Chapter 7: Bang! Get Rekt!
It was night in one of the bright cities within the territories of the Sylph. NPCs were bustling about, even some players are enjoying the time together. However, the one who stood out the most is the fact that the leader, Sakuya, was walking along with Leafa and Recon in tow. Recon seemed to be acting very shy.
"Something wrong?" Sakuya asked.
"Well, yes…" Recon replied shyly. "It's just… it's rare that you would invite us for tea, Miss Sakuya."
Sakuya giggled at this statement.
"Well." She replied with a smile. "This seemed to be the only way to repay you after everything you did."
"She's right, you know." Leafa added. "You deserve this."
Recon blushed slightly. This was again a rarity. Leafa giving him a compliment.
Leafa giggled and continued to walk on. She was about to ask Sakuya something, when something caught her ear.
Several gunshots.
On that, she began to run towards the source of that sound.
"Whoa, hey, Leafa!" Recon shouted. "Where are you going?!"
Leafa didn't reply. She continued running. Despite being confused, Sakuya and Recon ran after them. Catching up, they saw Leafa's face. She was in utter shock, covering her mouth. They looked at what she saw, and they were horrified by the sight as well.
A plaza that was famous for its glowing water fountain and bustling NPCs, was now in ruin. The water was no longer blue, but pitch black. Lights were flickering back and forth, and NPCs were dying left and right. A couple players were seen as well, and Leafa quickly made her way over. Recon and Sakuya did the same thing.
"Hey!" Leafa shouted to the player. "What happened here?"
The player grunted a bit before answering.
"Someone… attacked us…" He groaned.
"Who is the assailant?" Sakuya asked.
"A… Spriggan…" The player muttered before finally dying.
Leafa only had a shocked face when he said that. Recon and Sakuya too. As far as they're concerned, the only Spriggan they knew personally was Kirito. Sakuya sighed, and spoke up.
"You know what this means, don't you, Leafa?" She asked in a monotone voice.
Leafa stood up, clenching her fist tightly.
"Yes." She whispered.
Sakuya sighed once more, and whispered something to Recon. Leafa held her arm, afraid.
I've gotta believe!
(A circle camera shot of Kirito and Asuna, back to back, looking around, as the world pixelates and revealing the title)
I don't wanna know heta na shinjitsu nara I don't wanna know shiranai kurai ga ii noni
(The SAO gang talking together)
Why? Why? Why? Why? Kizukeba I came too far
(The floor suddenly crash and all of them fall, their bodies pixelating into their SAO avatars. They slowly get up, looking around the pitch blackness)
Tomaranai kanjiru kono yokan wa
(The world shatters into color and the Riders walk up to them)
The new beginning
(Each Rider show their Gashats)
Michi no ryuoiki ima wo kirihirakunda
(The SAO gang prepare to fight as the Riders go into Level 1)
I've gotta believe!
(The Riders go Level 2)
(Turn it on!) soutou
(The Gamer Driver lever turns)
EXCITE! EXCITE! Takanaru
(Ex-Aid VS Kirito and Asuna)
EXCITE! EXCITE! Kokoro ga
(Brave VS Silica and Lisbeth, Snipe VS Sinon and Leafa)
Michibiku ano basho e kakenukete ikudake
(In an explosion, Lazer tears by with Ex-Aid riding)
(Hey!) I'm on a mission right now
(Ex-Aid (on top of Lazer in Bike mode), Brave, Snipe, prepare for battle with Kirito, Asuna, and Sinon respectively, and the SAO gang take back seat, despite posing for them too.)
(Hey!) I'm on a mission right now
(Graphite and Genmu also get into a battle stance)
EXCITE! EXCITE! Kotae wa
(Graphite VS the SAO gang)
EXCITE! EXCITE! Kotae wa
(Ex-Aid & other Riders VS Genmu)
(One!) kono te no naka
(Sinon (GGO) and Snipe raising their guns to their faces)
(Two!) susumubeki Life
(Asuna and Brave clashing swords)
(Three!) ikitekudake
(Kirito & Ex-Aid run towards each other as the title appears once more)
Suguha silently ate her toast. She was still shocked by what happened the night before. A Spriggan murdering countless Sylphs. There are questions she wanted answers to. What was that for? What was he trying to accomplish? Why did he-
"Sugu." Kazuto barged. "You're being uncharacteristically quiet again."
Suguha snapped back into reality. She was in the living room, having breakfast with her brother.
"Sorry." She chuckled, pouring another cup of milk. "Say… big bro?"
"Yeah?" Kazuto answered.
"Were you in ALO last night?" Suguha asked.
"Nah…" Kazuto sighed. "I was away with a friend of mine… why?"
"Oh, uh… no reason." Suguha quickly replied.
Kazuto looked confused, but eventually got up to wash up. Suguha finished her toast quickly, and cleaned up. But the thought Kirito being the Spriggan that attacked still pulled on the back of her mind.
Later, she was taking a walk down the park. Listening to music, she decided this was the best way to relax. She sat down on a nearby bench and breathed in the fresh air. She slowly closed her eyes, and slowly drifted off to the beat of the music.
"Sugu!" shouted a familiar voice.
Suguha opened one annoyed eye and saw Shinichi before her.
"Hey." She said.
"Hey." Shinichi replied.
He sat down next to Suguha, who scooted over a couple inches.
"So, the blockade has been placed." He whispered.
"So Sakuya is actually doing it, huh?" Sugu commented.
"Yeah… she wanted it to be a safety measure." Shinichi said. "She wants you later."
With that, Shinichi got up. But before he left, he looked back.
"The evidence isn't all there." He stated. "I know you don't want to believe it, but that alone isn't going to suffice."
Now, he walked away. Once he was out of Suguha's line of vision, she stood back up and made her way back home.
The sun was shining brightly. However, the sun's brightness doesn't reflect on the ground. Sylph troops were marching all over the place. Some were getting more gear, some were discussing strategy, some were even with Sakuya.
"Make sure you reinforce anyone that feels insufficient." She ordered. "We can't hold up anything right now."
"Yes, ma'am." The trooper replied.
The trooper left. Sakuya sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose.
"Miss Sakuya!" shouted a voice.
She looked up and saw Leafa and Recon flying towards her. They landed, and walked over to her.
"Well, this seems festive." Leafa commented.
Sakuya motioned two platoons over. They came up behind her.
"I'm putting you two in charge of these two." She said. "Make sure you cover more ground."
Leafa reluctantly agreed, and led her platoon. She made it to just a bit out from the third platoon stationed on the south-western front.
'Well… better get to it." She thought to herself.
"Multiple bogies coming in from above!" said a trooper.
Leafa looked up and saw the gang coming in. Asuna landed first, followed by Lisbeth, Silica, then finally Kirito.
"Hey, Leafa!" Lisbeth greeted.
"Hey, guy!" Leafa said sheepishly. "What are you doing here?"
"We came back from some monster hunting." Silica said. "We were just going to take a break here."
"Yeah… about that." Leafa said, scratching her cheek. "That might be a problem."
"What do you mean?" Asuna asked.
"Don't move!" yelled a trooper.
The girls all turned and saw two troopers, spears in hand, are in battle position, aiming viciously at Kirito.
"What's up with you guys?" He asked.
The troopers only tightened their grips.
"Guys! Stand down!" Leafa assured. "I'll handle it!"
The troopers, although not convinced, backed away slowly. There, Leafa grabbed Kirito and pulled him towards the rest of the gang. And she told them about what happened before.
"I see…" Asuna sighed.
"So they're after a Spriggan?" Lisbeth asked.
"And they think it's Kirito?" Silica asked.
"Yeah…" Leafa muttered. "It's confusing as it is."
"So that's why you asked me if I was in ALO last night…" Kirito summed up.
"Well, I know it wasn't you." Leafa confirmed. "Patrols have been scouring, but you know how Spriggans are."
"Oh, I beg to differ." Bellowed a voice.
Everyone turned and saw, conveniently, a Spriggan walking towards them. Two troopers walked up to him.
"State your business." One of them said.
The Spriggan grinned, and quickly axe-kicked one of them, nailing him to the ground. The second soldier was palm-thrusted through a tree.
"Who are you?!" Leafa shouted.
The Spriggan smiled happily.
"I'm your guy." He said.
It took a few minutes, but everyone was able to put two and two together.
"He's the Spriggan!" Lisbeth shouted.
"Contact Sakuya! Tell her that he's here!" Leafa ordered.
The trooper turned and contacted Sakuya.
"So I guess, we fight now?" Asuna suggested.
"It's the proper way to greet a superior warrior." The Spriggan taunted.
That provoked everyone. They all drew their weapons and got into a battle stance. Even the remaining Sylph platoon was getting ready. The Spirggan could only laugh. He pulled out something. Lisbeth was the first to notice.
"What the-?" She began. "A Gashat?!"
"Huh?" Everyone reacted.
The Spirggan smirked, and pressed the Gashat.
BANG BANG SHOOTING!
A navy game area spread out all over the area, and navy oil barrels also placed themselves all over the field. The Spriggan opened his jacket to reveal the belt. He twirled the Gashat and inserted it into the belt.
"Henshin." He said smoothly.
GASHATTO!
LET'S GAME! MECCHA GAME! MUCCHA GAME! WHATCHA NAME?!
I'M A KAMEN RIDER!
The Spriggan's figure was replaced by a chibi figure once more. But you could only witness it for a short second as he turned the lever on the belt.
"Phase 2." He said.
GACHANN! LEVEL UP!
BABABANG! BANGBABANG! YOW! BANG BANG SHOOTING!
The chibi figure broke its limbs off, and another set of arms and legs replaced it. Now, the figure is slimmer, and taller. His hair bang covered his right eye, and his whole right side of his body is now covered by a flowing neon yellow cape. He cracked his neck.
"Time for the noob harvest." He said.
That's when a weapon wheel appeared around him. And a weapon materialized into his hand.
GASHACON MAGNUM!