Infinite Stratos Plot Bunnies Challenges
Chapter 2: Infinite Sword Art Online: The Pride of The Hikikomori
AN: Wrote this out a long time ago. Made some further refinements to this story proposal before I upload this chapter to share this story idea to you all. There isn't a lot of IS x SAO crossover stories so think of this as challenge and to fill in the void left in the IS crossover fanfiction section. This is what I laid out so far of my IS x SAO crossover story idea. Have not come up with a conclusion to the story as this story is mainly Ichika's origin story prior to him being discovered as the first IS male pilot. Feel free to adapt this fanfiction idea and expand upon what I already have down. There's no way I would be able to write this story out well even though I conceived this story idea.
Aincrad Arc
The online gaming hikikomori extraordinaire Ichika Orimura went into SAO to explore a new world and reality beyond IRL and wanted a place where he can find and be his "real" self with other people without being seen as only the "Brunhilde's little brother" and because of perceived guilt for causing Chifuyu to forfeit the second Mondo Grosso from his kidnapping. He is further motivated by the fact that as his childhood friends Houki and Rin left him, he made some new friends online who introduce him to the world of online gaming, Kirito and Argo. All three online friends both attended the SAO Beta Test and bought the game and Nerve Gear. BTW it was through Argo did Ichika found out about the SAO Beta Test since she had been his longtime online friend.
His SAO name is «Shiroi Yūrei» [translated as "White Ghost"] (or just Shiroi for short), nicknamed the "Phantom Blade of Aincrad" and also the "Death Bow". He would later earn the title of "Hantākirā" (translated as "Hunter Killer") because of his ruthless and merciless hunting and butchering of red players and violent harden orange players in the aftermath of Sachi's escape from the killing grasp of Laughing Coffin. "Hantākirā" also describes his abilities to lay traps, ambushes, or outright assassinate enemies in SAO whether it be mobs or other players. His way of sole playing and close range combat style is similar to Kirito's but it could only be described as sheer suicidal that Argo and Sachi always had to check in with him every day through PM to make sure he hasn't doesn't anything insane that would get him killed. BTW Shinkawa Shouichi (aka XaXa) was partially inspired by Shiroi's "Death Bow" nickname for his ability to kill red and orange players from a distance using a bow and arrow sometimes without being seen or heard while committing the act, which in turn led him to conceive the Death Gun group with his younger brother for GGO arc.
Ichika's close range weapons at the start are «Kojiki Kiyomitsu» and «Kiku-Ichimonji Norimune» both katanas named after the two swords used by Okita Souji. Later he would use «Moralltach» and «Beagalltach». Seeing Ichika attempt to due wield two swords gave Kirito the idea and inspiration to dual wield «Elucidator» and «Dark Repulsor». Ichika wouldn't have competed with Kirito for the Duel Blade Skill as his attention turned to the development of projectile weapons.
Ichika first crafted his own bow «Anneal Bladed Bow Prototype» which served as a test bow for future iterations of the Anneal Bladed Bow series. Based on the name, the «Anneal Bladed Bow Prototype» was forged from Anneal Blades which became plentiful for Ichika to buy off of other players and vendors for cheap, especially the «Anneal Bladed Bow +8» versions as the Players advanced each floor. The very first «Anneal Bladed Bow» would be forged by Aincrad's famous female blacksmith, Lisbeth. The final form of the Anneal Bladed Bow would be the «Anneal Bladed Bow +64» which is forged from eight «Anneal Blade +8». In exchange for furnishing Ichika a steady supply of Anneal Bladed Bows and «Anneal Blade Arrows» (also includes the +64 version and versions mixed with potions for status effects) that were created as result if his invention, Lisbeth got 50% of the profits from selling off Anneal Bladed Bows and Arrows to other players. Eventually there came a point where his «Anneal Bladed Bow and Arrows +64» became too low level for Ichika to use as the players started to advance to higher Floors. Ichika notice the 10% reduction in effectiveness on the 25th Floor and 95% reduction rate by the 45th Floor. Thus, he switched over to his final bow which would also be forged by Lisbeth, «Arjuna Arash» the second bow weapon in SAO and the strongest bow in SAO. The new bow would use Ichika's new specialty arrows like «Hrunting Arrow» and «Caladbolg II Arrow» both which offered more power than the «Anneal Bladed Arrow +64», with one being able to track and hunt targeted enemies and the other being something of an "Anti-Army" weapon.
Ichika's final melee weapons consist of «True Apocrypha» (aka Spear Key and Gun Shield), a pile bunker shaped like a string instrument; it is based on the weapon used by the Type Moon character Riesbyfe Stridberg. It is mounted on Ichika's left arm while in his right arm he wields a small forearm shield «The Contender». The Contender has an attached sword «Lævateinn» which serves as the Contender's primary weapon. «Lævateinn» is usually folded behind when not used, but when used «Lævateinn» is folded forward with its "Burning Flame" status active (like the GN Sword weapon of Gundam Exia). Although «Lævateinn» is considered to have great destructive power, there are situations where it cannot be used due to its size. The Contender can also be used in Pick Launcher Mode, whereby the blade returns to its idle folded state exposing the muzzle where «Throwing Picks» are launched from.
Ichika as Shiroi was a vigilante who hunts other players, specifically red-players for two reasons: the noble reason of saving as many lives as possible from being killed by criminal players, and for the selfish reason of wanting to become emotionally stronger to overcome him psychological trauma and pain in the past by beating and killing stronger players - who for the most part in his eyes are the red players. Unlike Kirito who was demonized and ostracized by most SAO players, Shiroi had a mixed reception as an SAO player. At first his vigilantism was tolerated by most guilds and appreciated by other civilian players since there is no real law enforcement presence in SAO to protect them from vicious criminal PK-ers. With the Clearers on the frontlines and the Army camping on the 1st Floor, for the Aincrad public Shiroi was something of a cop with the function of a bounty hunter whose purpose is to capture if possible - but for the most part - kill red players and other players guilty of heinous crimes other than taking an innocent life. Even though people were wary of him because of the system classifying him as a red player too, at least he was respected and appreciated for his dirty hard work and contributions to helping making Aincrad a better and safer place.
It was only after Laughing Coffin was forcefully dismantled by the Clearers, with Kirito, Asuna, and Shiroi leading the charge of that operation, did Aincrad's perceptions of him changed. Shiroi continued his vigilantism and hunt for red players - only now including LC members who managed to escaped being captured by the Clearers. When he ruthlessly hunted down and killed many criminal players to fish out LC members in hiding, it was made clear to the Aincrad public that Shiroi Yūrei truly answered to no one, that he made himself the sole judge, jury, and executioner of all Aincrad, making them wary and nervous of him as much as Kirito the Beater. In short, people feared that the player infamously nicknamed "Hantākirā" would replace LC as the next biggest threat to all SAO players. This coming on the heels of the major guilds deciding to establish a formal justice system with proper law enforcement to back it up in the aftermath of dismantling LC. The «Divine Dragon Alliance» volunteered to attempt to take Shiroi in alive, but by then Shiroi was already on par with the likes of Kirito, and Asuna, and proved himself a seriously dangerous, versatile, and formidable player that the DDA players send to arrest him were viciously beaten back and sent back in worse shape; the arresting party had been grateful that none of them died at his hands. Finally the Clearers decided to send Kirito to deal with Shiroi. At first Shiroi had the upper hand with his surprise ambush and attacking Kirito behind while he was under «Paralyzed» status from an explosive trap that exploded Paralyzing Poison on him. Of course, Asuna, Strea, and Philia was already on scene when Shiroi got Kirito in the yellow thanks to Argo tipping them off where Shiroi was most likely to be. They subdued Shiroi but he continued to put up a hectic struggle. It was only after Sachi came with tears in her eyes and desperate pleas to Shiroi to stop fighting, to stop walking down his suicidal path of trying to prove himself strong or kill to protect her, did Shiroi finally relented and stop struggling. Shiroi would continue to be a solo player but at least he wasn't going off on a suicidal rampage anymore. He and Sachi confessed their love for each other, married each other, and eventually they consummated their passionate feelings in bed the night before the fated 75th Boss fight which would have a tragic outcome for the two lovers.
Fairy Dance Arc
When Shiroi Yūrei or Ichika in IRL came back, his emotional state in really horrible bad shape, having forever traumatized by Sachi's death at the hands of Kayaba. In the interlude between the end of the Aincrad arc and the start of Alfheim arc, Ichika unhesitantly jumped into the next VRMMORPG he sees to avoid dealing with bitter reality of losing the one he loved and having to deal with a sad and worried Chifuyu trying to get him to open up with her after his 2-year coma hiatus in SAO. He seeks his emotional escape in ALO under a Sylph avatar named «Charlemagne d'Arthur Pendragon» while Strea, Aincrad's 2nd Mental Health Counselling AI, whose data was saved in his Nervegear chose a Spriggan avatar naming herself «Roland» while wielding her new rare ALO sword «Durandal». Philia took the form of an Undine avatar named «Morganna Ley Fey». Linking up with Argo and Sicilia in the game under Cait Sith avatars naming themselves «Merlin» and «Lancelot»., the SAO quartet quickly formed a mercenary guild consisting of former SAO players and other ALO players recruited for their extraordinary guerrilla warfare tactics and spec-ops known as the «Round Table Paladins». Their relatively quick successes a mercenary combat guild quickly gained the attention of Lady Sakuya of the Sylphs and with her permission were allowed to set up Guild HQ in Sylphs territory in exchange for help to form and lead an elite group of Sylph warriors to fight the Salamanders. The name of this group/guild would be known as the «Special Activities Operations», otherwise known as SAO. The Phantasm Paladins and SAO dealt serious damage to the Salamanders by decimating their entire armies, earning great favor with Lady Sakuya while making Sigurd burn with envious rage. The traitorous Sigurd who was secretly working with the Salamanders arranged to have the Round Table Paladins and SAO guild framed, forcing the Phantasm Paladins to abandon Sylph territory while being pursued by Sigurd's private army guild «Völsung». Ichika swears eventual vengeance against Sigurd; the SAO guild was quickly disbanded and merged with the Phantasm Paladins.
The Phantasm Paladins then journeyed to neutral territory. Along the way, they encountered Morgiana, the Lady of the Spriggans, the Spriggan factional leader and her Kurotaka Guild. The Paladins were too weaken from having previous fought and retreat from the Völsung to effectively put up much resistance, but even still Ichika rallied the Paladins to fight to the bitter end. Ichika refused to give in and stubbornly battled Morgiana with the same vicious streak and skill in SAO dual-wielding «Joyeuse» and «Précieuse» swords, although his opponent herself is no pushover, until they were separated from everyone else except Sicilia who followed after Ichika. The battle between the two guild leaders reached a crescendo next to a lake near Undine territory. Sicilia scream in desperation to the wind seeking for a way to help Ichika win. A sword appears in the lake and Sicilia quickly ran up to the sword and drew it. Sicilia then charged Morgiana bearing her newest sword «Arondight: The Unfading Light of the Lake» and pushes her back, giving Ichika some breathing room. Together Ichika and Sicilia defeat Morgiana and got her to surrender. Morgiana has her guild halt her attacks and extends her invitation to the Phantasm Paladins to freely set up their new Guild HQ in her land, which Ichika and Argo graciously accept.
Later on when Kirito enters ALO to find Asuna, Argo informs Ichika, Strea, and Sicilia of their close friends' suspicions of the comatose SAO players being held in ALO. They mobilize the Paladins to help pave the way for Kirito but frequently ambushed by Sigurd's Völsung guild which impedes their progress considerably. When Argo got info on a possible Salamander-planned ambush on Alicia Rue and Lady Sakuya, she had Ichika and Sicilia go on ahead of the Paladins, riding on the dragon Fafnir to get to the meeting spot on time. The arrival of Ichika and Sicilia with the dragon Fafnir turned the tide in favor of Kirito who was in a tight spot. Ichika backed up Kirito's lie of being a representative of the Spriggan-Undine alliance by stating that he and his Round Table Paladins were hired to provide additional protection to Kirito's meeting with Alicia Rue and Lady Sakuya. Eugene finally backed off and retreated; Ichika then got his chance to explain Sigurd's planned betrayal and of Sigurd framing the Round Table Paladins. During the raid on the World Tree, Ichika and the Phantasm Paladins provided rear guard for the Cait Sith-Sylph coalition to enter the World Tree and provide Kirito all the support he needed to get inside. When the allied coalition got outside of the World Tree after Kirito successfully got inside the upper World Tree, they find that the entire Salamander army and Sigurd's Völsung guild had them surrounded.
A huge fight breaks out with Ichika personally going after Sigurd, parrying his «Nothung» with Sigurd's own «Balmung» and blocking all of Sigurd's sword strikes with his own shield «Priwen: Shield of Pendragon», fighting intensely in the sky while both riding dragons. Fafnir perished, but Ichika managed to tackle Sigurd off his own dragon and destroyed his sword «Balmung» at the cost of his own «Nothung». Ichika instantly brought forth «Rhongomyniad» - a spear that was originally from SAO that once belonged to Sachi but was saved and transferred to ALO along with the rest of Ichika's old SAO data due to their marriage status - and impaled Sigurd, killing him. However the fight was far from over as Ichika was soon challenged by Eugene. Ichika brought out «Joyeuse» and «Précieuse» and fought Eugene in a vicious stalemate, but Ichika finds his swords were useless against Eugene's «Demonic Sword Gram». Things were going bad for Ichika until something happened. When «Joyeuse» and «Précieuse» were destroyed, Ichika reverted back to using «Rhongomyniad» but it had been knocked away by Eugene in the brutal fight leaving Ichika in a bind.
When Kayaba pseudo-intervened to aid Kirito in his fight against Sugou Nobuyuki aka Fairy King Oberon, he also helped Ichika by giving him a powerful SAO sword that equal to the ALO's «Holy Sword Excalibur», the sword's name being «Caledfwlch: The Aincrad Sword of Promised Victory». Ichika who was gifted a superior sword by Kayaba finally defeats Eugene soon after, happening at the exact same time Kirito leaving ALO to go see Asuna in the hospital. Mortimer, the Salamander factional leader, opted to continued fighting, but with the sudden emergence of the rumored- thought-false Spriggan-Undine alliance (the Spriggans lead by Morgiana and her Kurotaka guild, the Undine faction led by Thinker and his wife Yuiler) coming to aid the Caith Sith/Sylph coalition, the Salamanders had no choice but to retreat unless they wanted to get wiped out entirely by 4 of the 9 Fairy factions. Ichika was then given what seemed to be a second World Seed by Kayaba for which Ichika would give to Strea to hold onto it until he finds a purpose for it.
Phantom Bullet Arc
After Kirito released his World Seed and allowed the birth of multiple VR worlds, Ichika was soon invited to the GGO Beta Test. He liked the prospect of actually earning money by playing through VRMMORPG and so chose to play GGO full time whenever he got the chance, thought it would not be his only reason why he jumped over to GGO (taking Strea with him) without as much as even saying a "Sayonara" to Kirito and his SAO/ALO friends. Originally Ichika had been hired on by GGO's Tokyo Branch staff to be one of their GMs for GGO's Japanese severs, but he was dismissed after suspicions surfaced that Ichika had been stealing many high-quality level weapons and selling them to new players in exchange for convertible in-game currency. He resumed his old SAO name «Shiroi Yūrei» and went on to become one of GGO's deadliest players as well as being the biggest arms dealer and collector in all of GGO. Ichika earned his #2 slot of Deadliest Snipers in all of GGO in the annual Hunter-Killer competition - which banned all other weapons except sniper rifles, battle rifles, carbines, pistols, shotguns, and melee weapons - losing only to Sinon who managed to get a lucky headshot on him. Despite their rivalry, Ichika had a cordial relationship with Sinon, sometimes even furnishing her extra ammo and supplies at lower rates than what he would offer to his customers. Eventually Kirito returned into Ichika's life again, this time entering GGO to investigate and hunt the elusive GGO player known as by the name of the gun he carries, «Death Gun». Ichika did help Kirito learn the mechanics, goings, and happenings of GGO alongside Sinon and even went as far to furnish Kirito some weapons and equipment from his vast collection of guns in his GGO Inventory for the Bullet of Bullets tournament. However Ichika did a lot to hamper and sabotage Kirito to knock him out of the BoB and seriously hamper Kirito's investigations into the Death Gun incidents. If it wasn't bad enough that Ichika hired entire PMC guilds inside SBC Glocken to attack Kirito at every given opportunity, Ichika even put a bounty on Kirito's head to knock him out of BoB completely, making life in GGO even more perilous for Kirito then before the huge bounty caused many GGO competitors to form groups just to simply hunt and eliminate Kirito from BoB to get the 100 million credit bounty. Kirito was confused by Ichika's sudden betrayal and turn of hostility towards him, but Ichika was elusive with his answers and reasons. Kirito will finally get his answers at the final round of BoB.
Finally Ichika had Kirito come to a place inside the Lost City of ISL Ragnarok called «Snipers' Alley» where the year's Hunter-Killer competition previously took place to explain why he was acting the way he did towards him. As Ichika took sniper pot shots at Kirito from concealed cover, forcing Kirito to duck, run, and hide, Ichika finally took all the time in the world to pour his heart out all while shooting at Kirito like mad with his deadly customized Barrett XM500 sniper railgun. Ichika confessed that he hated Kirito with all his heart because although they were both similar to some degree, in the end Kirito was surrounded by people who mattered to him and loved him. Ichika on the other hand claimed to have always been alone, seen as nothing more than the little brother of the Brunhilde, for no one to understand or accept him as who he was (whatever he was since Ichika doesn't even know himself). That he was weak and worthless IRL but could only seek redeeming value in VRMMORPGs where he could be strong and be anybody he wanted. Whereas Kirito always had people and something to look forward to when get gets back into IRL, Ichika had nothing since he was always trying to escape the harsh bitterness of reality. Most of all, Ichika hated that Asuna had managed to miraculously survive while Sachi had died, with Sachi and Ichika never having the chance to reunite with each other IRL. Ichika couldn't stand seeing Kirito, Asuna, and all of their friends together happy and enjoying themselves because to Ichika it was all just empty, hollow, and mocking to him without Sachi being there alongside him - which is why he was eager to jumped into GGO in the first place and never see the SAO cast ever again. Kirito finally got to Ichika's sniper nest hoping to beat some sense into a grieving mad Ichika, but Ichika only retaliated with a «Darksaber» with the same raging berserker strength he was known for in SAO. But even then, in a battle of swords Kirito still defeated him. At first Ichika refused to admit defeat, still madly clawing at Kirito even as Sinon had shot off both his legs. Finally Ichika just laid there at the edges of despair, weakly crying his tears out, letting out a whimper, wishing for Death Gun to just show up and end his life now so that he could be reunited with his beloved Sachi. Before Kirito could slap some sense into the despaired Ichika, Ichika lunged at Kirito while pull all the pins on his grenade belt. Sinon shot Ichika in the head before he could get close to Kirito to take him out as well. Ichika respawned back in SBC Glocken and left to find a place cry away all his tears.
When Ichika woke up from having logged off his Nervegear after having been inside GGO for a really long time, making a mess of himself crying endlessly until he had no tears left to cry in the game, he found himself waking up IRL to a crying Chifuyu. And it wasn't just Chifuyu at his bedside to greet him, Ichika finds himself surrounded by Kirito and al their SAO/ALO friends IRL who showed up for Ichika's personal intervention. To Ichika's shock, it was Argo who arranged all of his personal intervention and not only that, but that Argo was in recent contact with Shinonono Tabane to help Kirito and his friends track down Ichika IRL. This was the SAO/ALO cast's first time actually meeting and seeing Ichika IRL. It had always been suspected that Ichika was a serous hikikomori who was only comfortable acting socially in VRMMOs, for even at the SAO Survivor School did Ichika always wear his signature Shiroi Yūrei's "Hantākirā" mask or a hoodie with scarf depicting the jaw of a skull and dark colored combat goggles to cover up his "real" face. Of course everyone had seen his psychotic and downright sad emotional breakdown when it happened in real time via «MMO Stream». At first Ichika was embarrassed and ashamed of himself that everyone he knew had seen him in that pitiful meltdown, but Kirito and his friends refuse to give him a chance to shut himself out again, making it clear to Ichika that contrary to what he though, he did have people who cared about him waiting for him to comeback from diving into VRMMORPGs. Philia who had loved Ichika made that point very clearly to him and had confessed her love to him. It took a while, but everyone finally got through to Ichika at last, allowing him to truly recover at last from the emotional traumas and tragedies of SAO and move on with his life. Later Ichika would further his romantic relationship with Philia, determined to make it work since he now knew Sachi wouldn't have wanted him to lament in anguish and despair in her death. Ichika started to take up kendo training again under Suguha's tutorage. Like Kirito, Ichika knew that his future lay in VR development as he would like to bring Strea out into the real world as Kirito would like to do with Yui.
After Mother's Rosario Side Story & Prior to Alicization Arc
Sadly just when things were finally going well for Ichika, he would face major disruption in his life again. Ichika was studying for his high school exams when Tabane had given him an empty IS Core which Ichika had assume was a core component of some experimental FullDrive technology that Tabane was supposingly working on. He uploads Strea into the IS Core and she activates it at home. Confused over what the Core was supposed to be, Ichika took the Core with him to the SAO Survivor School in hopes of getting Kirito's expert opinion on it since he is Ichika's senior when it came to FullDrive tech knowledge and recent trends and development. On his way to the SAO Survivor School, the Core started to react and Ichika followed to where the Core seemed to be guiding him to. It lead him to the school hall where in canon Ichika had discovered his ability to pilot an IS. The Core guided him to where Byakushiki was and Ichika with Strea's suggestion install the Core into one of its Twin Core Drive slots. Byakushiki reacted to the Core's installation and Ichika transformed with Byakushiki, becoming its pilot. He went on to operate the machine and was discovered by one of the ISA instructors equipped with an IS training unit. Strea unlocks the World Seed that Ichika gave to her for safe keeping after Kayaba had gifted to him. The World Seed that Kayaba had given Ichika was actually the saved copy of the original SAO world and players data before it was purged and deleted upon Kayaba's defeat by Kirito.
The empty Core took up the Aincrad Seed and Byakushiki then takes form of Ichika's original SAO avatar «Shiroi Yūrei» and equipped with all of Ichika's SAO weapons, equipment, and Sword Skills. With genuine Sword Skills he harness from his SAO/ALO experiences and familiarity with his own weapons set, Ichika swiftly defeated the ISA instructor marvelously. Ichika then fled the school and sought refuge at SAO Survivor School. When discovery of the first male IS pilot made headline news and his name and face was plastered all over the news, Ichika fled the SAO Survivor School when government agents arrived at the school and sought sanctuary at the Kirigaya home to hide out from the public and the government until the news storm of the first male IS pilot has passed. In the meantime Ichika had renamed Byakushiki into «Aincrad» as the IS Core #000 as Ichika and Strea now knew the identity of the once empty IS Core possessed all the data of the old Aincrad VR world. With Kirito supervising him, Ichika also discovered all the SAO Player data and information the Core possessed, including those SAO Players that have died for real in SAO. He also discovers that he can materialized other SAO avatars, weapons, and Sword Skills. By this time the A.I. of IS Core #000 had become sentiment and decided to view itself to its new master and pilot. When Core #000 revealed herself via holographic projection, both Ichika and Kirito's eyes widen in and gasped in complete shock and disbelief, for the A.I. took on Sachi's form. It wasn't just Sachi's form that Core #000 took on but her voice and mannerism was exactly the same as Sachi's when Core #000 introduced herself to her pilot and master Ichika Orimura. Ichika gets flashbacks of when he was with Sachi in SAO - all the romantic and beautiful moments, their sad bonding moments, their marriage and honeymoon in bed the night before the 75th Floor Boss Battle and her ultimately her death by Kayaba's hands on the 75th Floor where he was powerless to save her.
Before Ichika or Kirito had any words to say in light of this shocking revelation, Phantom Task attacked the Kirigaya home. Ichika gets over his shocked state and pilots his new Aincrad IS. Ichika battled Madoka whose face remains concealed and is piloting the Silent Zephyrs, managing to keep her at bay with his «Anneal Bladed Bow and Arrows +64» and by summoning Anneal Blades to throw at her Gate of Babylon style while the Kirigaya family escaped. Soon Aincrad unveiled a new ability when it changes its form from Ichika's SAO avatar and replaced it with Kirito's SAO avatar. Ichika had been shocked when «Dark Repulser» and «Elucidator» appeared in his ahnds and when the Aincrad IS itself initiated Kirito's legendary Dual Blades skill «Starburst Stream» attack against the Silent Zephyrs, inflicting heavy damage to the enemy IS and forcing Madoka to retreat. However Ichika's troubles were far from over as Tatenashi shows up with her Mysterious Lady IS and sought Ichika's surrender. Aincrad's response was to take on Asuna's SAO avatar and her «Lambent Light» rapier and drive back the surprised Tatenashi back with Asuna's incredible speed that made her known in SAO as "The Flash". In a flash, the Mysterious Lady IS was defeated by Asuna's sheer raw speed power and lightning attacks. By this point the Aincrad IS was at half of its remaining energy. Ichika had dematerialize his IS and fled the scene headlining toward the Dicey Café in hopes of hiding out there. Unfortunately Ichika didn't get every far as he was confronted by Chifuyu in her Kurazakura IS, with her face covered by a mask - who tells Ichika to turn himself in. Gathering his resolve, will, and courage from Strea and the Aincrad A.I., Ichika resolves to fight for his freedom, rematerialize his Aincrad IS, taking on Heathcliff's avatar. Despite his valiant efforts and determination to win and taking on the stats and abilities of the strongest SAO Player, Ichika while able to hold his own against Chifuyu one-on-one he would ultimately lose when the White Knight A.I. of Core #001 and Byakushiki's A.I. unit Setsura interfered with the battle by waging a battle inside the Ichika's IS to prevent Core #000 from taking over Byakushiki completely as it would unbalance Byakushiki's Twin Core System and damage the Byakushiki itself. Plus the White Knight A.I. isn't too fond of Byakushiki using other weapons besides the Yukihira Nigata. Strea tried to stop them but their interference would cost Ichika his advantage in his fight against the Kurazakura at a critical moment. With a single sword swing, Chifuyu ended the battle leaving Ichika on the ground relatively unharmed but on the verge of falling unconscious. The last thing Ichika remembers is hearing Chifuyu's voice from the Kurazakura and him calling out Sachi's name before passing out. With the conclusion of Ichika's fourth IS battle any chance of a normal life was over for him; like or not, he would have to attend ISA. He would attend ISA around the same time as Laura transfers in.
Response to review from Apex85:
With the IS x SAO crossover idea I guess you could use SAO timeline since IS doesn't have an official timeline source to speak of. We only know that IS story takes place in the year 20XX which doesn't tell you a lot. That's a very wide timeline range as the story of IS could range from year 2010 all the way to 2099. Technology sophistication and level in IS does seem to indicate that the world is very advanced based on holographic tech.
[swordartonline . wikia wiki/Sword_Art_Online_Timeline] - Official SAO timeline starting from the year 2006. The SAO story officially begins with the Aincrad arc starting at the year 2022 and the Alicization Arc's taking place in the same year of 2026, June 26-28 to August month.
Since my story idea pegs Ichika at being sent to ISA high school institution after Mother's Rosario Arc but prior to Alicization Arc, it means Ichika would be attending ISA in 2026 at the age of 15, meaning that Ichika would be age 12 at start of Aincrad Arc. However I wrote this story idea before news of Sword Art Online The Movie -Ordinal Scale- came out, so I guess it is possible that there is room for Ichika's involvement in the movie event with rest of SAO cast before the IS part of the story kicks in and ruins his life completely. Poor Ichika :(