Chapter Ten

Working with the Devil

As my katana made contact with its center, the boss started shimmering.

Then it exploded.

Millions of polygons showered down upon the whole room, signaling our absolute victory.

As I dropped down, I heard cheering. I looked up.

Everyone was cheering. Cheering for me.

I walked over to where the [[Last Attack Bonus]] lay, waiting for me to accept.

Katana: [[Crimson Combustor]].

So that's why he wanted me to have it.

My sister ran over to me, holding my arm up in the air. "To my sister, the one who defeated the boss!"

Cheers were heard everywhere throughout the room.

"How many did we lose?" Cirdan asked, already calculating.

Kirito went into his menu and checked. "Everyone's still here, though some are just barely hanging on."

"WE DID IT!"

(Kirito)

As I watched in the background, silently cheering for Rita, Cirdan came up to me.

"So you can think on your feet. You've really improved strategy-wise since the beta."

"Thanks, Cirdan. But I didn't make the killing blow. Rita did that," I told him, smiling faintly.

"Don't think I didn't see what you did there. You let her get that bonus," he shot back with a grin.

Sometimes I can't tell if he's a serious guy or a jokester. He's changed since the beta. Guess we all did.

I put my hands up, "Fine, you got me. I didn't need the weapon, and katanas are her specialty. 'Sides, she tried so hard. I think anyone willing to risk their life to get stronger is either really brave or really stupid. We both know which one Rita is."

"Stupid?" Cirdan joked.

So, is he a serious guy or not?

"Brave. Now, what's up with you?" I asked. "You've loosened up more than I've ever seen you before, Cirdan."

"Guess I'm just hyped up on victory! Aren't you?"

"In my own way," I lied.

Something's definitely off about Cirdan. He seems… nervous.

"Anyway, let's get moving, guys!" Aria said, coming up from behind and slinging her arms around both of our shoulders.

"Not. One. Word." Rita poured her sadism into my ear, soft as a whisper.

Even though I can beat her, she's still so freaking scary.

"I agree," Cirdan said, sounding less nervous this time.

"Oy vey…"

"What was that, Kiri-kun?" Kamiko asked from behind us.

"Hah… Nothing," I replied, head hanging.

Oh, right!

I shook off my friends and started to walk to the center of the crowd, where Rita was being interrogated about her power.

Wait a second… that's right! She was able to block Phibbius' attacks with just her katana, and took almost no damage from it! There's something off.

(Rita)

I saw a figure entering the crowd to my right, the clearing party separating to make way for him.

As the figure grew nearer, I could discern his features from the rest of the players in the room.

"Kirito?"

He walked up to me, grabbing my shoulder and saying, "Why don't we give our champion the honor of leading us one step closer to ending this death game? What do you say?"

Kirito… wait, champion? Does that mean…? No use pondering, I guess. I'll just ask him later.

Cheers erupted throughout the boss room, even louder than before.

I smiled, feeling truly overjoyed.

"Thank you, Kirito," I whispered.

I walked up to the floor door, Kirito right behind me, followed by Kamiko, Cirdan, Aria, Klein, Agil, and Argo, who had just arrived.

When I put my hand on the door, it opened, revealing a dark swamp that smelled of methane and sulfur.

"What an awful smell," Argo said, her nasal inflection even stronger than usual.

"And just who the hell are you?" Kibaou said, finally taking notice of the not-so-noticeable information broker.

"Argo, the famous information broker, at your service!"

Gasps echoed throughout the swamp, attracting the attention of a group of nearby giant crocodilian mobs named [[Alligus Maximus]].

"RUN!"

(Several hours later, Asuna)

Kirito-kun, where are you?

As I entered the boss room, I found it completely empty, the door to the next floor open and waiting.

"I guess they already cleared this floor," I said, astounded.

"Right! I have to find Kirito-kun!" I ran up to the door, going through to the next world of [[Aincrad]].

(Kirito)

As we started nearing the first encampment of the third floor, I decided it was time to part ways.

"All right, everyone, this is my stop. The first village is just a little further north, so you should be fine. I'm gonna go grind so I'll be ready to help Rita lead the next boss fight. Anyone have questions?"

I expected them to get mad at me, to want Rita to lead the next boss fight alone.

I didn't expect what I heard next.

"All right, but can you at least help map out the dungeon for us while you're out grinding?" Kibaou asked, giving an uncharacteristic smile.

Heads turned in his direction.

What? "You got it, Kibaou."

It took time, effort, time, dual wielding, time, and lots of polygons, but I finally leveled dual wield to five hundred.

Did I mention it took TIME?

As I neared the dungeon, the mobs appeared less and less frequently.

What the heck? Why are there even less mobs?! It doesn't make sense!

"It seems we meet again, Kirito-kun," a deep voice said.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" I shouted. That voice… sounded like…

Kayaba Akihiko!

I quickly put my second sword away as to not get wiped out by his admin capabilities.

I heard footsteps coming from behind me. Turning around, I came face-to-face with a man in red tinted leather armor who wielded an enormous shield and a one-handed longsword.

Heathcliff.

"Sorry. You sounded like someone else for a second," I said nonchalantly, my heart pounding relentlessly.

Looking around, Heathcliff inquired, "That is of no importance. Did you also notice it?"

"Notice what?"

Looking me in the eyes, Heathcliff said, "The unusual lack of monsters in this area. Thirty meters ahead lies the boss dungeon, yet this area is empty.

"Furthermore, there should not be a field boss here at this time, for they are supposed to spawn at night."

This isn't right. He knows exactly where the boss dungeon is, and knows when the field bosses spawn on this floor? But I never once heard someone with his voice in the beta, and they didn't change the voices then. Someone of his strength would've been very well known in the beta, so something's definitely very wrong with this picture.

"Kirito-kun?" Heathcliff said, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"What is it?"

"As I was saying, I propose we work together to find whatever is causing this lack of monsters and destroy it. Who knows, it could have a rare item," Heathcliff finished, giving me his trademark impassive stare.

"Not interested."

"What if… your friends were caught by whatever made this happen?"

"I left them right before we got to the first town," I said flatly.

"What about your friend who wasn't at the boss fight? Asuna, was it?" Heathcliff queried, a smirk forming on his lips.

I clenched my fists. "Fine. Let's go."

We spent hours searching, finding absolutely nothing. I was about to give up when I realized something.

"We haven't formed a party this entire time. I know you didn't forget. You're hiding something, aren't you?"

Just as Heathcliff opened his mouth to speak, we heard a loud noise that sounded like the cry of a field boss known as [[LinLong the Swamp Dragon]].

"Not that thing! We have to get there fast, Heathcliff!"

"You seem to know what you're doing, Kirito-kun. Let's go!" Heathcliff exclaimed, finally showing emotion.

We ran. Ran as fast as we could.

Faster! FASTER! I HAVE TO MOVE FASTER!

As soon as I got there, I noticed a multitude of players being massacred by LinLong all at once.

[[LinLong the Swamp Dragon]] was a snake-like beast; thirteen meters long and tri-headed, all of which could breathe a poisonous gas.

"NO!"

I immediately jumped into action.

There were only three players left, two of them in the red judging by the way they staggered.

"REEAAAGH!"

Executing a 12 hit combo, the [[Critical Strike: The Twelfth]], I set to work in attacking the beast's underbelly. This skill starts out as a critical hit, but gradually loses power with each strike.

Left, right, diagonal up, down-

It flipped around and slapped me backwards with its tail.

I ran back towards the beast, my sword skill still in play.

Up, down, diagonal up, left, diagonal up, flip-slash, up, pierce-

I dragged the sword through the underbelly of the dragon, not stopping until I reached the front to deliver the skill's final strike.

UPPERCUT!

"Heathcliff! NOW!"

Heathcliff activated a skill, [[Dragging Edge]], which drags you towards the nearest mob until you stab its vital spot. Until you find it, you hit endlessly without rest.

"Switch, Kirito-kun!" Heathcliff said, holding out his shield.

"[[Vertical 720]]!"

I ran forward and jumped, hitting Heathcliff's shield with the first two hits, propelling me into the air and double slashing LinLong with the rest.

"Double-team it!" I shouted to Heathcliff.

"Roger!"

And we did. We slashed and hacked away until it went into Rage Mode, beginning to turn into its second form.

Its tail started to coil around its neck just before the three heads parted, morphing into a bestial body while its three heads grew larger.

Muscular arms and legs grew from the still-forming body, with pointed scales that jutted out of its body to look like the feathers of a giant bird.

Suddenly, razor-sharp claws started to protrude from the arms and legs.

I watched in awe as it completed its transformation. Once it finished, it was roughly seven meters tall, with three horned heads, four arms with extremely sharp claws, four legs with similar claws, and a metal-spiked tail.

Crap.

"You got a plan?" I asked Heathcliff with a worried look.

"Do you?" Heathcliff shot back.

"You're no help."

I charged recklessly, dust swirling around rapidly in my wake.

I have to do this!

"Kirito-kun! Use [[Purging Slash]], now!" Heathcliff shouted.

How did he know I had it?

"Got it!" I quickly yelled in reply.

Activating the aforementioned skill, I felt my sword tug me toward the beast's right arm, and I willingly complied. Once I got there, the five hit combo started.

Up, down, right, DRAAAAG!

The last hit dragged my sword up through the beast's arm, stopping at its shoulder to commence the last hit of the combo: a strike that would cut off its arm.

And it did.

"Heathcliff! [[Shield Bash]] it! I have an idea!"

"Roger!"

As I backed off, Heathcliff closed in, performing a perfect [[Shield Bash]]. When I started to charge back in, Heathcliff took the hint.

I jumped off of his shield, starting a [[Diagonal 720]].

Double diagonal spin-

As the last spin propelled me back, I shouted, "Heathcliff! Claw incoming!"

When Heathcliff dodged the claw, I came back and started a skill called [[Ferocious Array]].

Up, down, left, diagonal up, down, thrust, right-

I added three more hits with its effect.

Diagonal down, up, down-

Three more.

Up, down, UPPERCUT!

Heathcliff jumped in front of me just in time to block an attack that I hadn't seen coming.

"Go from behind and use [[Inch Slash]]!"

"All right!"

I ran behind the beast while Heathcliff held it off, starting to activate [[Inch Slash]].

After I phased through the beast, I found myself about to collide with Heathcliff's shield. He gave me a look that said, "Make use of it."

I get it now!

I turned around in midair, jumping off Heathcliff's shield.

Spinning in the air, I activated yet another skill, the [[Precise Strike]].

"KUUREEAGGH!"

JAB!

I jabbed straight at its middle head, my sword making contact with its head at the same time as its claw made contact with me, putting me in the red.

The hideous beast shattered into thousands of polygons, overriding my immense pain and replacing it with relief.

"It's finished. You're amazing, Heathcliff," I said with a smile.

"Same to you, Kirito-kun. Now, I must be going. Farewell."

As he walked off, images flowed into my mind.

I was in an arena, sitting on the ground. I saw Heathcliff with much fancier armor, giving me the same icy glare he did in [[Phibbius' Cave]], then walking away in the same fashion as he just did moments ago.

"Heathcliff… you're hiding something, and I'm gonna be the one to uncover it."

Getting back up and accepting the LA bonus, I noticed that the players were all still there, shocked into silence.

I walked over to them and said, "It's gone now. I'll take you guys to the nearest village. Will that be okay?"

"Thanks," one of them said, his fatigue evident.

"All right, let's go."

It was dark by the time we got to the village, and after I directed them to the nearest inn, I decided to go grind.

Just before I left, someone ran into me, enveloping me in a hug.

"Kirito-kun! You're okay! Thank god!" Asuna exclaimed, squeezing me even harder, if that was possible.

"Whoa, what are you talking about? Nothing bad happened to me since we parted ways." Well, minus LinLong nearly killing me in a single blow.

"But Cirdan said something really bad happened to you, and for me to come quickly!"

"What? Well, I don't know why he would say that, but I didn't need rescuing," I said with a grimace.

Cirdan, next time I see you, I'm not gonna hold back.

"Well, anyway, I was just leaving, so see you."

"Oh, no you don't! Not yet, Kirito-kun. Tell me what happened at the boss fight."

"Oh… uh… I uh…" I started.

No way to hide things from her, I guess.

"Okay. I went in before everyone else got there so I could discern how the boss's attack patterns changed since the beta, and the boss went into Rage Mode immediately after I got within twenty meters of it."

"What was its Rage Mode?"

"I was getting to that. The ground collapsed out from under me, making me fall into the water. Then the entire floor of the boss room collapsed. I could still breathe, just like in the beta, but my movements were slowed.

"I swam to the only corner where its limbs weren't able to reach, waiting for the others to get there. Once everyone did get there, I PMed Cirdan with more details on how to defeat it, and he came up with an amazing plan. However, after every part of the first stage was complete except for mine, he sent Kamiko to help me.

"She deflected the boss's blows with her claws while I flipped the last switch, which caused the water to drain and allow Rita to go attack the top half of the boss.

"After a while, I noticed Rita was injured, so I rushed over to help with a second to spare. When her weapon broke, I lent her a spare weapon of mine, a rare katana drop. She made good use of it, quickly destroying the top half of the boss.

"Then, the lower half of the boss started to run wild. I urged Rita to activate a powerful skill, and when she did, she destroyed it and got the LA Bonus for herself.

"After that, we left the dungeon for the next floor, and here we are now," I finished, out of breath.

"Hmm… you're leaving something out."

How in the hell would she know about the field boss fight?

"Hmm… well, never mind. It's impolite to pry."

Oh thank god.

"Anyway," I said, "I'll be leaving now. Gotta go grind."

My statement was met with a glare. Crap, I said too much!

"He will be safe. Let him go."

"H-Heathcliff?" I said, turning around to find myself face-to-face with a now better-armored Heathcliff.

I then realized that Asuna was still squeezing me tightly, and decided to push away. Gently, of course.

"All right, I'm going now. Thanks, Heathcliff."

As I grinded, I kept thinking about what Heathcliff said.

"He will be safe. Let him go."

Something was off about the way he said it. I don't get it!

Then, I noticed three mobs quickly closing in on me. These mobs, the [[Swamp Lizard B]], had incredibly high HP and defense, but dealt huge EXP to the one who got the killing blow, and had extremely low attack. It was perfectly compatible with an over-leveled solo player like me.

I activated [[Dashing Throw]], a powerful dual wielding skill to be used on three mobs.

I dashed toward the first of three, hitting it with a powerful spin attack enhanced by my Dual Blades, throwing my second sword through the other lizards' heads.

Seconds later, polygons exploded everywhere, lighting up the area in an eerie whitish-blue color. I sighed with relief as I went to retrieve the blade that I threw, the drop from LinLong; [[Peat-Soaked Fang]].

"Well, I think I'll call it a day. Two levels will be enough for now," I said contentedly as I walked to the inn.

"Impressive," someone said from behind me.

"Rita? What're you doing here?"

"Out leveling, same as you."

"I see… hey… Rita?" I started.

"Yeah?"

"Why is the forest behind you burning?"

A/N:

And with that, we're done with another chapter! GOODBYE HIATUS!

Anyway, guess what? I'm not just releasing this today. I'm releasing the newest chapter of Gunslinger, and I'm releasing an ALL NEW story! By popular demand, I'm bringing out the Black Cats Branch EARLY! It'll be called Black Cats Revival.

Yup, that's right. Today isn't a single OR double release. IT'S A TRIPLE!

Also, I'll be having another triple release sometime in the future, including the 1st chapter of the Harem Branch, the 2nd chapter of The Final Stretch, and the 11th chapter of ESR.

Anyway, I should explain the weapon details of the LinLong drop.

Name: Peat-Soaked Fang
Type: One-handed Longsword
Floor Acquired: Floor 3
Method Acquired: [[LinLong the Swamp Dragon]] Drop
Passive Modifiers: All damage from this weapon is considered Physical Damage in addition to element types. Increases player's Battle Healing, Emergency Recovery, and potion healing potency by 5% while near swamps, fens, wetlands, or graveyards.
Stat Point Modifiers: +27 Strength, +4 Constitution
Possible Upgrade Attempts: 10 Attempts
Notes:
Deals 25% of damage as Earth-element Physical Damage
Deals 25% of damage as Water-element Physical Damage
Deals 8% additional physical damage as Fire damage for 8 seconds after landing a critical hit. Enemies are burned for 2% of their maximum life over 4 seconds (debuff does not stack)
(Field/Quest Bosses are burned for 1% of maximum life over 8 seconds)(debuff does not stack)(Floor Bosses are burned for 1% of maximum life over 8 seconds)

Now, for the fun part. I get to explain why I made Kirito work together with Heathcliff. I really only did that to give Kirito more flashbacks… or would they be flashforwards?

Also, a HUGE thanks goes out to my Plot Hole/Armory beta, Dusk Ado II! You're amazing!

And with that, all I have left to say is:

I don't own Sword Art Online, its characters, or anything else I use from it, so don't sue me Aniplex!

See ya!