Before the extraordinarily large doors of the 50th floor boss dungeon, a large contingent of players could be seen, gathered inside the enormous hall. Quiet conversations and mutterings could be heard, echoing in the corridor leading towards the boss doors. A scattering of players from different guilds, every one of which had come together for a single purpose; to defeat the floor boss which had previously claimed the lives of two of their fellow clearers.
It was rather obvious then, why they all shifted on their feet, restless with anticipation.
Nearest to the double stone doors, there was a group of players dressed in black and white, trimmed with gold. It was a group of five girls and one single teenage boy. The dark-haired boy was leaning casually against the stone walls, his eyes closed and his arms crossed. He appeared to be in deep thought while the girls around him conversed quietly.
"Late..." one auburn-haired girl muttered, her arms crossed much like the boy beside her. The whiskers on her cheeks were rather pronounced as well as the scowl that was etched on her usually perky face.
"Still have ten minutes till the agreed upon time," the girl next to her reminded. She had long chestnut-coloured hair that ran down to her waist. Asuna took the position to the right, next to Kirito, touching shoulders-to-shoulders with her guild leader—a fact that Argo did not fail to notice.
"Do you think this will be it?" Lisbeth asked nervously. She was gripping her two-handed mace tightly in her hands, her favoured weapon of choice comforting to her. Boss battles always made her nervous—as it did to the majority of the clearers—especially the current one awaiting them.
Argo shook her head irritably, the shorter girl looked around at the gathered players, noting that their numbers were only about half of what they had last time. Though they could easily reach the maximum number of players required for a «Raid» by pulling in other players, the whole point of the boss battles were to only utilize their strongest and most equipped players. Filling their ranks with average clearers would hardly fill them with confidence.
"They will come." The soft voice surprisingly came from the youngest of the girls there. Silica, with her feathery dragon perched atop her head, looked around with the same nervousness as Lisbeth beside her. "Won't they?"
"If they know what's good for them," Argo growled out, making the other girls smile. The mousy girl before them could be quite intimidating when needed, and many knew not to cross her by this point.
"Will we be okay if they don't?" The question came from the newest addition to the group. The white-haired girl with violet eyes was even more nervous than Silica as she too grasped the current mood.
"I'm not sure," answered Argo, an impassive look on her face. "We may have to regroup."
There were many gazes upon Sinon, a fact that the girl tried not to focus on. The white-haired addition to the famed party of five did not go unnoticed, and they were all curious about who she was and if she was planning on fighting with them. Though she was not dressed in the same outfit that the Royal Swords were known for, she was equipped with heavy leather armour that gleamed in the light, showcasing the shining blue plates protecting the vulnerable areas. Many well-informed eyes could tell that it was of a high item level. Moreover, the weapon she was holding told them that she was not a normal player.
A brilliant, immaculately golden spear was held in her right hand. The spear was taller than she was, adorned with jewels and crystals that had sent Lisbeth and Argo wide-eyed and hungry. It was not a weapon that any of the players had ever seen in the hands of a player. Normal weapons in Sword Art Online were plain, simply replicas of their real life counterparts with the material changed out and some colour added. Weapons such as her spear had to belong to the highest tiers of items. «Boss Weapons» were one such tier, though the clearers watching her could not remember any boss dropping such a vibrant looking spear.
Sinon had been the surprising addition to their party, not just to the clearers gathered today, but to the Royal Swords as well. Kirito had always known that the mysterious girl that he encountered on and off was of a high level, but he did not think that she was in fact one of the highest levelled solo players in the game.
Her level was 70, and she was undoubtedly skilled.
The lonely white-haired girl had survived as a solo all this time, across many floors. Sinon had told the awe-struck group, with some sadness—as thoughts of her old friends often produced—about the «Legendary Quest» that they had unwittingly stumbled upon. The quest had spread across 28 floors; when one part of the quest was completed, it was instantly replaced by the next part of the quest chain.
It had been a difficult path. Many times she had come close to death, and every time she had soldiered on. Alone, unwilling to ask for help despite the nature of her quest, she had merely carried on. Quest after quest, deadline after deadline. There were moments where she had completed the most recent task with minutes to spare. Yet there was no reprieve for the anguished girl, as the quest line instantly continued.
In a way, it had forced her to move forward.
Thus, she had fought her way through many floors, many challenges, and come away much stronger for it. It was a trial by fire, and she had won. Yet, victory had meant nothing to the lonely white-haired girl. Finishing the quest was the only way she knew to atone for the sacrifices made by her dear friends. She had thought It was a way to make peace with what had happened.
Completing the legendary quest rewarded her with an unparalleled weapon, but she would have gladly traded anything in the world to go back to a time before they had accepted that quest.
"It'll be alright." The voice came from the single male amongst them, eyes still closed in thought. "I believe in our frontlines."
The gathered players nearest to the «Royal Swords» consisted mainly of the «Knights of Blood», though quite a few players were missing from their ensemble. Notably, two of their shield users had not come back. The blood knights had enough gathered for two full parties lead by Heathcliff and Diabel.
Nearest to them were the party of solos that had decided to step up to the plate, enough to make a single party of six led by a certain experienced two-handed hammer user—a fact that Kirito was deeply thankful for. The solo players remained aloof, but they had always contributed greatly to the clearing efforts, silently taking their lead from the leader of the «Royal Swords». It was Kirito's guild that had the best relationship with the solos, as they had not forgotten what he had done in the very first meeting, taking on all of the anger at the 'beaters'. They often took on quests and missions on his behalf.
Agil had volunteered to lead the solo party, as he was often a solo himself. He was a well-respected figure who had earned their trust early in the game by selling equipment at cost without much of a markup. Now, his experience in boss battles and clearing led to his credibility as a leader. Seeing the serious looking man with a bald head, Kirito shared a small nod.
Next were two more parties that were seen huddled together, in deep discussion with a spiky-haired man in the center, and a shorter blue-haired girl. It was the surprising amalgamation consisting of the «Fuurinkazan» and the «Moonlit Black Cats». The notable clearing guild led by Klein had fielded eight members, and with the four from the Black Cats, they made two even parties. What was more surprising was the fact that they had all gotten along so well. Sachi and her Black Cats did not forget the help that the «Fuurinkazan» members had provided during their darkest moments.
It certainly helped that most of the members of «Fuurinkazan» had a huge crush on the female leader of the Black Cats, who was incredibly sweet to those whom she knew personally.
Multiple nods were suddenly shared among the huddled players, and they all broke out from their impromptu meeting. Seeing the gaze of the «Royal Swords» on them, the red-haired guild leader immediately smiled, and began to make his way over. His eyes were wide however, as he gazed upon the newest addition to the famed party. He had always known that Kirito was something else in terms of his luck with girls, but to see the white-haired beauty beside them simply astounded him once more.
"Kirito…" he began, after making his way to the teen leaning against the wall. "I-I just, how do you do it man?" Klein asked seriously, indicating towards the newest member of their party. "Is it something that can be taught? Don't hold out on me!"
The gathered girls all laughed—aside from the confused Sinon—the sound resounding down the length of the vast corridor.
"Give it a break, Klein, we keep telling you that he has no control of it," Lisbeth answered with no small amount of humor.
Kirito groaned in response, his eyes turning to gaze at the scene. "I don't have an aura!" he insisted, only adding to the group's laughter.
"Aura? Control of what?" Sinon asked, quite seriously. She wondered if Kirito had a secret ability that she did not know about. Though if true, she would hardly be surprised.
Her questions sent the girls giggling while Klein remained gob-smacked. Forcing his open mouth closed, Klein coughed into his hands before giving the white-haired girl a beaming smile—the entirety of his male charm put on display. "Greetings, I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting before. My name is—"
"Mister twenty-three-and-single."
"—Klein…" The spiky-haired guild leader slowly turned his head to stare at the smirking girl who had interjected. "Argo… I hate you."
The mousy girl snickered. "Please, Bandana-boy, I'm just saving you some heartache. Sinon-chi, has much higher expectations."
"Oi… I wasn't trying to flirt," Klein pointed out, an affronted look on his face.
"Clearly not, you need some work."
Sinon, while completely confused at the exchange, narrowed her eyes as she heard a particularly hateful word. Though completely unused to male attention, she was decidedly unimpressed at any would-be 'pick up artists'. "Klein-san," she greeted coolly, her face impassive. It was the expression that she used towards most of the male population.
Kirito laughed, the sound somehow comforting to those who heard it. The dark-haired leader was typically aloof and serious on the frontlines.
"Sinon, this is Klein, he is a good friend of mine. He is also one of the best clearers we have." Kirito smiled as Klein puffed up, relieved that his image may yet be salvaged.
Her violet orbs turned appraisingly to the older male in their company. "Really?" she replied, her tone was unconvinced.
A renewed round of laughter was heard, and Klein began to mutter to himself. A smile could be seen on his face however, as the mood was now lifted.
"Klein, everything ready with Sachi and the rest?" Kirito asked as the laughter died down. He too, was curious at how well the two guilds had melded together.
"Great!" Klein replied with a wide grin, gesturing to his party members in the background. "I can't believe how well we work together. We may end up taking the number two spot away from the KoB at this rate," he boasted.
Kirito raised an eyebrow at that statement but had to smile at the response. "That's pretty impressive for only a week of training."
Since the strategy meeting on the 50th floor, training had commenced with vigor as all of the clearers who had been planning to participate threw everything they had into preparing for the coming challenge. Techniques such as switching, kiting, and sword skill chaining were focused and refined, and Kirito hoped that the week was enough to quell some of the rising apprehension.
They too, had been training without pause in the last week. Sinon had been the surprising addition to their training, and had insisted on joining the boss fight despite their protests. It was not as if they did not appreciate the gesture, but they did not want the girl to feel indebted to them in any way. Once she had revealed her level, and allowed them to take a look at her equipment—something that has astounded Lisbeth and Argo—she was invited to join them on their leveling.
Sinon was strong.
The way she fought against the mobs was savage-like, a fact that contrasted her usually calm and cool demeanor. She fought with her spear as if it was an extension of her body, her fighting was something that constantly surprised him. She was agile, aggressive, and was not afraid to take risks during the battle… but she was also reckless.
Sinon did not know how to fight in a party.
That was a fact that was obvious after they had tackled their first mini-boss together. She did not know when and where to attack in order to not disrupt the flow of battle. Her movements were awkward in a party, often times getting in the way of a sword skill chain or simply not responding quick enough to the changes in a battle.
It was clear that she was a solo player.
Yet, she learned fast. In just the week that they had to work on their teamwork, Sinon had melded with their party faster than Kirito would have thought possible. It was certainly not perfect, not when compared to the symphony of teamwork that he and the girls had perfected over the course of many, many battles. It was hardly to be expected of course, and Kirito did not believe that there was any other party in the game that had fought together more than their own.
The white-haired girl took to the challenge of teamwork like fish to water and it was to a point where he was confident in her ability to contribute in a battle. At the very least she would be able to deal an incredible amount of damage with her spear skills coupled with the fact that her weapon appeared to be far superior to any they have seen.
Sinon would not slow them down; that was a fact that she herself made obvious.
A loud murmuring spread throughout the gathered players, and Kirito looked up to see several plated players marching towards them from the end of the corridor. It was with relief as he saw the steady procession of the grey and blue knights from the «Divine Dragon Alliance». Leading them were Ryuken and Sansa, both of which walked with their heads held up high as the two dozen or so players followed behind them.
"About time," Asuna muttered from his side.
There were now one party from the «Royal Swords», two from the «Knights of Blood», one from the solo coalition led by Agil, two from the combination of the «Moonlit Black Cats» and «Fuurinkazen», and finally, two from the «Divine Dragon Alliance». They had in fact, an excess number of clearers, but it was the lowest excess they had ever seen.
"Eight parties," Kirito said aloud, stepping away from his relaxed position on the wall. "We have enough."
Seeing the relieved faces surrounding him, Kirito gave an appreciative nod to the leaders of the blue knights, receiving two nods in return. Though they had arrived a minute after the starting time, he would not begrudge them for their choices. He had seen the expressions on their faces, and did not point out the fact that less than half of their usual members had showed up.
Without needing a cue, the rest of the clearers began to gather near Kirito, congregating right before the large doors.
Klein shared a nod with him before moving off to join his fellow guild members and the Black Cats. "Stay safe everyone," he said in parting.
Heathcliff stepped up to him as the players formed into neat files before the two of them. "Ready, Kirito?"
"As ready as we'll ever be, Heathcliff," Kirito replied meeting the imposing gaze of the older leader of the Blood Knights. "Everything all set on your end?"
"Indeed, though I can't say if your plan will work out… I'm hopeful of the outcome." There was a piercing stare in Heathcliff's eyes as he looked at Kirito. "I'm sure you'll show us something great."
Kirito did not reply to that. With deft movements, his right hand flew through the system menu that appeared, sending invites to the gathered parties.
«Raid Formed»
This time they would not be splitting off their groups. While the dedicated tanking party had worked extraordinarily well the first time, it was not a strategy they could repeat, knowing what the final phase held for them. His eyes went through the list of names in his party, and he felt apprehension and pride at the names.
Kirito «Level 77»
Asuna «Level 75»
Argo «Level 74»
Lisbeth «Level 73»
Silica «Level 71»
Sinon «Level 70»
His party was a gathering of players to be proud of. Perhaps the greatest party in Aincrad. However, that meant nothing before the might of a quaternion floor boss the likes of which they've never encountered before. Levels meant nothing when a single enraged hit meant game over.
Looking over the gathered parties, the dark-haired leader tried to meet every gaze in the gathered raid. He knew almost everyone involved, having encountered them on the front lines or battled with them in some form or fashion. For the courage of coming here, and for giving him their trust, he did his best to appear as the image of a resolute leader. It wasn't hard, Kirito had a calm expression on his face, and stood tall as the parties finally settled.
His hands however, remained clenched tightly, betraying his attempt at hiding his trepidation. He was thankful for the presence of Argo and Asuna directly behind him.
"Thank you for coming, and for your courage." The dark-haired leader's voice echoed through the corridor, heard loudly even though he had intoned it normally.
It was usually Heathcliff who had the last words for the gathered players, leaving Kirito to lead during the boss fight. The older grey-haired man had always known the right things to say, and how to say it in a way that could inspire. Kirito, while much younger, did not have that level of articulation and vocabulary.
He only had his presence.
Staring out at the raid, and at the leftover clearers looking on from the back, his eyes remained serious, and his posture radiated confidence. He had two swords strapped to his back—a fact that many did not fail to notice. He was dressed in his regal outfit of black and white, tinged with gold, his short, slightly messy hair showing his youth. Despite that, he did look the part of royalty—of a prince leading his army into battle.
"You have all been informed of the plan, and I know that you have trained extensively in the past week knowing what is to come." Kirito gestured with one hand towards the door behind him. "It is thanks to the sacrifice of our fellow clearers, that we now know what to do."
The DDA section of the raid perked up at that, and he could see the resolute looks on the faces of the grey and blue knights.
"I know what we will clear this boss," he said with absolute confidence in his voice. Beside him, Asuna and Argo flanked to his sides, the pair of them mirroring his expression. Only he could see the nervousness in their eyes. "Because I have complete trust in all of you gathered here before us. The best players that we have to offer."
The less could be said of the players that had skipped the boss fight, but Kirito would not spurn them for choosing the easier way out. Risk of death had always been a certainty, but those who had been disheartened by the failure on the 25th floor, had all of their confidence shattered at the failure on the 50th floor.
"And I know that every one of you trusts the person beside you, and those around you. That will be enough." His gaze swept through the gathered players meeting the eyes of the party leaders responsible for their own group.
Heathcliff, Diabel, Agil, Klein, Sachi, Ryuken, and Sansa. They were the best leaders that they could muster, and Kirito was certain that they would prove themselves in the coming battle.
Both of his hands reached over his shoulders, flourishing both of his swords in a well-practiced manner. The act of bearing his weapons was mirrored across the floor, as all of the gathered players brought their weapons into their hands, faces grim and anxious as anticipation began to grip them.
"Follow Heathcliff's lead for the first few phases, listen to Asuna and I for battle changes when needed! Anything else, look to your party leader!"
His voice was shouted over the noise of the impossibly huge doors opening, having been activated by Heathcliff.
"Ready, girls?" he asked to his own party members. They were set to the right of Heathcliff's party, shortly behind them, and would follow the Blood Knights' lead for the first part.
All of the girls gave him nods, and he smiled grimly. Even after fifty boss fights, he could not completely eliminate the mass of nervousness and fear that he felt—not for himself—for the girls in his party. It took considerable will power on his part not to completely focus on the girls during a battle.
Their newest member was eerily quiet, and Kirito noticed the almost invisible signs of her hand shaking as she held her spear. "Sinon, follow our lead in there, and stay close."
He shared a look with her, and she gave him a serious nod, forcing herself to stem the fear that had crept up. It was an old fear, one that she was intimately familiar with.
Kirito wasn't all that worried, but he shared an unspoken look with Asuna and Argo nonetheless. They both gave him a small nod, indicating that they understood. They would take care of Sinon if necessary.
Then, the titanic form of the stone Buddha began to move—sounds of crackling granite echoing off the walls of the vast chamber. Kirito was treated to the reminder of their most vicious enemy to date, and he steeled his will as he lead his group closely behind Heathcliff's own. The Blood Knights showed considerable courage, not faltering as they began to run ahead into the boss. As they reached within a stones-throw away from the boss, the Buddha—six armed and all—began to roar.
A guttural sound, metallic in nature, and resembling the most broken foghorn the players had ever heard. It sent stabs of fear through their hearts, and many faltered, their initial sprint forgotten.
Then, as if sensing their hesitation, something happened that astounded them. A golden spear, bedazzled with glittering jewels, flew through the air at incredible speeds, hitting the head of the imperious-looking boss. It sunk in deep into the right cheek of the stone Buddha, and there was a roar of pain and anger.
Eyes flew to the figure of Sinon, her violet orbs narrowed in concentration and her right arm outstretched, seemingly in a throwing motion. Then, surprising every player in the raid, her golden spear materialized in glowing white light, reappearing in her hands once more. «Weapon Throw» was a sword skill that could be used with any equipable weapon, but it certainly did not retrieve the weapon for you. She had done something unusual.
Silence—a moment of hesitation—then suddenly a roaring cheer rose from the players and the fear of battle was broken. The clearers moved with renewed fury towards the boss, and Heathcliff was the first to reach it, his usually impressive figure appearing comically tiny compared to the giant right leg of the Buddha. Yet, his white sword glowed red with a sword skill, slashing several times into the leg.
Another guttural roar and now the battle had begun in full force. The six arms of the Buddha, each holding a deadly scimitar began to move downwards. Heathcliff had his shield up, but did not need to block the slow cascade of swords, as he easily stepped to the side. His knights moved in, beginning to attack both legs. Two of his shield users stood ready by his side, eyes on the lookout for any possible danger to the attacking party.
"Split!" Kirito called out as they neared Heathcliff's party, and his clearers obeyed, half of them going left and the others going right. He led his party to the right, around the reach of the Buddha's scimitars, before dashing around to the right leg.
With swords in both hands, he reached the back of the feet first, and with a smooth motion he brought up both swords and then activated a sword skill. A red light surrounded both of his swords as he activated «Sword Flourish», his body moving with extreme speed as his swords cut three times each, digging deep red slashes into the ankle of the boss.
The players behind him looked shocked. Kirito had just activated a sword skill with both swords. Yet they all knew that there were no sword skills that could be used with both swords.
There was no time to think on that astonishing fact however as the rest of his party arrived, each of which flowing into their favored sword skill techniques. Following their lead, came the parties of Klein, Sachi, and Agil, all of them unleashing a flurry of their best onto the boss.
With another roar, the boss tried to stomp at the pests surrounding his feet, but the movement was incredibly slow, and the players easily pulled back, avoiding the crashing stomp that followed. Then, Heathcliff drew the stone titan's anger once more as the Blood Knight leaped in between one of the blows that would have sent Diabel flying across the room. The grey-haired leader was holding to his name-sake, showing an unbreakable stance as he commanded the boss' attention.
It was all going accordingly, the first bar of health points—the hardiest by far—had been whittled down much faster than before. The players already knew of what type of combat mechanics the boss used, and that fact gave them confidence.
Kirito felt himself fall deeply into the thrill of battle, but kept his senses spread, shouting orders and corrections when any of the players stepped out of line. Few did, but a lot of them were called out by Asuna, her commanding voice rivalling his own in the throes of battle. Nearest to him, he spotted the figure of Sinon unleashing a vast array of sword skills with her spear, the piercing type nature of her weapon serving her well, judging by the cracks that had formed around the boss' ankle.
He almost had to double-take at the sight of Sachi tearing into the boss with a savageness that was quite unlike her gentle visage. The Black Cats moved fluidly, following the lead of the more experienced «Fuurinkazen» members. Klein in particular, had only seriousness in his expression as he barked out orders and directed his party members to great effect.
It was going well.
"Silica," he called out to the smaller girl beside him, and the girl didn't hesitate before immediately moving towards Heathcliff and the rest of the shield users.
The first bar of health fell in record time, and the speed of the boss had become noticeably faster. He kept a careful eye on Silica as she jumped in to support Heathcliff with redirecting and intercepting the scimitar slashes that came down intermittently. She was quite the figure, jumping in with her crystalized shield and stopping a mountainous blow as if it were nothing.
Pina, the famed «Feathery Dragon», let out a shrill cry before shooting a beam of ice at one of the arms.
Kirito was amazed when he noticed that the arm had become frostbitten, and the movement much slower. It did not do that before, he noted, astounded by Silica's familiar.
The second bar of health fell without preamble, and this time it was marked by a decidedly painful roar—much less metallic this time. He gave a satisfied nod to the players as they backed off, awaiting any potential fallout.
All clearers had been told to strike at the ankles, as Argo and himself had noticed that the boss took slightly more damage when a strike connected there. Now, as they had cut through what appeared to be a critical tendon—though it was still made of stone—they were waiting to see the result of Kirito's first strategy.
The six-armed Buddha seemingly buckled on his right leg, and the gathered players waited with their breaths held, wondering if the giant might fall. It was not that easy however, as it recovered from the stumble, and renewed its attacks with a vengeance.
It worked, Kirito thought to himself. He could tell immediately that its already dismal turning rate had slowed, and it seemed to be slower to move on its right side. "The left!" he called out over the sound of battle, seeing the forms of Sansa and Diabel giving him a look of acknowledgement.
Now, the left side worked with renewed vigor, focusing on the known weak point just like the right side had. But it was harder now, entering the third bar of health, the boss was much more agile, and moved more fluidly. Yet they persisted, and managed to achieve the same result, causing the titanic Buddha to roar in pain. It sounded almost human.
The third bar of health fell, and it was now the last bar. The final phase.
Immediately, the difference in speed was noticed, the scimitars held in human hands rained down upon the players with a fury that could not be compared from the previous phases. Before, this phase had broken the shield users, and had taken the fighting spirit from the rest of the players.
"Heathcliff!" Kirito shouted over the venomous roar of the boss, warning the red Knight of the transition. The next portion of their strategy was now coming to pass.
"Be careful, Kirito-kun!"
"Do it, Ki-bou!"
"Careful, Kirito-kun!
"Kirito, good luck!"
He smiled at the words of reinforcement from his party members, even as he dashed towards where Heathcliff was steadily holding off the cascade of scimitars. The final strategy was one that was full of risk. It was one that he had tested—on the mini-bosses of the floor—to great effect. In practice, it was sound.
Reality was often not the most cooperative however, something Kirito was quite aptly aware of.
The players all watched from between cooldowns as the figure of their famed leader dashed into the fray, nimbly dodging the cascade of swords before arriving before Heathcliff.
"Silica!" he shouted, and did not have to wait as the shorter girl immediately moved into position, sliding onto her knees with her crystal shield held above her.
"Go, Kirito-kun!"
In a well-practiced motion, he jumped onto the shield, and readied himself as Silica used the entirely of her considerable strength stat to use in pushing him upwards. Almost before he had even entered the air his hands began to move swiftly—despite the fact that he was roughly tossed into the air—immediately, both of his swords began to glow. The unique dual swords skill «Whirling Vortex» made Kirito into a blur of black and glowing red, as his body traversed a length up the titan's body, carving deeply with every rotation. An uncountable number of spins later, the dark swordsman broke free and began to orient himself in the air.
The roar of anguish from the boss was almost deafening, and its retaliatory slash with one of its arms narrowly missed the figure of Kirito as he began to fall. Hateful red orbs—almost the size of a single player—peered at the falling form of the dual blades swordsman.
Kirito had gotten its attention.
Barely after his feet had touched the ground next to Heathcliff, the boss was already in motion, hobbling towards the swordsman despite the injuries to the back of its feet. The players surrounding the feet of the titan doubled their efforts, trying desperately to finish off the boss before it could enter into its final phase.
"Back away!" Kirito shouted over the thunder of battle, and watched with satisfaction as every player began to move away from the boss. Just in time, as the boss' scimitars began to glow with a dark purple light, its sinister appearance renewed.
Heathcliff's impassive face next to him gave him confidence—there was no trace of fear in the older man's gaze. As the last bar of health reached past the middle point, Kirito had little time to think as the scimitars began to be brought down. Right onto where he and the Blood Knight had stood. Sharing a solemn nod with the red-clad shield user next to him, both players began to brace themselves.
The speed was unreal; the previous battle had shown them all how fast the last burst of rage could be. But this time, they were prepared.
Six scimitars, each glowing with dark energy, collapsed onto where figures of the dark-haired swordsman and the red knight had previously stood. Distantly, shouts of concern could be heard. Yet as the dust began to clear, every player in the vicinity was treated to a rather amazing spectacle.
The black-clad figure of Kirito had both swords held crossed together above his head, steadily pushing back against a single enormous scimitar, though struggling with effort. The boss' scimitar continued past his shoulders, and where the tip of the vicious sword met the stone ground, it could be seen carving a deep line into the granite. Surrounding him, smashed into the ground, were the rest of the scimitars, and the crouched form of Heathcliff; the knight's tower shield steadily holding back a single sword of its own. The awed spectators did not know how the two of them had managed to dodge a direct hit from the multitude of sword skills.
Kirito, still dealing with the scimitar intent on cleaving him in two, pushed with effort and managed to nudge the sword ever so slightly upwards before immediately stepping back and away. Quickly looking at his own health bar, he was relieved to see that it was still a light orange colour, and not in the red.
He had managed to perform the dual-blades cross block successfully. But he knew that the odds were still stacked against him.
"Now! Attack!" Asuna's sharp voice cut through the stunned crowd like a whip, and immediately the players jumped into action.
The boss, still recovering from his own skill usage, gave the players a lifeline in the form of a paused delay. Though still in an enraged state, the boss had to slowly move his arms back into position. During this process, the players, taking example from the Royal Swords, did not sit idle, immediately lashing out with their best sword skills. A multitude of lights and sounds could be seen and heard throughout the cavernous chamber.
The boss' last bar changed to red. A roar of pain and fury, decidedly human this time, brought terror to the players still desperately trying to finish the fight.
Kirito did not have to wait for long, as he watched his own team begin the last part of his plan. Something they had discussed in length, but also something that he wasn't sure would work. A health salve materialized in his own hands, and he quickly gulped down the high-level healing potion as he moved himself into position.
He would trust his team.
As the boss recovered fully, the remaining players could only watch in horror as what appeared to be a repeat of their last encounter played out. Though they were rapidly carving out the remaining percentage of health points away from the boss, they knew that they would not make it before the next crushing blow. Yet, to their credit, they did not panic. There was no cry of warning, no shouts of despair. None had sounded the retreat, and they would not do so until their leaders did.
The figures of Asuna, Argo, Lisbeth, and Sinon were blurs. From a distance, Kirito watched with a baited breath as they reached the crouched form of Silica, just before the boss. Then, repeating the practiced jump that he had already performed with their lone shield user, the girls began their attack.
Argo was launched first, her claws glowing a sinister green as she reached the back of the right knee, slicing rapidly with her own sword skill—one made to weaken the area—before inevitably beginning the descent down.
Asuna was next, her long hair flowing in the air as she was launched right into the same spot. Her long rapier, made of translucent blue metal, glowed red as she used her best piercing sword skill, stabbing rapidly into the green slashes left by Argo.
Sinon's figure was nimble as she was pushed into the air, her luxurious golden spear glowing blue as she too, timed her sword skill perfectly. Her spear lanced into the same area as the previous two members of her party.
Then, the final form of Lisbeth was seen, her two-handed mace held expertly above her head as she neared the knee. Her attack was one of fury, the impact of her black mace—empowered by a crushing sword skill—hitting the back of the knee was heard all throughout the grand hall.
Immediately, the boss cried out in an inhuman voice, pain evident as his right leg seemingly gave out from under him. He was falling into a crouch, supported by his last working leg, the figure of the titan falling startling the players into inaction, waiting for something to happen.
Kirito did not wait.
As soon as the titanic form of the Buddha reached into a low crouch, he dashed forward and jumped. He barely crested the knee of the left leg, but he stabbed one sword into it and lifted himself upwards. He was in motion before the boss could shake him off, running the length of the thigh to jump onto the chest of the boss. The same maneuver was used, a single long sword stabbing into the chest of the boss before being used as a launching point to lift himself onto the shoulder of the titan. His dark figure blurred, the sheer agility of the swordsman as he climbed the titan made for an incredible viewing to the stunned spectators below.
The scimitars, all six of them were glowing again, their descent was starting.
But so were his own two swords. Immediately as he closed the distance towards the head of the boss, his hands were beginning to move, activating the fastest dual-blades sword skill he knew. «Double» was the first skill he had received and used, the simple move only stabbing forward with both blades. His unique sword skill was executed in mid leap, with a single point in mind.
Dual blades, wreathed with a glowing red light, pierced into one enormous eye.
There was an impossibly long moment, where Kirito remained immobilized, his swords deep into the eye of the giant boss, and all he knew was fear. He felt his heart stop as the scimitars began to move rapidly in his peripheral vision…
Suddenly, the boss stilled. Then a brilliant white light enveloped the titanic form of the six-armed Buddha for a short, breathless second, before the shattering of glass was heard, and the dissipation of uncountable amounts of particles was seen by all.
«Boss Defeated»
Silence.
Then, the first cheers rang out, and Kirito thought that it sounded like Klein at first. Soon the entire hall was filled with cheers, the cries of elation were filled with relief as much as it were of awe. Even before the dark-haired swordsman had fully descended to the ground, landing in a crouch, the players were already moving towards him.
Kirito did not have to wait, as a few seconds after he had stood up, he was immediately tackled. The smallest member of his guild, her twin-tailed hair, adorned with red ribbons filled his vision as she leapt into his arms.
"Kirito-kun!"
He spun once around before catching Silica in his arms, an enormous smile on his face. Pina was chirping happily around the pair, just hovering above them.
"Silica," he greeted, noting the look of awe and worry on her expression. She looked like she was about to burst with questions, but did not get the chance as Kirito was soon enveloped in another hug.
Asuna immediately enveloped the two of them into a tight hug, not caring that Silica let out a cute squeak as she was sandwiched. "Kirito-kun, you…!"
Kirito could not tell if she wanted to scold him or applaud him. Probably both.
Then, the rest of his party members arrived, each of them with large smiles on their faces. They did not have any time alone, as soon the cheering figures of the rest of the raid arrived, each of them coming to him with praise and congratulations.
Putting down a disappointed Silica, Kirito thanked the players for the praises sent his way. The adrenaline was still racing through his body as he slowly led his party past the gathering of players, towards the small door by the stone throne that had just opened.
Klein was hollering and jumping, taking the time to gather the remaining Black Cats into what appeared to be a huddle of some sort. Kirito caught the eyes of Sachi, receiving a look of immediate awe and a wave in return.
He was lucky that the players were now beginning to look at their item drops, and at the swarm of players near the boss door that they had entered from. The clearers that were not selected to participate in the battle all rushed in with awe, looking to immediately connect with their frontline comrades. Soon, their expressions mirrored the awe and excitement on those who had fought in the battle.
It was going to be a much-talked-about event that would spread through every floor not before long.
For the «Royal Swords» however, they had the honour of being the first party to enter the 51st floor.
The journey up the spiraling staircases was done mostly in silence. All members of the party were gathering themselves after the fatigue of battle. Though there was no such thing as physical exhaustion in Aincrad, that did not mean that exhaustion did not exist. The brain still produced chemicals, still processed and reacted to stimuli, and forcing your virtual body to perform at its peak still had its costs.
None were more tired than the dark-haired teenager leading the small procession, now that the adrenaline had run its course. Boss battles always remained exhausting, but the one in which they had just triumphed over took the crown. Kirito was sure that if not for the fact that he still had a public image to uphold, he would have happily collapsed onto the cool stone floors of the boss room and taken a nap right then and there. Instead, he had shouldered on, a calm expression on his face despite his own excitement, leading his girls out with steady steps.
"Kirito-kun, did you get the last hit?" One chestnut-haired beauty asked from his right, and he gave her a tired smile in return.
"Of course."
Argo to his left snickered, but he could see the gleam in her eye. Though they had gotten their fair share of last hits over the course of the boss battles, the mousy information dealer always had a pout on her face when they did not manage to get a rare «Boss Drop». "Well, don't just keep us waiting, Ki-bou~ show and tell please."
Deciding to oblige the shorter girl, Kirito materialized the menu with his right hand, quickly navigating to the latest drop that he had received. The excitement on his own face could not be held back as he unequipped one of his swords, and instead, materialized the newest addition to his inventory.
The newest «Boss Weapon» materialized in the form of an onyx-black longsword, the blade gleamed in the low light, showing the uniformity of its unique colouring. It was outlined with grey, accented in a way that gave it a fearsome appearance. It was heavy in Kirito's right hand, and as he gave it a few well-practiced swings, he could not help but admire the feel of his newest sword: «Elucidator».
"Wow…" The whisper of awe came from Lisbeth, but was shared by the rest of the girls.
"Oh my… lucky you, Kiri-bou." Argo whistled, eyes focusing on the blade. She could hardly imagine how powerful a «Boss Weapon» from the 50th floor boss could be… and how many Col it might fetch in an auction.
"Any good?" Sinon asked curiously, having very little experience with boss drops. She was hardly the best appraiser of weapon values when she likely wielded the only «Legendary Weapon» in the game.
"It's amazing… item level sixty-one, great stats, and the best of all, fifty upgrade slots." Kirito was dazed as he listed of the stats, imagining the potential of a fully upgraded sword.
The pink-haired blacksmith of the group perked up at the last part. "Fifty?!" she exclaimed, mind reeling at just how involved the upgrading process would be. "Are you going to try for a max upgrade?"
"Most likely," Kirito answered, thinking about the potential process. "The cost we should be able to cover, but the materials we'll need to grind for."
The rest of the girls barring Sinon groaned at the mention of material grinding. Though they would all do it without too many complaints, they could not deny the fact that it was incredibly boring; farming lower level mobs for their materials. Argo already began to formulate plans in her head to avoid the bulk of the grinding. Some materials could be easily purchased in bulk, the others… well, she certainly did not mind hiring physical labourers when needed. A certain red bandana-wearing male came to mind.
"We can take the time to upgrade all of our equipment, I know we're all a few upgrades away from maxing our..." Kirito trailed off at the blank looks on the girls' faces. "What?"
Shaking her head, Asuna patted his shoulder lightly. "You're such an enthusiast, Kirito-kun. Not even five minutes after we just defeated the floor boss, you're already talking about grinding away for days." Though her tone was chastising, she held a fond smile on her face.
"Asuna-chi is right, Ki-bou, too much work makes you a dull boy, ya know?" Argo had a teasing grin on her own face. "Besides, Lis-chi can sharpen your sword another time."
Kirito's eyes narrowed at her tone. "Argo…"
"Hmm? I don't mind helping Kirito-kun," the pinkette in their party said immediately. Argo blinked, surprise evident on her expression. Kirito palmed his face, and quickened his pace, forcing the girls to follow.
"You…" Argo began, a glint of mischief in her brown orbs. "You don't mind helping Kiri-bou sharpen his sword?"
"Argo!" This time it was Asuna who interjected, a blush evident on her face. The beauty quickly fell behind Kirito and ushered the confused Silica beside her, almost trying to shield the smaller girl from the figures of Argo and Lisbeth.
"Of course not, I do it all the time." Lisbeth was now confused at both Argo and Sinon's responses.
Argo was now giggling, while Sinon palmed her own face. Ahead of them, the form of Kirito's rapidly disappearing back could be seen, as the dark-haired boy quickened his step.
"And you don't mind enhancing his sword?"
"That's what I do, Argo-chan."
"What about rejuvenating his sword?"
The pink-haired blacksmith was now aware that there was a joke somewhere, but she could not figure out why Asuna and Sinon were blushing. "I did that last week… what's so funny?" Lisbeth always repaired the equipment for their party, and it had become a weekly duty of hers.
Argo had to brace herself on the wall as laughter took over her body. Steadily ahead of them, Asuna had both hands covering Silica's ears, steering the smaller girl away from the antics of their mousy information broker. Silica, with Pina happily sitting atop her head, remained utterly confused, and extremely curious.
Sinon shook her head, disbelief at the pinkette evident on her expression. Even she could tell what Argo was going for based on the girl's intonations.
"Y-you," Argo began between fits of laughter. "D-do you enjoy polishing Kiri-bou's sword?"
Lisbeth paused, thinking about the question. "We can't polish with the blacksmithing skill, you—you… can't…" She trailed off, thinking deeper about how the mousy girl had said that question.
Then, the implications hit her like a ton of bricks. Lisbeth's face took on the colour of her own hair, and almost surpassed it in its vibrancy.
"ARGO!"
Kirito was the first player to enter the 51st floor, and immediately after the stone doors swung outwards, he was hit with a blast of heat. Stepping out of the stone labyrinth of the 50th floor boss dungeon, he had hoped that the next floor would lighten their spirits. Judging by the heat that rolled against him in waves, and from looking out from his position by the exit, he knew that it would be another arduous level.
Sand, as far as the eye could see, forming mounds and peaks for miles around. The heat was uncomfortable, but certainly not as unbearable as what a traditional desert would be. The swordsman was thankful that the weather effects in the game tended to stray away from the extremes. He doubted that there would be any clearers willing to enter the floor if the heat was a recreation of the Sahara Desert.
His trained eyes spotted a path amongst the dunes, and he was immediately glad that there was at least a path of compacted dirt that they could follow. Sand was also a thing in this world they found themselves in, equally as annoying as its real-life counterpart.
He remained by the exit, waiting patiently for the rest of his girls to arrive. Absently swinging his newest acquisition, he admired the way the blade seemingly absorbed the sunlight with its pitch-black colour. He was excited by the sword; his game instincts had told him as much when he had equipped the dark blade. Its weight was perfect, though heavier than what he was used to. His considerable strength stat had been barely enough to equip it after all.
Before he could flow into another training sequence with his newest sword, he heard his girls coming through the exit.
Asuna and Silica arrived first, both of which shielded their eyes from the glare of the sun, and immediately they frowned as they spotted the vast array of sand surrounding them.
"Oh… a sand level." Sinon was not happy, the heat was bearing down uncomfortably against her pale skin. The white-haired girl had always preferred the cold of winter, and it was no wonder that her old cabin in the woods had been set in a permanently snowy level.
Lisbeth and Argo walked out next, with Lisbeth still showcasing a blush, and the mousy girl smirking happily. "Ki-bou, why did you go ahead~?"
Kirito—ignoring Argo and receiving a pout in return—gestured to the path in the distance. "We have a path up ahead, let's head to the first town," he said as the girls began to fall into step with him once more. "Somehow I feel like some iced tea…"
The girls all nodded absently, still feeling the fatigue from the battle, and the unwavering heat certainly did not help their mood.
"I'll make some when we get home," Asuna said with a smile.
"Can't wait~" Silica chimed up, Pina held in her arms as she walked to the right of Kirito. The youngest member of their party looked as if she would fall asleep soon, given the tired expression on her cute face.
The party of six travelled along the path in comfortable silence, with Kirito leading. Asuna and Silica were beside him, while Argo, Lisbeth, and Sinon walked directly behind them. Even though there were no enemies that they could see, Kirito remained alert, his trained eyes scanning the surroundings for any signs of a mob. Thus far, there was nothing but sand.
"They're going to be talking about you again, Kirito-kun…" Asuna murmured aloud, thinking about the way that Kirito had finished off the titanic boss. She had felt her heart stop near the end, watching her dark-haired boy scaling the boss with incredible agility.
Kirito winced at the thought, rubbing the back of his head awkwardly. "That's the last thing I need…"
Argo smirked. "You should've thought about that before pulling out your Dual Blades skill. I have a feeling everybody in the world is going to know about your Unique Skill soon."
A «Unique Skill» was the only explanation for the «Dual Blades» skill that he had unlocked. Though the girls were shocked when he had unveiled it, they had thought that the skill matched him perfectly. Kirito had been steadily training with the skill, adapting to the dual sword skills with a rate that was surely unprecedented. His initial trepidation about the skill pushed to the side due to the sheer potential of the ability.
Argo had disagreed with his assumption that the «Unique Skill» was somehow granted to him by Kayaba, the invisible administrator of the game. He had not made a single appearance since the First Day, but the fact that he had to be observing was something that they were all aware of. Argo had instead, pointed out the fact that the game was governed entirely by an AI and that things often changed in response to certain player actions. There were entire quest lines that altered the floor depending on player actions, not to mention the fact that Sinon's legendary quest had been a consequence of a mere coincidental encounter with a mysterious NPC.
It was a reasonable assumption then, that Kirito's «Dual Blades» were a consequence of his mastery of two swords—despite the fact that the system prevented the use of sword skills when one had two swords equipped normally. The thought of a rapidly evolving game engine was unsettling to the players currently trapped in the death game.
"You were pretty amazing," the pink-haired blacksmith added with a fond smile, recalling the looks of awe and excitement on the players' faces. "I think we all forgot to breathe when you began climbing the boss."
"Kirito-kun, you looked like a hero!" Silica was beaming as she thought back on her idol's actions.
"I would have called you insane, if I didn't know you did that stuff on a daily basis," Sinon added with a knowing smile. The feats of agility that the dark-haired swordsman pulled off on the regular had annoyed her during their first few meetings, but now she could only be impressed, knowing just how incredible it was.
In their world, where your strength was determined by your STR stat, and your movement speed largely determined by your AGI stat, one could easily pull off incredible feats that wouldn't have looked out of place in any superhero movie. That did not mean however, that it was easy. Few players could bounce into the air, leap off of walls, and certainly not fight while in midair with sword skills. More often than not, they would land in an undignified heap on the ground, as the physics engine came into play.
Kirito smiled at the praise, though he did not think he deserved all of it. "It was you girls that gave me the chance. And also the rest of the clearers for following through with the plan." The dark-haired leader was filled with pride as he thought back to how well his girls—and the rest of the clearers—had performed despite the incredibly stressful situation.
The girls beamed in return, each of them happy at how well they had worked together in the heat of battle. It was a wonder just how well they had flowed, their training amongst the mini-bosses and the mobs of the 50th floor had not prepared them enough for the actual boss fight. Yet, their results spoke for themselves.
"Any idea what they're going to call him now?" Lisbeth asked with a large grin on her freckled face.
Asuna giggled lightly. "Another addition to his 'prince' title?" she added.
Kirito sighed, but did not bother to refute them. "I swear, I have no idea where all of these epithets are coming from."
One curly auburn-haired information dealer twitched in response, having a hard time keeping the smirk from forming on her round face.
"I'm sure it can't be any more embarrassing than 'Prince Kirito'," Sinon added, digging at the dark-haired boy. Her eyes were filled with mirth as Kirito groaned.
"Oh it can," Argo said happily, before turning to the only spear user in the party. "Don't think you're immune to embarrassing titles, Sinonon~"
Suddenly, Sinon felt a chill run down her back. "No way…" Surely nobody would bother giving her a title after only one battle.
Lisbeth, beside her, nodded. "You can't avoid it, Sinon-chan." The blacksmith's own nickname was beyond embarrassing in her own opinion.
Now it was Sinon's turn to groan, the white-haired spear user had no desire to see what type of nickname or rumour would be spread about her person. She did not know how the rest of the Royal Swords managed it, but guessed that they were used to it by now.
"At the very least, the rumours will be a happy replacement for the dour mood from last week." Asuna was quite happy now that they had cleared the floor, as it was like a guillotine hanging over the clearers and subsequently to the rest of the trapped players. "Perhaps we should have a festival to celebrate?" she asked thoughtfully.
Kirito rubbed his chin in thought before murmuring, "A festival huh? For every player?" He turned to Argo, their resident treasurer, and the person most knowledgeable in terms of money and funding. "Can we even cover that? I know that some NPCs can be hired but…"
"Of course we can," the information broker said with a wave of her hand, a confident expression on her face. "Food is actually extremely cheap compared to what we're used to spending. Any events or venues would need to be considered though." The very outfits that the Royal Swords wore—consisting of the best material that could be farmed—could have easily funded a land purchase by themselves.
"We should ask the rest of the guilds," Lisbeth added, thinking of the sheer manpower required to run a festival for the thousands of players in the game.
"I'll message my contacts," Argo said, almost looking forward to constructing such an involved event. If there was one thing she was good at, it was organizing the masses and encouraging them to behave a certain way.
Kirito could only shake his head at the efficiency of his party members, a wry grin as he thought about the ensuing festivities resulting from one off-hand comment. His girls could be quite scarily efficient.
Before they could continue their conversation, Silica had managed to get ahead of the group and was now standing before a lone, green, spiky cactus. The small girl had a curious look on her face as she eyed the large plant that was somehow shivering at her proximity. Aside from the spiky needles, there seemed to be some sort of nectar coming from the plant, and Silica wondered if it was something that could be gathered. Slowly, she reached a hand forward.
"Silica, stop!" Kirito shouted, alerting the rest of the girls to the sight of Silica reaching to touch the large green plant.
Immediately, the cactus pulsed, seemingly growing larger, then once more—before exploding with a loud bang. All visions were filled with green, and Kirito reflexively moved before Asuna to his right, shielding her from any possible aftermath. He did not have to worry however, as it was over as quickly it had begun.
Standing before the empty space where the green cactus once stood, was the diminutive form of Silica… covered completely in green goo. She was completely drenched, with only a few spots left on her body still showing a colour other than green. Her large red eyes met Kirito's and the boy could only scratch his cheek at the unfortunate sight of his dragon tamer.
Pina, the «Feathery Dragon» trilled happily above them, before landing comfortably atop of Kirito's head. It was unharmed and undrenched.
"S-silica…" Asuna called out, slowly.
"…Recording crystal?" Lisbeth asked equally as slow.
Argo, who already had the crystal in her left hand, snapped a few photos before setting the mode to recording. "Already done."
Then, laughter filled the air as they all looked at the incredible sight of Silica covered in green goo, her features barely visible.
Silica wanted to cry.
Ten minutes of walking later, the party of six, consisting of five girls—including one incredibly sulky Silica—and one boy, reached the first town on the 51st floor of Aincrad. It was a smaller place by far when compared to the vastness of the 50th floor city. It had sandy white walls, and the NPCs had tanned complexions and hard faces.
As they crossed the threshold into town, the group made for the teleport gate that was likely in the center. Though there was now shade to be found in the awnings and stalls surrounding the sandy town, the heat remained ever-present.
Tired expressions were on all six faces, especially the one on their youngest member. Silica had long since switched out of her usual Royal Swords attire, into a lower level set that served as her backup. She was thankful that the goo had not remained on her person after switching equipment.
Asuna and Lisbeth had given her reassuring hugs, which somewhat made up for their laughter. It was her pride that was the most hurt, and not even the pat on the head from her favourite boy helped much.
The group of six spotted the large teleport gate in the center of the town, near a large body of water. The town was apparently oasis themed, having consisted of the typical palm trees and other desert fauna. Thankfully, the exploding cacti were not found inside of the town, much to Silica's appreciation.
"Time to go home!" Silica shouted happily, immediately running up to the gate, and shouting the name of the village on the 22nd floor.
The group watched with a smile and no small amount of amusement as the smaller girl effectively ran away from the 51st floor. Lisbeth and Argo went next, each calling out the same name, eager to be away from the heat.
As if sensing something was amiss, Kirito and Asuna turned back to find the figure of Sinon standing quite a distance away from the teleport gate. It was easy to see the hesitation in Sinon's form, as she turned her eyes away from them.
Kirito, turning towards the worried Asuna, merely smiled softly. "Go. I'll talk to her."
The long-haired beauty gave him a small smile before hugging him. She lingered for a small moment before heading to the gate herself, trusting everything to him.
A long silence was held between the two remaining players on the newest floor. Kirito remained an arm's length away from the white-haired girl; she was standing awkwardly, her right hand holding her left arm as if reassuring herself.
Kirito could easily guess why the girl was hesitating. "Sinon…"
"Kirito, I… I do appreciate everything you've done for me. Everything you've all done for me." Her tone was quiet, and nervous, a far cry from her usual tone.
"Then, why do you feel you need to leave?" The black swordsman asked quietly.
"I… I don't want to pull you all down," she answered in a whisper, the very image of a shy, quiet girl that had been her real-life counterpart. "I'm really grateful that you allowed me to participate in the boss fight. It was something that I needed to do. But…"
There was something left unspoken in the air between the two of them, and Kirito could only guess as to what it was. "You don't want them to find out… about your past."
His statement caused her to flinch, and she looked away from his knowing gaze, only nodding in return.
Kirito sighed, stepping closer to the girl before him. "You think that they will hate you once they found out about how you saved us—saved me?"
"That's… different, Kirito, you're different."
He shook his head. "Sinon, what you've been through… the idiotic actions of your relatives and community—they're the ones that are wrong. You have to know that."
It was a thought that Sinon had thought long and hard about, and perhaps some rational part of her mind knew that it was not her fault, and that those who scorned her for defending herself against a murderer were in the wrong. Yet, in reality… with every rumour, passing glance, and fearful look sent her way, it had caused her to feel trapped and scared, forced to be reminded of the tragedy every day.
She did not want to see the looks of fear on the rest of the girls she had bonded with. It would likely destroy her.
"Do you trust me?" Kirito asked, meeting her violet orbs with his own intense gaze.
Sinon swallowed the lump in her throat, a variety of emotions rising from within her. Trust was not an easy thing for her to give. "I… I do."
She truly did. Somehow the effeminate looking boy before her, had bypassed the cold, steel walls that she had formed around herself. He was the only person to have truly made her feel warm… and safe.
"I won't force you, Sinon," Kirito said carefully, considering his own words. "Really… there is nothing that we want more than for you to be safe and sound." He would not force the issue if Sinon preferred to be alone, knowing the comfort of being a solo. It had taken four special girls for his own opinion on that matter to change.
Running a hand through his hair, Kirito gave her one last look before turning towards the teleport gate himself. "Please come with us if you want to, you'll always be welcome at our home." He was almost at the gate when he murmured one last remark aloud, "and there's nothing you could say that would make them hate or fear you."
Sinon watched the retreating figure of the kind-hearted boy with a complicated expression on her face, even as he called out the name of a village and vanished into light. Her emotions were scattered. She had thought that she would be relieved once she was alone again. There was no longer anyone around to judge her, to rely on her, to fear her.
Nor would there be anyone around to talk with, to laugh with, to live with.
She had thought that being alone would fill her with relief. Yet, having lived with the four girls and one boy of the Royal Swords for the past week… she was left feeling rather empty.
Kirito materialized into the town of «Coral», alone, and was glad that none of the girls had remained behind to wait for him. He did not take off for the short walk to their cottage, instead, merely leaning against the building nearest to the teleport gate. His arms were crossed, and he was content with waiting.
There were few players on the 22nd floor, and there were none that he knew aside from those that were related to their guild activities. Despite that, there were quite a few curious stares aimed at him, all of them knowing who he was. After all, he was now probably the most talked about player in the game. His reputation would surely only increase with the news of the most recent clearing.
A few minutes passed in this way, with the evening glow washing the town in an orange tint. Though his expression was calm on the outside, inwardly he was anxious as always. He had wanted Sinon to follow him, choosing not to persuade the girl, lest he push her away for good. She reminded him of a skittish alley cat in a way, and the thought made him smile.
She was familiar to him, in many ways.
As the sun began to set, steadily being replaced by darkness, Kirito almost decided to quit for the day. He was glad when one last figure materialized out of thin air near the teleport gate. Her short white hair was distinctive from a distance, along with the way she had chosen to tie her hair at the sides, with a black ribbon adorning each side.
Kirito made his way over to her, and shared a look with the quiet girl. He did not need to say anything, satisfied with the way she began following him as he made the trek towards home. He did not expect her to say anything, and he did not push her for her thoughts.
She really is like a stray cat, Kirito mused to himself.
The sun had set fully by the time they had reached the gated entrance to the Royal Swords' villa, an extravagant garden pathway awaiting them. In the beginning, the flowers were merely simple roses, but now there were an uncountable number of flower types. Rosy and Lily had done their best to bring colour and life to their gardens, and the girls continued to be awed by their progress.
Sinon was silent until they had reached the double wooden doors of the cottage. "Kirito… do you really think they would accept me… knowing my past?" Her face remained impassive, but her posture screamed vulnerability.
Kirito did not hesitate. "Of course," he answered softly.
The white-haired girl remained silent, the pair of them simply standing before the door, where a single step would allow them entrance to the warmth of the hearth inside. To Sinon, the inside of the cottage held considerable meaning for her. It was the only place in the long years of her life that she had felt at peace. It was not the physicality of the home—though it was wonderfully cozy—it was everything that came with it.
Laughter, Happiness, Warmth… Family.
She wanted to believe that she could continue those happy days with the girls and Kirito, but what she was about to do would be something that may end up pushing her forever into the void of loneliness. Kirito was a special case, their paths had been intertwined, and he would always remain special in her heart for many reasons. Should the other girls' gazes turn to fear and hate however… Sinon knew that she would not be able to stay, to convince them otherwise, no matter what the gentle boy beside her thought.
It was a leap of faith.
Nodding to herself, Sinon steeled her resolve. "Do you think I could talk to them?"
Smiling, Kirito immediately pushed open the doors, revealing four girls waiting expectantly in the hallway entrance. "Ask them yourself."
Author's Note: I think we all know what the next title will be for Kirito.
Thank you all for the support! Seriously, knowing that there are still so many readers interested in the story after all this time is amazing.
So finally, the 50th floor boss is now defeated. A few more major arcs/plot points left, I'm sure many of you know what they are, or can guess.
I'm having fun writing the interactions between the full party, honestly I could probably fill the bulk of this story with just fun interactions, but I think I will definitely try to steer the plot forward.
About the romance aspect: The consequences from the kiss, and subsequently the feelings from the girls and Kirito will eventually come together. Romance is very important in my opinion, to this fic and in general. I'm trying to write it fairly realistically, with a lot of feeling involved.
How do you write a good/realistic multiple pairing fic? I'm not sure, but I'll do my best to convince you all. If there is one thing I'm good at, it's writing hopelessly romantic stuff.
About Sinon's appearance: As some of you have pointed out, she has blue hair in every game avatar, but when I read about her from the light novel I could only remember her as white-haired with violet eyes (I'm sure I read it incorrectly, or the translations have updated). I'll be sticking with that appearance for now, as I think all the characters should have a unique SAO appearance (even if it's only hair colour).
Canonality: Yes, that is exactly how the physics system works; STR gives you more strength (Lisbeth struggling to hold Elucidator in canon), AGI allows you to move more nimbly.
Also some of you don't understand that yes, you can't use sword skills when two weapons are equipped, that is canon, despite what the anime showed with the random person dual wielding axes. That's why Dual Blades was a Unique Skill—it allowed you to actually use sword skills with two swords equipped. It also gave bonus to blocking with two swords, as well as general stat boosts. Really, it was quite a broken skill.
Almost all of the story is based on the light novel readings I did before the Anime came out, and before the progressive LNs came out. That's why things are slightly different such as Diabel vs Diavel, and DDA members having actual names, etc. Probably much too late to change things.
As always, I appreciate all reviews & favourites. You guys are awesome.
Question: Which girl is in need of more development? (Or, which girl is your favourite thus far?)
Feel free to discuss any part of the story on the SAO Fanfiction Nexus thread (link in my profile).
See you next time.