Sorry about the sadness in the last chapter. I really am. Punched you right in the face didn't it? So here's the Third part to this Story arc. Hold onto your seats.

Disclaimer: I do not own Sword Art Online. Sword Art Online belongs to Reki Kawahara. I only own the OCs, weapons, towns, and skill names.

Drastic Change Pt.3

1 week later

Seiko's POV

Everyone has been a little distant lately, Yuu is the only one that's been acting normally, but I know he's hurt on the inside, he just puts on a front to try to cheer everyone else up. Even Aiko's gloomy, and she's NEVER gloomy. Since Shizuyo was co-leader and a great friend, I guess it has an impact on everybody. I unknowably distanced myself from everyone, including Yuu. I just can't help it. The boss fights are rushing by way too fast. There's been a floor cleared every day.

They say the Boss is defeated at night, I'm not sure who is doing the clearing though, our team is can't get their heads straight enough to go into battle. The boss is always cleared the night before the whole group goes to clear it. Except for last night, today is the day we go clear floor 100. I still have hope that we can make it out of here.

I walk into the kitchen to see that Yuu is the only one there.

"Good morning Yuusuke."

"Good Morning, you're up early."

"I could say the same to you."

"Not really, I didn't actually sleep."

"What? Why not?"

"I've been having nightmares since Shizuyo died, so I have only been getting maybe 2 hours of sleep each night. Today I went out grinding instead of just laying in bed."

"Can I see your level?" I need to find out if he's the one taking out the boss. If his level is above 125. I know he'd be the only one able to.

"Sure I guess. How could I say no to you? You'd probably paralyze me and move my hand for me to see my menu." He walked up to me and showed me his menu.

Yuu: Level 142

He has been the one beating all the bosses, but I don't know for sure, he did say he was leveling all night. His level is insane, I'm only level 120. The level cap is 150.

"Yuusuke, are you the one defeating all the bosses? You know the team is worried."

"Yeah, I have, but it's how I blow off steam while getting closer to the real world. Plus, I want us to spend our birthday's in the real world this year Seiko. It's in five days."

"I know we said it would be nice to spend our birthday's together in the real world, but this is over the top."

"I'm sorry, I know you worry about me, I should have at least told you."

"You better be sorry. Well, what's done is done. We have Boss Fight 100 today, and we're going to win."

"Of course, I didn't want to beat the game without everyone there to support each other, I want the last fight to be the best fight."

"And it will be, don't do anything stupid ok? I'm going out to get new gear. Wanna come?"

"I got some on my way back from leveling, but I'll come anyways." He said in a teasing tone of voice.

In -Ruby City- Floor 100

"Hey Yuu, how much money do you have right now?"

"Well, enough to buy you whatever you want."

"Perfect. I'd like a new rapier of your choosing."

"Alright, -Plasma Wind-, it's SPD and STR stat are amazing, and it has a 75% chance of burning your opponent."

"Sounds good."

"I'm using a sword that was dropped from the floor 99 boss. So I should be good."

"What's it called? What are it's specialties?"

"It's called -Archangel- and as long as I have it in hand, it boosts my SPD stat by 50%."

"Wow, that sounds like a good sword, what are it's strong points?"

"It's STR and SPD are really high, it's mobility is pretty heavy, but that's no problem for me."

"I guess not. So you sound ready to go."

"The Boss fight is in 15 minutes, get on!"

"Huh?!"

"Get on my back, I can use a Skill to get us both there in 5 minutes."

"Umm, ok." This is so embarrassing, but I guess it is kinda nice...

He immediately activated -Passive Skill- =God Speed=, I could see the ground moving beside me, but I didn't feel the wind in my hair or the feeling that I was going to fall off. I was comfortable even. We arrived in front of the boss room 5 minutes later and I got off a little early so we could get there without everyone seeing him giving me a piggyback ride.

He had his little speech and opened the door. The lights turned on, and all we saw in the middle of the room was a human dressed in full night armor. Even the helmet, so we couldn't see it's face. We took cautious steps toward it, a random player ran up to it to try to attack. In a split second, the knight pulled their sword out of the ground and stabbed the player in the stomach. The player shattered after just one hit.

Everyone gasped. 1 health bar showed up next to the boss. It looked just like a player's would. It's name was -Itaka the Knight-. He spoke up in a deep voice.

"I command that Yuu have a duel with me, if you deny, I will kill another one of your players."

He began to step up, and I grabbed his sleeve.

"Don't do it Yuusuke."

"Don't worry, I'll be fine." He walked to the middle of the circle, facing Itaka."

"So Itaka, what's the catch?"

"If you lose, I kill everyone in this room."

"And if I win?"

"Everyone in SAO will be released."

"What is the duel style?"

"Deathmatch."

"Fine by me, because I'm going to win this duel."

The duel request showed up in front of Yuusuke, he accepted. They both got in position and the countdown started.

Yuu's POV

He stood across from me, he used a kendo stance, Two-Handed Sword.

"Are you ready Yuu?"

"As long as you are."

Duel Start!

He stood still, I rushed in towards him, he went for a side slash which I jumped over. I tried activating a -Sword Skill-, but it didn't work. He smashed into my sword and I slid across the floor.

"So you deactivated skills so we have to win this with pure skill huh?"

"I'm glad you realized, or else this would've been to easy."

"I won't go down that easy!"

I charged at him again, we clashed over and over. He blocked whatever I threw at him, I flipped over him and got a slash on his back. I backed off and dodged a uppercut slash. I started a barrage of attacks, he blocked half of him, then grabbed me by the neck and threw me. My sword slid away as he approached me.

"So this is the power of the Top Player?" He laughed.

He swung down at me and I blocked it with my dagger just in time, he kicked my side and I went flying left towards my sword. I began to stand up and ran towards my sword. Right when I was about to pick it up, I felt a pain from my right leg. He had hit me with a throwing knife, and I fell to the ground, my sword, just out of my reach.

He picked me up and held me in a chokehold. I could hear everyone gasp as he tightened the grip.

"My...last...chance..."

"Any last words Yuu?"

"Yes, I have to say, I'm...sorry."

"To whom?"

"To everybody, but I have one last thing I have to do."

"And what would that be?"

I kicked my sword up and grabbed it, I stabbed it through my heart, it entered me and exited through Itaka.

"Take...you with...me."

"You...win..." He said as we both shattered.

Third Person POV

Seiko fell to her knees. Aiko was pulling out her hair. Mai and Yuuki fell to the ground, closed their eyes, and covered their ears.

Everyone gasped as a message showed up in their inbox.

Congratulations

Sword Art Online has been beat.
Congratulations to those who survived.
Sword Art Online has been beat by: Yuu

Kyo's POV

I was just sitting around when I got a message. I looked at it and it said congratulations, it was about beating the game. Yuu had won.

I opened up my friend list to congratulate him, but he wasn't in there.

Tarou's POV

I was eating when I got a message.

It told me about Yuu beating SAO. I was overjoyed, I looked at my menu, and the log out button was there.

I went to my friend list to congratulate him. I saw a few names logged out, but he wasn't on my friends list anymore.

Yuu's POV

I woke up on an invisible platform, I was looking down at -Aincrad-, the flying castle of Sword Art Online. It was falling apart. I found the edge of the platform. I opened my menu and saw that everyone was logged out.

"Heh, I guess I beat Sword Art Online after all." I looked up and reached my hand as far as I could, I was hoping I could latch on to something.

"I'm sorry Seiko, I guess we couldn't spend our birthday's together after all." I said as tears started to fall down my face.

"Hello Yuusuke."

"Huh?" I looked over to see Akihiko Kayaba.

"A great view isn't it?"

"I guess, but is this your idea of heaven."

"No, this is the winners circle."

"How do you mean."

"You're still alive."

"What?"

"You didn't die from that last blow, the boss died, the shattering was when I transported you here."

"Oh, then when can I leave?"

"You can leave when you want, but I will answer you one question."

"What did you get from doing all of this?"

"I don't know, I think I was just stuck in a childhood dream of being king or something like that. I tried my best to end the game as soon as I realized what I had did, but then, I realized I would delete all of your minds as well."

"Then I forgive you Kayaba."

"Why would you forgive me?"

"You did all this bad stuff, but you regret it, you saw the error of your ways. I should thank you even."

"Why is that?"

"By creating this game, I was able to make so many friends." I flashed him a smile before looking down and crying.

"I'll send an executive that works for me to your hospital, he should be able to help you to getting back to your life."

"I'd say thank you if I had a life, but thank you. Goodbye."

"Goodbye Kurosawa Yuusuke." He said before I logged out.

Well, how was that chapter, I actually had this whole chapter planned since the beginning. I wrote this whole story after I got the idea for this chapter. Can you believe it? Don't worry, I'm not done yet, there will be 2 or 3 chapters after this. That's all for now, TheDemiGeek, Out!