Chapter 21- The Dark Swordsman

November 3, 2056

Even though he had seen the monstrosity before in a recording that Kuroba showed him, Marth couldn't help but be a little unnerved at the sight of the avatar in the blackened silver armor. True to what Yuniko said, it looked nothing like the one Black Lotus had fought two years ago. It was a heavyweight with bulky shoulders, chest, and elbows. In contrast to its massive chest, its waistline was slim, giving an hourglass appearance. It had a helmet with two long horns protruding sideways, a red lens piece at the center, as well as a mouth with sharp fangs that cut easily pierce through metal. In its right hand was a double-edged sword that was almost as tall as it, the tip of the blade currently pierced through the Yellow King's back.

However, despite not sharing the same appearance, it was indeed the Armor of Catastrophe, Chrome Disaster. Within that bulking figure was most likely the Red Legion member, Cherry Rook, the Cursed Armament's latest victim.

This didn't make any sense. Why was Chrome Disaster here? That was the question on Marth's lips as he eyed the menacing avatar. If he recalled from what Yuniko said prior to their dive into the Unlimited Neutral Field, Ikebukuro was the hunting ground for the corrupted Cherry Rook. However, given that he was taking a train to that zone the moment Marth and the others accelerated, about two real world minutes before the train would have arrived to be exact, they should have had a full day in this world before he showed up. It wasn't even nightfall in this world yet, so why did Chrome Disaster show up ahead of schedule?

There was only one explanation for this. Cherry Rook, the Burst Linker trapped within that armor, had accelerated while he was on the train. If this were on the Normal Duel Field, that would have been fine, since duels at most lasted 1.8 seconds in the real world. But in this field, the true Accelerated World, such a thing was beyond reckless. The only way to leave this world was to go to one of the withdrawal points scattered about. To enter this world while on a public transport made Marth seriously question Cherry Rook's sanity. Was the corrupted avatar so far gone that he can't wait a measly two minutes?

"Is this what will happen to me when my curse overtakes me?" The curse befalling the demon prince was no ordinary curse. It was the cause of the previous Wrath Lords going insane, gaining the wretched title called the "Lord of Calamity", and had no choice but to be slain. In his previous life, Marth had gotten the curse when his father forced Sinestra to make the demon prince the Wrath Lord, as the curse was tied to the position itself.

The only reason Zane didn't go insane was because the Demon Goddess had his powers as the Wrath Lord completely sealed, thus stopping the curse before it could spread. However, even the powers of a primordial goddess had its limits as he would later break that seal when Lucia died during the final battle against Zeta, thus freeing the curse. However, even then, Zane did not become the Lord of Calamity because he died sometime afterward, before the curse's work was complete.

As Zane's reincarnation, Marth ended up inheriting the curse immediately upon his birth, with it somehow having a new, albeit weaker, seal. Not even Rias could figure out who had made the new seal, but it did help to lessen the corruptive elements of the curse. What also helped was the divine blood within the Dark Swordsman's veins, a trait inherent to all members of the Umbris family as their family line was created directly from Sinestra's blood.

Despite those boons, it was impossible for Marth to gain full immunity to his curse. Eventually it will overtake him, and he will no longer be the person he once was. He'll go on a rampage, becoming a threat to the entire world. In fact, he could very well be the worst Lord of Calamity that has ever appeared. No one would be safe, not even the family he held so dear.

"Yuroooo!" A strange scream suddenly filled the air, interrupting the demon prince's thoughts. It sounded neither human or beast-like. It was more akin to howls he would hear from S-ranked Lemures. Truly, a horrifying sound.

The source was none other than the darkened knight itself, congealed darkness dripping from its fangs. It looked…hungry, as if it wanted to turn everyone here into an all-you-can-eat-buffet.

At that moment, Yellow Radio finally started to move, having initially been frozen by fear. He threw his arms backward, grabbing the sword behind him and attempted to pull it out of him.

Neither Marth nor Kuroba made any move to intervene. It wasn't fear that stayed their swords, but rather the fact that they couldn't just blindly rush this. Instead they just watched as Chrome Disaster lifted the struggling Yellow King towards his mouth, using his sword like a fork. Those monstrous jaws looked ready to take a chunk out of the clown's left shoulder.

"Deceit Firecracker!" Yellow Radio cried out in a high voice. A puff of yellow smoke suddenly surrounded the clown avatar before it suddenly exploded, disappearing from sight.

"A suicide attack?" Marth asked in confusion, keeping his gaze trained on the Armor of Catastrophe.

"Not quite. Look there." Following where the tip of Kuroba's left arm-sword pointed, Marth could see that same cloud of yellow smoke pop up about five meters away, the familiar clown emerging immediately afterward. So that was actually some kind of escape ability. How fitting for a trickster.

The hole in Radio's chest was still there, but despite that, he still managed to dash away another several meters. He then ordered his remaining subordinates to regroup to his position before addressing the monster that struck him.

"Pathetic dog. Have you forgotten your master and have come to interrupt my show too? Well, fine. If you're that hungry, then go ahead and feast on Blackie over there, and her little mutt too. Although their colors don't really look all that appetizing, do they? Aha-ha-ha-ha!" He might have been able to laugh, but there was a tension in his voice. Even Radio was wary of what Chrome Disaster will do.

Without saying a word, Chrome Disaster turned his head in both the directions of Kuroba and the Yellow King, who were standing an equal distance apart. This wasn't a player trying to decide which opponent to fight. It was like a predator debating which prey to go after. The darkened face then casually turned towards the bottom of the crater. Its gaze rested briefly on the Red King, who was silent and covered in injuries, but showed no emotion at seeing its Legion Master. It then gazed at Kisara and the others, who all looked unease. Finally, he turned his head and looked directly at Marth. His mouth twitched. Was that…a smile?

"You…you've got a rage in you," the chrome avatar spoke. There was no emotion in it. It was like it was coming from a machine, but the sad part was that the tone was that of a young boy. "One that rivals my own. An anger that destroys anything it touches. How interesting."

Marth instinctively tightened his grip on his swords. How did Disaster know about his curse? Could he sense it somehow?

"That's new," Yuniko spoke up, hesitation filling her voice. "The most he ever said to me was that he'll eat everything."

"But why would he say something like that to Marth?" Kirito questioned, rightfully confused. "Any ideas, Kisara?"

The demoness obviously knew what the Armor of Catastrophe was talking about. Rather than answer her friend's question, she looked away out of guilt, refusing to make eye contact.

Marth was hesitant to say anything too. It was inevitable that the rest of the Harbingers would learn the truth about him eventually, but he never suspected that it would happen this soon. Should he tell the truth now or try to hide it? Had he not been so hesitant, he might have noticed the worried look coming from Kuroba beside him.

The chrome avatar made no sudden moves, as if it was waiting for an answer. However, the sheer presence around it was intense, almost rivaling that of a King, or perhaps even a demon lord.

He had to respond, but what should he say? Tossing a brief glance at Lunara, the words came to his mind. "I'm afraid you're exaggerating about me," he said, trying his hardest to keep his voice steady. "I may get angry whenever my sister gets threatened, but it's not bad enough to threaten the entire world."

"Liar. You're denying your true nature. You're like me. You seek vengeance against the world, and you'll trample anyone who gets in your way."

Anger was boiling within his chest, but Marth managed to stay composed. He won't let himself get riled up. "We are nothing alike. I don't know what you seek or why, and frankly I don't care, but if you're a threat to my friends, then I won't hesitate to cut you down."

The Armor of Catastrophe chuckled, as if amused by a joke the gray avatar said. You know for a raging monster, he certainly seemed pretty sentient. Kuroba mentioned something about the Cursed Armament having fragments of sentience from its previous users, with the original being the most dominant. Perhaps what just happened was the calm before the storm, a brief sense of clarity.

"Marth," Kuroba whispered. "Are you…?"

Interrupting her in a quiet voice, he said, "Not now. This isn't the time or place. Right now, we need to destroy that armor."

Chrome Disaster unleashed a bloodcurdling howl, as if returning to the raging berserker he was best known as. Turning around abruptly, he set his sights on the Yellow King. He brought his large sword up to his right shoulder and stretched out his left hand, his five fingers shaped like monstrous claws.

And then something unexpected happened. Despite not saying any special-attack names, one of the red avatars standing by the Yellow King was yanked into the Armor's left hand. The berserker's claws bit into the torso of the unlucky player with a metallic groan.

"Eeaah!"

Even while they were screaming in terror and pain, the red type tried to aim its rifle at the Armor's head. It was at that moment Marth realized it was the same player who protected that jamming avatar. The muzzle of the gun glittered, a blueish-white beam beginning to charge up. But right as the weapon was firing, the arm holding the gun was abruptly ripped off at the base. Rather than hitting at his head directly, the beam instead grazed off the side of his helmet and streamed off into the distance.

Letting loose another cry, Chrome Disaster's maw opened wide. With a chomp, the red avatar's right shoulder was swallowed up, lost to darkness within the Armor's jaws. The poor player screamed out in agony. The pain of damage in the Unlimited Neutral Field was the same amount one would feel in the real world. If Marth had to make a comparison, it was like the player was being devoured by a wild animal.

Those razor-sharp teeth easily tore through the avatar's armor. Everyone just watched in horror as the Armor continued consuming its victim, eating more of their chest before finally swallowing the head whole. The screaming stopped instantly. The remains of the avatar, having lost its head, finally melted into a pillar of light and disintegrated, freeing them of their torment.

Marth couldn't help but let out a growl. That was no duel. That was predation. An instinctual behavior, to consume the flesh of a captured avatar and their burst points. At the same time its feast stopped, a red light could be seen running along the seams of the blackened silver armor. It was probably a showing of the stolen points, but also the effect of Drain, an HP draining ability that Kuroba mentioned the day before.

"Rooo!" The howl from Chrome Disaster was fierce, showing no trace of the intelligence it showed before. It truly was a mad beast.

"You mad dog…This is regrettable but I have no choice but to cancel this show. Everyone, retreat to the leave point in Ikebukuro Station. It's time to retreat!" the Yellow King shouted. With the order given, the remaining dozen Yellow Legion members faded into semitransparency, likely due to some kind of special move.

With them now being hazy shadows, they began to evacuate the crater, breaking to the northwest. While his plan was ruined, the voice of the retreating Yellow King drifted back with a snarky tone, the sneer on his face all too apparent. "Heh-heh-heh! So long, Red and Black. I hope I can invite you both to my wonderful carnival again sometime. I also managed to see something most unexpected. Have fun not getting eaten by this dog! Heh-heh-heh…Ha-ha-ha-ha!"

Marth was half-tempted to form a strategy to get Chrome Disaster to attack the fleeing Yellow Legion so they could take their King's head, but he begrudgingly dismissed the idea. As much as he wanted Radio to pay for what he did, the demon prince didn't want to risk making the Armor even more difficult to defeat.

"Man, this going to be a pain. This thing is capable of fighting all seven of the Kings of Pure Color, the strongest players in the entire game. Not only do we have to incapacitate it, but we have to hit it with the Judgement Blow from point-blank range." He then found himself shaking his head. "Well, it's not like I've been through worse situations. After all, Scathach did throw me into a Lemure den with nothing but a knife when I was fourteen."

Like a true carnivore, Chrome Disaster hunched over, its gaze fixed on the fleeing Yellow Legion. He then dashed with incredible speed when…

"Death by Piercing!" Kuroba rang out boldly.

Right-arm sword nocked in her left, she thrusted straight ahead. The violet glittering encasing the blade expanded and extended in a straight line nearly five meters long. The sheer attack power released compressed the virtual air, distorting the view around the target range. A high-pitched scream roared, but only the horn on the right side of Chrome Disaster's helmet was cut off.

Despite attacking while the Armor's back was turned, possibly the best chance to do so, the corrupted silver armor slid to the left and evaded the attack. The severed horn twirled high into the air, dropped down, and pierced into the ground with a thud.

"So you dodged that," the Black King muttered, sounding almost impressed, while pulling back the right arm she had extended. She had not moved a single inch from where she stood. It was as though her attack had somehow reached her target through sheer will alone. The demonic (a term the prince used loosely) knight turned towards the onyx beauty, roaring in anger.

"I didn't know Death by Piercing could by used like that," Marth commented. "Any special trick to it?"

"There is but it's a little too soon for you and the others to learn it right now. Think you're up for round two?"

"Naturally. This will be just like fighting Lemures in Eternus."

While her avatar didn't have a mouth, he had a feeling the princess of the fairies was smirking. The two got into fighting stances as the raging beast charged at them. It'll take a minute or so for Kirito and the others to reach them, but they should be able to hold their ground long enough for that.

It was Marth who made the first move. Steeling himself, he rushed forward at high-speed and intercepted the Armor's sword with a cross block. The sheer impact sent tremors down his arms, making them almost numb, sparks scattering as the blades clashed. Even for being a level 7, Chrome Disaster's strength was off the charts. He was no ordinary Burst Linker anymore. He was driven by nothing but pure rage. It would seem that in this world, emotions can have an impact on your fighting prowess.

Gathering his strength, Marth pushed back the large sword, knocking its wielder back. This allowed Kuroba to close in, her arm-swords poised to strike. She swung her left sword-arm towards Chrome Disaster's breastplate, however he managed to recover and blocked the attack with his broadsword. The intensity of the clash shook the air before the two fighters found themselves thrown backward. They then attacked at the same time, Disaster gripping his broadsword with both hands and swinging horizontally, while Kuroba stopped it with a right roundhouse kick, creating yet another explosion.

Yet again, the two were sent flying in opposite directions. Chrome Disaster aimed his open left hand towards the Black King, intending to pull her in with that unnamed special attack. However, his efforts were interrupted when a javelin made of purple lightning suddenly impaled itself in his left arm. The Armor screamed in agony before glaring at the hooded avatar in gray.

"Kuroba isn't your only opponent here," Marth said coldly, the tip of his right sword pointed at the berserker. "Might want to stay on your guard if you want to survive this."

Chrome Disaster let out a metallic growl, as condensed shadow dripped out of the wound like blood. He suddenly clenched the lightning spear in his jaws and pulled it out with next to no effort, ignoring the intense pain it must have felt for doing so. Once the attack spell was removed, he spat the spear onto the ground, where it dissipated without a trace. At the same time, the hole in his left arm surrounded itself in reddish-black light and completely repaired itself, much to Marth's annoyance.

Yep, this was going to be a pain, but Marth had no intention of running. He did agree to help Yuniko destroy the Armor of Catastrophe and he is a demon of his word. If it can regenerate, then he'll just have to hit faster than it can heal itself.

A fierce exchange between the dual wielders and the Armor occurred, neither side able to overcome the other. Having experience working together, you would think that the advantage would be Marth and Kuroba's, but Chrome Disaster's attacks were so ferocious that it took everything they had just to block them, and occasionally they weren't always successful. One slash managed to break off a tip of Black Lotus's skirt while another left a nasty cut on Ashen Wolf's right arm. It was impressive to see the Armor swinging such a massive sword with such ease. It was as though the broadsword weighed the same as a feather.

Thankfully that was when Kirito, Asuna and Kisara emerged from the crater, all ready to fight. The Black Legion promptly surrounded Disaster, blocking out all its escape routes. Now was the time to end this.

"…"

A chill suddenly ran down the back of Marth's neck. This sensation. This came from his Hypersense. He was detecting a killing intent and it came…from inside the crater?!

Before Marth could say anything, a barrage of missiles fell down on the group. He and Kirito manage to evade with relative ease, but Kisara and Asuna weren't able to react in time and got caught in the explosions. It wasn't enough to take out their remaining HP, but it was enough to incapacitate them. Chrome Disaster wasn't able to evade either and was dazed as well. However, Ashen Wolf's problems weren't over yet.

"Marth, look out!" Kuroba cried out.

The Black King moved with exceptional speed, using her right arm to strike the demon prince in the chest and sent him tumbling along the ground. At the same time, a beam of crimson light struck the spot where he originally was, enveloping the jet-black avatar who pushed him away. A big explosion soon followed, releasing an intense wave of heat that stung at his armor. Acting on reflex, he extended his left hand and activated the wind defense spell, Stormveil, prompting an intense gale of black winds to swirl around him and shield him from the explosion.

It took a few moments to collect himself. His head was pounding, ears ringing. Somehow, he managed to get back onto his feet. His entire body ached. There wasn't a single part that didn't hurt.

He looked over the battlefield and saw that he was the only one still standing. All the remaining members of Nega Nebulus were all lying in the dirt badly injured, their armor broken and scorched. The one who had it worse though was definitely the Black King as both her right arm and leg swords had been snapped in half, cracks racing around her visor like a spiderweb. At the very least, none of them were in danger of getting devoured by Chrome Disaster, as he was currently knocked onto his back, his armor scorched. He wasn't moving.

"Kuroba!" he shouted in worry, his heart pounding in his chest. He slid next to her limp form, dropped his swords onto the ground, and lifted her by her upper body. She was so light, so much so it scared him. She wasn't responding to his voice, no matter how many times he said her name, the blast having knocked her unconscious. "Kisara! Kirito! Asuna! Are you all okay?"

"W-we're fine," Argent Flash stuttered out, her voice sounding harsh.

"What the hell just happened?" Kisara added, sounding justifiably angry. "Who attacked us? I want to show them what Ragnarok looks like."

The Wrath Lord was furious too. After all, he knew the culprit behind that surprise attack. And boy, was he going to make them regret that. From his kneeling position, he glared daggers into the crater, looking straight at the small scarlet avatar within the damaged red fortress. As if to confirm his theory, the main cannon had smoke leaking out of the muzzle.

"Yuniko!" he growled out. "What are you doing?"

The Red King didn't answer him. Instead, the thrusters on her back and bottom lit up, allowing the Immobile Fortress to exit the crater. After what seemed like forever, she finally came to a stop in front of Ashen Wolf. The damaged fort then broke apart into containers and melted into the air, leaving just the small avatar behind.

"Yuniko," he repeated, getting more frustrated with the young girl. "If Kuroba loses to you, she'll lose all her points? I want to know why you suddenly attacked her like that."

Just by looking at the state of her duel avatar, it was clear that Kuroba didn't have much HP left. Just one more attack might be enough to finish her off, and if that blow came from a King, then she'll be banished from the Accelerated World forever.

Despite the venom in his tone, the Red King's reply was childish and cold. "Do you need an answer to that? For a Burst Linker, all other Burst Linkers are your enemies. You lose to an enemy, your points decrease. When they hit zero, you leave this world forever. That's all there is to it. Nothing really matters in this world. Not even the bonds between guardians and proteges."

"Yuniko," Kirito called out, sounding just as bitter over her sudden betrayal.

"Choose your next words very carefully," Purple Flare spoke up, glaring at the small girl. "Marth and I warned you that we would make you pay for betraying us, and we keep our promises. Apologize now and we might let this outburst slide, little sister."

The bitterness in the demoness's words did cause the Red King to flinch, but she quickly collected herself. Her emerald eye lenses then glanced over at Marth, pulling out the small handgun by her waist with her remaining hand. "After I take him out, I'll finish all of you off, starting with Lotus. If you don't want to happen, then run away. The next time we meet, it will be as enemies."

Before he could even utter a retort, Yuniko trotted over to Chrome Disaster, who was crawling on its arms and legs to get away. The Armor must have sensed the danger it was in. It had taken a lot of damage from Scarlet Rain's surprise attack, enough that it wasn't healing as fast as before.

Given everyone's condition, there was no way they could outrun the Red King before she uses the Judgement Blow on Cherry Rook. Once he's gone, she'll be setting her sights on the incapacitated Black Legion. Out of all them still alive, Kuroba was the most at risk given that she is a King. If she loses to another level 9 Burst Linker, even just once, then she'll lose all her points and be banished from the Accelerated World forever.

Admittedly he knew that this scenario was a possibility the moment Yuniko asked to meet his guardian. Takumu even voiced that opinion the other day during their meeting. But Marth let his guard down. He didn't think the Red King would be so stupid to pull this kind of stunt after she gave him her address as collateral. If she tries to escape, he'll have Cynthia track her down and force her to come back.

Still, was this really how Yuniko wanted to part ways. Last night she seemed happy hanging around Kuroba and the others. Even someone as cold as him found the scene heartwarming, not that he would openly admit it. So was that all just a trick? That was the question on his lips as he watched Scarlet Rain aim her gun at the back of Chrome Disaster's head.

"Hon…estly…This is why…I despise children…"

Marth found his gaze falling on the onyx beauty in his arms. Kuroba had managed to wake up. Her voice was weak and wracked with pain. However, there was no trace of any anger in her tone. Still, he was relieved to see that she was okay, at least for now.

"Kuro…" he was then interrupted by a loud metallic screech.

Following the sound, he saw that Chrome Disaster had its upper body arched back, holding Scarlet Rain up by her left arm, making sure her gun wasn't pointing towards him.

"She didn't shoot?" Marth said in confusion.

"But why?" Asuna wondered. "She had a clear shot. Why did she hesitate?"

"Because…that little girl…is just sulking. She's sad, throwing a tantrum…"

Chrome Disaster's right hand moved in a flash, seizing Yuniko by the neck. The Red King grabbed the gauntlet with her right hand, but made no effort to resist, instead just letting herself dangle. It looked like she had just given up and lost her will to fight on.

"She wants…more than anyone else, to believe…In the ultimate bond of a Burst Linker," Kuroba murmured. "Those two…are guardian and protégé. The Red King…is Disaster's…no, Cherry Rook's protégé."

That information took Marth by surprise. It was the missing piece of the puzzle regarding this whole ordeal. He knew there was more to Yuniko's motivation than just stopping a rogue member of her Legion. She had Cherry Rook tracked in the real world, using her knowledge as his protégé to make that possible.

Unable to find the words to speak, he felt a light tap on his shoulder. His gaze fell back to Kuroba.

"Don't worry about me," she said, finally regaining some of her strength. "I'll be fine. Go help Niko. She's our friend, and she needs your help."

Surprisingly, Marth found himself smiling at that. It was rare for him to feel like this. Even he couldn't ignore a girl in desperate need of help, especially when they've lost all hope. To do so would go against everything his mother taught him. "Okay. I'll be right back."

He was about to set his guardian down when suddenly she spoke again. "Wait. I just want to tell you, I know about your dark power."

"What?! But how? Who told you?"

"I'll tell you later. I don't know much about it, but I need you to know that Chrome Disaster is not the opponent you can hold back against. You need to go all out, otherwise he'll kill us all. I know you can do it. I believe in you, Marth."

Those words stirred deeply within the demon prince's heart. Deep down, he knew it was true. Chrome Disaster is not an opponent he can take lightly. With everyone incapacitated, he only has one card left to play. It was a gamble, but it was their only chance at victory. But the question is, can he maintain control of himself long enough to completely defeat the Armor of Catastrophe?

Unfortunately, like his inevitable fate, the choice was out of his hands. He couldn't risk leaving his friends in such danger. If he has the power to keep them all safe, then he'll gladly use it, regardless of the consequences towards himself. After all, the Dark Swordsman surrenders to no one. He fights tooth and nail to survive, and to keep his loved ones safe.

That's the spirit. Good luck, Master.

Lunara briefly flashed with a familiar purple light while it laid on the ground beside him. He knew without a doubt that it was Sophia, his most trusted partner. Her messages were sporadic, mostly because he still hasn't claimed the real Lunaris. Perhaps he should rectify that after he settles things here. After all, without the ultimate demonic sword, there was no Dark Swordsman.

Settling the Black King down gently, he retrieved his swords, stood up, and summoned his demonic wings. He had his sights set on Disaster's right arm. It put him dangerously close to the Armor's mouth, but that was just an occupational hazard. With a sharp cry, he kicked off the ground and flew low, moving akin to that of a missile. He had to hurry, otherwise Niko was about to become her guardian's next meal.

Pulling his right sword back, it flashed with crimson light. He thrusted the black blade forward, all while it made the sound of a jet engine. His sword bit into the thick plates of Armor's right gauntlet, forcing the berserker to let the Red King go. That was the least of his concerns though as the sheer impact sent the Armor of Catastrophe bouncing onto the rubble for a good ten meters.

Marth folded his wings and landed, taking a quick glance to see that he had only half of his special-attack gauge left. He had already used too much of it during the initial fight with the berserker. It wasn't the best hand he could have received, but it was workable. He then turned his attention to the scarlet avatar behind him, who was holding her throat and coughing violently.

"Y-you…Why…"

"Hey, you're the one who tracked me down in the real world to come help you deal with this thing. I may be cold, but I keep my word. Besides, we're basically friends, and I never abandon a friend."

Swallowing her breath and stiffening up, the Red King said hoarsely, "You jerk…How naïve…can you be?"

Marth simply chuckled as he planted Solaris into the ground so that he could pick up Yuniko's gun, holding the grip towards her. "Pot meet kettle, besides you're the one running from your duty. You're a King, aren't you? Stop getting lost in the past and do what needs to be done. Brain Burst is nothing more than a curse for your friend now. There's no going back for him anymore. You need to set him free."

The glimmer in her eyes was filled with hesitation. After a single second, the Red King reached out and took the pistol from the Dark Swordsman. "I know. There's no point in dragging this out. Let's finish this."

"That's the spirit. Leave Cherry Rook to me. Once I incapacitate him, move in to use the Judgement Blow on him."

"Okay. Good luck."

Chrome Disaster had managed to recover from Ashen Wolf's attack and got back on his feet. Clearly sensing the danger he was in, he raised his left palm to the sky and suddenly began moving diagonally. He wasn't flying, nor was he jumping. It was as if some invisible force was pulling at him. An invisible…thread…

"Oh. Now I get it. That's how you managed to pull that little stunt." He wasn't jumping or flying. That left hand creates paper-thin threads that pull things in. They were so thin they were practically invisible, which gave the appearance of the Armor pulling things in through sheer willpower. In fact, had Marth not seen Cynthia produce similar threads to stealthily ensnare her enemies, he might not have figured it out.

"What are you doing, Marth?!" Yuniko cried out in haste. "He's gonna get away if you don't stop him!"

"Relax, Niko. He's not going anywhere." With the snap of his fingers, a bolt of purple lightning suddenly struck the fleeing avatar from above before he had a chance to get very far, knocking him back on the ground. It was one of the perks of being a master at lightning magic, although in this world, it did take a toll on his special-attack gauge.

Shaking his head, the Armor of Catastrophe glared murderously at the Dark Swordsman. To add salt to the wound, Marth casually waved at the downed knight. "You weren't trying to leave without saying goodbye, were you?" he said confidently. "I thought you were supposed to be a raging beast, not a scared little puppy. Well, if you want to run home and cry, then I completely understand. After all, I am stronger than you after all."

This was one of Marth's classic strategies, one that he mainly uses against opponents more into brawn than intellect. Jab at their pride a little and they'll dance in your palm. He wasn't going to let Chrome Disaster get anywhere close to a leave point. He will be banished from this world today. They won't get another chance like this again if he manages to flee.

Steadying his breathing, Marth placed his left hand over his heart. It was now or never. If he plays his cards right, he should be able to last at least for thirty seconds. That was more than enough time. However, if he goes even a single second over that limit, then he'll risk losing control of himself. He just had to pray that Kisara can snap him out of it before anything bad happens.

He reached deep within himself, calling forth the dark power of his curse. It responded instantly, a black miasma radiating off his body. He could practically feel the shocked looks on everyone's faces behind his back.

"What the?" Graphite Edge said in confusion.

"Marth?" Asuna added, sounding a little concerned.

Only Kisara knew the danger he was putting himself in, her eyes wide in worry. "No, Brother. You can't use that power. It's too dangerous!"

"Sorry, Sister, but it has to be done," he said solemnly. "I'll be counting on you to bring me back if I lose control."

The hood of his avatar vanished, revealing his long black hair that swayed in an invisible breeze. He leaned his head back, and suddenly his black locks turned silver, his bloodred eyes morphing into yellow.

"Raaaa!" he bellowed out before retrieving Solaris.

Chrome Disaster glared at the Dark Swordsman, picking itself up. The Armor of Catastrophe roared in challenge. It would seem that he took issue with the threatening presence of the Lord of Calamity, exactly the reaction Marth was hoping for. That meant he won't have to worry about Disaster trying to escape.

The mad knight shot towards the ashen avatar with blinding speed, its broadsword raised overhead. Unable to waste even a second, Marth rushed to meet his opponent, his speed far beyond what it was before. Had he heard what Yuniko said as she watched, he would have heard her comparing him to that of a King.

Their swords clashed fiercely, sparks shooting everywhere. The impact didn't feel the same as it did before. In fact, Marth hardly felt any resistance. Gathering his strength, he pushed the enemy sword aside and pressed the attack. His movements were like a blue, almost impossible to keep track of.

Twenty seconds left.

Both sides practically abandoned defense, focusing purely on dealing as much damage to the other as possible. However, if you had to say who was in the lead, it would be Marth. With his King-like speed, he was able to minimize the damage that he took. Not to mention that his build was smaller than that of Chrome Disaster's. Sure he got a few glancing wounds here and there, but they were just paper cuts compared to the serious gashes now littering the mad knight's armor.

"Come on!" Marth goaded. "Is that the best you got? So much for you being a level 7 Burst Linker."

Not good. The curse was already starting to affect his psyche. Part of why he only uses its power as a last resort is due to the fact that brings out some of his darker impulses, the sides of him that he tries to keep buried. He had to end this quickly.

Ten seconds left.

Lunaris flashed with blue light as he activated the four-hit Horizontal Square, each slash landing their mark against the Armor of Catastrophe. Marth then chained together Vertical Square and Sharp Nail, delivering devastating damage to Disaster, whose armor was struggling to hold together. The resulting high-powered attacks ended up knocking the chrome avatar backward, but it somehow managed to stay on its feet.

"Raaaa!" the mad knight howled as it began repairing itself. "You'll pay for that! I will devour you!"

Marth simply smirked in challenge. "Bring it on." He got ready to charge again when suddenly he felt a sharp pain in his brain. It was as though he got struck by lightning. Unable to process what was going on, he promptly fell to his knees, dropped Solaris onto the ground and placed his left palm on his forehead, which felt like it about to explode. His long hair covered his eyes. "What's…happening?"

The Armor of Catastrophe bellowed in laughter. "Heh-heh. Looks like your luck's run out!"

Big talk from a ghost. Show that fool how outclassed he is.

It was that voice again, the one he had heard before Disaster showed up here, only it was louder than last time. But who was it? Who was talking to him? Whoever it was, they were in no hurry to reveal more about themselves as they fell silent once more.

Suddenly Marth stood back onto his feet, his eyes glowing with an intense light. He raised Lunara skyward and said, "Megiddo." A large sphere of menacing black fire appeared above his head, the intense heat prickling at him, but he barely noticed it. Everyone was shocked by what they saw.

"What the? That's one of the strongest fire spells in existence," Asuna said in disbelief. "Since when can Marth use fire magic?!"

If Marth heard her, he didn't react. His eyes were locked firmly upon Chrome Disaster. Silently, he placed his other hand upon Lunara's hilt and continued with, "Enchant." After saying that one word, the flames of Megiddo began to wrap themselves around the black blade, condensing and growing in strength.

"Did he say 'Enchant'?" Graphite Edge questioned. "That's a Lost Magic, and a risky one at that. Scathach hasn't even taught us how to use it yet."

That raises the question then. How did Marth know such an advanced technique that only a handful of people in existence were able to use? Well that's a story for another time as everyone found their eyes glued towards the Dark Swordsman as his weapon fully assimilated Megiddo's power.

"Burn to ash! Do it, Lunara!" Marth declared fiercely and with that, he swung his blade down, unleashing a black wave of fire upon the Armor of Catastrophe. Disaster raised its arms in defense but was completely consumed by the dark flames. A massive explosion soon followed, forcing all the onlookers to shield their eyes as they felt the intense heat and smoke brush past.

When the smoke cleared, they all saw in horror that the path the Megiddo beam traveled had left a molten scar on the ground. Chrome Disaster was on his knees, looking burnt to a crisp, parts of his armor looking melted. In fact, the armor looked like it could crumble just from blowing on it. Also, he was trembling. Was he…afraid?

"Get up!" Marth demanded intensely, jabbing the tip of his sword at the charred avatar. "This battle isn't over yet. Come on. Isn't this the type of fight you've been looking for?! A true battle to the death?! Now pick up your weapon and fight me!"

"What the hell's gotten into you, Marth?!" Niko shouted, completely shocked by the dual wielder's sudden bloodlust. "You've already won. There's no need to continue!"

Meanwhile Kirito managed to pick himself back up. His gaze was firmly planted onto his best friend. He's seen the demon prince in some of his darkest moments, but none of them compared to this side of him, which he himself had never seen before. "That's not Marth," he said slowly. "He would never act this way towards anyone. Something's taken him over. He's not himself."

Kuroba found herself feeling overwhelmed with dread. This was all her fault. She was the one who told Marth to use his forbidden power, and now he can't control himself anymore. She had to do something, but she didn't have the strength to move.

Chrome Disaster stayed where he was, completely petrified. His face was pointed towards the ground, refusing to even look at the enemy before him.

"If you've lost the will to fight, then it's over," Marth said smugly. "Time for you to disappear." Black flames were beginning to gather around Lunara again. He was preparing another Megiddo attack!

"Stop it. Brother!" A purple blur suddenly slammed itself into the Dark Swordsman's chest, nearly knocking him to the ground. It was Kisara, trying her hardest hold her elder sibling back. "You've done enough. You can rest now. It's over. You won."

Suddenly the flames around Lunara went out, as did the miasma around Marth. His hair and eyes returned to their normal color as well. As if all the strength in his legs had disappeared, he collapsed onto his knees. His eyes were wide in horror.

"What…what was I doing?" he said slowly, as if coming out of a daze. He then noticed his sister bawling in his chest. "Kisara, why are you crying?"

"I-it's nothing," she choked out. "I'm just glad you're alright. Thank goodness."

At the same time, Chrome Disaster's armor crumbled into ash, leaving behind a small burned up avatar. That must be the real form of Cherry Rook, although he looked a little charbroiled but he was relatively intact. It would seem that the armor had taken the brunt of his Megiddo attack.

He then felt a light slap on his shoulder. "Glad to see you're back to normal, Ashen Wolf. Leave the rest to me."

Marth watched silently as the Red King approached her fallen guardian. She knelt beside him and hugged the burned avatar tightly, likely her way of saying goodbye. Niko then pressed her gun against Cherry Rook's chest and pulled the trigger. The moment the virtual bullet pierced the boy avatar, he began to disassemble into countless ribbons, resembling that of lines of code. It was the information of Cherry Rook being unraveled. In just ten seconds, there was no trace of him left. He was gone, banished from the Accelerated World forever.

A moment of silence passed among the group, a sort of mourning for the fallen player. After a while, Kisara helped move her brother closer to the Red King, who was slumped down and staring up at the black sky.

"Me and Cherry," she suddenly said as they sat behind her, "we don't know our parents, our birth parents I mean. I told you two that I go to a boarding school, right? Well it's one that takes in abandoned children."

Yuniko then went on to explain how she had a hard time fitting in because of her personality (Marth had enough tact not to make a snipy comment about it). She pretty much played VR games by herself, but then three years ago, this guy two grades above her started talking to her. He told her about a better game she could play.

That game was none other than Brain Burst, and that boy was Cherry Rook. He taught Niko everything he knew and did his best to protect her, like how a true guardian would. Eventually, before she even realized it, she had surpassed him in levels and became a King. She got so busy being the new Legion Master that she hardly paid attention to her guardian anymore. He wanted to stay her guardian forever. That was why he gave into the temptation of the Armor of Catastrophe. If only she had realized her mistake sooner, and told her that no matter what happens, he would always be her guardian.

"Lovely story," Marth said as she finished. "But don't think that means you'll be escaping your punishment. You did shoot at us even though you promised not to."

Yuniko suddenly flinched, eyeing the demon siblings in fear. "Wait, you were serious about that?!"

Kisara let out an amused chuckle. "Oh, little sister, we never lie when it comes to family. In fact, I've already figured out the perfect punishment for you." She whispered something in her brother's ear. Whatever it was, he liked the sound of it, which made the Red King even more nervous.

After a few minutes of rest, the gang all gathered together. During their rest, the field ended up going through a Change, where its affinity will be switched and the Enemeis respawn. The new theme was a forest with large stones that had cavities within them. Apparently, this kind of thing happens at fixed intervals. Also, the one-hour penalty had also expired, allowing Takumu to be revived. He was relieved to see both of his lieges were fine, though he did say Marth had him worried at the end with that strange fire attack.

"Speaking of which," Kirito voiced. "What the heck was that power you used, Marth? I've never seen you use anything like that before."

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later. This isn't the ideal place to chat about such things."

"Agreed," Kuroba replied. "Now then. Everyone, check your inventories. If you have the Armor of Catastrophe in your storage, delete it immediately. That way, we can prevent this disaster from happening again."

Ah yes, unlike other Enhanced Armaments, the Armor of Catastrophe has a hundred percent drop rate. This whole tragedy started because Yellow Radio lied about deleting the armor and instead kept it to use against the other Kings during the last Chrome Disaster incident. This was something that shouldn't be repeated again, so like everyone else, Marth opened his item storage to see that if he got anything new.

As it turns out, there was a new item in his storage. The very armament they fought so hard to destroy. Without so much as a word, he deleted the item, thus finally bringing the curse to an end.

"Well, at least some curses can be broken. Mine on the other hand…"

With the destruction of the armor confirmed, the group began to make their way to the nearest leave point to return to the real world. As they walked, Marth thought he heard a voice, but he ignored it because of how tired he felt. However, once they were at the leave point at the base of the World Tree and jumped into it, the voice rang in his head again.

Let's play again, Marth.

To be continued


And with that, the Chrome Disaster arc has reached its conclusion. All that's left is its epilogue chapter and Marth's meeting with Elie. I heavily debated on what to do with the armor, either to get rid of it, or have Marth keep it (mainly to study it). Ultimately I chose to delete it because I can think of another way to do the second Chrome Disaster arc which goes over how it was created. Sure the armor itself won't be involved this time, but I can't see Marth keeping a smoking gun like this in his inventory. He knows better than to keep it after all. Anyway, it's late. Time for me to go to bed. See you guys next time!