Friends, New and Old
"...OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO..."
"For how long is he doing this?" asked Sinon, feeling a bead of sweat dripping out of her forehead.
"Now it's completing five minutes," said Yui.
The Assassin winced.
"Right. Screw this."
She pulled the string of her bow, aiming at Kirito's leg, and let it go.
The effect was instantaneous.
"EARGH!"
The boy held his leg, wincing from the pain of the tensioned rope against the skin. He noticed that there wasn't a scratch as one would expect, but that still hurt like hell.
"Are you done now?"
The Swashbuckler sent a stone-piercing glare at the Elf.
"Excuse me, but I'm in the middle of a big, familiar crisis."
"I'm sorry, Kirito..." said Asuna, scratching her head. "Although I like to cook, even I must say that your reaction was way too exaggerated."
"It's not just your food!" protested Kirito. "It's all food! We're going to either die of famine or from eating what's essentially cardboard with more steps! And then we'll resurrect only to die again of hunger! It's torture. That's what it is."
Klein tried to (unsuccessfully) hide his laugh.
"Man, you're just being over the top now," said the Samurai. "I'm sure we will find tasty food for us to eat. It's just one town!"
"Yeah, before Kirito went into a big rant, I was about to add an addendum."
She gave her husband a glass of white liquid.
"Drink it."
The swordsman eyed the cup, skeptical. Then he drank all at once. His eyes widened.
"It tastes like milk!" said the swordsman. "But...not quite our milk."
"Yep. While more complex food tastes as if you're eating a napkin, I decided to test a theory," said Asuna. "Some ingredients are marked as fundamental ingredients, the kind of stuff you use to make the complex things. While they don't have the same taste as on the other side, you can still feel tidbits of the flavor that it's supposed to be."
"Fundamental ingredients?" asked Alice. "What would they be?"
Yui answered the question.
"According to the system, it's anything that comes straight from an animal or plant. So, flour is not one of the fundamental ingredients, but the wheat it's made is. Meat also applies in this definition, as it's taken straight from dead animals or monsters."
Sinon raised an eyebrow.
"But...that doesn't make any sense. What makes the ingredients at its base so different from when we cook them?"
The fencer shrugged.
"Like I would know. That's what I discovered, anyway. At least we won't die of hunger, as someone declared," the girl shot a humorous glance at her husband.
The teenager coughed, the face a little red.
"Maybe the ham went a little out of control," admitted the Swashbuckler. "But this still is going to suck. I don't want to eat vegetables and drink milk all day, dammit! We aren't in Sparta to do such things."
"At least we can eat more than the average Spartan," replied Klein, with a bit of humor.
Alice scratched her head.
"We can talk more about the situation of the food later," said the former Integrity Knight. "We still have to find Lisbeth, right?"
The others turned to the blonde Wolf Fang.
"She has a point," said Leafa. "While this is an interesting situation, we're wasting time. From what we know, the track to find Rika is getting colder by the minute."
Recon nodded in agreement.
"Hm. So the best thing to do is split up," said Klein.
He pulled a roll of paper from his magic bag. He opened it, revealing a map from Akiba.
"There are two places that I think we may find Lisbeth," said the Human Samurai, pointing to the central plaza and the tower deeper into the city. Sinon raised an eyebrow at the second spot.
"The Kuruta Tower? What would Lisbeth be doing in that place?"
"I'll explain that later when we're on the way there. For now, let's split up. Asuna, are there many people on the plaza yet?"
The Cleric nodded.
"Yes. Most of the people there were trying to reunite themselves with friends, but there were quite a few still in a state of shock."
The guild leader nodded.
"It's possible that the chaos of yesterday pushed her away from there. The plaza is a good spot for her to find us or vice-versa."
He glanced at Kirito.
"You know the terrain better than most of us. So you lead that group."
The Swashbuckler nodded.
"Asuna, Yui, Sinon. You go with me."
The girls nodded.
"That leaves to me Recon, Leafa, and Alice," muttered Klein. "Alright. We leave in five minutes. It's time to find our friend.
"It brings bad memories, don't you think?"
It was ashaming for Kirito that he took a few seconds to figure out what his girlfriend was trying to say.
"Oh. The City of Beginnings" recognized the swordsman.
While he didn't stay much time in cities during Aincrad's first days, partly because he was trying to level up, partly because of the prejudice against beta testers, he had once returned to the City of Beginnings to accomplish a quest. That scenario was just sad for him. Many people sit against the wall like hobos, the cold, lifeless eyes of someone who already had lost the hope of escaping that prison, and sobs of despair.
The scene ahead of the quartet was somehow even sadder than that day. At least in Aincrad, they knew who trapped them and how to escape. In Theldesia, there were no such small comforts. There weren't a few defiant glares belonging to people who took the courage to travel the fields to fight their way out. No, there was only confusion in the majority of the players in the plaza. A few were talking to each other in a tense tone, and others were wandering around the shops, buying items for themselves.
But, overall, the plaza was in a sorry state. And that was being gentle.
"Sheesh. SAO was that bad, huh?" remarked Sinon, clearly uncomfortable.
The sniper hasn't seen Kirito spooked like that since they faced Death Gun in GGO almost a year ago. Anything that could make someone as strong-willed as Kirito nervous was something of notice in the sniper's book.
"I think it's a bit less bad," remarked Asuna. She was holding Yui's hand with strength as the AI glanced around with a sad face. "Here, we at least don't die, contrary to SAO. Not that is a big comfort."
Her daughter was glancing around, agitated.
"So much sadness..." said her, with a tint of sadness.
Even if she wasn't in SAO anymore, she still wanted to help those people. That was her reason to be, at first. She could help those people.
The girl felt the hand of her father on her shoulder.
"No. I'm sorry, but we have other things to do, Yui."
The AI sighed, knowing he was right. She reluctantly turned away, following her parents and Sinon.
"So, what's the plan to find Lisbeth?" asked Asuna. "I remember that she said to me that she would have pink hair, but that's about it."
Kirito smirked. It felt a little forced.
"That's where Yui enters. Are you ready?"
The girl nodded. She focused and, slowly, turned into a fairy. Thankfully, that transformation was smokeless.
"Can you see Lisbeth over here?" asked Sinon.
The AI looked around. Many tabs of information were on the top of the players, listing precisely every tidbit about their stats. She felt something inform her that Adventurers could usually only see a few attributes of their peers and others. Those being name, class, health, mana, and stamina. It was possible to see other person's full sheet in certain circumstances, like if they were in the same group, sure. But these required both parts -he who would see and he who would show -to agree to reveal this information.
Yui could not just see that information without consent -she could see many at a time.
Maybe a little too many. The little Traveler frowned. With so many people at the same time in the plaza, it was near impossible to identify one specific name without focusing. The AI grimaced but didn't despair.
Alright. Let's try to mess around with this new skill.
She first tried to filter the results. Yui focused on finding Humans. Some tabs disappeared, but there was still an overwhelming amount of information.
So I can filter some elements?
She decided to use her mother's advice. She focused on searching for people with pink hair. No tabs disappeared, though.
Hm. So I have a few limits for this skill.
She felt her magic slowly draining. The girl knew her time was running short.
Think! There must be an easy way of identifying Lisbeth besides the hair color!
Yui felt her head fly from thought to thought. Lisbeth was a blacksmith at heart. Klein had suggested they read one of the online guides about the game. If she was right, then it was possible she-
She immediately triggered the filter, looking for the category she had input.
"There! Two signatures!"
Before she could analyze the situation, the magic ran out. The fae turning into a human, went to the ground, growing to her full size.
"Are you alright?" asked Asuna, worried. Yui felt the sweat on her head. However, the AI didn't want to waste time, pointing at where she saw the two candidates.
"There. I think Lisbeth is there."
Kirito left the girls behind as he went to investigate.
"Two signatures?" asked Sinon. "Were they together?"
Yui nodded weakly.
"That doesn't make sense," said the Assassin. "Lisbeth doesn't know anyone here, and she isn't one to blindly trust strangers. Not when she could search us."
Asuna raised an eyebrow.
"Maybe it's someone she knows? Or maybe it's a temporary alliance, for safety?"
The answer came a minute later when Kirito returned, followed by two female Dwarfs. Asuna was disappointed because they weren't Lisbeth and confused.
"Why Dwarfs?" asked the Cleric.
"They are good at blacksmithing. I thought Lisbeth would want to be one. And I was running out of time, so I decided to give it a shot," the AI made an ugly face. "Sorry. It was a long shot..."
"It's fine," said Asuna, putting her hand on Yui's head. "I would do the same thing. And I know Lisbeth for way more time than you."
"Heartwarming mom and daughter moments aside," said Sinon. "Let me ask a question: if none of the two Dwarfs is Lisbeth, then why are they following Kirito?"
The three girls glanced at the girls. One of them was wearing an enormous hat and mantle that suspiciously looked similar to the pattern of a giraffe. Her companion was more grounded, using crimson sorcerer robes and having short red hair. Both carried staffs, though Giraffe Girl had a smiley face on top of hers.
"He seems kind of annoyed," said Yui, wincing.
Indeed, Kirito seemed annoyed as Giraffe Girl -one Kirin -pulled his sleeve.
"Please, Kirito! Isaac would be happy to see you after so long!"
Her companion, named Aguni, nodded.
"Yeah! With so many things happening, he would appreciate your help!"
The Swashbuckler glanced at the girls.
"And I said that I'm busy with other things. I know where the Black Sword's headquarters are. You don't need to guide me there now. Masdy can take care of this."
The two girls shook their heads.
"Masdy is on the other side of Yamato and still far away. Isaac is not enough to keep our group together!" exclaimed Aguni. "He specifically asked us to look for you! Haven't you seen the message he sent you?"
Kirito had seen it. However, he hadn't read its contents because he felt he didn't have enough time to meet his old friend.
"I'm busy!" repeated the swordsman. "I'm also having my crisis here!"
As the two Dwarfs pulled the Swashbuckler, the trio of girls decided to interfere.
"Hey! Stop messing around with my boyfriend!"
Asuna tried to make one of the girls holding Kirito leave by using a staff blow to the head. It didn't damage the girl, but the surprise was enough for Aguni to release the right arm.
"Ow!" said the Sorcerer, annoyed. "What was that for?"
"You were annoying my boyfriend!" said Asuna, tapping her foot.
"Girlfriend?" asked Kirin, glancing at the trio. "Wait, have you got a harem ever since we last saw you?"
Sinon took an arrow from her quiver.
"Say that again, and no matter how stronger you are, I will put this deep into your ass."
"Please, no!" said Yui. "This will only call the Guard to stop the fight! It's not worth it!"
Kirito whistled.
"Hey! Hold your horses, everyone! There shall not be any anal penetration today!"
Silence. The Swashbuckler felt tens of eyes turning to him. His face went red when he realized how wrong that felt.
"Wait, I didn't mean like that..."
Aguni put a hand on his shoulder.
"Yeah, yeah. We get it. It was an accident," said the Dwarf Sorcerer. "Listen, how about we wash each other's hands? You know Isaac is a reasonable person below all his tough-guy manners. I'm sure we can reach a midterm between our interests."
The swordsman raised his eyebrows, thinking. The Black Sword Knights weren't as big as the DDD, but Kirito knew that Isaac was a man of his word behind all the asshole front.
He glanced at his companions. Sinon shrugged, leaving the decision to him. Yui didn't have a clear opinion on the subject, so she did the same as the Assassin. Asuna, meanwhile, had a frown on her face. She didn't like the Dwarfs being so aggressive with her boyfriend/husband. However, after a few seconds of thinking, the Cleric stared at Kirito's eyes and nodded.
"Fine," folded the Swashbuckler. "I guess I can at least try talking with him."
Kirin clapped her hands, excited.
"Yay! We did it, Aguni!"
"I can see this, longneck," replied the Sorcerer Dwarf. "Come on. I feel that you remember the way, but we'll guide you to the headquarters."
"Why are we going to that tower again?" asked Leafa.
The quartet was following Klein's directions as they approached the Kurita Tower. Leafa wanted time to appreciate the wild beauty that was the great tower. She wondered how the Tokyo Tower would look in that scenario.
"I didn't tell you three already?" asked the elder Samurai.
"No," said Recon. "What you told us was something in the lines of 'I know where Liz is, follow.'"
Alice nodded.
"He's right. You weren't pretty clear about your intentions," said the Guardian. Then she shot a malicious glare. "I swear that if I ran here for nothing while wearing a heavy armor-"
"It wasn't for nothing!" said Klein, chuckling nervously. Damn, even as a level 1, Alice was intimidating as hell. "We'll at least be able to hear things about the overall Akihabara situation. And, while more obscure than other buildings in the city, I can see Lisbeth going to this place for comfort."
The Ritian raised an eyebrow.
"Comfort?"
"Yeah, you heard it right," said Klein. "You will understand why when we arrive there."
"I don't like when people make a mystery of something simple," complained the Elf. "Can't you spit out what's the deal with that tower?"
"Don't be so hasty, youngling. We are already here."
Indeed, the quartet was in front of the tower. And readily understood what Klein wanted to say.
"Artisans Guild," said Alice. "I think I understand your point."
The other two nodded. Lisbeth's love of blacksmithing was well known. A place like that would be somewhere she could recollect her thoughts after yesterday.
"A place for those too poor to get a personal forge or who want to follow the noble art of smithing metal. Or any other Production subclass, really. If she isn't already here, then it's likely she'll appear here one hour or the other."
Klein opened the doors revealing the entrance hall.
It was pretty standard, all considered. It was better than the exterior, having no vines and rust staining its image. There were two elevators (broken ones, but there were) and a counter where it was a person. There wasn't any information available, so Leafa supposed it was one of the game's NPCs. She was a caucasian woman with brown hair, a white shirt covered by a pink coat, and a skirt.
"Greetings, Adventurers!" said the clerk. "Can I help you?"
"There'll be no need," said Alice. "Thank you, ma'am, but our friend seems to know the place."
The Integrity Knight noticed the momentary shock of the clerk. And, judging by how Klein looked at the woman, he did it too.
The Human Samurai approached the woman.
"Actually, while my furry companion is correct in the regard that I know the place, I wanted to ask a few questions. May I, miss...?"
The Lander hesitated for a few moments before answering.
"Anne, mister Adventurer."
"Jeez, you're making me feel older than what I am, Anne," said the Samurai, flustered. Then he asked: "Haven't you seen a girl/boy with pink hair passing here?"
The woman made a twirl in her hair.
"Sir...sorry, Adventurer. I'm afraid I can't help you with that. Many people entered the guild on the last day and haven't left the building ever since. I'm sorry."
The Samurai gave a smile.
"It's alright. It was worth a shot, at least."
He turned to the stairs, then back to the clerk.
"Say, do you have a work schedule or...?"
A hand in golden armor pulled the Human's ear.
"Alright, I've seen enough," said Alice. "Thanks for your help, ma'am, but we're on our way."
Leafa and Recon sweatdropped as the Guardian pulled the Samurai away like a wolf would carry his puppy by the neck. Appropriate, considering what was Alice's race.
"Ow! Ow! Let me go, dammit! I'm not a child for you to do such a vile thing to me!"
"We're not letting go out with a random person you just met! Weren't you one of the persons that were saying to focus on the mission?!"
Leafa sighed.
"You're truly hopeless, aren't you, Klein? It's Frejya all over again."
"Who's Frejya?" asked Recon, confused.
"Well, you see, in that quest where Kirito got Excalibur-"
"Hey! Don't expose my dirty launder like that, dammit!"
The Human tried to get to the Samurai, but all he got was stumbling in the stairs, only not falling because of Alice's grip.
"Klein, please compose yourself. You're the one who knows this place better. Where is the blacksmithing area?"
"First, release me."
The Wolf Fang obliged.
"Alright. It's on the last floor. Come on. I'll lead the way."
The four climbed the stairs.
"Hm. This building is bigger than what I remember," mumbled Klein. They were halfway through the building, on the tenth floor.
"Gee, you think?" said Recon, sarcastically. "Why couldn't the elevators work?"
"Not much to do, my friend. Now, this is how people live in Akiba."
Alice looked at the floor where they were. The place had lots of archives, filled to the brim with documents. At a table in the center, three people were sitting. Two were Human, and one was a Ritian. The first two were asleep while the Ritian was awake.
The first Human had brown hair, used work clothes, and had the bulk of a Monk. His gauntlet, almost a hunk of metal, was on the floor, forgotten by his user.
The second Human was almost the opposite to his Monk companion. He had a slender build, a stick compared to his friend. He had blonde hair and clothes of high-quality texture. He was currently using his purple scarf as an improvised pillow, soaking it with his saliva.
Finally, the Ritian dressed in a setup that reminded the quartet of a doctor or professor. He also had gray hair, giving him the aura of an elder, though he was likely younger than it looked.
"Oh? Visitors?" said the Ritian, his voice extremely annoyed. "Sorry to say, but these two already drank all the alcohol on this floor and the next two."
"We didn't come here to drink...Roderick, it's that, right?" asked Klein. The Ritian nodded. "We've come here to look for someone. Are they...?"
The man nodded.
"They're only drunk too much. Even though the drinks are as tasteless as water, it seems that alcohol still affects our minds. Most of the people are in the blacksmithing area. Be careful of their bodies: I think these two weren't the only ones to drink too much."
"Why are you three down here?" asked Recon.
"These two, I don't know. Probably somewhere quiet to drink. I'm here because organizing papers is how I calm down and don't join them in the drinking."
Klein nodded.
"Fair enough. Good work with your..."
The Samurai stopped to think.
"...paperwork?"
Roderick wasn't paying attention anymore, though, submerging back into his papers.
"Let's go. We don't have much to do here," said Leafa.
As the quartet kept climbing, Recon asked:
"How did you know that guy, Klein? I didn't see you opening any tab."
"He's a known figure to anyone who spent enough time in Akiba. The Roderick Firm is the second-largest Production guild here and the oldest overall. The group is known for being a vanguard in producing items of all kinds and for being the guys who investigate whatever new things a patch brings to the game. Some people call them mad scientists."
"He surely has the looks to bypass as one," said Leafa. "Those tattoos of his..."
She then noticed Recon, who tried to hide his face, a little flustered.
"A-a-ah! No offense, Recon! These tattoos are cool on you, I swear!"
For the rest of the climb, Leafa tried to reassure that, no, Recon's tattoos didn't make him look like a criminal.
(Though in Klein's opinion, it kind of did. But he wouldn't say that in front of a kendo champion)
After what seemed an eternity, the trio reached the last floor.
"Ugh. I feel as if my legs have become jelly," said Recon. "Why is this tower so damn tall?"
"I don't know," said Klein. "I remember that in-game, we only needed to click the stairs to select which floor we needed to go. I didn't think how hard climbing 20 floors would be."
"Ugh!" said Leafa. "At least the way down will be easier."
Alice didn't complain. Years climbing the stairs of the Central Cathedral as part of her training did that to someone. She had questioned the purpose of that part of her routine when she was Bercouli's apprentice. The first Integrity Knight said that it was resistance training at the time. Now, she was sure that he was testing her patience.
"Well, guess that was a success. At least in the stair climbing department."
"Well..." said Klein. "Here goes nothing."
The older Samurai led the way.
The scenario ahead of the quartet was familiar to them, although on a smaller scale. And messier. Much messier.
The forge had the appearance of a place hit by an earthquake. Hammers were on the floor, left forgotten by their owners. Anvils were occupied not by metal but by people drunk out of their minds, sleeping like rocks. For some reason, some had pliers on their noses. While most of them were off, a few ovens were alight, with many people sitting around them for heat.
"You think Lisbeth is here?" hissed Leafa. There was no reason to talk low, but the Elf couldn't help but be nervous.
"I hope so," replied the Human. "That's my only idea."
"Do you hear that?" asked Alice.
"Hear what?"
It took a second for the others to hear what the Wolf Fang was hearing. A familiar sound.
CLANG.
"Metal against metal," said Klein. "It's coming from that corner."
The quartet went deeper into the room, passing through a trail of drunken artisans of all shapes and forms. They noticed a few NPCs appearing seemingly out of nowhere, shooting disapproving glances at the people on the floor.
"I'm starting to feel that the NPCs may not like us," said Recon.
"Bullshit," said Klein. "In lore, we are super soldiers that go out of their way to beat the living snot of the biggest and ugliest monsters that the world creates, many world-threatening. Why wouldn't they like us?"
Alice got the urge to point out that the Integrity Knights did the same for Underworld. And not everybody liked them.
They finally got to the source of the sound. A dark-skinned Dwarf, hammering a hunk of metal with all her strength. They sighed, disappointed.
The Dwarf noticed that, taking her eyes from the metal.
"You weren't here yesterday."
It wasn't a question.
"Yeah," said Alice. "We were hoping to find a friend here. A long shot, but..."
The girl crossed her arms, her topknot trembling slightly. She adjusted her kimono, looking for something in its interior. If it weren't for the glasses at the top of the head, thought Leafa, she could pass as a member of the Fuurinkazan.
"Maybe I can help?" asked the smith. "I wasn't as bad as a few of the people here, my guildmates included."
She shot a glance at a group of persons who were sleeping supported by swords.
"We would appreciate your help," said Leafa. "The problem is that we don't know how our friend looks. Yesterday was the first day in Elder Tales for most of us, and we didn't see the need at the time to know how each other would like."
Recon, however, had an idea.
"You remember someone with pink hair?"
The Dwarf scratched her chin.
"Hm. Someone that has a love for blacksmithing?"
The quartet nodded, excited.
"Yes!" said Leafa. "Her name is Lisbeth! When did you see her?"
"Let's see...I was trying to beat some metal to distract myself. Yes, weird, but the sound of hitting metal with the hammer is a tranquilizer to me. So, there I was when that one girl approached me. She was a Dwarf like me, and the one of three, maybe four people, with pink hair. I remembered her asking me about how to blacksmith. I was creating some items at the time, you see."
Klein nodded.
"Then what?"
"I explained to her that I was a swordsmith, not a blacksmith. I specialize in sword creation. She left disappointed. I'm kind of shocked she was more focused on getting this subclass than the fact we're trapped here. Like how it happened those years ago with that game."
"You also sound calm," argued Recon.
"I've seen some shit before," said the smith. "I'm not elaborating any further than that."
Klein nodded respectfully.
"Just to know, I have the feeling that I saw the same kind of shit if you know what I mean."
The girl shrugged.
"Say what you want. Anyway, I didn't see Lisbeth after that. She likely left to look for you guys."
The Human Samurai snapped his tongue.
"Dammit! So close, yet so far!"
"I could keep an eye to see if she appears," offered the smith. "I'll even become friends with one of you so we can communicate."
"I'll be the contact," said Klein.
The smith nodded. Opening her menu, she clicked in some tabs. A few seconds later, a message appeared in front of Leafa.
Tatara would like to be your friend.
Yes/No
"Tatara, huh?" said the Samurai, pressing yes. "Well, Tatara. My name is Klein, and I'm the leader of the Fuurinkazan guild. It's a pleasure to be your acquaintance. My companions here are Alice, Leafa, and Recon."
Each one nodded at the mention of their names.
"Hm. I could say the same about being acquainted with your group," said the smith. "In these hard times, it's important to have friends with you."
"Amen to that. Let's go, guy and ladies. Maybe we can find a trail of Lisbeth before meeting our friends."
The group had combined to meet around lunchtime to share info about Lisbeth's whereabouts.
As the quartet went downstairs, Leafa couldn't help but praise their Sorcerer.
"Good job, Recon!" said Leafa. "With Tatara, we'll know if Lisbeth gets back here!"
The Ritian scratched the back of his head, embarrassed.
"I just remembered how we seem to share a few characteristics with our other avatars. Like, you look like the Leafa of Alfheim, for instance."
"Yeah. Now that you mention this..." said Alice, making a twirl with her hair. "There's something that's bothering me for a while."
"If it's about the hair?" jested Klein. "Sorry, but I don't think the merchants sell bath products."
"It's about the hair, yes," said the Wolf Fang. "It wasn't long."
The other three glanced at the Guardian, confused.
"What?" said Klein.
"It wasn't long," repeated Alice. "When I created my character, the hair wasn't long. It was short. Although it's not on point-" she pointed at her forehead, where her signature accessory would be. "-it still looks more like my hair in real life rather than the avatar I created."
"Hm...now that you talk about it," said Recon. "I think I was supposed to be taller. Not by much, but at least five centimeters."
"And you look as tall as out of the game," stated Leafa. "I wonder..."
They stopped their descent on the third floor. The Elf looked around until she found a mirror. She looked at her reflection.
"My eyes," said the Samurai. "They were supposed to be green. They appear as if I were in real life."
Indeed, it was as she said. Her eyes weren't the vivid green of Alfheim one and only Speedaholic, but rather the dark gray of Suguha Kirigaya.
The trio glanced at Klein, who shrugged.
"Don't look at me like that. I changed my avatar to be more like me anyway after my return. No point in playing to spot the difference."
"But...what does that mean in the end?" asked Recon. "So, besides being teleported, some of our attributes IRL passed too?"
"It seems so," said Alice. "Although I'm not sure what to make of these minor changes. It didn't change anything major for us."
"Yeah," agreed Klein. "It's as if someone tried to replicate the SAO incident but got lazy in the middle of the way."
"Another mystery to the growing list," said Recon. "It's already on our feet?"
"On our knees," replied Klein. "Bet that at the end of the day, it'll be passing our feet by a meter."
"Two," added Recon as the quartet got out of the building.
"Three," said Leafa.
"It won't pass at all from our feet. It'll stop just before it reaches the tip of the toes," said Alice.
Meanwhile, as the quartet moved away from Kurita Tower talking, Tatara watched them. In particular, Klein.
Klein. Tatara had the feeling she had heard that name before. Maybe a frontline? Like the Black Swordsman and the Lightning Flash?
"Hmph. It's a small world after all," thought the survivor.
"It is weird," thought Kirito. "How something can change only by altering its point of view."
Those were his thoughts as he saw Akiba's Guild Center.
He was conscious that the place was supposed to be huge. His view from the computer screen ensured that he got the feeling. However, it still was a shock seeing the building from a first-person perspective.
It wasn't as tall as some of the buildings around the place, sure. But it had presence. It didn't have vines or trees growing from inside. It didn't show signs of rust, shining bright in the light of the day. And it had movement, no matter how little it was. Landers wandered to the building, busy with their everyday lives. A few players were there, doing many different things -a few sitting in the ground, likely still in shock, others talking between themselves, glancing nervously to the sides as if something could jump at them at any moment.
It was, at the same time, awe-inspiring and sad.
"Come on," said Aguni. "The HQ stays on the last floor."
"Third door at the right?" said Kirito.
"Yep. Though the place expanded a bit to accommodate more people. Thirty-one rooms."
Kirito's eyes widened.
"That's quite big. I don't think there was even that number four years ago."
"Guilds got crazy big with the time," said Kirin. "It's pretty ridiculous, honestly. DDD has more than a thousand members."
"How do they even organize a group of that size?" asked Asuna, shocked.
She knew well how tough it was to command a large group. Sometimes, she barely managed to lead the Knights of Blood, and that group had barely one hundred people at his peak.
"It's something that I only heard, but it seems that Krusty had created a website for the members of the group to interact," said Kirin.
"Hm. I see," said the fencer. "A website would allow DDD to bypass many of the restrictions that the game imposes about communication while allowing for easier management of its activities."
"This Krusty seems to be quite a fellow," said Sinon.
"He is," said Aguni. "Isaac may have a rivalry with him, but he also recognizes that the man is one of the top dogs of Yamato. He's the Shiroe of management."
The group passed through the main hall, climbing the stairs.
"I remember him vaguely," said Kirito. "He was one of the members of the Tea Party. He was known for being one of the best strategists on the server."
"Indeed," said the giraffe girl. "They call him the Strategist, with capital s. People still try to bring him to one of their guilds."
"So he still plays the game?" asked the Elf.
"Yep," said the Dwarf Summoner as the group climbed the stairs to the last floor. "He's one of the few members of the Tea Party that is known to play the game. After their dissolution, people started to follow the movements of everyone that was part of the group. Most of them disappeared, with many presumably leaving the game behind. The one other member I know who was a member of the group was the leader of the West Wind Brigade, Soujiro Seta."
Kirito's eyes widened.
"You know this person, daddy?" asked Yui.
"Daddy?" thought the dwarfs, as the Swashbuckler answered.
"Yeah, I do know him. He was the person that granted me my subclass."
Before he could say more, they reached the last floor, the number sixteen.
"It feels...as if I had never left this place."
"In the nostalgia street, aren't you?" teased Aguni. "Yeah, you're likely to have more blasts from the past in the next few minutes."
The group stopped at the front of the door.
"Hold on," said the Sorcerer. "I'm modifying the settings to allow you to enter the guild."
"Settings? So certain things still work like in the game?" asked Asuna.
"Yep," said Kirin. "You can create items only from having the materials needed for the process in the Creation menu. The City Guard still appears to stop fights between players. And you can configure who can access your guild at any given time and what rooms they can access."
"Alright," said Aguni, pointing at Asuna, Sinon, and Yui. "As Isaac only wants Kirito, I only have given access only to the main hall to you three. You can wait there for him."
Asuna raised an eyebrow but decided not to complain.
"Well, let's get to it," said Sinon.
The group entered the room. They passed through a corridor with the walls filled with shields. These shields had a coat of arms painted: two black swords passing through a red boar head.
"So he kept these old things?" said Kirito.
"What do these shields mean for you, Kirito?" asked Sinon.
"That I can answer," said Kirin. "It's a special prize that the Black Sword Knights received from their first raid in the Duchy of Fourland. We had to kill a boar monster that lived in that place and was wreaking havoc in the Holy Empire of Westelande. These are celebratory shields made to mark our victory. Not much practical use, though."
"So, furniture," concluded Yui.
"Pretty much."
They entered the main hall. As before, Kirito felt the memories return. The dark purple walls with details in red filled with spoils of war, old and new. The minibar, where people sat to discuss the events on the server and planned for group activities.
He remembered the intent of Isaac. He wanted a place that exhaled a casual feeling of open space for the guild members, and he got that. Except that Kirito didn't feel that at the moment.
Then again, this is more the fault of the persons in the scene than of the room.
People with a hangover can change how an environment feels. Kirito knew that. He once went on a Sunday to the Dicey's Cafe early in the morning. Saturdays were pretty crazy there, so Kirito wasn't too surprised to see people getting out of the building, expelled by Trish. What surprised him, though, was the change of atmosphere. Dicey's Cafe nearly always had a warm and comfortable air to Kirito, and he knew his friends felt the same. So many people coming out, totally wasted, really changed the place from somewhere familiar to something unknown, as if a mask fell, revealing a side he hadn't noticed before.
In short, people affect the environment.
And the mood of the people at the main hall was terrible.
Not unexpected, considering the situation in the streets, but for Kirito, it felt even more personal. He knew a few of the people mopping at the tables, still unbelieving of their new reality. He looked with respect at the few who managed to stand their ground in such dire circumstances, trying to help his comrades. His heart ached as he saw some of them grabbing each other in fear.
He remembered that Asuna assumed the masculine appearance of her avatar upon immersion on Elder Tale. He couldn't imagine how it could be scary to be someone who played with an avatar from the opposite gender. Or, even worse, a child in an adult avatar. There was a reason why the VR systems based the avatars on the user's body. What was happening now probably made Fulldive Non-conformity look tame in comparison.
"Stop. Put these thoughts aside. It's not a good mindset to re encounter an old friend."
"Come on," said Aguni. "He's waiting for you."
He shook his hand to Asuna, Sinon, and Yui, who took seats in the hall.
He passed through another corridor, this one unknown for the swordsman, until finally stopping in front of an oak door.
"Go ahead," said the Sorcerer.
"Thanks, Aguni."
He put his hand on the handle and opened the door.
The swordsman blinked. He wasn't expecting the room to be so familiar.
In a word, the style of the room was spartan, a.k.a, the bare minimum to be considered a personal office. The table and chairs were of oak. There were pictures on the walls from many formations of the guild, times where they stood victorious over raid bosses. A fireplace was lit, heating the room.
Standing up on the side, glancing at the great window that gave vision to the streets of Akihabara, was Isaac. His blood-red hair with white lines was messy as if he didn't sleep at all. The avatar's body was well-defined, with the gray shirt and the pants being tight against his body. Did he look so muscular on the computer? He wasn't sure. Although he felt that the guild leader wouldn't complain on suddenly awakening buff.
"How are you doing, you sly dog?" said Isaac, turning to his visit.
"Surely better than you, maple tree. You have been pushing too many pencils, pal."
The two smirked, then approached each other and gave a handshake.
"You son of a bitch!"
The friendship and eventual partnership of Kirito and Isaac is one famous story in the server of Yamato.
A long time ago, the two were fierce rivals, always trying to one-up the other. As the two more noticeable solo players of Yamato, their rivalry was legendary. Kirito remembered when he and Isaac entered a sword-fighting tournament, and players started to put their bets in either one or the other to win the whole thing.
It was that big. But there wasn't any bad blood between the two. Indeed, Kirito liked Isaac. He pushed his skills in Elder Tales to the limit and always gave him a good fight. And, although he was a jerk, he also had a strong sense of honor and fair play. He was like Vegeta to his Goku. Moriarty to Sherlock. Ivan Drago to his Rocky. And he could go on.
So, it was a big surprise when Isaac approached him to form a guild.
The whole story was that William Massachusetts, leader of the Silver Sword guild, one of the oldest in the game, had bet that the Guardian wouldn't be able to manage a guild for a whole week. He wouldn't accept such a deal in other days, but the Assassin had offered some rare items if he managed to accomplish the bet. So he approached the strongest solo players he could find to form the first team of the Black Sword Knights.
Besides Kirito and Isaac, there were eleven other founding members: Rezarick, Aguni, Kirin, Don Masdy, Woodstock W, Yumil, Paulus, Zecca Eagle, Ifrit, Bahamut, Sylphid, and Shiva.
At the end of the week, Isaac saw how a guild could be beneficial to get stronger quickly, so he decided to keep the system going. Kirito as the second-in-command.
The boy still didn't know why he accepted the proposal. Maybe he was tired of being lonely? Or had he understood that he could get stronger faster in a group? He wouldn't know. What matters is that he become the guild's vice-commander for the following two years.
He saw many good and bad things during that time. He saw the guild stand in triumph, finishing high-difficulty raids by themselves. He saw many of the founders go away with time. Some, like Woodstock, for ideological differences. Others, like Ifrit and Shiva, got away from the game.
It was a wild ride, one that Kirito would like to keep going.
That is, until that day.
"You got what?" asked Kirin.
Aguni sighed.
"Didn't you hear it the first time, horse head?"
"It's not a horse. It's a giraffe, dammit!"
Rezarick whistled, which made Kirito deaf for a second. He should have lowered the volume of the earphone.
"That's a rare thing, indeed. I saw that there are only 1000 copies of the NerveGear available. And you got to be a beta tester?"
"It was tough," said Kirito. "A bunch of questions about my family, some medical tests to guarantee I'm in the best condition to use the NerveGear, and other stuff. It's honestly was a pain in the ass. I received it and my copy of Sword Art Online today, and..."
The fourteen-year-old couldn't end his phrase. He was still impressed. Sure, virtual reality got popular in the last few years. Kirito played many games that used the resource. However, the NerveGear wasn't like the Oculus. It was true immersion.
"Damn!" said Don Masdy, a Wolf Fang Druid. "Now you're making me jealous, man!"
During the whole talk, Isaac was quiet, something noticed by the other members.
"What's the issue, boss?" asked the Felinoid Samurai, Zecca Eagle. "Won't tell us that you're jealous?"
"Of course not, idiot!" said the guild leader. "I only know Kirito for enough time to know that there's something more to this. You're one to be so open to your personal life, Kirito. Spit out: what's the deal?"
Kazuto's voice lost some of the joy he felt.
"Isaac...I think I'm switching games."
That alarmed the guild members.
"Hold on, hold on!" said Aguni. "Aren't you rushing things too much? You said that you only played for one day!"
"I know," said Kirito. "But...I don't know how to explain. It feels different as if I was in a new reality."
He paused.
"I just can't explain. I feel the excitement of going head-on to this new horizon."
"Hm. I see. So you intend to resign."
"Yes," said Kirito. "Even if I decide to come back for a reason or another, I predict I'll be absent for a long time. So, another person should step up to take my place."
Yumil, like Isaac a Human Guardian, raised his eyebrow.
"Are you sure? I don't think anyone would object to your absence. It's not as if there's a strong chain of command."
"I'm sure," said the Swashbuckler.
Isaac smirked.
"Refused."
Kirito started to protest.
"Unless you beat me in a duel."
The boy stopped. Then he smirked.
"So. You want one last dance?"
"Win-win for me," said Isaac. "If I win, I don't need to figure out who will substitute you. If I lose, I get rid of you, pain in the ass. And, in either case, I get a good fight."
Kirito smirked.
"Huh. Are you copying the Strategist's homework?"
"Pfft. If you have time to talk, you have time to fight. Let's do this."
Kazuto could only smile, excited. He would guarantee that was a match to remember.
And the rest was history. Kirito beat Isaac in a duel, winning his freedom from the guild. He stayed long enough to see Don Masdy become the guild's second-in-command. Then, on the day before the official release of SAO, he gave his farewells to the friends he made in Elder Tales.
"This is a bit ridiculous," he thought at the time. "Sure, I wouldn't be able to balance my time between two MMOs, but it's not like I'm leaving this game forever. I'll likely be back in a few months."
And so, three years and a few months passed.
The two rivals turned friends sat at the chairs. After the heartfelt compliment, an odd silence filled the room.
"So," started Isaac. "Sword Art Online."
Kirito blinked.
"Yeah," said the Swashbuckler. "It didn't quite work."
"Statement of the century," said the Guardian. "Wine? It tastes like nothing, but alcohol still affects players."
"No, thanks. Better to keep the head clear."
The swordsman chuckled.
"Sheesh. Aguni and Kirin weren't acting so weird to me. I mean, I guess they got surprised on seeing me, but you look as if you had eaten a box full of nails, Isaac."
The guild leader gave a dry smile.
"It's because those two focused on completing their task. I don't doubt these two are talking with your companions about your experiences," as Kirito raised an eyebrow, the man answered his doubt. "I receive a notification if someone outside of the guild gets permission to enter this place. Aguni authorized you and three other players' access to the main hall."
"Interesting," noted Kirito. "Yui wasn't counted as a player in other games. I'll have to take note of this."
"Yes. Indeed, I brought my friends here. We were looking for another of our friends before you so rudely called me here."
Isaac shook his head.
"Those two runts...sometimes they are the sane women of the guild, and in others, they do things like that. But alas, this may be my fault. I was nervous about how in-shambles the guild is. And, well, you were once my second-in-command and the Hero of Aincrad."
"Oh god, you read that damn book..."
Said book was, ironically, released only a few days after Kirito's imprisonment in another virtual reality. It told about the tales and the adventures of Kirito in Aincrad with such absurd precision that he knew that Argo was involved in its production. Thankfully, some of his more personal moments, like the tragedy of the Moonlit Black Cats, were left out.
"Kirito, everyone who had passed enough time as one of the Black Knights read the book. Only newbies don't know who you are. And it's not only us. Some of the top players also played VRMMORPGs. And boy, if what I heard is at least half-truth, you're a big deal, pal."
"Only because I cleared Sword Art Online?" said Kirito. "Many other people fought there to reach the top. It wasn't as I one-shotted every single one of them."
"Maybe," recognized Isaac. "But then a whole load of stories spread around. People say that you were the one responsible for revealing the RECT scandal. And for starting a new mania in Gun Gale Online. And, let's not forget the whole artificial intelligence incident. Just face it. You're THE most famous VR player behind only Kayaba himself."
Kirito made an ugly face.
"So. You called me here just to state I'm a big deal? Kirin and Aguni said otherwise."
Isaac laughed.
"Of course not. I'm just taking care of the elephant in the room before dealing with the mice. I'm just happy you're alive and kicking ass, although I admit that knowing about your feats influenced my decision to call you."
Kirito raised an eyebrow, but he saw the logic in Isaac's thinking. It was like in the old apocalypse movies. You want to be in the best survivor's good grace.
"I can help you, Isaac," said Kirito. "But not as a leader. Maybe I was one in the past. But I'm a different man now. And it's not right to take Masdy's position while he's away, even if it's an emergency. And I need to look for a friend of mine."
"Hm. I see. A hand washes the other. Well then, give me the name and, if possible, a description, and I'll guarantee that every single member of the guild knows to keep eyes and ears open."
Kirito nodded. Klein had sent him a few minutes before Lisbeth's physical description.
"Dwarf. Pink hair. Likes blacksmithing," said Kirito.
Isaac jots down the information on a piece of paper.
"Hm. This should be easy enough," said Isaac. "Akiba is big, but there aren't many Dwarfs in the area. We washed one hand. Now, you clean the other one."
The boy nodded.
"Let's get over this, fast."
"Hey, Miss Cleric? Are you alright?"
"Hm? Sorry, I was a little lost in my thoughts," said Asuna, glancing back at Kirin.
"We were asking about Kirito," said Aguni. "It's true that he once fought someone who could kill people in VR by shooting at them?"
"Sinon can answer this. And I said that you can call me Asuna."
The archer glanced at Asuna, curiously gazing at her. The Elf didn't like to talk about the Death Gun incident considering that one of her best friends was part of the scheme. But the Cleric seemed so distracted that the Assassin decided to answer the questions.
"I can't blame her for being so distracted, though," reflected Sinon. "Not with everything happening on the last day."
Of course, there was their imprisonment in Elder Tales. That alone would freak out anyone, what to say of someone who already passed through the experience before. Sinon was more surprised with Asuna freaking out over being a man. She and Alice had found the fencer almost crawling walls over the subject.
"It's so alien. My body has too much hair. Everything seems so light. Oh god, and then there's the-!"
Yeah, to say that Asuna wasn't in a good mood is an understatement. It was a blessing that Kirito had that potion, or else they would have dealt with the angriest level 1 Cleric of Yamato.
And then there was the talk.
Sinon didn't want to eavesdrop, but she couldn't avoid it. Ever since they got to Theldesia, her hearing had skyrocketed. Damn those long ears! She didn't want to hear gossip from other people! She wasn't like that one journalist from a book series she read!
Anyway, between their situation, Lisbeth's whereabouts, and the talk with Alice, it wasn't too surprising that Asuna needed time to breathe and think.
"Miss Sinon! Not you too!"
The archer jumped, startled. She also got lost in her thoughts.
"Leave them alone, Kirin," said Aguni. "While it would be nice to hear if half of the stories about Kirito are true, you shouldn't be rude with other people."
"Yeah! You shouldn't press Mommy!" said Yui, cheeks puffed up.
"See? One moment he's saying farewell to us, and when he comes back, he has a girlfriend and someone saying that it's his child!" said the giraffe girl. "Aren't you curious, sis?"
"A little," admitted the Sorcerer. "But that's still their life. They'll explain when they feel like it. And don't call me sister."
"You two are related?" asked Yui.
"Half-sisters," said Aguni. "Same mother. We don't talk about it because it's supposed to be personal."
Kirin wept in a small voice.
"Sorry. I'm still confused with the transference to Elder Tale!"
"It must be hard to be the eldest," said Sinon. "Considering that Kirin is..."
"That's not the worst," said Aguni. "I'm not the older sister. This giraffe lover is the older one. You don't know how annoying she can be."
"Aah? And you're better, spell gorilla?" said the Summoner. "The one thing you know to do is span Fire magic until you kill your foe! And you proclaim that I am the loudmouth? That's cute. Who's the one who once said to the whole server that you like otome games, in the loudest voice you can?"
"Horse!"
"Gorilla!"
The two sisters kept launching a hail of insults at each other. Sinon felt a bead of sweat drop from her head.
"Sheesh," said the Assassin. "Kirito and Leafa don't fight for petty things."
"Hm?" said the Cleric. "Sorry, Sinonon, what had you said?"
The Elf sighed.
"It's nothing," said the sniper. She glanced at Yui, who had got her hands in a notepad and was writing notes on it. "And what are you doing?"
"Notes about sibling behavior," said the AI. "Daddy and Auntie don't fight when others are around, but they tend to butt heads privately. I'm still trying to figure out if it's a case of nature or nurture."
...
Damn, why did Sinon feel like the sanest person at that table?
"Probably because I am. At least currently."
Sinon crossed her arms and put her head on them. Now she was the one who needed some space for thought.
Ugh. Great. Just great. As if the last week hadn't already been hard for Sinon.
"Dammit, Kyouji!"
Kyouji Shinkawa. Once, her best -and sole- friend. That is until he tried to rape and inject her with a drug that caused cardiac arrest in high quantities. She recognized that her former friend did terrible things, but she didn't hold a grudge against him. The fault was in the actions of his awful older brother, a former SAO survivor, Shouichi. In-game, he was part of the mad guild of PKers called Laughing Coffin as one of his head chefs, Red-Eyed Xaxa. He manipulated Kyouji to do his bidding and, along with his friend Johnny Black, formed the entity known as Death Gun, someone who killed people in the virtual world to kill them in reality.
In the days before their forced immersion in Elder Tales, Kyouji had got in a big fight in the juvenile center where he was on treatment ever since the judgment for his participation in the Death Gun incident.
She had planned to visit him on Monday. And, while he's mentally better than a year ago, he still wasn't the most stable person. Even if Kirito's talk in slowed time was true (damn those ears!), they could be as well be there for months in real life. At least SAO had a finish line. They didn't have any clue of how to return home.
And speaking of home, what happened to their bodies? They were still there, immobile without their owners, like puppets with their strings cut? Or do they also disappear with the magic that took them there?
Neither of the possibilities was appealing to the girl. And the more she thought about that new world, the more she got freaked out.
"Yeah, better not to fall into that rabbit hole."
"Hey, isn't that Isaac?" said Kirin, looking over her sister's shoulder
Indeed, a level 90 Guardian went out of the corridor. There was an air of command on him, something Sinon saw from time to time in Asuna, mostly when they planned to fight a floor boss in New Aincrad.
"And Kirito is coming too," said Aguni, focusing on the two friends.
Indeed, the two friends went straight to the middle of the room. Raising his hand, Isaac ordered a few, more willing members to arrange the tables to form a podium.
"Hm. Smart," said Aguni. "It's unlikely anyone would have the will to go to the reunion room. Better do it here."
"What is his idea, though?" asked Sinon. "Give an emotional speech about how things changed and how they need to stand up to this situation? It would be nice if things were that easy."
"Sometimes, it's all that's needed, Sinon."
The Assassin glanced at the Traveler, who had a serious expression on the face.
"All that's needed is one man, Sinon. One man standing up against an unfair world igniting a spark of change. Mommy, you tell her."
The Assassin glanced at the Cleric, who nodded.
"Yui's right. If it wasn't for the actions of one man, maybe things could have gone way worse in Aincrad. One man unified the Vanguard of Aincrad, and even if he died in the battle against the first boss, his impact allowed us to persevere through the first few floors," she smiled, petting at her daughter's hands. "One man is sometimes more than enough. And, if you can't trust that, look at Kirito."
The archer glanced at Kirito. He had an overall neutral but determined expression on his face.
"I can tell from here," said Asuna. "While he's nervous, he also has a plan. I trust in Kirito. Do you trust him too?"
"With my life," thought Sinon. After all the things that happened in Gun Gale Online, that was the only answer that the sniper could give. Even if he wasn't the best at being social, Sinon thought he wouldn't go unprepared for a situation like that one. Right?
...
Yeah, she would take that with a bit of salt. Kirito had done dumb things before.
Isaac climbed the improvised podium, taking care to balance himself. Then, he said, in a loud voice:
"Alright, your band of runts! Now you're going to hear a few things from me!"
A few people looked at their leader, but most were still moping in their places.
"Shut up, you knucklehead," said one person. "Don't you see we are suffering?"
"Oh, I'll show you suffering, pal, if you don't keep your ears open to what I'm about to say!" said the guild leader. "It seems better than staying there like a wet mop!"
The room went silent for an instant as more people started to look at Isaac. When the Guardian judged that the guild was paying attention to him, he continued:
"I'll...Yeah, I'll not lie. We're in deep shit now."
A collective grunt echoed in the room.
"Gee, don't you say it, boss!"
"It shouldn't be like that," said Sinon. "Such disrespect. Are they so scared?"
"Nah," said Aguni. "This is how most reunions start. Isaac says something obvious, and another person retorts."
"This doesn't seem right," said Yui. She remembered watching recordings of her mom leading the Knights of Blood, and their members respected Asuna and Heathcliff as superiors.
"Well, when you combine a bunch of meatheads in one place, you tend to have a messy space," said Aguni. "Boys! So stupid."
"And you call me childish, spell gorilla," said Kirin. "Even if there are more guys than girls in this guild, it doesn't mean that there aren't a few idiots in both sexes."
Aguni sneezed in disdain.
"Sure. But more often than not, there are more idiots in the other sex than in ours."
"Psst!" said Asuna. "He's still not done!"
Isaac, seeing that the room was silent, continued:
"Yes. We are in deep shit, a.k.a, the ground zero for Sword Art Online 2, the Electric Boogaloo."
Asuna winced. And, from the position that Sinon was in, she saw Kirito do the same.
"Yes. It is bad. But let me ask you a question. What do we do now?"
One person lifted his hand.
"We can stay in safety until someone comes to rescue us."
Another sneezed.
"Yeah. And that worked too well for the people trapped in SAO. At least, in that case, there was the helmet. We don't even know how we ended here!"
A third coughed.
"But that doesn't mean we should put ourselves at risk for senseless reasons! I know that person who knows another that-"
"What risk?! We're immortal, man! We can't die! Didn't you hear of the girl who died and came back to life?"
"I don't fucking believe this! There must be a catch! Like the whole Augma situation!"
Isaac said, in a loud voice:
"I don't care what you guys believe! You can think that aliens were the ones who brought us here for all that I care!"
Silence. The guild leader continued:
"Well. Let me tell you what I'm going to do. I'll not be sitting here waiting for knights in shining armor to save us. It's logical to think that, whatever brought us here, is related to the expansion."
"Do you mean Homesteading the Noosphere?"
"I thought it was Pioneers of Novasphere..."
"Yes!" interrupted the guild leader. "Whatever the name of the expansion is, that thing was the catalyst that led us here, or at least is related. Meaning that, whoever did this, must be a top dog in this world."
"So your suggestion is to keep grinding?" said a Felinoid Samurai. "As if nothing happened at all?"
"I know it seems crazy, Kinou," said the Guardian. "But that is how things are now. If we want to carve an exit with our hands, the only way is to become stronger. And, by getting strength, we can get to the depth of this situation. And, in discovering the truth, we figure out how to go home."
One player sniffed.
"Easier to talk than to do, Rusthead. Do you expect us to put our necks in the line for a possibility of escape? We may be immortal, but I still don't seem too great of a business to me."
"Aw, stop complaining!" said Isaac. "The players of SAO didn't have that luxury, and they beat that game. Here, we at least have many lives. We're the lucky ones."
"Sure," snickered another person. "Bring someone who was part of that game, and then we'll talk."
Sinon raised an eyebrow. Something seemed odd from that last declaration. She glanced at Asuna, who frowned. The sniper could see what would happen next. They planned for that to happen.
"With my deepest pleasure," said Isaac.
He dropped from the podium, allowing Kirito to go to the top. The Assassin saw a few eyes widened, recognizing who was him.
"A few of you may have met Kirito before he retired from the game two years ago. He was once the second-in-command from the guild before switching games. The next game he played was Sword Art Online."
The room exploded in a myriad of cries of surprise and shock.
The Swashbuckler, meanwhile, crossed his arms, waiting for the room to become quiet. Sinon saw his feet tapping nervously, something uncharacteristic of him. Maybe he was feeling nervous. Or the swordsman was uncomfortable. Although he could muster a commanding aura at times, Kirito didn't like being the center of attention. He would rather be in his corner and only talk if needed.
"I don't believe it," said a Samurai Elf, arms crossed. "You didn't present anything that proves that this guy is a survivor."
"I heard of this guy!" said another person. "He was a champion of the Bullets of Bullets tournament in Gun Gale Online!"
At this part, Sinon made the maximum to continue unseen. As Kirito, she also didn't like the attention.
"Hm...you have a point, my friend. Come here, Siegfroid."
The Samurai Elf lifted from his spot while Isaac called a tab.
"Alright."
He put his sword in the ground.
"You want proof that he's the real deal?"
(Kirito winced in the background. He couldn't ever hear those words as a compliment ever since Death Gun)
"Well, this is how we do things in this guild. Beat the living snot out of the others. The area around me is a combat area. Go wild"
Siegfroid glanced at Kirito's stats.
"You gotta be kidding, chief. This kid is almost forty levels weaker than me! And you think he'll beat me! I barely need three hits to beat him!"
"Is that so?" said Isaac. "So it wouldn't be troublesome for us to make those the rules of the match? The first one to hit three blows wins."
Siegfroid chuckled.
"Boss. That'll be over before I get the third strike. The sheer chip damage will be enough to beat the snot out of him."
Isaac smirked.
"If you say so...begin!"
Siegfroid turned to Kirito, smug.
"Alright, geezer. I'll show you how the Black Sword Knights do things..."
BUMP!
Before the Samurai could finish talking, Kirito had hit the first strike. It didn't damage him too much, but the Elf stumbled backward.
"If you have so much time to talk, then you have time to fight. Be glad I'm not counting this one. Cheap shots against toddlers don't sit well with me."
Some of the members of the knights chuckled. Siegfroid's went red.
"I'll show you power, old man!"
The Samurai roared, swinging his sword savagely. However, although his blows were lightning fast, none came close to hitting Kirito, who dodged with ease.
"Wow! How's he doing that?" asked Aguni, surprised.
"He's telegraphing Siegfroid's attacks," said Asuna, crossing her arms.
"Telegraphing?"
The fencer nodded.
"Although your bodies are physically fit in this world -allowing us to wield weapons in the first place, as they're heavy -using a sword also requires a certain amount of skill. Look at Siegfroid."
"What's there with him? He's with the advantage! He's on the offensive!"
"Indeed, he is," said Sinon. "But look more closely."
At this moment, Siegfroid released an impressive succession of consecutive slashes -that Kirito still managed to dodge. He slowly lifted his katana, ready to keep the offensive.
"See? That's the weakness in his style," said the Assassin. "He can strike fast, but he's too focused on overwhelming Kirito. That would work against almost anyone of the same level. Heck, if this still were the same game, Kirito would likely lose."
"So what is allowing him to keep up?"
"Experience," said Yui. "Daddy passed through many adventures as the years passed. Compared to the average Japanese, his skill level and muscular memory are closer to a soldier. He's used to moving in this environment, and while he still didn't learn all the rules of this world, the fundamentals are intact. He knows how to battle and, more importantly, how and when to move in a battle. And movement is the kingmaker of a fight."
At that moment, Kirito acted.
Siegfroid went all-in on a fierce stab with his katana, hoping that the sudden burst of energy would be enough to finish his opponent. He expected another dodge to follow up with a slash against the still dodging Swashbuckler.
However, Kirito saw his intentions and, rather than dodge, parried the attack with the tip of his blade. Caught off-guard, he couldn't stop the below-to-top slash coming from his left sword.
"One..."
Using the moment gathered from the first blow, Kirito inverted the way of the attack, striking his foe again.
"...two..."
Siegfroid managed to pull his katana to defend himself at the last second from the follow-up slash. Doing so, however, took his focus out from Kirito's other sword. The Black Swordsman didn't waste the shot, finishing the fight with a decisive lunge.
"...and three! You're out!"
The Samurai fell flat on his ass, completely swept off his feet.
"W-w-what? How? You didn't use any skill."
"I could say the same from you," replied Kirito. "But, while I didn't use it because it wasn't necessary, you did out of pride. Not that it would matter."
The swordsman gave the back to his opponent.
"You...you!"
Siegfroid, in a fit of rage, swung his blade with wrath, the metal shining.
"Whirlwind Slash!"
Asuna widened her eyes.
"Kirito, watch out!"
The Cleric didn't even need to bother. Instincts from years of fighting kicked off, allowing him to dodge the attack swiftly. His eyes shined.
"Interesting. Now, let me answer back with this!"
Kirito's swords emitted a crimson light. He gave a savage smirk as he said the following words:
"Tourbillon!"
Tourbillon. The terrestrial counterpart to the skill Round Windmill. While it lacked the invincibility frames of the sister skill, it compensated by sheer damage and quick recovery. It's one of the most common techniques of the Swashbuckler in combat against other players because of his wide range and utility as a punishing tool.
Kirito felt his arms speed up in a sequence of 10 blows that created large amounts of wind in the room -thus, the name Tourbillon.
Siegfroid flew away, the impact of the blows throwing him out of the combat space. The inertia was so strong that the Samurai hit the wall with a round BUMP!
"Oof. Sorry. I guess that I was a little overboard," said Kirito to Isaac.
"Don't worry," said the guild leader. "Siegfroid was giving in everyone's nerves, anyway. A timeout won't make bad to anyone."
The Guardian, then, turned back to his subordinates.
"Well, he certainly has the skills to back up his claim," said him, smug.
"This doesn't prove anything, though," said one person. "Zekken was said to be the most skilled player in Alfheim Online, and yet, it became known that she wasn't an SAO survivor. We can be pretty well just dealing with someone who's stupidly skilled in VR."
As more people discussed if that victory was proof that the Swashbuckler was an SAO survivor, a certain Assassin was processing the events of the last fight.
"Curious," thought Sinon. "They're more concerned in solving the current issue than the fact that Kirito and that other guy used skills verbally."
From what Sinon had gathered up to that point, she thought that skills were limited to a command board summoned using the menu. No kind of body command like in Alfheim. Did they already know that?
She glanced at Aguni and Kirin, but their expressions didn't say anything. Then, she looked at Asuna and Yui, who had shocked expressions. "Can't blame them. I'm almost as shocked."
"It's proof!" said an exalted Kannagi.
"It's not!" said a headstrong Druid.
"Guys..." said Isaac, annoyed. Clearly, things weren't going according to the plan.
However, it was Kirito that shut up the crowd.
"So, you want proof that I am an SAO survivor?"
The people looked at Kirito. The boy felt the pressure of these glances, but he got to keep his mind straight. He coughed before saying:
"If you're looking for physical evidence that I was in SAO, you're wasting your time. You may have the luck of someone who survived Aincrad to recognize my name," he gave a yellow smile. "But then again, we reach the point where you will also discuss how valid the words of said person are."
Grumble. Asuna was looking at Kirito, curiosity in her eyes.
"I could tell you many stories about what happened there as proof of who I was. But I'll not tell you that. Instead, I'll say about the feeling of death."
People looked at Kirito, dumbfounded. Death?
"Yes. But I do not talk of losing someone to time or disease. I talk about seeing people dying fighting for their freedom. I talk about this intense feeling of seeing a good man die because of his selfishness."
Sinon noticed Asuna murmuring something in silence. Diavel.
"Of seeing people who you thought of as companions die because of entering the wrong place at the wrong time. Of having to eliminate persons, with family and friends on the other side, to defend your own life and from your comrades. Of having to see someone you saw as a brother perish, incapable of doing anything to save him."
Black Cats. Laughing Coffin. Eugeo.
The Swashbuckler looked at Asuna.
"Of almost losing the love of your life, as she protected you with teeth and nails."
He then returned to look at the crowd.
"I could go on. You may call me a soldier. And, in a way, I am. In the end, I don't have to convince anyone. I came here because a friend was in need, and we could help each other. But let me tell you: I agree with Isaac. Things won't be solved by themselves. In the end, compared to what those who climbed that hell passed by, this is nothing."
He crossed his arms.
"Nobody will blame you for not fighting. I certainly won't oblige anyone here to go out and put their lives in the line. But, like Isaac, I'll go out. You can follow suit."
He bowed.
"That's all. Think about it."
The Swashbuckler left the podium, allowing for Isaac to climb again.
"Alright. Now, today I want to explore a few of the new battle mechanics we figured out last night, as Siegfroid gently demonstrated. We need people from the Magic Attack and Recovery classes. Who's up?"
Hesitantly, a few people raised their hands.
"Nice going, Kirito!" said Kirin, clapping at the Swashbuckler's back.
The teenager blushed.
"It was nothing. I won because that guy was caught off-guard. If he was serious, I don't doubt he would beat me. And, in a long fight, he would win because of his endurance."
"Nah, don't think so," said the Summoner. "He was playing like if he was in Brawl. You're more like a Melee player."
"...I don't get the reference," said the swordsman.
"Weren't you a fighting game nerd in the past?!" said Aguni. "Also, that giraffe head says the weirdest things."
"Weirdest? You're the one who got arrested for being a pyromaniac!"
"That was an accident! I didn't notice that the ashtray was paper mache! Who even does something like that?!"
"I didn't know you were so good at talking," said Asuna. "Judging as you were kind of a shut-in."
"Yeah, I had Isaac's help to elaborate the discourse," said the Swashbuckler. "You know that I'm not a person of many words. But I spent two years leading this bunch. Isaac could be rash in the past in the first days of the guild. So someone needed to be the polite one. I suppose Don Masdy also has his hands full?"
"Yes," said Aguni. "Just yes. He once had to stop Isaac and Woodstock from ripping the head of the other off in a raid."
"Wow," said Sinon, blinking. "Bad blood is little to describe that."
"It's more ideological," said Kirito. "Woodstock disagreed with Isaac's restrictions for entrance in the guild, so he eventually left the group to form the Grandale. Is it still kicking?"
Aguni nodded.
"Very much. Still pretty small compared to us, or, heck, even the West Wind Brigade."
The swordsman nodded.
"Hm. I'll try talking to Woodstock another hour. Maybe he can help me with his contacts."
Kirito remembered that Woodstock was one of the friendliest persons of Akiba, saying to have a list of contacts that takes three minutes to get through.
With a bit of luck, someone must have seen Lisbeth. And Woodstock was friendly to him. Maybe he would be open to doing a solid for an old friend?
"Anyway. Isaac said I could tell you two about Lisbeth's appearance. Our friend Klein sent a few details that he figured.
He related the contents of the message.
"Dwarf, pink hair, has an interest in blacksmithing..." summed up Aguni. "Alright. We'll relay this information to our companions. Isaac should also divulge this information to the rest of the guild."
"Thank you," said Kirito. "It was a blessing finding you two in the plaza."
Kirin gave a playful wink.
"Maybe when things calm down, we can have a drink. I'm curious about hearing about your adventures. I mean, where do you even get a child? Even more a girlfriend? Please tell me you didn't -"
"Aaaand, we are going out," said Kirito, red ears. "And please, don't finish this phrase, Kirin."
Asuna smirked, trying to hide the smile with her hand. Kirito had that habit of being the one who trolls the others in the group. Seeing him the one being flustered for once, even from something silly, was amusing.
Yui was more open about her smile, though she found more grace in Kirin's idea that she was human than in her dad's embarrassment.
Sinon, however, didn't hold her laughter, which was fitting, as she was, after Klein, the main target of Kirito's pranks.
"Come on. It's almost time to meet the others."