Sword Art Online

After The Incident

Chapter 25 – Final Round

A/N

There is a very important Author's Note I want you guys to read in the bottom, so please, check that out when you have read this, alright? Alright, on with the chapter!

This was it. The qualifying tournament was finally coming to a close. It was the semifinals. Asuna, Sinon and myself, had all done well. Sinon was going to face off against Asuna, while I was taking on a challenge from a player named Deathgun. A dreadful name to say the least, but that wasn't going to stop me from winning this tournament. The excitement had been too strong, and I wasn't going to back down now.

I smiled a little as I began polishing the chamber of my pistol, and put my lightsaber at the nearby table as I worked. A loud airhorn suddenly sounded, announcing the end of Asuna's and Sinon's game.

I gasped slightly in surprise and looked up at the screen. To my surprise, it had seemed that Sinon had won. I stared up at the screen in shock, and looked over at the corner as it seemed like Asuna and Sinon was returning from their game. The light from their spawn soon disappeared, and revealed a slumped over Asuna and a victorious Sinon with a wide grin.

"Geez…" Asuna didn't look too pleased "You could have told me that in advance you know!"

She yelled this as she pointed an accusing finger at Sinon, who pretended she didn't know what Asuna was talking about.

"If I had told you, then I wouldn't have won!" She said with another grin as they both walked up to me.

"Hey girls" I said with a smile as I took Asuna's hand "I'll take it, it didn't go so well?"

"No…" Asuna mumbled with a pout "Sinon sniped me right away. Didn't even get close to her"

I smiled softly and placed a compensating kiss on her cheek. Her pout turned into a smile as she squeezed my hand and cuddled her body against mine.

"But I guess this is a good enough 3rd place prize" She whispered in my ear as she kissed my cheek.

I smiled silently and was about to kiss her again, but Sinon cleared her throat and smirked at us.

"Geez. Go find a love hotel or something"

I blushed dark red and pulled away from Asuna, still holding her hand as I turned to Sinon.

"S-So you just headshotted Asuna or…?" I asked softly, trying to divert the topic.

Sinon smirked at me for a moment before deciding to answer.

"No" She said with a smile "I shot right beside her, and when she turned her head to see where the shot had come from, I took her out from behind"

"That is so unfair" Asuna mumbled with a pout.

I patted her head soothingly and sighed.

"Well, I haven't had my semifinal round yet" I mumbled silently "I'm going against some player named Deathgun"

"Really?" Sinon asked with surprise "I thought your semifinal had already been settled!"

"No, it hasn't" I mumbled with a pout "Some system crash had delayed my fight"

"Well, good luck to you then" Sinon said with a smile "Us girls are going to go change. Go win the semifinal alright?"

"Got it" I said with a smile as I headed back to my table.

I sighed silently as I watched the girls walk away, smiling silently as they walked through the door of a changing room. I sighed softly as I saw Asuna's hair disappear into the room, waving after her.

"Can't believe she's still with me" I mumbled silently as I sighed again "I don't deserve her, I know I don't. And even so, with all she has been put through, she's still so loyal to me…"

I sighed silently as I saw my reflection in the newly cleaned table. I saw a face of slight sadness, a bit of anger maybe. I had become saddened at the thought of everything Asuna had been put through because of me.

Though I didn't know why Sugou was after me, and even though I still didn't know why he had pulled me into ALO over a year ago, I still felt like all the pain we both and our families and friends had gone through. I mean, why would Sugou put me through all that otherwise?

Ever since I had seen him for the first time, I had a nagging feeling that the reason for him to imprison me, and bring so much torture and pain onto us all, was because he was hit with the feeling of a need for a revenge.

Somehow, and I didn't know why, I had somehow stepped on his toes and gotten in his way. I couldn't understand how a big businessman like Sugou, and a normal gamer from the normal community, could have ever exchanged in a way for me to piss Sugou off. But I knew, that somehow, I had. And now, he was getting revenge for whatever I had done.

I growled silently as I stared at my own face.

"I don't deserve neither Asuna, nor anyone else" I mumbled silently.

My mood was gradually decreasing, spiraling downwards into a deep depression. I was at fault for Asuna's pain. I was the reason that she was now here, working her ass off to get back at Sugou and to protect her family. Her love to me, no matter how much I appreciated it, was not deserved.

Now that I thought of the two of them, it seemed like the problem resolved deeply between the two of them as well. Asuna had told me before that Sugou used to hassle her when they were left alone, but that definitely didn't explain why he was experiencing such a deep hatred towards me.

Asuna had at one point told me that her parents, mostly her mother, at one point had tried to marry her off to Sugou, but that it had utterly failed when it was revealed that it was Sugou that kept me prisoner in ALO. But that still didn't explain why he hated my guts.

I sighed silently again as those thoughts raced through my mind. I was suddenly interrupted when Asuna and Sinon came back to my table, looking at me with worried expressions.

"K-Kirito?" Sinon's usual grin was replaced by a concerned frown "You ok man?"

"Y-Yeah I'm fine girls, thanks" I mumbled silently.

Suddenly, a new airhorn sound pulsed through the area, signaling that my battle was about to start.

"W-Well, see you guys there" I mumbled silently as I began preparing myself.

I clicked my lightsaber into my belt and put my gun away as I was about to head towards the teleport area. When I was about to leave though, I felt I was being hold back by a gentle hold on my hand. When I looked back I realized it was Sinon who had grabbed onto my wrist.

"I don't know what is going on with you two yet, but" She mumbled in a hushed tone "but please, be careful, ok?"

Her sudden soft words, which was the complete opposite of the behavior of the Sinon I had known until know, took me slightly aback. I gasped a bit in surprise and looked at her with a confused expression, but found myself only able to nod as she finally let go of my wrist. I turned and walked up onto the teleport podium, peaking one last glance at the girls before getting teleported away.

As I opened my eyes again, the first thing I noticed was the mushy ground under my feet. I looked around, and saw a wide swamp-like plain, covered to the brim with large vine-filled trees and soft mushlands. I frowned silently as I took in my territory, trying to figure out a strategy.

The old and mushy trees would go for decent cover if Deathgun went offensive, but that would also be the case if I did. If he decided to take a more stealthy approach, it would either take a long time to find him, or impossible to find him all together.

I sighed silently as I sat my body down behind a tree with my back against the groiny trunk. I pulled the fresh magazine out of my gun, and stared at the top bullet.

How many people did I have to kill to get to peace?

I had tried to convince myself that that was what I was doing, but in my first battle in this qualifying tournament, I had still felt the rush. The adrenaline boost. Now, you could possibly pass that away as being simply a part of the human nature, but when I had snuck up on my opponent, put my gun at the back of his skull, I had still felt the need to just kill him, and get it out of the way.

I didn't want to be that person. The person that would kill without mercy, the person that didn't mind other people dying as long as he himself, lived. I had felt that way at the start of SAO, only holding to myself, and not caring if others around me died. Luckily, I had suppressed that way of thinking when I joined the Midnight Black Cats, but the pain of Sugou's torture seemed to have brought it back.

I thought back to Sachi. To the locket she had sent me a couple of months ago, as part of her last will. Ever since then, I had found myself wearing that locket every day, hidden away under my shirt. I didn't want Asuna to know, but I missed her, a lot. And I couldn't bear the thought of never seeing her again.

She had put her faith in me. She had become my responsibility. And I had failed to protect her, and the promise I made to her. I wasn't good enough. Would I be good enough to take down Sugou, and finally relieve my family of their pain?

As my train of thoughts ran on and on, I suddenly heard a loud snap from somewhere behind the tree I was sitting by, like a thick branch being snapped in half. I gasped slightly in surprise and looked behind the trunk of the tree, scouting for any possible opponents.

As I scouted though, I froze up in fear as I suddenly felt something, thin, hard and cold, pressed against the back of my head. Impossible. How did he do that!?

I didn't even dare to look back at him, but I could tell that he enjoyed my suffering. He casted his arm outwards in a dramatic expression and chuckled silently.

"So long, Kazuto Kirigaya"

I widened my eyes a bit. This guy knows who I am? In the real world!? Who the hell was he!?

As I heard my name being called, I looked back to get a glimpse of my attacker. To my big surprise, it was the same player from before, the weird mech-masked creeper who had sat not far away from me in the player lobby. But how the hell had he crept up on me like that!?

I didn´t get an answer, but instead a bullet to the forehead, and my vision went blurry and black. I felt my body fall to the ground lifelessly, and soon I could feel my body make contact with the ground, my hair getting ruffed out and full of dirt as my consciousness left my avatar, and went back to the player lobby. Somewhere in the distance I could hear a horn. The battle was over.

~Deathgun´s POV~

I chuckled silently as I watched Kazuto's body fall to the ground helplessly, my own bullet in-between his eyes. That felt so satisfying. I smirked silently as I put my gun back where it belonged. I sighed silently as I watched the sky for a moment.

"Too bad my assistant is too busy today" I mumbled silently "He would have been able to poison Kazuto today and get it over with"

I smirked a bit and chuckled softly as I thought about my sweet revenge against the bastard who killed my brother.

"Don't worry big brother" I said with a smirk "The legacy of Red XaXa… No, of Deathgun, will surely not die. I'll make sure of that"

I smiled silently and looked up at the moon in the sky as I began feeling I was getting teleported.

"Hope you're ready Kazuto" I mumbled silently "Cause I am coming for you. And I'm going to kill you in cold blood"

I smiled a bit at the thought as I was teleported back to the player lobby, urging to avenge my brother.

~Kazuto's POV~

I groaned regretfully as I suddenly woke up in a seat beside the girls in the player lobby.

"H-Huh!?" I mumbled silently as I looked around in confusion "Oh, right. I was killed by Deathgun, and…"

Sinon looked at me with a sympathetic smile and clapped my shoulder.

"It's ok" She said with a smile "Everyone loses sometimes. And cheer up, you're still in the tournament you know"

"R-Really!?" I asked in surprise. Sinon smirked and replied.

"Yup" She said with a smile "Every year, the BoB tournament is held. Along with it, 12 qualifying rounds is held, where all the semifinalists and beyond gets to qualify to the main tournament"

"Oh, so that's 48 participants in total" I mumbled silently as I watched the screen "You better look out for this guy Sinon. He's really OP"

"Nah, I know I can take him" She said with a smirk "I saw your battle Kazuto. That cloak he was wearing is an invincibility cloak. He snuck up on you with that"

"What!?" I looked at her in disbelief "No wonder I couldn't see him anywhere! I thought maybe he was hiding in the swamplands!"

"Nope" She said with a smile "But there's no need for you to worry now. He's my problem now. And that 50.000 prize is mine!"

"Well, you better kick his ass then" I said as I ruffled her hair "Go. Your battle is starting!"

"Hey, I'm not a kid!" She yelled with a pout as she took off, and fixed her hair in the process.

She stood on the the teleport platform and flashed us a peace sign and a smirk, before disappearing in the ray of light. I sighed silently and looked down at the table with a worried expression. The fact that someone I didn't know knew me, worried me a bit.

"Hey, Kirito?" Asuna suddenly shook me by the shoulder and I looked at her surprised "Are you ok?"

I sighed silently and shook my head.

"That guy, Deathgun, knew who I was" I mumbled silently "He knows my name, my identity. He knows who I am"

"W-What!?" Asuna gasped in surprise and tightened her grip on my shoulder "W-What does that mean?"

"Well, it could be innocent and be one of our friends," I mumbled as I wondered the options "but that is highly unlikely. If it was, he or she would have revealed who they were"

"M-Maybe it's just a prank or something" Asuna mumbled silently.

"No, I don't think so. They all know the importance of this. They wouldn't be so cruel"

"Yeah, you're right" Asuna mumbled with a frown "Then the biggest possibility is that this Deathgun, is working for Sugou, and he has somehow found out that we're here"

"Well, since we've both participated in the tournament, and asked around so much, it's only natural that the news of new players would spread quickly"

"That might be true, but, we don't know if he really does work for Sugou yet. It's only a suspicion at this point, so let's be careful, ok?"

"Right. I just hope he isn't dangerous. It would take our minds off the mission"

"Yeah, I know"

I sighed silently as I looked up at the screen. The battle was already well underway, with both players running towards the center of the map.

"Be careful Sinon" I whispered to myself as I watched the battle rage on.

~Sinon's POV~

I opened my eyes and smiled silently as I watched the wasteland. Perfect. No buildings, no shrubberies, nowhere to run and hide. Since I knew that Deathgun was going to use his invincibility cloak, I was planning to let myself out in the open. When he was in reach, I would use one of my old skills, which I had been storing for such an occasion as this. Just too bad, it was only a one time use.

"Hehe, he isn´t winning this duel" I mumbled with a smirk "Not easily at least"

I smiled a little to myself as I began running down a nearby crumbled down highway, abandoned cars and other vehicles was scattered left and right. This stage was meant to seem like it had fallen under world war three, or something taken directly from a zombie flick, and the creators of the game had done well. It was extremely immersive, and I always loved every second I spent in this game.

This game had come to serve as a sort of trauma rehabilitation for me. Ever since I experienced that bank robbery when I was little, I had been terrified of even approach any kind of gun, whether it be pistol, sniper rifle or any other gun.

But in here, I was free to do what I wanted. I no longer had any fear for guns in here. I could do whatever I wanted!

I ran up along the highway, and as I did, I suddenly felt my opponents presence nearby, and I knew that my skill had activated. I smirked silently as I looked a bit down the highway, and saw a holographic figure of Deathgun calmly walk towards me. I smirked wider and drew my gun, shooting him quickly in the knee and a couple of times in the cloak, so it's invincibility wore off.

He gasped a bit in surprise and pain as he dropped onto one knee, staring up at me in disbelief.

"H-How?"

I smirked silently as I kept walking. Eventually, I was only about 10 feet from him, and I stopped as I watched him.

"Rare detection skill" I stated silently "Not many people have it, and sadly it's only for one use, but it seemed like it came in handy in this case"

I chuckled softly as I watched my opponent insecurely topple back onto his feet. We stood there for a movement, studying each other's way of standing, and each little movement our opponent might make.

'Let´s finish this' I thought to myself.

A gust of wind drew by, and everything became silence as we stared each other down, waiting for the other one to make a move.

This was it.

A/N

Hey guys! Hope you guys liked the latest chapter!

I actually have a bit of news for you guys, so please, listen up.

Since I am finishing tenth grade in ground school in about 6 months, I have started to wonder what I'm going to do with my own future, like which high school do I want to attend to, how do I get there, which classes should I attend, and etc. Because of my preparing, I might lay off my fanfiction for a while.

Now I'm not saying that I won't be uploading, hell no. I enjoy what I do, and I enjoy getting positive reviews from you guys.

But what I'm trying to say here, is that, I might not be able to upload on a regular schedule for a while. I have too much going on right now, and I think what I want to do with my future is more important than this right now, so pardon me if I accidentally upload on a Monday instead of a Sunday or something.

On top of that, I still have that Tumblr page to think about, so that's a big part of it too. All I wanted to say with this ramble, is that I might be busy for quite a while, but I will still try to upload as planned and as regular as humanly possible.

Thank you guys for reading this, and hopefully, I will see you guys in time, next week.

Have an awesome week!