The Captive Swordsman

Chapter 4— The Tribulations of Youth

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Original Title: Sword Art Online(ソードアート・オンライン)

Original Concept by: Kawahara Reki

written by: wrathie

Author's Notes: An earlier fix for you guys. Thank you bowpurity for the beta!

And do support 'Shields and Swords' as well!

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It was hard for Asuna to hide her excitement at what had happened during her gathering of her fellow SAO players. The group that had gathered mostly comprised of the front-line clearers a good portion of them coming from the same team that had fought in the 75thBoss battles. But there were many who were either her friends, part of her guild or were associates of Klein, Agil and even Lisbeth.

The group, which numbered around 30 at most, were all willing to help her, similar to how in SAO, people would gather together to challenge the bosses of each level or perhaps akin to the small levelling parties that were formed for all of them to grow stronger.

Asuna was happy to know that it wasn't just her who still felt that their camaraderie as well as friendship and bonds would still exist beyond SAO itself.

Perhaps it wasn't too much to expect that things would develop even further as well. For instance, during their meeting, Asuna had met with Yulier as well as Thinker, two individuals that she and Kirito had helped in SAO itself.

Thinker was the Guild leader of the Aincrad Liberation Force, the largest guild in SAO, whose goals was to maintain order within the players through the dispersal and spread of information to all players equally without any profit.

It was a noble goal that was thwarted as well as threatened due to the size of the Army and the rise of several influential members who tried to abuse their status for their own rights, while alienating and displacing the former leaders in terms of influence as well as with their strength.

However, due to a disastrous raid by the sub-factions, the others imprisoned Thinker in a very high levelled dungeon in an attempt to retain power within the guild.

Yulier, the second-in-command for the Army (Aincrad Liberation Force), had begged Kirito and Asuna to help them rescue Thinker. With their help, the two of them were saved, and subsequently saved from the Death Game by Kirito clearing the game. Even within the game, Asuna had known that Yulier had strong feelings for Thinker, it was especially obvious when Yulier had begged them for their help till they had agreed, not that it was very hard for them not to agree to help.

But she was very heartened and glad to see that the two of them were getting engaged for real in the real world. The two of them had worked things out on their side and had apparently planned to invite Asuna and Kirito to their solemnisation when she had contacted them.

They were very saddened by what had happened to Kirito, but had, like the rest of the SAO players gathered today, pledged their support for her cause. Yulier had even pulled Asuna to the side to cheer her up as well, saying that Thinker might even mobilize some of his former guild mates to help as well.

All of this brought to mind the topic that had been discussed in the meeting as well, one which had highlighted Asuna's own recklessness and lack of planning when calling this meeting.

..

'If Asuna is right, then we are dealing with very dangerous individuals.'

Agil spoke out loud even as he finally placed his wiping cloth down to look at everyone that was gathered in the café. He wasn't the oldest individual in the room, Thinker was probably equal to Agil in age himself, but since he was the tavern owner, as well as how he carried himself, Agil had no problem actually looking and acting the part of a leader to the group gathered here today.

'They are willing to imprison over three hundred individuals by themselves, and since we do not know their motives as well as motivations for why they did that, we can also assume that whatever they were trying to accomplish would reap significant rewards that would be more than adequate to cover the risks of being exposed in their crimes. That, and they could simply be confident enough that they would never get caught at all.'

'That's actually not too surprising. Kayaba Akihiko was able to keep all of us trapped within the game for two years. The 'full dive' technology is still quite new, and there are only a few individuals that could actually help with the case. This shows that the tinkering of Kayaba Akihiko was certainly above the levels of law enforcement to handle. I assume that all of you have been interviewed by the special investigation team regarding the events of Sword Art Online? The investigation force is no doubt still monitoring the situation, and if even they, who had been tasked to try and save all of us, had been fooled, it's hard for us to prove otherwise.'

Thinker remarked as well even as he stood up with a grim smile. Their words caused many in the crowd to mumble to each other, some showing signs of fear, other showing disappointment. Most of them was showing uncertainty, and it made Asuna feel a little conflicted inside as well.

'But that doesn't mean that we can't try.'

Asuna replied slowly at first, before she gave Thinker and Agil a confident smile as well.

'If we give up before even trying, I know that I'll regret it. I have to find him, to find Kirito-kun. And even if it's dangerous, I don't care. I've lived through a life-and-death game in Aincrad... if they think that they'll be able to intimidate me in the shadows, they have another thing coming.'

Asuna swung her hand in front of her aggressively even as Klein's rallied after her as well.

'Only cowards hide in the darkness... Agil might be right, that the people there are dangerous, and they probably know what they are doing, but that gives them no reason to continue doing this to our friends, to our fellow players! If we don't take action, who will? I don't think we can go to the officers anyway, for all we know, they themselves could have been bought over. That always happen in movies.'

Klein recited with a reckless grin even as Agil muttered about this not being a game, which caused Asuna's temper to rise again before she forced it down. Agil didn't mean what he said, no, that wasn't right, she knew what he wanted to say.

'Agil-san is right, this is not a game... and that means, that I can't just let it go on like this. I know it's dangerous, it might be wrong, but I said so earlier... and I will repeat what I said before.'

Asuna closed her eyes momentarily before opening them again, this time pressing one hand against her chest as she clenched the other tightly in determination.

'I will put everything on the line to search and to find him. Regardless of my success, something has to happen. I just need to take the first step for it to happen, I won't hesitate... and I shouldn't ask all of you to follow me, it won't be fair to all of you... because I have a reason to seek, to fight, but... I would still would like all of your strength, if you could spare me some.'

Asuna looked around the room, and wasn't surprised to see Klein grinning while raising his hand in agreement.

'… Asuna-san, weren't you listening to what Agil and I was saying earlier?'

Thinker had an exasperated look on his face while Yulier gave her an approving smile while raising her hand to show her support.

'It's dangerous, and if you're right, something might happen to you. They might try to do something to you, Asuna-san.'

'Let them come.'

Asuna replied without hesitation, and this caused gasps to echo in the room as well. Asuna wasn't sure what her expression looked like at that moment, but she hoped that it was something that she would be proud of.

'If they do, then it'll be proof that there is something wrong and that someone in the depths of RECTO Progress Inc is behind this.'

Asuna flicked her hair backwards before putting a hand on her hips, and then smiling at her friends, more specifically, at one of the members of the Knights of the Blood Oath.

'That's just like what we used to do, didn't we? We'll use scouts to search for the boss room, and after gathering information about them, to devise a plan against it. It's the same when we fight the bosses of each floor as well. I should always trust my teammates, especially if they are in front of me, for I am guarding their back.'

Asuna smiled nostalgically but her eyes widened as well.

'We had many scouting parties get wiped out because we weren't prepared. I... can't say that I'm fully prepared, but like a scouting mission... do we not do it because we are not prepared? Do we only go forward when we know everything? If that's the case, we would still be stuck in Aincrad, we would not have made progress in even clearing the first floor because we didn't know. The... unknown is scary, it's something that we all fear... but if that's all, if that's all... then I can't forgive myself if I just backed down because of I do not know my enemy, it would not be right. It would be forgetting all of them who had died so that we could live.'

Asuna's words made everyone flinch as she clenched her hands tightly again, her voice sad as she reminded everyone that they all here because of the sacrifices, the many lives lost during the whole process. Fourteen died in their last battle, and the death toll from the Front-lines were the ones that were the most missed. They were the nameless ones who had paid the ultimate price for the majority of the people who were able to escape now.

'… I would never say that I am bitter against those that gave up, those that just wanted to live their lives in Aincard, for even I had been tempted by that thought, to stay with Kirito-kun, before I returned to the front-lines. But it's because of that, that I know that we should stand together, and not let those lives be in vain. How many amongst the three hundred were front-liners? How many of them were just normal people? That does notmatter. What matters is that I wish to save them, and, I hope that all of you feel the same as well.'

Asuna's words had rendered the entire room silent again, this time Asuna did not look embarrassed or upset, or even aware that she had probably changed the mood of the entire café yet again.

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'That was quite the speech earlier, Asuna-san.'

The older woman, Yulier gave Asuna a very affectionate smile even as she took a sip of her drink. After Asuna's speech, most of them had gotten even more enthusiastic as well as fired-up then before. There was however, a large difference between the plans they made earlier. The ones who agreed to help would start going through the game by themselves, before updating all the members through a forum that was generously offered by Thinker and Yulier for their purposes.

Since the two of them ran a magazine about MMORPGs, it wouldn't be too difficult to keep track of it, and it wouldn't be too suspicious either.

'W-Was it? … Ahaha, I guess I... am just too desperate.'

Asuna gave a sheepish smile in return while she drank her third glass of water straight, Lisbeth, who was beside her, seemed to shake herself out of her daze. Lisbeth grinned before hugging Asuna again teasingly.

'Well spoken from a newly-wed! Does Yulier-san know? Asuna and Kirito got married in game~ That's why she's so desperate, ahh~ So lovey-dovey~'

Lisbeth blew into Asuna's ears, causing her to squirm in discomfort even as she noticed that the younger girl, Silica, had became noticeably downcast suddenly.

'Silica-chan? What's wrong?'

'A-Ah, no, it's... nothing... Asuna-san...'

Silica squirmed under the scrutiny of the other girls, who looked confused at her reaction till Silica mustered her courage again to speak, this time clenching her fists below her chin as she looked at the three girls. The girls themselves found themselves unable to believe how adorable Silica could look like that, with her doe-shaped eyes, determined expression on her child-like face.

Wait, she was a child! But that aside...

'A-Asuna-san... you are married to Kirito-san... right?'

Y-Yes, I am, I married Kirito-kun about a month before he cleared the game.'

Asuna answered dumbly even as Lisbeth raised an eyebrow in confusion. Besides the two of them, Yulier was covering her mouth, no doubt to hide her growing smile at what was going on here. Even if she wasn't an expert in love, she had only known that she liked her guild leader until he was apparently lost to the world, but she was at least more experienced than the other three girls.

'Then, the two of you... aren't engaged like Thinker-san and Yulier-san?'

This question seemed to make Lisbeth realize what was going on as well, for she turned red while Asuna shook her head in confusion. Perhaps Kirito's denseness had just spread to Asuna instead. Just like how inventory was shared, maybe that's how Asuna had gotten that determination from as well. But would it spread to her as well? Lisbeth was suddenly a little worried about that.

'T-Then, Asuna-san.'

Silica nodded to herself again before she raised both her hands together to declare that she liked Kirito as well.

'E-Eh!'

Silica's words made Asuna stunned for a moment, before she turned to see Lisbeth looking away as well, trying not to meet her eyes as she tried to tell herself that she should not raised her own feelings as well.

But if she didn't, she might regret that, and so Lisbeth, after some hesitation, cleared her throat and said that she was too as well.

'L-Lis!'

Asuna was caught completely off-guard, while Silica just stared at the older girl in a mixture of surprise, betrayal, exasperation as well as understanding.

But all of them was not ready for Yulier giggling while admitting her little crush on Kirito as well.

'W-What?!'

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'But I have a daughter with Kirito-kun, so I win.'

Asuna admitted suddenly after the dust had settled. Yulier had admitted that she was just pulling their legs, but in the same vein, had taken delight in teasing the girls about it as well. Not to mention, she had started to gloat a little at how she was engaged to Thinker. It was of course, all in the name of good fun and the tension that might have happened due to Silica and Lisbeth's confession was swept below the carpet, till Asuna dropped this bombshell on all of them.

Their daughter, Yui, was not one of the players of Sword Art Online, she was an AI, and she was probably with Kirito-kun right now. Asuna just prayed that Yui was safe with Kirito and was with him as well. Their daughter never failed to cheer the two of them up with what she did, and she was sure that if Yui was with Kirito, he would be safe.

'A-A daughter!'

Silica gave a small cry before fainting from the shock, with Yulier barely managing to catch her. Asuna herself felt the full extent of Lisbeth's strength as she pulled Asuna to within inches of her face as she demanded answers from her.

'Daughter?! As in real daughter? A DAUGHTER? H-How, what?! When!'

Lisbeth was like a fish out of water, her mouth opening and closing in shock while Asuna flushed at the memory of the things the two of them did together. But that happy feeling was replaced by sadness as she remembered what had happened to Yui as well.

'Can we visit her? How old is she? Where is she now?'

Lisbeth was getting more and more excited at the moment, even as Yulier congratulated Asuna with a blush on her face as well. Even if most of the members who had gathered today had already left, they were still the nosiest group, and thus was monopolizing a lot of attention even as Asuna looked down again.

'Asuna?'

'… I'm sorry but you can't visit Yui...'

Asuna bravely held back her tears as she looked up to smile at her friends again, all she had to do was to believe in Kirito-kun, and his promise that they will meet again.

When they do, it won't be just him, it would be with Yui as well. That thought itself was another reason why she can't give up so easily. She wasn't just fighting for one of them, she was fighting for two of them.

'It's... complicated... and... I don't wish to talk about it without Kirito-kun.'

Asuna blushed as well as smiled sadly, causing the questions from her friends to die in their throats as they watched Asuna sigh deeply even as she reached for her drink.

'But I know that we will meet again, and when we do, I'll introduce Yui to all of you.'

Asuna gave her friends, and perhaps competitors a firm and confident smile, reassuring her that she was fine, and had just gotten an even better reason to keep on fighting.

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'Let's keep in touch, Silica-chan.'

Asuna gave Lisbeth as well as Silica a nod as they went their separate ways. Like mentioned earlier, the two girls had appointments while Asuna was going to visit Kirito-kun at the hospital.

The meeting had ended with all of them agreeing on playing Alfheim Online, either in groups or by forming guilds to look for more clues in the game itself. Another group was also tasked to look into the 'secret' dungeon that gave them their first and only clue. They would meet in three days time for a progress update, and despite the tight schedule, they didn't mind.

Especially when Asuna reminded them that there was probably going to be something going on in a week's time. Even if there were doubts that that was the whole story, Asuna had already convinced them to help, and none of them raised any objections or queries regarding the matter.

Besides, she was the CEO's daughter after all, there could be things that was better left unsaid.

'Yes, please, Asuna-san. Let's play together too.'

Silica had cheered up after what had happened, and even though Asuna wasn't sure why Silica had seemed happier, she guessed that like Lisbeth, getting the confession off her chest must be a relief to her as well.

The three of them had became firm friends after that, and although they could technically be called love rivals, Asuna had also been declared the winner as Lisbeth had continued to tease her about her relationship with Kirito-kun. Silica had been more curious about their meeting, and had subsequently shared how she met with Kirito-kun as well.

All in all, Asuna was in a good mood as she headed to the hospital and to Kirito-kun.

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'Are you visiting again, Asuna-chan?'

Asuna nodded to the nurse on duty as she passed by the duty station. Ever since she had been discharged from hospital, and had recovered enough to walk, Asuna had always visited Kirito-kun once every day. Some times she did so in the afternoon, but more often than not, she would do so at night, where she would be filling Kirito-kun in with what had happened to her during the day.

It might seem like a silly thing to do, but Asuna wanted to believe that Kirito-kun would like to know what she was doing while he was resting, always waiting for him.

'Yes I am~'

'Oh you look happier today, Asuna-chan. Did something good happen?'

The nurse on duty smiled even as Asuna shook her head, saying that it was just per normal. It was just small talk, but it was something that Asuna was happy for, for it allowed her to have a semblance of normality even as she visited him.

'You aren't the only visitor though, I saw another person going to visit Kirgaya-kun. He should still be in now.'

'Ah... is it, my father who's visiting?'

Asuna felt the smile disappear on her face when the nurse shook her head, saying that it was someone she had never seen before.

'Was... he wearing glasses?'

Asuna felt her entire body tense up, not in fear, but in anger, and she tried desperately to keep herself calm by biting her lip.

'Why yes, he was... He looked like a fine young man too. … Are you okay, Asuna-chan?'

The nurse giggled, but then looked confused as Asuna clutched her stomach as she felt sick. So even the nurse was fooled by that man's mask, Asuna couldn't wait to rip that mask off. But what to do about this situation?

'I-I'll be visiting him right now then.'

Asuna wasn't sure what her voice sounded like when she quickly walked to Kirito-kun's ward.

..

'Absolutely not. I refuse, there's no way you can make me agree to this.'

Asuna replied calmly and coldly when Noboyuki Sugou finished his 'marriage proposal' to Asuna. Apparently what was going on next week would be her father handing over the role of CEO to Sugou. That thought was enough to turn her stomach, but when he suggested to her that they should formally announce and finalize their engagement to each other, Asuna coldly shook her head to refuse.

'I am sure that Kyouko-san had spoken to you about this before, Asuna-san. I truly am sincere when I asked for your hand, I swear that I would make you happy, and keep on doing that till the end of time. Believe in me, Asuna-san, I will make you happy.'

If that was a pick up line, Asuna was not impressed at all as she scoffed while dismissing him by waving her hands.

'Sugou, you can stop with the act. We both know that you don't mean that, and there's no use in trying to keep that facade up in front of me, or Kirito-kun.'

Asuna noticed the small twitch in the corner of his mouth when she mentioned Kirito-kun, but the wolf in sheep's skin simply looked hurt as he pressed a hand against his chest, trying to implore his sincerity to Asuna.

'Ah your words wound me, Asuna-san, please do believe me... and, quite honestly, I believe you have no idea what situation you are in right now.'

As Sugou's voice turn cold, Asuna gave her own dramatic sigh before crossing her arms and staring at him.

'I'm glad that we can really 'talk', Sugou. What is it that you are after?'

'Why, I do believe I have been saying that for a long time now. I wish your hand in marriage, and you, of course.'

'And I already refused, I would never give myself to you. I meant, what do you mean the position I'm in?'

'Of course, you are aware of the company, Argus, who made Sword Art Online?'

'I do... what of it?'

Asuna tried to keep her features schooled as she felt her heart thump, was he going to really admit that to her? If so...

'But do you know what happened to Argus when the Sword Art Online Incident happened?'

Asuna did her best to look confused as she furrowed her eyebrows, causing Sugou to smile even brighter when he continued.

'They were declared bankrupt due to the costs and damages they had to pay. And subsequently, RECTO Progress Inc purchased the entire company, along with it's debts.'

'I... Don't... you don't mean.'

Asuna's pained look was enough for Sugou, who made sure to gloat to Asuna, who was extremely excited herself as Sugou spilled the beans in front of her.

'That's right, I am in control of the maintenance, and monitoring of the servers of Sword Art Online. Your little boyfriend here, or should I say, the hero, here... well.. how do I put it gently, Asuna-san? It would be sad and a tragedy if a machine or a server ... would suddenly ceased to function despite our best efforts, wouldn't it?'

Sugou delivered his lines coolly, almost as if he loved to drag the line out to torture Asuna with. Who was she kidding, he was obviously loving this, by flaunting this fact in front of her.

'Of course, who knows what will happen to him, I'm sure that you know what I mean now, Asuna-san?'

If Sugou was expecting Asuna to be too shocked to say a word, he was terribly taken aback when Asuna simply shook her head and commented clinically that Sugou was blackmailing her, almost as if she was commenting the weather.

Slowly, she walked past Sugou, and instead took her usual seat beside Kirito-kun, reaching out to hold his hand before looking back at him again, inviting him to go on.

'Oh, I'm not doing that at all, Asuna-san. I'm merely making a suggestion for you to reconsider what you had said earlier. It would be good for the both of us if you weigh your the options you have more carefully. Of course, I am sure that you would not wish to hold the solemnisation process here. But perhaps our little hero here would be glad to see us getting married. He might even be wishing you well right now.'

Sugou was definitely gloating right now, but the triumphant smile was wiped off his face when Asuna sighed and said that she honestly didn't care what Sugou thought. And that he definitely was not getting his way.

'I'll die before it happens.'

Asuna answered matter-of-factedly, causing Sugou to look terribly out of depths before he tried again, clearing his throat as he reminded Asuna that he had Kirito-kun's life in his hands, and for her to stop joking around.

So much for not blackmailing, but that aside...

'And I'm sure that he would agree with me. He would rather die than to know that I was forced to marry someone else because of him. If he knew, he would rather die than let it happen. And when that happens, I will die along with him.'

Author's Notes: R&R would be nice! Glad to see all of you supporting me as well!