DE88: Here is chapter four...you might notice something from the Anime.

Chapter Four: Realization

Day 53:Floor 21

Arashi sighed as he sat on stool next to Kirito in the guilds technical bar. Kirito and Egil were chatting about what they were going to do once the game was cleared and Arashi was deep in thought, and it wasn't till Kirito nudged his side.

"Dude you and thinking don't mix. What's up?" Kirito asked as Arashi jumped. Arashi let out an irritated growl and sighed.

"It's just...we have been here for almost two whole months...and we are only on floor 64...not to mention two days from now it will be Christmas..." Arashi said this sadly, and Kirito sighed. "If only we could just fight the final boss..." Arashi muttered this and saw Egil's sly smile.

"I actually got some info on that. The final boss is Takehiko Kamigawa himself. However he seems to have hid himself better than Akihiko Kayaba. He is presumably in the second strongest guild. The Neo Blood Knights." Egil said this and Kirito nodded and Arashi sat there stunned, thinking. Eventually realisation dawned upon him.

"Then we see which player never hits the red... if he is being careful..." Kirito nodded as Arashi thought this out loud.

"Right and then we take him on." Kirito said this confidently. Arashi looked at him and shook his head.

"No...I'm going to take him on alone...I have to." Arashi said this looking away from Egil and Kirito, both of them looking stunned.

"Yo man why would you even say-" Egil started saying this but Arashi shot him a glare that he had only seen from one other person with that look, and that was Kirito. It was the look that meant he was serious and would knock whoever was in his way.

"I have to do it...for her...I can't let someone else take this burden when...I've already decided to shoulder it." Arashi said this as he stood to leave, but Kirito put a hand on his shoulder.

"Well then, I won't tell Risa, but everyone else is going to know...and we are going to make damn sure you are ready to fight him." Kirito said this, remembering how ill prepared he was against Heathcliff. Arashi looked at Kirito and nodded, smiling slightly.

"Alright then Kirito...thank you." Arashi said this and Egil coughed and the two dual wielders looked at him.

"Well then, you should do the Christmas eve event. Kirito you know the one." Egil said this and Kirito nodded. Arashi wondered what the event was, but didn't ask. His mind actually turned to something else.

"Hey Kirito...ummm can I ask you something." Arashi asked this, feeling his ears burning. Kirito looked at him and shrugged.

"Yeah of course. What's is it." Kirito said this and Arashi took a deep breath.

"How exactly do you use the marriage system..." Arashi asked this slowly as he looked at the floor, cursing himself for the idea. Kirito started laughing.

"That's easy. Hell dude after Christmas, take a break. Go, you need to spend time with her before you even think of beating the boss. So I am making the vacation an order." Kirito said this with a smile, and Araishi sighed in relief, glad he had a good friend like Kirito.

Day 54: Floor 36

Arashi yawned as he and Kirito traversed through the forest, there goal unknown to Arashi. Kirito had decided to leave it a mystery for Arashi till they got to there destination. Both of them had been training almost non stop, despite Risa's protests against it. Asuna and the others all knew and understood that Kirito thought that Arashi could beat the final boss once they located him, and to everyone that meant something. After another fifteen minutes Kirito and Arashi arrived at a giant fir tree.

"It's almost time." Kirito said this as they entered the area, and Arashi wondered what he meant, but as if to answer his question, a man fell from the sky, looking like a demented and psychotic Santa Claus. Arashi realised that it was an event boss and saw its name was Nicholas the Renegade. "I nearly died to this thing in SAO, think we can take it?" Kirito said this as he drew his blades and Arashi smiled drawing his Tempest Cutters.

"As if you have to ask. The boss has four bars of health, a single axe, and two level 85 players...we go this!" Arashi said this as he and Kirito charged Nicholas. Nicholas went for a side blow but Kirito blocked him, knocking his blade away as Arashi got up close and activated his newest skill. "Tempest of Ruin!" Arashi yelled this as he started slashing and jumping around the boss, switching in between holding his blades in a reverse grip and normally like Kirito does, finally after forty four hits his technique hit its finisher and Arashi roared out as he put together his swallow blade and swung down through the boss. As he did this Kirito ran up and activated the Eclipse, followed by a Starburst Stream, leaving the boss with a sliver of its last health bar.

"Damn this boss is easy...or are we over leveled for this?" Arashi asked this as he flicked his swallow blade, launching it spinning at the boss watching it shatter into its data and then catching his blade on its return path. All that was left from the boss was a small bag that Kirito went to.

"Well last time I soloed it with out dual blades. And here is the prize." Kirito said this as he tossed Arashi a small item. Arashi looked at its ID, and saw its name was Divine Stone of Returning Soul. "That is being prepared for anything. Other than our training. We will be level 90 before christmas is over." Kirito said this and Arashi tossed the revival item back to him. Kirito looked at Arashi confused.

"I can't hold on to it. Risa can't know we have this. Asuna can know." Arashi said this and Kirito smiled, putting the item in his inventory. "Now then, lets go do some more grinding. I want my christmas to be free." Arashi said this with a smile walking off, leaving Kirito to smile.

"Damn, So this is how I was...minus having a mentor of course...at least no one has died in front of him."

Day 55: Floor 21

"Merry Christmas!" Arashi groaned as he heard this, cracking his eyes open to see Risa standing over him with a huge smile. Arashi smiled back and yawned.

"Merry Christmas Risa-chan." Arashi said this as he rubbed his eyes. Risa looked at him carefully and her cheeks puffed showing she was peeved.

"You were up last night leveling with Kirito weren't you. Jeez what level are you now." Risa said this and put her hands on her hips. Arashi sighed and rubbed the back of his head as he sat up from the couch he was sleeping on. They were in his place, but after he got back with Kirito he just crashed on the couch. Risa had probably either fell asleep here waiting, or just got here. Either way, Arashi thought it was too early to be messing with Risa, so he decided to just accept whatever punishment she dealt out.

"Level 93, however it wasn't just level grinding. I was also grinding for your present." Arashi said this with a smile. It wasn't a lie at all. He just didn't feel like mentioning Nicholas. Risa's eyes brightened up when he said present. She smiled and kissed him before she pressed a menu button.

"Well last night I was item hunting...so I am level 89...and I got you these...merry christmas." Risa said this sheepishly as Arashi looked at the items that she just gifted him. His eyes widened when he saw them. One was a new set of armor, better than his old set, and full maxed out. The other was something that he thought he was going to have to grind for. It was the best pair of twin blades he could obtain, the Tempest Slayers, and they were fully upgrade.

"Risa...this must have taken you forever to find and get...and these upgrades..."Arashi said this stunned and Risa smiled and sat next to him, kissing him again.

"Yeah...I was up till three getting that set of blades and it took Liz another hour to upgrade it all." Risa said this with an embarrassed smile. "So what you get me hmmm?" Arashi smirked and whispered what his present was to her and her eyes widened before she hugged him tight.

Floor 39

Arashi smiled as Risa ran out to the balcony of their new house that he had bought, thanks to Egil. The house was two stories with the bedrooms and a study located on the second floor. Surrounding the house was an orchard of cherry blossoms, something that Arashi knew that Risa loved.

"Heh don't lean too far off the balcony. I don't need you to fall off the balcony." Arashi said this with a smirk and Risa turned to him, sticking her tongue out and ran back to him hugging him.

"It's perfect Matsa-kun! This must have been a fortune!" Risa said this before kissing him again. Arashi chuckled and kissed back.

"It's nothing as long as you are happy." Arashi said this with a smile.

"Remind me to thank Kirito for this time off." Risa said this with a smile and Arashi laughed.

"Also for telling me about this." He held up his hand showing her a ring that matched one on her hand. She smiled and kissed him deeply.

"Yeah that too."

DE88: Yep I am ending this chapter here, Next Chapter: Chapter five: Reasons to Fight.