Kureha

Kureha sighs as the new wave of players enter the Underworld. "Damn! Lievre, are those more American players?"

The Type-Z Arfa-Sys shakes her head. "I analyzed their speech patterns as they dived in. I hear Korean and Chinese dialects from the newcomers."

"Great, just great," Fukaziroh groans as she places an arrow on her bow and adds an explosive element to it. "More people to blow up, I guess."

Pitohui smirks as she starts firing her crossbow. "Probably the most fun I had all year."

"Remember why we are here, you two," Bazalt Joe states.

"Oh, don't be a bore, officer."

"I'm also detecting another point of entry, this one further south. Analyzing…" Kureha stares at the Type-Z, watching as her face turns from serious to appalled and speechless. All she knows of the south is that Sinon and Jaymes are in that direction with Alice and the emperor of the Dark Territory, per Koharu's tale. So what could shock Lievre this much?

Rei waves her hand in her sister's face. "Lievre? Lievre? Are you broken?"

Kureha stands and lowers Rei's hands. "Rei, stop it. Lievre, what is it?"

"H-He's here."

"Who?"

The next word to come out of Lievre's fearful mouth freezes the blood of the eight human members of Crimson Squad and the processors of Rei and Daisy. "M...Ma… Master?" Lievre stands up and opens the thrusters on her back. Kureha gasps and stands up. She isn't...leaving?

"Lievre!"

"My Master is here! I have to go to him."

"I… I don't understand that part, but even so… Lievre, it's been eight months. You've been in our care since your revival in March. Do you… Do you think that, after all this time, your Master wants you?"

Rei stands up and takes Kureha's side. "Lievre… Don't go."

Lievre faces Kureha and Rei by looking over her shoulder, tears on the brim of being released from the Arfa-Sys' furious eyes. "Rei...if you could go to your Master right now, would you? Of course you would. And Kureha… I don't understand you humans, but I understand attachment, so I know you would run to Jaymes as well. You did all this for the captain you love. So I am going to someone I'm attached to."

Kureha feels the skin on her pails give way to her nails, but releases the tension with a sigh and looks Lievre in her eyes. "You're right. At every chance I've had, I've done things due to my attachment to Jaymes. I've done things because of it when we were kids, when we reunited in GGO, went to fight on his behalf against Itsuki, came to his aid in SA:O, Ordinal Scale, here, and I'm even delaying my education in real-life just so we can be in university together. The only sacrifice I've made is my heart. So I understand you… So if you want to go, I won't stop you any longer. Your Master is your Master."

Lievre nods and ignites her thrusters. "Thank you for understanding. Now, this is goodbye."

Kureha shakes her head. "No, it is not. I believe your Master will deny you, as wrong as I'll like to be. But if I'm right, you still have a home, Lievre. You are one of us, a member of Crimson Squad...and if it is a Master you want, I'll be your Master!"

"Woah," Bazalt Joe interrupts, "why do you get dibs first?"

Pitohui agrees. "Yeah, why should you be Lievre's Master? She'll fit better with me."

"Oh yes, the death-obsessed maniac with an Arfa-Sys who'd go as far to destroy the Glocken," LLENN mocks. "At that point, just hand her to Itsuki, at least he's willing to go that far."

Itsuki chuckles lightly. "So we're still not letting that go?"

Zeliska smiles and looks at Kureha. "I think you and Lievre will compliment each other the best, Kureha. I might be able to facilitate that. The tempers might be the only problem of the partnership, though."

"I do not have a temper!" Kureha and Lievre stare at each other after saying the same response, then the former gestures to the group. "You see. One of us. You're already home."

Lievre's smile fades slowly, then she wipes her eyes and turns her back to everyone. "Crimson Squad…if this is any consolation... Thank you for making sure I got repaired and looking after me in my Master's absence. When we meet again, it will be as enemies." Lievre shoots off, heading towards the south. As she flies off, Kureha smiles and hoists her crossbow on her shoulder.

"Or as friends."

Jaymes

"Oh." Sinon and I look towards a swirling cloud as a dark, liquid-like substance comes down to one of the large circular rises in the land just below them. We both take flight and hover over the point of impact, where the dark plume becomes a large pool on the landmass.

"Here he comes!" The pool stops filling and begins to swirl as a gloved hand reaches out. Sinon gasps as we watch the new Vecta come out of the pool...and then I realize why she is shocked. I now know why I had that feeling of familiarity. That blond bastard comes up in the air on a bat-like creature, decked out in military gear and a sword on the back of his waist. As he stares at us, I have no doubt this is him, the man who beat Kureha, Sinon, and I in the Battle of Bullets just a few weeks ago.

"It was you-GAH!" Wordlessly he raises and clenches his fists. I feel my body immobilized and choked, the same for Sinon. We both struggle to fight it, but all we can do is stare into the man's cold, evil blue eyes.

"Subtilizer…"

Ocean Turtle

"Well, Higa? Any problems?"

Higa and Yanai pause their descent as the former looks up in the direction of the voice on his headset. Rinko is at the entrance to the shaft, looking down at the pair. "Y-Yeah, we're managing. I think we should be able to climb down to the pressure bulkhead in another five minutes."

"Understood. Once you're ready, I'll give the Ichiemon team the order to move in."

"Roger."

"Sorry about this, Mr. Yanai. Please look after him for me, all right?"

"...Roger that." A few minutes later, Higa hears the siren of the pressure bulkhead opening and rounds of gunfire shortly afterward. "The invaders just started attacking the Ichiemon team! Hurry!"

Higa looks down and spots their destination not too far from his current place on the ladder. "The cable maintenance connector is ten meters away."

"Then I'll monitor Kirito's Fluctlight in Subcon. Higa, good luck!"

"Roger that!"

Koharu

"Comrades! I am deeply grateful to you for answering my call to arms. Unfortunately, the test players who were alpha testing this site have already been killed by the Japanese."

"What a liar," Sanya says with great annoyance as PoH gives a speech to the Chinese and Korean player base. "So is that how they've recruited the other Asian players, making us look like the bad guys?"

Lueur crosses his arms. "It's an excellent plan, if I may say so myself--Ouch! Mater!"

Mater crosses her arms and pretends she just didn't hit her brother. "Don't sympathize with the enemy, idiot."

"You should call me 'big brother; instead of that."

"Maybe when you act like one, I will."

Liten chuckles and looks to Koharu. "Even in the face of certain trouble, those two haven't changed. Then again, not much has."

Shivata nods. "Oh well, looks like we're in another fight for our lives. Too bad Jaymes is missing out."

"I'm sure His Crimson Warrior-ness is having his fun," Sanya says with a scoff as the enemy reinforcements come down the walls of the ruins. Facing Koharu, she gives the former Kindred Assassin a smirk. "Well, as much as I'd like to make this reunion official, I think it is better if you say it, Ko. Do the honors."

Stilla sighs and raises her rapier. "Just like old times, right Typhon?"

The greatsword wielder chuckles. "Indeed. Once more, Integral Factor fights the good fight."

"And don't forget us." Koharu turns her head to see Philia, Rain, Strea, and a short, blue-haired, red-eyed Pooka girl with a spear, a male Undine with a katana, and a black-haired human girl wielding a rapier joins the eight of them. Koharu remembers being introduced to the girls earlier. Their names are Seven, Rain's younger sister, Sumeragi, a friend of Seven's, and Premiere, a girl Jaymes, Philia, Strea, Rain, and company found in SA:O. "This seems to be the fastest way to see our boy when he comes back."

"And until then, we fight."

"Woohoo!"

"Right!"

Koharu nods and points her dagger at the incoming Korean/Chinese players. "For the first time in two years… Integral Factor, fight!" The fourteen players together as one, following Koharu's lead as she flips, slides, dives, and eliminates all in her way. However, her focus is not on the red soldiers, but their leader who continues to avoid entering the fight. Each red player in sight is just another PoH she has to take down.

And for a moment, she locks eyes with him as he watches from above and laughs.

Higa

"The maintenance connector is in here." Higa opens a panel, takes a laptop out of the bag he brought with him, and connects it to the maintenance connector via gator-toothed clamps. Opening the laptop, Higa gets to work. "Finally." He quickly gets to work, initializing the connection of STL 1, 5, 6, 7, and 8 to STL 4 (Sinon, Asuna, Leafa, Koharu, Jaymes, and Kirito, in that order) and is successful in that endeavor. "All right. Now I can control the STLs with Kirito, Asuna, Koharu, and Jaymes, as well as their two friends! Here we go--"

Mr. Yanai suddenly hoists up a gun and points it at Higa. "D-Don't move!"

"Mr. Yanai, why are you doing this?"

"L-Listen, you've got the wrong idea, treating me like a traitor. I'm just following through with my goal. I'm going to carry on the boss' legacy. That's why I infiltrated Rath!"

"Th-The boss' legacy? Who are you talking about?"

"Someone you know really well! It's Mr. Sugou!"

Nobuyuki Sugou, former company director of Full-Dive Technology RD of RCT Progress, the company that kept the SAO servers running after the original company, Argus, went bankrupt after the ordeal began. The company is also notable for being the original developers of Alfheim Online and the Amusphere. Sugou, however, caused the company much trouble after imprisoning 300 SAO survivors, including the daughter of the then-CEO, Asuna, and preventing them from waking up. But there's one problem with Yanai's statement. "Carry on his legacy? But he's not even dead!"

Mr. Yanai laughs wickedly. "He might as well be! He'll be locked up for at least ten years. It was a close call for me, too. But I blamed it all on my coworker and managed to get away."

"Then you were involved in Sugou's human experiments, too?"

"I wasn't just 'involved'! I was the one who gathered data for it. That was fun research. You know, like the virtual tentacle play. Well, my current life might be coming to an end, but the line he connected is still alive. So I have to make use of it, otherwise he'll be upset, right?"

"Line? To where?"

"The American National Security Agency."

Higa frowns. "You're the one who's been leaking information about Project Alicization to the Americans!"

"If the Americans down below succeed in retrieving Alice, there'll be a big bonus and a position for me overseas! What is that, if not the American success story Mr. Sugou dreamed of?" Higa can't waste time with this plot. The more time wasted means the less time he can save Kirito. That tension causes him to drop his computer, clattering on the metal platform they stand on. "Don't move," a freaked-out Yanai says just before gunfire echoes within the cable shaft.

Sinon

Sinon and Jaymes cough as Subtilizer releases them from his telekinetic grip. The girl glares at the man in remembrance of what transpired just a few weeks prior. "You're Subtilizer!"

"Did Alice escape? No matter, I'll catch up soon enough. If I remember correctly, I fought you both in Gun Gale Online, didn't I? Actually, I think we've been fighting for a while. Your names are… Sinon and Jaymes, isn't it? To think we'd meet again here."

"And you? Why are you here?"

"Because it's inevitable, why else? This is fate. It is the power of our souls that attract them to each other. Now we'll be able to understand all kinds of things. Like whether or not one can also suck in the soul of a living human through an STL. And also, after not getting to taste it in the war last year or in BoB, finding out just how sweet your souls are."

"The girl from back in SAO… If I was there, I wonder how delicious her soul would have been…"

"Your soul… It would be so sweet…" Sinon starts to hyperventilate as the memories of the Battle of Bullets replay in her head, yet a squeeze on her shoulder from Jaymes calms her down a little. She looks to him, seeing his calm face with a slight sprinkle of anger. How does he stay calm in these situations? How does he--Sinon gasps as she's lurched away from her side, captured by dark tendrils extending from Subtilizer. The calmness she was experiencing is washed away as she's pulled towards the enemy...without much of a fight. She wonders what has happened to Jaymes, but more than likely he's being held back.

Subtilizer takes hold of Sinon like a prince would hold his princess for a dance. "Sinon, have you ever considered the meaning of the name Subtilizer? It means "one who sharpens, one who renders, one who chooses and one who steals!'" Sinon feels something being stolen from her as her mind becomes foggy and her consciousness wavers. "I shall steal you, and steal your soul." Sinon is helpless to fight for her soul as Subtilizer cups her face and leans in...

"Get your hands off my Sinon!" Jaymes flies in and punches Subtilizer, pulling Sinon away from him. Sinon gasps as her senses return and looks to Jaymes, the now red-eyed boy holding something in his hands. It is a necklace, one that belongs to Kirito. How… When… Sinon shakes her head as Jaymes silently tosses her the trinket. She takes hold of it and smiles. "You...you saved me again, didn't you?"

Jaymes scoffs as he draws his golden sword. "Both of us, that bastard… Sinon, are you up to this?"

Sinon puts the necklace and places a hand on her heart. She takes a deep breath to calm herself to the same level as Jaymes. Something about his words, calling her 'my Sinon' makes her want to fight even harder, to prove she deserves to stand by his side as truly his. Nodding to herself, she floats up to Jaymes' side and glares at Subtilizer. "I can do this. We can do this." She holds her bow out, imagining it as her sniper rifle from GGO. The bow changes accordingly and Sinon aims it at the man before them. "You're not a god or a devil. You're just a human!" Sinon fires a shot, which Subtilizer blocks. "Jaymes, don't lose!"

The boy nods and attacks Subtilizer, drawing his attention as Sinon reloads and aims again. "Don't miss, Sinon!" With perfect timing, a testament to their great knowledge and trust of the other, Jaymes flips back in sync with Sinon's second shot, this one going through Subtilizer's left hand. Their attack pauses as Subtilizer looks at his wound, using his power to repair the torn muscles and arteries of his left hand. Unfazed, he takes hold of the pistol on his right side and transforms it into an assault rifle. Jaymes smirks as he holds his sword and shield up. "Looks like I brought swords to a gunfight. Sinon watches as he replaces his sword in place of daggers, changing the three blades, his shield, and his appearance to that of his GGO avatar. His twin Beretta 93R machine pistols are pointed at Subtilizer while his Ameno Murakumo G9 photon sword hangs at the waist. His shield becomes his most prized possession in GGO, the mobility item known as the Ultimate Fibers Gun.

"One question, Subtilizer, before we throw down… You know of last year's war in GGO, not like it's a secret or anything. And back in March, we had a bounty on a group of players in Old South and learned that GGO's top player runs it. Since then, I've had a feeling the last few months that the person who leads the player-killing squad that has been making noise was also responsible for that attack last November as well. That could have been anyone, but then the BoB happens and you win again without firing as much as a full round. How convenient that the top player in GGO also happens to be here as one of the invaders on the Ocean Turtle. How convenient you speak of something I don't remember you being involved in… Unless you were the strings behind the puppet. So, Subtilizer… Are you Lievre's Master?"

Subtilizer's answer comes in the form of a smirk, which is enough to set Sinon off. He almost destroyed the game they love, abandoned Lievre, and let her not forget costing her (and Jaymes) a duel in the BoB. All of that and more is unforgivable. "Bring it on."

Asuna

"Protect the people of the Underworld at all costs, no matter what!" Asuna's eyes move and watch in horror as two red soldiers impale an Underworlder brutally. Hearing her name, she snaps out of it and dispatches two soldiers with ease as Koharu drops down behind her. The two girls stand back to back as they're surrounded by the reds. "I thought you were with Sanya and the others."

"And let you fight by yourself? You're strong, Asuna, but...together, we're stronger. They can handle themselves...or so they say."

Asuna finds the hidden truth in Koharu's words as the pair fights together again. She's never been one to abandon her friends, not even if it was the right choice, but she must have been convinced that teaming up with Asuna is more beneficial and a stronger team than Koharu staying with them. Anyone who has fought on the frontlines of SAO, which the members of Integral Factor have, knows that truth.

And just when it was getting tough, the fighting suddenly goes on pause. Several reds look off to the distance, and from what she can see, she can see a blue-haired girl talking to the red players. That's Suine, a member of Yuuki's guild, the Sleeping Knights. She's in conversation with a boy with green hair and a girl with red hair. Could she… Could she be telling the Korean and Chinese gamers that they're being deceived and used?

Whatever is being said, it is interrupted by a flash of steel dropping from the ruins in their direction. "What are you doing there with the Japanese?" The weapon floats back up to a statue, where the watching PoH stands. "We don't need traitors here! Everyone! Don't be fooled by those dirty Japanese! If this is a Japanese server and you all are legitimate users, why are you the only ones with top-tier equipment? You must have cheated and created whatever you wanted!"

"You're wrong! Our equipment's different because we converted our main characters to this world!"

"Ha! What kind of moron would convert their main character to a test server? That's a lie! It's all lies!"

The red players get riled up and start attacking again. Tired, Asuna raises her sword and backs up against Koharu. "Well, it was a good effort. But this is the same PoH that convinced players to kill in SAO."

Koharu glares at the figure on top of the statue. "If only we could get to him…"

Iskahn, Sheyta, and the pugilists are surrounded and clearly soon to be defeated by the red soldiers. He knows that even as Sheyta takes his hand, as the soldiers start their approach, and as red petals start to rain down in the space between. "So this is it, huh?"

Sheyta narrows her eyes as she touches a petal. "Red...petals… Lycoris petals." The petals suddenly straighten out, stiffen, and cut through the soldiers with ease as a golden light drops down behind them. More explosions pick up from behind the soldiers' line, followed by triumphant shouts.

"Who are they?"

"That's…" It's the orcs. Iskahn almost loses his breath as the leader of the orcs, Lilpilin, runs up to them through the broken enemy line. "Why? I thought you were standing by on the emperor's orders?"

"Because we're comrades, aren't we?" Iskahn looks to a blonde human girl dressed in green. She's joined by a redhead girl dressed in red and white. "Lilpilin, you withdraw with the pugilists. Medina and I will take care of this, all right?"

"We'll fight with you!"

"No need," Medina says, shooting down Lilpilin's assistance as she faces the enemy. "We have all the forces needed to cover you, and you've suffered enough. They will not be victorious against House Orthinanos! System Call! Activate Reserve Forces Module! Friends, join me and Leafa in battle!"

Blue light fills the space between the two sides as Medina's wayfarers join the battle. Leafa, happy to see the odds are even, holds her sword up. "Let's go, Medina. I don't care how many of them there are, I will not let them win..."