Kirito descends from the cloudy sky behind Jaymes as the other boy turns around, his hot-red irises glaring at the winged swordsman. Kirito didn't expect Jaymes to be happy to see him, yet he senses something has gone horribly wrong. There's intense malice coming from Jaymes, evident from his vexing eye color, and for reasons based on Primus' lecture, Kirito has a bad feeling about who is the recipient of such rage, but not truly why. "Joshua…"

"All I wanted was to keep her safe. But you and Asuna took her away from me."

"H-Huh?"

"You killed Koharu."

Kirito winces as thunder booms in the distance, then sets his feet on the wet, grassy ground and walks towards his confused friend. "What are you saying? Koharu is-woah!" Kirito dodges a flaming arrow shot by Jaymes. However, it came so fast that Kirito almost didn't see it. Kirito rebalances himself from the shock and faces Jaymes, now less forceful in his approach. "Joshua! It did not happen!"

More Thermal elements appear around Jaymes' head. "Liar! I saw you!" He fires them as arrows, but this time Kirito is prepared as he summons Aerial elements to counter, then directs a burst of wind towards Jaymes and sweeps him off his feet. Jaymes breaks through several trees before landing on the ground on his back, groaning as Kirito catches up to him.

But then several crystalline spears shoot toward Kirito, forcing him to draw the two blades on his back and defend himself. Slashing through the spears, he lands by Jaymes and smacks him with the flat side of the Night-Sky Sword with all his strength. Jaymes falls near the forest's edge, just where it meets the eastern road of the Cordea Plains away from Medina's home. This time, Kirito is quicker on his approach as he stands over the red warrior's body and pins Jaymes' neck underneath the sharp upper edges of the Night-Sky and Blue Rose swords. "Stop it! I don't want to fight you, and Asuna and I killed never killed Koharu!"

"Liar!" Kirito feels Jaymes' palms on his belly and quickly protects himself as he's impacted by a burst of hot, steaming water. He lands on his knees, mostly safe from the blast, but is too slow to recover as Jaymes frees himself and places one hand on Kirito's shoulder. Kirito is sure Jaymes is physically stronger than him in real life, probably even normally in VR as he normally carries his sword and shield. But in the Underworld, where the only "stats" are the priority levels that affect the ability to wield weapons and cast higher-order spells.

So when Jaymes fully impedes Kirito from getting up to his feet, he can only summarize it as Jaymes using some sacred art to do so. And with just a little more force, he slams Kirito against the ground. "You feel that, Kazuto? That's how I've felt this entire time while you and Asuna parade your love around me. This weight of having to protect Koharu's life and fail while you two got to live careless and free on Aincrad and back home. They called you heroes, but that's bullshit."

Kirito, with all his willpower, stretches his arms out and calls his discarded blades to him. Jaymes steps back and releases Kirito, to which the Black Swordsman reacts by attacking the weaponless Jaymes. But the dual blades stop in place just inches from Jaymes' forehead, Kirito seeing a faint outline just between them. An Incarnate Sword.

"You're a joke. And she's nothing more than a self-absorbed bi—"

Something in Kirito snaps as he kicks Jaymes in the gut and leaps back. Jaymes slides back himself and stretches the mostly invisible blade out towards Kirito. Kirito puts away any doubts in the back of his head and slowly walks to his right. "You've never beaten me in a swordfight, Jaymes."

"And you haven't beaten me cleanly."

"Look, listen to me. Koharu's not dead, and I'm not leaving. Primus, Eva, Noxium, and Stella, they twisted your memories to think Asuna and I killed her. We're not in Aincrad! And even if we were, we didn't kill her, Laughing Coffin did."

"Stop with your lies!"

Kirito sighs as a gale swirls around him. So much for talk...he'll have to use force to make Jaymes listen. "...You know, after we beat Vecta, I've wanted to see who's the better between us in this world. So I won't hold myself back either." Kirito launches himself at Jaymes, and sparks fly and sword skills fire off as the duel begins. Displaying his speed, Kirito zips around Jaymes, keeping the warrior on his toes as Kirito employs a hit-and-run strategy.

Jaymes eventually catches on, deflecting Kirito with his left arm-a shield made of Incarnation, of course-and Kirito flips back. "Dumbass." Jaymes sprints and reaches Kirito just as his feet touch the ground, aggressively forcing Kirito to defend. Debris from the ground clouds the air around them as they put their full strength into their swords.

Kirito leaps over Jaymes' faint blade and swings down with the Night-Sky. That's blocked by the Incarnate Shield, and the Blue Rose by the Incarnate Sword. However, this time Kirito forces them down, making Jaymes struggle until the warrior pushes himself away. He doesn't retreat for long as he springs back, holding his shield in front and colliding it with Kirito to knock the swords off-center. Kirito's torso exposed, Jaymes holds his sword in position for the Vorpal Blade skill. "Got you!"

Kirito twitches his hand and deflects Jaymes' Incarnate Sword with one of his own used as a projectile, both "breaking" apart. The swordsman in black uses the opening to press the offensive. Jaymes favors the shield while Kirito pummels him with his physical swords, but Kirito cannot break the full defense of the warrior. Leaping back, Kirito twirls horizontally in the air, whipping down on Jaymes like a rotor and kicking him away. Jaymes slides on his back for a moment then flips himself and takes to the air, holding his hand out as it crackles with electricity from the combination of Aerial and Aqueous Elements. Firing zig-zagging sparks down on Kirito, the Black Swordsman forms his barrier made of Incarnation and fortifies it against the bolt, though its power nearly shatters the barrier upon impact.

Back on the ground, Jaymes frowns at seeing Kirito unharmed from the attack. "Is that all the Black Swordsman got? Are you nothing without some helpless girl at your heel?"

Kirito clicks his tongue and raises his swords. "I'm barely breaking a sweat from this. Is this the power of the Crimson Warrior when there's not a 'helpless girl' to save?"

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Asuna

Something is happening to the north of Lake Norkia. Asuna's ability with Incarnation is still incomparable to Kirito and Jaymes, but she has a feeling-the same feeling that had her assemble the knights and fly to the north days ago-is making her worry. That same sense directs her attention in the direction of Medina's estate, to the northeast. She turns to Ronie and Tiese, who approach the carriage they took earlier to the lake. "How far away is Medina's estate?"

"About three or four kilors from here, I think," Ronie answers. "Are we going there instead of the capital, Lady Asuna?"

"...What did Primus want with Kirito?"

"He never said anything about Kirito, but he did say something about Jaymes."

"What could that be..." Asuna turns back in the direction of Medina's estate. Primus telling Kirito to meet him at the cathedral before his escape, then her sudden, strange worry right now...do they have a source. Kirito is in Centoria, Jaymes in the northern Cordea Plains...

"I...had a dream that everyone we knew before coming here was dead. We...were outside our cabin back on Old Aincrad, and...there were tombstones of everyone we met in SAO, my sister, Sinon and her squadron. And all of them were killed, I think, by Jaymes."

"What? But that's impossible."

"But what's even more impossible isn't what he did, but what we did. We...you remember the main quest of the sixty-first floor. When you were cursed by those cultists who wanted to resurrect an evil, and the game bound your life to the floor bosses?"

"Yes, I remember. You and Jaymes were in a frenzy to find a way to save me from the worst possible outcome."

Kirito lowers his head. "This time, it was Koharu...and it seems that outcome happened, and we dealt the blow."

"No... That cannot be!" Asuna's legs, with a mind of their own, move her to the northeast. There's no way...but if what she fears is true, Jaymes and Kirito are in a fight to the death, all arranged by the First Children. She ignores the cries of the apprentices, urging her legs to take her faster, faster, and as fast as lightning if she's to save the boys she cares for in time...

xxxxxxxxxxxx

Both boys breathe heavily, Kirito glares as the smallest of rain droplets begins to drop on his face. This fight has gone on longer than he'd like (much longer than the three minutes they set themselves up for in other games), but he knows not to underestimate one of the few people he considers his equal. "We don't have to continue fighting, Jaymes. I don't know what happened to you after Eydis and the First Children did what they did, what you've suffered while you were unconscious, but what has you angry, it's not real. I didn't do it."

"Liar. I saw you both, standing over her. Your blade in her belly, and you dare to ask why I'm angry? I thought you were our friend, both of you, but you're just like everyone else, hunting us down like animals! We just wanted to be alone!"

Now Kirito puts things together. Whatever happened in Jaymes' head must have convinced him that he and Koharu were being targeted, which leads to the dream Kirito had of him and Asuna killing Koharu. So when he woke up, it must have been at that moment that he couldn't dictate his dreams from reality. The indoctrination by Noxium is deeply ingrained. Maybe this is the chance he has to talk him down and make him regain his senses. "What was it like, being with her?"

Jaymes relaxes his stance and closes his eyes. "Perfection. Every morning, I'd wake up, and see her calm and happy face in the morning light. We'd walk around the surrounding woods of our cabin, all the way down to the lake where I won her favorite brooch for her in that fishing tournament. We'll have a picnic. She'll play a musical instrument and I'd tell her how good she is. We'll relax underneath the sun, our bodies laying in opposite directions but her face next to mine. Maybe I'll challenge her to a duel just to keep our skills sharp. We'll put on our swimsuits, and I try not to be in awe of just how beautiful she is… And I'm reminded of what I have to protect."

Everything he just said was similar to Kirito and Asuna's life near the end of Sword Art Online. At that time, Jaymes also took time from the front lines, spending his freedom with Philia, Rain, and Strea. "That sounds nice."

"Indeed. You and Asuna had that freedom, but then… Because on the sixty-first Koharu was hit with a curse that prevents the floor boss from dying unless she does, and because we couldn't find another way, the front lines came after us. I...killed many to protect her, whether they're from the Divine Dragon Alliance or the Knights of the Blood Oath. Fuurinkazan, the Black Cats, Agil's guild...Sanya, Leuer, Mater, Stilla, Typhon...Lisbeth, Silica, Philia, Rain, Strea… And now you and Asuna."

Kirito senses a renewed malice as Jaymes opens his eyes. Despite the disturbing tale, Kirito focuses on Jaymes as the fight resumes with Jaymes charging after him. Kirito decides to lead Jaymes back towards the manor, hoping there will be some way to slap some sense back into his friend. He senses Medina, Ilia, and the workers in the estate present inside, so they know Jaymes has escaped, and he hopes Medina has a plan. Leaping into the air, Kirito summons his wings and takes flight, but Jaymes is quick on the uptake and soars up with a thunderous liftoff.

However, Kirito speedily vanishes from sight, stunning Jaymes momentarily until the Crimson Warrior notices the chilling Blue Rose Sword thrust at him at the last second. The icy blue blade cuts his left side, letting blood drip down with the rain. Jaymes winces as Kirito grabs his collar and bolts down, slamming and sliding his face against the wet grass. Launching Jaymes back into the air, Kirito flies after him with his two blades glowing purple. "Starburst Stream!"

"Trojan Walls!" Yellow walls meet Kirito's sword strikes, both boys putting all their mental might to outlast the other's sword skill. With each hit from Kirito's favored skill, Jaymes' favorite skill retains its absolute protection of the caster, but the Underworld version of it is a projection of a wall. And like a physical wall, the more it is hit, the weaker it becomes. Seeing this, Kirito ingrains his will into his attack as much as he can. Thirteen, fourteen, fifteen, the final hit… The Night-Sky is thrust towards the cracked walls, slowly making its way through as Kirito yells through the flashes of lighting and the drums of thunder. Jaymes grits his teeth as he tries to hold Kirito at bay.

"K-Kirito!"

"Jaymes!"

Their wills, equal in measure, cancel out, exploding out and knocking both of them to the ground. Grunting, Kirito feels his head ringing and stares up at the black clouds, letting the rain plopped on him. His body feels worse than it did against Vecta, and he lost limbs in that fight. Groaning, he leans up, gasping as he sees Jaymes already on his knees. He tries getting back up, but his legs go limp and drop him back on the wet earth.

"Pathetic. Guess you lose this time, fair and square." Those furious orbs lock on to Kirito, and he holds a hand up and charges a heat element in the air above him. "Arcfire!" A sizable ball of fire is generated and homes down on Kirito. Instinctively he forms his barrier again and expands it to counter the fireball, but his physical exhaustion catches up with his mental strength and weakens the shield until it breaks and lets the fireball through.

But it never reaches Kirito as the earth in front of Kirito is raised and takes the impact. Shielding his face from the wet debris, Kirito takes a breath of relief as his partner and love appear in front of him. "Asuna."

She pants, and he sees lightning crackle on the soles of her feet. "Made it... You okay?"

"Yeah..."

"And Jaymes?"

"His mind is still trapped. He doesn't know he's here in the Underworld, I think, and the world his mind is trapped in is Aincrad. And he thinks we killed Koharu."

"...Like your dream?"

Kirito nods as he stands up, nursing his throbbing abdomen. "Yes. Just like that dream."

"And why are you fighting him?"

"Primus...claimes to have our friends. Yui, Suguha, and the others, somehow by using Medina's power and Joshua's memories… Wait, how are you here?"

"I had a feeling something was wrong and followed it." Asuna looks in Jaymes' direction, seeing him stand in place, his Incarnation-made weapons at the ready. "Let's finish this."

"What?"

"It's clear you're not going to fight him to win. Of course, you never have." Asuna raises her sword, fixating her gaze on Jaymes. "But if we want to save him... We have to fight him. To save Joshua, we have to fight him, Kazuto." Kirito glances at Asuna, understanding her words. She may be right, he may have held back just a bit. Jaymes is not holding back, and Asuna will not hold back. Taking a deep breath, he holds his black and sky blue swords.

"O-Okay. Let's save him." Kirito and Asuna step forward. Jaymes glares emotionlessly at his friends as they approach and surround him. Asuna dashes forward, moving at a speed quicker than Kirito ever has, and reappears at Jaymes' sword side. He almost lost track of her too, barely able to react as she thrusts the purplish-pink glowing Sword of the Creator forward, initiating Linear on his Incarnate Shield. Kirito swings in on Jaymes' right side, eliminating the red warrior's offense completely with the Blue Rose.

"Jaymes! Stop this! You know your memory is untrue!"

"..."

"Primus, Eva, Stella, and Noxium are manipulating you! Trust Kirito and me!"

He grits his teeth and lashes out at Asuna. "Maybe you're manipulating me! Why would I trust you, someone who's been insufferable since the day we met? We should've let you die in that cave!"

That statement again snaps something in Kirito's head as he roars, swinging his black blade down. Jaymes leaps back, but the tip of the Night Sky grazes him. Asuna's quick on her feet, thrusting with precise strokes. Only Jaymes' shield saves him from those strikes. She seems to be intentionally targeting it, though. Asuna signals silently for a switch, not that Jaymes wouldn't recognize that signal as the expert of partnerships, yet he's caught off guard when Kirito jumps in.

"Hiyahhh!" He slams both blades on the shield, pouring all of the will he has remaining into that strike. Amazingly, the shield shatters, and the two blades slam flat-side against Jaymes. He flies off his feet and rolls on the ground, but Asuna doesn't give him a chance to breathe as she's upon him again. Her quick flurries are met by the Incarnate Sword, but Jaymes is getting hurt with his slowed reactions. Using the warrior's exhaustion against him, Asuna's speedy sword attacks in tandem with the ability to manipulate the earth keep him off balance. She drives him off the ground, but she gives herself some airtime by using the earth as a spring. After a flash of lightning, she soars right over him and cocking her sword back at shoulder-level.

"Mother Rosario!" The dark sky illuminates purple as five quick strikes knock Jaymes down to the ground with great impact, She drops down after him, thrusting and swinging her sword quickly while drawing the fight back towards the manor. With a roar, Asuna's fourteenth and final strike impales Jaymes and sends him on a collision course with the wall of the outer gate of Medina's home...

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Kirito saunters to the shattered gate, seeing Medina and Ilia walk out of the manor safe and sound, but he raises his hand to stop them. He returns his gaze to Asuna as she stands over Jaymes, her sword at his chin, her eyes blinking back tears as best she can hold them. "Stop this, Joshua. Come back to your senses! In what world would Kazuto and I betray you, that we'd come after you and Koharu? No, in what world would you kill anyone to defend her when she's alive? Sure, you've come close many times and I did not blame you if you did and when you did go orange, but you never would do anything like that, especially if it would make her cry!"

"T…"

"And for what truthfully happened, when you did kill to avenge her...she forgave you. She understood, we all did. When it comes to SAO, or even our time together up until now, neither you, me, or Kazuto are innocent. But no matter what, we've stuck together. The three of us." Asuna lowers her blade and kneels as she reaches out to Jaymes, taking hold of his face. "When you and Koharu invite me and Kirito to your party at Tolbana, the night we spent at Kirito's rented space, the day we beat Illfang, when I lost my sword, when we spent six floors with Kizmel and Mito, when we went our separate ways afterward, when Koharu was murdered, when we reunited as a trio to solve the murder mystery, when we took down Laughing Coffin together, when we fought Gleam Eyes, and when we beat Heathcliff… That's the SAO that happened. Not whatever the First Children showed you."

"Tro…"

"You and Kirito came for me in old ALO and during the Ordinal Scale incident, we came for you in the fake GGO server, and we came for Kirito here in the Underworld. We had an adventure in Jotumheim, we met Yuuki, and we met Premiere in Sword Art Origin. You and I compete against each other in school because we're too stubborn to let the other be the better. We have friends we cherish back home, too. Ryoutarou, Keiko, Shino, Andrew, Kotone, Suguha, Nijika, Rika...and now Koharu. Whatever danger you believed she was in, and whatever you've thought happened that you have to protect her, it's not true. She's safe, she's alive, and we're not betraying-"

Kirito's body lurches him forward as he sees a flicker of a blackened blade off Jaymes' right hand. "Asuna!"

"Trojan Horse!" Kirito grabs Asuna, but he's too late to save them both as Jaymes slashes them both with a new Incarnate Sword covered with a black aura. With Trojan Horse's added attack power. Asuna yelps as the blade rip through her chest while Kirito's left arm is severed at the shoulder. Kirito grabs Asuna with his right arm and drops down to his knee, holding her and glancing back up at Jaymes as he approaches and picks up Asuna's sword. Kirito hears Medina call for Jaymes, but once more he halts the Underworlders from approaching as he glances at Jaymes.

"...If you're going to kill us, do it. I won't hold it against you, not now, not when I cannot remember it when we wake up in our world. And when you come back to your true self, don't feel guilty, it wasn't you who did it. No matter what, I'm still your best friend, and you are mine. But, whatever you do next, you have to save them."

Jaymes pauses, holding the false sword in a thrusting stance. "Save who?"

"Primus and his siblings...they have Rika and the others. Somehow they're all back. You have to same."

"...Rika?" Just for a moment, Jaymes hesitates, his eyes flickering. For a moment, the mentioning of his second closest companion and former lover seems to bring Jaymes back, but the moment passes as his eyes return to their bloody color. Kirito closes his eyes and turns his back to Jaymes, holding Asuna to his chest. He hears her harshed, fearful breathing, the soft vibrations of sword skill, and the following piercing of flesh...yet he feels no pain, nor sees a sword running through him and Asuna. His eyes jet towards Medina and Ilia, but Ilia's still in place. That means…

"Sc… Scarlet…"

Asuna's weakened voice answers him. "Medina?" Kirito turns his head, seeing the redhead girl stand between them and Jaymes, her abdomen pierced by the Incarnate Sword. At the same time, her Mirage Blade glows red while penetrating Jaymes. He stares forward as his assailant, frozen in place.

Though he cannot see her, he can tell she's crying as her voice breaks. "Jaymes... Come back..."