Hey everyone! Thunderito here and welcome to the fifth chapter of Naruto: The Shadow Blade! This chapter features the day before the fight on the 50th Floor. Remember a time-skip has been set on this Chapter. On with the story!

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or Sword Art Online. They belong to their respective owners.

Chapter 5: The Calm Before the Storm

Algade

One year. It has been one year since this horrible game had started. One year since 10.000 players were trapped in a game of Death. One year since 2.000 players suicided. And almost a year since the first two floors were beat in record time, filling everyone with courage and hope that Sword Art Online is not an unbeatable game. Ever since then, with the ability to create guilds after the third Floor, the numbers of Players that were fighting on the frontlines to clear the game increased. At the beginning, it was a few dozen. Now, their numbers increased to over a thousand, with the majority coming from the two biggest guilds, the Knights of the Blood, or KoB and the Divine Dragon Alliance, or DDA. Those two combined formed over half of the clearing rest came from smaller guilds, or Solo players. They were also supported by several hundreds of the worker class, blacksmiths, woodworkers, tailors, miners, lumbers and alchemists. They all worked together with one purpose, to clear the game. Not only did their numbers increased, but also their tactics. At the start, they simply rushed in with the knowledge of the manual, or Naruto's after the 18th floor. But after the 23rd floor, they were blind, having no information. They had to be careful then, so they used a basic formula on each floor. After the completion, the players would explore the Floor on their own, completing quests and mapping the Labyrinth. Then, they would send a small scout party to combat the boss for a while and see it's attacks, patterns, possible minions and in general, gather information. Finally, a meeting would be held, discussing their strategy. One such meeting, was held in the city of Algade.

Algade was the second largest city in all of Aincrad, with the Starting Town being the largest. However, after The Army guild abandoned clearing and took over Starting Town, Algade became the most populated city of players. It is a messy city, with several alleyways, reminding people of a Labyrinth. It had weird shops and alarming inns. Right now, on the Town Hall of the City, a meeting was organized, among the Clearers. Meetings were held to discuss the strategy of how to fight the boss, organize the parties and most of all, select their leaders. On the starting floors, the majority of the leaders were Beta Testers, with Naruto having organized over ten Raids. Afterwards, the leaders were mostly either from the KoB or DDA, or from solo-players who could think of a better strategy that the majority accepted. While tensions were always high, today they reached a critical point.

The Town Hall in Algade was possibly the only beautiful public building. It was a beige building, with a brick roof. It was the largest building in Algade, having ten floors, each floor capable of fitting around a hundred players. On the tenth floor of the building, was where the meeting was held. Inside were the highest-ranked players of the large guilds, the leaders of the medium guilds, most of the members of the small guilds and the solo players. All the players were standing up, standing in front of a crescent shaped table. Most players had custom armour, unless they were a part of a guild. Naruto was near the front, observing the rest of the players. He wore a black long-sleeved shirt, black pants and black combat boots. He also had a gold chestplate, gauntlets, greaves and helmet. Behind his back was a Nodachi with a gold hilt. Finally, his signature black mask was in place. He turned, seeing Kirito a few feet away and nodded, getting one in return. He wore grey pants, black boots, a grey shirt and a bronze breastplate. Above those, he had a black coat with blue padding on the shoulders and a sword behind his back. He turned, observing the other guilds.

He could notice Klein and some members of Fuurinkazan, Klein's guid. He met Klein once when he and Kirito were grinding. Apparently, Kirito met Klein on the first day and taught him the basics. After that, Klein and Kirito became friends, though Kirito was always shy, due to something happening on the first day. Klein quickly befriended him, as Naruto figured that was his nature, even introducing him to his guild. They did a few quests together, sometimes grinding together. He could honestly say Klein was a trustworthy person and he could count on him to watch his back, along with Agil, Kirito and Asuna. Speaking of Asuna, he saw her to the side of the Knights of the Blood.

The Knights of the Blood was the strongest clearing guild in SAO. What they lacked in quantity, they made up in quality. All of their members were high-leveled, experienced players, some so good they could give even Kirito a challenge. They all wore white outfits with red crosses, except their leader, Heathcliff. He knew Heathcliff, leader of the Knights of the Blood. He was a tall, muscular man, with long brown hair slicked back, one long and thin bang framing his face and piercing brown eyes. He wore a blood-red suit of heavy armour, decorated by small white crosses. He was famous for his Unique Skill, a skill only few players can access by meeting some qualities, called Holy Sword . It allowed a player to freely switch between offense and defense without any limitations. He also wielded Liberator, a one handed sword and kite shield, which allowed him to use this Skill to it's fullest. Because of this, he was rumoured to be the strongest player of Sword Art Online, with Naruto on second place. Naruto had to admit, that while he didn't know the outcome of a duel between them, it would certainly be an enjoyable challenge.

Asuna was sitting next to Heathcliff, as she was the Vice-Commander of the guild. She had ditched her old uniform, instead wearing a uniform of the KoB, with a bronze breastplate. She also had a new rapier, called Lambent Light . It was a good rapier, apparently made by one of her friends. 'I know I told her if she ever found someone trustworthy, she should join their guild, but to join the strongest one and become as strong as Kirito, that was unexpected.' he thought. With a silent sigh, he turned to the next great guild, the Divine Dragon Alliance.

They were the largest and most active clearing guild after the Army left. If KoB had the quality, DDA had the quantity. All of their players wore heavy armour, decorated with blue clothing. They were a power-hungry guild, looking after rare items, wanting to lead raids and even getting the Last Attack Bonus. They had their own training grounds and were very secretive. All in all, it was a guild to be wary off in it's majority. Naruto's opinion was solidified when they once attacked him to prevent him from defeating a rare monster, so they could get the drop themselves. He paralyzed them, beat their bodies without killing them, then killed the monster in front of their eyes and left them there. Sure, he was an Orange player for a few days, but it was worth it.

His thought were interrupted as a few men entered, the members of the Scouting Party. All the player's in the room widened their eyes, as they looked beat and had starting gear. "What happened to you guys?" Kirito asked, as a member of the Knights of Blood approached the table and looked at everyone "We got the information of the Boss, but we had to fight and push it back. It is definitely the strongest boss we have ever faced." he said ominously, as everyone stayed silent, a feeling of dread starting to wash over them. "The Boss is called the Six Armed Metallic Buddha . As it's name implies, it is a statue of a six armed Buddha, made of Black Metal. It is located in a large, circular room, dimly lit by purple torches, red in colour. There are eight pillars holding the room, with the Boss at the end of it. It will rise from it's position, wielding six pitch black blades. It has five HP bars, just like the previous Grand Boss." he said, grand boss the term used for the bosses of the 1st, 25th, 50th, 75th and 100th floor, the last one also called Final Boss. "It's attack patterns aren't easy to predict. It is incredibly strong and fast, using at least two blades simultaneously. We lost 3 men from it's unwavering attacks, another two from a special skill after he lost some HP. He will strike his sword to the ground, releasing two waves of wind, striking us down. The wind causes a severe bleeding effect." he said, as the feelings of dread increased. "Is there any weak spot?" Naruto asked. The member frowned "It had two purple jewels, a large one on his chest and a small one on his forehead. We attacked them and it did damage him more than his body, but it didn't loose a lot of HP, like most weak spots." he replied, as many frowned. "How many men did you lose?" asked Heathcliff, with the man frowning "We lost those 5 men, another three sacrificing themselves to hold it off so we seven could escape." he finished, as silence fell over the group.

Asuna stepped forward "For this battle, we will need the best players of every guild. Not the best guilds, the best players. This includes Solo players as well. Everyone who is of a high level must come. We will need at least 60 players for this." she said, as everyone nodded "Who wants to take part in the Leader Vote?" said HeathCliff, as Asuna, Schmitt who was the DDA sub-leader and 4 others raised their hands, with Asuna winning in the vote that followed. "Alright." she said "You know how we work. Assuming we're at least 60, we will be at least 10 parties of six. We shall have 3 Tank Parties, 3 Short Range Assault Parties, 3 Long Range Assault parties and one Support Party, which will have 2 tanks, 2 short range players and two long range players. Depending on how many more people are willing to come that are of high enough level, we will either form complete parties, where we will add them to one category, or incomplete support parties, who will help through switching. Gather outside the boss room tomorrow by 11:59 am. At 12:00 pm, we shall march inside the room, defeat the boss and complete half of this cursed game!" she finished with a smirk, getting roars and cheers. Naruto clapped lightly, before he and Kirito left.

Floria

Naruto and Kirito were outside of Floria, the main settlement of the 47th Floor. Like the rest of the floor, Floria was a city completely covered in beautiful flowers. The two were on a small hill, completely covered in flowers. Kirito was sitting under a fully-bloomed Almond Tree, with Naruto sitting upon a branch. They both appeared to be sleeping, when they heard a cry of "What are you two doing?" Naruto opened one eye, Kirito opening both, looking at Asuna standing a few feet away, a hand on her hip and a frown on her face. "Oh, it's you." said Kirito, closing his eyes. "The other's are frantically working, to prepare themselves for tomorrow, buying potion, weapons, armor and even last minute grinding to get even one level. Yet you two are standing around and being lazy! Being solo player's doesn't-" she was about to retort but Kirito interrupted her "This is the nicest weather, in the nicest season in all of Aincrad and we're at the nicest spot. It would be a shame to ruin it by running around for preparations." he said. Asuna frowned even more "Don't you understand that every day spent here is a day lost in the real world?" she exclaimed as Kirito sighed, while she turned to Naruto "What about you Naruto? I didn't believe you would be like this!" she said. He sighed "Asuna, we're in the world of Aincrad. Look around you for a while." he said, as she did, the wind swaying her hair. "See, everything is so relaxing. The sun, the wind." he said, referring to Kirito who had fallen asleep again, before shifting into a meditation position on top of the branch, his hand into a one handed Ram seal of the Ninja Arts, his eyes closed and leaning his back on the tree. Asuna looked around the countryside, before she felt the sun's rays illuminating her, holding her hand to block the sun's rays, as it felt it's warmth and the calmness of the wind, all enhanced by the soft flute music of the game. She widened her eyes, looking at a sleeping Naruto in wonder, her hair moving from the wind.

Kirito woke up with a yawn, rubbing his eyes, before widening them and leaping back, noticing an asleep Asuna a few feet away. He turned, as some members of the DDA started laughing, seeing them so aloof. He turned to Asuna, then to Naruto "I can't believe he got her to sleep." he mumbled, before rising with a groan, approaching the tree. He looked up "Wake up Naruto!" he said, half yelling half whispering, as Naruto opened his eyes, looking down. "What is it?" he asked, only for Kirito to point at an asleep Asuna. Naruto raised an eyebrow, before jumping down. "How did you get her to sleep?" he asked, as he smiled lightly "I showed her the peace of the place." he said. He turned to him "What level have you reached as Kirito smiled "Level 45." he said. Naruto nodded "I see. Well, you may go. I will stay here he said." as Kirito nodded. They shook hands, before Kirito left. He looked at Asuna "I didn't expect her to listen though." he whispered with a smile, before shaking his head.

Naruto sat on the flower field a few feet in front of Asuna, observing the sun going down. He heard a sneeze, turning to see a slowly rising Asuna. She had a flower hanging from her head, while a bit of drool run down from her mouth. She looked around in a haze, before widening her eyes, a faint blush adorning her cheeks once Naruto smiled at her. "W-Wha?" she asked, as he grinned "Good morning. Slept well?" he asked, as she instantly rose and almost unsheathed her rapier, causing Naruto to raise his arms "Im unarmed!" he yelled. She clenched her teeth, her trembling hand letting go of the handle, as she muttered something. He tilted his head, as she spoke louder "One meal. Wherever you like!" she said, as all he could do was nod.

Mishe

Mishe was the main settlement of the 35th Floor of Aincrad. It was a beautiful, medieval town, with wide cobblestone roads and medium sized buildings. The city had an urban and mysterious feel to it, though it was by no means dangerous. Currently, Naruto and Asuna were in the best restaurant in this town, as many players whispered their names. Naruto thought of Asuna's nickname, the Flash. She was named that due to her speed, as she was one of the fastest players, her skill with the rapier, which when thrusted was almost invisible, earned her the nickname. Naruto on the other hand, was nicknamed the Black Ninja Swordsman. He was named like that for his attire, along with his skill in swordsmanship. Along with Kirito, who was named the Black Mercenary Swordsman, due to his black cloak, they were called the Black Swordsman Duo, as they were always teamed up together, their teamwork flawless. Together, it was rumoured not even Heathcliff could stand a chance against them, as only Bosses could. At the moment, they were sitting on a corner table, two plates with grilled meat and mashed potatoes, along with a glass of water each.

He looked up from his food when Asuna said "Thank you for today.". He rose an eyebrow as she elaborated "For watching over me." she said. He shook his head "No need to thank me for something so trivial." he said. She started rubbing her thumbs together "While you can't attack players in safe areas, so PKing is impossible, when asleep it is different." she said. Naruto nodded with a frown "Indeed. They take advantage of the Dueling system. It isn't unheard of someone duel requesting an asleep player, moving their finger to accept, then attack them to the death." he said. She nodded "That is why, I thank you." she said, with a small bow. He smiled "I am your friend. I don't need your gratitude for something like this." he said, as she nodded. They ate their food silently, before Asuna spoke.

"Naruto, what do you think will happen with the boss?" she asked. He frowned "It is difficult to say. This is the Boss of the 50th Floor. It will possibly be the strongest boss until we reach the 60th Floor. So, it is difficult for me to say. The fact we got so little info, as even the Weak Points don't work, makes it even harder. All I can say for sure, is that we're gonna be in one hell of a fight, where even the slightest mistake may cost our lives." he said, as she nodded with a frown "I thought so." she said. He held her hand, as she looked at him in surprise "No matter what happens, I will protect you. I promise." he said with a smile, as she blushed and smiled back "And I will watch your back. I promise." she said, as he grinned. They stayed in the restaurant for a while, before going their separate ways, after saying goodbye to each other.

Naruto went to his house in the 35th floor, a small building with two floors, three with the ground floor. The ground floor was a living room and the bathroom. The first floor was a dining room and the kitchen, while the third floor was a bedroom and a spare room, meant for battle preparations. Naruto was currently inside that room. He was wearing his outfit, without the armour however, his sword pressed on the floor in front of him. The room was dark, illuminated only by four candles, two to Naruto's sided, another two on top of a small table. The table had a yin-yang symbol on it. Naruto was currently meditating, taking in deep breaths 'Just like Grandpa Sarutobi always said.' he thought. This was an exercise to calm his nerves. He had a bad feeling for tomorrow. He looked up 'Whatever happens, keep Asuna safe.' he thought, before exiting the room, going to bed. It was gonna be a wild day tomorrow.

Done! Hope you guys enjoyed this Chapter! For all those who thought I will do the Pking in Towns Arc when I added the starting scene, no I won't. I added something better, the fight with the 50th Floor Boss. Kirito will still get Elucidator don't worry. Now, I would like once again for you guys to tell me, what weapons do you want Naruto to dual wield? Those who told me don't have to say them again, I have taken them into consideration. And in case you got confused, the choices I wrote were suggestions. You can add your own preferences. For example, if one wanted a sword and a flail, he is free to say it. Anything as long as it exists on Sao. Also, tell me. Do you want Yui to have black hair, or yellow so she looks more like Naruto? I would appreciate it if you guys responded. Until next time, Thunderito out!