Chapter III: Black Swordsman

4th December 2022—Aincrad. Floor 1, Dungeon, Outside of the Boss Room

Boss battles. A prospect of the game that certainly made the game all the more exciting—now a test to prove themselves worthy of leaving this game alive or not. And it didn't help that Aincrad had one hundred floors, which equated to one hundred bosses in total. And that's not counting the event bosses and floor bosses yet!

God damn it.

Nonetheless, he pushed that somewhat worrying thought out of his mind for now, walking down the forested path that would lead them to the labyrinth, where the boss room was situated in.

He could tell that he was being watched; by Kibaou, who was still pretty pissed about his loss in their battle, and Diavel, probably just to keep an eye on him and make sure he doesn't do anything crazy.

Fair enough.

So far, sothing so different than what they've had planned out had occurred; forty-five players had gathered together at Tolbana before heading out for the labyrinths, having arrived outside of the boss room in at least half an hour. Now, here they are, standing before two magnificent doors that towered every other person here by meters.

Kirito gulped at the sight of these massive things. He knew that this could just be for the sake of aesthetics, and didn't necessarily affect combat with the boss monsters, but these two doors made for a really daunting sight.

Certainly put them in the mood for the fight, though.

Klein: Sorry, bro! Can't come because we still want to train a little better! We'll join the boss battles another time, though!

Kirito: Don't worry too much about it. We'll probably be fine.

The boy smiled, content to know that his friend was still doing alright. It's too bad that he isn't here for the first boss battle, but he supposed they'll just have to fight together in a future battle then.

And he had others to look out after too, after all.

"Don't forget our potions, everyone. We'll definitely need them."

"Blergh. They taste awful, though."

"They are necessary, though…"

He has to admit, Vabel would make for a pretty good leader, all things considered. Sure, she's a little odd around the edges, but he could definitely see her leading a guild in the future.

'Guilds, huh..?' He thought to himself, looking ahead. 'That wouldn't be too impossible for her.'

Guilds are, after all, similar to parties. Only this time, a larger amount of people could join and there were a lot more benefits to it. He could definitely see the boon in forming a guild.

Unfortunately for him, though, he's not a fan of crowds, so a guild sounded a little too much for him to bear. As such, he'll just settle for this small party of theirs.

And if they do end up joining guilds, he could always just go solo. Yeah, that's not too difficult.

'…I surprisingly don't like the sound of that.'

"Maybe I should have gotten a better sword..?"

"I disagree. Your current weapon should be good enough."

Well, it is a drop from some monster a few days prior, but he supposed that it's the best one she could get, compared to all the other rapiers that they could buy in the stores, like the ones she used during their first encounter.

Good gracious were they pathetic. Broke too quick and didn't deal much damage, though that is to be expected considering that they're just on the first floor.

The rapier that he had gave her is now her reserve weapon, meant for emergencies in the case that her new weapon, called Wind Fleuret, was broken in battle. Still, he felt that Wind Fleuret is far superior to her spare rapier.

Vabel's personal weapon, the name of which he didn't really know of, was probably much stronger than anyone else's weapon—he was certain that it was better than his own Annealed Blade, which he made sure to refine countless of times to make it stronger.

Argo's relying on a mix of claw weapons (there are gauntlets in this game, but not too many players are inclined to use something that required them to get up close and personal with enemies, it seems) and daggers, which isn't too bad for her; she is a pretty fast fighter.

And Kirito's got his Annealed Blade. Nothing so dramatic, but it's been refined a lot, so he'll probably be fine.

He then thought about the strategies meant for this battle. His group was meant to be part of the support, which will take care of any Kobold minions that will be summoning later on. And he's got to say, their line-up is pretty solid; himself being the heavy hitter, Vabel and Asuna being the faster swordswomen and Argo for assist.

No way anything was going to go bad.

…Actually, he takes that back! He'd better not have jinxed it!

"Alright then, everyone! Here we are!" Shouted the blue-haired man, clenching a fist in front of him and smiling, a fire burning in his eyes. "Our first ever boss battle is right here, and I've got only one thing to say! Let's win this together and make it out alive!"

No one had spoken a word or even shouted, just mere nods of assent and perhaps a few sounds like grunts and hums.

Kirito, too, simply opted to just unsheathe his sword, awaiting the moment for the doors to open. And open they did, as Diavel placed both hands on the doors and pushed them inwards, the gigantic doors making loud swinging noises, dust clouds forming on the ground.

It was dark. Incredibly dark, which made it hard to really see, but the linings across the wall seemed to glow a little, offering a measly amount of sight. The room inside was incredibly spacious, and he couldn't begin to fathom how long was its length, width and height. Before he could even start to think on that, the room lit up as fire suddenly sprouted out of nowhere, lighting up the countless lanterns on the walls and providing better sight.

And the massive red-skinned beast sitting on his throne had been aroused from his slumber, red eyes glowing and white fangs on display, grabbing its shield and axe as it got up. A shrill roar filled the room as three health bars formed above its head, with the words 'Illfang the Kobold Lord' popping up as well.

"Everyone!" Shouted Diavel, pointing his sword forwards. "Chaaarge!"

Illfang wasn't alone too, as several Ruin Kobold Sentinels equipped with helmets and maces formed out of thin air, quick to rush forward alongside their lord that crossed the room in a matter of seconds to meet its enemies head-on.

And the squad of players rushed forwards with everything they had; sword, axe, mace, lance. They released their battle cries as their feet stomped on the ground of the boss room, everyone throwing themselves forwards into the fray.

And thus, the dance of steel had begun.

PvE: Player versus Enemy—human players versus monsters. Strategies discusses countless times and revised for improved performance, it showed in the battle between both groups, as the human players intercepted the enemy and committed to the plan set forth.

Four to five minions were quickly intercepted by the backup groups, taken out quickly and allowing breathing room and better manoeuvrability.

One particular Ruin Kobold Sentinel leapt into the air, mace shining bright red—

*Shing!*

"Not gonna' happen!" Shouted the black-haired boy, his onyx sword having cleaved right through it in the tell-tale motion of a «Slant». He charged into another with a «Rage Spike», stabbing his blade right through its midriff and knocking it straight into Argo's claws. "Good one!"

"You too!" Shouted the girl with a slight pant, clearly not used to battling in the first place. Even so, she forces herself to fight, turning around and unleashing a quick blow against a minion that attempted to deal a surprise hit against her.

Diavel was a pretty smart tactician in the case of making the battle strategy; having formed seven different groups named 'A' to 'G', all with different tasks in handling the fight. He personally lead the charge against Illfang with Group A, C and D. Kirito and his team, on the other hand, was part of Team E—unfortunately lead by Kibaou, but that was beside the point—and they took on the sentinels.

The remaining teams stayed back and helped a little with the minions, and would replace any of the assault teams so that they could heal up in the meantime.

"Move in and intercept, Group B! Group A, switch out and heal! Group E and F, keep it up!" His words were loud and managed to reach everyone within the room, and Diavel returned to the battle, slashing his blade right through Illfang's calve, causing it to falter somewhat.

Another batch of players rushed in and tanked a hit from Illfang's massive axe, with a large bald man who went by the name of Agil at the fore. Their effort inevitably caused its intended «Sword Skill» to backfire, forcing it to undergo a post-motion delay. The assaulters rushed in altogether and unleashed the strongest «Sword Skills» that they had at their disposal, erasing the first health bar.

"Alright! Group A, C, switch with Group B and D! Group F, rush in for assist!" Shouted Diavel once more.

The battle continued that way, with the players being the ones who were on the better side of things. The sentinels were pretty easy to predict, hence making the task of dispatching them being relatively simple.

The girls in his group were doing incredibly well too, no less, standing their grounds without much difficulty against the minions.

"Switch!"

"Got ya'!"

The black-haired boy swapped places with his rapier-wielding friend, delivering a single sword swing that decapitates the Ruin Kobold Sentinel, killing it and turning it into an explosion of fragments.

Somewhere in the distance, Vabel effortlessly skewers a Ruin Sentinel Kobold before unleashing a «Linear», tearing right through a horde of minions. Asuna defended his flank by deflecting a minion's attack, allowing Argo to land the killing blow.

He sighed once before looking back at the boss battle, noticing its second health bar already reaching the red zone. Things are going great! They'll just have to keep it up a little longer and they'll be good to go!

"Huh? Get out of here," he cuts down a minion that attempted to ambush him, staring at where it stood with a disappointed look. "Yeah, you guys aren't that great."

Maybe it's more of his fault for being pretty over-levelled. Yeah, it probably is.

The battle proceeds as it should, and nothing is so odd. Fighting the minions and the boss wasn't too hard, and with the high number of players, everything was rather simple. It wasn't much longer before, just as they predicted, Illfang releases a powerful roar in that moment, a clear sign that it now stood with the last remaining dredges of its strength, with just one health bar remaining. Its eyes glowed red and its snarling is loud, bestial.

"Yeah, looks like it's on its last legs!" Shouted Kibaou with a wide grin.

"Alright then, it's time!" Shouted Diavel, suddenly breaking out of formation and charging towards the boss monster alone. "Leave it to me!"

His sudden action takes the black-haired boy by surprise. 'What the hell is he doing? We're supposed to surround Illfang and strike together!'

Even Kirito knew that trying to solo a boss was dangerous, and this is coming from him!

Everything is going just as expected, though. Just as the guidebook had said, and similar to how it had gone down during the Beta Test, Illfang promptly tossed aside his axe and shield.

But Kirito is in time to see the monster grab the weapon on its back, and his eyes widen, voice coming out in a shout of disbelief.

"Oh shit, that's not a talwar! It's a nodachi! Get back!"

"Huh?"

Any single person could have made the assumption that both weapons were similar, but for someone who's played games seriously his whole life and loves to study just about everything (call him a nerd or a know-it-all douchebag, whatever), he could see the differences right away.

And for Illfang to be wielding a nodachi instead of a talwar, it meant one thing.

Kayaba had changed the game.

'Shit..!' Cursing yet again, he could see how Diavel was preparing to intercept Illfang's weapon, both their swords glowing as a means of a «Sword Skill» ready to be unleashed. But Illfang's position meant that it was going to use a «Tsujikaze», a powerful one-hit strike that could kill the man in one blow.

Too fast, too strong. He won't survive!

"Crap, he's going to get himself killed..! Diavel!"

"Kirito-kun!"

Noise in the background became nothing but garbles and blur as he poured all his strength into his legs, running forwards with all the speed that he possessed. This cannot happen!

Diavel is shouting as his sword gleams a bright blue, lifting it rapidly from where it was positioned on his shoulder; «Vertical». Illfang's blade was green, and ready to reap what it came for.

Every player were suddenly stuck, but one person in particular charged forwards, becoming a black blur as he promptly shoves the bluenette out of the way with a firm punch, leaving him in the point-blank range of Illfang's sword.

'Ah, fu—'

*GhhrhRa!*

Kirito could barely finish the curse in his head before Illfang, releasing a deadly roar yet again, promptly slashed at the boy with a powerful blow, knocking him greatly backwards.

"Gah..!" A strangled noise slipped from his lips as his health took a bad blow there, a shadow cast on his person all of a sudden. "Oh, come on..!"

Not losing its momentum, Illfang unleashes a «Ukifune», launching him quickly into the air like a ragdoll, the strength behind its attack knocking him a good ways back.

The other players were taken aback by this, but some were quick to rush to their downed field leader's side, while others formed a wall to block him. Illfang lands and, with a mighty roar of its own, begins to attack the other players, more of its minions spawning out of thin air.

From a distance away, lying on the ground beside a pillar (if it weren't an Immortal Object, it might just have a teenage-shaped indentation in its surface), a young player struggles to rise onto his feet, feeling more drained than he should be injured.

"Good thing… this is just a game… Or else I'd have passed out from the pain…"

"Kirito!"

He didn't have much of a chance to look up before three figures stood before him, all of them lowering themselves with looks of fearful concern aimed directly at his person.

He looked at his health bar, and their worry was well-founded. It's red, and if he had to make a guess, it was probably at least 30%. Holy crap, how did he literally survive everything that came at him? Two full blows that would have reduced any normal player's health all the way to zero—it's insane.

It helped that, no matter how much he would take, he could never feel any form of pain.

But it still made him woozy.

Despite whatever vertigo that he was having from getting thrown around, he managed to look at the girls with a weak grin. "Heh… Worried you, didn't I?"

"Of course we're worried about you! Y-You almost got yourself killed!" Forcing away tears, such a sight from Asuna made him flinch on the inside—he just had to be snarky, didn't he? "Don't you get it, Kirito-kun?! Y-You almost died..!"

"…I'm sorry," what else was he supposed to say? Knowing the situation that he was in, he doubted anything else would have been appropriate. "I'm really sorry..."

"D-Damn it, drink up!" Quickly pulling out a health potion, Argo brings the vial to his lips, which he hastily gulps down despite its rather not-pleasant-but-not-bad taste, able to see how she was clasping it really tightly. "Y-You're gonna' be okay! Just… J-Just stay down!"

"Everyone…" They heard Vabel mutter, her attention fixed on the battle, getting everyone to look as well.

And things aren't looking so good anymore.

Now in a state of desperation and with a different weapon compared to the Beta Test, Illfang was literally wrecking the players, initiating a number of «Sword Skills» that made little work of its problems. The minions haven't changed in attack patterns, so the support teams were doing okay enough.

But with the fact that Diavel was currently out of the game for the moment, the players were lost on what they should do.

Most of the tank teams were busy protecting Diavel, the assault teams were just trying their damned best to try and handle Illfang, and the support team were still holding up well enough.

What Illfang does next, however, completely breaks the plan altogether.

"Everyone, altogether!" Readying his mace, the orange-haired man lead a few men towards the boss monster, all of them releasing battle cries as they attempt to kill the monster.

Unfortunately for them, however, Illfang was smarter; with a wide sweeping attack, it knocked back the players. No matter who raised their shields or attempted to parry its attack, none of them were able to completely defend themselves against the bipedal monster, all of them sent flying back.

A new wave of players are charging towards the monster, unaware of how its eyes suddenly seem to gleam a little; a brighter shade of red that could have been mistaken as a trick of the light. With a massive leap, it vaulted over its attackers before breaking into a swift sprint forwards, ignoring every other players in the room.

The three girls watched with aghast looks.

It was going after Kirito.

"Shit! Protect Kii-bou!" Shouted Argo, her fear buried underneath her newly-formed vigour as she got back onto her feet, quickly putting on her claw weapons.

The players moved yet again, with the large bald man's team quickly assembling themselves in its path. It easily removes them from its path with a wide sweeping attack, its momentum unbroken as it continues rushing towards the downed ravenette once more.

'Damn, my health's still not high enough..!' It was still too low, only barely having just turned yellow. 'Crud! Everyone, be careful..!'

Asuna and Vabel were quick to unsheathe their weapons, the latter of which rushed forwards to meet Illfang head-on. Her beautiful blade parried its massive blade, but the strength was clear; she struggled to push it back long enough before it initiated a «Tsujikaze», slashing its weapon across her body and causing her to hack, knocking her all the way into a column.

"V-Vabel..!"

"Vabel-chan! How dare you?!"

Having lost any semblance of calm, Asuna charges forwards with a loud scream, intent on avenging her fallen comrade. She rockets forwards with a «Linear», cutting across Illfang's torso while Argo leaps at him and initiates a flurry of blows straight to his noggin.

The other players move in as well, surrounding the boss monster, forcing it to rely on a wide AOE attack to quickly take them out. Some others manage to land a blow with their spears and axes, but it barely causes it to flinch, fighting back even more ferociously.

"No..! They're getting killed out there..!" Gritting his teeth, he got back onto his feet, ready to get back into the battle—"Gah..!"

He suddenly trembles, a clear sign of having been stunned from the combo attack that it makes him fall onto one knee, forced to watched as the monster dispatches everyone around him.

"Gha..!"

"Aa-chan!"

"No!"

His breath trembles as he witnesses Illfang effortlessly parry Asuna's attack before delivering a firm blow to her with the flat part of its sword, knocking her back with a damage that reduced her health down to its middle. Argo, in an attempt to gain distance from it, was too slow.

He could almost see it—that smirk the monster made. It drew its nodachi above its head, weapon glowing red before it launched the lithe girl into the air with a «Ukifune». It leapt towards her in the air with its might and initiated a «Hiōgi»; upwards cut, downwards stroke and a final thrust that sends her crashing into the floor of the room, the impact more than knocking her health down into the red.

"No…" This can't be happening. This wasn't happening. "No…"

He doesn't understand. Now, a strange chill has settled over him, a cold hand clenching his heart and keeping him affixed to his position, unable to move.

Fear. He knew what this was. It was fear, and it was integrated into his brain and the 'Nerve Gear' to prevent him from moving. This cold dread that wrapped around him like chains, keeping him in place.

His friends lay close to death all around him, and every other players are struggling in the fight. Some have to back out in order to heal themselves, while others were sent flying everywhere from its weapon swings.

Asuna, Argo, Vabel…

Is… Is this it..?

'So is this it? Are you just going to lie down and watch?'

'Huh..?'

A demon's voice. It rung in his head with a tone of authority that was a clear sign of his power.

And it wasn't mocking like Kibaou's usual tone around Beta Testers, or as friendly as Diavel's. It was an inquiry, yet with it came a sort of challenging tone.

'Are you content with your inaction? Do you truly intend to burn their deaths into your mind?' He asks once more. 'Do nothing, and they will die. These people you've fought with will all meet their end. Was your promise mere empty words, then?'

Promise..? What promise..?

A flash of a memory, that of the vision of his smiling friends with him at the restaurant the day prior.

"Definitely. We'll all win this thing and get out alive, together."

And now they lay defeated, their very lives close to an end if he did nothing…

No, that's not..!

'Of… Of course it's not..!' He shouts back in his head, slowly getting up as he grabs his sword a foot away in front of him. 'I won't let anyone die! I want to fight and protect them! I want to save everyone, and get out of this game with them!'

That was the reason why he had fought so hard every single day. Why he had gritted his teeth and gone through countless days of training, fighting and killing, all for the sake of getting everyone out of this accursed prison! There was no way that he was going to let them down now!

'I see. I commend you for your resolve, and shall answer it so.'

'Huh? What do you—Ghraa..!'

*Thuk thuk..!*

"Gak..!" A wordless scream spills out of his lips as something bashes the back of his skull, causing him to fall to the ground on his knees and grasping his head in his hands, this weapon clattering on the ground. "Arrgh..!"

This pain..! What the hell is this?! It hurts… too much..! Shouldn't this game have a pain absorber..!

It feels as if every part of his body was on his fire, with his head in particular being set ablaze by a blowtorch. His nerves are boiling, his vision is growing bloodier in the edges, and his breathing is raspier now, chest tight and coiling inwards as sweat begins to form on his avatar's skin.

A wordless scream spills forth as the pain triples—no it has become more than what he could accept, creeping into his body and tearing everything apart mercilessly as his vision blackens, turns white, becomes clear once more—and everything begins to distort around and within him as his grip over his sword tightens.

'Vow to me. I am thou, thou art I. Thou who art willing to go the lengths necessary if it means the survival of thy own life and comrades, to commit whatever sacrilegious acts for thy own justice. To break free of your chains and wage war against the gods that have forsaken you!' He's shouting now, and with it, a thrum of power.

Jet-black wings. A burning grin. Black fire.

'Prove to the world that thy will far exceeds any other power, and that nothing can stand in your way! Break thyself to become stronger! Become the sword that no one else can! Call upon my name… and claim your fate!'

"Ghk..! HhrhahhaaaAAAAAAA!"

A burst of wind cuts around him as it pushes back everything in its range, reaching the players countless of feet away from him, needing to shield their eyes from the powerful storm. Even Illfang is affected by it, a brief amount of knockback that almost tips it off its feet while whatever equivalent of shock mars its expression.

It stares back at Kirito when the wind had died down… and spots the beautiful black sword on the ground beside him.

Panting, the boy puts away his Annealed Blade into his inventory, grabbing the sword on the ground and standing back up with slight difficulty, his breathing raspy and continuous.

Everyone and everything are staring at him now, almost as if time had stopped in this room. As if the battle had just come to an end, and were now watching this boy of whom had just performed a miracle.

Face overshadowed by his hair, left hand open and shaking, it all stops as soon as he raises his head.

Everyone, the injured girls included, gasp at the sight they witness.

He raises the sword right in front of him, grips it with his left hand, and shatters it.

Persona Vabel was, as most people assumed correctly of her, a pretty solid wall—in terms of personality, that is.

Well, it isn't like she's lacking it to begin with. She just doesn't respond to a lot of things that most people might find repulsive, awkward, scary or anything, really. Her natural ability to keep a straight face through it all is something that she attributes to… no, that isn't it.

Still, despite that sort of 'ability' of hers, that didn't make her complete unresponsive. She is, at the end of the day, still a human girl (one with otherworldly powers, and when something past her limit happens…

*GhhrhRa!*

Especially when it involved her own friend, of course she would be afraid.

"Kirito!" She could do nothing but witness as the boy was mercilessly struck down by Illfang's nodachi, only to then be launched into the air by an upward slash. "No..!"

The other players were beginning to move again, all trying to do whatever they could to fight Illfang or protect their field leader.

"Kirito!" Argo had never called him by his username, often using the pet name she made for him. So for her to hear the genuine fear in her tone was enough to shake even herself.

She shouldn't have stopped fighting. She still had a duty to perform, yet the fear that blossomed in her chest was quick to spur her into action, returning to his side quickly.

This is…

The three of the girls rushed over to their friend's side, who was coughing lightly after the impact. She glanced at his health bar and grimaced at its red colour; just a small tap on him would inevitably kill him, she realized, and it sets an anvil on her gut.

"Heh…" Despite his possible death, he still managed to bring himself to smile, his eyes shining with a hint of concern. "Worried you, didn't I?"

"Of course we're worried about you! Y-You almost got yourself killed!" Asuna was perhaps the most emotional girl there is, and for her to bare her sadness for them to see touched her heart. She really cared for him a lot. "Don't you get it, Kirito-kun?! Y-You almost died..!"

"…I'm sorry," he muttered in a soft voice, and she could tell that everyone's hearts clenched at his genuinely apologetic tone. "I'm really sorry..."

A part of her wanted to tell him that he wasn't at fault, but a larger part of her felt nothing but suspicion towards Diavel. Why had he been so foolish to go after Illfang on his own… until it hit her. 'Is he perhaps a Beta Tester?'

That could make sense. After all, all Beta Testers knew of the last hit bonus, and he could very well be aiming to get such a bonus than everyone else. But that was still reckless of him. Is he truly going to put his life in danger like that?

And his own reckless stunt almost ended up with Kirito dead, and—

"D-Damn it, drink up!" Quickly pulling out a health potion, Argo brings it to his lips. Vabel lifts his head a little, helping the liquid down his throat. "Y-You're gonna' be okay! Just… J-Just stay down!"

She would have voiced out her agreement on that matter had she not turned her gaze away from the boy, and caught sight of a terrifying scene. "Everyone…"

Everything had turned into a disaster. Illfang breaks loose and started attacking all the players, but one player was the one that it was targeting. And that fact alone had set her off into desperation.

Kirito.

It literally blew away all the other players before it started charging towards the girls, its eyes focused on one person in particular.

"Shit! Protect Kii-bou!" Argo's voice was shaky but strong, wielding her claw weapons as she got into position.

Agil and his team had been quick to position themselves before Illfang, attempting to block its path—they must have anticipated whom it was targeting. Yet their attempt did not work, as it easily took them down with a wide sweeping attack. It proceeded towards Kirito again, and the beating of her heart did not change—not, that would have been wrong to assume. It changed, yes, and with how quickly it was beating, only one thing coursed in her brain in that moment.

Fear.

Haste served her well as she unsheathed her weapon, rushing forwards with a silent shout to meet Illfang face-to-face. She struck against its massive sword with all the strength she had, yet the difference in strength was clear, and she failed to even parry its attack before she was quickly taken out, a brutal slash across her body knocking her crashing straight into a column.

"V-Vabel..!"

"Vabel-chan! How dare you?!"

Falling to the ground, the girl attempted to lift herself back up, but quickly lost purchase over the floor. With a small hack, crimson liquid drips onto the ground with a splat, her vision blurry.

Blood.

She had told Kirito that she entered this world through magic. That was true, without doubt, so the fact that she isn't recognized by the game as a proper 'entity' means that she doesn't receive any of its benefits that other players do; namely, the pain absorber.

She would never tell him of this little fact, afraid that he wouldn't take it well. It was, to that end, that she always focused on her speed; the faster she could move, the quicker she could evade enemies. And yet, here she is, weak and defeated.

And right now, pain sears through her system as her body attempts to recuperate from the damage dealt to her. She lifts a hand to wipe away the blood down her lips and looks at her allies, feeling her stomach fall.

Her inability to do nothing more but watch as, one by one, Asuna and Argo are quickly taken out by Illfang kills her on the inside, her hand balling into a fist as she struggles against her weakening consciousness.

She quickly looks towards Kirito, still on the ground and looking paralyzed. Gods, she couldn't bear to watch him like this… How could she have possibly failed at—

"Ghk..!" His voice finally begins to take shape, the sweat on his face and tears in his eyes a clear testament to the pain he had just endured. And yet, even so, he had drawn forth the strength to break free from his shackles. "HhrhahhaaaAAAAAAA!"

Something breaks as a powerful wind kick up from where Kirito stood, reaching all the way to where she was. What should have felt like a violent storm was also gentle, almost as if the wind understood who she was and left cold kisses on her skin. It was comforting, even.

To everyone else, however, something sporadic and dangerous was occurring, that even the boss had its guard raised.

It stares back at Kirito when the wind had died down… and spots the beautiful black sword on the ground beside him.

Panting, the boy who looked like he had just been put through hours of relentless training stores his Annealed Blade into his inventory, grabbing the newly formed sword on the ground and standing back up. Face overshadowed by his hair, left hand open and shaking, it all stops as soon as he raises his head.

Everyone, the injured girls included, gasp at the sight they witness.

And then, Vabel's lips form a smile. "Finally…"

Within his Velvet Room, Igor pauses from making his coffee, his permanent smile widening as he looked up to the ceiling. "Ahh… It seems you've finally awakened to your power. Well done, Hero."

He raises the sword right in front of him, grips it with his left hand, and shatters it.

*Chsh…*

*Frhewwww!*

Against all the other players' expectations, blue flame ignites around him and swallows him whole—his hair, his body, his clothes. A soft chuckle reverberates from where he stands, and the fire begins to materialize into something behind him, a towering figure with a red, monstrous grin.

It's a mad, inferno dance around him as his clothes have all but changed; now, he stood there with a wild grin on his face and eyes a beautiful yet wicked shade of gold, clad in a black cloak and pants, the gear that he's wearing looking much stronger than his basic starting equipment.

The fire has died down a little, and behind him, towered a demonic creature with the looks of a gentleman. Wide black wings unfurl while soft blue will-o-wisps dance around his body. Claws sharp and long, feet equipped with knives of some sort, clad in what could be mistaken for a trench coat of sorts.

Everyone and everything is quiet as they stared at the black-haired boy, who looked at himself before staring back at Illfang, his eyes returning to their earlier shade of black.

"You've finally awakened to your new power…" Mutters Vabel from where she was still lying on the ground, chuckling softly to herself despite the blood in her throat. "And with such timing too… How dramatic, yet truly fitting."

Kirito, being too far from where she was to hear her, and more than a little surprised at what just happened, could only take a look at himself. His new clothes, this new power that he felt within himself… what was this?

It felt so wild, so uncontrollable, addictive in a way… but it was right all the same.

"Persona, the manifestation of one's willpower and personality," his voice rung out from behind him, everyone's attention fixed solely on the two. He exuded a powerful aura, and everyone felt awed staring at him. "How odd, that I am to accompany another besides the Trickster… No matter. I am Arsene, gentleman thief at your service. A pleasure to meet you."

"Gentleman thief, huh..?" He whispers back, looking at both his hands. "Heh, what a weird feeling…"

"Indeed," and suddenly, he flaps his wings, unleashing a gush of air that shoots out. "Now grasp your opportunity to fight back against this prison that binds you, and defeat all those that stand in your way! Wield me and your own strength to your heart's content!"

"That so? Alright then…" He mutters to himself, staring towards Illfang with a wide smirk and spreading out his arms with one leg tucked behind the other, almost as if mocking the thing. "Come then, Illfang! Show me what you've got."

This seems to finally break the boss monster out of its stupor, its energy returning once more as it broke into a sprint towards the sole boy with its katana held high, perhaps intending to initiate a «Ukifune» and repeat its earlier strategy against Argo.

Not gonna' work.

Lowering his posture, the boy lets out a breath before he suddenly darts forwards at a speed he hadn't displayed earlier, one that far outshone even Asuna who was the fastest of the bunch, with the demon trailing right behind him.

He doesn't make a move to dodge the attack, as everyone expected, but pulls a different card instead. "Arsene!"

The demon's sharp claws are suddenly spewing more flames as they move quickly to intercept the attack, striking the nodachi with strength unimaginable and sending its wielder flying backwards, skidding across the ground of the room in a way that defied every possibilities.

The ethereal being's body suddenly fizzles out of existence, and in his hand, the black blade from earlier forms itself.

"Huh," he looks down to his sword, its weight being more than he thought possible, yet it felt just perfect for him. He turned his attention back to Illfang, watching as it struggled to get back onto its two legs. Several Ruin Kobold Sentinels spawn in that moment, charging towards him to protect their lord. In response, he spits to the side with a narrow-eyed look. "Here I come."

He swings this new sword around himself a few times before sprinting forwards, the unimaginable speed not enough to make him lose control. He unleashes a quick «Rage Spike» that tears right through a monster, before quickly cutting into another with a simple swing of his blade.

Black cuts right through virtual flesh, erasing the creatures from existence with just simple blows. Two minions launch themselves right at him, weapons gleaming bright red.

With a grin, he simply wills power into his sword and unleashes a fast «Slant».

*Shing!*

Down they go, falling to the ground like flies before they expire.

A fresh new wave of Sentinels are foolish enough to rush him, and he scoffs back, easily dispatching them with a few low-levelled «Sword Skills». Despite clearly being outnumbered and surrounded, this newfound strength carries him through the battle quite well, enough to amaze him.

"Arsene!" Repeating his earlier motion by shattering his sword, the winged demon comes forth once more. "Ravage them!"

Five, six Sentinels. Too many for one person to take on their own.

But right now, with the immeasurable amount of strength that coursed in his avatar, he was just overpowered.

And with this ethereal demon, nothing could stand in his path.

"Hrah!" Slamming his claw into the ground, dark energy pulsates beneath the creatures' feet before erupting like geysers, consuming them and killing them on the spot.

Magic… No, something akin to magic, perhaps? Such power that he could feel just from watching the execution of such a brilliant skill almost feels like a magic show meant to draw in spectators, but in this moment, he was convinced that it was no show.

Perhaps for the other players, it was a show. But to Kirito, fighting here and now, he felt greater than ever.

Even without magic, however, Arsene easily cuts them apart as the monsters leapt at the two. His claws were weapons in their own right, ripping them to shreds with so much ease it almost made Kirito look like an amateur.

But of course, these lesser monsters weren't the main course.

*Ghhraa..!*

"Finally back on your feet… Good."

Without wasting another moment, he rushes forwards, cutting two minions in half before deftly avoiding an overhead strike of their lord's massive sword by sidestepping the attack, the tremors formed from the weapon hitting the ground doing nothing to faze him. Gritting his teeth, he forces his weight into one foot and moves his sword to his right hip.

The blade glows a soft blue as he shifts his weight to his other leg and initiates a «Horizontal», brutally severing Illfang's leg.

A monstrous scream later, and its leg is sent flying across the room, crashing onto the ground with a loud thud before a couple of shocked players and sending them screaming as they backed away from the limb, leaving it downed onto one leg as it clawed the ground with one hand while the other supported itself with its sword.

To actually damage a monster to the point of dismembering it… Such brutal damage is more than enough to erase a large portion of its health, now in its yellow and close to hitting red.

'That would have probably been impossible in the Beta Test,' he thought with amusement, staring at the red blood-like pixels that was its leg. He looks to his sword and narrows his eyes, gripping the hilt a little tighter and causing it to shatter—once more, Arsene takes shape, floating above him. Aw yeah, that's awesome. "Hey Illfang."

The creature, snarling in pain as it did, still managed to look right into the eyes of the human that had just maimed it… and saw a pair of golden eyes. And, should it possess the ability to feel, let alone understand what fear was, it would have understood what intimidation felt like.

Like a reaper that's come to claim its soul.

And as each footstep brought him closer to the bipedal monster, with the smirking demon stalking him, the final step caused its heart to cease beating.

"Go to hell. Arsene!"

"Hah!"

Raising both arms above his head, willing them to come to life as they're eventually consumed by fire, he then brings his scythe-like claws down upon the crown of Illfang's head, the lack of effort not enough to undermine the way that he had bisected it right in the middle, cleaving Illfang all the way until it was now two separate parts, a bright red line dividing its sections before its body slowly parted.

All players watch in absolute disbelief as its health bar was brutalized there and then, and acknowledging its defeat, both parts of Illfang fell backwards with a loud crash, the floor shaking from the tremor. And like that, its body erupted into an explosion of pixels and beautiful light, with the words 'CONGRATULATIONS!' forming in the air.

The flames that danced around the phantom burned ever brighter, and the smirk of the swordsman clad in black was illuminated by the firelight for all to see. "Begone."

The first floor of Aincrad had officially been cleared.

Author's Notes:

That better have been good enough. I swear, I really hope that you guys liked that battle scene.

Butchered it? Did okay enough? Let me know how y'all think.

Again, writing fighting scenes is not my forte, but obviously there's fighting. So yeah, I'll do my best to try and write them. If it's not good, please take my word that I'll try to do better in future updates. I promise.

Now let me get some things out; certain people will be getting their Persona's from the original Persona users in the mainline series, that much is for certain, hence why I decided that Kirito here will be receiving Arsene. And yes, considering how he's a swordsman, I initially thought it would be nice to give him Izanagi. But I didn't because I've already planned for someone else to have him.

I've also revised the combat styles of both series and am currently trying to make it work. Trust me, it'll probably be worth it. Probably.

I was also playing SAO:MD, and the collab isn't so bad! I managed to land my hands on Joker and his weapon, and he's awesome. And so is Violet.

Also, as I publish this chapter, I just finished Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers demo on the Nintendo Switch, and it. Is. Awesome! I've played Hyrule Warriors (not so bad) and Fire Emblem Warriors (I didn't like that one, to be honest) before, but this one has got to be the best Musou-style but not really Musou-style game ever! Go make a Japanese Nintendo account and download the demo, seriously. Y'all won't regret it.

Now we need to wait for Persona 5 Royal next month.

Well, that's all the talk for now. Thank you for reading and goodbye.