nope."

"...you're really something, aren't you?"

Riwet chuckled. "Like you're any different."

"True, that…." His brows furrowed. "Still…if we're at the World Tree and we're still feeling rusty, then a little sparring session with yours truly would fix that right up." He said with a smile.

Riwet returned the gesture. "Looking forward to it." He turned to Yui. "And you, young lady. I assume Kirito filled you in on why we're here?"

Yui nodded. "Yes. I hope the information is correct. I miss Mama…"

"Yeah. We all miss her. But don't worry. We're not going to stop until we find her."

"You're right." She let out a smile. "That reminds me, Onii-chan. Can I take a look at your Player Menu?"

"Sure. Yeah, I forgot about that. Kirito probably told you, but my situation's the same as his."

"Yes. He informed me." She hovered over to him. "Is your inventory filled with buggy items?"

"Yeah. I had to buy some new stuff so I segregated all the bugged items to a separate tab. Here, take a look."

"...yes. It's the same as Papa. Please delete all of them."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Delete? Can't we just ask an admin or something so they can fix it? Even better, you can probably fix it... right?"

"Because your avatar migrated from SAO to ALO, they're more likely going to freeze your account for research, and may even force you to create another character in the meantime. I'm sorry...but I can't fix it. All your bugged items have "

"..." Riwet bit back whatever he was going to say next, and just silently stared at his inventory window. Then, he slowly manipulated the menu and deleted everything with a heavy sigh.

"Onii-chan?"

"...I'm not a very organized person, so I tend to sell off a lot of the stuff that I'm mostly sure that I'm not gonna use so they don't clog my inventory. Most of the stuff I deleted, I wouldn't miss too much, but there's a couple of ones that stung. But yeah, if it helps in keeping us hidden away from people who might be in the way, then so be it…" Me muttered before he slumped down, crestfallen.

Kirito placed a hand on Riwet, as he also had experienced the same pain.

After a moment, he sighed and nodded to himself. "Well, at least the pictures survived. And hell, I guess that's a good enough reason for me to get more root beer."

"That's the spirit, Onii-chan!" Yui approved. "I'm sure that your favorite drink exists here!"

"And if not, we can brew it together." Kirito added.

"Thanks, everyone."

Eventually, the group saw Leafa's avatar look up, signaling that she was back. "Welcome back." Kirito greeted.

"...I'm back…" She replied slowly, her expression grim.

"Leafa?"

"...in forty minutes, at an area up north near Butterfly Valley, the Sylph and Cait Sith leaders will have a conference to discuss a possible alliance with regards to the Grand Quest."

"An alliance?" Riwet spoke up. "But I thought only one race would be eligible to ascend."

"That's going to be discussed during that time. The main point is that both races are willing to set aside the reward just to beat ALO together."

"How would the Salamanders benefit from attacking the Sylph and Cait Sith leaders?" Kirito asked.

"For starters, they'd be able to prevent a further alliance. The Cait Siths wouldn't stand for having their leader endangered because we had a mole. Worst case scenario, it would cause a war between the Sylphs and Cait Siths, leaving the Salamanders in the prime spot to attempt the Grand Quest. Additionally, if the Salamanders kill the leaders, they will gain 30% of their respective estate per leader, and be allowed to occupy and tax the capital for ten days."

Leafa looked at each one of them. "Kirito-kun, Riwet-kun, Yui-chan...this is a Sylph problem, so there's no reason for you to come along with me. If you want to get to the top of Yggdrasil, it might be best for you to side with the Salamanders. Assuming the Salamanders succeed, they'd be in the perfect position to challenge Yggdrasil."

She turned to Kirito. You're a Spriggan so they might hire you as a mercenary as long as you prove your worth."

She turned to Riwet. "You haven't done anything to alienate yourself from the Salamanders yet, and considering how you pushed Kirito-kun back, you're probably very strong. Make a showing of that, and the Salamanders will hire you as well."

She took a deep breath. "So...even if you two were to kill me now, I wouldn't blame you."

Her sentence hung in the air, and her eyes darted over to each person. Riwet shrugged slightly and backed away.

However, Kirito took a step towards her. "Kill if you want to kill, and steal if you want to steal." He started. "I've met far more people who thought like that than I would've liked. And they have a point. Hell, I used to think like that, too. But now...I know differently. It's because it's a virtual world that there are things we have to protect. Someone very dear to me…" He turned to Riwet and Yui. "Someone very dear to us taught me that."

He turned back to Leafa. "If you forsake your morality and let your desires be the only one that controls you in this world, it'll change you even in the real world. Leafa...I want to be your friend, and no matter the reason, I would never kill such a person for my own benefit."

"Kirito-kun…"

"I mean...after he said all that, there's no way I'm gonna say no." Riwet spoke up.

"Don't worry! We'll help you, Leafa-san!" Yui added.

"Thank you, the three of you…" Leafa muttered, tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Now that that's done - you." Riwet elbowed Kirito a little. "That was a moving speech, but that took a bit of time, don't you think?"

Kirito grimaced. "...Ah, crap. Where are we going, Leafa?"

"Let's focus on getting out of this cave first, then I'll tell you where."

"Sounds good. Yui, we're gonna sprint, so set a path for us."

"Roger that." Yui said before she hovered higher and in front of them.

"Leafa-san, do you have any way to buff movement speed for multiple people?" Riwet chimed in.

Leafa nodded. "It'll take me ten seconds to cast it for our group."

"Let's do it."

"Alright." Leafa took out her wand and started casting.

"That was a good idea." Kirito commented.

"Thanks. He replied.

After a couple of seconds, Leafa finished chanting, and the group was covered with a gentle green light that quickly disappeared. "There. That's a 30% increase in general movement speed, but it'll quickly fade if we deal or take too much damage from enemy players, so let's avoid PVP for as long as we can." She said.

"Thanks for the buff." Kirito replied. "Now, I need you two to grab onto me. Can you hold out your hands?"

"E-eh?"

"With your buff helping me, I'm just about strong enough to drag the two of you along while moving at a reasonable pace. Holding hands would mean we can maintain formation since I assume that we're gonna be blitzing past monsters. I'm sorry that it's gonna be a little intimate, but we don't know how much time we have."

"Here." Riwet immediately complied. "I'll try not to slow you down too much."

"No worries. Leafa?" Kirito stretched his hands out towards her.

"A...alright." She slowly grabbed his hand with hers. It was the first time outside of her family that Leafa held hands with someone of the opposite gender, and yet the sensation seemed strangely familiar.

"Okay." Kirito faced the path and took a deep breath, his stance lowering. The other two did the same while Yui flew to Kirito's chest pocket.

"3...2...1…"

"GO!"

The three of them kicked off. Once again, Leafa was astounded by Kirito's speed and strength. Doubly so when Riwet was being dragged like a kite behind him.

It didn't take long for them to come across a group of monsters. A collection of ogres, goblins, and bat-like flying monsters blocked their path.

Kirito took one glance at Leafa, and they both nodded at each other before they kept the pace.

Their formation held, with Kirito making minute adjustments to dodge the monsters while Leafa went with the flow. Riwet took some hits, but it was a calculated play since the group knew that he was sturdy.

After a few moments, Yui spotted something in the distance. "There's the exit!" She exclaimed.

"Just a little bit more! Hang in there!"

"Oh, I'm tryin'!" Riwet added.

They rushed closer and closer to their destination. They were almost there when they ran into a problem. A group of monsters cut off one path, and Kirito made a split-second decision to change course. However, part of the rocky ground crumbled, causing his footing to slip.

Had it been anybody else, they would have tripped. However, Kirito was able to keep upright and continue moving. However, that left them open for a small period.

Enough for one of the bat-monsters to make a beeline towards Leafa. The bat's main attack was not lethal, but it had a gimmick where it would target one of the player's legs and bite down with its fangs, adding weight and making it awkward to move. If she got hit, it would slow them down considerably.

Leafa was so focused on his route that she was too late to notice the attack, and by the time she did, she could do nothing. Time seemed to slow as the monster opened its fangs, inching closer and closer towards her.

However, there was a flash of red, and the monster was blown away.

The newcomer, Riwet, had drawn out his halberd and covered Leafa. With no more obstacles in front of them, the three rushed out the exit.

They burst out of the cave, and they immediately spread their wings. Leafa looked behind them and saw that none of the monsters were chasing them.

"I think years were just shaved off my life!" Leafa exclaimed.

"But it did buy us a lot of time right?" Kirito said before he looked at their new environment. "Whoa…"

In quite the contrast to the dark and narrow cave interior, they were greeted by a clear sunny sky and a vast plain. Streams dotted the area, with many connecting to a larger river.

However, the thing that caught his attention was the gigantic trunk at the far end of the horizon. It was so massive that the group couldn't see the top as it soared past the clouds.

"So that's the World Tree…" Kirito whispered.

"Well, it's good to know that we won't be lost when we go there since it sticks out like a sore thumb." Riwet added. "But that's gonna have to wait. Leafa-san, where to?"

Leafa opened her Player Menu and brought up her map, double-checking the coordinates before she pointed at the horizon. "It's held beyond that mountain, to the northwest."

"And how much time do we have?"

"...twenty minutes."

"Will that be enough with how fast we're going?"

"Yes. Flight duration is affected by how fast we are going. Right now, we're going fast enough that we'll arrive in a reasonable time without having to take a break while having just enough leeway for emergencies."

"Sounds good."

Leafa turned to Riwet. "Thank you, Riwet-kun…"

"Don't mention it." He replied with a slight smile.

"..." Leafa's gaze lingered for a second before she looked toward their destination.

The group spent the rest of the trip in silence, with each one mentally preparing themselves as well as scanning the area to avoid enemies.

After some minor deviations, the party was close enough to see their destination.

However…it was too late.

They were still a ways away, but they could see what was happening. On the ground were two groups of players - the Sylphs and Cait Siths. Above them was a large army of players clad in red and armed to the teeth. It didn't take much to see that the Salamanders had the advantage in numbers and equipment since the other races were just only expecting a peaceful talk and brought only a handful of guards.

"Looks like we didn't make it in time to warn them. The Salamanders are already there..." Leafa turned to the group. "I'm sorry, everyone, but I have to help the Sylphs. You stay out of it. Even if we could fight them off long enough to retreat, the alliance is probably gonna end with this.." She let out a defeated smile. "It's been fun while it lasted."

Kirito didn't respond right away, still looking over at the scene. Then, he turned his head towards hers. "Nah. We're not screwed just yet."

"Kirito...kun?"

"Let's just say that I have an idea. Or like someone who I know would say..." Kirito let out the biggest, smarmiest grin he could muster. "A…' better idea'."

"Heh." Riwet chuckled. "Well, there's no time to explain. You do what you have to do, and I'll just back you up wherever I can."

"Thanks." After one final smile towards Riwet, Kirito sped off towards the players.

Loading...complete

Match Begin!

At the announcement, two players charged in, their blades trained against each other.

The first player involved was Kirito. Arriving in a bombastic manner, he sweet-talked his way to trying to convince the Salamanders that he was a representative of a Spriggan-Undine alliance, and the two races would also support the Sylphs and Cait Siths.

The other player was the Salamander army general, Eugene. He called out to this supposed representative and, not quite believing the words of a lone player with such humble equipment, challenged him to a duel, stating that if Kirito can withstand his assault for half a minute, then he would believe him.

So far, the Salamander general was living up to his reputation of being the strongest individual player in Alfheim Online. Despite his strength and bulk, he was quick on his feet and his attacks were efficient. Worst of all, on top of all of his prowess, he was armed with a weapon like no other.

"What's with that sword?" Leafa asked. "Kirito-kun's blocking, but…."

Beside her, an armored Slyph warrior spoke up. "The Demon Sword Gram is one of the most powerful swords in ALO." Nairi said. "It has an extra effect called Ethereal Shift, where it'll pass through any one sword or shield that will otherwise block the attack and would only materialize when it's about to hit the target."

"That is some cheezy strat he's got going on." Riwet snorted. "Hmm…any one, eh?" He muttered before he shook his head. "Whatever. He's strong enough to last the half-minute."

However, after the allotted time, the Salamander general saw fit to alter the deal, opting for a full-on fight to the death.

"Wow. What a fucking tool." Riwet remarked. "Well, two can play at that game…" He turned to Leafa. "You got a sword I can borrow? Preferably your best one?"

"What do you mean? What are you going to do with it?" She asked.

He nodded over to Kirito. "Just a way to even the odds. Don't worry, he'll give it back once he's done with it."

After a moment, Leafa slowly unsheathed her sword and handed it to Riwet.

He took it and just held onto it. "Thanks. Now, no sudden movements." He said before he walked a little bit away from the group.

Meanwhile, Kirito was struggling under Eugene's attacks. Sensing that he needed to change tactics, he disengaged and cast a spell that engulfed the area with dark smoke. It was a low-level spell and dissipated quickly, but when it did, Kirito was nowhere to be found.

Interesting enough, neither was the sword that Riwet held.

"...!" Eugene noticed movement and looked up. High up above, Kirito used the sun's glare to obscure himself before diving towards his enemy.

Not one to give his opponent any leeway, Eugene charged and swung. Kirito raised his guard despite it not being effective the previous times.

However, when the Salamander general's magical sword was about to hit the Spriggan clad in black, the crowd heard the screaming of metal instead of ripping flesh.

What most did not notice was that Kirito now held another sword on his offhand and had positioned it to block the sword the moment it rematerialized.

The Salamander general's eyes widened, caught off guard by his enemy's response. Believing that it was a fluke, he let out another attack - this time at an awkward angle.

However, the black-clothed swordsman not only blocked against his attack once again, but he also let out a string of attacks that shaved off quite a bit of Eugene's HP. The salamander backed away and tried to recompose himself.

"Get back here!" Kirito yelled as he chased him down. Emboldened by the change in momentum, he moved so fast that he might as well have afterimages.

Eugene was completely forced on the defensive. He did not expect someone to thoroughly counter his attack, especially by someone who didn't know his sword's special power before the match started. Worse, his enemy had a trump card of his own - a dual-wielding fighting style that was as hard-hitting as it was nimble.

An absolute failure, both in tactics and strategy. It became clear to Eugene that

But the general was not out of it just yet.

Eugene conjured a shield that blocked some of Kirito's slashes before exploding in a plume of smoke, separating the two. Kirito backed away, and out of the smoke was the Salamander making a beeline towards him.

"BEGONE!" Fueled by desperation, Eugene put all of his strength into a diagonal slash. Considering his stats and his equipment, it had enough power to cut through Kirito's armor and bisect his body.

If it hit, that is.

But it didn't.

Kirito dodged the attack by mere centimeters, the blade whizzing by him and barely missing his form.

Then, he used the momentum to plunge both of his swords through Eugene's torso.

The two entered a free-fall. Eugene used the last of his strength to pry Kirito off of him, but the Spriggan had other ideas. Knowing that death in ALO was of comparatively miniscule consequence, Kirito decided to take a page out of Riwet's gameplan and make an example out of him.

"HAAA!" With a mighty shout, the Spriggan violently ripped his two swords out of Eugene. Then, he proceeded to bury him under an avalanche of sword slashes. It didn't matter that his Dual Blades Skill is gone - he sliced and diced until he was sure that he put out enough of them to kill his enemy three times over.

"GRAAA-" Eugene's scream was cut short as his mangled body withered away, leaving only his Remain Light.

And with that, the duel concluded. Silence permeated the battlefield.

Then...cheering.

Not just from the Sylphs and the Cait Siths, but from the Salamanders as well. Even just for a moment, the brilliant display of martial prowess from both participants made everyone forget everything else. For that short time, they were not enemies fighting for their race, but a united audience that witnessed a fight like any other.

Kirito's stance relaxed, and he held his hand up to catch their attention. When the cheering died down, he shouted, "Can someone use revival magic on him?!"

The Salamander army looked at each other, but before they could send one of their own, Sakuya, the Sylph lord, floated over to Eugene's Remain Light. She held it and brought it to the ground before she started her incantation.

"That was some fancy moves there, Kirito." Riwet said.

"Thanks." Kirito turned to Leafa and handed her her sword back. "Here."

"You're quite something, you know that?" She sighed.

"Yeah, I get that a lot."

Green light emerged from Sakuya's hands and wrapped around the flame, solidifying into Eugene's kneeling form.

Eugene stood up and stretched before he turned to Kirito. "To think the Spriggans have hidden someone of your caliber for so long...You have remarkable skills. The best I've ever seen.

"Thanks for the compliment." Was Kirito's reply. "So, do you believe me now?"

"..." Eugene narrowed his eyes at him. Even after all that happened, there was still doubt in his mind.

Unexpectedly, a Salamander soldier ran over to Eugene and exacerbated Kirito's statement. Leafa recalled that Salamander was the one Kirito had spared when they first met.

"Is that so…then I'll leave it at that." Eugene turned back to Kirito. "Neither our Lord nor I have any desire to provoke a conflict when two or more factions are involved." He announced, before letting out a grin. "We will retreat, but mark my words, we'll see each other again. But next time, I will defeat you."

"I'm looking forward to it."

They bumped fists. After that, he spread his wings and flew away, with the rest of the Salamanders following suit.

Riwet gave them one last look before he turned to the two leaders who were silently watching them. "Now, I assume you guys have questions?"

After a short introduction, they spent a good amount of time bringing the lords up to speed, and by the time they finished, the sky had already turned orange as the sun lowered on the horizon.

Sakuya nodded her head, her prior knowledge of the involved individual - Sigurd - matching up with the group's story. She was aware of that person's desire for more power, as well as some of his actions that ended up alienating many players. However, since the effects were small, she had no reason to confront him.

Until now.

Using illusion magic, the Slyph lord contacted Sigurd and branded him an exile, banishing him from Swilvane. After taking a deep breath, she turned to Leafa. "Leafa, you can disregard Sigurd's decision to exile you. You are welcome to come back, and we are grateful for rescuing us."

"I didn't do much. If you want someone to thank, then thank them." She pointed to Kirito's group.

"That's right. Who are you, exactly?"

The whole ambassador for the Spriggans and Undines bit...is that true?" Alicia added.

Kirito placed his hands on his hip. "Nope! That is a big, fat lie from yours truly!" He declared unapologetically.

The others were stunned, except for Riwet. "That's some quick thinking on your part. Nice work." He said.

"Thanks. You know, I almost thought that we wouldn't get away with it. Glad everything went well."

Sakuya pressed her fingers to her forehead and shook her head. "You're quite the reckless man. To whip up such a scheme in that situation…"

"When I'm dealt a bad hand, I like to raise the stakes to let the others in the table sweat."

Alicia approached him. "For a real fraud, you're pretty strong. You're the Spriggans' secret weapon, aren't you?'

"Of course not. I'm just someone helping out a friend."

The Cait Sith leader burst out laughing before she hugged Kirito's arm. "If you're free, why don't you work for the Cait Siths? We offer three meals, snacks, and even afternoon naps." She suggested, her playful tone underline with a hint of seduction.

"Hey, no cutting in line." Sakuya interjected before grabbing his other arm and pressing her body towards him. "Why don't we have a drink in Swilvane, both as a token of my appreciation and an opportunity to become acquainted?" She said, her tome amorous.

"H-hey wa-" Leafa stuttered, feeling an uncomfortable feeling in her stomach.

"Hey, that's not fair, Sakuya-chan! Using sex appeal is against the rules!" Alicia accused.

"Like you're any better! You're just all over him!" Sakuya retorted.

"Uh...um…" Kirito was left a stuttering mess as all his skills couldn't help him from this.

Leafa wanted to step in, but Riwet beat her to it. "Your Highnesses." He called. "I'm sure my friend is flattered by having a beautiful and powerful lady in each arm, but he's already taken." Riwet interjected. "His lady's not to be trifled with."

The two distanced themselves away from Kirito. "Why is it that the good ones are always taken?" Alicia mused before she turned to Riwet. "And what's your story?"

"Oh, I'm just that guy's lackey. Nothing much more than that."

"Hmmm…."

Kirito cleared his throat. "While I do appreciate the offers, my group and I have already decided to make our way to Alne."

"I see." Sakuya replied. "And you, Leafa?"

"I'm acting as their guide. I'll return to Swilvane someday

"Speaking of the World Tree," Riwet chimed in, "this meeting was held for the sake of clearing the World Tree, right? Have you reached a decision?"

The two leaders exchanged glances. "Yes. The Sylph and Cait Sith races will unite to complete the Grand Quest together, with the Sylphs to receive the gift of Ascension." Alicia explained. "Of course, we Cait Siths would be accommodated appropriately."

"That's good news because we want to join you in the quest, and we request the raid to be as soon as possible." He nodded over to Kirito. "The earlier scuffle was his resume. As for mine, my skills are relatively average, so you can pretty much use me as an errand boy or something."

"What the hell are you on about?" Kirito interjected, shooting a glance at him before he turned his attention to the two leaders. "I can guarantee that he's as strong as me."

"I agree with his sentiment." Leafa added, seeing firsthand how he was able to repel Kirito's monstrous form.

The two gave Riwet a look, and he pursed his lips. "Well, so much for setting expectations…"

"We appreciate what you've done for us, and we will gladly accept you two in our ranks." Sakuya said. "But you seemed to be in such a rush. May I ask why?"

Leafa looked over to Riwet and Kirito. "...we came to this world to reach the top of the World Tree. So I can meet someone whom I think is there."

"...are you planning to meet the Fairy King, Oberon?"

"...not quite. I...can't contact that person in the real world, but I think she's up there."

"Still, preparing the equipment for everyone in the raiding party is going to take some time." Alicia stated.

Kirito looked crestfallen. "I see...I guess that's to be expected." He looked up. "For now, we're only planning to get to the base of the tree, and we'll figure stuff out by then.

"Oh, that reminds me." Kirito opened his Player Menu and took a sack out, handing it towards the two. "If you don't mind, please top off your funds with this.

Alicia reached her hand out to take it from him, but once Kirito let go of the sack, she almost dropped it as she didn't expect it to weigh so much. She took a peek inside, and her eyes widened. "S-Sakuya-chan! Look at this!" She urged.

Sakuya came closer, and expression also paled. "100,000 Yrd mithril coins...all of this?!" She turned to Kirito. "Are you sure? This will help immensely, but it's enough to build a small castle anywhere you'd like."

Kirito shrugged. "I don't mind. And I mean, In a way, it's going to help us in our goal to climb the tree."

"Hey Kirito, how much Co- I mean, Yrd did you give them?" Riwet asked.

"Hmm...like, 2 million? I didn't count."

Riwet nodded and took out a sack from his inventory. "Here's another two million. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I think this is one of the many things where it'll go faster the more money you throw at it."

Sakuya retrieved the bag from Riwet and confirmed its contents. "These contributions would significantly expedite preparations, but still, we need some more time." She said.

"That's fine." He replied. "I understand that more money can only do so much. We only ask you to do what you can and contact us when you're ready."

Sakuya nodded. "Certainly. I will personally send Leafa a message once we have a reasonable estimated date."

"That sounds good."

"Now, let's put this all of this money somewhere safe." Alicia chimed in. "Just the thought of being out in the open with this much money on me is making me nervous."

"You're right."

The lords signaled to their followers. They started cleaning up the meeting area and prepared to leave.

As they did that, a Sylph player approached the group. "Riwet-kun." She greeted.

"...Nairi-san." he greeted back. "Where's Kaze-san?"

"Blending in." She turned to Kirito. "It's nice to see you again, Kirito-kun."

"Likewise." He replied. The two had not talked much personally, with most of their interactions relating to Floor Boss battles.

Nairi let out a smile. "I'm glad that the two of you are here...I'll see you two again. Hopefully soon."

The two nodded. "Take care of yourself." Riwet replied.

Nairi nodded before she went back to helping the two races clean up.

The interaction was brief, but the three knew it was enough. They had their own jobs to do, and small talk can wait until after everything settled.

Eventually, the two races had finished their business. They spread their wings and started rising in the air. "We owe you a great deal. We promise to do our best and help you with your goals, just as you helped us." Sakuya said.

"See you later!" Alicia added.

With that, the Sylphs and Cait Siths waved the group goodbye and flew away.

Finally, the group had the chance to catch their breath.

"Cait Siths sure are cute, aren't they?" Riwet suddenly mused.

Kirito snorted. "Seriously? That's what you were thinking all this time?"

"Wow. Way to call me out, cat wrestler." He shot back.

Kirito wanted to retort, but he felt something rustle from inside his pockets. "Papa!" Yui flew out from his pocket. "You shouldn't cheat on Mama!"

"I-I wasn't cheating on her!"

"You're lying! Your heart rate and body temperature increased when they were hugging you!"

She said with a pout.

Riwet turned to her with an incredulous expression before he started aggressively poking his finger towards her. "Yui, you cheeky brat! What do you expect would happen?"

"Wawah!" Yui darted around to dodge.

"Oi, stop that before you hurt her." Kirito warned.

"A couple of pokes wouldn't hurt her. As long as she promises to not rib on you because of a perfectly normal human reaction, I'll stop."

"O-okay! Okay! Papa, Onii-chan! I'm sorry for getting mad!"

"Do you mean it?"

"I do! I do!"

Riwet stopped going at her and crossed his arms. "Say it again, please."

"I'm sorry Papa…" She said with puppy-dog eyes. "Please don't hate me…"

"I-it's alright, Yui!" Kirito immediately faltered under the attack. "It's alright, right Riwet?!"

"What a doting parent…" Riwet chuckled before he patted Yui's head with his finger. "Good job Yui I'll get you some ice cream and pizza if the next city sells 'em."

Yui's face lit up. "Yay! I love you, Onii-chan!"

"I love you, Yui." Riwet stretched his limbs. "Alright, that's done. Should we head out to the World Tree, or do we need more time to rest?"

"I'm good to go." Kirito said.

"Likewise." Leafa added.

"I'm ready!" Yui exclaimed.

"Then let's move. let's go see what Asuna's been doing, yeah?"

The three of them started to walk but stopped when they noticed Leafa frozen in place.

"Leafa-san?" Riwet asked.

"Did you just say...Asuna?" Leafa asked slowly.

"...yeah, I did." He turned to Kirito. "She doesn't know?" He asked.

"I...uh…" Kirito sputtered before he turned to Leafa. "I-I'm sorry. Remember when I said that I was looking for someone. I didn't mean this to be a secret, but the person that I...we...are looking for...her name is Asuna. Do you know anything about her?"

She, in fact, knew something, but she couldn't find the voice to say anything. Her mind was set on something that she had just realized.

It only took one name for her to connect the pieces of the puzzle, but the most damning piece of all was Kirito's sword style - specifically, the way he sheathed his sword. It lined perfectly with something she had seen in the real world.

"Onii...chan?" Leafa said in a low whisper.

"...eh?" Kirito took a second to process what he had just heard before his eyes widened. "Sugu…? Suguha...?" He muttered, his tone laced with bewilderment over the realization.

Chapter End

A/N: Phew...finally got to finishing this CH. Sorry it took so long. And holy shit, how much the world had changed since my last update. I hope everyone is doing what they can to stay safe and sane from all of this.

I think this chapter's pacing is much quicker than the previous ones. I think it's fine because we already knew what happened and I did not feel the need to change most of the stuff. That, and the fact that I took so long to do this probably resulted in many of you wishing for progress.

Of course, as evidenced by this chapter, it's not like I can't change anything.

Finally, I've added a little bit on CH 40. I realized that I forgot to give the Moongrasper Empire an emblem. So here it is, straight from the CH:

"On a black background, there is a white circle, a depiction of a moon at the center, held by a pink pedestal with its top part resembling a hand."

Okay, now onto the reviews.

Luciendar - I agree that my earlier fights were pretty drawn out. I think halfway through writing Vol1, I realized that, unless a writer is exceptional, fight scenes are quite tricky to write. Instead of prioritizing the play-by-play of the fight, I think I should focus more on why the participants are fighting.

shanebob36 - I'm glad you're enjoying my fic. I'll strive to write more, and write better.

That's all for now. Thank you very much, and have a good one.