Chapter 24: Kirito and Equalizer.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online

3rd Person P.O.V/ Kirito's situation…

It has been a day ever since the disappearance of Koyero. He was a slightly close friend of Kirito so he became quite distant on that day but he managed to cheer up a bit and become back to normal the next day. He knew Koyero wouldn't want him to feel depressed just because of his fate that was sealed by his own brother.

Asuna was still planning out what to do about the Floor which wasn't explored much even by the scouts so the plan to go to the hundredth floor would have to wait until she thinks of one and decides to use it and this is why Kirito has lots of free time on his hands since usually he shouldn't distract her in her thinking stage. He was invited by Zero to go with him to the cell where Tadaiku was imprisoned in to help him question him on why he did that. Kirito was already headed towards it so it wasn't so long before he got there. He saw Zero and approached him so they could go in his cell already.

The cell which Kirito and Zero went to was a fairly wide and large room with window bars and a small haystack for the bed. There were even some NPCs in some of the other cells, probably the ones who were infected by the glitch. They both went to the deepest part of this jail and there they saw Tadaiku lying down on a haystack, with no weapons or crystals with him so that he wouldn't be able to escape if he even tried. The two players went in his cell and sat on the two wooden chairs and so Tadaiku sat on one as well.

"How could you have done that to your own brother?! Just spit it out already so there won't be any more complications…" Zero was now pissed as he slammed his hands on the table which made Kirito flinch a bit while Tadaiku just gave an emotionless face which just angered him even more. "… just tell us why and we'll let you go sooner so why can't you just answer?!" Kirito placed a hand on the shoulder of Zero to calm him down and so Zero backed away and made Kirito do it for now.

"Tadaiku, what caused you to perform such an action? All we want is to know so that we can resolve the issue and everyone will—" Kirito's words were cut by Tadaiku who stopped his sentence by showing his palm which signalled for him to stop speaking.

"I made him go to a world where no one would torture or manipulate him anymore… I made him go somewhere that no can hurt him further… and one more thing…" Tadaiku sounded quite creepy as his eyes seemed soulless but there was actually still a pupil so it was not. "I didn't kill him you know… all I did was exile him to a better place…"

The words that Tadaiku stated caused silence in his cell as Kirito and Zero looked at each with no idea at what he just said. Tadaiku's face looked serious as he stated those words. 'Exile? Didn't he kill him in that one blow or was that blow's ability to teleport the victim away? If he did teleport him away then why couldn't he just use a crystal to go back? Unless the world he talks about negates every negative thing and the ability to escape…' These were the thoughts of the Black Swordsman.

"What is this world you keep saying about then?" Zero raised an eyebrow as Tadaiku gave a content nod which meant that he had an answer. "Good… now say it please."

"The World of Exile… it can only be reached by the user or someone with the power to distort but there is no skill like that so only I am the option… I can only let him go out until I find that this world is not going to hurt him much longer… so I killed and exiled him…" Tadaiku muttered as Zero was as confused as ever. "His death shall be his life… and his life shall be his death…" Tadaiku had soulless eyes as he said that and then it turned back to calming blue eyes after saying that.

"…I think I know how to help him…" Kirito muttered.

"Ehh?! How?!" Zero looked at him.

"Do what you wish … As long as he is happy… it's alright…" Tadaiku went on the haystack and then Kirito left, leaving a confused Zero.

The idea of Kirito was that if he couldn't get Tadaiku to resurrect Koyero then his only thought left was to forge a player-made weapon from Lisbeth since his Dark Repulsor was beginning to get all dented up and the stats already dropped after all the battles. He used the teleportation area and that is when he went to the floor where Lisbeth's workshop was. She was like his (self-proclaimed) private blacksmith since that was what Lisbeth wished and so he was headed there since he had an idea about a weapon to do what Tadaiku says is impossible (Yes, Lisbeth is that amazing in Smithing).

"I'm coming in…" Kirito announced after knocking on the door and eventually going in and that is where he saw Lisbeth doing some sort of joint project with Deira which made the Swordsman curious. "Yo… what are you two planning to attempt with all those expensive, rare ingredients?" He noticed the tall stack of rare items.

"Please be quiet for a while, Kirito-san… This is the very delicate stage of player making and plus the chances even with the both of us is just 32%..." Deira had her blacksmithing hammer on her right and Lisbeth was in the same case.

"Anyway good timing! Kirito, would you mind testing this weapon that our Twin Smithing will accomplish if it succeeds? I'd really appreciate it if you do." Lisbeth gave Kirito a smile as they hammered down. "…"

"Did you two just… Twin Smith? You're the very first two that even attempted such an operation… and succeeded…" Kirito was in awe when he saw what their collaboration made… one of the hardest to smith weapons have been created with their Twin Smithing and that weapon's name was Equalizer. "Liz, is that—" Deira cut in.

"Hai, it is Equalizer, the weapon that enables the user to summon an extra blade from this one blade… it's like Blademake but more consistent and reliable for it doesn't affect the stamina or HP…" Deira explained as she panted in exhaustion. "We attempted 9 times now and we finally succeeded… this Equalizer shall give you strength, Kirito-san…" Deira was just about to bestow the sword to Kirito.

"Ehh?! Why are you both giving it to me for? It's the work of two people so you two deserve it way more than I do…" Kirito refused to take the newly made weapon by them which made them both confused. "How could I take it from the both of you when you both worked so hard for it? I think the both of you should wield it instead of me."

"Kirito, one of the reasons why me and Deira made it was so that we could be recognized as the best blacksmiths in Sword Art Online which is a selfish reason while the second one is so that we could at least help you and the other people in the Knights of Blood so please take it as a gift then. You wouldn't reject a gift right?" Lisbeth attempted to give it again instead of Deira and that is when Kirito finally accepted after he placed both of his dual blades in his inventory. "Arigato Kirito."

Kirito wielded Equalizer but he felt no difference until he pulled out a blade from it which made him surprised at the result. When he checked the stats of Equalizer, it was equal to his Elucidator and Dark Repulsor all by itself. He then scrolled down more in the stats and saw some weapon ability and so he looked up on it to check what it does… It was the evolution of his dual wielding… it was multi wielding… His eyes widened as he felt a surge of strength on his arm and the next thing he saw was the word 'juggle' which made him questioned.

"So… you have awakened, eh?" Husharu went in the workshop out of nowhere which surprised the three of them. "You have now learned Multi Wielding and now I shall teach you the Juggle then…" He muttered which made Deira grab the hilt of her new blade and made Kirito wield Equalizer for some precautions.

"What do you want from me and how did you get here so fast?" Kirito questioned Husharu making Husharu sigh.

"All I want is to warn you… Scarlet Temptation plans to steal the Equalizer from what I heard… they heard that you two were attempting to make it so they're most likely around…" Husharu warned them as they looked around and checked the floor map and he was right. They were around the place. "My recommendation is to make haste and go away from this location or else you will be isolated almost immediately by their dirty tactics… Kirito… the only way to head to the higher levels now is to master your new skill for Kayaba has an ace of his own against you…" Husharu teleported away instantly.

'An ace in his sleeve?' Kirito thought to himself as sounds began developing outside which made the three of them attempt to investigate.

Kirito stopped Deira and Lisbeth and so they obliged since they knew the strength he had but that didn't stop them from doubting their choice since a big red symbol appeared on the map but they had no idea what it was… this was the very first time that happened and the very first time Kirito will use Equalizer… how coincidental…

"I must be off then… I'll be the one investigating this matter so don't worry about my welfare… Let's see… to make you both not worry, wait for about 10 minutes and if I don't come back you both may start following." Kirito told them and then he left the workshop with his Equalizer sheathed… He doesn't know the abilities of this blade but he trusts that the weapon-making of Deira and Lisbeth has improved the stats of this new blade and so he thought of using it.

The red symbol of the map was getting closer as Kirito; it's only a matter of time before Kirito reaches whatever's there in the symbol. He suddenly felt hesitant when he was just a few steps in going in the exact area but he knew he had to know… He stepped on some sort of glowing area and before he knew it, all he could see was some static then his vision was now completely white… He looked around and finally some objects appeared. He then checked the menu so that he can know where he was… It was the Floor of Exile… where Tadaiku says where Koyero is…

Kirito was in confusion, why does the so called Floor of Exile like this? He thought it would be hollow like in the area of Deira's workshop but the scenery was actually quite nice. It had lots of trees, some of those animals that are usually hunted running around, and a vast lake. Although there is one thing that makes the name believable… it was the giant gap that separates the two forests, to be exact, a cliff.

'Eh? What am I supposed to do here now? Koyero's nowhere in sight although there is the way to go back…' Kirito was currently deciding on his next course of action. 'Wait… why am I even asking myself this kind of question?! Isn't my next move clear? Koyero is a friend of mine and so I will rescue him from what his brother put him through… This may sound naïve but I will do it. I might as well message the others before I do so though…' Kirito messaged Asuna about what he was planning and so he was ready. He will rescue a friend whichever way he takes… Abandoning and forgetting is not an option for the Black Swordsman.

At first the search seemed hopeless until he saw some footprints. This was the only lead he has and so he followed. All he knew is that Koyero was the only player aside from himself there but although he's right, the tracks led to an NPC which made him questioned. What was an NPC doing in a place like this? Could it be that there was more to the name than there already was? Kirito approached the NPC and it seems like there was a quest and so it prompted him to check it out. The name of this quest was prison escape which made Kirito think he had to help out in getting out of jail but he took it anyway to see what events will occur.

"I see you want to take part in this mission of ours… We're planning to save someone who helped us in the past. He saved us yesterday and so he was imprisoned. We want to rescue him in return so please help us… even if it's quite hard, we promise that you will be paid generously." The NPC informed Kirito which gave Kirito a bigger lead. Could that imprisoned person be Koyero or is it just another NPC? The only way to find out is to go with it for now so that he'll be sure and plus save someone.

"I see… but who is this person that is imprisoned?" Kirito began a conversation which made the NPC nod.

"We didn't really catch his name but I heard that he's a master of using the two-handed weapons… He suddenly appeared yesterday when he appeared out of nowhere… We were about to be executed for crimes we haven't commit but that person even if we had no idea who he was, liberated us from the clutches of those good for nothing monarchy which just abuses us all but in exchange, he got captured…" The NPC explained every last detail to the swordsman. These words started to convince Kirito that it just might be Koyero but if it wasn't, who could it be? He will find out.

Kirito was now headed to the somewhat castle that could be seen from afar. His new weapon, Equalizer was in the sheathe which was hanging on his belt. He fought some of the monsters in his way but he really didn't get how to use Equalizer. So far, all he did was make it as a normal one-handed weapon since he still wasn't a single smint of experienced with this new blade he just got. He had trouble swinging it as well. Why is this blade so heavy even if it looks so light? Kirito was about to check the stats again and it showed Multi-wielding again but how can such a blade have this kind of ability anyway? A shadow appeared in front of him before he could get any further.

"Multi-wielding, eh? Shall the shadows teach you? I, the follower of Husharu-san shall show you… I am Sharower… which is my player name… the shadows shall give you the knowledge for these arts for they lurk everywhere where the light doesn't matter going to… Let me teach you… true power… even if it's a game or real life… power is what you need…" The mysterious figure introduced himself to the Black Swordsman which triggered some sort of teleportation prompting Kirito to teleport away as Sharower did the same.

End of Chapter 24

Next Chapter: The Stalker and Shadows.