A/N: thank you for all the reviews and PMs. Still the question remaining is if the story will continue with Alfheim Online or it will stop after the game is cleared. I have had reasons for both but non clear opinion in this matter. Please tell me so I can work up to that decision.

Also chapters 11 and 12 may get delayed a little. I am working between 14 and 18 hours a day at the moment and 6 days a week. Because of that, writing is held a little bit back. Before I started uploading, the first 5 chapters were written and I always wrote 2 chapters ahead of what I uploaded, but now I am not. The moment this chapter is finished and uploaded is a few minutes after it is completed and I will try to do the same with the next chapters but as I said, it can be a little later then usual. Still I hope you will enjoy it and will understand I am doing everything I can to let the story stay active with daily updates.

Chapter 10

In a few weeks, Crimson was already level 65 and got a lot stronger. He now knew how to use sword skills the right way and how to raise the other skills. It didn't take long before he mastered the one-handed sword.

"Now tell me more about that knife you used against that Army player."

He had asked it before, but I said he had to wait until he could focus on that skill. I took out one throwing knife out of the pocket on my upper leg and held it in my hand.

The knife in my hand was a light weighted blade with a slightly bigger open circle as handle.

"This is a throwing knife. The circle is meant as the handle. The hole is big enough for your finger, meaning that is how you draw them. If you hide them well, the only thing people will see are the circles and most will think there just decoration of your clothes." I gave the knife to him.

"It's really light. How can you fight with this?"

"You don't. You throw it. In a sword battle, it won't help you."

"Then why did you use it against the Army then?"

"To merely scare him. By doing that I showed him that he is no match for me. My speed with drawing and moving it to his throat was because of my speed stats. Since he couldn't follow my movements, it showed that my level is that much higher than his. Secrecy is important in this world. Never tell people what your level is or which skills you are using. The best thing is to not even show them your sword or the sword skills you use with them. Only tell them to people you trust, knowing it won't be turned against you."

"Have you told someone? You said before that you are solo, does that mean you don't have friends?"

"I do have friends Crimson. And yes, some of them know some. One more than the other but that's just of common interest. Except one, there all front line players so they will see some of the skills on the battle field and that's why I didn't hid some for those people."

"It sounds like being on the front line means a close group of players."

"No that's not true. To be honest, I'm only friends with around 4 people on the front lines and only 2 know some skills. One of them knows more."

"Like what skill?"

"Well…" I was thinking if it was alright to tell him.

"Come on! I'm your brother! If you can't tell me, how secret is this skill?"

"Alright then. Watch closely." I turned around and switched the swords on my back. Then I showed Dual Blades.

"How did you do that? And Dual Blades? That is amazing!"

"It is an extra skill. It let me switch swords and gives me the option to use Dual Blades. But I don't know more about it, it appeared around 5 months ago."

As we talked about the extra skill more and changed it into his skills again, I got a message. It was from an information broker I usually ask for ask if I need information. I haven't asked him so it was weird he send me a message.

As I was reading it my eyes opened up. Kirito has a dual with Heathcliff? Why? I have read in the paper that his Dual Blade skill was exposed because he had to use it to defeat the boss on the 74th floor. Was this because of that?

"I have to go to the 75th floor. A friend is having a dual, and that's not something me normally would do." I said to Crimson who was looking at me.

"Then let me come with you. If it is in the city, it will be alright."

"Sure. Why not. Let me send a message real quick and then we go."

I send a message towards my information broker and we went on our way.

After we arrived at the floor we asked around. We found out the dual would be held later this day. As we walked towards the place the dual would take place, I spotted Asuna walking my way and walked up to her.

"He Asuna. What happened?" I asked.

"Exia, so glad to see you. Can you talk some sense into him?" She asked with a tired voice.

"It would help if I knew what happened." I asked again.

"Well, we were mapping the 74th floor and …. Who are you?" She spotted Crimson.

"Oh sorry. This is my little brother." I said.

"Hello, I'm Ben. And may I say you are really beautiful?"

"Crimson, you are Crimson. Never say your real name idiot! And you don't want to hit on her, she can defeat you with her eyes closed. So don't do that." I said quickly after seeing Asuna's face turned red. Not from embarrassment but from anger.

"I'm sorry for his behavior. He still needs a lot to learn." I said while bowing my head.

"It's fine. This time he gets away with it. But is he really your brother? I'm sorry for asking about that world but you haven't told about him before, that's why I'm asking." She asked surprised.

"He forgot about me." Crimson joked.

"Don't you say that ever again, you said you probably weren't going to try this game. But yes, he is my real brother, and I didn't know he was here until a few weeks ago when I read his name in the paper."

"I see. But back to topic. I wanted to take a temporally leave from the guild and the commander didn't want that. Instead he wanted to have a dual with Kirito. If Kirito wins, I can leave the guild. If he loses, he has to join the KoB."

"Wow, I didn't expect that. But it does sound like him."

"That's true. But what should I do?"

"He accepted this dual, so I think you maybe just have to let it happen."

"Maybe your right. I have to go now. Will you watch the dual?"

Yeah, we will. Maybe he can learn something from it." I said while pointing towards Crimson.

"Wish him good luck from me." I said after that.

"I will. Bye." She said while walking away.

Me moved towards the stadium and bought tickets to see it. I wanted to see as much as possible and bought expensive front seats. We waited and soon we saw them moving on the field.

The dual was really entertaining. Until the moment Kirito activated his Starburst Stream, the dual was really evenly matched. But Heathcliff's defense was really something else. Then something happened.

With one of his swords, he blown back Heathcliff's shield and with his other sword Heathcliff's sword, leaving a gab for a strike. The moment Kirito took advantage of that gab the weirdest thing happened.

Heathcliff's shield was there to block Kirito's sword. That couldn't be possible, Kirito just blew it away. Kirito himself was thinking about that too as he was too shocked to react and was hit by Heathcliff's sword, losing the dual.

I thought about it for some time but couldn't think of any reason why he was so quick with defending. Even that evening, when I was training with Crimson in a dungeon, I couldn't stop thinking about it. Every time I needed to defend myself, I tested the fastest way possible to do it. But I couldn't copy it. I knew something was off about him.

The next day I left Crimson in the city and went to the HQ of the KoB. I requested a private conversation with Heathcliff with as reason our meeting in the dungeon a couple of weeks ago. He accepted it and we walked towards the meeting room which was empty now.

"I will cut to the case. I request a dual, held and kept in private."

"And why should I accept?" He replied.

I turned around and spread my arms. I showed him my extra skill by switching swords and equipping Dual Blades.

"This is why. I was the player who survived that trap that day." I said.

"I will agree on our dual. But if you lose, you will join the KoB. Do we agree?"

"I have one condition. I recently learned my little brother is in this game. I want to have him close to me until the day this game is cleared. So if I join, he joins as well and will be close to me. I want all freedom to train and protect him."

"A player is strongest if he wants to protect something so I agree."

"Then I am fine with it. My conditions for winning will be said after the fight."

"That wouldn't be necessary." He replied with confidents.

We decided to hold the dual the next day, late in the evening to avoid players as we both wanted it in secret. After that, I walked out and took Crimson to a dungeon to train him and test some moves I wanted to use on Heathcliff. I wanted to make sure, Heathcliff's defense was raised by himself our that the system backed him up. I didn't say anything about the dual, he only knew I wanted to challenge him and if I would lose, be both would be joining them.

It was deep into the night when we walked out of the dungeon and that moment a message popped up saying I have an unread message. It was from Asuna and Kirito, saying they got married. I send one back, saying I'm sorry for my late respond, congratulating them and wishing them all the luck.

The next morning, I trained some more, perfecting my battle plan. I knew I was going to succeed what Kirito couldn't, beat him. In the afternoon, I let Crimson stay behind in the inn, and I slowly moved towards the place Heathcliff wanted. I took my time, eating on my own place, defeating monsters on my way and thinking about my battle plan over and over again. After I arrived at the place. I took my position and waited on him. Around 30 minutes later, he arrived and stayed outside the ring for a minute. After he saw me standing on my spot he moved to his and took his place. We both checked our surroundings, making sure no one was watching us. After we were sure, he opened the menu and selected the dual option.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" He asked with a confidence smile on his face.

"Are you?" I asked while accepting the dual.

We drew our weapons, he his sword and shield, me my Exidator and Sentinel Repulsor, and took our pose. The timer was counting down and the moment it reached zero, I kicked off with my right foot and moved in for the attack.