Arc 2; Ep 4; The End towards a New Beginning!

Last time Sakore and crew traveled from the Undine Territory to the tunnels and battled against a player known as Collin, who is one of the strongest players of the game. Sakore was able to beat him to continue onward towards the Capital City. Meanwhile Jon had snatched info of Sugou's research on how to control the human mind by doing some programming, Jon couldn't let a man like that do something such as that. So now Sakore and crew will aid Kirito to raid the world tree!

-Innocence Opening-

After logging out Jeff noticed how late it was for them, Selena said it was alright for her to stay since her parents were fond of Jeff. Kotone called her parents to see if she could sleep over, so she used one of the guest rooms for the night. Jeff of course was wondering about Kazuto as he has traveled a long way to get to the world tree. However the servers were gonna be down until 2PM so they wouldn't be able to do anything for the day. So they would have to pass the time until that time comes for them to log back on.

Right now they went to the kitchen eating breakfast cooked by Jeff's mom Starasta. Jeff was currently having ramen, some bacon also, as the girls were having eggs and bacon.

"Mmm! Your mother is such a great cook, I wish my mom could be as good as yours Jeffy!" Selena says complimenting Star and using the cute name for her boyfriend.

"My you are too kind Selena, but nevertheless I'm happy you are enjoying your breakfast!" Starasta says with a slight blush from the compliment. "Anyway kiddo, your father is going to be coming home around when it becomes night, and I'll be going to the store for some stuff." Jeff then had the thought to visit Asuna.

"Hey mom, can you bring me to the hospital for a while?" He asked which she paused and realized why he would ask that.

"Can we come along also?" Kotone asked her, which Star sighed knowing how important the friend still asleep is.

"I guess it will be alright to do so, we can go there and then go to the store." She tells them once she finished cleaning the counter and the trio finished up their breakfast. Once done they get in the car and Star decides to visit the hospital first just as her son requested. Jeff was first to enter the building and walk up to the front desk.

"May I help you?" The receptionist asks.

"Yeah, we are here to see Yuuki Asuna." He tells her.

"I will do so, we have some others visiting Miss Yuuki." She explains as she goes and grabs some passes for them. Once they get their passes the three of them and Jeff's mother go into the Elevator going up to the floor Asuna's room is at. They walk up to the room and see the nameplate "Asuna Yuuki".

"So she really did use her IRL name, not very smart to do." Selena said.

"Yeah, she's the only person we know who used her real name." Jeff said as he swiped his card to open the door. They walked in and saw two others inside, one Jeff knew well since their IRL looks were used in SAO. "I expected you'd be here, Kazuto."

"This is a surprise, good to see you Jeff." He said as they shook hands. "Hey Sugu, why don't you meet our cousin for the first time?"

"So you are Jeff? Mom has told us about you while you lived in America." The girl called Sugu said.

"Same with my mom talking about you and Kazuto." Jeff tells her as they shook hands also.

"Wait what?! You guys are Cousins?!" Selena asked, surprised.

"Yea, both of our mothers are siblings. So they are my cousins, I never got to meet them until now. Mom has told me that me and Kazuto are kinda alike which is weird, and there is Suguha of course. Honestly I didn't want to mention it since it was weird with a lot happening." Jeff explained to the two girls. Jeff's mother came into the room to meet Kazuto and Suguha.

"Hey Jeff, can we talk for a bit outside?" Kazuto asked which he nodded and the two left the room as they watched over Asuna.

"So what's up?" Jeff asked, wondering what he wanted to talk about.

"Well it's about what happened in Alfheim, I got to the Center city and am planning to go into the World Tree." He tells him.

"Alright, the three of us have reached the city as well. So we'll come by to help assist." Jeff explained. "I also believe that Rect Progress has something to do with Asuna and the 300 people who haven't woken up."

"I actually met someone who works with Asuna's father, Sugou Noboyuki. He told me that he was keeping Asuna alive inside the game and having her trapped. If he has Asuna then it's possible that the 300 other players are connected with this." Kazuto explained, giving Jeff the exact info he needed.

"I usually am spot on with some odd cases, but this has to be the biggest one yet. But first before we get all of that out, we need to get Asuna out of the game. Once that is done we can expose him once and for all." He says in which of course Kazuto agreed with this. "And also… I kinda have a favor to ask of you."

"What kind of favor?" Kazuto asked curiously. Jeff thought on what to tell him and spoke what he wanted to say.

"Jeff is a great guy, he was part of the very team he and your brother were a part of in SAO." Selena explains to Suguha who wanted to know about a few things from inside SAO. "When we met is when he was visiting him and Asuna on the 22nd Floor where they bought a house together."

"Yeah, at one point me and him did a quest called the Astral Knights. Once we had finished it he had special gear and he was given the Title Astral Swordsman." Kotone says.

"Wow! That's quite a story to hear, it must have been hard going so far." Suguha says a bit surprised. "I'm glad that both of them survived."

"We are too. However, finding out how to get Asuna out of her sleep is a mystery. Jeff believes he already knows why she is like this." Kotone says looking at Asuna sleeping on the bed as Jeff's mom put in some extra water in the vase while she listened to the story Kotone and Selena told.

"My eldest son has become such a kind hearted boy, and he even made some friends in that game. Even though I was frightened, he still went on even knowing the dangers." She thought to herself and placed the vase back on the nightstand.

After their stay they say their goodbyes and leave the hospital, as they head to the store to get more supplies. Jeff of course hoped they could get Asuna out of Alfheim Online. While they finished shopping the time came for ALO servers to start back up again. So it was time for the final push to end it all soon.


-January 22, 2025 Central City Arun-

After they finally got back to Jeff's house they returned into ALO, Kazuto did mention he was getting on early to get started on going through the world tree as quickly as he could. Jeff also helped his mother with putting away the groceries before going onto ALO.

Once entering they exited the hotel and Sakore looked up at the large tree in the center of the city. Knowing full well that Asuna is up there and is determined to help her escape this place.

"We will get you out Asuna…" He said silently as the trio started heading towards the World Tree. Once they get to the entrance they hear an explosion inside as well as slashing noises. "There seems to be something going on inside. Come on you two!" The three of them enter the World Tree and see two others dealing with some enemies that look like knights with long swords. There was an army of them appearing out of the spots on the walls, which looks to be an endless amount of them. Sakore noticed one of the two was a male Spriggan with a large sword in hand, the other is a blonde female Sylph with a sword at her hip. She was casting healing magic at the Spriggan and she noticed two enemies charging at the Spriggan.

"Kirito! Watch out!" She shouted, this had Sakore fly upwards towards the Spriggan who is in fact Kirito. He pulls out his sword with a battle cry and slices the first one which didn't have time to counter Sakore's strike as he slices the second one which Kirito was surprised by the save.

"Thought you could start the fun without us Kirito?" He asked with a smug look on him.

"Glad to see you." He replied as someone small came out of Kirito's breast pocket and flew to Sakore.

"Uncle!" Yui says, hugging his face, happy to see him.

"Yui! You are ok!" Sakore says happy to see her.

"Yui, talk later. We have a fight to do!" Kirito tells her as she dove back into his pocket. Both him and Sakore go back to back facing against the Guardian enemies. As both Lucy and Philia helped the girl known as Leafa take out some Guardians that were about to strike her down. Then all of a sudden they hear a war cry from the entrance and see a lot more people charge forth.

"What the? Are those the Sylphs?" Sakore asks, confused.

"Yeah, but why are they here?" Kirito asks, then suddenly they also see dragons being ridden by players.

"Dragons, it's the Cait Sith." Leafa says, also surprised to see the two races arrive. One Sylph and a Cait Sith riding a dragon stop next to Leafa and she knew them very well.

"Hello there, I hope we're not late." The Female Sylph says.

"Yeah! It took us a while to get ready, but we're here now." The Cait Sith says and both of them fly forward into the battle.

"Sakuya! Alicia!" Leafa says their names glad to see them arrive just in time before things could get hasty.

"Friends of yours?" Lucy asks her.

"Sakuya is the Leader of the Sylphs. and Alicia is the Leader of the Cait Siths." Leafa explains. "Thanks to Kirito it looks like we might be able to get him up to the top!"

"Great, guess it's time to shine. Let's go Lucy!" Philia says as she charges forth to assist the guys, and both Lucy and Leafa follow. Sakore watched the two races unleash powerful attacks on the Guardians.

"Now that we got a lot of help, let's get you to the top and save Asuna!" He says to Kirito and both of them nod together. "Now then, let's go! We got a quest to complete, and a person to rescue!" Both of them charge forward at the mob of limitless Guardians slicing and dicing ones that get in their way, until a large group stops them in their tracks.

"Kazuto! Catch!" Leafa tosses her sword to him which he catches and flies upward with both swords together piercing through the wall of Guardians passing through and getting to the gate.

"YES! He did it!" Sakore says, glad that he got to the end. "It's all up to you. Save her, and everyone can go back home."

"Sakore! Let's leave now!" Lucy calls out to him, Sakore follows them along with Leafa. Once they were all outside everyone gathered together at the front gate. "So we finally did it. He made it to the top."

"We did help him, but the question is will he be able to help Asuna escape. She might be menu locked from administration so Kirito will need to use some kind of admin access code to break it open." Sakore explains and turns to Leafa standing by Sakuya and Alicia.

"Can you care to explain what is going on? I assume you must know Kirito." The woman known as Sakuya asks him curious about what is happening.

"Well it's a bit of a long story, but we've planned to help him reach the Top of the World Tree because of something we found out." Sakore starts to explain. "You see someone we know IRL showed a picture of someone we know of up in the world tree. Trapped there, after waking up from our 2 years of being trapped. We thought everything would be alright, that was until 300 of them were unaccounted to wake up."

"2 years… wait are you saying that you are?!" Alicia shouted, starting to understand what he was saying.

"That's right… Me, these two, and Kirito are survivors of the Death Game Sword Art Online." Sakore said bluntly, in which the Sylphs and Cait Siths gasped in surprise while Leafa knew that already. Sakore looked at her confused.

"I don't think I need to tell you anything, I know who Kirito is. He even told me who you are." She tells him. "You both were quite alike when we met." After she said that Sakore now realizes who she is when all of a sudden they get attacked with Ice magic spells as most of them dodged it while most of the Sylphs and Cait Siths got frozen. "Ice Magic?! The Undines?!"

"Hey punk!" A familiar voice shouted from on top of a building. They looked to see Collin and his group. "We got a score to settle after that humilation you gave me! This time I am not alone!" All of a sudden many Undine players have gotten the Sylph and Cait Sith Leaders, as well as Leafa, Lucy, and Philia locked and unable to move. "I heard there were rumors of both the Sylph and Cait Sith groups making an alliance to take on the world tree. It would be nice to get the bonuses for killing them. HOWEVER! I am gonna kill you first for that damn humiliation you gave to me! Don't ever think about fighting back otherwise I will order them to take them out one by one!" Sakore grimaced at his situation. Even though it isn't a Death Game, he doesn't want to let this guy get a huge bonus from killing leaders of two races.

So as of now Sakore is getting hit by Collins katana as well as dodging most attacks, even though Sakore has high HP stats almost every hit has dropped quite a bit getting him to Yellow while it is nearing the Red.

"Shit, this is not good now." Sakore thought to himself, as he got struck again as his HP now reached red. "I can only dodge his attacks while I'm cornered. I can't really do anything now!"

"I'm gonna beat your ass! YOU ARE DEAD!" As Collin charges for the final strike, he gets hit by ice magic as some of his other comrades did also. "WHO DID THAT?!" He looked on top of a building to see Frost was the one who casted the spell. "Frost?! What the hell are you doing?!"

"Stay away from them! I'm not going to let you do this!" He says, pissed off at Collin.

"You think you are better than me?! I'm our leader's right hand! You better show some respect!" Collin shouted. Though what he didn't realize was that Lucy was able to get out of the grasp of the one who was holding her down.

"Sakore! Catch!" She grabs the holster of her sword and tosses it to Sakore who catches it with his left hand. He draws the sword out and draws out his own.

"I've been waiting to try Dual-wielding ever since Kirito showed it! Time to end this!" He shouts charging at Collin who was shocked at the sudden turn of events. Collin tried his best to block the amount of attacks Sakore was dealing with. Sakore was not giving him a chance to counter for a single second. "You're done!" He thrusts one sword piercing Collin in the chest causing his HP to reach 0 and turn to a flame. "As long as I still stand, I will not let anyone harm my friends." He stands up straight and glares at the other Undines. After Collin's second defeat they turn tail and run away as fast as they could.

"That was so close right there." Philia says relieved that they are all safe.

"To close for comfort honestly. But we made it through." Lucy says happily.

"There's more we gotta do. If I had to guess, I think Kirito is going to see her." Sakore assumed so he and the girls logged off.


Once they logged off, Jeff was surprised to see his sister Maddylenn right next to him. He takes the headset off and looks at her.

"You're up!" She says glad that he's alright and his mother was also in the room.

"Using that headset? I never expect you would use it again." His mother said seeing them waking up.

"Mom, you must understand. You know that friend was trapped, I couldn't just sit back and do nothing!" He answered. She stared at him for a moment and then sighed.

"You know, I feel like even though you have returned safely. You weren't with us fully because of your friend and all those others. Perhaps I knew that from the beginning." She assumed. "I'm just glad that the nightmare is over." She hugs him. While she hugged him, his dad entered the room.

"Hey kiddo, I returned from work. And I did what you asked for." He explains as his mom breaks from the hug. "Honestly kiddo, I'm amazed how you get this so spot on." His dad gives Jeff a file and he looks at the papers. "I guess I'll have to call the police about this."

"Before you do, can you drive me to the hospital where Asuna is staying at? I expect Cousin Kazuto will be going there, but I have this gut feeling about something." Jeff explained. Jon knew how much this meant so he decided to take Jeff to the hospital as he got a jacket and gloves on. Once they got there Jeff notices from a distance two people one looking like a man around late 20s, and the other possibly Kazuto. The man fell down as Kazuto hurried inside. "I'll be back." Jeff exited the car and goes over to the man on the ground who was reaching for a knife though Jeff stepped on it to avoid the guy from picking it up. The man looked up seeing Jeff, and Jeff could only assume this man was the one Kazuto told him about. "I'm guessing you must be Sugou Noboyuki?"

"W-who…" He said weakly and scared that he thought his neck would get sliced.

"I don't really have time to greet myself to a jackass like you." Jeff says to him. He holds a small device and then bends down placing it on the side of Sugou's neck. "Relax, it won't kill you. Just numbing your entire body just so you don't try anything." Jeff lifts him up and sits him up against the vehicle. "I know about the 300 people you trapped. How? Meeting my cousin and how he told me about you. Keeping Asuna trapped like an animal." He grabs Sugou's lab coat and he could see in Jeff's eyes he is pissed off. "I hate scum like you! You should be grateful Kazuto spared your life!" Jeff stood up and holds up a file. "This details everything you were doing to those people you trapped. Good luck trying to cover it up to the police." Jeff places the file on Sugou which is labeled "Sugou's top secret plans". "Oh before I leave." Jeff forces his foot onto Sugou's left hand and slight sounds of bone cracking could be heard. "You messed with the wrong family Sugou! Consider this a warning. If you ever try anything else against my Cousin or Asuna, I will show no mercy!" Jeff walks away leaving the numb Sugou there and enters the car. "You can tell the police to find a man had attacked a defenseless teen late at night. Had to make sure he didn't get away." Knowing how Jeff can make a good point, he calls the police as the drive back home. "We can rest easy once and for all."

Hey guys sorry this one took a long while, I have been mixing up with uploading chapters for other stories that are ongoing. Some of you may be confused or such, however Arc 2 will continue with the Lost Song Gameplay. Unlike SAO's first game Hollow Fragment, there is going to be some other changes since first game never happened. But I do plan on Arc 3 being all original. Hope you guys look forward to it, I have tons of planning to for it. Plus you guys do want Sakore to learn dual wielding so that's gonna happen somewhere in the Lost Song Game chapters. Thank you guys for reading, see you all next chapter!

Next Time; Beginning of a Lost Song!