A/N: feel free to review or PM about the story.

Also would you like me to continue with Alfheim Online after this or let it stop after SAO is cleared? I have some ideas for that but it will take effect on how the next few chapters will be. Feel free to let me know through PM or review, and if you have ideas or other things you can do that also. Thank you in advance.

Chapter 8

I was trying to find out how he could know I defeated that guild and survived the trap some moments ago without being there. You can't send messages or track players if you or they are inside a dungeon so that idea is out of the question. I was the only survivor so no one could told him about it on their way out. The only thing he could know is that there was a trap, since the alarm could be heard from some distance.

"Before I answer that question, do you mind telling me how you know this?"

"Sure. Someone told me on his way out." He answered with a calm voice.

The moment the trap was set off, all players got surrounded so no one could have left. Was it possible another player had seen what happened? Or was he not telling the truth?

"I think you missed that player. I was on my way out when I heard the alarm and the moment I got here I saw a player transport away." I decided to lie.

He looked at me, hesitated to say something. Did he know I was lying to him? His expression became calm again as he spoke again.

"That is too bad then. I was hoping that player would want to join the KoB but it seems I am too late. If you meet that player, would you like to tell him I would like to speak to him?"

"Sure, but I didn't get a good look at the player so I'm not sure if I recognize him."

I didn't want to stay here any longer so I took a transport crystal out and teleported myself to the closest city. From there I took the transport gate back to the 48th floor and walked to Lizbeth's shop still thinking about Heathcliff. Maybe it's something Kirito should know.

"Crap! I forgot to ask him!" words slipped out of my mouth. Strangely there was a reply.

"You can always send him a message then." A female voice replied.

I looked over and saw a girl standing against a tree. She had beautiful chess-nut hair and wore a white with red uniform. It appeared to be Asuna, vice-commander of the Knight of Blood. Was I being followed by the KoB?

"Good morning. What brings you here Asuna?" I have met her countless time during boss fights and spoke during those times to.

"Good morning, Exia was it right? I'm just waiting for someone, that's all. And you?" she replied with a little blush on her cheeks.

"Then I won't hold you up then. Have a good time."

"Thank you, you too." She replied and I continued on.

It didn't take me long to reach Lizbeth and walked in. The NPC was behind the counter so I walked straight to the workshop behind the counter. I opened the door and found her asleep in a chair in the corner. It was 7am so I decided to let her sleep as I quietly sat down on the ground next to her and fall asleep.

A loud voice awaked me from my deep sleep.

"Morning Lizbeth! Oh sorry… I didn't know you were asleep."

I looked up and saw Asuna standing near the outside door. Lizbeth next to me jumped up from the chair and quickly replied.

"I wasn't sleeping! I never sleep during work!"

"Well you were asleep… but that's not a bad thing." I replied still on the ground.

She turned around and saw me sitting there. It appeared she hadn't noticed me until now.

"When did you get back?" she said with a little shocked impression.

I looked at the time and saw it was 8am now.

"Around an hour ago I think. I didn't want to wake you so I decided sleep a little myself. Seems that plan isn't going to happen soon." I replied as I got up.

"I didn't want to disturb you… should we come back some other time?" Asuna replied a little shy.

"No no, please come in. I'm sorry for the mess." Lizbeth said quickly.

Just now I noticed someone was with Asuna as she walked down the steps from the door.

"Are you stalking me?" I replied to Kirito walking behind Asuna.

"I thought you could use some help again, that's all." He replied and moved his right fist towards me. I hit it with my own while laughing to each other.

"But Kirito, you shouldn't let a girl wait you know." I said to him.

"How did you know that?" he was surprised for a second.

"I ran into Asuna near the gate. She told me she was waiting for someone. I guess that was you. But you left some time before me, where did you go that took so much time?"

"You said you just got from a dungeon!" Asuna walked up to him and grabbed his collar and pulled him towards her.

"Well… I had to eat right?" he replied quickly.

"If you already ate, I guess you don't need my homemade sandwiches right?" she asked with a smile.

"No please let me have them. I'm sorry Asuna, please let me have one."

We all started to laugh after seeing Kirito get on his knees begging for it.

"But what took you so long? I expected you to transport away from the dungeon with me. I even waited a little at the transport gate." He asked towards me.

"I was planning that but ran into Heathcliff."

"The commander? Are you sure? Normally he never goes out this time of day." Asuna said.

"Yeah I am sure. He arrived just after you left and told me he heard the alarm and looked to see if he needed to assist." I thought it was better to keep the rest to myself for the moment. If I was talking bad about him, Asuna may get angry with me.

"Well that sounds like him. Oh Lizbeth, can you look at my rapier? I think it needs to be polished again." She turned to Lizbeth and gave her sword to her.

I signed to Kirito to go outside and we walked up the stairs. To get some air we said to the girls. Once we had a distant big enough the girls won't hear us I turned to him.

"So you ran into Heathcliff." He started.

"Yeah, but it was really weird. He told me he was looking for the player who had fight off the guild and survived the trap and killed 28 monsters in the process. How could he have known that?"

"That's is pretty weird… maybe he was watching from a distance?"

"I don't think so but I was too focused on fighting for my life that I didn't looked around. I also didn't noticed you coming to save me so it could be he was watching from a distance. But he said he had heard it from a survivor of the guild. But they were all killed. I counted the Death Marks on the map and we got surrounded by the trap."

"I didn't saw somebody when I ran towards you so I'm not sure about that. I only saw the sword skill you were using. About that, what kind of skill was that?"

"About that, I went to the dungeon to see you. I know it is not nice digging into other player's sword skills, but do you know the highest hit combo you can do with Dual Blades?"

"I asked about yours too so it's only fair I answer you right? The highest I have now is Starburst Stream as you know. But my guess is that there are around 20 different sword skill and if that's true, Starburst Stream is number 15, leaving 5 more powerful ones. How come you asked?"

I checked if we were alone and switched the sword on my back to the Dark Repulsor and the Sentinel Repulsor.

"When I both unsheathed these swords yesterday, I got a message popped up saying I unlocked a secret sword skill that can only be used with these swords. It's a 25-hit combo, called Dragon's Repulsor."

"What?! A 25 hit combo?" He nearly screamed from the shock.

"Keep it down will you. I don't want to have this known to the public."

I switched the Dark Repulsor to my inventory again and hang the Sentinel Repulsor on my right shoulder as my Primary. I unsheathed it as my guess was he wanted to take a look at it.

"That is a powerful looking sword. Did Lizbeth make it for you?"

"Yeah she did. It's really powerful. Yesterday in the dungeon I tried the skill chaining we talked about and it worked flawless."

"Serious? I'm having a hard time doing that. Can I hold it for a second?"

"Sure, but don't break it." I handed him the sword.

"It feels amazingly strong! Where did you get the materials from?"

"From the same dragon as the Dark Repulsor came. After I defeated it, alongside the Exidator came a list with materials. One of them was an S-class material and that how I got this sword."

"Great job. This way you may be able to keep up with me." He said with a smile on his face.

I took the sword back and sheathed it again before opening the menu and opened a trade window.

"These are 2 Dragon ingots. If you give them to Lizbeth along with the Dark Repulsor she can upgrade it. See it as a thank you for earlier."

"You sure about letting me have them? Don't you need them for yourself?"

"No its fine. Liz already upgraded mine so I have no use for them anymore."

"Thank you then. I be in your debt then." He said while accepting the trade.

"No this makes us even. But let's get back to the girls shall we?"

As we walked inside the workshop again we saw Asuna rolling over the floor laughing and Lizbeth sitting in the chair with a red face.

"What is happening here?" I asked.

"Lizbeth just talked about yesterday." Asuna said before laughing again.

"What happened yesterday?" Kirito asked before my face turned red as well.

"Nothing! Nothing happened, let's changed the subject." Lizbeth said quickly.

We decided to have a rest day and went on a pick nick together. We spend the entire day laughing and enjoying the nice weather. We had fun until late in the afternoon, Asuna received a messages from her guild that ruined the fun.

The boss room for the 71ste floor was found and the raid was planned for the next morning.

We decided that the best thing now was to get ready for it. Lizbeth offered to repair or swords and equipment and after that was done, Asuna and Kirito left to go home. After Lizbeth was done with my swords, I asked to use her quest room and it didn't take long before I fall into a deep sleep.