A/N: Lightning seems to have a new partner on her little investigation of Warlords Wrath Online. Personally, I don't get why she would investigate by diving in, knowing she'll be trapped there for months or years. Ironic, isn't it. An author saying something against one of his character's actions...or control of a Square Enix character. Either way, it's ironic.


JUNE 5TH, 2023. FLOOR 18, OUTSIDE OF BLACK TEMPLE.

I feel like it's a mistake making Kirito my partner in figuring out where Kayaba is and what's his plot of this death game. He's a good warrior...in-game that is, but he's still a kid. I'm not even sure if I should drag Hope into this. I can trust him and he is a good healer. Having a healer is important within a death game, that's what I've learned since I'm just a Swordsman, but the last thing I would want to do is put in into danger.

But this is the least of my problems at the moment.

Right now, the Assault Team is having trouble with the 18th-floor boss. Four teams, over a hundred players. All of them have died. Nobody knows for sure what's going on. It wasn't suspicious at first, but after gathering information about the boss from the first attempt, that's when we realizing something is going on.

We have the information. We studied its attack patterns and abilities. The Assault Team is full of serious players, no way they could have taken this fight lightly or stupidly, like Snow would have.

I'm just glad Hope wasn't in any of those groups, but he will be for this one. This is why I'm going to be joining the Assault Team on this attempt. If the fifth team gets wiped out, I want to make sure Hope is safe, even if I have to die.

Tonight, the Assault Team is having a meeting in a cave right outside of the Black Temple. After the fourth attempt, Asuna and Heathcliff didn't want to hold the meeting inside a town. They start to believe there could be spies who are interfering with our plans, sabotaging us.

It sounds kind of stupid how a player would be behind all this, but it does have me thinking. Only one player survived the last three teams. Leonardo of the Holy Dragon Alliance. A level 91 Assassin. Assassins can escape fights easily, but boss fights are a different thing. Many Assassins took part in the last few battles and they all end up dead.

How did Leonardo of all players survive the fights? For the third time in a row. Very suspicious.

"Okay, everyone. Here's the plan." Heathcliff says.

Our plan is for the Crusaders to hold off the boss, the Betrayer, while the Squadrons A, B, and C attack from the sides and behind. Squadron's D and E will take care of the adds and the healing team will decide roles to keep both teams alive.

Hopefully, this will take care of the boss fight. These attempts Assault Team are puling out the toughest players we can muster.

"Fifth time's the charm as they say," Leonardo says.

"It's actually the third," Hope says. "Third time's the charm."

"I was making a figure of speech since this is the fifth time," Leonardo says. "Either way, we got this boss in the bag."

"We can only hope for the best. But we cannot give up our goal of liberating everyone from this game." Heathcliff says. "Meeting adjourn."

Only an hour and we raid the Elite Dungeon to take on the floor boss. What should I do in the meantime?

I reached level 100 two days ago, and I was right. 100 is the maximum I can reach. For now at least. Once we clear the 20th floor, I'll probably be going back to leveling, up to how much? Maybe 150.

My Gunblade skills are maxed out, along with Search, Hearing, Acrobatics, Weapon Defense.

I could work on my professions. I defiantly need to work on my Weapon's Fusion if I'm going to make Gunblades just as strong as level 100 weapons.

I haven't heard of anything from Kirito after our meeting nearly a week ago, but he keeps an update. Kind of tiring after reading the words: 'Haven't found anything but I'll keep my eyes and ears open for anything.' Still, it's nice that he is taking this seriously.


FLOOR 18, ELITE DUNGEON.

I for one am going to be glad once we defeat this floor's boss. I've been doing some questing on the 18th floor so long, I'm starting to wish I was brain-fried by the Nervegear. Seriously, this floor is hideous. I just hope the next one isn't going to be as ugly.

The Elite Dungeon is the inside of the Black Temple. Filled with demons and the Illidari, elf-like demons who worship and serve that blind demon the Naga are working for.

I just know this 'The Betrayer' is that Illidari demon lord.

I fight on the front lines alongside Kirito, Asuna, and Leonardo. There's something off about Leonardo alright. Whenever the other players are in danger, he doesn't help out. Just focuses on killing enemies and sometimes shout 'Help yourself!'. How rude.

The Holy Dragon Alliance is a loyal guild. You don't really find many players who are jerks in them. If anything, Leonardo is the only player I've known who's the rude one in that guild.

Storming through this labyrinth is easy, that's to be expected when this team is filled with the strongest players within the Aincrad. In twenty minutes, we made it to the top of the tower and right in front of the boss room. We all rest for a moment to restore our HP's and MP's.

I find Hope and sit next to him while we are resting. "You doing okay?" I ask him.

"Well...actually, I'm a little nervous," Hope says. "I'm afraid of what's going to happen. Four other teams tried and failed to defeat this boss. What if the same thing happens to us?"

"That is not going to happen. We are going to conquer this floor's boss and return to the town safely." I say. Hope smiles. He believes me. Too bad our moment has to end. Heathcliff calls out saying it's time to take on the boss. That said, we both stand up. "Don't worry. I'll keep you safe."

"I know you will," Hope says.

Heathcliff and Asuna opens the door. Complete darkness inside. We run right into the boss door. The door shuts the second everybody is inside.

The darkness lightens up...only not as much as it usually does. The roof of this room is replaced with a sky of dark, thundering clouds. On the ground is the summit of the Black Temple. And up ahead is the elf demon who's blind.

He faces us with those fel flames that are on the eye sockets of his blindfold. "You mortal insects. You invaded my domain and dare to face against me?" He takes out his glaives and positions to fight. "You are not ready!"

His name, cursor and health gauges appear. The Betrayer.

He may seem big and scary, but that doesn't stop us from engaging in combat against the demon. What just came into mind is how or why he is known as 'The Betrayer'? What could he possibly have done? Well. That's nothing for me to wonder about. I need to focus on defeating the boss.

The Betrayer is proven to be a tough boss fight. I focus on attacking him on the sides while Heathcliff takes all the hits. Whenever the adds appear, I switch and attack them. I keep my eyes open around the field whenever I'm free. Something must be rigged if we were unable to defeat this boss four times in a row.

The boss roars in agony. He's down to half of his total health. "You wretched mortals are tougher than I expected!" The Betrayer sprouts his wings and takes flight. "Now you shall face the true power of the Inflamed Legion!"

The Betrayer throws his glaives on the ground, planted by the blades. With it, two large green flaming creatures appear, and they are linked to the blades like chains. The adds are huge. Heathcliff and the other Crusader handle each of them. The DPS classes split into two against the adds.

"Look into the eyes of the betrayer!" Hearing that, I turn my attention to the boss. He shoots feel beams down on us through the fel sockets on his blindfold. Two beams, moving around, towards other players. We avoid them.

I take a look at the fight around. We have the boss under control. Nobody has died to anything and the boss is only at 50%. We got this, but that doesn't mean we can let our guard down.

However, something catches my attention. While I was avoiding the fel beams, I notice Hope is on his knees, getting ready to stand back up. He must have fallen trying to avoid the beams. But that isn't what has me curious. Behind him, Leonardo is coming towards him.

From a distance, it looks like he's rushing towards Hope to help him, but I look closely. He has his hand on his side, grabbing the hilt of his weapon, pulling out his daggers. That grin on his face...

I soon realize what's going on and hurry over towards Hope. "Espeon! Look out!" The second I call out, Hope turns. He's horrified to see Leonardo coming towards him.

Leonardo charges up a Hurricane sword skill, I charge up a Viper's Fang. My Gunblade glows in dark pink as I use the skill to block Leonardo's blow. The clash of our weapons causes colorful sparks, a mix of dark pink and light green. Leonardo is astonished, then I use the rest of my Combos to attack him.

My attacks break through his armor and it shatters, revealing gray ragged clothing with a little showing of an emblem that belongs to a certain murder guild.

Laughing Coffin.

Most of the raiders are surprised by this event. The only ones focusing on the boss fight are Heathcliff, another healer, and four other DPS. "Leonardo...What's going on?" Asuna asks.

All the other players muttered as they surround Leonardo. The funny thing is nobody is even paying attention to the boss that's threatening to kill us all.

"I knew there was something going on," I say. "The last three attempts on the 18th-floor boss ended in failure. Leonardo here is the only survivor for each of the attempts...and how is that possible? ...Because he's the very one that caused those wipes. He's secretly a member of Laughing Coffin!"

Everyone's pretty horrified to hear this. "We'll worry about the Assassin later. Right now we have a boss to face before it destroys us!"

The Betrayer lands on his feet as the glaives rush towards him like magnets. "All of you deal with the boss," I order everyone, and they all focus on the boss, while I turn to Leonardo. "I'll deal with the traitor."

I hold my Gunblade tight. Leonardo takes out his two daggers.

Even though in my body, it's nothing but digital data, but I can feel my blood boiling. This man is supposed to be an honorable member of the Holy Dragon Alliance, of the Assault Team. But in truth, he's a member of Laughing Coffin. The murder guild. Those who killed many players right before my eyes. Who killed the Lunar Twilight.

With a burst of speed, I engaged in combat with Leonardo.

The Assassin fights hard. That's to be expected from a member of the Holy Dragon Alliance. Leonardo attacks so fast, I can only focus on avoiding and blocking over attacking. When I am free to attack, I perform another Viper's Fang. Leonardo was able to avoid the first three combos and then gets hit with the other three.

"Why are you doing this?" I ask him in a hostile tone. We both attack, end up with our weapons clashed, face to face. "You are an honorable member of the Holy Dragon Alliance. How can you turn on all of us?"

Leonardo just laughs before answers. "Because I saw the truth!" Leonardo and I repel each other. While I recovered, he leaps on me. I dodge then shift my weapon into a gun and shoot at him. Leonardo dodges my shots, then comes towards me. "We are all trapped and forced to play this game! There is no hope! No escape! Only DEATH!"

He thrusts his daggers. I barely dodged and end up with a cut on my cheek. Didn't do heavy damage thank goodness. Leonardo and I both fight each other at high speed. Leonardo is probably faster with attacks because of his dual-wielding.

I unleash a wrath of my sword skills against Leonardo. He can hardly keep up with my speed as I disarm one of his daggers, then I second disarm the next. I attack him up until he reaches 5% of his HP. I even cut off his digital legs so he is unable to move.

I just glare down at him. Everything he believes and says is wrong. It's true that death awaits us all, but that doesn't mean there is no point in fighting against it. There is still hope to escape this prison of death. The path he chooses is corruption. Insanity. Evil. Where we the Assault Team seeks to clear this game to free all the remaining 8,000 players from this death game.

And this boss's defeat is the living proof of it. One floor boss killed and another floor unlocked is one step closer to our freedom. I turn to the boss. He feels on his knees as the last of his HP depletes. The Betrayer breaths his final words:

"Persistent insects you are...Vermin of the light...You may think you are tough...but I must warn you: Turn back...for within the heart of darkness...only your end..awaits. The god of the devil...will have your...souls...and soon...will put out...the light."

The Betrayer glows and shatters into shards of light. The Betrayer is defeated. After the boss's defeat, the room returns to normal. Instead of the top of the Black Temple, we return to the stone room of the top of the labyrinth.

After recovering, we all turn to Leonardo. The leader of the Holy Dragon Alliance, Schmitt, a lance-wielder Crusader, faces Leonardo. "Leonardo...You are a traitor to the Holy Dragon Alliance. You are hereby banished from the guild." Schmitt opens his window menu, scroll through various options, up until he kicks Leonardo out of the Holy Dragon Alliance. "Take him to the Black Iron Castle."

Two members of the guild grab Leonardo by the arms and drags him away. There are members of Laughing Coffin in hiding among the Assault Team guilds.

Just when I didn't think it could get any worse.