The Prince of Swords

by ToumaFF

Kazuto was always exceptionally talented, but limited by his own idea of kindness. Having been corrected at an early age, he excels through life without much of a purpose. Now trapped in a rather gruesome death game of his own choice, he will attempt to break though it as Kirito, the famed Prince of Swords. Kirito/Multi

10. Fracture

A scattering of players stood in semi-organized groups before him. The more distinguished players wore their uniforms with pride, each of them standing behind their chosen leaders. Standing a good distance from the larger guilds, were the rest of the clearers. Those who remained solo, and those that belonged to smaller guilds. Despite the variance of allegiances, he could say without a doubt, that these were the finest players that Aincrad could offer.

The strongest clearers.

As he walked up the hill to the group, they stilled their conversations in favour of glancing in his direction. Flanking him on either side was Asuna and Argo, both of whom looked decidedly at home there. Slightly behind them were Silica and Lisbeth, who despite not exuding the calm and assertive aura of their guild members, still looked relaxed in the face of so much attention. He couldn't have asked for a finer party.

He exchanged silent glances and the slight nod every now and then with the various clearers that he knew on a personal level. It only made sense, since these were the people that he had constantly risked his life with over the past year. These were the ones that cleared the front lines, explored the dungeons, and finally put themselves up for the eventual boss clear. They were the front lines, the ones who were slowly carving their way to the top.

This was the area right before the entrance to the boss labyrinth of the 50th floor. At the crest of a large rolling hill, was the rather bland entrance. A decrepit arcing doorway of an old tomb led towards one of the most elaborate dungeons discovered so far. The labyrinth was constantly changing, and the cleaners had discovered that depending on the time of day, the maze's whole layout changed itself to match. It had taken considerable effort, but now they were ready to tackle the floor boss. As was customary however, they would have a strategy meeting beforehand.

He went past the groups to stand at the very top of the hill, beside the entrance of the dungeon. There at the top, were the familiar figures of Heathcliff and Ryuken, and their chosen 'lieutenants': Diabel and Malik. The three top guilds of Aincrad, and the three leaders of the front lines. Though he had a more influential role as the 'official' leader, he knew that it was at most a formality. Leadership was split into three factions, with Kirito barely coming out on top. Behind him, Heathcliff had considerable influence over the remainder of the divide, and with the DDA coming in last simply by virtue of having such a large guild.

"Glad you could join us." Heathcliff greeted as he finished traversing the steep hill.

Giving the red-clad knight a nod, he exchanged greetings with Diabel and Ryuken before turning to face the gathered players. Standing at the top of the hill, he could see over the heads of every player in the vicinity. This was a full gathering, unlike the previous ones that only required those that wanted to volunteer for the boss fight. Each and every one of the players that constituted the front lines were gathered here. It was a number that barely bordered on two hundred, yet despite the seemingly low number, it was a heartening sight to see.

As was custom, it was Heathcliff who started the meeting. Stepping forward, the movement immediately hushing the murmuring, and giving them a charismatic smile, the knight began the meeting.

"Welcome, to the 50th boss strategization meeting. I hope that you are all well and in good health."

A variety of nods and acknowledgements came back from the gathered players, each of them paying rapt attention to the man before them. Heathcliff's mere presence commanded their attention.

"I'm glad," he said with a faint smile, scanning over the assembly of players with something akin to pride. "We will need everything we have in order to tackle this particular boss. This is something that we cannot possibly take lightly. Our biggest challenge yet, this is the daunting obstacle before us."

Some nervous mutters broke out among the crowd, a few of them shifted all knew the significance of this floor. After the disastrous boss fight on the 25th floor, all of them knew what was waiting in store for them. A boss battle more dangerous than any other, a battle that could very well prove to be fatal to some.

"But we will not back down. We cannot back down. Not after all of the effort spent coming this far," Heathcliff paused, letting his words sink in, before continuing in a firm tone. "We are halfway there. Our progress so far has been steady and unfaltering. And just because this boss is stronger than any we have previously faced, that does not mean it is unbeatable. This boss will fall just like any other, and we will be one step closer to our goal... our freedom." He was glad to see that most of the assembled players seemed to have found their conviction, judging by their resolute expressions.

"So, what do you say?"

A resounding roar of approval met his question.

Kirito almost shook his head in disbelief at how well Heathcliff seemed to be able to sway others with just his words alone. It was hardly a notable speech, but somehow the way he expressed himself and the way he talked was more effective than any emotional drivel that he could think of.

Heathcliff merely smiled lightly before signalling for silence. "Now, I will move on to the planning. Our scouts have bravely entered the boss room earlier this week, and we have them to thank for this information." He gestured to a small group of KoB players behind him, and the gathered players applauded lightly for the three scouts. Scouting the boss room of this floor was something that many had believed to be a fool's errand.

"The good news is that the boss seems to be simply an upgraded version of the stone statues found inside of the labyrinth, although his form is that of a six-armed buddha."

The particular mob that Heathcliff mentioned was the mini-bosses that were found usually at every intersection of the ever-changing labyrinth. Statues of various models, warriors and knights alike, came to life and would immediately charge towards any players in sight. These bosses were slow and clunky, but they had immense defensive stats along with incredibly powerful swings that could send you flying if they connected. A favoured tactic against these mini-bosses was simply to have someone occupy the boss's attention while the rest attacked from behind, switching roles whenever the boss changed its target. As long as the players kept dodging each swing, taking down the mini-bosses had been rather trivial.

But there was something interesting about their mechanics that Kirito had noticed. Each of these stone statues came to life with slow and blocky steps. Their initial speed and movements were almost as if they were moving in slow motion, yet as the battle progressed, their movements gradually quickened. Many players had theorized that they needed time to 'warm-up', so-to-speak.

A floor boss with such a mechanic did not bode well in his mind.

"The bad news however, is that we know nothing more. Our scouts managed to determine that the boss mechanics are either identical or similar to that of the stone statues, since he slowly came to life when they approached his throne. They couldn't gather anymore information though they did notice that the boss wielded six scimitars."

Kirito had to frown at that. The implications were enormous, as most of the humanoid bosses they had faced so far showed exemplary weapon skills. They were not restricted to the sword skills that the players used, and sometimes had custom abilities tailored to their specialties. The dark elf boss on the 10th floor had shown them that. That particular boss had showcased twin-dagger sword skills that had astounded them with the sheer speed behind each skill.

The players seemed to share his trepidation, as many of them had grimaces on their faces.

Heathcliff sensed their nervousness right away. "There is no doubt in my mind that this will be the most difficult challenge we have faced so far. To that end, we have to pool together our very best. That means that only the strongest players will participate in this battle."

There was some confused shuffling as the players tried to understand what Heathcliff was getting at.

"Not just levels, we will have to consider your experience, your skills and talents, as well as your equipment. Everything will be considered. To put it simply, we are not sparing any efforts in this battle, we can't afford to." The red knight elaborated with a firm tone.

His announcement was met with mixed results, but the majority of the feedback was excitement. A common misconception among the general populace was that the players in the top guilds were always better than those who were not. This was untrue, as despite the resources offered by the guilds, you had to factor in the distribution of the rewards too. Guild members tended to pay a guild fee, ranging from a static fee to a percentage after each battle. Of course, that meant that the leaders and vice-leaders of the top guilds tended to be much better equipped than the rest of the clearers. With some notable exceptions.

Kirito noted with interest, how the smaller guilds were animatedly talking with one another, each of them focusing their attention on one or two players within their group. He knew that several of the players in that particular group would be on equal standing with several of the more equipped DDA and KoB members. Klein himself would be on equal level with Diabel or Sansa even.

The last group that caught his interest were the ones that hung around at the edges of the gathering. They were staring around with interest, but did not join in the discussion. These were the solo players. The ones that had consistently refused any offers to join a guild, preferring to help out in their own way. Some of them filled in the blanks during boss fights, but the majority of them put their efforts into clearing the floor.

He had a few contacts within that small category of players, but from what he knew, there were many players in that category that could hold their own against many of the more respectable guild members.

Not everyone shared the same excitement however, as the three leaders of the DDA were sharing heated words with one another. A common sight it seemed these days. Their guild members looked at each other warily, none of them knowing what to feel about the sight.

Heathcliff signalled for silence, and the players ended their excited chattering. "As always, you do not have to volunteer. But for those of you who are willing to step up to the plate, please let Diabel know. We will have a week to prepare for this battle, and the final members should be finalized several days beforehand. Now, back to the business at hand, there are several tactics that we will be using that have proven to be highly effective and..."

---

He dodged the incoming blow almost absently, the large stone fist hitting nothing but air as he gracefully stepped to the left. The speed at which this particular mob moved made dodging almost unnecessary, as you could almost walk out of the path of incoming attacks. The only issue you ran into while facing these «Stone Sentry» mobs were the fact that they tended to be numerous in nature while being extremely tanky.

Even at his exorbitantly high level of 76, it took him close to a minute to take down just one of these mobs. These were definitely on the higher end of the difficulty spectrum when it came to monsters, being closer to a mini-boss than not. It made sense, as these sentries were guarding the previously secret entrance to the boss dungeon.

With a final thrust into the gap between the monster's stone plates, the mob finally dispersed into a scattering of white light, and accompanying its death was the sound of broken glass. Idly closing the reward menu indicating a nice sum of Col and an assortment of materials, he turned his attention to the flurry of activity around him.

His girls had improved immensely since their first meeting.

As if sensing his thoughts, Silica suddenly moved forward with a shield bash before ducking underneath a swing and coming out behind the large golem. Her pet dragon let out a cry before launching a beam of frost towards the golem. The youngest clearer took the opening given by her pet, and executed an «Aurum Surge», the 6-hit one-handed sword skill caused the golem to groan in pain before shifting its attention back to the small girl.

He watched on with pride as the girl brought up her pristine crystal shield and blocked the incoming blow unflinchingly. Nobody had expected the small girl to come this far, but she had proven herself up to the challenge. At level 70, the girl could be considered the strongest shield user in the game, besides Heathcliff of course. Something that no one would have ever suspected to be a possibility a year ago.

Silica was not alone in her growth however, as Lisbeth, Asuna, and Argo had come a long way as well. The three grew into their role in a way that left him simply amazed.

With Lisbeth being at a respectable level 72, and having maxed her «Two-Handed War Hammer» skill, the part-time smith was one of the strongest clearers in the game in terms of pure strength. Indeed, when Lisbeth unleashed all of her cooldowns, her damage was simply absurd, and that was not even mentioning the amount of stuns and interruptions that accompanied her skills. She had grown considerably into her role as their back-up, knowing exactly when to come in at the first sign of trouble. There was something incredibly warming about swinging a hammer hard enough to send the largest of mobs flying away from your teammates.

Asuna and Argo, being at level 74 and 73 respectively had grown into something else entirely. Though in the beginning they had been satisfied with letting him lead, and resigned themselves to covering his back, now they refused to. Instead, both of them wanted to be there at the front, right beside him. He didn't know when it had happened, but gradually, the two had integrated themselves in such a way that they complimented his fighting. He had always felt a link with Asuna during battle, and the two of them worked incredibly well as a team.

Argo had been a surprise. From the start, the girl's method of fighting had been more inclined to a solo role, rather than in a party. But as they had all changed, so had she. Now, instead of tackling a mob by herself, she did her best to assist those around her, matching her movements to her guild mates. And she did her job incredibly well, having an uncanny ability to read and anticipate their moves.

With the two girls by his side, he did not need to worry about anything save for his front. Asuna was his right hand and Argo was his left, and together, the three of them moved as one.

Truly, there was no better team he could ask for.

While he was reminiscing about their growth, the girls had almost finished off their own golems. The field had contained five of the monsters, and they had split up in order to tackle them individually. There was no worrying anymore, as each of them trusted the others' ability. And if they needed help, they could always count on their party.

Argo finished off her golem with an almost furious display of savagery, her claw swipes were a blur as they tore apart the monster. Taking a moment to assess her drops, as was custom to her, she closed the reward menu before spying his standing form.

She sauntered over to his side with a happy expression, a stark contrast to her earlier display, and he merely smiled as she promptly latched onto his arm. It was almost second nature at this point.

"Ki-bou~" she cooed, eyes closed in happiness as she rubbed her cheeks against his shoulders.

"Argo," he greeted back, smiling down affectionately. "Good work on that mob, very smooth."

She blinked at his praise, before breaking into a wide grin. "Compliments will get you everywhere, Kiri-bou."

They shared a quiet laugh before turning their attention to the rest of their team. The others seemed to have slightly more trouble with their golems, still getting used to the rhythm of the mob.

"So, so, what were you thinking about?" Argo prodded from his side. "You were thinking pretty deeply, even during battle."

Trust Argo to pick up on the littlest of things, and Kirito found himself surprised once more at her perception. Shaking his head, he smiled absently before answering her question.

"Just thinking back... you've all grown so much."

Argo blinked, tilting her head to the side in question. "How so?"

"Well, for one, Silica is no longer running away from mobs," he pointed out with a grin.

Argo giggled, before adding, "I see what you mean, but she still scares so easily."

She remembered how Silica reverted back to a child's mentality every time they encountered a bug-type mob. It was hilariously cute, watching her cling to the back of Kirito or Asuna in fear. She was steadily gaining progress in that regard, but for now, they all knew bugs were the poor girl's main weakness.

"Mmhm, but you know... all of you have grown immensely," Kirito remarked, closing his eyes in thought. "Asuna, Lisbeth, Silica... you."

She jolted a bit, peering up at him curiously. "Me?"

"Of course, you've grown so much since then. Almost docile these days." He affirmed, reaching out a hand to ruffle her hair, the gesture surprising and annoying her.

Pouting as her hair was left in disarray, she huffed. "I don't know what you mean."

"Oh? Don't pretend like you haven't changed, Argo. "

She crossed her arms petulantly. "Hmph."

He simply laughed, noting the light blush on her cheeks. It was very rare to fluster the lithe girl before him, as she was usually the one who did all the teasing. He found the sight of her embarrassed face rather cute, and was about to continue his teasing when he noted something at the edge of his vision.

Argo noticed it too, and she tensed slightly by his side. They both relaxed when they identified the two figures that were walking up to them.

They were both equipped with the familiar red and white coated armour that had been a trademark of their guild since the beginning. Though it wouldn't have mattered, as their respective faces were quite distinctive already. After all, who wouldn't recognize the leader and sub-leader of one of the strongest guilds in Aincrad.

Heathcliff walked with an imposing gait, despite the fact that he was as casual as can be given the circumstances. It was rare to see the leader of the knights out from the setting of a meeting or a fight. It was even rarer to see him out on the field, which had caused much confusion as many wondered how he raised his levels.

"Kirito-san," he greeted as soon as he crested the hill.

"Heathcliff." Kirito returned, before sharing a nod with the blue-haired sub-leader to the left of the man. Diabel looked oddly out of place, shuffling his feet nervously.

There was a brief pause, before Heathcliff continued. "There's a matter regarding the upcoming boss fight that I wish to speak to you about."

Kirito blinked, suddenly unsure. Though he had spoken — probably more than anyone — to Heathcliff many times, it was rare that the other man would seek him out. Deciding to put aside his sudden apprehension, he gave him an obliging nod.

"Go ahead," he prompted, ignoring the sight of Argo staring a hole into Diabel.

"Very well, as you know, the upcoming fight is going to be unlike anything we've ever faced before. Not even I can afford to take this lightly."

Kirito frowned, wondering where he was going with this. "I know, we have to proceed carefully."

Heathcliff nodded. "It's about that very reason that I came to speak to you. As you know, I am among the top shield-users within the clearers, and one of the best suited for the tanking role."

"Of course, no one doubts your abilities."

The red knight gave him a faint smile before continuing. "It won't be enough in this fight I'm afraid, if the scouts were correct in their assessment then not even I can deal with this boss alone."

Heathcliff's role in boss fights was critical. He was at the forefront of every engagement, immediately sensing the most prominent points of battle, then stepping in to take the blows when he could. His defensive prowess was second to none, and he could generally take several blows in quick succession whereas other would-be tanks would simply crumble under the assault. In Aincrad, there wasn't a better shield-user than the man before them.

"I am going to need help."

"...You need more shield-users." Kirito surmised reluctantly.

Seeing Heathcliff's nod, he turned towards Argo, both of them having reached the same conclusion. Judging by the look on Argo's face, she was not happy with the implications at all. In fact, she looked quite upset.

"Absolutely not." Argo bit out firmly, her glare silencing Diabel's incoming protests rather easily.

Before either side could further their discussion, they were suddenly made aware of the three girls coming from their right, having finished dispatching their respective mobs. The three remaining girls of the «Royal Swords» were looking rightly confused as they came upon the four.

"What's going on?" Asuna asked stiffly, not liking the looks on Kirito and Argos' faces.

Heathcliff gave the newcomers a calm look of acknowledgement, before elaborating. "Matters regarding the upcoming boss fight, Asuna-san."

She frowned at the answer, looking at Kirito expectantly. He shook his head lightly, and the girls relaxed somewhat.

"You know my stance on such things, Heathcliff." Kirito stated firmly. "It's not that I don't understand where you're coming from, but we're not willing to risk her."

Heathcliff did not falter. "But Kirito-san, surely you trust in my abilities to at least keep her safe?"

"It's not about that, it's the simple fact that she would not be with us."

"With her in the defensive group, our chances will be much higher. Do you not trust in her?"

Kirito narrowed his eyes, before replying in an angered voice. "It's not trust that is the issue, it's the needless amount of added risk."

"That does not ignore the fact that she is the next best option we have," Heathcliff remarked in an unphased tone. "I'm afraid that the success of the raid will depend much on her and a few others."

The four girls, and the blue-haired vice-leader looked back and forth at the verbal exchange with wide eyes. This was the most conflict they had seen coming from either of the leaders in the last 50 floors or so. Usually, Heathcliff and Kirito were on the same page on things, which was why the influence of the DDA were minimal at best.

"What are you guys talking about?" The confused voice of Silica suddenly broke into the budding argument.

The two leaders turned to her abruptly, each of them holding in their words at the sight of her. Seeing that Kirito was holding his tongue for the time being, as if trying to prevent her from joining into the debate, Heathcliff took the initiative.

"We were talking about you, Silica-san."

Silica blinked wide eyes in an adorably cute manner, head tilted to the side instinctively. Coupled with the sleepy-eyed dragon atop her head, the girl did not look the part of a strong clearer.

"What?" She asked with notable confusion.

Before Kirito could chime in, Heathcliff took the lead. "For the upcoming boss fight, the group that will be taking the lead will have to be the most resilient players. That means you, Silica-san, after all, you are the most experienced shield-user after me."

Silica's mouth dropped open in shock, and she promptly sputtered out a denial. "W-what? That can't be right, Heathcliff-san, surely there are much better players than me?"

Kirito sighed, crossing his arms in a rather serious manner. He did not like where this was going at all.

"You underestimate yourself, Silica-san. Aside from me and you, the next closest would be Ryuken." Heathcliff answered with a small smile.

His words were true, and Kirito knew it. Though he did not know the levels of Heathcliff or Ryuken, he knew that they could not be much higher than Silica — especially the leader of the DDA, who only leveled in a large raid group. No one could say for sure what Heathcliff's level was, but Kirito would guess that it was either around his level, or a bit above. Though Heathcliff was rarely seen leveling, the sheer efficiency he displayed told them all that they needed to know.

"You don't have to go." Kirito stated, startling Silica from her sudden introspection. "There are many other shield-users that can fit into that party."

They might not be on the same level as Silica, but with help from the others in things like equipment, then they could prove to be effective. He knew he was being selfish, trying to withhold the smaller girl from going, but he couldn't help it. The thought of putting Silica in any amount of extra risk was something he couldn't stomach.

Heathcliff frowned, showing a rare display of emotion, and was about to refute Kirito's statement when a different voice chimed in first.

"I will do it."

Everyone in the clearing looked towards the youngest clearer in definite surprise and shock. Though she wilted under the stares, she refused to back down— they could see it in her eyes, she wanted to prove herself.

"If I'm the best suited for the party, then I will volunteer, Heathcliff-san." She added, looking away from the worried stares from her guild.

"Silica, you—"

"Kirito-kun, I want to do this... please." She looked at him with a pleading expression, and he found himself struck by the sight.

With a heavy sigh, he turned to look towards the two KoB members.

"Alright."

---

The world was covered in snow.

From as far as she could see, the whole landscape was painted in white. Falling from the skies, was a light snowfall that seemed to pick up and rise as she trekked through the snow towards her destination. In a world like this, one could not tell the time of day at all, nor could they even distinguish any landmarks.

Just the way she liked it.

There were many places that a player in Aincrad could have called home, and most of them were situated in a city or village. But she did not like the crowds of people, or those NPCs that were so lifelike in their appearance, yet so fake on the inside. She did not like the constant stares... judging and wondering.

Ever since the first day of the game, it seemed that she attracted stares wherever she went. It had been a curse that transferred over from reality, and she hated it. She wished that everyone would have just left her alone. Just left her alone in that inn room to rot, if only she did not meet her that day, they would have—

She suddenly shook her head, trying to erase the memory that was being dragged up again. It was futile... her sins continued to haunt her no matter where she was. Even in a world of virtual reality, it appeared that she was destined for misfortune.

Onwards into the snow-covered forest she went, her footsteps soft and her figure unflinching despite the cold weather. She was cloaked in white, blending into her surroundings almost as if she was a part of it. Except for the weapon that was sheathed across her back diagonally, which gleamed in the light, shining a pristine red, despite the haze of snowfall.

The path she took seemed to be aimless. Her destination had no marker or indicator in any game map. In a forest that covered half of the floor, few players strayed far from the roads. Especially when the monsters of this floor liked to ambush any would-be hunters in large packs. No, her path was engraved into her mind, having taken the same route for several months now.

Wrapped up in a world of white, where everything was shrouded and covered. Just the way she liked it.

Soon, her path took her to a stream that shimmered in the light, and had water that was perfectly clear. As she crouched down, she cupped a handful of the crystal-clear water before bringing it up to her mouth. Gazing blankly into the reflection, she spied a girl with violet eyes, and a face void of expression. She splashed the water against her face, before taking another handful and this time drinking from it.

She was nearing her destination, seeing that the snow was starting to calm down significantly. And as she neared the spot, she suddenly stopped.

She blinked rapidly, taking a hand to rub at her eyes almost in disbelief. There was nothing on this floor that could surprise her anymore, as she had mapped the area better than anyone else in her free time. But the figure in front of her was not part of this floor. He was a player.

A black-haired boy with an effeminate face, he was wearing a rather regal ensemble of black and gold. He might have looked more impressive if not for the long red scarf he had wrapped around his neck that clashed with his clothing. Seeing her shocked look, he rubbed at the back of his neck nervously.

"Yo?" He 'greeted' in a hesitant tone.

Her eyes suddenly narrowed, and she had to refrain from growling at the sight of the boy before her. "You!"

He held up both his hands in surrender almost immediately, but the girl did not halt her heavy stomps towards him. As she neared him, he feared that she was going to slap him and almost braced himself when she stopped.

She jabbed at his chest heavily, and with a voice that held no room for argument, she began her tirade.

"You damn stalker—"

"W-wait!"

"—annoying, idiotic, stupid—"

"Hey..."

"—completely brainless—"

Kirito raised an eyebrow as the girl ranted and raved, inwardly surprised and heartened by the amount of emotion she was showing. It was the most response he had gotten out of her yet... never mind the fact that they were mostly insults. With that in mind, he waited patiently for the girl to tire of her outrage.

It took a long time, but eventually the girl ran out of breath and turned to giving him a glare that had little effect due to her gasping figure.

"How did you find me?" She finally asked, turning away from him.

He ran a hand through his hair in a nervous gesture. "Well... It was a guess on my part, as there really is only one place on this floor that I could think of. With the way you come and go, it had to be in the middle of the forest."

She crossed her arms, eyes still narrowed. "That doesn't explain how you found this place so fast. Without following me at least..."

"Of course I didn't," he added quickly, seeing her accusing look. "I knew that there was one building out here that a player could possibly stay at. The rumour about the Witch's Cabin."

The white-cloaked figure gave him a look of disbelief, not quite impressed with his explanation. "You found where I am with just a rumour?"

"...Lucky guess?" He offered weakly.

She huffed, before breaking off from him. Though her pace was just a walk, it seemed like she wanted to put as much distance between her and the male player. Her wishes were not granted however, as Kirito fell into step a few paces behind her. She was tempted to yell at him again, but refrained knowing that it was futile.

He had been plaguing her constantly since their meeting.

At first, she had been surprised at their encounter, having recognized him for who he was. After all, who wouldn't? Everywhere she went, she had heard tales of his reputation... him and his guild. The strongest guild in Aincrad, with the strongest players of the front lines. What was even more surprising to her was the fact that four out of five of the main party were girls.

In a predominantly male game, four of the top players were female. That had been surprising to her, but it also filled her with a sense of longing. To her, a girl that had been as weak as could be, the four of them were an inspiration. At least... when she still wanted to reach the top. Now, she couldn't care less.

She stated her views on him pretty clearly after their encounter on Christmas, when he found her hunting for rabbits again. To her surprise, he was unfazed, and did not take offense to her words. He simply observed and pointed out a few spots where he had seen the tell-tale signs of the rare mobs before leaving. That had not been the end of it.

Ever since then, every now and then he would show up, often in the middle of nowhere just to surprise her. And to top it all off, he always just wanted to make conversation, asking her how her day was or remarking on her skill with the spear. She grew frustrated by his presence, and tried to ignore him— she even hunted in a completely new area to no avail. He always showed up, at least once a week, just to say hello.

It was frustrating her to no end.

She did not know anything about his motives, but there was something in his eyes every time he looked at her. In all of her short life, she had seen many people look at her in fear, loathing, and pity. But the look in his eyes... the meaning constantly eluded her, she could not put her finger on it.

At last, growing frustrated with his presence, she twirled around to face him, a stern expression on her face. "Shouldn't you be busy at this moment? Why are you still bothering me?"

He quirked his eyebrows, before suddenly smiling. "So you've been keeping track of me, hmm? Interesting..."

She growled at his tone, before narrowing her eyes. "What is that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing."

The boy was incredibly frustrating. She almost wanted to strangle him there and then, but she refrained, knowing that it would only be what he wanted. The famed player seemed especially happy every time she yelled at him for some reason.

What an odd person.

With those thoughts in mind, she spun around, determined on leaving him behind this time. Taking off in a sprint she hurried along a path that only she recalled in her mind. Ducking dexterously under a wayward branch, she slid for a few feet before dashing off towards the left. This path was littered with trees, allowing little room to maneuver swiftly.

Yet, she was accustomed to this path, having used it multiple times in the past in order to bypass the rather persistent mobs that followed her sometimes. Ducking and swerving around the trees, she kept her momentum going, determined to outpace her pursuer. There was no way even he could keep up with her in such unfamiliar terrain, she had lost even the most stubborn of wolf mobs this way. There was no way that someone—

She heard his steps before she saw him, and she gaped as he appeared directly behind her, appearing unruffled by the 'chase'. He gave her a knowing grin, before picking up his speed so that he was next to her.

Kirito smiled as he kept pace with the white-cloaked girl, finding the exertion to be rather fun in its own way. One of the first things he had mastered in the beta was the terrain of the game, as he preferred to have nothing slowing down his mobility. It helped that the game took into consideration your AGI and STR stats, which allowed you to move much faster, and jump much higher than normal. With the abundant number of points he had in AGI, he had little trouble in keeping up with the girl beside him.

Something she resented apparently, as she gave him a loud cry of frustration.

He chuckled, letting her take the lead before falling in behind her. He didn't know why he kept teasing the girl in front of him, as it wasn't something that he usually did intentionally. Well, at least to this extent. But something about the way she responded was captivating in its own way. As if she dropped just a bit of her emotionless facade each time.

A few hectic minutes later she slowed down as the trees began to thin and the snow that was a constant on the floor lessened significantly. In fact, it was almost like he had entered into a different floor, as he could actually see the floor of the forest for the first time. He was curious, because the entire floor was known for its heavy snowfall, and something like this likely indicated a special area.

He was proven correct when they finally cleared the treeline, and he felt his breath catch as he caught sight of the area she had led him to. The uniqueness of the area was felt almost immediately, as his body warmed up significantly. Here, in this clearing, the sun bathed the area in its light, providing the perfect temperature of springtime. Looking around, he noticed that the floor of the clearing was a healthy hue of green, and scattered about the field were a myriad of colourful flowers. At the center of the clearing, sat a lonely looking cottage, with smoke billowing from its chimneys.

Somehow, he felt at peace.

The girl beside him watched him curiously as he scanned the place that she called home. She didn't know why she still led him here, as she could have simply led him away with a bit of extra effort. He never pushed her too much, often leaving when he felt that she was no longer in the mood for banter. Yet... somehow she felt that she could trust him.

"It's beautiful." He murmured from her side.

She didn't know why she felt embarrassed by his observation, but looked away anyway. He was impressed, and she felt oddly satisfied. The place she called home wasn't as bad as what someone would have figured. As a player, living alone in the forest sounded rather desolate. But here... away from everything and everyone, she could be at peace with herself. There was no one here to judge her. It provided her with warmth and quiet, the two things she had wanted most since the beginning. Of course, it helped that the cottage had comfortable beds, and she wasn't as alone as most would think.

"...I know." She agreed quietly, taking a deep breath of air. The familiar scent of the flowers was distinctive, and she felt relaxed. Here, in this little corner of the world, she could finally lower her guard.

She watched on as Kirito promptly sat down without care, patting the soft grass around him experimentally. He smiled before closing his eyes and laying down on his back without care. He was the perfect picture of serenity, and she felt sleepy just looking at his relaxed form.

Shaking her head, she pointedly stepped past him without a second look, heading towards the cottage.

"Not going to invite me in?" The boy remarked in a casual tone, eyes still closed.

"Not a chance, don't even think about coming in."

Though she had rebuffed him rather handedly, Kirito only chuckled in return. He had his arms crossed behind his head as he peered up into the clear skies. Small moments like these were the ones that he cherished. Where the reality of the world was forgotten if only for a single moment, and he could just be Kirigaya Kazuto once more.

He lingered for a few minutes more, before standing with a sigh. There was still work to be done.

---

It was dark by the time he arrived back, and as he opened the door, the smell of delicious food immediately hit his senses. He smiled, body moving towards the kitchen area almost on autopilot. There, he gazed upon the familiar sight of Asuna, bustling around the kitchen while humming. He held in a chuckle as he watched her move about with a fond smile on his face. The girl really was quite different when in the comfort of their own home.

It seemed that he wasn't as quiet as he had thought, as she turned around, eyes lightening up at the sight of him. "Welcome home, Kirito-kun."

"Hey, Asuna." He greeted back with a smile. "You know I wouldn't miss your cooking for the world."

She pouted at his comment. "Sometimes I think you like my cooking better than me."

He blinked at her accusation, before gasping loudly in false shock. "W-what? How could you say that, Asuna?"

He closed the distance between them, and before she could protest, he took both of her hands in his own. Peering deep into her eyes, he gave her his most serious expression he could muster. "I can't live without you, Asuna..."

She felt her heart stop as he continued to close the distance between them. "W-w-wha—"

"After all, you're the one who makes them in the first place."

He smiled beamingly down at her, and she stilled at his comment. Not sensing the change in her mood, Kirito hugged her.

"Kirito-kun?"

Turning around, he saw the confused look on Lisbeth's face. "Hey Liz—"

-SLAP-

---

Kirito rubbed at his face absently, sitting down at the kitchen table with a shell shocked expression on his face. He could not believe that the typically docile Asuna had hit him of all people. The worst part was that he didn't know what he had done to deserve such treatment.

"Really, Kiri-bou..." Argo began with a chastising tone. "You should know better than playing with a maiden's heart."

He blinked rapidly in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Three similar sighs came in unison from the other girls at the table. Sometimes Kirito could be the smartest person they knew, and sometimes he could be denser than a rock. Though there was a certain charm that came with him, they mused.

"I thought it was funny..."

Argo sighed, palming her face at his bewildered expression. "Just stop, Ki-bou."

They giggled as he pouted, the sight being rather unusual on his face.

"Come on, Kirito-kun. It couldn't have hurt." Lisbeth remarked with a laugh as he was still rubbing at his cheeks.

Before they could continue their teasing, the figure of Asuna made her way to the table, a platter of food held in each hand. She was humming happily, showing no sign of her previous irritation, though she made a point of ignoring Kirito's stare as she sat down beside him.

"Let's eat!"

Without further preamble, they dug into the delicious meal that Asuna prepared. Her cooking was delicious as usual, and for a few moments the only sounds were the moans of enjoyment and satisfaction as they ate their dinner. Praises were sung to a happy Asuna, and before long, they were back to the usual banter that they were used to. The twins were not with them tonight, citing something about completing Argo's request.

The atmosphere around them couldn't be anything else other than homely. Lisbeth had once remarked that she felt as if she was a part of a family when she was with them. Argo of course had promptly replied with 'then who is the father and mother?'. The resulting arguments were fairly funny in his opinion, even though he was eventually dragged into it. The main thought had never left him however.

Family.

It was a word that aptly described them. Not in the traditional sense, but rather in the strength of the bonds that connected them. He would do anything for his girls, and he knew that they felt the same. Being with them everyday reminded him of the days he had spent with his own family. It saddened him that he could barely remember a time when he had a full dinner with them. Shaking his head from such thoughts, he turned his attention back to watching the light banter.

Argo's teasing voice was prominent as was the resulting laughter. Asuna as always was trying to keep things calm but couldn't do anything as Lisbeth joined in on the teasing that was now centered on Silica. The poor younger girl was dazed as the girls made off-handed remarks that flew over her head while causing her to blush and stutter at the same time.

He smiled as Silica began to stammer out a protest, denying that she had a fear of insects anymore. Argo laughed out loud, hand reaching out to ruffle the smaller girl's hair fondly. Looking to his right as he felt a light tap on his shoulders, he raised his eyebrows slightly as Asuna fed him a piece of chicken. The girl huffed and looked away afterwards, but he simply chuckled in return.

The dinner was very enjoyable, and all of them lingered around the table even after they had all finished eating. Sometimes they liked to simply relax and talk with each other, sharing stories and ideas while talking late into the night. Today was one of those, and it was close to midnight by the time they had decided to retire.

As the girls took a shower together, he moved towards the balcony, sitting down with a sigh on the reclining chair. The night sky was cloudless and littered with stars, the artificial moon seemed brighter than ever, casting Kirito's surroundings in a picturesque glow. It was a rather soothing setting, despite the fact that the sky was just an illusion.

Countless floors had sights like these that continued to take his breath away. Once more, he wondered what it would have been like to venture about this world freely, without the daunting presence of death hanging above you. A virtual reality that truly blurred the line between the worlds. In essence, what Kayaba had created was another world. One that he had forced upon 10,000 players. But it was a world all the same, containing everything you could find in reality, maybe even more.

During the beta, he had found himself lost in the game. Forgetting the amount of time that had passed, and forgetting where he had come from. For a few moments he had become Kirito, the hero that had offered to slay the dangerous monsters that had been plaguing the village. And when he was jolted from the game, either by his sister or mother, or by realizing just how long he had stayed inside, the feeling never left. The longing of a world filled with swords, challenges, and adventure.

Perhaps that had been what Kayaba had envisioned. A world of his creation, not just a game.

Shaking his head from further thoughts, he leaned back into the chair observing the twinklings stars for a moment before opening his game menu. The menu materialized before him with a soft sound, illuminating the area in its translucent blue glow. Selecting the overlay for his character, he scanned his stats with a calculative eye.

[Kirito]

[Level: 76]

[HP: 9546]

.

.

.

[Skill Slots: 10]

Scanning over his stats absently, he noted that his AGI was beginning to catch up to his STR. His stats were very high for his level, most of it attributed to his gear; the majority of which were considered boss drops or higher. His current sword was one of Lisbeth's creations, [Cold Sapphire], possessing a rather impressive item level of 46 and considering the limits of the material composition, was probably the best one-handed sword available for the current floor. Besides the impressive Attack Power of the 'slash' type sword, it was further enhanced to a +13. The limit of enhancement on this sword was 20, and Lisbeth had been quite annoyed when she failed 7 out of 20 times on the upgrade process. He didn't mind however, as the sword's natural stats already gave his STR and AGI a notable boost.

His equipment was something to be proud of, and every piece was highly sought after. After all, having access to one of the best blacksmiths in the game, while also having access to the best tailor in the game gave him quite the edge. His current cloak and armour was made from a leather obtained from a lizard-type mini-boss on the 40th floor. In Aincrad, having armour that was a step better than the current floor was essential. There should be no expense spared when selecting your gear or upgrades.

Scanning past his equipment, he looked at the list of skills he had chosen. There were almost an uncountable number of skills in SAO, and it had been an exciting feature for most people at first. But the problem came with the limited number of skill slots afforded to the player. Without such a limit, every player would try their hand at every skill available, instead of striving to perfect the few they had. Things such as 'Searching', 'Hiding, 'Sprint' could be learned and mastered, and sometimes they unlocked further skills upon mastery. Along with passive abilities, there were the obvious crafting professions that one could specialize in along with numerous combat skills.

If the traditional MMO player had been saddened by the lack of magic in the game, then the uncountable number of skill selections proved to be a suitable substitute. With such a large variety, most player skill-sets were unique from each other, with their specializations showing through in most cases.

Kirito's build was not a standard build. Having leveled up with a two to one distribution of STR and AGI, he had a high amount of armour and HP compared to other would-be swordsmen. In the beta, he had found that putting all your points into AGI may have allowed you to attack much faster but the damage was minimal in comparison. Especially since the STR requirements of the higher leveled swords dictated what your weapon selection looked like. Those who valued AGI had to use either daggers, claws or rapiers. Having high STR allowed him to wield his preferred longswords as the weight of the weapons felt right in his hands.

That wasn't to say his AGI was lacking, as he picked up the slack through his equipment. STR was a prime requirement for most equipment, and he capitalized on this by prioritizing the AGI bonuses on his equipment.

His «One-Handed Sword» skill was mastered, along with «Parry». His «Searching» skill was close to mastery, as well as his «Tracking». Most of his non-combat skill selection was in movement or hunting. It had taken close to a year to master one-handed sword, and he had been saddened to see the progress bar fill completely. The ability to see your growth had been something he had always enjoyed from his history in other games. And the fact that he would no longer gain anymore bonuses was a bit of a letdown.

Fortunately or unfortunately for him however, it seemed that nothing was normal. He traced his fingers down the ten skills he had, hovering over the newest addition in deep contemplation. It had been a surprise, as he had received no game notice or any indication of having acquired the skill. So it had come as a shock when the skill had suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

It was a considerable addition, and it almost appeared too good to be true. The circumstances surrounding the skill was suspicious, as if there had been some outside influence. To that end, he had been hesitant in using the skill thus far, leaving it there at the back of his head.

But as the upcoming boss battle loomed closer and closer, he knew that he could not afford to keep such a thing hidden. If the worst happened, he knew without a doubt that they would need everything they had to move forward. Even if he had to use a handout from the very person he had sworn to bring down.

Closing the menu with a flourish, and pushing his darkening thoughts to the back of his mind, he went back inside. There was a long day ahead.

---

The dungeon had been cleared out.

Walking through the dimly lit hallways, they encountered no resistance. That didn't mean they relaxed their guards however, as they kept their weapons out as a precaution. The mobs would not be spawning again for a while, but that didn't mean they could afford to overlook the occasional rare spawn or something like that. Not in a game where death was a reality.

He looked over the group of girls that were following his lead. They each had a resolute expression on their face, none of them showing a hint of trepidation. Pride washed over him as he looked over each and every single one of them. The five of them had been in 49 boss fights thus far. Each and every single one of those battles were ones where they had put their lives on the line.

And they succeeded.

No matter what special property the boss had, they triumphed over it. Often leading the way, they had carved a tempo of synergy that had been unique to them. It worked, as their teamwork was second to none in SAO. Not many groups worked well together, at least with such efficiency and strength.

Now it would be different.

Giving the youngest member of their guild a look, he caught her attention. "Are you sure about this, Silica?"

She nodded once in slight exasperation. All of them had been subtly, and not-so-subtly in the case of Lisbeth, been trying to convince her to ignore Heathcliff's request. But she had been resolute. "Yes. Don't worry, Kirito-kun, I'll be fine."

Refraining from commenting, he turned his head forward once more with difficulty. He was glad that Silica had grown so far, but at the same time, he still couldn't withhold his urge to protect her with all of his might. She was the youngest of them all, but she was braver than what most people expected of her. Ever since the first floor, she had been making waves in the way she progressed through the game.

Turning the corner at the end of the current hallway, the area gave way to a much larger chamber. The huge stone doors of the Boss Room were immediately apparent, followed by the large gathering of players before the doors. Each and every single face was noticeable, as they were likely the strongest players that the clearing group had to offer.

Ignoring the daunting atmosphere, he led the girls straight towards the center of the group where Heathcliff was conversing in low tones with Ryuken. As they made their way past the gathering of players, he noted the expressions on their faces. They were scared.

It was an understandable fear. This was not going to be another challenging but simple boss fight. This was going to be a battle where the difficulty was unknown and victory was not a guarantee. Even with the abundant levels of experience and equipment that they all possessed, no one could be confident of their victory. After all, the fight on the 25th floor had wiped out almost an entire raid group of the Army's players. The only thing that had saved them that day were the reinforcements that came from the rest of the guilds.

This time, there would be no reinforcements. There was a set number of parties that were allowed in a boss room at once, with a set maximum capacity of 48 players, there was little in the way of assistance that could be offered. Especially considering that the players here were at the top of the player spectrum.

If they could not defeat this boss, then the others surely had no chance.

Arriving in front of Heathcliff, he shared a firm nod with the two other leaders of the front lines. There was no more time, and despite their differences, everything had to be in sync for this to work. To that end, he had been helping Heathcliff with the strategization, going through many scenarios before settling on the one that they had agreed would be the most successful.

They even went through no little amount of training with the group that would be tackling the boss, leaving little to chance.

"Then everyone is here." Heathcliff remarked in a soft tone that echoed throughout the stone chamber. "We will begin our last minute checks before entering, so please, gather into your parties."

Silica looked hesitant as she navigated through her menu in order to find the party options. There, she hovered over the 'Leave' option.

"It's alright, Silica." Kirito gave her a reassuring smile. "Just... stay safe, alright?"

Her eyes were sad as she pressed down on the button. The girls closed in to give her their own words of encouragement, shielding her from the rest of the prying eyes. He watched on fondly, before scanning the rest of the groups with a careful eye.

"Yo, Kirito."

Turning to the speaker, he smiled as he saw the figure of Klein with his trademark headband. "Hey, Klein."

"Quite a gathering we have here," the older man remarked in a casual tone. "You know there are KoB members grouped up with DDA members?"

He hummed in agreement, looking to see the parties of players that were glaring at each other with barely hidden contempt. "Not so smart in theory... but hopefully they can work together during the battle."

"Heh, hopefully. So are you ready for this?"

Kirito thought for a moment before replying. "As ready as we'll ever be."

There was a lull in the conversation as he spotted another figure coming up to them. He was a tall player, his figure looming over the comparatively smaller players. Bald, with dark eyes and armour that spoke of his profession, he was a familiar sight.

"Yo, Agil."

"Hey, Agil."

The large man gave them a gruff greeting in reply, shouldering his rather large battle-axe for the moment. Kirito never knew how the man trained so well considering the hours he worked at his own shop. Especially since Agil was one of the more experienced clearers around, despite rarely being on the front lines. Still, he somehow managed to keep his levels equal to the majority of the clearers, and it was his strength with the axe that had allowed him a spot in this party.

"Oh, right." Kirito pulled up his menu, promptly adding the two players before him to his party.

It felt a bit odd, seeing the two foreign names under that of Asuna, Lisbeth, and Argo. They had very rarely added players to their 'permanent' party, despite the fact that they had a open slot most of the time. For this battle however, they had to fill every opening available. He didn't mind working with the two players before him, as they were two of the few players that were not put off by his reputation. It was an added bonus that they were strong players in their own right.

Before they could continue their conversations, the voice of Heathcliff suddenly echoed throughout the chamber once more.

"Before we begin, I would like to thank all of you who have shown up today. This was not required of any of you, yet here you are willing to put your life on the line for the sake of our freedom, and you should all be proud of that fact."

Another one of Heathcliff's impactful speeches, and Kirito could feel the shift in the air as the man continued. Camaraderie, hope and conviction spread through the 48 players that gathered before the 50th floor boss. Gone was the previous air of nervousness, and instead there was a sense of anticipation.

[You have been invited to join a Raid by Heathcliff.]

Accepting the invite, he tuned out the rest of the speech in order to look over his equipment one last time. Equipping his favoured sword, and making sure he had all of his potions in readily accessible locations, he made his way over to the girls who had been talking in low tones the whole time.

He did not interrupt them, merely settling next to a pensive looking Argo; who gave him a brief smile. Asuna and Lisbeth were fussing over Silica, and it appeared that she was trying to allay most of their fears. It was a humorous scene, with the younger girl trying to reassure her much older friends.

"Make sure you have everything ready, girls." His voice was quiet and calm, but served to quell their nervousness.

Silica gave him a thankful expression as Asuna and Lisbeth were distracted by the motions of preparation. He moved over to her, and gave her a pat on the head, Pina chirped happily at the sight of him.

"How are you feeling?" He asked in a low tone.

"...Nervous."

He hummed in thought. "That's only natural, Silica. But... you know, the only reason we are against you stepping up isn't because we doubt your abilities."

She blinked in surprise. "What do you mean?"

"You're strong. One of the strongest players here, that I have no doubt. It's just... we won't be there to watch your back, so be safe alright?"

She blinked back tears at his words, and instead of replying, she simply moved forward to embrace him. Her head only came up to his chest, and he wrapped his hands around her the best he could. In the background, he heard the other girls giving a sigh of 'aww', to which he pointedly ignored.

Soon enough, Heathcliff finished his speech, and gave the signal for everyone to form up. Giving Silica one last pat on the head, they watched her join the tanking party with Heathcliff. She made quite a contrasting figure among the burly figures of the knights. They were all equipped with heavy plate armour while her ensemble was much lighter.

He felt the girls settle around him, as they brought up the rear of the group. Klein and Agil were uncharacteristically silent as they stood with them. In the next few moments, everyone would be putting their lives on the line with no guarantee of success. The difference between any other boss fight and this one was immense; the difficulty was incomparable.

Heathcliff pushed open the large stone doors with a single push. The doors creaked open eerily with the sound of stone moving against stone. When the doors finally stopped, they were greeted with the sight of a seemingly endless hall. As they stepped inside however, their vision cleared and the hall was revealed to be quite spacious.

The door behind them shut with a loud crash, startling many of the players.

The 'hall' was vast, but it was not the width of the room which staggered the players, but the awe-inspiring height. Ornate pillars, stretching as far as the eye could see held up the ceiling of the room. Staring upwards, one could barely make out the ceiling before it was enveloped in darkness. The area was dimly lit by stands of torches, casting the area in an unnatural orange glow.

They had to walk for half a minute before seeing the figure of the boss. It was just as the scouts had described. A tremendous stone statue, depicting the image of a buddha with six arms. It was sitting on an elaborate golden throne, and the sight of the boss caused many to shudder in fear and anticipation.

It was massive.

That was the first thought that came to Kirito's head. Even from their vantage point, he could already tell that the boss was abnormally huge. He guessed that the average player would only be as tall as the feet of the boss. They had fought large bosses before, most of them being creatures of various types. But none of them held a candle to the sheer scale of the boss before them. Now, the incredibly tall ceilings made sense. There would be no way for the boss to maneuver otherwise.

There was no sign of life from the statue even as they stopped a good distance away from the sitting form. Heathcliff took the lead, leading his party of their best armoured players, their shields at the front and ready. Silica's dragon flew around them in a distressed manner, as if sensing the difficulty of the boss before them.

-CRACK-

A loud echoing cracking sound echoed throughout the chamber, and everyone stared in horror as the large statue came into life. Every movement was accompanied by the ominous cracking, and as the boss began to stand up it bellowed out a guttural sound of warning, a deafening noise reminiscent of a fog horn. What had to be the most ominous sight were the six gargantuan arms of the boss fanning out before materializing a massive scimitar in each hand. Each sword was the same bronze colour of its skin, but it was the size that sent most of the players reeling, no words could have prepared them for the unadulterated presence of the colossal being.

Without further preamble, the boss marched forward, moving to meet the threat before him. Heathcliff stopped and told his fellow party members to fan out behind him. The blood knight stood unflinching in the face of the hulking beast that sent tremors with every step. His tower shield was almost as tall as he was, but even so, it felt incredibly small in comparison to the boss' blades.

Everyone held their breaths as the boss came into range and swung downwards with his right set of hands. The lower arm came first, and like a cascading avalanche, the rest followed. Heathcliff weathered the first blow with his ornate shield, grunting at the force of the impact which sent him sliding back a few inches. The next two blows almost sent him staggering, causing him to bend his knee slightly. But true to his moniker, he did not flinch and with his free hand, he lashed out with a sword skill. The blue glow of his sword met the giant's scimitar, but seemed to do little to nothing as the giant swung down with his other set of arms.

Heathcliff was caught off guard by the swiftness of the rebuttal, but thankfully did not have to do anything as someone else lept into the fray. The small figure of Silica was noticed immediately, as was the crystal shield that she held up in the air at a reflective angle. Her shield of translucent blue shimmered in the low light, and was recognizable to all of the clearers. [Crystal Fortune] was a boss drop from the 25th floor boss, and even now, it was considered an incredibly powerful piece of equipment. A unique class of equipment, its special ability was «Absorbtion»; any momentum brought on by an attack was negated.

It was an incredible sight to see, the comparatively tiny figure of Silica weathering the storm of blows unflinchingly. As the last of the swords bounced off however, the drawback of the shield was revealed. Translucent blue flashed red, indicating the cooldown period of the shield. Incredibly strong defense, but limited to short bursts. She would have to wait for the shield to recharge, as in its current state, it was reduced to a mere shield with a low item level.

She did not need to worry however, as the rest of her party members took advantage of the moment by attacking the boss with their own array of one-handed sword skills. The giant roared once more, the sound as unnatural as before. His target still appeared to be Heathcliff, and he ignored the rest of the players prickling away at his shin in favour of raining down blow upon blow onto the knight leader.

Heathcliff was unyielding in his defense, never moving back, and instead, he moved forward in order to meet the rain of blows each time. Taking liberties when he could, he dodged and ducked and slashed with his sword, all the while taking minimal damage. Steadily, he led the boss around in a half circle, making sure the back of the boss was facing the rest of the clearers. When the momentous blows became too much, he gestured for a switch where Silica or one of the other tanks would take over for a short period.

Taking the brief moment of respite, the knight looked up at the HP bar of the boss, and was dismayed to see that it had barely moved. A few slivers of health were gone from the first bar, but they had already been fighting for five minutes or so. The boss had an overwhelming toughness. Seeing that there was nothing that differed from the normal mechanics, Heathcliff made a decision.

It was a brief hand gesture, but Kirito had been waiting for it all along, standing tensely in the few minutes that they had been fighting. He shared a nod with his fellow party members before leading the way forward. The other clearers, having been prepped on what to do, followed his lead. Sprinting forward, they shared a roar of contention as they neared the boss, and prepared themselves with their strongest sword skills.

The back of the monstrous creature was staggering as they closed the distance, the looming figure only became bigger the closer they got. Nevertheless, most of them cleared their minds of any fear and focused on the task at hand. Their job should be the easier in comparison, simply being the damage dealers of the group.

Kirito's opening salvo was one of his highest leveled sword skills that he rarely used due to the amount of time it took to execute. His blade glowed red as it traced a star into the calf of the giant. Even as he finished, he could see that he wasn't alone in his attack as Asuna followed up with her own fencing skill, a rapid series of seven strikes that was focused onto a single point. Argo entered with her own furious attack, the speed at which her claws cleaved through the air was incredible. Lisbeth however, outshined them all with her newly acquired skill. She used a skill which caused pitch black energy to surround the head of her mace, and as she swung down with tremendous force, the impact of the energy-laden mace left a spider-web pattern of cracks on the giant's skin.

They were joined by the other clearers, including Klein and Agil who used their best abilities as soon as they could. This was the pattern that followed, with everyone blowing their highest damaging skills, and backing off when their cooldowns started to stack. Quickly replacing them were the ones who had been waiting in the back, and using this method, they were able to maximize the amount of damage they were doing. This strategy also proved to be essential against this boss as it minimized the amount of aggro that a single player could garner, making sure the boss focused only on the tanks.

And yet...

As Kirito scanned the boss' HP bars with a hopeful eye, he was dismayed at what he found. It had barely moved, perhaps only a tenth of the way. Every single clearer had used their highest leveled cooldowns, and on any other boss it would have done a considerable amount of damage. There was a reason why many of these skills were rarely used during a boss fight. They all required specific positioning as well as setup time, both of which were hard to find during the intensity of a boss fight. With the amount of damage they had dished out, he knew that they were in for a long battle.

Truly this boss was meant to put a halt to any further effort. He could not even imagine how long this boss would have taken if SAO were just a regular game. With their advantageous level as well as their equipment, they should have been able to overpower this boss. This was only in theory however, and in practice one could only hope that everything went according to plan. He could see the anticipation turning into panic from the faces of his fellow clearers.

"Keep attacking!" He ordered, stepping back inside to repeat his skill that just came off of cooldown.

Spurred on by his order, the parties shook themselves out of their shock and moved into the fast rotation of sword skills. Even though the boss was much tougher than they had expected, there was no unique gimmick that had accompanied this boss just yet. If this boss had anything like summons or an AoE spell, they would have been doomed. But as they were, just attacking the boss while the tanking group focused on gathering its attention, they could see themselves heading towards the end.

Such a tactic would rarely work against the previous bosses they had fought before, as they tended to be more sporadic and mobile than this one. For Heathcliff to be able to take the brunt of the aggression meant that this boss was hardwired this way, as the boss ignored any attempts to 'switch' with the knight. Some of it had to be attributed to the fact that Heathcliff was blocking each blow, which was something that increased the amount of aggro he held.

But even someone of his stature could not hold such an onslaught for long, and as the first bar finally began to dissipate, he shouted for a switch. Silica and Ryuken stepped up beside him, each of them handling a set of arms. The red knight took the moment to drink down a high leveled potion, bringing his health back towards green. The force of the blows he had been blocking still dealt considerable damage to his person, and it was only because of the level of his armour and stats that allowed him to deal with it that much better than anyone else.

It was a slow heal, due to amount of HP he had in comparison to the quality of the potion. Much higher quality potions would not be found for awhile, or at least not until they found somebody with the rumoured potion making skill. His health replenished fully just in time for him to step back in, as Silica and Ryuken seemed to be having trouble weathering the blows. They each shot him an appreciative look as he took over again. The rest of their tanking group had been ready to swap when he had stepped back in.

Again, weathering the brunt of the cascading scimitars with barely a flinch, Heathcliff focused on making sure not to falter or step back. They needed their DPS to be uninterrupted, and despite how long it was taking, the progress was very reassuring. If things continued as they were, then they could clear this with little issue.

The first bar of HP shattered, and suddenly something changed.

The boss roared once more, sending shivers down the spines of the players that were much nearer now. Heathcliff grunted as the newest rain of blows sent him stumbling back just a bit, and he pulled his full attention back to the boss. The force of the scimitars felt heavier, and he was straining not to be pushed back by the onslaught. He dimly noted in the corner of his eyes that his HP was falling faster than before, and it was with a distressing thought that he knew why.

Colour. It was steadily gaining colour. From the opaque bronze of before, splotches of colour could be seen forming on the giant's armour. It was as if the statue was finally coming to life, and 'unfreezing' itself so to speak. The increase in speed and strength was likely a testament to that fact.

Heathcliff wasn't the only person who noticed, as Kirito had been keeping an eye on everything the best he could. He felt something cold settle into the pits of his stomach as he witnessed the transformation of the boss. The tanks were still handling the giant perfectly fine, but that was most likely due to how strong Heathcliff's defense was. If the boss continued to increase in speed and power however, then not even Heathcliff's legendary defense would be able to keep up. And the moment he broke... the rest of the raid group was sure to follow.

Kirito couldn't be sure if it was a transitional thing or something that was guided by time, but it was with a renewed fury that he sent his attacks. They couldn't back out now from the new discovery, and he put his trust into those around him. There was only one way out, and it was forward.

Slowly, but steadily, they chipped away at the second bar much faster than the previous time. The clearers began to become accustomed to their rotation, and had even increased the speed in which they launched their skills. They engrossed themselves in the pattern of attacks and switches, focusing upon the task at hand. Time passed unnoticed, and many of them lost themselves in the motions of combat, not even realizing how long had passed.

Despite the increased ferocity of the boss, the tanking group continued to weather each storm of attacks. Heathcliff shifted his effort from directly blocking towards a more dodge and parry focused stance. The rest of his party took up his slack, taking blows for him every now and then, ensuring that his health stayed in the green. They couldn't afford to slip up even just a bit, as every one of them moved as one, making sure there were no holes in their defense.

The second bar of HP disappeared soon after, and again, the pace suddenly changed. It was incredibly daunting as the speed in which the blades fell increased, leaving after-images in their wake. Such was the speed of the attacks, that it seemed like the three swords on each hand moved as one. Each strike sent Heathcliff sliding back a few feet, and he had to crouch low to sustain himself against the furious onslaught. His HP started to drain as he could no longer focus on dodging the majority of the swings, and had to weather all of them.

The few who saw him couldn't help the fear that washed over them as the renowned shield user fell to his knees. There was the beginnings of panic in the air, and it was soon exacerbated by the sound of someone's sword breaking into pieces. A few startled eyes centered onto the unfortunate clearer, who had just realized what happened after your durability hit zero. It was with a few muttered curses, that the remaining clearers realized just how much they had depleted their weapons' durability. Many of them lamented upon the fact that they had not chosen the durability upgrade during the enhancement process, and had to switch to an inferior backup weapon in the meantime.

This phase was marked by weary anticipation as their attacks slowed down, but surprisingly, the HP of the boss continued to decline at a rapid pace. With the second last bar to go, they trudged onwards, determined to see this to the end. As long as their defense held, they could finish this.

It was inevitable then, that something would happen to put a halt to that thought.

Another sound of equipment breaking, and this time it did not come from the destruction of a weapon. One of the shield users, a KoB member was sent flying as his shield broke apart in his haste to block one of the attacks by himself. The angle he had set his shield had been unnatural, and the swords cleaved right through his shield and into him. Thankfully, he was sent crashing away from a pillar, and was left dazed on the floor with his HP in the red. If he had smashed into a pillar, the impact likely would have killed him.

Again, panic settled into the hearts of the clearing party, and despite the encouraging words from Kirito and a few others, they could not continue at the same pace as before. They knew one thing by now, and it was that the boss became stronger the more damage it received, and they did not know if they could handle the transition into the last phase. Still, seeing the courageous sight of Heathcliff and the others picking up the slack served to keep them in line for the moment. And as they whittled away the last remnants of the third HP bar, the next stage of the boss was promptly discovered.

A guttural roar, and this time it was not the unnaturally metallic sound from before. This time, it sounded human. Every inch of the boss was now coloured, and it appeared even more menacing than before. It had a heavy set of armour over its tanned skin, and the face that had been unmoving stone turned into an ugly sneer as it continued to gaze down at Heathcliff. With an angry cry, the boss suddenly held both sets of his arms high in the air for a split second.

Dark purplish energy gathered around each of its six scimitars, and everyone felt their hearts stop as the swords came down with mind-numbing speed. This time, the defenders were not prepared. A massive explosion resulted from the impact, and two bodies were sent flying out of the smoke cloud that had suddenly covered the area.

A loud painful scream echoed before it impacted against a large stone pillar, shattering into the distinctive particles of light that all players had come to know as death. They were still for a split second, before many voices cried out in alarm. The first casualty had occurred, and it seemed that many had recognized who it was.

There was no time to gather their bearings however, as the boss let out another roar before continuing his onslaught. Heathcliff seemed to have gathered himself, as he hastily readied his shield once more. The man proved to be on a different level from the others as he continued to weather the insane intensity of attacks, although it was with a flinch as each blow sent him reeling back each time. By now, it was no longer three swords that came down in a cascading pattern, but rather two swords that could slash three times at once, such was their speed.

"GO! Finish this!"

His shout startled the motionless players, who immediately began to respond, moving back into the fray once more. It was completely different this time, as all sense of order seemed to have left them. They charged in, uncaring if they collided with another clearer, intent on utilizing all of their cooldowns. For a few brief moments, everything was a chaotic but effective mess as their attacks whittle down the final bar of HP to half.

Then, it happened once more.

The sinister purple glow filled the swords once more, and with the same attack it rained downwards. Except this time, many of the clearers were caught out of position. It was with a startling calm that he realized that Silica was in direct path of the skill. Before he could even yell out a warning, the swords came crashing down, sending a good number of players flying outwards. He could not tell if the screams were of the deaths that followed or because of the unexpected impact. His eyes continued to scan the area, hoping to catch a sign of Silica. He knew that she was resilient, but that impact could have fatally wounded just about anybody.

To his relief, the dust cleared away to reveal the crouching figure of the girl. She had her shield held before her, but it proved to be unnecessary as Heathcliff stood over her in a protective manner. For a very brief second, those who gazed upon the scene were filled with a sense of hope, before it was abruptly dashed. Another sound of breaking glass, and this time it was centered on their most resilient player.

Heathcliff's red tower shield shattered into nothingness. Slack-jawed, the crowd of clearers stood still at the sight. They did not have time to react however, as the boss did not care about his most recent success, and with a tremendous upwards swing, sent Heathcliff careening into a pillar. The impact left a crack into the stone, and the knight fell into a heap at the base of the pillar.

That was all that was needed for someone to react.

"R-Retreat!"

The hastily called order came from Sansa, and soon enough it was echoed by the nearest party members. Everyone went for their teleport crystals, the word for the main city on their lips.

"Wait!" Kirito shouted, cutting into their motions with a forced tone. "We can still finish this, the boss is in the red!"

Sure enough, there was only a sliver of HP left, and it would only take a few more salvos to take the giant down. If the players were persuaded by Kirito's observation however, they promptly changed their mind as the giant turned around with surprising grace. The first swing that followed sliced a player directly in half, taking no consideration of the player's level or armour. He didn't even get a moment to scream before he shattered into luminescent light.

Kirito ignored the screams of panic and fear, and rushed in with his sword drawn. He dimly noted a select few players following his lead. His chosen sword skill was «Vorpal Strike», aimed at a section that was not covered in armour. The sword skill struck true, and he noted a noticeable decrease in the HP of the giant boss. A few more sword skills came into contact from the others, and the boss reached into a critical zone.

Just a few more!

It was not to be, with a single upwards swing, carrying forth the momentum of three enormous scimitars, he sent several of the clearers flying back. That was enough for the observers as they hastily brought out their teleport crystals and shouted the name of the first city that came to mind.

"Retreat, NOW!"

Again, the voice of Sansa rang out into the chamber, with nobody contesting them this time. Kirito glared upwards at the boss, who was chasing the dissipating lights of the teleporting players with a renewed fury. If not for the anxious grip of Asuna and Argo on his arms, he might have leapt in anyway. But it was the sight of Silica assisting Heathcliff near the back that finally collapsed his resolve.

"Retreat!" He echoed in a tone that brooked no room for argument. The few remaining clearers obeyed without a second thought.

Even as he took out his teleport crystal, it was with a cold fury in his eyes as he gazed upon the seemingly triumphant boss. The single sliver of HP was all it had left, but coming this close was not acceptable.

They had lost.

---

"You!"

The larger man gripped the front of his shirt aggressively, almost lifting him upwards with the force. It was such an aggressive move that it triggered the anti-harassment warning from the edge of his screen. If he wanted to, he could have sent the aggressor into jail for a good amount of time, but instead, he gazed into the angry eyes with his own calm ones.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Sansa asked in a furious whisper that was heard all around the teleport gate. Most of them had the right frame of mind to teleport to the 49th floor city, and all of them were treated to the sight of the esteemed Prince being manhandled by a leader of the DDA.

"We should have left!"

Kirito sneered, and brushed off the hands that were holding him. "We could have finished it."

"At what cost, huh?! How many more died in that moment of indecision?"

"It was not your call to make!"

Sansa growled, stepping forward once more. "I tried to save everyone that was left, seeing as you were clearly out of your mind. That boss took out Heathcliff with a single sword skill, did you think we could have continued without him?!"

"One more wave would have done it," He answered back, refusing to back down from the man before him. "Just a single sword skill and we could have finished it! All of our sacrifices... they were for nothing!"

For a second, nobody spoke, unwilling to take sides as they were both conflicted. Nobody could fault Sansa for calling the retreat order, as it was what many of them had felt was needed the moment Heathcliff fell. But it was Kirito's words that reminded them of what they had lost. The fear of death had gripped them, overriding any feeling of vengeance at the sight of their comrade's death.

"Sacrifice..." Sansa's eyes gleamed with an unknown emotion. "You don't even know what that means, prince. Who do you think just lost his friends?"

Kirito stepped back at the sheer amount of emotion in the player's eyes. Suddenly, he realized that the first two players that had perished had been part of the DDA. He tried to open his mouth in order to salvage the situation but it was too late.

"I've known it since the beginning, but this just confirms it in my mind. You are not fit to lead anybody, much less us. I will never follow you again." Sansa spat harshly, before turning around and heading off into the city. His contingent of DDA members followed at a more subdued manner, but most of them spared him no glance as they went past him.

With a sigh, Kirito stepped back, leaning onto a nearby building. Everything had gone so wrong, and nothing had gone to plan. And to make matters even worse, he just had to make the situation even worse. Now things would be almost unsalvageable with the DDA, and he did not know what to do.

He gripped his fists tightly in anger and guilt.

There was nothing he could do.

---

A/N: Thanks for reading.

Phew, finally another chapter. I will just say that nothing else will kill your inspiration for creativity more than University.

So we come to somewhere past the half point of this story, and hopefully by now, the only ones reading this will be the people that have enjoyed this story. I would just like to take a moment to address something. In the beginning, the only motive for this story I had in mind was to make a more assertive Kirito with tons of fun character interactions. This was showcased quite clearly in my first chapter, and despite the disparaging level of quality in terms of plot it showed, I wouldn't change it. Mostly because the type of readers that it draws is the only ones that I care to write for. Those of you who want an entertaining story and an enjoyable read. That's the only reason why I write, for entertainment. I couldn't care less about the people who could not get behind the first chapter simply because of the premise or some scenes. After all, fanfiction is fanfiction, nothing more, nothing less. The moment it stops being entertaining, I will stop writing. (And yes, the only reason I am saying this is because I still get PMs from time to time from people telling me to justify certain scenes or portrayals that I have chosen from the beginning. Really, it is quite tedious.) And though I know some of you may not have liked certain developments, I still appreciate the support you have shown throughout the earlier chapters. The core of the story remains the same, although with a heavy dosage of plot added as an afterthought.

---

My beta actually brought up some good points about this chapter, so I'll address it in a Q&A format.

Why does Heathcliff seem to overshadow Kirito sometimes? It is because he respects the man, and knows that if there were any other person better suited to lead them it would be him. Therefore, he doesn't mind when the knight takes charge in certain situations like prep talk and relaying their plans as it takes the pressure off of him. Kirito at this point is still reluctant to take FULL charge of the clearers. He will only move forward from this point.

What's with the interest in the seemingly random girl? The Sinon part of this chapter might have been a bit awkward, I was trying to add a bit of Kirito's teasing personality in order to lead into the next chapter where their connection is explained further.

Why didn't Kirito use the new skill he acquired? This version of Kirito would have no issues revealing a unique skill. I think it was fairly obvious what Kirito was referring to, and yes, it is Dual Blades. He would have had no hesitation in using the unique skill, if it wasn't a brand new addition that he is still weary about. He knows that it is essentially a handout from Kayaba, and probably assumes that the man is watching him somewhere. Besides that fact, it is a fairly low leveled skill in comparison to his maxed one handed sword skill. In SAO, I assume that the passive bonuses granted by your weapon selection plays an important role too. So at the current level, it is not more effective than one-handed sword in terms of just damage. Though there is one thing that it is much more effective at, and that is defense. This will come into play soon enough =].

I think the main complaint is that Kirito is not badass enough, or isn't showing the true leadership capabilities that he has. No worries though, as things are only going to have to go up for Kirito. After all, the harder you fall, the greater you rise. The eventual rematch will showcase exactly why Kirito is strongest with two swords.

Hopefully, this was enjoyable, and thanks to everyone who have supported me. Feel free to leave a review, or discuss on the forum thread.

Next Chapter: Warm Embrace

-In which the backstory of our favourite white-haired girl is revealed.

Thanks to n0mster for beta'ing as always.