Hello, everyone, this is ArtLotus. And I'm presenting you with the new chapter of Alfheim Online: The Shinigami. And I think this is the longest chapter I ever written, but the same hard work I put with all the other chapter sI've done so far. Anyway, I hope that you still support me and will continue to. Also, you can review, favorite and follow my Fanfic. It would make me happy at least that you read this fanfic. Also, thank you to all the viewers who reviewed, favorite and follow this story. I Thank You for you support.
Anyway, presenting Alfheim Online: The Shinigami
Ja'ne! ArtLotus out!
Chapter 9: Grand Quest Part 2
Flashback
"Izayoi-kun, can you help me cut this?" Asuna asked embarrassed, as she couldn't cut a carrot properly.
After Canaria showed her the way to the kitchen, she immediately put on an apron and tied the strings around her waist. After that, she look upon the kitchen and she was astounded to see a fancy kitchen up close. The kitchen was like seeing a new and improved kitchen, and she could see that it was completely clean from any dirt or stain whatsoever.
Canaria stifle a laugh seeing her awed look on her face, and promptly entered the kitchen with the cleaned chicken in a silver tray.
"So are you ready to roast a chicken, Asuna?" Canaria asked putting the chicken at the kitchen table, as she then prepared the vegetables and put them besides the chicken.
"But don't you already cut the vegetables, Canaria-san?" Asuna asked looking confusedly at Canaria, who only chuckle.
"Please call me Canaria, that honorific makes me feel old. But you can also call me Kaa-san." Canaria said with a smile, as Asuna blush at her saying.
"I think Canaria is fine." Asuna said timidly.
"Aren't you the cutest thing ever? I'll say Izayoi has a good sense of girls." Canaria complimented as Asuna blushed in embarrassment and from being complimented.
"Does Izayoi-kun ever bring a girl in his home? I mean he is popular among the girls in our school. And I'm sorry if I offended you or anything." Asuna stated with a bow of her head, which caused a smile to appear on Canaria's face.
"No, it didn't offend me in one bit. Izayoi-kun isn't really the one to choose crazy fan girls and bring them in this house. Actually, he never brought any girl in this house. So, you're the first ever girl to come inside this house." Canaria stated as Asuna wore a surprised look. She didn't expect that Izayoi hadn't had any girls coming over his house with him. She expected that before she met him he had at least brought a girl over for some tea or something. But she was surprised to hear that she was the first girl to come over his house. That thought made butterflies flutter in her stomach.
"And you know, I like you, Asuna. I can tell you're a nice person from the moment I saw you coming over to the house with Izayoi in tow." Canaria exclaimed as Asuna look at her.
"Thank you for your compliment, Canaria." Asuna said as Canaria waved her hand at her in dismissal.
"Don't thank me. It's just I never seen Izayoi happy like this before. You are the one who made him like this now. And I've never been so happy to see him like this. You are one special girl to him, Asuna. And I can tell by the way he looks at you." Canaria said as Asuna blushed from her words.
"I'm just his bestfriend, that's all." Asuna protested which caused to Canaria to shake her head.
"No. You are more than that. Either way, I can tell that you like him more than just a bestfriend would. I know from the school that you are called Izasuna for your couple name, I believe?" Canaria asked as Asuna blushed.
"That's a cute name. If fits you two well." Canaria said with a smile, adding more to Asuna's embarrassment.
"But that name always annoys me. The students kept calling us that u-until Izayoi-kun stopped them." Asuna said as Canaria raised her eyebrow, an amused smile on her face was present.
"Did he now? How did you feel when he stopped them from calling you that?" Canaria asked.
"Grateful… And I know that he cared for me if he done that." Asuna said looking down as her face was red in embarrassment from telling Izayoi's mother like that.
"That means he cared for you a lot then. That justifies a little that he likes you." Canaria said trying to convince Asuna that Izayoi like her.
"Tell me would he care for you if he never came to save you? I know about the news from school that you were nearly been molested by a delinquent from your school. And I heard that Izayoi had managed to come in time and stop that punk from molesting you. That proved that he actually cares for you, Asuna. Also, I know that he likes you deeply. Maybe even love you. I'm his mother after all, I should know." Canaria stated as Asuna look up at her.
"Really? Does he like m-me?" She asked nervously, wanting to know if Izayoi had feelings for her.
"Asuna, dear. If you want to know, you should ask him yourself. And I promise that you'll not be disappointed in any way possible." Canaria said with a smile as Asuna look at her.
"Kaa-san, what are you talking with Asuna?" Izayoi asked stepping inside the kitchen with a towel draped around his neck.
"Have a nice bath, Izayoi?" Canaria asked as Izayoi yawned, and pick the towel from his neck and put in on the kitchen table.
"Yeah. It was nice. But what are you two talking about?" Izayoi asked with raised brows looking at both Asuna and his mother. Canaria look at Asuna, who look at her, as the two then smiles at each other.
"Nothing, Izayoi-kun!" Asuna exclaimed with a smile, as Izayoi wore a confused look.
"Really? I hope it doesn't concern with any punks in our school. Because if there are, I would be beating them half dead." Izayoi stated as Asuna covered her mouth from laughing.
"It's nothing, really. We just talk about some tips for Asuna." Canaria said as Izayoi look at her.
"What tips?" He asked.
"Girl tips, Izayoi. Do you want to find out?" Canaria asked as Izayoi walked over to Asuna, and leans his head closer to her, which made her blush profusely.
"If it's about Asuna, I wouldn't mind listening for a bit." Izayoi said with a sly smirk, as he pulled back his head while Asuna had butterflies fluttering furiously around in her stomach.
"Anyway, I leave you guys to do the cooking while I help myself to some TV." Canaria said with a smile as she left the kitchen, leaving the two alone.
"So, are you ready?" Izayoi asked putting on a white apron and tying the strings around his waist.
"W-What? I'm sorry but what did you say, Izayoi-kun?" Asuna asked as she was busy in her thought about Izayoi's feelings for her as mentioned by Canaria. When she talked about Canaria, she knows that everything she had said was right, that Izayoi cared for her. She almost didn't expect that Canaria would state to the level that Izayoi 'love' her. That thought was making her warm inside and she couldn't help but stare at the ground and think about the thought.
"Really, what are you guys talking about?" Izayoi asked as Asuna shook her head while having a smile on her face.
"That's a secret, Izayoi-kun. I can't tell you that." Asuna stated as Izayoi lean his head closer to her again, making her face red.
"Is there any way I can make you to tell me?" Izayoi asked with a sly smile, as Asuna resisted the urge to kiss Izayoi right there and then.
"N-No…" Asuna answered as Izayoi moved his head from her head to her right ear.
"Is there really no other way? I will do anything for you if you would just tell me." Izayoi whispered as Asuna's face was redder than a tomato from having to hear Izayoi huskily voice from her ear and from having Izayoi this close to her before.
"No. It's a secret between Canaria and me. So, even if you do anything that I said, I will not let you in on the secret." Asuna stated with a strong voice, prompted to not let Izayoi in on the secret in any way. Meanwhile, Izayoi pulled back his head, a smile on his face.
"Then I will do as you say. I will not make you spill the secret if you don't want. I don't like to force people." Izayoi exclaimed as he turns around the kitchen to grab some of the vegetable from the kitchen table to the table across from it that had a cutting board on it, which was placed by Canaria.
Asuna breath a slightly relieve breath, silently thanking Izayoi for turning around from her. She would have spilled her secret if it wasn't for her stubbornness to not tell him.
"Are you ready to start your lesson on cooking?" Izayoi asked from over the cutting table, as Asuna turns around to face him.
"Hai!" Asuna answered as Izayoi nodded.
"Your first lesson in today's cooking is cutting carrots and onions." Izayoi said as Asuna look down at the carrots and onions on the dining table in front of her.
"Here." Izayoi said putting a cutting but small knife in front of Asuna, to which she accepts it by picking it up from the table and raising it slightly above the vegetables.
"If you have any troubles, you know you can always call me." Izayoi stated with a smile, before he turns around and continues on cutting the vegetables on his side of the kitchen, while Asuna just look at the vegetables with the knife raised to cut.
And this is where she is now, she had no skills on cutting vegetables whatsoever. She could tell she was just looking at the vegetables for minutes without doing anything.
"Izayoi-kun, can you help me cut this?" Asuna asked embarrassed, as she couldn't cut a carrot properly. Hearing her call of help, Izayoi glanced behind him seeing Asuna standing there and not cutting the carrots and onions yet.
"Cutting the vegetables? I thought you would at least know this." Izayoi said as Asuna feel embarrassed that she couldn't even cut vegetables that would appear to be simple when she saw her father cutting it, but when she tried it for herself, she never knew that cutting vegetables would be this hard.
"But I don't care. Learning is a part of life, right?" Izayoi stated as he walked over to Asuna and stood behind her. He then stretched out both of his hands to grab Asuna's hands, which took her by surprise but she kept calm as not to interrupt Izayoi.
"First, you grab one of the carrots." Izayoi ordered as he guided Asuna's left hand to grab a piece of carrot and put it in front of her, while keeping her hand to not make the carrot move from its place.
"Second, slowly cut the top of the carrot. We don't want that with our chicken, right?" Izayoi asked as he slowly raises Asuna's hand that held the knife and slowly cuts the top of the carrot, leaving the rest of the fresh carrot part in front of them.
"Third, cut the carrot in half." Izayoi said as he guided Asuna's hand to turn the carrot around, making the bottom of the carrot to face them as Asuna slowly cuts the carrot in half without Izayoi's help, causing a smile to appear on his face.
"Fourth and final, cut the carrot into small pieces." Izayoi said as he guided Asuna's hand to keep the two pieces of the cut carrots in place, before he gently grab Asuna's hand that held the knife and slowly cuts the carrots one by one, without rushing into it.
"They would make a perfect couple." Canaria thought with a happy smile, peaking her head out from the corner of the kitchen, as she quietly took a picture of Izayoi and Asuna with her phone without a flash required, and the two didn't know about it because they were busying themselves with each other companies.
"Now that's how you cut the carrot." Izayoi stated as he let go of his hold on Asuna's hand, after Asuna with his help cut the carrots into small pieces. When he and Asuna was done cutting the carrots, Asuna puts the cutting knife down on kitchen table as she looks down, staring at it.
"T-Thank you, Izayoi-kun." Asuna said stuttering as her cheeks were red from enjoying the warmth of Izayoi's hands on hers while they cut the carrot. She wasn't expecting that Izayoi's hands were warm, but that was because Izayoi never touch her before like he did now. And the strangest thing is that she likes it, and the more she thought about it, the more she earns to feel that warmth again.
"Asuna? Are you okay?" Izayoi asked looking at Asuna, who had a dazed look on her face.
"Asuna?" Izayoi called out as Asuna suddenly shook her head out of her thought.
"Huh? What happen?" Asuna asked as she looked up at Izayoi.
"You were thinking something." Izayoi answered as Asuna bit her lips, which was noticed by Izayoi.
"Are you hiding something from me?" Izayoi asked with a smirk, as Asuna shakes her head.
"No. It's nothing that concerns you." Asuna said as Izayoi slowly walked over to Asuna, who slowly backs away every time he step towards her.
"No. Izayoi-kun. I hope you are not going to do what I think you're going to do." Asuna said as she slowly backs away from him.
"How do you know what I think I'm going to do? And isn't it obvious? I'm chasing you!" Izayoi exclaimed as he chased Asuna around the kitchen, while Asuna runs to get away from him.
After a while, Asuna slowed down as she stopped her running but that caused her to be caught by Izayoi, who wrapped his arms around her waist, surprising her.
"I caught you." Izayoi stated with a smile, as Asuna can't help but smile back.
"Yes, you did." Asuna smiled as Izayoi brought his chin down on Asuna's shoulder.
"So, what's your secret, Asuna?" Izayoi asked while Asuna glance upwards avoiding his gaze at her.
"It's nothing. As I said, it's a secret between me and Canaria." Asuna stated with a smirk on her face, while Izayoi replied back with a smirk of his own.
"Then, I have no choice than to…" Izayoi said as Asuna was assaulted by Izayoi, who was tickling her in the stomach. "tickle you, to get the answer!" Izayoi stated as Asuna laughs from his tickling.
"Haha, S-Stop it, I-Izayoi-kun! H-Haha, S-Stop!" Asuna said but she was ignored by Izayoi, who was still tickling her while Asuna tried to stop him from tickling her by grabbing his hands and tried to push it away from her, but it was useless as she was being tickle non-stop.
"I-I surrender! I-I'll t-tell you, Izayoi-kun!" Asuna shouted out as Izayoi stop his tickling as Asuna look behind her, seeing Izayoi with a smirk on his face.
"Not a chance!" Asuna said as she sticks her tongue out at him, which caused Izayoi to be slightly surprise by her childish behavior.
"I never known that you'd be this childish, Asuna." Izayoi said as Asuna realized that she had acted childish by sticking her tongue out at Izayoi. She immediately covered her mouth with her hand as Izayoi smiled.
"But luckily, I like the childish side of you." Izayoi stated as Asuna blush.
"Well, aren't you two looked like a couple in love?" A voice called as Izayoi and Asuna look towards the kitchen doorway, seeing Canaria leaning against the wall with a smile on her face.
"Can't you see we're busy?" Izayoi asked pulling Asuna closer to him, causing Asuna to blush beet red.
"Yeah. But you said that you were going to roast a chicken, right? I don't see any chicken being roasted right now." Canaria said with a smile, as Izayoi let go of his arms around Asuna and picked up the vegetables from his side of the kitchen and promptly put it around the chicken that was ready to be roasted after Canaria clean it earlier.
Izayoi then picked a pinch of salt from one of the cups beside him and sprinkled it down on the chicken and vegetables in a circling motion. After that, he picked up a black pepper twister and twist out the black pepper and peppercorn on to the chicken, giving it a nice texture and smell after it was finished roasting.
"Asuna, vegetables." Izayoi said as Asuna look at him as she then nodded, cutting the vegetable like Izayoi taught her. She crushed the onion using the side of her cutting knife, remembering that her father always does this to the onion whenever he would cook with onions.
After she finished the vegetables, she immediately handed the onions to Izayoi while she put the carrots all around the chicken.
"She is quick." Izayoi thought as he ripped off the skin of the onions, one by one. And then when he was finish, he put it on the chicken.
"Now to roast the chicken." Izayoi stated as he grabbed a pair of kitchen gloves from the kitchen table, and put the gloves inside his hands. He then grabbed the silver tray that had the prepared chicken as he walked over to the oven below the cooking station. Asuna followed Izayoi as she then help him by opening the oven with a pair of gloves of her own, after she had pick it from the kitchen table.
"What a perfect couple these two would make. And Imagine the babies that they will had… I can't wait!" Canaria thought excitedly as she watched Izayoi put in the chicken inside the oven and Asuna closed the lid of the oven. Izayoi twist the switch of the oven temperature to the right degree like he always does when he roast chickens.
"Now that's all set! Now we just have to wait for the chicken to be golden-brown, and then we can take it out and eat it." Izayoi said as he pulled out his gloves and put in on the kitchen table, followed by Asuna who took out her gloves also and put it beside Izayoi's gloves.
"But what do we do for the time being?" Asuna asked as Canaria walked over to her and grabbed her hand, surprising her.
"We can get to know each other better by telling each other past stories. I want to tell you about Izayoi's past, he is quite a trouble maker son." Canaria said as Asuna look at him.
"Really?" She said with a smirk.
"Maybe I'll visit your family sometimes and get them to talk about your past. I bet it will be fun to listen." Izayoi said back to her, which got her to blush red.
"N-No. Don't come!" Asuna stated with a shake of her head, as Izayoi smirk at her.
"I won't make any promises." He said as Asuna pouted.
"Please, Izayoi-kun…" Asuna stated with a pout of her lips, which Izayoi couldn't resist to say no.
"Okay." Izayoi relented as Asuna rushed towards him and suddenly hugged him, surprising him and Canaria.
"Thank you, Izayoi-kun!" Asuna exclaimed as Izayoi smiled a soft smile and hugged her back. But their time was cut short as a flash of light caught their attention as the two look at Canaria who held a phone on her hands.
"Don't you two look cute together? I'm saving this in my new album photo book, titled Izasuna Moments." Canaria said as Asuna let go of her hug with Izayoi as she blushed beet red from hugging Izayoi and from the name that Canaria called them, it was their couple name, which caused Asuna to feel annoyed by the name because of how she was teased, but she couldn't help but feel special when Canaria called them that. It makes her special because it was her and Izayoi's name only. And to her, that name fits them perfectly.
"Kaa-san, didn't you say you have something to show Asuna?" Izayoi asked as Canaria recalled that she wanted to show Asuna about Izayoi's past stories.
"Yeah. Let's go, Asuna. I have so much to tell you." Canaria stated excitedly as she grabbed Asuna's hand and dragged her to the living room.
"Izasuna…" Izayoi mutters, a smile appearing on his face when he pronounced the word.
Present
"Papa, look out!" Yui shouted as Izayoi landed to the ground with his feet touching it instead of him crashing into the ground with his whole body.
"Mou… Papa, you shouldn't be reckless like that. I promise Mama that I wouldn't let you be reckless." Yui stated with a frown as Izayoi smiled.
"Sorry. But what can I say? It's fun." Izayoi said shrugging his shoulder while holding a wide grin on his face.
"You could have hurt someone when you land!" Yui scolded.
"Yeah. But I'm sure they won't mind. This isn't a death game like SAO, and there's no one here to get hurt anyway." Izayoi said looking around at the forest where they landed on.
After leaving Asuna in the birdcage, Izayoi fell down through the skies, trying to find a ground to land. When he sees that there was a forest beneath him, he took the chance to land on it. As he lands, it caused a big crater that was bigger than him to appear under him.
"Where is Leafa-san?" Yui asked looking around to find any signs of Leafa, but she couldn't find her anywhere. She guessed that they had taken too long up on the World Tree and Leafa had left because of the limit of her wings, which could only last ten minutes.
"We should find her. She could be in Arun waiting for us." Izayoi said as his wings appear on his back.
"Izayoi-kun!" A voice called out above Izayoi and Yui, getting both of their attention as the two turn their heads around to see Leafa flying down and landed on the ground in front of them.
"Where did you go, Leafa-san?" Yui asked raising her eyebrows.
"Well, you took too long. And I have to rest my wings before I can fly again. And when I came to fly up to wait for you, I saw something flying like a meteor and it was headed to the forest nearby Arun. So, I decided to find out, and I didn't expect to find you here where the meteor was." Leafa explained as Izayoi chuckle.
"Well, we came here on time, right? We can't just leave you behind all alone." Izayoi explained as Leafa smiled.
"Yeah! You are our friend, Leafa-san!" Yui stated which caused Leafa to smile wider.
"Anyway, where did you go? I couldn't follow you back at the barrier in the sky. I can't fly across after Izayoi broke the barrier a minute ago." Leafa exclaimed which caused Izayoi to raise his eyebrow.
"Did the barrier reenacted when you tried to follow me?" Izayoi asked as Leafa nodded.
"Yeah. I thought that you had broken it completely. But after you crossed over the barrier, it somehow appears back." She said as Izayoi pulled out the card that Asuna gave.
"Leafa, do you know what this is?" Izayoi asked showing her the card he held in his hand. Leafa walked over to him, and look at the card as she raised her eyebrows, not knowing anything about the card in hand.
"No, I've never seen an item like that." Leafa stated.
"Yui, do you know what this is? Because I'm pretty sure this is an system admin code or something." Izayoi said as Yui flew up from his pocket as she look upon the card and grabbing it with both of her hands.
"Yes it is! This is a System Admin access code!" Yui stated looking up at him.
"So, we can use it to access the GM controls, right?" Izayoi asked.
"No." Yui answered which caused a frown to appear on Izayoi's face.
"You need the appropriate console to access it from within the game. Even I can't bring up the system menu." Yui said as Izayoi look down at the card in question.
"I see." Izayoi said slightly gritting his teeth, knowing that this card will be tough to use since he doesn't have the console to access it from.
"Mama…" Yui said looking down at the card, which was given from Asuna.
"Don't worry, Yui. We'll get her." Izayoi said with a smile, comforting his daughter as Yui look up at him and nodded.
"Right!" She answered with a smile on her face.
"Leafa, tell me something. Where is the gate that leads inside the World Tree?" Izayoi asked as Leafa put her hand under her chin.
"Well, it's in the dome at the tree's base…" She said as she then look at him with a dread look.
"B-But it's useless! It's protected by guardians, and even the biggest raids couldn't break through!" Leafa warned as Izayoi smirk.
"Useless, huh? It must be a well-guarded area if no one couldn't break through it. Maybe I have to try it myself." Izayoi encouraged himself, as he liked the thought that not a single player had break through the area.
"Anyway, thanks for everything, Leafa. I can take it from here. You shouldn't follow me through the dome if you don't want to. I don't want to force you to do things you don't want." Izayoi said with a smile, as Yui flew inside his pocket.
Leafa look at Izayoi and then she look down, a frown could be seen on her face as Izayoi turns around from her.
"Bye, Leafa." Izayoi said as he shot through the skies, leaving a burst of wind behind him.
"Izayoi-kun…" Leafa said as she bit her lips.
Arun
"Yui, do you know the way to this dome?" Izayoi said as he flew inside Arun and landed on the ground behind two people chatting with each other.
"Yes, just go up those stairs and—" Yui explained as Izayoi flew up through the stairs, flying straight to the dome in question.
"B-But are you sure, Papa? The information we've learned so far indicates that breaking through the fate will be extremely difficult." Yui explained to him.
"So? I just wanted to try fighting the guardians that are inside the dome. If the biggest raids can't break through, why can't I?" Izayoi asked himself with a smirk, while Yui sigh at her father's excitement.
"Even if we fail, it won't cost our lives." Izayoi said as he landed on the ground before a set of stairs in front of him.
"That's true, but…" Yui said looking down as Izayoi smiled.
"I wanted you to see Mama again. I wanted the three of us to be the same as we always did. A family. And I'm going to fulfill that." Izayoi said as Yui look up at him.
"So, let's go and try out this invinsible dome." Izayoi stated as Yui look determine, wanting to be a family again with her Mama. Izayoi then set off by walking up the stairs that leads to the entrance if the dome.
Izayoi stopped as he looked up at the two giant statue knights, each standing on each side of the gigantic door to the dome. The door had an intricate design on from the top that follows to the bottom.
When he step further to the door, two swords blocked the gigantic door, which caught Izayoi's attention as he look up at the two knights again, seeing as the two swords were from the statue knights that were guarding the door.
"You who know not the heights of heaven… Do you desire passage to the castle of the king?" One of the two knights spoke as a window pop-up beside Izayoi.
Will you attempt the Grand Quest 'Guardians of the World Tree'?
"Let's try it." Izayoi thought as he tap the 'Yes' button, which caused the two swords that blocked the door, to be pulled up and positioned it in front of the two knights.
"Then show that you are worthy of letting your wings take flight."
"Yui, keep your head down. This is going to be a rough battle." Izayoi explained to Yui.
"Good luck, Papa." Yui said looking up at him as she put her head down inside the pocket, settling herself inside Izayoi's pocket, not wanting to interrupt her father while he fight. She knows that if she gets out of his pocket, she could only know that there will be many difficulties, involving her father saving her despite the danger that it could cause him.
After the door to the dome open widely for him, Izayoi held up his right hand to the side, as his black daito appear in his hand.
"Now… let's see if this is hard as they say it is…" Izayoi thought as he slowly walked towards the door.
As Izayoi enters the dome, he could only see the dark all around him, without a single trace of light in his sight. Suddenly lights started to appear, lighting the whole dome as Izayoi looked up at the end of the dome, noticing a door that leads to the top of the World Tree.
"This couldn't be this easy… Not with this entire quiet atmosphere…" Izayoi thought as he focused on the crystal like diamonds that were positioned all around the dome till the door to the World Tree.
"So, those are where the guardians respawn? That's a lot of crystals. I can see why even the biggest raids couldn't break through it." Izayoi whispered knowledgeably as he tightens his grip on his daito.
"Well, if they won't get out, than I might as well make them. Getsuga Tenshou!" Izayoi shouted with a smirk, as he raised his daito and slashed at the direction of the door, releasing a giant black crescent moon from his Tensa Zangetsu.
When the giant black crescent moon was about to reach the pathway, Izayoi narrowed his eyes as suddenly massive waves of the said Guardians Knights appeared in front of the pathway, completely blocking the path. As the giant black crescent moon collided with Guardians Knights, the top area of the room exploded.
"It couldn't be that simple…" Izayoi stated as he look at the smoke that covered the top area of the room.
After the smoke receded, Izayoi saw that the whole wave of Guardians Knights were destroyed, leaving an empty pathway where the collision between the said Guardian Knights and the crescent moon took place.
"This really impresses me." Izayoi said as he raised his daito in front of him and look at it with a smirk.
"Then, let's try a frontal attack!" Izayoi shouted as he shot through the room like a bullet, which caused a massive wave of Guardian Knights to appear and blocked the pathway from Izayoi.
"Let's fight!" Izayoi said with a wide smirk, as he disappeared from his spot causing the Guardians to look surprise by his disappearance.
"I'm right here!" Izayoi called out reappearing before one of the Guardians. He pulled back his left fist and punched the Guardian in the stomach, immediately causing the Guardian to be blown back by the force of the punch and dragging the entire wave of the Guardians with it to the pathway, destroying a large number of the massive group when it collided to the pathway.
"Come on! Is that all you got? What kind of Guardians are you!" Izayoi shouted as suddenly an army Guardians appear in large numbers almost immediately. They then surrounded Izayoi in a circle, leaving no room for him to escape.
"Now this is what I'm talking about." Izayoi said with a smirk looking around at the Guardian who were surrounding him in a circle. Also, he noticed a large group of Guardian Archers positioned behind the surrounding Guardians.
"This might be hard as they say… Long range weapons, short ranged weapons. They make a perfect combination…" Izayoi thought glancing at the Guardians surrounding him. He didn't know that they immediately respawn as they should be. Add to the Guardians wielding bows, swords and spears, he could now relate to the defeat of the biggest raids.
"I have to think about this…" Izayoi sighed as he didn't like the idea of retreating in a good fight such as this. But he hates more than to fight with the Guardians every day without ever going close to the door.
"But no one said I have to leave right away…" Izayoi mutters under his breath, as a smirk appear on his face.
Izayoi look left and right at the Guardians surrounding him, as he throws his daito up in the air. The guardians who were surrounding Izayoi in a circle look at the daito, deciding if it was a threat to them or not.
Izayoi then held out his right hand as he caught the daito immediately from completely falling to the ground, but the daito was positioned under his hand, making it look like he was wielding it back handed. But the Guardians watched in total surprise as Izayoi let go of his hand from the daito, making it fall to the ground.
"I bid all of you farewell…" Izayoi said bowing his head at the Guardians, as he then disappears, causing the Guardians to look around for him.
While the Guardians were searching for him, Izayoi reappears below the ring of Guardians, catching his daito almost instantly as he look up at the Guardians.
"Didn't know they would react like that. I thought they would attack me after I drop it." Izayoi stated as he shook his head in amusement.
"It's official, Guardians are pathetic." Izayoi said with a laugh, raising his daito to the sky. He closed his eyes as he felt power coursing through him. Izayoi raised his left hand on his face and dragged it across his face, as his white wolf mask appear on his face.
"Hah! Pathetic Guardians." Izayoi said with his demonic voice as he swung down his daito at the Guardians, releasing a giant black red crescent moon that was as large as the Guardians that were gathered in a circle. The crescent flew towards them as the Guardians look below them to see the said crescent headed towards them. Instead of running away, the Guardians flew towards the crescent moon with their swords and spear. Meanwhile, the Guardians Archers just shoot their arrows at the crescent.
As the crescent made contact with the Guardians Knights, the top area of the dome exploded, sending the Archers to be killed in the explosion that stretches out from the center of the dome to the whole top area of the dome. The Guardians Knights that wielded swords and spears, were instantly destroyed just as they made in contact with the crescent. After the smoke of the explosion dissipated, it leaves the top area of the dome empty without a single Guardian alive from the powerful attack by Izayoi.
Izayoi smirked inside his mask, as he grabbed the said mask and crushed it with his hand, allowing him to revert to his normal self. His eyes had changed from his crimson eyes to his purple eyes.
"Huh... Huh... I'm still getting used to using this draining power…" Izayoi thought with a couple of breaths.
"I think I should retreat… Their numbers kept on respawning every time I killed them. This will be hard if I can't know what time they'll be respawning. But maybe…" Izayoi thought as he looks at the diamond like crystals, knowing that the Guardians were respawning from that.
"I didn't expect that this quest would be this hard…" Izayoi sighed as he reappears in front of the doors that lead to the dome, pushing it open with ease, as he steps outside of the dome.
"Papa? What's going on?" Yui asked poking her head out from his pocket.
"Thinking… I noticed the Guardians respawn immediately after I killed them. And I noticed that their stats aren't very high considering that they are easy to kill with one slash of Getsuga Tenshou." Izayoi explained knowledgeably as Yui flew out from his pocket.
"But I noticed that those diamonds that ran along the dome were the respawning point for them to respawn. So, If I destroy them," Izayoi said as Yui wore a smile, spreading her arms out wide in happiness.
"Papa can win!" Yui said with a happy voice as Izayoi nodded with a smile on his face.
"Yeah, Papa can win." He said as suddenly he was greeted by someone who flew into the dome without a moment's notice.
"Is that Leafa-san?" Yui asked seeing as she saw a glimpse of green clothing and blonde haired.
"Huh…" Izayoi sighed, knowing that he has to save Leafa now. He sighed again as he then dragged his hand across his face, summoning the wolf mask again on his face.
"Yui, you stay here. I'll be getting a certain fairy to safety." Izayoi said as he disappeared in a blur, leaving Yui to hope that her father will be okay.
Dome
"Huh? Where is Izayoi-kun?" Leafa asked after flying upwards at the center of the dome, but she can't seem to find Izayoi around.
Suddenly, she dodged a sword slash from a Guardian Knight as she flew away from it. She then look around at the surrounding Guardian Knights that was scattered all around the dome.
Leafa flew to one of the Guardian Knight as she defended against its sword but she traced her sword along the Guardian's sword and she instantly killed the Guardian by slicing it in half.
"Where is Izayoi-kun?" Leafa thought worriedly as she looked around the dome but she can't seem to find any signs of Izayoi's whereabouts.
Meanwhile she was looking around, she wasn't aware of an arrow soaring towards her until she turns her head to face it but she thought it was too late to deflect it as she closed her eyes in wait for the pain to come. But after a while, the pain didn't come which confuses her.
"Leafa…" A voice called as Leafa open her eyes and her eyes widen, seeing Izayoi caught the arrow in his hand and crush it in his hand.
"Are you okay?" Izayoi asked as he dragged his mask to the side of his head, while he kept an eye on the Guardians that were slowly approaching them.
"Y-Yeah… But where were you, Izayoi-kun? I couldn't find you anywhere. I thought you had turned into a Remain Light in the dome." Leafa stated as Izayoi turn his head slightly to face her, his crimson eyes look into her green eyes.
"I was outside when you came, flying past me into the dome." Izayoi said as Leafa then realized that she had passed a black blur, mere moments before she entered the dome.
"Was that you, Izayoi-kun? I didn't know!" Leafa stated as Izayoi shook his head in amusement.
"It's my fault that you entered in the dome in the first place. But I suggest we get out of the dome before these Guardians attacked us." Izayoi said deflecting two arrows at once with his daito, as Leafa nodded behind him.
"You should go first." Izayoi ordered as Leafa reluctantly nodded and she flew downwards to the exit of the dome, while Izayoi followed her from behind and deflecting every attack from the Guardians while they were escaping.
"Pathetic Guardians. You should have just been replaced by a bigger monster! That will be more fun!" Izayoi said as he put his mask on his face, and slash his daito at the Guardians, releasing a giant black crescent moon arc that goes straight to the Guardian Knights and Archers. When the crescent moon arc made contact with the Guardians, the area around them exploded, killing every Guardian that flew around the area.
Seeing that the dome was empty again by his one-hit attack, Izayoi followed Leafa to escape from the dome.
"Leafa-san!" Yui said as she flew towards Leafa, who exited the dome without any injuries on her.
"Are you okay?" She asked as Leafa look at her and nodded.
"Yeah, I'm okay." Leafa answered as a sigh was heard behind the two, which caused the two girls to look behind them, seeing Izayoi crushed his mask with his hand.
"Yeah. Still getting used to the power." Izayoi stated with a couple of breaths, as Leafa and Yui rushed towards him.
"It's okay, I'm fine. A little tired that's all." Izayoi answered their worries for him.
"I-I'm so sorry, Izayoi-kun! I didn't mean to caused you trouble!" Leafa said as Izayoi waved his hand at her in dismissal.
"It's no trouble. Hardly, it's tiring to use my power again." Izayoi answered as he turns around to looked at the entrance of the dome.
"Wait for me, Asuna. I'll get there." Izayoi said as Leafa's eyes widen by what Izayoi say.
"What did you just say?" Leafa asked with wide eyes.
"Asuna. That's the name of the person I love. And I'm trying to save her." Izayoi stated as Leafa step backed.
"But then… Then… That person is…" Leafa said as she covered her mouth in shock with her hands, having to discover what Izayoi was looking for in the game, he was looking for her, for Asuna.
"Leafa?" Izayoi asked looking at her with a slightly confused look.
"Wait… Is that you, Sugu?" Izayoi asked knowing that Suguha would be sad if he mentioned Asuna's name before.
"This is awful. This isn't fair… It isn't…" Leafa who was Sugu said as she covered her face with her hands. She then open her menu and immediately logged out from the game, while Izayoi stood there staring at where Suguha logged out.
"Papa, do you know her?" Yui asked looking at the frowning Izayoi.
"Her name is Suguha. She is the little sister of Kirito. And in the other world, we kissed." Izayoi said as Yui flew in front of his face with a shock look.
"Papa kissed Kirito-san's little sister? But I thought Papa love Mama." Yui said with a disappointed frown on her face, not believing that her father would something like that, while Izayoi sat down on the ground.
"Yui. Let me tell you the whole story, okay? I don't want you to think of me as a bad Papa. But I guess I am one, since I love Suguha. Huh… I'm sure am a bad Papa…" Izayoi said as Yui wore frown seeing her father with frown on his face.
"You're not bad Papa. And Mama said that you aren't too." Yui stated as she transform into her human form as she sat in front of Izayoi, who wore a smile at her comforting words.
"Well, then. Here is where we start…" Izayoi said as he explained to Yui the whole story about him and Suguha but he was explaining slowly as to not confuse her.
After an hour…
"So, Papa love Suguha-san too?" Yui asked looking at him.
"Yes. But not as much as I love your Mama." Izayoi said with a soft smile, as Yui wore a happy smile.
"Really?" She asked as Izayoi chuckle and nodded.
"Yeah. I loved her than I love Suguha. She's been with me since we started high school together." Izayoi exclaimed with a smile, recalling spending time with Asuna while they were at school.
"And when I first saved your Mama from those thugs…" Izayoi said clenching his fists recalling the scene in his mind, which got him to grit his teeth. He was furious on the thugs that almost raped Asuna, but it was alright as he was there to save Asuna. But he did enjoy breaking some of their bones, but he wished he could do more than just breaking bones in the first place.
"Papa? What thugs?" Yui asked with a curious look as Izayoi look at her.
"I better not tell you about those thugs. But after I saved your Mama, let me tell you. She was the most beautiful girl I ever met. And I knew from that day on, that I would always be by her side." Izayoi said as Yui wore a happy smile on her face.
"Mama is the most beautiful girl you ever met, Papa?" Yui repeated as Izayoi nodded.
"Yeah. She was the girl I first fall in love with and will always be. After all, she is the fun in my life. So, don't be sad that I don't love your Mama, nearly as I love Suguha, okay? Your Mama is more than that." Izayoi asked as Yui nodded with a smile.
"I intend to tell your Mama about this after I get her out of this game." Izayoi exclaimed as Yui suddenly hugged her father, surprising Izayoi.
"You're not a bad person, Papa. And I know that Mama will always love you and me too." Yui stated as Izayoi smiled, happy that he got a daughter like Yui even if she was an AI.
"Mama really love you deeply, Papa. I know this because I can feel the love between you and Mama when I was still in SAO. " Yui comforted her father as Izayoi hugged her with one arm on her back while the other stayed on the ground.
"And I really love your Mama deeply. She is the one for me, and I will never leave her no matter what. Because If I did, I would have to leave you too, Yui. And I don't want that to happen anytime soon in my entire life." Izayoi stated as Yui cried tears of joy, happy to know that her father would never leave her and Mama.
After a while, Yui let go of the hug with Izayoi as she stood up on the ground, followed by Izayoi.
"So, what's going to happen to Suguha-san? Do you intend to break up with her, Papa?" Yui asked as Izayoi thought it over.
"I don't know. But I'll make up with her for the time being. I don't like seeing girls cry, including your Mama." Izayoi stated as Yui nodded.
"Anyway, where is Kirito? I didn't see him since the meeting between the Cait Sith and the Sylphs." Izayoi asked as Yui shrug her shoulder, not knowing where Kirito's whereabouts was.
"Well, I better see Sugu." Izayoi said as he open his menu and press the 'Log Out' button, which caused him to log out from Alfheim Online.
Human World
After logging out from the game, Suguha look up at the ceiling as she then sat up on her bed, pulling off her Amusphere, as she tighten her hold on it.
Suguha gritted her teeth, as tears were threatening to fall from her eyes.
"Sugu?" A voice called to which caused Suguha to look surprise. She turns her head to look towards her door, knowing it was Izayoi's voice that was calling her.
"If you don't want to answer, it's okay. I'll let you think about this. No pressure okay, Sugu? Anyway, I'll be going out for a while. Keep watch of the house while I'm gone, alright?" Izayoi said over the door, before sliding a letter below Suguha's door. Suguha then heard Izayoi walked away from her door, his footsteps slowly disappearing as she hears his footsteps going downstairs.
Suguha tighten her hold on her Amusphere again, while she restrained herself from crying but it was useless as a few tears ran down her cheeks. She then look at her door, and then noticed something lying below it. She stood up from her bed and walked over to the door, picking up the item which was a letter to her.
She opens the letter and she was greeted by words from Izayoi,
"Hey, Sugu. I know it's been tough since you know about me trying to find Asuna. But trust me, It has something to do with three hundred people lives at stake. Since I know that you're crying, and I don't have any comforting words to help you at this moment. Just… Don't be sad, okay? Sorry, if this isn't what you expected, but don't cry, alright? Just remember I'm right here with you."
"Izayoi-kun…" Suguha said as she clutched the letter in her chest.
Izayoi's home
After Izayoi slides the letter below Suguha's door, he goes downstairs and went outside the house to go to his home. When he arrived at his home which was a twenty minute walk, he quickly enters his home and goes upstairs to his room.
"Where is…?" Izayoi asked himself looking around his room for something.
Izayoi searches below his bed, his pillow and his rack of trophies but he couldn't find it anywhere. He was confused as why he can't find it anywhere in his room. He was certain that he put inside his room for safekeeping, but he can't remember where it is. But then he looked at his picture of both him and Asuna on top of his desk, smiling in the picture while they were eating ice cream at the street fun fair, which he got tickets from his manager.
He could remember the fun times where he and Asuna would explore all around the Fun Fair. And he remembered that Asuna was always dragging him to all of the fair games and rides, including the famous roller coaster.
Flashback
"Smile, Izayoi-kun!" Asuna stated as she held an ice cream in her right hand while her other hand was holding onto Izayoi's.
"Yeah, I know." Izayoi exclaimed with a smile as he stood next to Asuna, with an ice cream in his right hand also. The two were posing for a picture to commemorate the fun times they have had in the Fun Fair, which they have found exciting and loads of fun.
"Cheese!" Izayoi and Asuna said at the same time, as two smiled for the camera, while holding each other hands in the middle, as the camera man took the picture.
Present
"That was fun…" Izayoi said recalling him and Asuna's time together in the Fun Fair.
"Wait…" Izayoi stated as he picked up the frame of the picture and then he turns the frame around, which caused him to smile, seeing a small box taped to the frame with two pieces of tape sticking on each side of the box.
He took the box after taking out the two pieces of tape and threw it inside the dust bin below his desk. Izayoi then put his hand on the small box, and slowly opens the intricate box as he looked at the content inside the box, which had…
A small ring that had words inscribed along the ring,
My Wife, ASUNA
That's a nice ending, right? I mean I was so TOUCHED when he opens the box. It's true. And I hope you all feel the same way that i do. If you do, comment me on what you think about the chapter by review it. If you will, Favorite or follow my story. And again, I'm sorry that I took so long on updating this chapter.
Anyway, I hope you all have a nice day! Stay tuned!
Ja'ne! ArtLotus out!