Inter-Level Transport System.
A swirl of electric blue span in a tornado from the floor to higher than any of the players could see, all the way up to the floor of Level 100, Trost. The players all took a deep breath, wondering what they would find when this explosion of intense colour dissipated. Kirito, Asuna and Agil stood relatively calmly and relaxed, while the members of the Knights of the Blood Oath had stood in formation, preparing to defend their leader Kimiko from any immediate threats by surrounding her.
To Kimiko's left was a short, 19 year old girl with a bleach-blonde bob, who was gripping a small axe in her left hand; Miyu had been a valuable member of the Guild – and the clearing group – ever since being noticed by Kimiko herself, in her days as an assistant to Heathcliff. She picked out Miyu for her speed, agility and size, as she can do things that many other players are not able to do. Having given her extra combat training by the now leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath, Miyu and Kimiko have been fighting side-by-side since the clearing of Level 80.
To their right stood Taiki: a tall, bald and broad shouldered man in his early 40s with a large, two-handed staff. He was chosen by Kimiko to become her bodyguard as soon as she was promoted to Vice-Commander, due to his great strength, resilience and awareness. They were trusted companions and friends, having fought many battles together, and both owed the other their life many times over. Another benefit of Taiki's presence was his health bar, which far exceeded most players' totals.
Directly in front of this trio was Yoshiro, a man who had often been thought of at first meeting as a clear-cut average player. He was of average height and build, with black hair slightly shorter than Kirito's swept to the left of his forehead. However, after seeing him in battle, everyone in the clearing group instantly understood how Kimiko was reluctant to enter any battle without him; he was an incredibly skilled two-handed swordsman, using a blade similar to the Tyrant Dragon of Knights of the Blood Oath traitor Kuradeel.
Level 100: Trost. Teleport Gate.
The whirlwind of blue surrounding them began to dissolve from around them, revealing the district of Trost. It appeared to be a medieval-style landscape, looking out from the large, ornate building they had arrived in. This was the first time a Teleport Gate had been inside a building; it had tall marble walls, and was located higher than any other building visible, meaning they could look out across Trost. They could see rows and rows of buildings that looked like houses, with red tiled roofs and signs of inhabitants, such as washing lines; in the distance, a huge stone wall stood 50 metres into the air in a semi-circle, enclosing Trost on all sides. However, in all of the places they could see, not one person was visible. It was ghost town.
The room containing the Teleport Gate was largely a simple one; the walls were tall and made of white marble, slightly discoloured and grey, sucking the light out of the room. On all four walls were large arches reaching just over half way of the height and length of the walls, allowing them to view much of the immediate area surrounding them. The room had a large, rectangular oak door in one corner, and a large chandelier, still rocking from the arrival of the members of the clearing group.
"At ease." Kimiko commanded in a quiet, level tone, relaxing her tense muscles and resting her one-handed sword in its scabbard. The three soldiers surrounding her obey, easing their bodies but remaining close to Kimiko, and scrutinising their new surroundings for potential threats. 'This place,' she thought to herself, 'is too peaceful to be Level 100.'
Meanwhile, the other three players ventured through the oak doorway, which lead to a tight, circular marble staircase, and soon they were in a much larger room, with paintings lining the high walls and a series of large, oak tables and chairs. It looked like a great hall, but there were still no people; no NPCs to guide them or anything. There weren't even any monsters attacking them, and the anxiety and trepidation about arriving in the final level seemed to have been wasted.
Soon, Kimiko and the other members of the Knights of the Blood Oath joined Kirito, Asuna and Agil in the hall. "Something is not right about this; it's very tranquil and empty for the final level of this death game." Kimiko announced her suspicions to the rest of the exploratory group.
"That's what I've been thinking too." Asuna agreed quickly, relieved that she was not alone in the uneasy feeling that still occupied the pit of her stomach.
"I have a theory about that." Taiki called out to the group decisively. He was often a key member of strategising battles, and was one of the most alert and attentive players in the game. "The entire district is enclosed by the giant wall in the distance, right?" He began, with those around him nodding in agreement. "Well, it seems feasible that this Level could contain a battle in which the district either fills up with enemies on all sides, or that they sweep from one side to another; either way, the players would be swarmed and have no way of escape, as they are all contained within the walls."
The theory of Taiki began to dawn on the other members of the exploratory group, causing their hearts to sink slightly. "Like pigs to the slaughter." Kimiko replied, disheartened. It was not unreasonable to assume Akihiko Kayaba wouldn't do something so unattainably difficult on Level 100. Kirito had always assumed, always hoped that Akihiko himself would be the final boss in some form, so that Kirito could avenge those that had been lost along the way. So that he could avenge Sachi.
"We will defeat them all." Kirito snarled, "We will defeat Akihiko Kayaba."
Suddenly, the silence in the background of their conversation was replaced by the sound of footsteps nearby. It was difficult to tell where they were coming from, or how many people there were, but the exploratory group of players were shocked. 'Where have they come from?!' Kirito thought to himself, as the players grouped together in the middle of the large tables for defence.
Moments later, four people entered the hall where the players were standing, tense and weapon-ready. All four had brown shoes and tight white trousers with brown straps clinging to their muscular legs. They were wearing brown jackets with winged crests on the breast pockets, draped in emerald green capes that had the same crest on their backs. At the front was a tall, muscular man who had a relatively young, approachable impression. He had blonde hair swept to the side, bushy eyebrows and piercing blue eyes, almost equal to Kimiko in their depth and marvellous intricacy. Beside him stood a smaller man – even shorter than Kirito – who looked expressionless and disinterested. He had black hair in an undercut style, with a centre parting, and below that was a gaunt face, with thin, jaded eyes. He too was deceptively youthful in his look, but looked much less professional than the first man.
Behind those two men stood a man and a woman; the man behind them was the tallest of the group, with dirty blonde hair in a centre-parted fringe sweeping low enough to reach his ears. He had thin, guarded eyes, peeping over the top of a stocky nose. He had a meagre amount of dark facial hair on his upper lip and chin, with thick, blonde sideburns and very thin eyebrows that constantly made him look angry or wary. Stood next to him was a very enthusiastic and welcoming woman of radiant beauty; she had maroon hair in a high ponytail and flowing down the sides of her face to cover her ears; from between the cover of her hair, her big, round eyes glistened and shimmered in the mid-afternoon light, with large rectangular glasses sitting over the top. She was without a doubt the happiest of the group.
"Good afternoon." The tall, blonde man at the front announced to the seven players stood defensively. "We've been expecting you."