A/N: thank you all again for all the support on this story. This will be the final chapter for this one, but as said before it will continue in a new one very soon. I hope you will like it all and again I am really sorry it had taken me this long to finish it. But thank you all for your support, tips and reactions to this story. I could have never dreamed that this story would be this populair at all. You guys are the best.

Chapter 18

Kirito kept on attacking but couldn't find an opening. He must be thinking about the same thing as I was thinking. Because he made the game, sword skills wouldn't work on him, especially the Dual Wielding sword skills.

So as long as Kirito avoided those, Kayaba wouldn't have any idea, how Kirito's swords would strike. This was a dual for personal skills with an sword and not mastery of sword skills.

Even without sword skills, there swords were striking at a speed that surpassed the speed of sword skills and was hard to follow them with your eyes. This is why Kirito has the Extra Skill Dual Wield, his reaction speed is so great, that he is able to react with 2 sword on a unbelievable way. Even I, who can use the Extra Skill, am not able to react this fast or handle this speed.

Knowing that didn't change the fact that I was still thinking of helping Kirito. Not because I didn't believe in him, but because he was risking his own life to save mine and thousands more.

And just because of that, I decided to act. Not intervening just yet, but when it is needed, I will be ready I thought as I activated the Extra Skill that I haven't known before until 2 days ago.

It wasn't anything extremely powerful but more like something handy. Especially for a solo player like me.

The Extra Skill was called Anti-Status and its effect was not far off its name. When I first saw it, I thought it was for blocking all status effects but I was far off.

Instead of blocking the effects, it gave you more a way out. When you are poisoned, your health decreases slower then normally, meaning you are still effected by them, but have more time to react and counter them. And in case of paralysis, it would still make your whole body numb, unless your left arm.

It will still be harder to move then normally so blocking attacks and countering are hard to do, but grabbing for the antidote will be a lot easier, meaning you can get rid of them and fight back with all your power.

I slowly moved my hand to my lower back were all my potions were. It took me all effort to do it as slowly as possible so no one would see me doing this. I grabbed the potion and looked around me but no one was paying attension to me. They were all looking at the dual and looking over my self I understood why.

After taking a small hit on the cheek, Kirito lost focus for a second. During that second he did what I knew would be his defeat. He activated the 24-hit Dual Blade Sword Skill Eclipse. The Sword Skill that Kayaba SHOULD have known about or made it himself. The Sword Skill that would be easy for him to block and probely counter after it is finished.

After a small shock my mind cleared up and only one thing remained. NOW!

I moved the antidote with the highest speed towards my mouth and started drinking. Using a Crystal was quicker but since we are still in the boss room, they will not work here. The moment I took the last sip, my biggest fear became true.

With the last hit of the skill, Kirito hit the shield head on with his Dark Repulsor and broke. A laughing Kayaba got ready to give Kirito the final blow now Kirito couldn't move because of the delay that happens after each sword skill.

I knew what to do. The moment the antidote does it work, I would sprint over and block the sword with my shield and knock Kayaba back. During that short moment of time, Kirito can take my Sentinel Repulsor and continue to fight. There is no way I will be able to keep up with them but this way I can help. Kirito must live, he is our only change to clear this game.

As Kayaba's Liberator started glowing red, the feeling returned to my body and got ready to launch myself. I already made the shield appear on my arm and the sword ready on my back. This is it.

The moment I put all I had towards my legs to lauch myself forward, a white flash made me unable to move. Someone dashed over with an speed that was so fast, even I wouldn't be able to keep up or defeat it. Someone else intervened, someone without holding a weapon or anything.

The moment Kayaba's Liberator started to slash down, Asuna jumped in front of Kirito to block the attack. Not with a sword or shield, she blocked it with her own body, knowing her HP would drop to 0. She sacrificed herself so Kirito could live.

My body broke down and I collapsed to my knees. My mind was blank as I looked at Kirito's face, filled with the pain of losing that person he loved the most. His reason for fighting, dying is his arms.

This is my fault. My fault for not acting sooner. My fault for forgetting the most important thing of everything. This isn't a game. Every fight is to the death. Every fight we risk our lives so we must do everything to keep others alive. Wasn't that the most important reason why I mastered this cheating Extra Skill? Using everything about it to be able to make sure everyone would survive?

That was the storm of thought that continued in my head as I looked how Asuna broke into polygons and disappeared.

My eyes saw what was happening, but my mind was too busy to understand what was happening.

Kirito was getting up, holding Asuna's Rapier in his left hand. But he had lost all reason to fight as he slowly and weak was moving his swords towards Kayaba. And it didn't take long before Kayaba knocked the Elucidator out off Kirito's right hand and went flying.

Kirito didn't even react to it. He stood still, excepting what would happen next and was stabbed my Kayaba right through his heart.

I saw what was happening but didn't had any strength to react. I could only look at how Kirito's HP dropped closer towards 0 with every second. And after a few, the lost drop disappeared and his bar vanished, meaning he was dead. The only thing I could do was watching from a distance and not do anything.

As Kirito's body slowly gave a small light something happened. Instead of losing all strength, he seemed to have found something as the Rapier in his hand jerked up.

Kirito shouldn't be able to move his body at all but he was doing the impossible as he started to shake. Even Kayaba took a step back, not knowing what was happening in front of his eyes.

With all his strength, Kirito took a step forward and stabbed Kayaba the same way as he was stabbed, right through the heart. Knowing that this would also kill him.

Together they broke into polygons and flew away with the wind. And slowly I understood what I have just seen.

After Kirito had died, he had done the unbelievable and fought against dead itself in this game. He had fought just long enough to be able to make the final blow to Kayaba. He knew he would die, but still made sure the rest would survive. Kirito was the hero this game needed, and became the savior we were all hoping for.

A voice appeared out of the silence and a white light surrounded us all.

"As of 14.55, November 7, the game has been cleared. The game has been cleared!"

The light became brighter and brighter and I couldn't see anything. Everything disappeared. All colors and sound disappeared and nothing came back for it.

Slowly my mind started working again and I felt that I was laying on my back. I was laying down but it all felt weird, like something heavy was on top of me. I slowly tried to lift my arm as I opened my eyes.

I looked around me but didn't recognize anything around me. It was all strange so I started looking for things I would recognize. But that didn't help. I searched for my HP bar but it was not there.

I started to panic when I noticed a hand moving above me. It looked like an old persons hand, all dried up and with almost no muscles on them. It took me some time to figure out that it was my own hand I was looking at and something became to mind.

I gathered all my strength and slowly got up. I unstrapped the small band under my chin and used both hand to lift the heavy helmet from my head and lay it in front of me. A large amount of hair fell downwards my face as the helmet left my face but I didn't pay attention to it.

The only thing I could do was looking at the helmet in front of me. The helmet that has changed me forever. The helmet that has brought me pain and sorrow but also happiness. The helmet that I hate but also made all of this possible.

I slowly picked it up and put it against my forehead and whispered:

"Thank you for keeping me alive. Thank you Nerve Gear."