Our Bond

by JohnKarterSlade

They never meant to end up like this. Kirito, a former pariah turned a hollow husk after the disaster of SAO. Quinella, a girl whose ambition turned her into a monster. Although enemies at first, a misfortunate set of events will force them to work together if they hope to protect the world they came to love. And maybe, just maybe, together they shall mend their scars.

1. The Turns of Fate

Hey everyone, Slade here.

Welcome to my fist story! Damn, I have been on this platform for way too long and it wasn't until recently that I came up with a story to share. Regardless, here we are, in a SAO fic nonetheless!

A bit of a warning before we dig in: this is an AU in which all but the most important events in the original SAO timeline have been heavily modified. Therefore, keep in mind that this isn't exactly the same Kirito as in canon. This might be quite confusing at the start, but rest assured, I will try my best to describe throughout the story the important landmarks on this "new timeline".

Without further ado, enjoy the first chapter of [Our Bond]!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online nor the characters; heavens forbid that destiny.

---

Chapter 1: [The Turns of Fate]

85th Floor, the Cloudtop Garden. Central Cathedral.

24th day of the 5th month ~ 14:40 hrs.

"How curious…" I mumbled in awe, watching the peculiar but pleasant 85th floor of the Central Cathedral. Weren't for the giant walls restricting the place, I would have sworn that I was in the middle of a beautiful forest lost in the wilderness of Norlangarth; the soft grass and soil beneath my feet, the soft aroma of the flowers… heck, there was even breeze inside the floor.

However, my attention was elsewhere entirely, most specifically at the olive tree at the hilltop placed at the middle of the entire floor… or rather the person who sat at the shadow of said tree.

Alice Synthesis Thirty, the Integrity Knight that brought us here in the first place.

She was a girl roughly around my age with blue eyes and golden hair, the latter reaching below her waist. She was wearing a cobalt blue dress underneath a full set of golden armor minus the helmet, accompanied by a cape of the same color of her dress.

"There seems to be no one else around," I commented, taking a step forward while analyzing my surroundings with a confidence I actually did not feel at all. "At least we are not going to face several Knights this time..."

I glanced at my right. There I was met with a boy of my age with green eyes and a brown hair so light that I could swear he was blond. He was wearing a blue outfit similar to my own, though mine was black.

He was Eugeo, my brother-in-arms. His eyes were entirely glued to the beautiful yet dangerous girl that awaited us at the hill.

"You ready?" I asked. He, in the other hand, nodded absentmindedly. His expression reflected anxiety and fear in the same proportions, though I could swear that there was a glint of sadness on his eyes. A shaky hand of his reached instinctively to the necklace hidden beneath his clothes, as if doing so would ease his nerves.

"Focus, Eugeo" I warned my partner, shaking him out of his thoughts. "There is no need to remind you of how dangerous she is, is it?"

"O-of course not!" he stammered, his hand reaching for Blue Rose. "Is just…" he diverted his gaze to the side, downcast.

"I know," I reassured him, giving him a pat on the back. "But remember, this is for her own good, whether she likes it or not."

"Y-yeah!"

I gave him a reassuring smile, though I was aware that my eyes were reflecting something else entirely.

We only have one last dagger, my smile faltered, my attention back on the girl. We must take her out of commission without the dagger or else we would have to find another way to bring down Administrator.

"Don't hold back," I said sternly, drawing my dark sword. "Right now, she is our enemy. By now, it is more likely for her to kill us instead of apprehending us, so keep that in mind whenever you strike."

Eugeo frowned, his expression downcast. However, when I looked at his eyes, I could discern a raging fire in his gaze.

This fire grew and surfaced the moment he released Blue Rose from its scabbard, following me to the base of the hill without missing a beat. You clearly are something else, Eugeo, I smiled internally.

I sighed silently, my mind drifting away for a second. Yes, I have seen those eyes before. However, his were similar yet entirely different from those I saw in the past.

Except… for that single time…

I cursed in a whisper, bringing me back to the present. There was no use to dwell in the past, not anymore.

However, as I was approaching one of the deadliest warriors in Underworld with just a sword and a single friend by my side, I couldn't help but wonder when I got myself in this mess of a world.

It wasn't hard to recall the memory.

---

The "Real World".

June 24th ~ 13:00 hrs.

"I thought I was clear last time, Kikuoka," I reached for my drink on the table, tapping my fingers on the ceramic of the cup. "Without further details, I am out."

I ignored the "friendly" smile said man gave me, drinking the coffee despite it was already hot. I minded not, I was too used to hot drinks anyway.

"Come on, Kirito!" "Kazuto," I quickly corrected him, giving him a glare. "Kazuto. You know I can't reveal much in public…"

"Even in your office you were quite vague," I replied with nonchalance. "Though, to be honest, I am not disappointed. I wasn't expecting much information when you called me here anyway."

"Yet you came," was his counter, still with a "playful" demeanor.

"Can't pass free drinks and cake, can I?" I smirked, taking another sip. "And, who knows, perhaps you do come here with a more tempting offer?"

"A full scholarship in whatever university isn't enough?"

"Funny, I thought I was pretty blatant with our last meeting about it," I shrugged. "A scholarship means very little to me. It is, after all, a means to an end that is not hard to find around."

His smile cracked, apparently running out of patience.

"It seems I must remind you that the last job I took from you was something personal, Kikuoka," I continued. "Xaxa and his miserable brother were dealt with just because we had some story behind. Unless any of your little 'jobs' have anything to do with Black or PoH, then hardly you will catch my attention with such a vague description of this… 'game' of yours."

Finally, my words were able to shatter that cheap friendly disguise of him. Gone was the smile, replaced by a deep frown.

"Kazuto, this opportunity I am offering you is one of its kind."

"So did Kayaba promise," I took a bite of my dessert, still unimpressed. "We both know how well that ended up."

"This is far greater than what Kayaba did!"

"Oh, and that doesn't sound ominous."

"Enough!" He finally burst, tilting himself forward. "I have been too lenient with you Kazuto. Too lenient. I offer you not only a full scholarship, but a whole new world for you to live and explore! And yet you react with this spoiled attitude, almost like if all the world was in debt with you! You should be practically begging to be part of project Alicization…!"

He knew he fucked up in his speech the moment a large smirk crossed my face.

"Heh, I knew you was desperate, but never I thought you would be this desperate. Though, that was to be expected when you approached a child to deal with Death Gun some months ago," I chuckled, resting my head on my hand. "Project Alicization you say, huh. It is funny how this kind of 'spoiled' behavior of mine often force people to expose their intentions, isn't it? Therefore, let me offer you something: we both drop our facades and actually bargain as grown-ups, deal?"

I did not offer my hand, fully aware of his answer.

"Just, what is the correct price of yours… Kazuto Kirigaya?"

---

85th Floor, the Cloudtop Garden. Central Cathedral.

15:00 hrs.

The battle was a lost cause from the beginning. Alice, Eugeo and I were battling fiercely, us two barely able to keep our heads attached to our necks. Despite Eugeo claimed this girl was her friend in Rulid, she proved to be the toughest Integrity Knight we faced, even surpassing Fanatio's —their vice commander— prowess in combat.

I barely dodged a torrent of flowers that tore the ground I was standing at into pieces. I growled deeply, already losing my patience.

This would be easier if I went all out with my Ace in the Hole, I bit my lip in apprehension, trying to control my respiration. Yet, doing so would exhaust me, and there are still over ten floors before reaching top.

"Kirito, now what?" Eugeo asked me, panting heavily. "We can't keep this any longer."

"I know!" I growled. "I am on it!"

Though my words hinted there was a plan brewing in my mind, that wasn't the case. In all honesty, I had no idea how to defeat a foe far superior in any aspect. Alice was stronger, faster, her Perfect Weapon Control was more powerful, and she must have more experience than us…

Wait a second… experience…

A smile spread on my lips, one that grew even bigger each second.

Now I did have plan.

"Hey partner…" Eugeo turned to face me. "I got an idea."

I told him hastily what I just came up with. Eugeo blinked several times, staring at me as if another head grew on my neck.

"Kirito, that's the most stupid plan I have ever heard of in my entire life," he smiled weakly, clearly unsure. "Fine, I'll do it. Just… what's the meaning of that sentence in Sacred Tongue?"

"Ah, nothing you should worry about," I shrugged. "It has no real meaning… at least in this situation. Just do as I told you once you hear it."

We stood up once more, Alice patiently waiting for us to head straight at our deaths.

"Are done talking?" she clicked her tongue in disappointment. "How long do you plan to continue with this nonsense, fiends?" she asked with a frown, pointing Osmanthus at us. "It's useless to resist even further."

"Tired of us already?" I joked with a small smile. "I must admit, Alice Synthesis Thirty, you have cornered us unlike any other foe before. Even that arrogant knight at the Rose Garden failed, and at the time we were unarmed…"

"Careful with your words, fiend," Alice tone turned icy cold. "I won't tolerate some low creature as yourself to disgrace my apprentice's name in my presence."

"… Yet, whenever an animal is cornered," I disregarded her threat entirely, "you might be surprised on how unpredictable they might get. So, answer me a single question, Alice Synthesis Thirty…

"How desperate, do you really think I am?"

At first, Alice stared at me unimpressed, but shortly after the last word of my sentence escaped my lips, her eyes widened in surprise ever-so-slightly.

Despite I couldn't see what exactly caused this Integrity Knight to lose her composure for a split second, I knew exactly what happened.

In the blink of an eye, my whole body flared with a dark glow. I couldn't see it, not without a mirror, but I knew it was there.

After all, it erupted at my command.

Capitalizing on that distraction, I lunged forward with my sword at the ready. To her credit, Alice recovered immediately and was already preparing a counterattack using her flowers.

Just as I was expecting.

"TAKE THIS!" I roared at the top of my lungs, grabbing my nameless sword with both hands from the hilt. Then, using all my strength, I threw it straight at her. While it was airborne, the dark sword glowed with a dark-purplish light before speeding far more than what it was supposed to in the first place.

Alice widened her eyes, surprised once again by the sudden dark glow. She sidestepped the flying weapon just in time, the tip of my sword scratching her chest plate. Despite I just lost my only physical weapon, this second distraction was enough to break Alice's focus and dismiss her Perfect Weapon Control Art.

"System Call! Generate Light Element…!" I chanted between my teeth the fastest way possible without mispronouncing the art. White shiny orbs glowed from the tips of my fingers, indicating that I successfully completed the spell. "Discharge!"

At the same time, Alice was just recovering her footing while turning violently to find out my current position. However, that proved to be a severe mistake when my Sacred Art caused a flare of light similar to a flashbang. I covered my eyes and looked away in the last moment, diving and sliding into the ground.

Alice wasn't that lucky.

She screamed in pain, losing her footing thanks to burst of light. Though blinded and disoriented, the blonde girl instinctively slashed forward, barely missing me.

While I was sliding on the grass, I dug my hand as deep as I could in the soil beneath, grabbing as much as I could. Once I finished my slide, I stood up in a swift motion and backpedaled to avoid a new attack from the disoriented girl. Her eyes tried to keep themselves wide open to find me despite the burning feeling in her corneas. Without missing a beat, I threw the dirt I just picked up at her eyes the moment I noticed this detail.

I was lucky again, and all the dirt flew straight to her unprotected eyes.

Once again, she screamed, bringing up a hand to wipe the dust away. However, because her gloves were made of metal, she couldn't scratch her eyes correctly. "You, filthy dog!" she cried in irritation, swinging Osmanthus wildly. "How you dare to call yourself a swordsman!"

"Says the one who fell for such a stupid, lame, and cheap trick in the first place!"

Alice growled in anger, striking once more with her blade. I dodged most of her attacks, some of them actually making slight cuts on my clothes but nothing harmful.

Ah, the magic of taunting your opponents.

"As I said, how desperate do you really think I am?" I taunted once more, standing right in front of a pillar that was close to the edge of the floor. "You, in the other hand, seem quite flustered, my dear…"

"SHUT UP!" she roared, swinging once more. My smile only grew, I finally made her lose her composure.

The strike, while powerful, was easy for me to dodge again. This time, Alice struck the pillar behind me, almost destroying it entirely. I winced a bit, knowing that the impact would surely leave her with her back aching for days.

However, saving my skin and Eugeo's was far more important.

"｢Get Good｣, girl!" I mocked her in English, shouting those words as hard as my lungs could.

And, before any of you judge me from my choice of words, I had to make things up on the fly and this was the first thing that came to my mind. Some bad habits die hard…

Alice returned her attention to me, clearly unamused. She released her flowers once more, ready to terminate me. Before she could strike, a barrage of ice quickened from Eugeo's position. She reacted quickly, using the flowers to clear the attack before it connected.

"I will make you pay, both of you!" she growled at Eugeo, who was closing the distance.

Just before she sent a new attack, some movement at the corner of her eye caught her attention. Her eyes darted away when a blur of black zipped past her full speed. Tracking the movement with her eyes, she realized that the flying object landed on my right hand smoothly a second later.

"Don't forget about me~" Alice stared incredulously at me and my glowing sword, her movements clearly slowing down by confusion and shock.

I lost no time, striking with my recovered sword at hers. Alice dispelled her Enhance Armament, facing me head on. The moment wood and metal clashed, our blades lightened with dark and golden fire, respectively. Alice and I pushed against each other for a whole second, sparks of different colors fling around us.

"I-impossible...!" stumbling backwards, Alice tried to recover herself but to little avail. "I thought I was imagining things… but you… how… how is your Incarnation…?"

"Impressed?" I grunted, trying to not lose my balance. Despite my best attempts, I couldn't break the lock. "I spent a whole year and a half solely perfecting it, and it seems yours isn't that strong, girly."

The ground beneath us trembled, the force behind the clash of willpower shattering it slightly. I panted slightly; this was costing me too much energy. I had to end this now.

I poured more Incarnation to my blade, the dark flames suddenly consuming the gold ones. Alice shrieked, but it was too late. My final push of Incarnation sent both of us in opposite directions with a mighty explosion.

Alice took the worst of it.

While I just flew a couple of meters, Alice's body rocketed through the pilar, shattering entirely, before embedding her on the wall behind, cracking it.

"The dagger, now!" I yelled at my partner just as my back painfully met the floor.

A blur of blue ran beside me in a straight line. It was Eugeo, who ran as fast as his legs could carry him. On his right hand was the only object that could put an end to this fight without bloodshed: a single dagger.

Despite the pain, I smiled.

The plan had worked perfectly. Be it a perfect execution or sheer dumb luck, it didn't matter. Alice was defeated.

A part of me sighed internally at the loss of the last dagger. We had wasted one already, all because our promise towards Cardinal of no casualties; this one should have been spent to defeat the Administrator.

However, as much as I hated to admit, Alice wouldn't be taken down by normal means. I was sure that if Fanatio had enough strength to break through an ice prison, so did Alice. This was the only shot we had to defeat her, and I was also aware that Eugeo would rather die before missing a chance to recovering his childhood friend.

Unfortunately, I was unaware that I overlooked a tiny detail.

In my stupid, reckless, and desperate stunt I just pulled off, I forgot about a little but essential detail. We were at the 85th floor, hundreds of meters away from the ground. Although we were not stupidly far from the ground, at these heights there was a clear difference of pressure in the air.

And, if by accident, a single wall of the Cathedral was suddenly broken by a violent impact…

I never saw it coming, and neither did Eugeo.

Just as he was about to reach her, the wall suddenly… exploded.

My blood froze, my face turning pale as a corpse: Alice and Eugeo got sucked out of the building due to the change of pressure on the building.

I frantically scrambled up, finding extremely hard to breath. I ran, almost tripping twice until I finally got to the edge of the building.

"E-Eugeo!" I howled through the hole I just made, staring downwards. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck! Eugeo!"

My nails dug into the white stone of the walls while I tried to peak, the air making it difficult to see.

What have I done? I lamented on my mind. All I could see was Centoria far below.

"EUGEO!" I shouted as strong as my lungs could, desperately looking for him in the exterior walls. I had to try. I had to.

A shuffling sound behind me caught my attention, and I watched in horror how the bits blown from the cathedral's wall were trying to reassemble the structure.

No… no… this can't be! I thought in despair. Not this way, not this way!

I shoot one last glance, my eyes searching as fast as they could. Just when I was going to retreat to the interior before the debris pushed me, I caught sight of blond hair and blue robes, and a golden armor just below him.

Then, I had to jump back to the eightieth floor before the marble wall restored once more, becoming a solid structure as if there never was a collision of two swords blazing with Incarnation. I panted heavily; my eyes wide open while my mind tried to regain control of my sore body.

"He's alive… Eugeo is alive…" I muttered, tears threatening to fall.

---

"YOU IDIOT! YOU IDIOT! YOU IDIOT! YOU IDIOT" I smashed the ground beneath me, over and over again. "YOU IDIOT!" I punched it once more, ignoring the blast of pain.

I had been cursing myself for five minutes straight, trying to release my frustration, fury, hatred, and guilt by breaking my hands with the floor.

Despite that, I was relieved beyond words that Eugeo was alive, that's all that mattered me. He might be hanging from the building, but alive. There was still a chance to rescue him and bring him back to the Cathedral.

If Eugeo was with Alice down there, then maybe both could try to blast an opening again to re-enter to another floor. Or maybe they could be too reckless and try to climb all the way to an upper floor where they could possibly find an opening to get inside. Or maybe the opposite and descend in order to find a similar place.

The chances he could made it out were slim, but it was not impossible.

Giving one last heavy sigh and cursing myself, I was finally able to stand up. Both of my hands ached, but I felt the pain well earned. I then proceeded to think about the situation I was in, and a single question popped on my mind:

"Shall I continue?" I wondered out loud, looking at the stairs that headed to the next floors.

Right until now, Eugeo and I were able to defeat most Integrity Knights by teamwork and using both our Perfect Weapon Control Arts —save from Deusolbert and Eldrie— in order to gain the upper hand in each encounter.

But, right now, I still had fifteen more floors to climb, and all by myself. Sure, there might not be more than another one or two Integrity Knights and the Administrator left. However, I found no solace on the idea. Nor can I expect any sort of aid from Cardinal, since the last dagger she made was with Eugeo out there, if the weapon hadn't fell already to Centoria below.

Still there is no point in returning to the previous floors. I mused, scratching my chin in a thoughtful expression. I would only waste time. And if I stay here waiting for Eugeo, another enemy might just appear as well, I growled in frustration, cursing between my teeth. "This is a terrible and stupid idea… but the only one left."

Be safe out there, Eugeo.

I sheathed my dark sword and headed straight to the next floor, all the while I was preparing myself for whatever craziness might just come into my way in the following hour or so.

---

90th Floor, the Big Bath. Central Cathedral.

16:00 hrs.

If it weren't for the fact that I just saw a whole realistic garden ten floors below, I would without a doubt be surprised by this place, I deadpanned. Bad enough was to my sanity that I had to fight for my life in another 100-floor building (though way smaller in scale), and now I am supposed to fight another Integrity Knight in giant freaking bath?

To top it at all, said Integrity Knight was taking a nice and calm bath on the hot water. Even when I stepped inside, he barely spared me a glance before ignoring me entirely.

Alarms blared on my mind the moment the eyes of the man briefly locked onto me. Not even the most arrogant warrior would act this carelessly when an enemy casually strolled into your base, catching you unarmored and unarmed. He, however, seemed entirely unpreoccupied, almost as if he just saw a small child enter the room while carrying a toy sword.

This guy was unlike the knights before, that I knew for sure.

Eventually the man rose from the waters, covering himself with a blue bathrobe. Now that I could see him better, I noticed that he was easily the tallest human I have ever seen both in Underworld and in the Real World. He easily was about two meters tall, his broad shoulders and muscular build only highlighting how massive this man was. On the other hand, his face was fitting of a man in his forties: marked by the time yet still full of energy.

His blue eyes stared at me with curiosity and intrigue. Perhaps he was surprised someone of my age managed to get all the way up here and still be in one piece.

"I believe I have made you wait long enough; thank you for not attacking me while bathing by the way," the man spoke rather cheerfully, something that confused me a bit. "What's your name, young man?"

"Elite swordsman trainee Kirito, though I guess the pleasure must be mine," I replied, meeting his gaze. Despite I wasn't the politest person in the world (be the real one or Underworld), I made an exception with this guy. He certainly gave some aura that demanded respect, something that I found odd, since no other Integrity Knight gave me this feeling. "And you are…?"

"Bercouli Synthesis One, Commander of the Integrity Knights," he answered.

So that's why his presence is this strong… I realized, biting my lip.

To my surprise, he recovered his sword using Incarnation, just as I did with the battle against Alice. That made me ten times more cautious around him. "Before we begin, I must ask you something kiddo."

"Shoot," I replied without missing a beat, my sword ready.

"Well…" judging by his stance, he felt awkward while speaking. "The vice commander, Fanatio, is she dead?"

Ah, I see… I chuckled silently, not taking my eyes away from my opponent.

"She is alive, and right now she's being healed," I answered honestly. "If I must guess, she must be your apprentice, isn't it?"

"Indeed," the man raised an eyebrow, seemingly surprised by my deduction. "How could you tell?"

"Well, it is not that hard to guess," I replied with a shrug. "You are, after all, named after numbers… Synthesis Two and Synthesis One… Also, you only bothered to ask for her; so rather she is your apprentice or your lover, or even both," he flinched after hearing the last part, leaving me smiling even more. "So, both it is…"

"It's complicated…" now I was rather amused by his reaction. "Still, we aren't here to discuss those topics."

"Unfortunate. I got the feeling you and I could get along pretty well given the opportunity," and I… oddly meant it. Who was this guy?

Having said that, both of us readied our stances, Bercouli holding his sword high above his head while I opted for the Vorpal Strike position. "No way I can convince you to simply let me pass through, commander?"

"Could be, but I have my orders kiddo."

There goes the diplomacy… again…

Then, with a grin of mine, I sprinted straight to the Integrity Knight.

While I was running, I noticed something that made me frown, Bercouli slashed the air just in front of him far before I was able to reach him. Not only it was unusual, but it was also a risky unnecessary move that could cost him the victory or even his life.

Is he too cocky? No, he doesn't seem like an average noble. Then it must be…

Just when I felt that something fishy was happening, I saw in the air just ahead a queer blur where he slashed the air.

"A trap!" I couldn't help but scream, forcing myself to fall onto the ground to stop before I could hit the blurry silhouette. Luckily Bercouli made his move too soon, giving me enough time to cancel my attack before activating my Sword Skill. However, even then I ended too close to him, about three meters (or mels as they are called in Underworld).

Letting out a sigh of relief, I stood up once more while Bercouli just kept staring at me, his expression not giving any information about what his thoughts were.

"Impressive, you managed to notice my Time Slash and successfully prevented yourself to fall in it even if you were sprinting at me," he said, his confident grin vanishing for a second. "I might have underestimated you, even though I was willing to go all out from the beginning."

"'Time Slash'?" I repeated with incredulous eyes. "Did you actually cut time itself?"

"My sword was made from a divine clock, so I am able to manipulate time using it."

"Please tell me you can't travel back in time," I groaned, asking myself why the hell did Kikuoka inserted the 'Perfect Weapon Control' and 'Sacred Art' mechanic to this world to begin with. "Believe me, that would complicate things for you and me more than solving them."

"Easy there, my sword can't make such a feat," nonetheless, he smiled, "but I can still interact with the past."

This. Sucks.

I cursed myself, my mind inevitably thinking about how much Eugeo would be helpful in this encounter. Moreover, I would bet my leg his Enhanced Armament and his Sacred Arts could give him the opportunity to defeat Bercouli all by himself.

I shrugged, readying my stance once more to engage Bercouli, wondering if I would have to use fully my Ace in the Hole.

I know I have no right to complain, but Eugeo must have it easier out there. With that last thought, I ran straight at Bercouli.

---

Exterior walls of the Central Cathedral.

At the same time:

Eugeo let out a loud sneeze, one that almost made him lose his balance. He quickly recovered himself, trying to ignore the vertigo he just felt.

He and Alice were climbing the exterior walls for forty minutes or so. Eugeo already felt tired having to carry both his weight and the blonde knight's, despite they barely made any advance in the ascent. Said girl did not help much with her stubbornness and negativity against the poor boy, who did the impossible to not let them fall to oblivion.

This little incident just worsened things.

"What in Stacia's name was that?!" Alice complained once more, something that aggravated Eugeo's nerves. "You could have killed both of us, idiot!"

Believe it or not, Alice was lucky to be in this situation with Eugeo. If Kirito was the one who fell from the Cathedral with her, he would have lost patience long ago and would have lashed Alice with every insult known to mankind only to silence her and let him do his job.

Eugeo, in the other hand, simply sighed, whined, and cursed mentally.

Why is this happening to me? Wondered the blue clad blond with a whimper, just wanting to finally get to floor ninety-five and end this nightmare. I know Kirito must be fighting another Knight by himself, but he must have it easier inside there.

---

90th Floor, the Big Bath. Central Cathedral.

16:15 hrs.

As I was about to charge at once again Bercouli, our fight was interrupted by a loud sneeze of mine that sounded as loud as an explosion. Even Bercouli was surprised by it, hesitating whether or not it was only a distraction.

"Damn it Eugeo," I said accidentally out loud with a frown while retreating, "this better not be you complaining about me…"

We were fighting for several minutes already… or most accurately I spent the last minutes trying to even scratch this guy's robes while I kept accumulating cuts on my clothes and minor ones on my skin. He was a real swordsman after all, and he was as old as the Administrator if I had to guess. I could resort to my Ace in the Hole, but I hadn't seen any clear opportunity so far.

"Eugeo? Is that your partner?" the Integrity Knight commander asked, his grip on his sword loosening slightly. "I was told there were two of you."

"Yeah…" I nonchalantly replied, noticing his brief distraction.

"Did he…"

"NO!" I interrupted him abruptly, making him raise an eyebrow. I cursed between my teeth. I should have kept my mouth shut dammit. Composing myself, I replied calmly: "He is still alive."

Bercouli watched me quizzically, before he spoke once more.

"Then he's fighting Alice I suppose," he mused, "I should have guessed it, there is no way that the young lady would lose without putting a good fight. Though I am curious, how did you managed to slip through her?"

His brief distraction got my attention. It was something strange for him to lower his guard with this talk. Perhaps he is fond of Alice. That explains why he talks so highly of her. Hmm, I wonder if I can use this to my advantage…

"The thought came to my mind in our fight, but no, I did not slip away like a coward. But you are correct, she and Eugeo are some floors below busy with… another issue."

"Issue?" Bercouli frowned.

"Don't worry much about it. Eugeo and Alice are completely fine. Turns out, they are childhood friends!" I quickly dismissed it, confusing the knight even more.

"We Knights…"

"Don't give me any of that," I pointed at him accusatorily. "I am sure that you, the oldest of Integrity Knights, have noticed that some details Administrator gave you doesn't add up, don't you?" Bercouli expression went blank. "Anyway, as I was saying, Eugeo and Alice are too busy right now. As we speak, they might be reconnecting after all these years they haven't see each other. It was such a wonderful sight to see them sharing personal stuff…" my grin darkened. "Though I believe them hanging from the edge of the Cathedral can't be called a date."

"What?!" Bercouli gazed at me incredulous, his mind trying to process my words and his hand accidentally leaving the sword's handle for a split second. If was brief, a mistake so minimal that shouldn't have mattered much…

To me, it was the greatest opening I had.

"Enhance Armament!" I screamed, raising my sword while it blazed with dark-purplish energy before increasing its range to ridiculous proportions. With an upward slash, I cut through the floor sending the debris straight to an unready Bercouli. The water inside the pools splashed all around the place due to the force of my strike, increasing the amount of mist inside the room. Just after finishing my move, I ran towards my opponent.

"System Call! Generate Umbral Element…!" I chanted almost in a whisper, preparing my second strike. "Discharge!"

Then, what looked like a fuzzy and cheap afterimage of myself materialized in front of me, the double moving straight into the Integrity Knight.

Now I truly regret not spending more time in my System Control stat… I thought with a little embarrassment, looking at my terrible clone. Hope this one would do…

The mist blocked my sight, and the floor was slippery with all the water around, but I did not relent on my charge. The sounds of Bercouli's sword parring my Perfect Weapon Control and the debris propelled at him were the only clue I had left for his location. The floor fragments, which were fired as bullets, should have kept him distracted enough for my strategy to work.

Just in front of me, I watched my Umbra Clone be cut down by Bercouli's sword. The mist should have prevented him from noticing the illusion, leaving me a clear opening from his right.

I appeared from his blind spot, ready to finish the battle on my next move. His eyes widened when my double vanished. His instincts might have kicked in immediately because he began to move his sword towards my direction.

It wasn't fast enough.

"Sonic Leap!" I screamed, sending the Sword Skill in an angle where I was sure his 'time pierce' wouldn't affect me. The commander tried to counter, but there wasn't much he could do anyway. Using my skill, I quickly pushed his own blade aside with enough force to send it flying. Without missing a beat, I tackled him into the ground using the slippery floor at my advantage, me somehow not following suit.

Bercouli tried to stand, but he quickly faced my blazing sword pointed to his throat. One wrong move and I would use my Incarnation to increase the length of the sword. "It's over…"

To my surprise, Bercouli sighed before flashing a small smile.

"I guess you are right kiddo…" he replied, closing his eyes in surrender. "I actually lost in an honest duel against someone that might not have even a tenth of my age… I should train more often."

"You aren't a sore loser claiming that I tricked you to lower your guard, how odd," I said with a smile of my own. Though I won't call this win entirely clean… Bah, it's a win anyway.

"It was my fault; I shouldn't have underestimated you and made a poor decision as to loosen my grip."

"I told you we would have got along just perfectly in other circumstances," I joked, and he chuckled. I truly like this guy.

However, business is business, and I had to fulfil my part. I dropped my smile, my eyes turning cold for a second. "If I try to keep moving forward, would you still try to stop me? Or must I resort to the unpleasant alternative?"

"I don't see the point of doing so. I loss and a second encounter might be just the same or even worse. I was instructed to try and capture you and I already tried," his friendly tone was gone too. "Besides, it seems you aren't as evil as the Pontifex claimed you to be."

I quirked an eyebrow. "Explain yourself."

"I swore my loyalty to her Eminence centuries ago," he explained with a bitter smile. "And I would do anything to keep it. However," his eyes blazed with resolve. "Above all, I have sworn to protect my men and the Human Empire. I don't know why you are here, boy; but if you not only spared my subordinates, but also sent my own apprentice to be healed, then I can hardly imagine you have nefarious motives."

"I don't know, I am no saint to begin with. Besides, I can't just believe that you can trust a stranger blindly, pal."

"I do not trust you, kiddo. You proved to be quite cunning and sly after all. However, what I am trying to say is…" his expression made me shake a little, feeling I was watched by a giant lion. "Whatever you are trying to do… do not doom the Human Empire."

"I understand…" I replied evenly. He might be my enemy, but his personality made it almost impossible to feel any hatred at him at all. Scratch it, he was a completely cool dude.

Sadly, this world won't last any longer, Bercouli.

"I will try to," I lied. "I have a question for you, Bercouli Synthesis One," he nodded. "Is there a floor upstairs or downstairs in which you can gain access to the Cathedral from the outside? Like a balcony or something?"

"Well… the Morning Star Lookout five floors above has no walls," he seemed to remember my words before I attacked him, his eyes opening in surprise. "So it's true? Is Alice hanging from the outside of the building?"

"Yeah… and my partner too…"

"O-hoho! What does my eyes are watching!" a silly voice came from the corner, where a chubby pale man (?) dressed as a buffoon appeared. "Synthesis One actually defeated by the intruder!" he laughed, yet it was clear he was pissed. "Ridiculous! Unforgivable! Shameful!" his voice lost its delight, his dull gaze fixed at Bercouli. "I always warned her Eminence of the terrible idea the Integrity Knight were! Time always proves me right!"

"Who is this buffoon asshole?" I asked with a deadpan to Bercouli, not caring about my language thanks to the silly looks and foul mouth of this… 'man' or whatever this guy was. I mean, not even I was such an asshole to talk to Bercouli like this —he at last got my respect.

Bercouli gave me a side look, truly surprised of my rudeness, but it was nothing compared to the expression of that fat little thing.

"YOU! YOU LITTLE BASTARD!" he exclaimed, his entire face contorting in rage. "YOU INSECT MUST HAVE RESPECT FOR ME! THE PRIME SENATOR, CHUDELKIN!"

"God, even your name is as awful as your looks…" I nonchalantly replied, but his statement did manage to set myself on guard. "Anyway, I suppose you are my next adversary… Chudelkin?" I said his awful name with a slight flinch.

"Adversary?! NONSENSE YOU LITTLE BRAT!" he was truly annoyed now, almost as me. "An insect as you can't even compare as someone who has dedicated his life to her Eminence herself! YOU WILL PAY FOR YOUR FOUL MOUTH!"

"Bercouli, be honest here. Would you mind if I kill him?" the man tried to open his mouth, but he shut it tightly seconds later. "Guess that's a no."

"Kill me? O-hoho!" this time Chudelkin said feigning amusement, jumping in his own place using one leg at a time. "Kill me says this peasant? Foolish! Impossible!" he signaled Bercouli accusatorily. "I am no weakling as the 'Integrity Knights'! I am the right hand of her Eminence herself, you imbecile!"

"Prime Senator Chudelkin, keep your nose away from a duel between Knights, you scum!" Bercouli inserted himself on the conversation, his voice carrying a surprising amount of hatred.

"Hoh, with what authority, Synthesis One? You were defeated by a lowly criminal with such ease! You didn't even use the second ability of your blade, didn't you?"

Second ability? Wait… he actually said something about it before…

"The 'interaction with the past' that you mentioned?" I asked and Bercouli nodded, but he kept focused on Chudelkin.

"I had no opportunity to use it. I was defeated with one single move, even when I went all out against him."

"Such a pathetic commander, Synthesis One," the chubby man replied, "as the Prime Senator of the Axiom Church, I revoke your duty as Integrity Knight!" he paused, raising his hand. "System Call! Deep Freeze. Integrator unit, ID 001!"

Just after the Prime Senator finished his Sacred Art, I saw with horror how Bercouli's skin turned gray, his movements becoming slower each passing second until, shortly after, his entire body stood completely still, as if petrified.

"Now you little insect," he turned his gaze towards me.

Excuse me?

"It is Kirito for you, FATASS," his eyes almost popped out of his skull in fury after hearing my words. "I don't care who you are, or how powerful you might be, but I truly dislike the douchebags. So, make my day, dwarf!"

I must admit, insulting him felt kind of a stress relief, even if I was truly panicking in my mind after watching Bercouli being put into what only can be described as cryogenic stasis. Despite his silly looks, voice, and actions, if Chudelkin speak with the truth he must be the third most powerful individual in Sacred Arts since Administrator and Cardinal were equally matched.

Guess pissing him off 'til his rage became a frost stare wasn't the smartest of my ideas. I mean, it's already done, so…

"It's a shame I can't cleanse the Cathedral from your odor, lowly rat. The High Pontifex insists on keeping you alive. However," the chubby man smiled wickedly, something enhanced by his ugly appearance, "she never said something about injuries!" Then, Chudelkin materialized a cube of ice the size of a carriage, elevating the solid block until it almost touched the ceiling.

I gulped, readying my sword to face this new opponent.

Curse you Kikuoka and your Sacred Arts mechanic!

---

100th Floor, the Administrator's quarters. Central Cathedral.

16:50 hrs.

What an interesting individual… mused the Administrator of Underworld, formerly known as Quinella, while watching an epic battle between the Irregular Unit and Chudelkin. Well, epic was an overstatement, because all the young man could do against the Prime Senator was dodge his Sacred Arts. It was clear from the beginning who the victor was going to be, but the boy insisted on fighting despite the odds.

Such a valuable unit, she thought with a wicked smile. Just by a single glance I can deduce how strong his determination is. Wonder, what might happen when I insert the devotion unit? Would his Incarnation remain, diminish, or grow? This would be the first time I try the Synthesis Ritual in an individual as him, it is imperative to capture him alive.

She kept watching, slightly impressed by the bravery or recklessness of the teenager. How he dodged dangerous attacks from Chudelkin and how he always mocked the senator every time he missed. Chudelkin was clearly losing his patience and mind, if it wasn't for the 'Code 471' that she implanted (with some… 'external aid') on each Underworld citizen, she was positive that the chubby thing would have slain the teenager in the worst way possible.

"You are doing quite the show, luckily I woke up early this time~" Administrator purred under her breath. "We shall see which is your most precious memory once we are done…"

She kept watching the standoff until it finally came to an end when a frenzied Chudelkin send a barrage of attacks that the irregular unit couldn't stop nor evade. The blast sent him into a pool of the bath, completely unconscious. After a long venting of the Prime Senator that included tons of curses, he recovered the almost drowned body of the teenager using Sacred Arts, carrying him towards Administrator herself.

Shame, he could have saved me the trouble of getting rid of that swine. Thought the High Pontifex with amusement and with a little shudder. Even her, who didn't mind being nude in front of someone, thought Chudelkin as a disgusting individual, especially when he stared at her when he thought she wasn't paying attention. A truly shame…

Standing from her bed, she dismissed the Sacred Art and waited patiently for the Prime Senator to make his appearance within the hundredth floor. It took a while, but he finally arrived with an unconscious boy floating right beside him.

"Your Eminence!"

Forcing her perfectly practiced smile, she welcomed the creature.

"Prime Senator, I see you managed to capture one of the prisoners" she said evenly, not demonstrating any sort of emotions.

"Indeed, your Eminence!" he quickly replied with a great vow (or the greatest his figure could afford anyway). "High Pontifex, may I speak freely?"

"Go ahead, Chudelkin."

"KILL HIM!" he jumped in his place, his face previously composed contorting in just a second into one of pure rage. Administrator just had to raise an eyebrow to cut his tantrum short and talk properly. "I know I have no right to question the words of her Eminence, but he's a spoiled brat that must be wiped out of existence!"

"Yet, he caused you difficulties in bringing him alive, didn't he?"

The prime Senator paused, actually thinking twice his following answer. Then, Administrator had to suppress a snort when Chudelkin fell into the ground, pressing his forehead in the floor while he babbled thousands of apologies and excuses.

After finally calming the senator, she managed to speak: "Chudelkin, you may return to your quarters; I will personally handle the situation for now on."

"As you wish, your Eminence" he bowed once more, leaving the room without saying anything else.

"Finally," Administrator sighed, now turning her gaze towards the unconscious young man before her. "Now, let me embrace you with all my love~."

---

｢?｣

｢?｣

｢?｣

I was awoken by a soft breeze that came from an open window, caressing gently my skin. The air felt cold, but pleasant, refreshing my skin covered by thin blankets. I groaned, opening my eyes groggily. I was inside a bedroom, facing at an open balcony.

I tried to move, but my body felt too heavy to even respond. Even then, I didn't give it too much attention; it wasn't the first time I exhausted myself to almost dead, going out there farming all day long ignoring the little voice in my mind that annoyingly reminded me about my fame as a "beater".

I made a second attempt to stand up, failing once again. It was too tiring, too exhausting…

Finding no use on waking up or even opening my eyes, I simply enjoyed the extreme comfortable sensation that I was feeling. The blankets around me, the mattress, the fresh air carrying the scent of trees and delicious baked food. It was perfect.

Perfect, as it once was…

Suddenly, a pair of arms embraced me from the back, the soft fabric of a long-sleeved sweater brushing the skin of my exposed neck ending in a warm hug that made me smile gently. The contact felt so warm and welcoming, almost as if my entire body craved for it. The smells came later, a delicious combination of scents that intoxicated my lungs every time I breathed. Addicting… memorable.

Finally, I heard some giggles close to me ear, those of a feminine voice full of confidence and grace. I recognize it immediately despite my slumber, how could I not?

"You are finally awake~" the voice purred in a whisper; her lips too close to my ear that I got goosebumps…

'Wake up Kirito…'

"I am…" I replied happily, my heart pounding in excitement. "What is that smell, Asuna?"

'It's all an illusion…'

"Something for you and I, honey~" the voice giggled. "We have all the time for ourselves and ourselves only~"

'Please, Kirito, see through her lies!'

"Really? You and I?"

"Of course. There is no need to share~."

'Remember! Kirito!'

What was that? For a second, some clarity came to me while in my stupor. A voice, or what heard to be a voice reached my ears. It was faint, almost as the echoes of someone at the other end of a dark tunnel. I could swear I just heard a little girl's…

"What's wrong, Kirito?"

Asuna… something was wrong. She never called me by name and name only. Also, her voice sounded… different?

'It's not her, Kirito! Wake up!'

There was it once more, clearer this time. This voice… did I knew this voice? Was it just my imagination? Or my grogginess was to blame?

"It's just… I don't know," I replied. "Asuna… where… where are the others?"

'You know it can't be her…'

"They went out early today. I sent them to buy some groceries in town. It's only us in the meantime," her voice sounded seductive, something that put me on guard. The Asuna I knew wasn't like this. Her voice wasn't like this. She never referred to me like this.

Suddenly, the arms embracing me felt alien, foreign. I blinked several times, wondering if I was still asleep and this was only a dream. However, dream or not, my suspicions were too high to simply ignore at this point.

'I know you hate to remember… I know you hate it… but just this once… do it, Kirito.'

"Asuna…" my heart dropped. This wasn't right. This couldn't be right.

'Remember… please…'

Time slowed down when I heard those last whispers. Then, a memory, a single memory came back to me. It was distant, buried deep beneath my soul.

And what I saw…

I remained motionless, replaying the same memory over and over again. It was painful, it was heartbreaking… nevertheless, it was the truth.

Once the truth was revealed, all my surroundings suddenly became a lie.

I gritted my teeth tightly, my heart pumping with adrenaline fueled by confusion, disappointment, melancholy, and wrath. I quickly stood up from the bed, throwing the foreign arms that embraced me away with all the strength I could muster.

"YOU!" I screamed in utter rage; my eyes ignited in fury. "YOU ARE NOT ASUNA!"

Saying those words seemed to trigger… something; I do not know what, but something inside my mind seemed to click. Without any advice, everything came back to me… Underworld, Eugeo, the Cathedral, Cardinal, the battle against the Integrity Knights, the encounter with Alice, the aftermath of it, my fight with Bercouli and lastly my defeat.

I stumbled backwards, my forehead burning in pain. This… this is all a lie! I thought bitterly, sadness erupting from my heart. It is all a fucking illusion! I held my tears, closing my eyes tightly until the memories came into a stop.

I wasn't back in ourhome, back when everything was perfect. No, I was in Underworld, far away from the life that was taken away from me.

Emotions still flaring high, I scanned the room up and down, trying to find the miserable impostor that dared to play with me. I barely had to seek, finding the culprit on the same bed I was resting. She had long silver hair that seemed to shine with the illumination of the room, giving her a divine aura that almost made me thought she was an actual goddess. Her figure was slim and curvy, accentuated by the dress of the same color as her hair's that hugged her frame in an astonishing way. Her eyes, of a darker shade of silver, seemed to pierce my own soul reaching its darkest corners.

However, that beauty meant nothing to me after how she dared to play with my heart. This bitch… she tried to use Asuna against me… my Asuna!

My hand moved on its own, the muscles doing a set of movements that years ago were an integral part of me. In a flash, a familiar dark sword materialized in my right hand and, without wasting any other second, I lunged at the woman while screaming at the top pf my lungs.

She dared to play with my heart… she dared to use my Asuna…!

I will murder her! I will murder her even if it is the last thing I do on Earth!

Yet, the chance of revenge never arrived. Ten centimeters away from reaching her, my blade and I came to a full halt.

At this the woman smiled smugly, changing her position on the bed.

"Oh, you caught me there, Kirito~" she purred, her eyes locked with mine. "How did you figure it out?"

"DON'T FUCKING MESS WITH ME, BITCH!" I snarled, staring at the woman with scorn. To further irritate me, she only chuckled. I struggled in my place, trying to reach her. "FUCK YOU!"

"I think you misunderstand my actions, Kirito," she replied. "My main interest was to remind you of those days of happiness you once had. I wanted to return your heart to where it belongs, with her," she smirked at me. "I can help you do so; if so you desire."

Those words made me stop, if only for a brief second. A chance to go back, a chance to return…

No, it would be a lie. I concluded. Even if I dream day and night… it would never be real.

It would never be her.

My choice made me take control over my actions one again. I was still angered beyond words at this bitch, and I would gladly take her head if the chance ever arrived.

However, it was not the time, not yet.

"I will pass, bitch."

"Your loss, Kirito," she shrugged, staring at me with condescendence. "You know boy, I truly pity you."

"Pity?!" I spat "Bullshit. Someone… no, something like you isn't able to know what pity is:"

"Of course I know, young boy, and I indeed pity you," she chuckled musically, moving slightly in the bed. "You are a poor boy lost and far away from his own world that one day woke up in a whole different place without anyone he actually knew. A boy that was forced to become a traveler in this harsh place, seeking to find a way to return back home. A boy so confused and lost in his way that he is forced to advance without a clear destination, praying he could find his answer at the end of that path. Isn't it?"

I grit my teeth, not willing to answer that question.

"And it only took the entire wisdom of the almighty Administrator to figure that out, right?"

Because, who else could be at this point? I might haven't met her before, and all I know about her is an extremely generically description that Cardinal gave me that can be resumed as: 'beautiful woman that is actually the devil itself', but it was obvious she was the Administrator. I highly doubt Chudelkin would have the idea to use 'her Eminence' in a compromising position with someone that just pissed him to hell and back.

"Oh, did I hit a nerve?" the Administrator hummed.

"Don't test my patience, Administrator" I growled back. "You are already walking on thin ice, and I will never forget what you dared to do."

Many would call me a complete madman for defying the most powerful individual of Underworld… and they would be completely correct in doing so. However, you can't expect a man to act completely rational all the time, especially not after what she did.

"Such bold words, Irregular Unit," her composure failed slightly, some annoyance bleeding into her tone. "Specially without any weapon at your reach. Correction, even with a weapon at your disposal it would be as good as having nothing."

She stood up, the illusion suddenly failing until there was only a white void surrounding us. Right after, my vision failed until everything went dark.

Then, I woke up.

---

100th Floor, the Administrator's quarters. Central Cathedral.

21:00 hrs.

Once more, I was received by the feeling of a soft mattress underneath me, but this time I was quickly to react and move away. Without missing a beat, I managed to stand on my feet outside of a queen-sized bed, which was surrounded by dark purplish curtains.

After some deep breaths to calm my nerves, I tried to catch up with the surroundings. The entire place was enormous in both width and height. If I had to guess, the room was the same size of a whole floor of the Cathedral. Instead of ceiling, there was a dome above my head which was decorated by a beautiful and incredible painting that seemed to shine with artificial lights of unknown precedence.

Besides from it, the entire place was empty with some windows here and there. Overall, it all was a complete waste of space.

I searched within my own clothes, noticing immediately that I lost my dark sword in my fight with Chudelkin. Everything else seemed to be in place. Still, it wasn't enough to ease my mind in the slightest when I heard that the curtains of the bed were slowly removed from their place.

From the inside, the beautiful figure of the Administrator emerged. She was exactly as how she presented herself within the illusion, but her hair was a little bit messier.

My blood boiled in barely restrained rage. Luckily, I didn't go off just as last time. Wrath and anger won't get me anywhere this time.

We stared at each other for what seemed ages, none of us breaking the contact. She kept the same smile from the dream, but her eyes remained passionless, death. I, in exchange, did my best to tame my raring emotions.

Calm down, Kirito. You know better than charging without a plan, I reminded to myself, trying to at the very least control my breathing so I could think a little bit rationally. Wait for an opportunity. You might not be able to kill her now… so look for a way to do so.

"I must congratulate you, Irregular Unit Kirito," she was the first in breaking the silence, crossing her arms below her bust, "no one this far have broken free from one of my illusions, and none has even dared to speak with such recklessness or bravery at me as you did."

"I guess me not being reduced to ash this far is your way of 'congratulating me'" I commented with some poison in my words. "You are expecting my thanks, or what?"

The Administrator chuckled.

"Oh, my!" she giggled, taking a step towards me. "You are interesting indeed, Irregular Unit. Despite everything, you insist to keep that bravado of yours! Others would have long surrendered and begged, but not you," she hummed, tapping her lips with her index finger. "Though I should have expected it. After all, you are one outsider."

"Sound like you don't like me being an outsider" I pointed out, taking a step to my right while my mind was busy thinking. It was clear I couldn't afford to be 'Synthesized' into an Integrity Knight and I doubted I could trick her to let me go. My Ace in the Hole was still on my disposal. But, without having her guard low, using such a move would be a shortcut to an early death.

Therefore, I had to distract her and wait for an opportunity or distract her and wait for Eugeo to arrive.

"Your sole presence within my world was a transgression that deserved death, Irregular Unit; not to mention your… difficult attitude," she replied coldly. "My curiosity is the only reason you are still alive."

She's willing to talk. So talk nonsense for a while it is…

"A trespasser? I was brought here against my own will, Administrator. And I believe you already know about it, since I guess you have already scanned my memories..." my tone darkened a little. "If that illusion is proof enough."

"Indeed…" she paused, her grin widening, "or at least that's what you believe~"

"What do you mean by it?" I snarled, taking a step forward.

"About you being sent without your consent, Irregular Unit. Wasn't your… how did you labeled it…? Oh right. Wasn't your 'part time job' coming here to begin with?"

I cursed internally for not remembering that detail. In my own defense, after being here for a long time and not remembering shit that time I logged in the STL, the fact I came to Underworld before thanks to that bastard Kikuoka wasn't a frequent thought in my mind.

"Yes and no," I kept as calm as I could be. "I did accept to participate on this 'part time job', but that was before I realized I was being deceived and before discovering which were the intentions behind RATH —the ones who sent me here."

To my surprise, Administrator smiled almost tenderly… almost.

"Don't worry young man, I am aware of it, and I don't blame you at all~" she went on, purring slightly. "You were innocent and made a choice on behalf of your 'family' out there. The man who sent you here did so without telling you the truth beneath, blocking your memories so you wouldn't spill information elsewhere," she stepped towards me, but I didn't retreat. "Then, the unfortunate event that brought you here, the attack of an old foe from the past. You could have run but choose to fight. I honestly admire you… and I honestly pity you."

I raised an eyebrow.

"It seems someone did her homework, huh?" I almost spat, irritated that she exposed my poor choices of the past. "Enjoyed my memories?"

"I can't say that I… enjoyed them," for a brief second, a scowl was visible in her face. "But I did find them interesting to say the least. You really gave me a useful perspective of the outside, despite it only served to reassure my opinion about you, the 'humans'."

"Surely the experiences of a seventeen-year-old boy among billions of humans gave you just enough information about human nature," I retorted with a silly smile. "Just curiosity talking here but, do you even know the basics of statistics?"

To my surprise, instead of angry curses, the Administrator chuckled even further.

"Despite I found this snark conversation entertaining, Irregular Unit, you can stop this farse now," I shut tightly my mouth, trying my best to not frown. "Playing the smartass-tough-boy with me is useless. There is no use to mask your fear and wrath with this petty attitude of yours, nor it would buy you any time to figure a plan to kill me or run away," her smile turned wicked, her eyes reflecting incredible amounts of pleasure. "You have no control inside my world, outsider. All you can do is surrender, and if you do, I will forgive and forget all your sins, giving you a new life free from the pain of your past mistakes. All you have to do is kneel, chant a little Sacred Art, and all your problems will disappear~."

I bit my lip, feeling slightly nervous. The chances of me getting out of this whole clusterfuck was close to null. I already guessed Administrator won't be easy to deceive or trick, nor I expected her to commit a stupid mistake that would give me the upper hand; however, this conversation was running out of avenues, and I needed more time to device something.

Gathering courage, I relaxed my breath before talking once more.

"The offer is tempting…" Administrator smiled once more, but I quickly added. "However, those past mistakes taught me something really important: never accept a deal without asking for details. And this deal of yours? It lacks too much information for my taste."

"You didn't seem to need much information when agreeing to Lyceris-chan," her smile turned sour, clicking her tongue. I grimaced, my nervousness increasing. "Don't give me that look, Irregular Unit. It is natural to conclude that I watched that little conversation between both of you, from beginning to end," she scoffed. "I am aware of that little brat's plan and your role in it. So don't fake innocence, Irregular Unit, and accept your sins."

---

Innocence, the simple thought left her with a foul taste on her mouth. You are many things, Irregular Unit, but innocent is not one of them.

The outsider froze in his place, his face devoid of any expression. Administrator suppressed a grin, her lips twitching upwards for a split second. The boy, despite his best efforts, couldn't avoid hiding his shaking hand and feet, a clear signal he was finally reaching his breaking point.

He's tougher than what I thought, she mused, brushing a lock of hair. Given his memories it was obvious his willpower was greater than the average boy of his age, but I am actually surprised. I was correct, his Incarnation is far greater than most of fluctlights in Underworld. If he wasn't an outsider, he would be a nice piece to have.

"It wasn't surprising for me once I heard what her little scheme was," she kept talking, walking in circles around the boy. "That girl never had what was needed to protect Underworld and do what must be done to keep the entire System safe. Her alternative was rather fitting for the coward and weakling she is!" She pointed at the boy. "You, in the other hand, I can't entirely deduct the motives behind your nonchalant willingness to help her…" she made a dramatic pause, giving him a mocking smile. "Or that was until I watched your life before coming into my world."

"Hoh…" the boy grimaced, his knuckles turning white. "And what did you realize about me?"

"That you don't care about anything or anyone else, not anymore," Administrator chuckled. "Always the sly one, always the opportunistic one, and always the selfish one. Sounds familiar?" she snorted. "You might act as an innocent and good person to hide the blood in your hands, boy, but you can't deny the lives you have taken away and those that were taken from you."

The Irregular Unit stiffened in his place, his palms opening and twitching while his muscles tensed as if he was ready to jump at her at any moment's notice.

"Watch your words, Administrator," he muttered, his eyes blazing with rage and scorn. "Or else I will add some blood of yours to my hands."

"Ara~ And how exactly you plan to do so?" she asked mockingly. "No weapon, no partner, and pitiful skills in Sacred Arts. How do you plan to even touch me, Irregular Unit? How?!"

There was no answer.

"I thought so. Well, I shouldn't be surprised by that stupid bloodlust of yours. After all, you were willing to ditch the lives of thousands of my people when the chance of returning to your world was in the table! As I said, you have the blood of many in your hands; some of it because necessity, others because revenge… and there were a few because annoyance and petite trifles such as the one that brought you into my Cathedral."

Suddenly the Irregular Unit froze in his place, his eyes hidden under some bangs of his dark hair. However, Administrator could swear that, for a split second, a golden fire erupted from the boy's irises.

---

A… "petite trifle" … my arms twitched uncontrollably. What those bastards almost did to both Ronye and Tiese was just… a "petite trifle"?!

Gruesome thoughts coursed through my mind, fueling my rage until it was becoming a tornado of negative emotions.

First she dared to use Asuna, and now this!

'Kirito…'

All my self-control was a step away to collapse, all because that last single sentence. Not that I cared anymore.

'Kirito!'

She dared to dismiss what almost happened to Ronye and called it a "petite trifle".

'Listen Kirito!'

She is the one who gave the nobles those obscene rights… she is the one who made ridiculous laws… and I will rip her heart for that! I will break her bones for making me remember!

'KIRITO!'

She dared, and she will pay with blood!

My legs flexed, just a single thought away from using my Ace in the Hole. If this was uninterrupted, I would have leaped into a likely demise.

Yet, something held me back. Words, whispering on my mind, caught me before the point of no return.

'KIRITO, you DOLT, LISTEN TO ME!'

I remained on my place, my dark thoughts ceasing… for the moment. This is… a voice…? It sounds… familiar. 'Have I heard it before?'

Yes, I had… or so I think. I couldn't exactly remember... but I could swear this voice was familiar. It wasn't Charlotte for sure; this voice was of a little girl. It could also be Administrator trying to trick me, but the last option was unlikely.

'Of course I am not working with her, Kirito! Besides, we've talked before, don't you remember me? We talked back then, in the cave. When Eugeo was harmed.'

I had to blink several times. Yes, now I remembered, this voice contacted me before when Selka and I were healing Eugeo at the cave. I thought it was a hallucination due to my blood loss and the vitality I was transferring to my partner.

'Wait… I also heard you inside Administrator's illusion!' I said through my mind to the voice. While I didn't know how it was possible, this "little girl" seemed to read my thoughts, but only when I explicitly formulate my ideas with words.

'Yes, it was me too.' The voice corroborated immediately, its urgency increasing. 'Now hear me up, and don't let Administrator catch up with this conversation.'

I had to suppress a growl, my attention returning to the silver-haired woman. She was staring at me with amusement and slight interest, a small smile plastered in her face. Luckily for me, she didn't notice anything unusual.

'I'm listening.'

'Kirito, you must win some time. Eugeo is already on the way, he managed to return to the inside of the Cathedral with… Alice…' When the voice mentioned Alice, it trailed a little bit. I had a hard time keeping my poker face, preferring to swallow my curiosity for the moment. 'They also found some sort of… ally. They might arrive with you in half an hour or so.'

My mind raced. Was it true? Did Eugeo survived and was now climbing the last floors with Alice? How they did it? How did Eugeo convinced her to help him? Who was this ally they met along the way?

'Who are you?' Despite the multiple questions I had, this was the only one I asked to the voice. 'I know I can more or less trust you, after all the help you have given me in the past… but who are you exactly?'

'I… I am a friend, Kirito.' The voice hesitated. For a second, I could notice some sadness on its tone. 'Just promise me… that no matter what… you will never surrender.'

And with those last words, the voice disappeared.

---

Despite the disgust the Irregular Unit caused her, Administrator was impressed by his self-control. She almost thought that he would be so foolish to charge at her, blinded by anger; however, just before he lunged forward, the boy remained where he was.

Curious… you are very curious indeed.

"Listen Irregular Unit," she broke the silence once she was sure the boy kept his cool, "while this was entertaining, I shall not waste too much time and energy talking with a creature of the outside. Face the reality, my reality. No one will ever harm my world nor me. There is nothing you can do to escape or defeat me. Surrender and serve me, and all your sins will be forgotten!" Her smile broadened. "Or, instead, fight and resist to no avail. In the end nothing would change at all, so safe yourself the pain of a pitiful defeat."

Ah, how wonderful it was to be in control. How delightful was his bottled anger, how priceless was the hopelessness in his eyes, and how lovely was the way his entire body shook in fear despite his attempts to keep his cool… He was breaking, she knew he was.

With him out of the equation Administrator should not worry anymore about anything. This boy's companion would soon be apprehended, if he did not fall from the walls of the Cathedral that is. Lyceris would keep cowering herself inside that library of hers, unable to threaten her and her world anymore. Her masterful inventions would protect the Human Empire from the invasion of the Dark Realm, effectively preventing any sort of change within her domains.

A static world, just as she desired.

Even their creators, RATH, will be nothing against her. She already made enough plans and countermeasures to deal with them. She even had an ally within them that would give everything for her.

In the end, she will remain in power, forever!

"Pff… He… hehe. AHAHAHAHAHA…!"

Her musings were interrupted suddenly when, to her surprise, the Irregular Unit began to laugh. He was in the same spot, but he was now crouching and laughing hysterically.

"Seems you broke easier than what I expected," Administrator said with a deadpan. "I thought you would at least keep your dignity before surrendering," she shrugged. "Oh well, I'll fix that later."

She raised her hand, ready to knock him out once more. This time she would send him directly with the Senate and have his core protection removed. She was disappointed, she did not want to use that method on him and risk the integrity of his fluctlight. However, before she began chanting, the boy raised his hand, his laughter finally coming into an end.

"I'm sorry… it's just," he snorted, making Administrator quirk an eyebrow. "It's just… Is that really what you believe?!" he chuckled darkly with a wide grin.

"Well, you began laughing like a madman…"

"No, no, no, NO! Not about that. About your previous words," he pointed at her with a disdainful gesture. "Do you seriously believe you can protect this world?"

Administrator narrowed her eyes.

"Of course I do, Irregular Unit. I am the goddess of this world."

"No, you aren't. RATH is the one holding the strings," he smirked. Administrator's expression darkened, a glint of hatred on her eyes. "You claimed no one can harm your world, but RATH and the man who leads them, Kikuoka, can and will destroy Underworld."

"Oh please, the Final Load Test?" she retorted back, feeling amused by this boy's ignorance. "Unlike that brat, I already made the preparations needed to deal with such a little inconvenient. Furthermore, once I deal with it, nothing would harm my world!"

"The Test?! Hah! You might be able to stop the Dark Territory's assault and any other assault within this world… but, what about those from the outside?"

For the first time since the conversation began, Administrator was truly taken aback by the Irregular Unit's words. What did the boy exactly mean? Did he implied that there was a chance of an invasion of outsiders in an attempt to conquer her world? Or something else along those lines?

"You might or not be aware of it, but this world," he opened his arms, his smirk never leaving his face, "everything that surrounds us is just a couple of 0's and 1's. Data that is stored in a single server. This information can be easily destroyed, deleted, changed, or even corrupted… and all by pressing a teeny tiny button back in the real world.

"Perhaps the fluctlights of each and every single inhabitant of Underworld are something different, but there is so much a soul, synthetic or not, can do without a 'place' to dwell. Are you following me?"

"Such a thing would never happen! I already considered such scenario," Administrator boasted. "Outsiders are indeed dangerous, but I have an ally among them! With his help, I'll…"

To her annoyance, the Irregular Unit laughed at her words, though this time he kept some composure.

"Hoh~ Is that so? Hmm, a useful male ally inside RATH… Well, I doubt the man you found was Kikuoka, or else he would have already deleted you. Therefore… let me guess… that 'ally' of yours is nothing else but a miserable RATH employee that somehow, in a display of how little interaction he had with the female gender, chose to obey you by hearing your 'beautiful' and 'enthralling' voice?"

Administrator was about to retort… until she found no comeback. This should have reflected on her expression because the Irregular Unit kept talking.

"Well, if that's the case, this 'ally' of yours is as useful as a bottle of salt water in a desert. He has no influence whatsoever with the higherups I may assume, otherwise there wouldn't be any Final Load Test, right?" He chuckled. "Even if he tries to tamper with the code, there is so much he can do before someone else notice it.

"In other words, if someone whose authority is greater than his simply choses to disband RATH and close project Alicization, you are as good as death! Underworld would be deleted or be reset back to zero, eliminating whatever progress you ever did. And even if he somehow manages to rescue you from the system without triggering any alarm or suspicion, where would you go? What would you do? Be his pet until he gets bored?! Ditch your pride and run?!

"And don't think that this is an unlikely scenario. I was hired by Kikuoka because he said that there was no progress in this project. If that's the case, no government would keep funding such a lost cause, effectively terminating with project Alicization and saving resources for a better project and less absurd than this one.

"You might have everything sorted out inside this tiny world, but outside? You are powerless, defenseless… a small individual that's not even legally recognized as one in the real world! As we say, you are only a big fish inside a small pond! You might not want to realize it… you might want to deny it… but this world… this world is doomed from the start!"

She widened her eyes for a second. She… she never thought about that. She always focused on keeping her realm safe from the inside, spending the three hundred years of her life preparing for the Final Load Test. As shameful as it was to admit it, she never thought about it, and after watching some of the boy's memories she knew that this time he wasn't bluffing. There were some terms that she didn't fully understand… but she was sure that he was talking with the truth.

However, Administrator's pride would never make her accept the boy's words.

"That's… that's nothing!" she screamed in rage, the tips of her fingers igniting with several colors. "I will surpass it! I will surpass everything! I just need time, and nothing else would matter!"

When she was about to send a powerful Sacred Art to vanish the outsider from her world, she was stopped when he replied:

"If a boy, of all things, is sent —without his consent and after being stabbed and poisoned— to solve their problems inside a virtual world, it is because they are desperate," narrowing his eyes, he punched his own chest with his right fist. "They have no time left and they used me as their last resort!"

Those last words made Administrator stop dead on her tracks. Time… did she really ran out of time? Did the outsiders were tired of waiting to see any progress on their experiments? Her ally never mentioned something like that, but if the boy was correct and he was just the lowers of the subordinates…

Wait a minute.

If the boy was correct…

"How I know this is not one of your lies, Irregular Unit?!" she said after half a minute of silence, some despair bleeding unintentionally to her tone. "How I know this is not one of your tricks?!"

"Does using some logic can be considered as a trick, Administrator?" there was no answer. "Even if I was lying, will you run that risk? Will you give up everything in a single bet?"

"Nor I would risk my world because of your words, boy!" She replied, clearly losing her cool. This boy was testing her! She would kill him before this nonsense could keep going!

She made up her mind. She would kill him! Curse the consequences and damn the aftermath! He was annoying her, and he was toying with her with his arguments...

Despite…

Despite…

Despite how much sense they made.

"But I, unlike your little pet in the real world, am not only words," Administrator's angered thoughts ceased once more when the boy spoke again. This time, his grin disappeared entirely, replaced by a grave stare. "Kikuoka wants something within this world, Administrator, he wants something so badly that he sent a 17-year-old to fetch it for him. Let me talk to him and you and I will bargain this. No tricks, no lies… we'll get straight up to the source of the problem and finish this nonsense once it and for all.

"So… what do you say?"

---

So much for the 'goddess of this world'. I thought with scorn and, curiously enough, hilarity. It was slightly amusing watching the vexed woman rack her brains back and forth seeking any lie in my words. Who would have thought that the stupidity of all Underworld's inhabitants would be of use… especially giving the situation at hand!

I was surprised how many flaws I found out in Administrator's flimsy plan and her annoying smugness. I just made out this whole argument on the spot, realizing how many issues and problems there were the more I talked about it.

Not everything I said were just lies.

"You are right," I continued, forcing the determination in my eyes to hide briefly. She only needed a little push… "Outsiders like me are impossible to deal with, even us get exhausted around our kind. However, I know for a fact that Kikuoka wouldn't miss any chance to protect this project. He described it as the 'project of his life'. He would do, whatever it takes, to keep it going; but there is no use if the higherups stop supplying Alicization. He needs results. He needs something to impress his superiors… He needs whatever he sent me for. Help me bargain with him, and I will grant you complete immunity, and I will get what I want: a way out!"

If her conflicted eyes told me anything… she was at the verge of accepting.

Administrator did a good job hiding her doubts for a while. But when her denial began to crumble by simple and logical facts… so did her confidence and smugness.

Now, it was clear my words hit home just as I thought. She must have realized there was no way out of RATH's grasp.

"So… what do you say?" I offered her my hand. She just needed to be a little bit closer… "We have a deal?"

Administrator hesitated for a while, but I knew I already convinced her down below. Without realizing it, she gave several steps forward. I close the distance too.

Then, she stopped moving. She must have realized something amiss… but it was too late for her to back down or defend herself.

"You are too naïve… Quinella," I finished, my sentence cutting the brief silence as a knife. Administrator lasted a whole second to even give a small reaction. Without missing a beat, I chose to use my last resort:

"Incarnate Blade!" I roared at the top of my lungs. At my call, my right arm was engulfed in a dark-purplish aura, its outline somewhat resembling a sword. This was the ultimate ability I devised through two years of practicing Incarnation… my Ace in the Hole.

In a split second, I tackled her into the ground with me. She hit the floor harder than I expected, but it wasn't enough to make her lost consciousness. Using her confusion and surprise as an advantage, I stabbed forward with my blade… only to be blocked by one of her arms, which shone with a silver-white aura.

Her desire to win, to survive. Her Incarnation.

I cursed. I was too slow. If I had delivered the blow faster, I would have already slain her. She recovered from the shock faster than I thought. Thus, I was forced to push as I never did in my entire life. To me, this last push was the difference between life and death.

My eyes were seeing red, fueled by maddened hope and wrath. I barely even thought, focusing only in pushing harder, my life depending on it.

"You! YOU!" Administrator growled with anger, her silver eyes glaring at me with killing intent. "YOU MISERABLE RAT! HOW DARE YOU?! HOW EVEN DARE YOU?!"

"You thought I would give you the chance of bargain, Quinella?!" I retorted, pronouncing her name in the greatest disdain tone I possibly could. "After all that you have done?! Foolish!"

I summoned a second Incarnate Blade on my other arm, hoping to catch Administrator off-guard. However, she reacted fast and blocked it too.

"MOVE!" I shrieked in desperation, my muscles feeling at the verge of collapse.

I pushed once more with renewed strength, my entire being focused on that sole task. My Incarnation grew until I was surrounded entirely in a cloud of dark and purple, my eyes blazing with a golden glimmer.

Yet, Administrator didn't seem to give up at all. She kept fighting, her aura facing mine and engaging it in a fearsome clash. It was no longer a battle of who could push harder, but one in which the greatest determination would be out on top.

"I am done with this game, Administrator! DONE WITH YOU!" I closed my face to hers, feeling as if my gaze was ignited in a golden fire. "Even if we succeeded in the bargain, this world would crumble over time. And you? You would remain as the slothful governor of this lands.

"Do you think I will solve your problems after you dare use my Asuna against me? Or after you called what those worms did to Ronye as petite?! Or after everything you did to Eugeo by taking Alice away?" My dark aura loomed over hers, almost like a wolf lunging over its prey. "Do you know how it was for him? For Eugeo?! He lived four fucking years as a miserable caver, doomed to die without achieving anything in his own life and cursed to shoulder the fault of losing Alice!" the dark aura pushed the silver one even forward, hungrily consuming it. "Now that we found her, we discovered that you took away her memories, her identity… ONLY TO TRANSFORM HER INTO ONE OF YOUR PAWNS!"

"SILENCE, INSECT!" she shrieked, her aura gaining strength and pushing mine away. "YOU CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I MUST DO TO PROTECT THIS WORLD!"

"BULL. SHIT," I roared back, my rage fueling me. "Protect?! Do you call the current situation in Underworld as protect?! The so famous 'Taboo Index' made the population completely useless or dickheads! You are a greedy, slothful, and arrogant bitch!" my Incarnation grew in power and size, making hers retreat. "YOU USELESS COWARD!"

"AND WHAT RIGHT YOU HAVE TO SCOLD ME, OUTSIDER?!" Administrator's aura counterattacked, pushing me harder than before. "You are a liar, cool-blooded murderer! You would kill and stab just for your own interests!" her anger was such that some tears escaped from her fierce eyes. "YOU ARE A MONSTER!

"You claim that you do this for my empire, my world! But no… you won't take or destroy my world! I won't give it to an outsider like you!"

My entire vision was surrounded by her silver-white Incarnation, crushing mine with ease. I did not fall in despair again, fighting her with all the might of my own soul. I was far from done with this nasty job, the one Kikuoka and Cardinal send me to, so I wasn't going to back down.

Up until now, I haven't faced an opponent as her. The will of Volo, Eldrie, Deusolbert, Fanatio, Alice, Bercouli and Chudelkin were nothing compared to Administrator's. She was deadly determined, and there was nothing I could say or do to make her weaker.

Yet…

"Who said I am killing you for the Human Empire?" I muttered, feeling my blood cold. "You dared wrong my brother, my valet, and the memory of whom I hold dear.

"You will pay with your own blood."

In a last attempt to finally crush her, my entire soul reacted and send a dark explosion towards her, pushing slowly but steadily her own aura.

My Incarnation broke lose, crushing Administrator's in its entirety. She screamed in surprise and in pain as my willpower assaulted hers. For a split second, I just happened to catch the look in her eyes: once full of pride and ego, her silver orbs where now flaring with resentment, hatred, struggle, and, above all, fear.

Yet, nothing I saw in her silver orbs was new to me. I have seen it before and I still do, every time I close my eyes to rest I do. However, what is another pair among the pile?

She knew this was it. She knew this was her death.

And I felt noting about it.

I just continued my assault, ignoring the fresh tears that ran across her face. All I cared was to finish this.

But the world has never been fair with me, has it?

When my blade was bare millimeters away from her skin, a bright light descent on me and, by extension, Administrator. We both shrieked in pain and confusion, our Incarnations collapsing with each other before exploding outwards. A sharp sting assaulted my mind, the sensation of something being… something… implanted on me…

There are no words to describe what I felt, nor I could find the strength to even try to recall that moment in the next months.

The most similar thing that can describe those sensations was the worst kind of migraine a human being can endure without breaking, as if someone just cleaved slowly and painfully my mind in several pieces. Right after, all was put back together… but, this time, something felt… different… alien…

A rush of memories… unknown memories went through me in what I thought was an eternity. They went too fast, too sudden, that I couldn't grasp any of them properly... all I barely noticed was hollowness, a great void within that begged to be filled.

The light shone brighter, the pain multiplying while Administrator and I screamed until both went mute, our throats unable to resist such strain in a short time.

Finally, the light faded, and I was sent into the air, far from Administrator. I landed on my back, my eyes losing focus and then… Nothing.

---

Unknown to both Kirito and Administrator, back in the 'real world', Ocean Turtle was under assault by unidentified foes. Said group managed to advance straight to the Main Control Room, being too close to finally take hold of project Alicization. Most of RATH personnel and the… unexpected guests they received ran to the Sub Control Room, where the unconscious body of Kazuto Kirigaya laid on a military mattress, unaware of the looming dread above them.

It was at that very moment that the unidentified foes managed to get to the generators. One of them, a man of messy dark hair with a tattoo on his right eye, was cutting through a panel. His focus was absolute on the task he had in hand, but the sudden interruption of one of his comrades (one that he personally hated) diverted his attention.

"Oi, idiot," the annoying man said in warning. "You better make sure to only cut the subtraction line, the boss wants the LightCube Cluster intact."

"I already know that you son of a-!"

By accident, said man cut slightly through the main powerline, causing a short black out.

"Vassago, you idiot! What have you done?!"

"Shut yer ass up, Critter! You made me lose focus!"

The two argued a little bit longer, choosing the worst scenario to engage in another of their bickering.

Withing the sieged Main Control Room, the defenders watched in nervousness the lights blinking for a second. One of the most unnerved ones was Takeru Higa, who watched in worry the small blackout. He knew this could affect badly the unconscious teenager located in Underworld, since his STL wouldn't protect him entirely.

That small blink could be dismissed as unimportant due to its briefness… but in a world where time was accelerated several times, those milliseconds could perfectly be an eternity.

The consequences all this decisions and events carried had way more impact in the future of both Underworld and the young boy within… consequences far bigger than what anyone could have predicted.

However, Higa and his boss, Kikuoka, couldn't muse about if for too long when, from Underworld, a signal within contacted them. This one came from the Central Cathedral in Centoria, where the voice of a furious teen came.

"KIKUOKA! I KNOW YOU ARE FUCKING THERE, YOU BASTARD! YOU BETTER HAVE A IMPECABLE EXCUSE, FOR ALL THE BULLSHIT I WENT THROUGH THESE LAST TWO YEARS, OR ELSE I WILL HAVE YOUR HEAD ON A FUCKING PIKE!"

---

And that's a wrap! At least for today that is.

Now, I am sure most of you might question my sanity for even considering pairing our dear Kirito with none other than the Administrator herself. Well, for starters, my sanity abandoned the hollow carcass that is my skull a long time ago. Secondly, it all came down to a funny thought that crossed my mind one day; an idea that I harvested for no reason other than boredom and entertainment.

Regardless I had fun writing this story, so I hope you all had a good time too!

Also, as I told you at the beginning, the timeline on this AU might cause some questions about the continuity. I will do my best to answer those without spoiling some events I plan to narrate. However, as for now, I can tell you that some characters in the SAO gameverse are present for this story, especially a certain laid-back, ash-haired girl who is also very obsessed with Alice…

Anyway… what are your thoughts about this first chapter and the story overall? Loved it? Hated it? Regardless of your thoughts, thank you for taking some of your precious time to read this story.

On a final note, if the first chapter was any indicator, this story would be quite long, so buckle up fellas! This will be a long ride I might regret later!

But, for now, I had fun.

See you next chapter!

Edit: I fixed some issues regarding spacing. Turns out, the import function messes the text more than I originally thought. I think I got them all, but if you find any, please don't hesitate to point it out! Regardless, sorry for the inconvenience and I promise to revise even more thoroughly next time.