Alfheim 2

Chapter 22: Traversing the Fifty Floors

With that our heroes have began their journey into the final dungeon, fifty floors using four party members. Hirada thought it was impossible, but with Kirito and his own skills he knew that they had a very slim chance of failing this task.

Floors 1-9 were exactly as the Hint had said, "Far too easy to worry about." Except for Floor 9 where there were 5 armored Lizards and a Black Knight. Leafa, Kirito, and Yusuke had dealt with the lizards while Hirada dealt with the Black Knight.

Anyway, in floor 10 they rested and saved their progress. That is where Leafa had really began seeing the hard work Hirada was putting in to save his sister. He hadn't taken a break yet in fighting off creatures yet.

Leafa was starting to feel more attracted to Hirada for his determination, "Hirada, can I ask you something?"

Hirada was sitting down taking a short break, "Sure thing Leafa."

Leafa was blushing all the while, "So we are boyfriend and girlfriend now right? I have to ask because Kirito has not been happy with me hanging out with you like that and not knowing anything about you."

Hirada lowered his head for a moment and said, "Yeah, I guess we are basically considered that now aren't we? We've grown to know each other on our own terms without Kirito knowing, I can see why he has his doubts about me."

Kirito walked over, curious about the conversation, "Hey, I heard my name. What's going on?"

Leafa was tryingto deny talking about him, "No no. It wasn't anything. We were just talking Kirito, just... talking right Hirada?"

Hirada had now stood up and began talking, "No, we were talking about you Kirito. But don't take it the wrong way. I was merely talking about how hanging out with your sister Suguha, we've grown to like each other on our own terms without you knowing."

Leafa then thought to herself for a moment, 'Wow, he doesn't lie much that's for sure. Maybe Kirito won't say anything about it.'

Kirito then scoffed as he looked away for a minute, "Look Hirada, going out with Suguha, doesn't bother me a bit, honestly. It's the fact that you two are trying to hide it from me is all. I'm glad she found someone. I'm also glad he fights for all the right reasons too."

Leafa sighed and grabbed Hirada's arm and said, "Thanks for not doubting him Kirito, don't worry. He's worth going out with actually!"

From out of nowhere Hirada heard the sound of a scream coming from the very top of the dungeon, "Oh no! Yui!"

Kirito stopped Hirada with his hand as he tried to explain to Hirada, "Look, he's trying to provoke you into quickly going through this dungeon without thinking and fail. We don't need that. I'm willing to bet he hasn't done anything toyour sister and won't do anything until we get there. He seems like that kind of person, just like Oberon was to Asuna."

Leafa looked down and depressed as she remembered how Kirito explained the final fight with Oberon, and the moments leading up to it. It didn't sound very good from just the sound of it alone.

Yusuke took a breath and said, "Hirada! Let's not waste any more time and go save your sister! What do ya say?"

Hirada also took a deep breath and said, "Your right, but let's not rush. If Kirito is right, which I don't think he is. We've got all the time in the world to save her."

As planned they traversed floors 11 through 19 with ease as well. In floor twenty, they rested, saved and Kirito became curious with Hirada.

Kirito with his curiosity peaked asked, "Say Hirada, what do you do in the outside world?"

Hirada answered firmly, "Well, I go to high school, my classes are quite scattered at the moment. I am trying to become a graphic designer so I can go make console games. Other than that, I deal with my mom at hone and... Yui as well. We just moved not long ago, actually not far from Suguha's house either which was neat."

Kirito now smiling, "That sounds like your life is planned out pretty good Hirada. So, what do you think of Suguha? Honestly, I gotta say. Going through ALO with her unknowingly and found out she actually fell in love with me was kinda strange but, it all worked out."

Hirada now sadened, "Yeah, I heard about that. I honestly say I can't blame her. Not that I'm THAT way but you know. Hanging out with someone throughout an entire game while not knowing who your with can mess with your head sometimes."

Kirito then stood up and wiped a tear away as he then said aloud, "Yeah, I guess. Anyway lets continue through this dungeon alright?"

Hirada was thinking he had gone too far with that last statement but they all went along.

Traversing floors 21 through 29 weren't all that easy, but they managed without losing a beat. As they rested on the 30th floor nothing much was said because they actually were tired from these floors and couldn't say hardly anything.

They then proceeded through floors 31 to 39, this time they had a little more trouble as Yusuke nearly fainted in floor 39 due to a creature that was never seen in the game yet until now and it was rather difficult to defeat.

Resting in room 40 they all sat down and waited for a minute. Kirito had just a few more things to ask Hirada.

Kirito was looking Hirada in the eyes, "One more thing Hirada."

Hirada looked over to Kirito as he was curious, "Sure thing Kirito."

Kirito noticed that Leafa and Yusuke were talking about much of nothing when he asked Hirada where Leafa couldn't hear them, "So, I want to ask. Are you willing to do anything for your sister? If so then your willing to go through anything to go out with my sister right? I mean protect her with everything you got?"

Hirada's eyes widened as he said, "I'm not lying when I say this, if anything were to ever come between me and someone I loved, no matter who they were. I would stop at nothing to keep them protected, thats a promise!"

Kirito was now certain that Hirada was the one for Suguha, "Glad to hear it Hirada. If anything were to EVER come up, you'd deal with it. I don't want to leave my sister in a position where she could fall for any number of men that didn't have the same plan as you. I'm glad it was you she fell for."

They were interrupted by Leafa, "Hey you two! Are you coming of not!?"

The two warriors laughed as they were along and continued the dungeon some more. They were now in the final stretch, where floor 49 was the save/rest point this time instead and 50 was the final boss.

Heading through floors 41 through 48 was tough. They had to face an optional boss that they had no knowledge of because they didn't know of this optional boss; Terrordactyl the Dinobird.

As they barely made it out of the 48th floor alive they rested, healed and saved for the last time in the dungeon.

They were all taking a seat resting their legs and arms from the restless fighting they had been doing lately.

Leafa was seated next to Hirada when she began speaking, "So, Hirada. When we save your sister, whose to say you'll know where to go to actually get her?"

Hirada remembered the exact words he had heard from one of the optional bosses that were controlled by Kisuke himself, 'Your sister is kept in a hospital room near Central. That is if you ever come to see her, I'll gut you alive right there in the room! Also you can't take the Nervegear off since that will kill her.'

Hirada stated, "Oh I'll know. When we log off the game I want you to come to my house and we'll head for the hospital and go to her room and give her a warm welcome alright?"

Leafa remembered as well, "Oh yeah! That one guys told you about if you ever came to her room he'll kill you right?"

Hirada then stated, "Yeah, but I know which room it is because I asked the front desk which room she was in and was told from her directly, 'Nobody is allowed in there at the moment for uh... medical reasons.' I told her I knew and left."

Kirito then asked, "How do you know he'll let you just walk out of the hospital with her? You need a plan for if he is still in the room when you get there."

Hirada thought it through and said, "I have a good plan! Don't worry, I will walk out of that hospital with my sister alive!"

With those words they all got up and moved on to the last floor, the final boss floor.

They were now on top on the entire tower as they looked around and saw that there was a cage at the end of the roof where Yui was caged up.

Yui now realizing who was there, "Huh!? Who goes there?"

Hirada yelled to Yui, "Yui! It's me, Hiro!"

Yui's eyes were filled with tears as she yelled, "I knew it! Hiro! I knew you'd come and save me! Watch out though, Kisuke is around somewhere and he wasn't pleased with how you got here so fast!"

All four of the heroes were paralysed with fear as a tall, fully armored, knight dropped from the sky slowly.

As the knight landed he said smirking, "Hiro Yamada, Yusuke Takeda, Kazuto Kirigaya, and Suguha Kirigaya! Welcome to the final boss of Alfheim 2! I was a bit surprised with how fast you made it here, but when I saw the fabled Kirito alongside you, I pieced it together and wasn't really shocked anymore."

The knight continued, "I am the final boss, the Red Knight; Kisuke Yamamoto! Yeah I didn't change my name from the outside world. I couldn't think of what to do with this last boss so last minute like this so there you go!"

So, the four heroes made it to the top of the Fifty Floors of Fear finally! It's now or never for Hirada to make sure he saves Yui. In Chapter 23: Final Battle Part 1, you'll read of how the four heroes deal with Kisuke Yamamoto, the final boss! Stay awesome readers! Remember, PM me some ideas on how this story is so far please. :D