Dungeon Oratoria Online

by asdf1asdf1

DOO is the first game to be created in a long awaited category, a VRMMORPG. Follow Kirito and co as they seek to clear out the depths of the dungeon located beneath the city Orario. However, this game is no mere entertainment, it's a real world, where death in the dungeon means death for your body. The only way they can escape the game is to clear the bottom floor of the dungeon.

41. Chapter 38

Author's Note:

Oh boy, I managed to write an even longer chapter this time.

I was slow in getting this out, next chapter will probably also be delayed as I try to finish up some personal life things.

Chapter is... a little dark. Hopefully the storylines don't fall too short.

Otherwise... enjoy.

---

Chapter 38: Nightmare on the Twenty-seventh Floor

Part 1: Prison Break

Nautilus:

"You doing alright?"

Nautilus wasn't sure why he bothered asking. The answer was clearly no. Yuna was curled against the wall, knees against her chest, body shaking. The remains of her clothes were tugged tight around her bruised skin.

When they had been captured, their captors had been far from gentle. Each amazon had a righteous fury about them and took it out on Yuna who had foiled them so fiercely. Despite Nautilus' yells and screams to leave her alone, the amazons had continued to unleash their fury upon her.

It had only ended when Yuna's screams had finally stopped. Nautilus' eyes were marred forever with the image of her broken body laying on the ground. Being unable to hold her due to the restraints that held him.

The next day had passed unbearably slowly. Locked in the same cage, Nautilus did his best to care for Yuna, but she didn't want him to look at her. Her elegant dress had been shredded by the assault. The feathered hat that Nautilus had bought her was one of her treasures. Its two halves her now the only fabric that covered her chest.

"I… I feel sick." Came Yuna's hoarse voice.

Nautilus' was similar, his throat was long past parched. The only food they'd been given was stale bread, nothing to drink.

"Sick?" Nautilus asked, worry touching his voice. "I can try and get on the amazon's attention. Maybe they'll give you some medicine. Even a potion…"

"No… don't risk it."

As the words left Yuna's mouth, a coughing fit came over her body. Nautilus had always thought that Yuna seemed so strong. Right now, seeing her like this, she looked fragile. A piece of ice under the sun, its beauty doomed to fade.

"Sorry, Yuna… I won't let you suffer." Face hard, Nautilus stood up and banged on the metal grate. Whatever humiliating task they asked for, he'd do it. Yuna had taken the abuse so far, while he was left to watch on. No longer.

"Wait, Eij…" But her weak words her interrupted by more coughs.

"Get over here, damnit!" Nautilus swore loudly—or as loud as he could manage. "I need to talk!"

"Hey, sounds like the prisoners are getting restless!" The feminine voice clearly belonged to an amazon. Shortly, three walked into view. Like all members of their race, they were scantily dressed and beautiful. Earlier, Nautilus would have drank in the sight like a man dying of thirst. Now, his vision held solid on their faces, glaring at them angrily.

"What do you want, boy," the one on the right drawled. She was wearing a dark blue dress full of holes. The thighs were sliced to allow freedom of movement. Unlike other amazons, she wore eyeliner of the same colour to accent her eyes.

Or to take attention off her misaligned teeth. Nautilus thought darkly.

"She needs medicine. She's sick."

"Eh?" The one at the center said loudly, a smile playing across her lips. "I guess that means the powder is finally working."

"P-Powder!?"

Smiling nastily at Nautilus, the amazons chuckled. Stepping forward to the gate, the center one and leader of the three explained. "It's a special toxin that drains mind, usually at least. Since she can use mind in her voice, I'd guess it is taking away her ability to speak."

"S-Stop it!" Nautilus yelled his voice breaking pitifully. "You can't do that to her! She loves singing!"

"Oh yeah? And who are you to demand anything? Guess what, my friend Lisil loved living and she isn't doing that any longer."

Nautilus took a step backwards at the sudden anger and hurt in the amazon's voice. She was telling the truth about this. "S-She died in the raid?"

"That's right! Our bright-eyed, level one rookie was chopped up by your demonic friend."

Demonic friend? Kirito?

He was the one that made the most sense to Nautilus based on his black clothes, but the description didn't seem right. Also, Kirito shouldn't have been anywhere near this place where the level one grunts were fighting.

The amazon moved to leave. Her face still masking the pain from her recent loss. As she turned, Nautilus sent a hand through the bars, grabbing at her arm. "Wait! I'm sorry about your friend, but please, I'll do anything to help her!"

The amazon didn't even try pulling her arm away from Nautilus, she just shared a look with the other two. It seemed the unspoken idea was shared and accepted as they broke out into predatory smiles.

"Alright, I have a deal for you. I devour you right here in front of the girl you like and then, she'll get a potion to relieve the symptoms."

"D-Devour?" Seeing the amazon licking her lips, Nautilus' frozen hand released its grip. Taking a stumbling step back, his soul understood the meaning. She'd take something from him. He'd never be the same after.

"Eiji… No…"

Turning to Yuna, he took in her pleading eyes. He knew how much this would hurt her. But at the same time… She didn't care because she loved him and didn't want another woman to have him. It was simply because she was a kind person. Far too kind for the harsh world she'd been trapped in.

I'm sorry Yuna, I love you.

Conveying the feeling in his smile, Nautilus turned back to the amazoness. "I accept."

---

Argo:

The small, run-down building was cramped full of people. Crouched on an almost broken stool in the corner, Argo tried to contain the expression of disgust that kept creeping up. Not so much from the poor conditions as to the cramping. She felt like a rat trapped with a bunch of cats.

Although technically I'm a fox…

Even her own humorous thoughts couldn't lighten the grim expression on her face. Argo wasn't sure the last time she smiled was. It was probably two weeks ago when she realized that her interference had sent Kirito on a collision course with Ishtar familia. It was now her duty to correct her mistakes.

Waiting a few moments longer, the group eventually settled down and turned to Argo. Surveying it, she went over their strength mentally in her head. Takemikazuchi—the hosts—had eleven total members; ten were present. Six of them had hit level two, three original members and three new ones, one of the absent ones was a level two. Argo still didn't know all of their names. Packed into the room with them was the rest of Hestia familia that hadn't gone into the dungeon. There were only two members accompanying their goddess: Strea and Yui. The last person was the member of Miach familia that Argo managed to sneak out of Ishtar familia's watch on their home: Rain. Despite having a fair bit of power, Argo couldn't help but see them as a ragtag group.

"So," Argo began explaining, "Ishtar familia had to send their top members into the dungeon on this mission. That gives us at least a day to rescue the hostages that they have."

"Yes," Rain nodded, her face maintaining a visage of deadly calm. Her aura was chilling. Rather than sit close to her, the others had packed tighter into the remaining space, leaving Rain a bubble. "Do we know if all of their level threes went?"

"Actually…" Pulling out her memo, Argo confirmed what she already knew. "No, two were missing from my observations. One is believed dead from their expedition to the 37th floor. The other is simply absent."

"Name?" Rain demanded tersely.

"Umm… Double checking the list, Argo quickly came up with the discrepancy. "Appears to be an amazon named Samira."

"Grr…" Rain's anger leaked further into the room. Even the seasoned adventurers of Takemikazuchi began leaning away from her. "If she shows up, she's mine."

"W-Well the plan is to do this without fighting." Argo explained slowly. "Otherwise we'd wait for Kirito and them to get back."

"Doesn't matter," Rain muttered. "That bitch'll show up, she always does."

Argo raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. As much as she loved good gossip that she could leverage to her advantage… This wasn't the time.

"So, what is the plan?" A deep voice grumbled. The big, hulking man was the captain of Takemikazuchi, Ouka. Argo made sure to remember his name if not solely based on that fact.

"I think…" Argo spoke slowly. This was the first time that she actually had to make a decision. Usually she just followed Hermes or Lulune's orders. The last time she had chosen to do something when was when they went to the Soma familia warehouse and Argo inadvertently killed some of their members by causing an ignus fatuus. She hoped they could complete this mission with no fighting.

Taking a breath, Argo restarted. "I think that it will be best to cause a distraction. I already have a good idea of where they are. If Hestia and a few people show up and demand their release, then I can probably get them out."

"But Argo," a small voice spoke. It was one of Take's original level two's. Her eyes were hidden behind bangs. Her appearance screamed shy, but her voice was steady, if quiet. "Why would they talk to us? Wouldn't they just attack?"

"Uhh…" Argo had no instant reply. It was a very valid point.

"They won't if I'm there…" A low voice murmured.

Argo struggled to track it back to Strea. Argo wasn't very close to the girl having left Kirito's party before she joined, but from what she knew, the personality was completely different.

"Are you sure?" Argo asked confused.

"Yes."

Having received a definite answer, Argo took that to be the end of the planning session. There really was no reason for them to delay further.

"Argo," Rain interrupted. "I want to come with you to free Nautilus and Yuna."

"I-I think it would be better for you to stay hidden in reserves…" Argo muttered, struggling to deny the hard gaze. "I plan on using my magic to get in."

"I don't care," Rain continued. "Either take me with you or I'll find my own way in."

Measuring up the disturbed half-elf, Argo could only sigh. Rain needed to do this for some reason. Since no one was rejecting the plan or Rain's presence, Argo couldn't complain.

"I'll open a way in for you."

---

Strea:

The cobbled paths of Orario clicked beneath Strea's boots. Her dungeon attire was light on defenses, but still sturdy enough to mark her as an adventurer.

By now, Strea was used to the gazes that she drew as she walked down a thoroughfare. The girls had told her in embarrassed murmurs exactly why when Strea had asked. Any males thinking of asking her out were deterred by the gear she wore. Particularly the greatsword that was slung across her back, its tip almost scratching the floor.

That, and the goddess walking by her side. Out of the corner of her eye, Strea kept watch of Hestia. The young goddess had a serious, pained expression on her face.

"Do you look like this every time we go into the dungeon?"

"Yes," Hestia admitted, wincing slightly. "This one is worse than usual. Who knows what will happen?"

Strea felt like she was the last one who should be comforting her, but she still attempted a smile. "Kirito is there. They'll be fine."

"I know…" Hestia sighed again. When she straightened up, her expression was more at peace. It lasted for a second until she looked at Strea and frowned. "So, what's your problem?"

"…Huh?"

"I am a goddess, you know? Something is eating at you. Tell me."

Hestia's right… She could judge me.

Nodding once, Strea laid her sins bare to the deity. "I was merciless. Something snapped in me and I was no longer human. I became a monster that existed solely to consume them…"

"I see… I worried about your skill when I added it to your status. Unfortunately, I can no longer remove it once added. But… Did you ever attack someone that wasn't attacking you?"

"Well… No." Strea frowned. "There were too many people attacking, I couldn't have found one if I tried."

Hestia shrugged as if that solved everything. "There you go. They attacked you, you defended yourself."

"I…" Growing upset now, Strea struggled to follow Hestia's logic. "Yui flinched at the sight of me. Sweet little Yui… I'm a monster…"

Hestia shrugged as if the information was inconsequential. "That's up to you. Become human, become a monster. Your destiny is in your hands."

Strea could only continue to walk. Hestia sounded so nonchalant about it. It wasn't that she didn't care… Strea couldn't formulate a response. The deity's view was so different. This was a being who had judged truly reprehensible souls as well as the best this world had produced. Compared to that, Strea's actions must have been mundane.

Chagrined, Strea cast a look around the street. True to their word, the members of Take Mikazuchi familia were not instantly visible. They would be lying in wait for a surprise attack should Ishtar familia try to attack Hestia.

"Huh?"

Head snapping back up, Strea heard the sound of pounding feet. Reaching out and grabbing Hestia, they took a step back. Only a second later, a figure burst through where they would have passed.

"Sorry!"

"Umm, no problem…" Strea blinked but the adventurer was already gone. "Is she… going after the raid?"

"That elf?" Hestia asked, following the quickly disappearing figure. "Why do you think so?"

"Just the feeling I got…" Strea muttered. The elf had beautiful features and long golden yellow hair, but that wasn't what struck Strea most. It was still a skill she was developing, but she was beginning to find it easier to judge an adventurer's strength based on their presence. The elf had been on Kirito's level, if not beyond him.

"Anyway, we should hurry," Hestia muttered. "The raid left four hours ago, those Ishtar people could be back any second."

Strea disagreed, this raid would not be back soon, but she kept it to herself. The sooner they got this over with, the better. Near Babel, there was only a short distance before the pleasure district. The plan when they got there was… almost nonexistent.

"Sure is a nice day…" Hestia muttered, pulling at her dress.

"Ah, are you not used to wearing so much fabric?" Strea asked curiously.

"Ugh, you make me sound like Ishtar or Freya. But… I guess I got used to my rags, haha…"

Strea nodded along. "Well, once we save them we can always find you something thinner," Strea suggested. "If it was a lower bustline, it should be more breathable!"

"There you go again making me sound like Freya!" Hestia complained. "I'm not flaunting my body to seduce men!"

"Oh, just Kirito, right?"

"Urgh, if you were anyone else, I would assume that you were teasing…"

"Of course I'm not," Strea tilted her head, staring down at the smaller woman. "If you love him… why not confess?"

"I…" Hestia's expression morphed multiple times. Eventually, her eyes sparkled with a hidden light, breaking through the grief that had been starting to build up. "I'm just so happy seeing you all grow. Getting to be a family together… Do I need anymore?"

Strea had no answer for this. Their destination was swiftly approaching and there were guards at the entrance. The conversation would end soon.

"I'm not sure, do gods ever regret things?"

Even with her advanced hearing, Strea almost missed Hestia's muttered reply. "More than you'd think."

"Halt! You, adventurer and goddess, what business do you have here!?"

The pair of amazons had stepped together, spears held in tense hands. Their expressions gave away their anxiety. Far more than Strea had been expecting. Had something else happened?

"I need to talk to Ishtar. My name is Hestia."

"Hestia? Wait, are you…"

Eyes widening in horror, their expressions morphed into anger. It was clear in their eyes though that they knew they couldn't win this fight. They were level one grunts who had only heard tales of the night before.

"Go get her." Hestia insisted before the adventurers could do something stupid.

"I-I well…" The amazons shared a look. "Y-You have no right to talk to Ishtar!"

Strea waited, saying nothing. Hestia, however, appeared stumped. "Is Ishtar… not here?"

"W-Why would you assume that?"

Hestia put a hand to her head. "Young child, you can't lie to a god. Now tell me, where did she go?"

"I-I actually don't know."

"Very well. Let's press on, Strea. These two can't help us."

"Okay!" Putting some forced excitement into her voice, Strea strolled forward. She tried to be nonthreatening, but the pair of women still turned tail and darted away.

"After them," Hestia decided. "Whoever they're running to is the one we need."

"Got it!" Strea chirped. The walk was uneventful for the next minute. Then, an armed force rushed forth, at least fifteen adventurers strong. With their weapons already drawn, Strea reached for her sword.

"Wait!" Stretching out a hand, Hestia stopped her from drawing.

"Goddess…" Strea warned.

Ignoring her, Hestia took a step forward. "Adventurers of Ishtar familia, do any of you have the power to bargain in place of your absent god?"

Her voice carried with it a certain power. The tone freed Strea's hand from her hilt. She could now sense the overwhelming power from the being in before her. It went well beyond what any adventurer could achieve.

The raid screeched to an abrupt halt. Fourteen of them looking inwards instinctively towards one figure. Singled out, a small amazon winced and took a step forward.

"I-I will do my best in her absence. Though I must say goddess, you aren't in a position to be making demands."

"Really?" Hestia smirked. "I'm sure it was more than this that my familia beat back the other day."

That was when the amazons finally focused on Strea. After a moment of confusion, the whispers soared through the mass.

"T-That's the demon?"

"N-No way! They survived!?"

"W-We should run… Find Samira…"

The amazon that took command held up a hand. "Fine. What do you want?"

"I think you know," Hestia answered gruffly, giving no room. "Two members of Miach familia."

"…I don't know what you're talking about."

"Must you children keep trying to lie?"

"…I can't say we do have them," the amazon changed her tone, sounding slightly abashed. The only way to lie to a god was to say nothing. "But, if they were found… What would you have to offer?"

Strea blinked. The demand seemed obvious even to her. Their goddess was obsessed with the fox girl, Haruhime. There was no way the amazon didn't know that.

"Lena!" One of the amazons whispered. "What about…"

But the one talking was shut up with a gesture. Despite the leader's small stature and youthful expressions, there was something harrowing her eyes. An aura that made the others look to her for instructions.

"Peace." Hestia replied. "Give them back, let hostilities stop between our familias."

"You steal from us and now…!"

"Enough!" the leader cut off a member. Stepping forward another step, the amazon, Lena, stood only a metre from Hestia. For some reason, the girl reminded Strea of Rain. Both of them were extremely cute when smiling and laughing… but neither were recently. "Goddess Hestia."

"…Yes?"

The amazon closed her eyes, when they opened, they contained a manic desperation. "Help us… Please."

"W-What?" Hestia replied baffled, Strea agreed with her.

The amazon took another step forward, her face right in front of Hestia's. Her voice pitched low so only the three of them could hear. "Our goddess… Jealously had driven her insane. You must…"

Then her words cut off. Staggering back a step, the girl held a hand to her head. When she looked up, the desperation was gone, in its place fear. Not of them, but of whatever she was seeing.

"P-Peace is not enough! Give us Haruhime back!"

"…I can't," Hestia replied simply, her countenance betraying nothing of the girl's strange behaviour switch. "The girl is beyond your reach now."

"Wait, you…" The leader was cut off as a pair of Amazon's crashed into the group, panting.

"Hey, we thought that Ishtar was gone! But then this prostitute us told that…"

"What!? Slow down!" Lena commanded.

The two newcomers looked at each other. "W-We were guarding the cage then…"

Lena didn't need to hear anymore. She whirled back to Hestia, fire in her eyes. "You tricked us! This was never a negotiation; you're just breaking them out."

"Did you honestly think we'd do anything else?" Hestia smirked.

In that moment, Strea was prouder of her deity than she had ever been before. "We should make our exit soon."

"Yeah, probably. Bye ladies!"

Putting an arm under Hestia, Strea picked up the deity and ran away, the footsteps of the amazons half-heartedly pursuing her to the exit of the pleasure district.

---

Rain:

Taking her first step back into the pleasure district, Rain's back ached. She keenly felt the places where Leafa's magic had flayed her to the bone. It had been a miracle Rain had survived. Injuries like those didn't fade in the course of a couple days. Even with care from a god of medicine.

The whole district was strangely different during the early afternoon. With the curtains drawn on the pleasure district, many of the brothels operated as cafes, or stores. Places the prostitutes could visit before work began at night.

Normally it would be impossible to sneak through such a place. However, with an invisible companion, Rain made her advances only after Argo returned for her. It hurt Rain knowing that she was only a detriment currently. Even so, she knew that Samira would show up again. It was impossible for this mission to finish without the level three executive making an appearance at some point.

Rain was pushed on by the status engraved on her back. The gains she had made since their last encounter would be enough. They would have to be.

After another few terse moments, Rain felt Argo return. The renart may be invisible, but her presence could still be felt. She distorted the air, leaving a trail that Rain could almost track.

"Next part will be tricky. Lots of girls around, just walk confident and they should leave you alone."

Frowning, Rain doubted the wisdom. "You sure? I don't exactly blend in…" She wasn't bragging about her looks, but half-elves with crimson hair weren't exactly common.

"Obviously keep your hood up," Argo snapped. "Now come on! The others have made contact."

Hearing that sobered any of Rain's hesitancies. This needed to be ended now, before Ishtar tried to take her anger out on Hestia.

Darting out of the alley, Rain tugged her hood on. The cloak flapped loosely around her body. It was a dark-red material, bordering on black. The edges were inlaid with black filigree in the pattern of small roses. Rain hated to bring it into a situation where she expected to fight; she was quite attached to it.

The quality of the fabric indicated that it wasn't battle cloth. The rich silk was imported at quite a high price from the east. Compared to the amount of money that adventurers pulled out the dungeon, most everything else in the world was quite cheap. That let even a member of a poor familia afford the nice cloak.

Sauntering after Argo, Rain quickly encountered what Argo had meant. This area was cramped with prostitutes waking up from their nightly rituals. Sauntering around without make-up, comfortable clothes on, enjoying themselves. Food consisted mainly of breakfast staples, including a surprisingly high amount of seared meat.

Despite her grumbling stomach, Rain pushed through. Walking tall, with unhurried steps, she wove her way to the far side of the gathering. True to Argo's predictions, none of the prostitutes even seemed to notice her. There must be members here from all over the pleasure district leading to none of them knowing every single person.

With the crowd behind them, Rain followed the minor distortion that was Argo into an alleyway with a sewer grate attached. Crinkling her nose at the smell, Rain was glad when Argo sauntered past it.

"There's a cage a few blocks away. That's where Yuna and Nautilus are."

"Have you seen them?" Rain whispered urgently. "How are they?"

Rain couldn't see Argo shake her head, but sensed it, nonetheless. "I never got close enough. They have a watch station at the mouth of the entrance. I got close enough to hear the guards discussing the prisoners, so I do know that they are there."

Rain nodded, glad for the confirmation. The last thing she needed now was for Argo to admit that she didn't really know where they were.

Walking side-by-side now, there was no reason for Argo to scout ahead. No one would come back here unless they were guards. It reeked of waste and improperly disposed sewage. Rain's nose curled at the scent that one rarely encountered in the old world. Modern plumbing was just a step above what existed here. Also, Rain got the feeling that a lot of this reek was from their destination.

"W-What…" Turning the corner, Rain froze in shock. A full second ticked by that would be fatal in combat. Her mind just locked. The scene didn't make sense. Nautilus was outside the cage and… naked?

Her hesitation cost her. Two of the amazons that were standing only ten metres away were able to whirl around and face her. She could have taken them both out if Rain had been focused. The third amazon was doing something to Nautilus and was slower to react.

"What the hell are you doing here prostitute?" One of the amazons growled. "Can't you see we're busy playing with the prisoners?"

Of course!

Rain nearly groaned. All they saw was a young girl walking alone in somewhat nice clothes. Her sword was hidden in the folds. Mind trying to think of something, Rain was too slow as the second one spoke.

"Come on! Spit it out already!"

The third amazon had stopped momentarily to cast a baleful eye over her but seemed impatient to resume. Rain was almost glad that Nautilus hadn't looked at her. She didn't need him giving away her identity. Hoping Yuna was fine on the other side of those bars, Rain took a small step forward.

"Lady Ishtar is talking to Hestia familia about trading the prisoners. She wants more back-up with the berbera gone."

"Huh?" The two amazons stared at each other. Rain had peppered just enough information into her words that they struggled to doubt her. They weren't high enough in the command structure to second guess orders.

"Ha!" The third amazon laughed, her eyes filled with an emotion Rain finally identified as lust. "Go! I'll deal with things here."

"Aww!" The two frowned, clearly upset they wouldn't get to watch. Obediently, they dashed off toward the main entrance of the pleasure district despite Rain not actually mentioning a location.

"Hehe, you've done it now girl. You're a liar, Ishtar isn't here. So, what do you want? I like to take my time devouring… Urgh!" The words cut off, the woman's eyes going wide with surprise. The amazon crumpled to the ground, a knife in her back. Moments later, Argo became visible, holding her head with her left hand.

"Come on!" Argo growled as Rain froze again.

Darting forward, Rain quickly found the key ring on the far wall from the cage. Trying a couple, Rain did her best to avoid looking at Nautilus. She was starting to figure out what was going on. Feeling her cheeks heat, the adrenaline of the spy mission helped keep her mind on the mission.

On the third key, the solid gate finally swung open. The thick metal bars were designed to prevent even upper-level adventurers from breaking free.

Entering, Rain found Yuna beginning to pick herself up. The level two adventurer had a gaunt, hallowed face. Her right arm clutched various materials to hide her body while her left was latched around her throat. Taking a step forward, Yuna crumpled.

Darting forward, Rain caught her. Shocked by how light her body was, Rain wished she had thought to bring potions. In hindsight, it seemed stupid. But then again, Argo hadn't given her much time to sneak her away from Ishtar familia's surveillance.

Holding Yuna's body, Rain was shocked at how light she felt. Even with only a brief glimpse, Rain could tell that the girl had been through hell. Wincing at the state of her familia member, Rain felt the piercing blades in her back more keenly.

"Can you walk, Nautilus?" Rain spoke out loud.

"I-I… Y-yes…" The words were halting. As if the boy's mind wasn't quite here.

Rain couldn't focus on that for now. Finding the remains of Nautilus's clothes on the ground outside the cage, Rain put Yuna down so that she could remove her cloak and hand it to Nautilus. "Here."

"Thank you…"

The words were steadier. Assuming the boy was recovering, Rain regained her grip on Yuna. "I think we just run out. Thoughts Argo?"

"That's probably the best," the renard answered, voice pained. "We should be safe once we're out of the district."

"Got it." Rising with Yuna, Rain cast an appraising look over Nautilus. His pupils were dilated to the max, his breathing low and deep. There was still a bulge in the cloak that Rain didn't want to think about.

Rain barely got to the head of the blind alley before she froze. "Argo, take Yuna from me."

"…Sure," the renard agreed.

"Run to the exit."

"Got it." Nudging Nautilus on, the three of them began to move again. Rain assumed Argo sensed it despite the gaze not being directed at her. Rain, however was frozen in place, unable to move.

A moment after they took off, the ground trembled as someone landed heavily upon the cobbled stone, cracking some of them. "Well, well, a little bird wandered back for a rematch."

"Those are my words," Rain spat at the amazon. Glaring down Samira, the amazon's gray-hair was styled as usual, in a tossled, boyish way. "Didn't you crawl away last time?"

The amazon's face scrunched briefly, her left hand briefly touching her side where one of Rain's magical swords had pierced her body deeply.

"Yeah, I admit it. The three of you got me good. But there aren't three of you anymore, are there? Besides, we don't need them as prisoners if I have you."

Rain hesitated as she drew her swords. Samira's words were accurate. She couldn't just buy time. She needed to win—quickly—and get out. Thankfully, Samira was the only level three that would come to stop her.

"Aren't you curious how I found you?" Samira asked, rather than attacking straight out. As the amazon spoke, she drew two pieces of metal from herself and put them on her hands.

"I don't care," Rain spoke harshly, barely sensing the changes to her mental state. Seeing red, Rain took a step forward, desire to fight rising.

"You don't?" Samira taunted. "I heard from two amazons rushing to Ishtar's aid that someone had requested their aid. They were complaining as they explained the deal that the boy we captured made."

"I don't care…" Rain growled, but as her stomach sank, she knew Samira was coming to her point swiftly.

"Once I break your limbs and throw your unconscious body in prison, I'm going to find that boy you like…"

"Shut up…"

"…and I'm going to devour him before your eyes." Licking her lips, Samira's gaze turned predatory.

"SHUT UP!" Roaring, Rain exploded forward. Her long red hair was free to trail behind her like a bloody curtain.

Samira's cocky grin faded somewhat as her punch was stopped cleanly by Rain's first slash. "You… levelled up?"

"Rah!" Continuing to scream at her opponent, Rain's arms blurred in front of her. Each swing powered by the lingering, phantom pains in her back. The price of failure that had almost cost Rain her life. The failure that should have cost Rain her life. It was only because of this amazon's cockiness and Leafa's cleverness that Rain was alive today.

She planned to make Samira pay for that mistake.

"You miserable wretch," Samira sneered, sweat beginning to accumulate on the amazon's brow. Forced unto the defensive, Samira struggled to deal with Rain's superior reach. "none of you shits know how to fight properly…"

"Sounds like whining to me!" Rain growled. Even as she tried to keep up the momentum, Rain found herself slipping. Samira had escaped so far with only a few scratches. Nothing that would even hinder the woman's insane endurance. Rain needed a decisive blow.

"Ha! True. Only a fool puts their life on the line and expects a fair fight."

Missing the obvious foreshadowing, Rain released a powerful strike upper the upper left with her left sword. It met Samira's upraised palm. Biting cleanly through the leather, it hit bone. The amazon's smirk didn't flinch. With legendary endurance and a life of pain, this hit was nothing.

Curling her hand around the one-sided sword, Samira prevented Rain from withdrawing it. The action locked them together. Having done so, Samira casually punched with her left fist, hitting the side of Rain's sword.

"Wha…" Stumbling back, Rain was stunned by the image of her precious sword scattering through the air. The abused metal had no chance against a level three adventurer.

"What now, huh?" Samira laughed, diving forward. Her right fist trailed blood as it bore down on Rain's face.

Still on the backfoot, Rain barely dodged to the side. The metal knuckles carving a line in her cheek. Raising her right blade, Rain used it to parry the second fist coming shortly after. Without having the momentum of swinging, Rain lost the strength contest.

Having been pushed back again, they were once again at the place the clash at started. I've lost… Unable to stop the thought, it was a thorn growing in her mind. Even with the surprise status increase, Rain was unable to win. Now with half a sword… her prospects were dire.

"Hah, I broke you already!"

"Ahh!" Panicking, Rain realized she had zoned out slightly. Even slipping for a tenth of a second was an age in a fight with high level adventurers. Bracing her right sword horizontally in front of her, the fist crunched through the metal.

Deflecting it barely to the side, Rain escaped with her life but short another sword. She hadn't had a chance to get them repaired after the last time these two had clashed.

"Yo, toss those handles to the ground," Samira smiled widely, "and let's dance!"

Why is she asking?

Narrowing her eyes, Rain denied more out of spite than anything. The edges were still sharp, even if the swords were far less useful now.

"Tch, fine!"

Break over, Samira reengaged the meeting. Her style had changed. Rather than the big hooks, she kept her elbows in, more of a boxing style.

Rather than trying to match, Rain dashed to the side, whirling in circles. Her style was more inspired by the stage routines she had been practicing when she got trapped in this world.

Now that her blades her barely more than the length of daggers, the reach advantage had been almost neutralized.

Yet, stepping lightly, Rain's level up had tied their agilities. Even if Samira was stronger, the amazon was having trouble landing a solid blow.

Should I run?

Debating it briefly, Rain didn't try. Turning her back to this opponent was a bad idea. Continuing the fight, Rain landed a blow to the side of Samira's arm. Yet, it did nothing in the grand scheme of things.

"Seriously," the amazon growled, "throw those pieces of garbage away."

"Why, scared?" Rain taunted. As the amazon didn't reply immediately, Rain finally put it together. She was scared. The memory of almost dying to Rain's magic still hadn't faded.

Identifying her own path to victory, Rain began to sing.

"Dance.

"Blades of fire Blades of Ice,

"Obey your mistress and dance."

"You think you can finish!?" Despite the tough words, the amazon couldn't hide the slight warble in her voice. Abandoning the conservative boxing style, Samira rushed in, right leg high for a powerful kick.

Ready for the extravagant move, Rain ducked and continued her chanting.

"Sing.

"Swords of Air Swords of Earth,

"Obey your mistress and sing."

Two verses deep, Rain's magic was already quickly coming to its end.

"Concurrent casting? No way…"

Samira was clearly rattled now. Every second the strength of her blows increased, and their speed continued to fall.

Rain didn't bother trying an attack or even parrying. Her speed put her well past the comparably slow punches. The street was cracking from the encounter as Samira's destructive energy rippled into the surroundings. Yet it was Rain who maintained control of the encounter.

"Come and multiply, blades of light.

"Appear and fall!"

"Shit!"

With the chant complete, Samira swore, her face paling. Left hand unconsciously holding her side, Samira dashed away, diving into the alleyway where Yuna and Nautilus had been.

Targeting the entrance, Rain released her magic.

"Thousand Sword Rain!"

Rain expected little effect and was first shocked by the nine blades that appeared. Rather than the stunted halves she was holding, they appeared as entire swords.

Boom!

The concentrated volley tore apart the stone wall and continued on. The speed was faster than Rain's fastest lunge. Feeling another wave gather around her, Rain released them in a looser arc creating even more destruction and dust.

Expecting the magic to end, Rain was stunned as a third set of nine manifested themselves. The power boost she had achieved in her magic from levelling up was astronomical. For its fairly short cast time, her magic now had immense destructive potential.

Feeling little mental strain, Rain took a hesitant step toward the exit. As the swords followed her, Rain grinned. Yes, she could use this, Dashing away, Rain headed for the exit, it hadn't been the decisive encounter she wished for, but Rain had won.

Thank you, Asuna.

Shooting the absent mage a silent feeling of appreciation, Rain knew that without her previous guidance on her magic, Rain never would have been able to use it with broken weapons.

Running away, she hoped that the mission in the dungeon went as well as their operation up here did.

---

Part 2: Let the Bloodbath Commence!

Thanatos:

"It is beginning Ishtar… What will you do?"

The god spoke with a slight smile. As if he didn't care either way what the goddess visiting his familia home decided.

"Hmmf," the goddess of beauty snorted, blowing on a replacement pipe.

She's rattled…

Thanatos decided. It was clear as day to his discerning eyes. It was strange, Ishtar should be a goddess and therefore above sinking into mental foibles. Yet, she was acting like a child of this world. Something had severely damaged her confidence. To the point where Thanatos wondered if he should discard her now. Unfortunately, sending a deity up from Knossos would be the worst possible decision.

"Maybe I should have asked, what will your children do?"

"…I don't know." Ishtar muttered. "I gave Aisha permission to decide based on things were going."

"Decisive as always," Thanatos drawled. Walking away from the chastised goddess, the God trailed his fingers across a mural on the wall. Depicted there was an ancient interpretation of the dungeon. An infinite cone, continually expanding. Down, past the rocky maze, through the verdant paradise, below the tree lay a land of water. So radically different from any environment found naturally, adventurers dubbed it the New World.

Now, the spiritual ancestors of those people, were about to find themselves sacrificed to its merciless denizens.

The soft impact of feet indicated that Ishtar was approaching. "What is that drawing there?"

Following her finger, Thanatos smiled once he found it. Located at the bottom of the water area, two triangular shaped faces stared through a massive waterfall.

"Their death."

---

Kirito:

"Something is happening…" Craning his head, Kirito wished for not the first time that he was taller. The trail of bodies had been extremely disturbing. Someone had covered them with cloaks and people were gathering them and bringing them back to the eighteenth and eventually the surface.

Something more extreme must have happened.

What's more extreme than dead bodies?

Tension rising, it was still minutes until Kirito arrived at the deepest point he'd ever been in the dungeon, the end of the twenty-fourth floor. "Oh god…"

"No…" Silica cried softly, covering her mouth.

Kirito gulped and was glad the body had been taken down already. The pattern of the blood smears, the holes in the wall, the words scrawled on the stone… It was truly a horrible scene.

A display of cruelty that had upset even the seasoned adventurers that they travelled with. However, a far more daunting obstacle than endless malice was approaching. The twenty-fifth floor was just ahead. A floor so far beyond their usual hunting range that they had zero experience. Kirito was the only one in their party that had even basic information about the area. And what he knew at this point was extremely scarce: don't go into the water.

Sharing a look with his party, Kirito kept moving forward more by momentum than conscious choice. This ramp was different than the others. The remaining stone in the ground faded away, leaving fertile soil with thick roots that wound through the descending ramp.

With every step, the humidity increased. No, that wasn't quite right. It was actually water vapour that was spread through the air. As the descent continued, a low rumbling filled their ears.

"Oh my…"

"Wow…"

Frozen in place, Kirito stared in awe up at the scenery. The ramp had been so long because of how much distance they had to traverse. Above them hung a net of roots from the colossal tree that they had spent the last six hours running through. While impressive, it was the phenomenon below it that drew Kirito's gaze. A giant waterfall over 300 metres wide that crashed down for well over a hundred metres into a pool of water.

That was the dull roar that they'd heard for the past two minutes; well before they ever entered the massive chamber. If that was everything, Kirito probably would have been able to recover fairly quickly. He had heard descriptions of these floors after all. However, there was something about being in the presence of so much water that made Kirito feel small.

Amplifying the noise and awe-inspiring size of the cavern was that this waterfall wasn't the only one. The plunge pool overflowed, leading to another massive cascade that ended another 100 metres below on the twenty-sixth floor. While it was out of sight currently, that happened again, creating a third waterfall that ended on the twenty-seventh floor.

The rest of the scenery was majestic blue crystal. Some of the more permanent corridors were water-stained rocks, but the most prevalent feature was blue crystal. It formed a path around the back of the first waterwall leading to a maze. There was a line of people already entering there.

Seeing that no discussion was occurring about their destination, Kirito's mind finally grabbed onto the more important issues. Searching frantically, Kirito saw no one 'important' looking. Essentially, no Ganesha familia members, the people that should be coordinating the raid.

At this point, the entire operation appeared to have degenerated into a mad rush. No communication was occurring. Kirito saw that he wasn't the only one with a concerned expression.

If this was an MMO raid, Kirito would assume one of two things. Either they were going in with far higher levels than required, expecting an easy wash. Alternatively, they were rushing in blind with no communication, relying on individual prowess to try and get drops for themselves.

Neither situation was optimal. Especially when Kirito doubted there was any way they knew the true power of the enemies they were facing. Yet, he could understand what they were thinking. They had all of Orario's strongest adventurers here. There simply wasn't a force that could challenge them, was there?

"Are we stopping here then?" Lili's voice interrupted Kirito.

"Err…" Glancing around again, Kirito wasn't sure. While indecisive, he slowed his feet, drawing them to a halt near a wall. None of the other groups stopped. They cast them some strange looks but other than that, they just continued.

"I think we need to go with them…" Leafa muttered quietly. "I mean… can we even survive on our own?"

Kirito held his silence. He didn't want to agree, but Leafa had a point. Their floor limit right now was the twentieth. Even getting out by themselves would be extremely challenging.

"The decision is yours, Leafa." Kirito replied. "If you don't want to go into the water canals, then we will stay here until they get back."

"Will we get penalized if we don't go?" Silica asked nervously.

"Possibly," Lili agreed with pursed lips. "I mean, the guild's option was to follow Ganesha familia or pay the damages. But, the member we talked to did say that we could guard the entrance to the twenty-fifth."

"We don't exactly have that in writing…" Kirito groaned. It seemed like such a stupid time to be talking about fines when people were literally dying. Adventurer's corpses left behind to bait them deeper.

Leafa's words agreed with Kirito's thoughts. "I… I don't want to be the reason people die. Let's go Onii-chan."

Looking at her, Kirito felt a welling surge of affection. Reaching out, Kirito squeezed her hand once. "Don't worry, I'll be there to protect you."

"I-I'll count on it."

"Hrrrgh…"

"A-Anyway!" Snatching his hand back, Kirito awkwardly scratched his head. He could feel gazes penetrating him from all angles. Silica's he had expected to a certain extent, however, the men pacing by behind him had an even stronger reaction.

You're the worst!

The feeling was being scorched into Kirito's essence by the seasoned adventurers. Being subjected to a wave of hostility that surpassed even the goliath, Kirito began moving with jerky motions.

Slotting in behind another random group, Kirito realized they lost Klein and Agil. So much for them helping us out… Kirito couldn't blame them though, it was his fault they had fallen behind. Thankfully, the glares had faded. There simply wasn't room on the narrow path for the men to continue glaring at him.

!?

Instincts flaring, Kirito went to whirl around but still didn't have time before a finger poked him in the back. "Funny seeing you here, boy."

"H-Huh!?"

"T-This amazon…"

As his party made confused noises, Kirito forced his feet to continue moving. "Hello Aisha. I hope you're feeling better."

"Yeah, thanks to you."

Unlike last time they had clashed, her voice had a note of… hope, Kirito thought. Assuming she wasn't here to fight, Kirito's hand that had gone to his waist settled back down.

"What are you here for?" Kirito asked. His party had fallen silent.

"Oh, just thought I'd check up on you. You've never been to this area before, yeah?"

Does she want to know because it wouldn't be strange for us to die?

Kirito dismissed the thought and nodded. "Any crucial information you can share would be appreciated."

"Hmm, don't know if I can help you too much, boy," Aisha shrugged. "Honestly though? I'd say turn back. Sure, you're strong. But knowledge can be far more important. If you get separated from the others your party could be decimated in moments as you walk into traps you don't understand."

Kirito didn't shiver, but he knew Lili did. The small Prum girl was extremely vulnerable. Any stray attack could end in death.

"I'll be sure we don't get separated." Kirito said simply.

"Hmm, in that case… what can I say in five minutes…" Muttering, Aisha quickly collected her thoughts. Kirito didn't doubt that she had taught numerous adventurers about this area. They were merely next in a long line. "Don't get in the water. You bunch don't appear to have any Undine cloth either, I do and I don't think I'd win a water battle."

"S-Seriously!?" Leafa squeaked breaking in. "Aren't you level four though?"

"Oh yeah," Aisha nodded, shooting Leafa a daring smile. "Those fish are insanely fast underwater. With the distortion and slowing of movement…" Aisha shrugged. "If you aren't used to it, you're dead."

"You can't get used to it if you die the first time…" Kirito grumbled at the unfair rules.

"True!" Aisha laughed. "Anyway, after that, keep an eye on the water. You should be able to win a one-on-one against anything on land, excluding a couple of the larger ones that is."

Kirito nodded, it agreed with the little he'd heard. If this was a game, then the increased difficulty wouldn't be represented in monster stat blocks but rather the strategy required. Environmental hazards, varieties of attacks, and numbers would be on a different scale. They hadn't even adjusted to the numerous aerial attacks and poison ailments in the tree labyrinth.

"So… Umm, yeah, I think that's everything!"

"How is that everything!" Lili protested. "All you've told us is to not go for a swim!"

Aisha shrugged casually, under no obligation to help them. "That's basically all these floors are. Oh yeah, and if a monster is about to start singing, cover your ears."

"Sirens…" Kirito groaned. He hated mechanics like that in games. They were either extremely unfair or nerfed into oblivion. In this realistic world, Kirito could bet which one these would be.

"Yeah, well stay alive, I'm not finished with you yet, boy!"

With that ominous parting, Aisha began trailing backwards. It made Kirito nervous thinking that Ishtar familia's elite adventurers were behind them. However, assuming they would prioritize the completion of the mission, it was also a comfort.

Finishing the trek behind the massive waterfall, they entered caves. It was the same geography from before, rock mixed with blue crystal. In here, there were also growths around the walls. The translucent blue rock was breath taking. Just as prominent was the clear river of water. Rather than beauty however, Kirito was struck by apprehension staring into it. The water was incredibly pure, yet he couldn't see more than a foot into it. The water moved quickly, and the blue crystal confused the highly refracted light.

"Creepy," Silica muttered. Being a cat person, her eyesight was even better than Kirito's.

"You can't see in either?"

"Not well…" Silica replied slowly. "Yet I feel like if my head was just below the surface, I'd be able to see perfectly."

"It's like an intentional glaring effect," Kirito sighed. It was another advantage the monsters really didn't need. 'Unfair' was more like it.

Trying to split his attention, Kirito kept an eye on the water through superhuman effort. The rest of his attention was surveying the maze they found themselves in. It got confusing extremely quickly. Intersections appeared frequently, often with five or more exits. Many of them had to end after only a dozen metres. Furthermore, the presence of the canals appearing and disappearing underground made each tunnel look the exact same.

Following behind the column, Kirito could only hope that they knew where they were going. Their pace was quick, but not overly. Even level one Lili could keep up easily still. Yet, it was incredible they were continuing to maintain it with the pained shrieks echoing back to them. The lead group was somehow fighting through monsters while barely slowing to a jog.

"Lili begins to wonder if there is a point to having this many people…"

"Haha…" Having no response, Kirito understood her feelings. They hadn't been in view of the front since they left Babel some twelve hours previously. It had been a relentless march, scarfing down a few snacks while moving.

The hallways continued to merge as the twenty-fifth floor disappeared behind them. Unlike the relatively straight lines through the upper floors, the water capital was a massive circle around the central waterfalls. They had to make their way east from the entrance at the northern part of the floor, clockwise around to the north-west to find the stairs down.

Being multi-leveled, by the time they actually got to the stairs, Kirito had thought they'd found them a number of times. Eventually, they actually got to the spiral rocky structure.

It was on a scale larger even than the entrance to the first floor. With the waterfall falling 100 metres to the twenty-sixth, it made sense. However, being able to stare down that way was a different matter entirely.

On the twenty-sixth, they had to cross the second of the three plunge pools. Once again behind the giant waterfall, sound became a luxury. It was surprising how forceful the pounding noise was. The roar reaching a level that drowned out thought.

As they were passing behind the waterfall, a strange splash played at Kirito's senses. Distracted by the waterfall, and senses struggling with the onslaught of noise, he didn't react.

A moment later, a long shape burst out of the water. It had been completely hidden by the giant spray. Its scales sparkled with a rainbow effect and just kept coming. Two metres, four… Kirito estimated it somewhere around six and thick enough he'd struggle to wrap his arms around it.

"Aqua serpent!" A voice cried out.

"RAAA!" Howling an eerie noise, the serpent's jaws opened, ready to drag an adventurer into the water with it.

True to their reputation, however, the people on the shoreline reacted with extraordinary speed. Arrows were drawn and shields leveled in a fraction of a second.

"Kuu…"

With a faint sound, the serpent's corpse fell back into the water, leaking blood. The entire exchange took barely two seconds from the time it burst through the surface.

"Lili couldn't see it at all…" Lili moaned; her voice thick with fear.

"Just uh… stick close to me."

Like that will help.

Telling his thoughts to stuff, it, Kirito loosened his sword from its sheath. He had thought that he was paying enough attention to the water, this event had proved him wrong. One could never be vigilant enough.

"Y-Yes, I'm here as well," Leafa agreed, her voice shaking as well.

The event had left a strong impression. Yet, the other adventurers appeared to have shrugged it off. It demonstrated the difference between them. They had come back and forth to these floors before. Every person belonged here, except Kirito's party.

"AHHH!"

"W-What was that!?" Silica chirped, panicked.

"I-I don't know," Kirito answered truthfully. The sound had been human in origin, Kirito was confident in that. While it was hard to make out over the waterfall they had just finished passing, he'd guess it came from the twenty-seventh floor.

There was a path that led near the edge of the twenty-sixth floor plunge pool. Taking it, they should be able to see who had screamed from the twenty-seventh. Even just comprehending that kind of scale was hard for Kirito to understand. This information was still too new.

"Holy shit!"

"To the twenty-seventh!"

"What is happening!?"

Blinking, Kirito struggled to hear the shouted words. Shortly, the group took off. Not at the pleasant walk from before, but this time sprinting.

"Are they running all the way to the twenty-seventh?" Lili complained.

"I'm not sure…" Kirito admitted. Rather than running after them, he instead followed the group to the edge of the pool. Standing there, Kirito was glad that he wasn't afraid of heights. It was a stomach-churning drop watching the water pour from beside him into the depths below.

Looking down, Kirito realized for the first time that this cliff was climbable. It would be suicide with the water, but technically if one was a high enough level…

"AHHH!"

Another scream distracted him. The human shouts were the only noise from below that penetrated the high ambivalent background.

There, on the twenty-seventh floor, was a party of adventurers. Was there a party exploring here? Kirito didn't see how it was possible. Unless they were rogues from Rivera.

Groaning, Kirito watched as another of their group was dragged down and feasted upon. The horde of monsters was thick. However, it also looked very… Scripted.

It reminded Kirito of the fights you'd walk in on in games or appear in the middle of in a tutorial. Something that was immersive and grabbed your attention, yet if you looked too deeply the fight would seem staged.

How had this happened?

They were in the middle of the wide-open area, near the end of the twenty-seventh floor and were somehow surrounded by monsters.

Am I reading too deeply into this?

Racked by indecision, precious seconds ticked past as Kirito analyzed his choices. That was his problem, there wasn't really a choice. It was how evilus had gotten this raid to follow such a linear route. Like a video game where the path through the dungeon was clearly laid out on your minimap.

"Kirito…" Lili prompted.

"Onii-chan, we're going to get left behind…"

"Kirito…"

Holding up a hand for a few seconds, Kirito continued to watch. This party dying, why were they there? Where had the massive train of monsters come from? Why now?

Turning around, Kirito saw the end of the column swiftly approaching. There was Ishtar familia, almost at the very rear.

"Aisha!" Screaming her name, the amazon said something to her party.

Bounding over, she stopped tersely, face tense. "What is it?"

"The floor boss, you killed it on your raid, right?"

The amazon tilted her head. "What are you talking about? To make it back before the full-moon we rushed down to the thirty-seventh and back up again. Our lack of time was what killed one of members. No way in hell we were stopping to party with Amphis."

"W-What!?" Lili exploded. "I have a report from the guild that you guys killed it!"

"No one told me that shorty," Aisha retorted, voice tense. "I can't believe we were used like this…"

Kirito only saw it because he was looking for it. He wanted to believe that Ishtar familia had nothing to do with everything but… "You know something, don't you?"

"…Not all of us can be good people, boy. Especially under the thumb of jealous gods."

Kirito felt cold as Aisha walked away. She swiftly rejoined her party and went with the rest of the column into the twenty-seventh floor. The entire raid, rushing into a cauldron of death.

"T-There has to be something we can do!" Leafa shouted.

"Y-Yes, of course!" Silica nodded frantically.

They're so much stronger than I am…

Staring at them, Kirito saw that at least he had Lili on his side. The prum looked lost knowing that Amphisbaena was more than likely very much alive.

With robotic motions, his gaze trailed back over to the fight 100 metres below. Quickly, it was becoming less of a fight and more of a massacre. The hapless adventurers sending up final screams of terror and sorrow before their lives were rent away.

The sights made up Kirito's mind. "I can't… I can't bring you into that nightmare."

---

PoH:

"Oh, it's starting, is it?" Smiling slightly, the tall man spun a heavy cleaver lightly around his pointer finger. He had some practice with knife tricks before coming here, now though, it was more out of boredom that he flourished his weapon.

"Not quite yet," a grumpy voice replied, a thin, short man playing with a dagger.

PoH would usually not care, but the dagger user looked up to him and had proved valuable as an assistant. "Just the bait then, yeah? Good ol' Thanatos is a ruthless one, that's for sure."

Smiling, PoH stared out the craggy hole part-way up to the twenty-seventh floor. Cloaked with scent concealers and robes made of mermen scales, most monsters ignored them. This little alcove had a window of thin crystal that allowed to stare out at the waterfall. What would usually be an idyllic scene was marred by death and monstrous screams of pleasure. The people they were eating were mainly Thanatos' followers mixed in with a couple of Rivera rogues that were stupid enough to get baited into this quest.

"Oi, oi, is that?"

"See something, Johnny?" PoH asked lazily. Like himself, this dagger user had come from the real world. Rejected by some familias, the sullen man had somehow found his way to Ikelos. Once there, the oft bullied man had found his way to PoH's tutelage.

Simply using him a pawn to exploit, PoH had to admit the man's earnest love of killing was enticing. The way young Johnny had been seduced by the possibilities that his new familia granted. The way he could get back at the snobs that had rejected him.

"Oh yeah, it's those girls from yesterday…"

"Yesterday…" PoH asked, "I sent you back to Knossos, what happened? You reported no issues upon your return."

"Uhh, well, we met a couple of a girls, they seemed like easy prey but…"

"Kicked your butt?" PoH almost laughed, a smirk twisting his lips. "Can't get complacent here, these girls grow up fighting."

"Tsk, just a little girl," Johnny continued to whine. "Cute cat ears and tail, and her friend, whoa, stacked if you know what I mean."

"Huh? That description…" Eyes wide, PoH rushed over to follow Johnny's glare. It was. "Hehe… This will be fun."

"I'm coming as well," a third voice interrupted.

PoH wanted to tell XaXa off, but to be frank, his first defeat was still sour in his mouth. It occurred a long time ago, he was still cocky then and taking orders. Not anymore. They would finally taste his full power.

"It's showtime!"

Leading the way, the group of three rushed out to intercept the girls that were in the midst of taking a shortcut to the twenty-seventh floor.

---

Asuna:

"This is bad…"

Asuna was too focused on running to reply to Astrid's comment. But really, there was nothing to say. They were in the midst of running face first into an obvious trap attempting to save people that were clearly bait. 'This is bad' barely did the situation justice.

"Half a kilometre or so left," Astrid mumbled again, talking to herself. "When we break into the chamber on the twenty-seventh floor, Asuna and Mirel, get to the side. I don't a stray Iguacu taking you out."

Asuna nodded silently. This was where her knowledge from the previous raid to this floor gave her an advantage. She had seen the terrifying birds in motion before. How they became a streak of light, their bodies morphing into bullets as they gave their lives in attempts to kill adventurers.

Therefore, the logical play was to have the mages hunker behind rock formations at the edge. There, they'd be able to hide until the deadly birds were gone and fire off spells after.

Asuna last trip would have taken Astrid's orders. Now, feeling the power of the water thrumming through her, she disagreed. "Please leave the monsters to me, Astrid!"

"Asuna? What are you talking about, there's going to be at least a hundred of them in there."

"150 metres remaining…" Phineas called tersely. Their speed that matched Olympic runners was eating up distance.

Asuna didn't reply. She simply drew her staff and held it aloft in front of her. Then, without slowing down even a step, she began casting.

"Rise and flow. I am the Master of Water, servant of Neptune."

Gasps echoed from the surrounding people. Concurrent chanting was a rare feat, practiced mainly by half-insane magic swordsmen.

"Rise and obey. Destroy those who obstruct."

Asuna's mind was only half-present during the cast. Most of her was in the water, the canals that criss-crossed this entire section. She could feel keenly the giant waterfall and source that they were approaching. With this perspective, she could sense the monsters that trespassed in her domain. They may consider the water their home, but she was its ruler.

"By my will, I give you life. By your will, I wield it.

"Chosen not given, I call. Answer my prayer and heed your duty."

The exit was right in front of them. Already the head of the column was exiting and dashing to the sides. Every single person could sense the enormous amount of power that was flowing into Asuna's body.

Propelled not only by her ridiculously high magic stat, Asuna's power was also increased by her advanced ability and amplified again by her skill.

The result was that Asuna was currently accessing power that the people of this world hadn't experienced for more than a year.

"Wash away the rabble and purify the streets.

"Put out the fires and drown the nonbelievers!"

With her magic having reached its climax, Asuna burst out onto the scene. Even running, the journey through the cave system to reach this area was half an hour long. The adventurers that had been here had long since perished.

Anger rising, Asuna glared at the ones making a mockery of their corpses. The monsters' faces were shining with glee as they dug into the rare bouquet of human flesh.

"Blessed of the Undine.

"My name is Necksa!"

Voice thundering across the empty field, Asuna finally stopped running. As she did, Asuna poured all the mind she could into the spell. The circle underneath her feet widened to preposterous proportions.

Sensing the influx of magical energy, the monsters froze. Like deer caught in headlights, they gazed at their death.

"Vannforlengelse!"

Asuna herself was surprised at the torrent of water that appeared in front of her. Stretching for over twenty metres to either side of her, head sized balls of water formed. Then, with no indication, they moved.

As if shot out of a cannon, the balls of water hit like metal. People often underestimated how hard water was. No one did after witnessing Asuna's magic.

There was nowhere to hide in the grand chamber. Nothing to save the monsters' lives. It was over in a matter of seconds. Noise was muted by the dull roar of the nearby falls. Beyond that, ash and black blood coated the terrain. Everyone and everything existed within a limbo of disbelief.

"Ahh," Panting, Asuna collapsed to the floor. As she did, the spell freezing time ended, releasing the adventurers to move and talk.

"W-What the hell!?"

"Holy shit! She took out a massive parade on her own!"

"Yo! Who the eff is that!?"

None of the yells and screams of surprise that quickly morphed into cheers reached Asuna. Laying there, she dipped a finger into the nearby water. Doing so, she felt it. Her connection with the waterways that was fading.

"This isn't over."

"Of course not," Astrid agreed, "Evilus should be here. That was well done though. Its nice to have a powerhouse like you in the party."

"Sorry I'm not good enough," Mirel said, poking Astrid roughly with her staff.

"You know that isn't what I meant. Now, we need to regroup and prepare to locate…"

Cutting off Astrid was a strange growl. It was muffled and distorted. Like a sound passing through water. It was also very familiar to Asuna.

Two shadows formed behind the waterfall and then merged into one. "No… It isn't here right now. It can't be…"

Not caring about Asuna's wishes or beliefs, the monster rex burst through the waterfall. The glowing red and blue eyes of the beast's two heads glared down upon the interlopers.

Then, with the authority of a king in its domain, it leaned its heads back and howled. The indisputable right of a monster rex to summon minions to its aid.

In answer rang out the howls of the monstrous horde. From all directions, monsters began to pour into the giant arena. Dozens of monsters and a level five floor boss in water. Rated level six in situations just like this.

"Is this seriously their goal?" Astrid spoke nonplussed. "Our familia could handle this ourselves."

While the situation appeared formidable, the surprise was the biggest part. Loki familia had, not that long ago, killed this floor boss within this very plunge pool while incurring no casualties. With the aid of the rogues, Ganesha familia, and the others it would be a whitewash, not even mentioning the scant Freya familia adventurers and their might.

However, this wasn't what Asuna had sensed in the water. The twin-headed dragon was king of these waters. Even for the usurper queen Asuna, the water would not surrender knowledge of its presence.

"They're coming," Asuna spoke, struggling to stand back up. The massive flux of magic left her feeling physically weak, though she knew it would fade quickly.

"Huh? You mean…"

Boom!

With an explosion, a crystal wall collapsed and robed figures appeared on the other side of it. Taking pouches from their necks, they swiftly tossed them amid the adventurer party.

"Monster lures," Mirel moaned. "We're really in for it now…"

"This is going to be chaos…" Astrid muttered.

Asuna could see her mind work, but clearly nothing was coming. Quickly enough anyway.

Tired of being ignored, Amphisbaena roared once more—covering itself in its red mist—and charged forward to attack.

The melee was entered with confused cries and shrieking metal. Parties not used to working together prioritized individual safety. Mixed between the open space beneath the waterfall and the caverns behind, fights began on all fronts.

"This is bad…" Phineas said tersely. "We can't hear orders over this din at all. Everyone is just guessing; we're getting driven apart."

"Divide and conquer…" Asuna muttered the cliché line to herself. Just because something was cliché, didn't make it wrong. She could imagine it already, parties succumbing to a flood of monsters while the others look on, indecisive, only to fall when the horde moves over to them.

"…We deal with Amphis ourselves." Astrid decided. "Leave evilus to the others. Asuna, drink that potion and get ready to go. Mirel, time with Droyman for a massive strike once the mist is removed."

"Aye aye!" everyone cried in unison.

They had far from their entire familia present. In total, they had brought sixteen members, three of them supporters. That left thirteen adventurers, four of them full mages: Asuna, Mirel, Droyman, and a short half-prum named Claire. Asuna hadn't interacted with the girl very much, but her lightning magic was powerful in small areas.

Despite the powerful back line, that left only nine melee adventurers to distract a floor boss while Asuna tried to chant her magic again. Worried about them, Asuna raised a hand to stop Astrid, but the leader subtly shook her head, there wasn't time.

"Loki familia…"

"We will…"

"Aid you." A third voice finished.

"Who…?" Asuna was surprised by the strong aura coming the three people. They appeared to be half-elves. Standing in a line, they created a hallucinatory effect of a monster with six eyes, three red and three blue.

"Urgh, you three," Mirel growled. "Well, I won't say no."

"That's wise of you," the only man in the line of three smirked. The disdain on their faces was clear, yet, like all adventurers in Orario, there was one thing they hated more: monsters. Usually even bitter rivals would pause a feud to kill a monster that interrupted them. It was simply ingrained into the very nature of every person born into this world.

With no further speaking, the set of triplets took off toward the floor boss, no weapons currently drawn.

"W-Who are they?" Asuna asked once she was sure they couldn't hear anymore.

"The sky siblings," Mirel tsked angrily, "Sora, Skyler, and Aeris of Freya familia. They share the moniker of Heterochromatic Death."

"You need to be casting," Droymann reminded Asuna.

"R-Right," Raising her wand, Asuna got straight into it. Even with most of her concentration on the magic, Asuna couldn't help but hear the explosions and screams of death from behind.

No longer were they on a raid, or a mission. Evilus had used every trick in the book to bring them all down together into a nightmare.

---

Silica:

"I can't…"

Clenching her fists, Silica stared through tear-stained eyes at the field of battle a hundred metres below her. With her enhanced hearing and sight, she may as well have been next to them.

"I can't let them die!" Whirling around, Silica sent pleading eyes up at Leafa. This wasn't something Silica could do by herself, but with her help, it was possible.

It was Kirito himself that had told them of the possibility before dashing after the raid group, saying he was going to help.

Stay here and retreat up if monsters come. Using Leafa's magic to fly, along with Lili's to change into a monster that can scale the cliff, you can get back to the twenty-fourth in short order if you need.

Indeed, Silica's eyes confirmed what Kirito had seen. There were paths up and down these cliffs. Even as a cat person, Silica wouldn't dare attempt it by herself. With Leafa's help, however, it would be easy.

"I…" The human muttered, swaying as she cast a look at Lili.

"Don't look at Lili like that!" The prum protested, crossing her arms with huff. "Lili doesn't care one bit about greedy adventurers!"

"Ah…" Silica understood Leafa's reaction now. They couldn't leave the prum behind. In fact, Kirito had probably left her here just to ensure they wouldn't try and go down to help them out. "Please Lili!"

Begging, Silica snagged the prum's hands with her own. Staring at her, the time they had shared together seemed to rush through their connection. They had become close in their short period. Close enough that Lili had entrusted them with her secret. Pled for their aid to get her out of the nightmare that her life that been.

Lili simply sighed heavily; the sound wearied beyond her years. "Lili has no right to protest your shenanigans. While I would like to survive to see master Bell again… Lili is with you."

"Thank you!" With a shout of glee, Silica crushed the prum girl against her with level two strength.

Wasting no time, Leafa began her magic. Shortly after, Lili began hers. Silica kept an eye on her, wondering what the Prum would decide to turn into.

Supposedly there was a limit to how much she could change her shape… Silica's jaw dropped as most of the prum's height disappeared. Remaining was a two-foot-tall rabbit.

"A-Al Miraj!" Barely having time to speak its name, the Lili-monster leapt and landed on Silica's head. "H-Hey!"

"Chu!"

"Urgh… So cute!" Silica squealed against her better judgement. It opened a hole in her chest as the memories she'd spent with her pet cat Pina rushed through her.

"Sorry Silica," Leafa spoke slowly, acknowledging her friend was going through something currently. "But we need to move if we want to help."

"O-Of course!" Turning to face the cliff, Silica swallowed her fear. "P-Please be kind to me, Leafa…"

With that, Silica stepped off the edge, her body twisted just slightly so that she'd fall unto a precipice. Her foot hit the slippery rock and skidded off. Prepared for such an event though, Silica's body was already twisting to land upon the next one, her speed increasing all the while.

"CHUUU!" A panicked Lili howled from her head. Silica's eyes watered with pain as her twin tails were almost ripped from her head.

On the third landing, Silica's instincts finally failed her. The contact was bad, and her momentum pushed her away from the wall. There was now nothing between her and a ninety-metre fall to her death. "L-Leafa!"

"I'm here," the girl chuckled. Feeling arms grab her under her armpits, Silica's speed feel but didn't fully halt. By the time Leafa let her go, Silica was ten metres lower and aimed directly at a nice landing spot.

Halting fully for a second, Silica's eyes quickly scanned the cliff, analyzing the minor bumps and places she could land. Taking only a second, Silica set off again. She didn't have time to waste getting down.

If they were confident the feat wouldn't drain Leafa's strength, they'd let her carry them down.

Again and again, Silica's instincts proved true. However, there were multiple instances where Leafa's intervention was required. Without her, Silica would have died at least six times before she reached a height where the fall would be survivable.

More than a minute after setting out, they landed upon solid ground on the far side of the plunge pool. There, barely visible on the other side was where the raid group would be coming out of. In front of them was the remains of the adventurers. Only a few were still alive, trying desperately to flee.

"Over here!" Calling to them, Silica drew not just their attention, but also that of a mermen pack. The group of six of so monsters hissed and rushed over.

Taking hesitant step back, Silica called out frantically. "L-Leafa!?" No matter how much she wanted to help, she knew there was no way she could take on a pack of lower floor monsters on her own.

"Wind blade!"

The magic came from an angle the monsters had never even considered. They barely looked up in confusion before they were torn apart, limbs flailing through the air until their stones broke, reducing it all to ash.

"Thank you…" Exhaling, Silica had an opening to dart forward. Taking one of the three adventurers' hands, Silica began pulling them to the tunnel. She didn't really have a plan besides 'not here'.

Each one of them moved slowly. Perhaps disbelief that someone had made it in time to save them.

"Come on!" Silica screamed at them. Finally, her words got them moving faster. Even as she led the final adventurers into the caverns, something was nagging at Silica. There was something strange about these people, but she didn't have time to think about it. "Where are we going, Lili?"

"Like Lili knows!" The prum girl screamed back, having reverted to her original form. Running behind Silica, Lili was able to keep up with the three adventurers that were running behind her.

"Urgh…"

With a slight booming noise, Leafa entered the cavern and landed beside Silica, on the other side of Lili. "So, what's the plan now?"

We really didn't think this one through…

Moaning to herself, Silica cast a look back at where they had come from. Their path was taking them to the end of the twenty-seventh floor. At only a dozen minutes or so at this pace, they would swiftly find the ramp down to the next section of the dungeon. An area where the level two girls would have zero chance of survival.

"Hehe, fancy meeting you here!"

"W-What?" There was no way Silica would forget that voice. It often haunted her nightmares. Right behind it came the sound of a knife striking flesh. The rush of terror Silica felt as her control of her body slipped away. The utter hopelessness as her mind began to slide into an abyss from which there was no escape.

Standing there, ten metres away down the hallway was the figure of a tall man wrapped in a black cloak, the hood pulled low over his face. The only part visible was the smirk that was pasted there.

Drawing to a halt, Silica felt her body shaking. "W-What are you doing here?"

"Me?" The man replied innocently. "Well, I was ready to let you go, but these two…"

Trailing off, a pair of figures appeared behind the man. As they stood up from behind rocks, Silica recoiled again. She recognized them, well, more like one of them. That same goofy smile that she wanted to punch. The man who had tried to touch her yesterday.

"Y-You!" Leafa squeaked. "You aren't just random adventurers?"

"Nope!" The clear leader laughed again. Then his gaze moved past them to the three adventurers they had rescued. "Looks like its your lucky day. Head for a safe room, I'll pick you up later."

"Y-Yes!" One of them replied, the three dashing off down an adjacent pattern.

"N-No way!" Lili gasped. "You can't mean…"

"That there were evilus members mixed in with the adventurers? Of course, the more deaths the easier it is to draw the fools in."

The leader's casual demeanour changed in that instant. "Ah, but really, what a find this is. I owe you guys a lot! I learned much from our last encounter."

"Like what? How to run away?" Leafa taunted. Unwisely, Silica thought.

"No," the man grinned widely. "You taught me that the sweetest prey… Are those that fight back."

From his waist, the man drew a weapon. It was far larger than the dagger he used last time. It was shaped more like a meat cleaver. One sharp edge made for cutting through flesh and bone.

"Hey, hey, boss!" The man with the pitchy voice interrupted. "Can we play a game with them?"

"…What do you mean?"

Standing there, Silica exchanged a glance with Leafa and Lili. They could run, but go where? It wasn't like the three men had started ignoring them either. They were just talking briefly.

"A battle royale of course! The girls kill each other, and the one alive at the end gets to go free!"

Both the leader and the man with red eyes chuckled at that. "Well, you heard him," the leader taunted. "Get at each other."

Silica didn't even look at the other girls. They were her two best friends ever. She would never harm either of them.

"Here's a counteroffer," Leafa spoke, her voice harsher than Silica thought she'd ever heard it before. "Surrender now, and we will bring you to the surface alive."

"Ah, oh well. It's showtime!"

Using his cleaver to gesture at the girls, the leader retreated a step and brought the weapon above his head. Silica, who had seen the images of that day many times, instinctually remembered something. How his allies had to pull him away from the fight. How during that time…

"He's using magic!" Silica warned. It didn't matter though, the chant was too short.

"My name is Vassago,

"My title is Prince."

The ominous words echoed through the air. A repeat of the chant that the man had discarded last time. Now, he finished the ultra-short chant.

"Drink blood and quench your thirst,

"Mate Chopper!"

Taking barely more than ten seconds, the man's blade, held high above his head, took on a dark tinge. It appeared to be some sort of enhancement magic.

Silica had no time to focus on the leader as the dagger user rushed her. "Let's dance, girly!"

"Urgh…" Backpedalling, Silica nimbly dodged out of the way. The man was utilizing a thrust heavy style of dagger attacks. His weapon had strange wavy patterns to it. The colour shifting between a deep-green and black.

Counterattacking with her own slash, Silica's attack was caught by the man's hilt. Blades locked in front of them, she got a better view of the weapon. It looked like something had been splashed on and hardened. Making a face of disgust, Silica blurted out her admonition.

"Don't you know how to take care of your weapon?"

"Hehehe, that's a good one!" The man chuckled. "Maybe I'll clean it with your blood!"

"Grr…" Growling, Silica pushed hard against the man. Her strength stat wasn't the best, but she won the competition as the taller man reeled back.

Weapon going to her waist, Silica hesitated. She had a chance to win the fight but… She wasn't ready to kill him. The same hesitations from the fight against Ishtar familia plagued her now. The vivid sensation of her weapon cutting through human bone was not one she would soon forget.

"Tch, you're a strong bitch, yeah?" The man laughed again, twirling his knife. At the same time Leafa engaged the man with the needle for a weapon. His red eyes casting a haunted gaze over the entirely blue-colored floor.

That fight was looking decidedly one-sided. His lunges were too slow to track Leafa. She flitted through the air quickly, dodging and slashing, forcing him closer and closer to a wall.

That left only the leader who continued to survey things. With one look at the man with red eyes getting hemmed in, he turned back to Silica and smiled at her.

In serious danger now, Silica darted away as the man rushed her, cleaver drawn back far behind him. "Where you going, girl!?"

"Grr…" eyes flitting back and forth, Silica struggled to track the cleaver rush and the other man who had brought his knife back, ready to throw.

Caught in the middle, Silica was forced to guard against the high slash. Abandoning her best stat of Agility, Silica waged her defense and strength against the man's.

Crick.

"Gah!" Gasping under the weight of the blow, Silica was unprepared for the overwhelming strength, especially from such a small weapon.

She had been grinding and fighting battles in the dungeon almost every day since their last encounter. How had he gotten so far ahead of her? Unless…

The magic?

From such a short chant?

It was all Silica could do to avoid getting minced by the cleaver pressing down on her. Her lithe arms shook from holding up against its weight. The man ready to throw the knife had been expunged from her thoughts.

"Hehe, I got you girl!"

"Huh?" Turning her head, Silica blanched, the knife she'd forgotten occupying her vision.

"Pay attention!" With an annoyed rebuttal, Lili criticized Silica's fighting. Then, with unerring precision granted by her phenomenal eyesight, Lili fired her hand crossbow at the knife.

"Whoa!"

Lurching back, the man barely dodged the attack, but the bolt did its trick and stopped him from throwing.

Not letting Lili's distraction go to waste, Silica spun out of the hilt hold and retreated, outer robe getting sliced in the process.

"Hiyah!"

With perfect form, a gigantic, falling slash from Leafa descended upon the man with the cleaver. Perhaps realizing he couldn't take the power straight on, he rolled back and away.

Leafa's first opponent was holding his right arm with his left. It appeared that Leafa was able to draw first blood.

Following Silica's gaze of that result, the leader's lips drew back into a sneer. "You had one chance to win this fight, even with that strange flying you can do now. This wasn't it."

Lifting his cleaver horizontally beside him, a trail of dark energy appeared to rise from the red-eyed man's wound and get engulfed by the blade. The difference was slight, but it was clearly gotten longer, the shadow around it darkening.

"What is that magic?" Leafa demanded, readying her blade again as she hovered a couple feet off the ground.

"Come and find out!"

Roaring with laughter, the leader launched himself off the floor. Body twirling in circles, he broke out unexpectedly into a slash that Leafa parried. The two combatants getting caught in a dizzying fight.

Silica didn't have time to watch as the man with the dirty dagger rushed her again. Hopping backwards, Silica resolved herself for what she'd have to do. Each time he thrust; Silica moved backwards.

It was the same as that first amazon fight, she could see his face growing more tense. The gleeful sadism beginning to morph into anger as he received no gratification from his efforts.

"Yo, want to stop this?"

"Make me, uh… loser!" Silica yelled back. By now the two of them were completely separated from the others. Silica could hear the fight raging, metal against metal, the twang of Lili's crossbow, but it was faded. The gurgling of a nearby stream that ran through this circular room was the most prominent noise source.

Almost there!

Silica could only see the man's lips, but that was all she needed. His expression was getting angry. When people got angry, they made mistakes.

"Not so fast!"

Now!

The moment had come. Silica, rather than jumping back, dashed forward. Her status was higher than this man's. He couldn't keep up. But, as she went to move, her body stuttered for the smallest of margins. A residual fear against causing pain she still hadn't managed to move past.

It disappeared before it really even happened, but it was enough. The speed with which they moved was so fast that even the smallest intervals of time were important.

As Silica slid past the dagger, it caught on her jerkin, tearing a minor hole and drawing a few drops of blood. The tugging pain went away instantly as Silica slammed her weapon into the man's gut up to its hilt.

"Gah!"

Silica lost her hold on the weapon as the man flew backwards. He lay on the floor in a heap, limbs sprawled in all directions.

"I… I won…" Breathing a sigh of relief, Silica felt a scorching fire run through her side. "AHH!" Screaming, she clutched at her wound. Doing so, her vision phased in and out. "W-What is happening…?"

"Urrr…" The man groaned. With a shaky hand, he found the dagger and pulled it out. Clutching at the deep wound, he dropped Silica's weapon to the ground. "Actually, I win."

"You… Your weapon!" Silica's eyes widened with fear even as she legs stopped working, sending her to the ground. "It's poisoned?"

"Oh yeah!" The man chuckled weakly. Silica's blow had taken most of his strength away. "Paralyzes the target so I get to have some fun with them. It's got some lethal components in there though. Your breathing will shut down in about an hour. Don't think this will take that long though…"

"Ahh… No…" Hyperventilating, Silica could barely see anymore. The loss of vision made everything worse. The sound of his hand running over the dagger, the unhurried footsteps as blood dropped to the ground, and… a growl?

The man hadn't heard it yet. He crouched in front of Silica, almost falling on top of her due to his injuries. "Damn it. You hurt me bad… Good thing potions exist in this game…"

"G-Game?" Silica replied, her words squeaking out. "H-How can you call it that!?"

"That's all it is!" The man continued, brandishing his knife so the point rested on Silica's nose. "A super advanced game, that we lucky ones get the privilege of playing!"

"No way…" Silica moaned. The dagger blurred until there were two of them. Both sides, now wet with her blood. The crusty substance from earlier looked more liquid. As if it were coming alive to devour her.

"Yes way, girl! You failed at playing the hero, and I'm the bad guy who gets to relish in your delightful screams!"

"I-I'll never scream!"

"I wonder how long you'll stay like that! Hahaha, argh!" Mid laugh, it transformed into a grunt of pain and then coughing.

Silica didn't need to be able to see to register that he was coughing up blood. His level two endurance and adrenaline were keeping him going, but a wound like that would continue to suck his energy until he succumbed to it.

"Guess I'll… cut this short. Get it? Cut?" Even the bad joke had little life to it.

Silica's bleary, wandering thoughts wondered if he was clinging to the illusion of this being a game just to help him cope. If he had faced down the fact he was now in a different world and almost gone insane.

"See on the other side later, girl."

"Grrrr…."

"Again?" Silica muttered, the noise permeating the entire room this time.

"Ah shit, monsters, really?" The man's eyes tracked over the copious amount of blood he'd lost. "Guess they're coming for that. Shit, well, guess I'll leave you to them instead."

Silica could no longer reply as she watched the man stagger away, back to where Leafa and Lili were. Closing her eyes, Silica sighed deeply. She knew they would be fine. Leafa was way tougher than her, and Lili was too wily to die. Together they were invincible. In the end, neither of them had needed her. Neither had Kirito.

With the clack of claws on stone and crystal, Silica knew her end was coming. Her body no longer responded to her. Without the resistance advanced ability, she had no special protection to poisons.

Tears welling up at her failure, Silica wished desperately, that once, just once, she had been able to help them. To do something that they couldn't on their own.

With the monster's breath on her neck, however, Silica knew it was too late and resigned herself to her fate.

---

Kirito:

"Oh shit, oh shit…"

Ten minutes after deciding to abandon Silica, Leafa, and Lili at the plunge pool, Kirito wondered if he hadn't made a horrible mistake.

He had taken too long to explain his decision. Most importantly, how, they could escape. Perhaps that was why he had done it. With just the three of them, they could scale the cliff back up. He was too heavy and not agile enough to make it.

Now, for the first time, the sounds of the column were starting to fade away. Kirito had pursued them as fast as possible. His speed was higher than the pace they were moving but…

"Out of my way!" Slashing at the merman, Kirito danced around a second one's lunge with a crystal spear. Slashing that in half, Kirito punched the monster in the face, sending it into the leader behind it.

Jumping over the pile, Kirito swung down at the same time, slashing the leader's throat.

With a hole open, he took off again, trying desperately to catch the column. Unfortunately, the monsters got out of the way of the rush of humanity and then closed in behind them. Kirito was trapped in the sweet spot where monsters were re-entering from all directions.

"Urgh, what did I do to deserve this?" Kirito mumbled to himself. He knew that they should have stayed on the twenty-fifth floor. Right at the beginning where monsters rarely tread. But something had been pulling him down. More than the belief that they'd be able to save lives.

Floating in front of him was a crystal. Hesitating, Kirito hadn't heard of this thing before. It looked totally defenseless. It was maybe half a metre in length and pure white. As Kirito watched it, it began to glow more brightly.

If this was a game…

A mixture of instincts and preternatural foresight was all that saved his life. Throwing himself to the side, the strange inorganic monster began releasing beams of light. Where they struck, the ground began to boil.. It was a long range move on a scale that simply didn't exist in the middle floors.

"Damn it…" With it already having started to fire, Kirito was penned in behind a rock formation. He couldn't move until the crystal ran out of light. In the minute that it took to do so, the raid's steps vanished from his hearing.

With the thing faded and beginning to run away, Kirito darted out and bisected it with one slash. The crystal turning to ash even as it began to fall to the ground.

Hitting the ground running, Kirito prayed that he'd catch up soon. The raid couldn't keep running forever, surely they'd slow down at some point… He really didn't want to have to try and survive the lower floors by himself with almost no knowledge of the monsters here.

Ching!

"Yes…" Breathing a sigh of relief, Kirito turned at the intersection and aimed for the noise. It was a very familiar noise. That of a weapon piercing a magic stone.

Following the path, Kirito's instincts flared. The path seemed a little narrow. A more minor path than he would have guessed to be the main route. Assuming it was a shortcut, he poured on speed, blowing by a hulking crystal tortoise. The lumbering, large category monster couldn't even turn in time to see Kirito's coattails, flared out behind him.

Entering a chamber, Kirito froze. There was nothing particularly worrying about it. The main difference was that there was no water here. His eyes locked upon a few piles of ash. This was where the noise had come from. But…

"The raid never passed through here, did it?"

"…That is correct." From behind the far corner, a figure walked out slowly.

Kirito knew them instinctually. This was the being that almost killed him in the upper floors. The day he had killed his first person. The second time, they'd barely seen each other, a magic sword bringing down the roof of the middle floors upon him.

Now, for their third encounter, Kirito didn't move. He didn't understand or know anything about this person. Yet, they clearly hated him. Kirito could feel their aura pressing against him. Overpowering his senses. It was definitely the same person he had fought on the tenth floor, but now, they had an entirely different feel to them.

Against this power, Kirito would have slaughtered without seeing the attack. What had changed? Could they be from the old world as well?

"You… aren't as foolish as before."

"Maybe not," Kirito agreed, narrowing his eyes. "What do you want with me?"

"Can't… you guess?"

The way they spoke grated on Kirito's ears. It was halting and broken. Each word exact, the particles dropped, verbs truncated. Almost as if they couldn't stand to pronounce any more syllables than the bare minimum.

"No, I can't. Surrender, your friends can't win."

"They… aren't my friends."

"So, they are just sacrifices to you?" Kirito growled, hand tightening on the hilt of his sword. "Either way, you can't do anything without them."

"Heh."

It was the first time the figure actually reacted. Their shoulders shook and an odd noise was emitted from their mouth. It took Kirito a moment to realize it was supposed to be a laugh. The noise was so distorted it could only be described as ugly.

"…This is pointless," Kirito decided. "Move out of my way or I'll make you."

"You really think… challenge?"

This is what they want.

The thought gave Kirito pause. He was playing right into this person's game. What if they were lying? What if the raid was in trouble and Kirito showing up late could save it? Did they truly not care about the other evilus members?"

"Decide."

"Do I have a choice?" Kirito asked bitterly.

"No."

"Heh, very well then." Brandishing his sword, Kirito assumed a high stance, right arm cocked back, legs tensed with energy. The distance between them as only ten metres or so. Easily crossable in a single lunge. "Kirito, Hestia familia, coming at you!"

The figure's face was fully obscured, but Kirito could imagine a smile blossoming on their face. Throwing back the left edge of the dark cloak, their hand settled on a hilt. With a slow, imperious motion, the weapon slid free with a barely a sound.

The air seemed to distort around it.

This was not the estoc they had wielded last time. Oh, by the gods it wasn't. It was a rapier with a sky-blue blade. The hilt was elegant with a linear cross guard that shone a translucent sapphire colour. The pommel contained an elegant diamond that appeared to sparkle with light. The transition from white to blue reminded Kirito of the early morning sky. An infinite expanse with no limits.

"Imizael… Hera familia."

---

Part 3: Endless terror

Asuna:

"W-What!?" Stuttering in disbelief, Asuna found herself sitting on her backside, staring incredulously at a wall of steam. She had thought she remembered the floor boss vividly.

But… This Amphisbaena was incredibly powerful. Its breath weapon was simply on a different level from the one she had fought last time. Asuna knew that there was variation in every monster, but this was far beyond that. It had turned the entire plunge pool into a world of fire with a single breath.

The napalm-like substance sat on the surface, boiling water into steam. Already the figure of the two-headed dragon was obscured through a wall of white. Strangely though, it felt like they were in a bubble with the boss. Most of the room was focused upon other fights.

"Asuna, your magic!" Mirel reminded her. All of them had had their chants interrupted by the breath attack. The spew had gone far further than anyone had expected.

Asuna could see Astrid trying to gather everyone back together again. Unfortunately, the wall of fire separated the fight. Only a few people had dodged the other direction leaving Astrid, Phineas and the triplets by themselves. The other adventurers had gotten surprised and been forced underwater to dodge the breath attack.

Currently, Asuna didn't know where they were. She could only trust in their abilities to take care of themselves.

More pressing was the fact that only a handful of people were staring down a floor boss at the edge of the water, no islands to work with.

Heaving herself up, Asuna raised her staff and restarted her chant. Almost as soon as the first verse finished, Amphisbaena had whirled its blue-eyed head to face her.

"No way…" Asuna's chant faded instinctually once again under the beast's stare. "There's no way…"

There was almost fifty metres between them. There was simply no way for the floor boss to project its flaming bile that far. It was more of a close-range weapon that it used to divide adventurers and kill anyone slow enough to get caught in it.

"Asuna!"

Allowing herself to get pulled, Asuna stumbled away just in time as the flaming fluid carved a path toward her. The far end of the blast falling almost exactly where Asuna had been standing and spreading back to the dragon.

"What is wrong with you? Pay attention!"

"Sorry…" Asuna muttered, before leaping into her cast for the third time. Her cheeks flushed with a rush of embarrassment.

What am I doing?

She had made the same elementary mistake twice now. If she wasn't standing at the back of a fight as a mage, she'd be dead by now. Instead, it was the frontline that died expecting magic that wasn't coming.

The second breath had complicated the situation beyond the first. With this Amphisbaena's expanded range, large swathes of the plunge pool were inaccessible. As Asuna continued her chant, she wondered if it would be enough. They'd be casting from so far away that it was unlikely even a Mirel enhanced Meteor swarm from Droymann would strike a critical blow.

Astrid appeared unconcerned. Side-stepping a strike from a head, she replied with a vicious riposte. The deadly strike taking off only a couple scales. The wound barely visible.

At the same time, Phineas darted in and struck off some scales from the dragon's chest. The prum was then pushed back by the water getting too deep. His face a grimace at the horrible terrain.

"ROAAR!"

Unleashing its discordant double roar, the dragon focused fully on the small number of people in front of it. They couldn't retreat without leading the floor boss into the rest of the raid. They couldn't advance due to the water. It was a stalemate that would end only one way. The floor boss was practically unassailable in its current location.

More than that, something about the fight was bugging Asuna as she continued chanting. Everything was very similar to what she remembered, but there was an inkling in her mind that she was missing something. Asuna decided to let it be. Surely one of the others must have noticed if it was important. They all had far more experience with this monster.

Chant ready, Asuna waited for Mirel's signal. Receiving it, she waved her staff forward and chanted the name. "Vannforlengelse!"

Before Asuna formed a massive tidal wave. Releasing it with only a small delay, it crashed loudly toward the floor boss. Seeing the magical wave, Amphisbaena did not fight against it. Letting the force of the water hit it, the floor boss was washed into the depths of the plunge pool.

"Umm…" Muttering, Asuna felt like she should apologize. The magical strike couldn't be chained together anymore. However… hadn't that been intentional?

Eyes widening, Asuna finally realized what was bothering her about this fight. It was similar to the last one, but it shouldn't be. Astrid and Phineas had leveled up since then. And the floor boss' decision to get submerged under water. This wasn't simply a stronger variant.

It was an enhanced species.

"Oh god… They… did this on purpose?"

Glancing back at Mirel, the elf's face was strained. It was hard to hold a spell in its readied state. Soon, she'd have to use it or lose it. Droymann was in the same situation.

"Groagh!" With a roar, the twin-headed dragon emerged from the water, mouth already refreshing its faded mist. The time it spent underwater allowing it to prepare for the refresh.

"Blessing of Surt!"

"Comet Descent!"

Pairing up, the sky filled with flaming meteors. It seemed impossible that the giant rocky creations wouldn't punch through the mist and crush the monster underneath them.

Yet, as they struck the mist, the magic began to split. The fire sputtered once and then vanished. The very comets themselves shattered like they had struck a barrier.

The end result was a massive hole in the mist covering the floor boss, but no damage. Only some rock fragments that the boss didn't notice roll off it.

"This is trouble…" Mirel muttered. "We can't kill it here. We need to bring it to a chamber, chop it up with physical attacks."

"We can't move it though," Droymann replied tersely.

Their conversation was a redundant reiteration of what they all knew already. As they wasted time downing mind potions, the floor boss continued to rage. Another gout of fire lit more of the water on fire. It was a mess of steam at this point. Even in Asuna's elven vision, a large portion of the ongoing fight was obscured.

Narrowing her eyes, Asuna forced herself to focus. Weren't the triplets helping? Where did they go? "Did they… abandon us?" It was a legitimate fear, but why offer help in the first place? No one would blame them if they had just stuck to themselves and fought with their familia.

Almost as Asuna was thinking this, a gout of water sprouted from behind the floor boss. Despite its near 360-degree vision, the monster was slow to react. It was busy attacking adventurers on the shore, not watching its back.

Emerging from the pool was a six-eyed beast. Like the Amphisbaena itself, the monster had red and blue eyes, and attacked with three different spears held in its six arms.

Blinking, the monster turned into a trio of adventurers. Was I hallucinating? Through the steam, Asuna couldn't say.

"GRAAA!" Back bending under the assault, the necks tilted back, desperate to get rid of the adventurers that had struck a powerful blow, sending shards of scales flying through the air.

Before the amphisbaena could even strike at them, the adventurers were gone. The three shapes leaping off its back.

The enraged dragon, searching for blood began to rotate its large body. Standing almost seven metres at the shoulders, the wake it left in the water was massive.

Taking advantage of that opening was Astrid and Phineas. Their twin strikes carving sections from the floor boss. Long lines of blood were now pouring from where immaculate white scales once shone. The power contained in the level four adventurers' strikes was enough to carve through the diamond scales.

Continuing to whirl, the Amphisbaena forgot about chasing the triplets and dove into the water. It was only temporary though; it would be back. Unable to track its location, the five of them retreated from the edge.

Asuna could only grit her teeth and maintain concentration. The fighting had given her a chance to finish her spell again. But will it work!?

Caught with indecision, Asuna was zoned out when Mirel grabbed her hand. "Come, we'll join up on the other side of the fire, try and sync this better."

Asuna nodded and began moving. For the first time in minutes she got to observe the other half of the fight. A large gap had opened up around the plunge pool. None of the other adventurers wanted to risk getting caught up in the fire that Amphisbaena unleashed.

As they were running, Asuna saw that the other adventurers in their party had gotten out. Now they were trapped in a fight near the tunnels with a group of monsters that had broken out.

The rest of the group was starting to fracture. Familias were forming up into independent battle parties. Smaller groups of adventurers that worked well together. The one exception was Ganehsa familia that formed a cohesive centre and kept the raid from completely splintering.

To Asuna astonishment, the far side was almost completely gone already. A tall werewolf stood at the front, tearing through evilus members and monsters alike without a care. The entire battlefield seemed to warp around him, the rest of his half a dozen or so companions appearing equally unconcerned.

"Amazing…"

Following her gaze, Mirel grunted. "Yeah, I'm glad he's here. He's useful in a fight."

Asuna only nodded numbly, skidding to a stop a few metres behind Astrid. The cat woman whirling around on them as soon as they arrived. "What about the others? Are they safe?"

"Yes," Mirel nodded, her face strained. "they got distracted by monsters."

Astrid didn't bother with pointless platitudes. "This thing is smart, Asuna, try and do something different with your magic."

Easier said than done.

Nodding once in answer, Asuna just gritted her teeth. The prepared spells were reaching the end of their lifespan. Still though, the floor boss refused to surface. Only an ominously still surface that rippled in waves from the waterfall's interference.

Just as Asuna was wondering if it had fled for good, the pool exploded. Not close to the shore, but at the very back. "It's…"

"…Climbing the waterfall." Astrid finished.

Asuna stared in awe at the floor boss that was pushing easily through the torrent of water. It was the only boss monster that travelled between floors. In fact, one could say that to the dungeon, the entire water capital was one floor.

Slightly more than halfway up, the floor boss's momentum changed. Disengaging from the wall, its body rotated and began flying toward them.

But…

"It's short," Astrid summarized. The floor boss would crash down into the plunge pool once more. Without wings, it wouldn't be able to extend the jump far enough to reach them.

"GROAGH!" With a triumphant roar that split the chamber and halted fights across the area, the Amphisbaena's left head opened its jaws.

"RUN!" Astrid commended.

Asuna knew there was no time. The floor boss was too high in the air. With its expanded range… "Vannforlengelse!"

Standing her ground, Asuna activated her magic and fired it at the airborne monster. "Come on…!" Growling, Asuna pushed it to form and fire faster than she ever had before. It was one of the magic's main downsides. After finishing the chant, her magic's effect was delayed as the water took time to generate and form into the desired shape.

This time, Asuna didn't even focus on a shape. As the water appeared, she forced it toward the dragon in a massive spray. Surpassing even a fire hose in force, her magic collided with the dragon's breath attack.

The gooey, terrifying burning substance was blown apart.

The pieces landed on the water in a million different minor pieces that barely had enough individual heat to produce steam.

"Now!" Astrid cried.

The mages were already ahead of her. Crossing staffs, Mirel and Droymann released their iconic empowered spell with dual shouts.

Landing with a heavy thud, Amphisbaena had confusion in its four eyes. The massive dragon's ultimate technique had failed. Rather than a carpet of fire and burning adventurers, its attack had been shredded apart.

That confusion continued until it saw the magic forming above it once again. With a cry of panic, the floor boss turned and dove for the depths of the water. It was too late. It had landed too far in the shallows.

Boom!

With loud noises, the meteors crashed unto the dragon's back, each one imbued with a fiery potential.

"GRAAA!" Screaming in pain, the dragon stumbled roughly as its already injured back sustained even greater damage. Blood poured from it in waterfalls as it finally reached the drop-off and disappeared from sight.

"Did we… win?" Asuna muttered to herself.

"I think so," Mirel chuckled, patting her on the back. "Good thinking with that magic spell, you countered it perfectly."

"Enough praise for now," Astrid chastised them with a tired smile. "We need to focus on the rest of the fight for now. Amphis isn't dead, but if we can move the fight away from here, it shouldn't return."

"Then…"

"We shall return…"

"To our family."

The triplets spoke in succession. Then, with a unified nod of recognition to Asuna, they departed at a sprint.

Gripping her staff a little tighter, Asuna smiled. She could feel the change in momentum. Evilus had clearly been relying on Amphisbaena to be a disruptive force. Taking it on with on a few adventurers and emerging victorious had thrown a massive wrench in their plans. The black cloaks were swirling in confusion at the edges of the room.

Then, with the small noise of water parting, Asuna felt the hair on the back of her neck stand up. "It can't be…" Fearing the worst, she turned mechanically around. Her senses were too overwrought for her to react properly.

"No way…" Mirel muttered from beside her.

Ten, twenty, by the time it hit thirty, Asuna's mind stopped counting. Hovering above them was a swarm of Iguacu. The very monsters that they had feared would be here.

Staring in disbelief, Asuna could do nothing as the bird monsters began to exact their strategy of mutually assured destruction.

---

Leafa:

"Hah… Hah…" Panting, Leafa's face was twisted into a rictus of concentration. Her eyebrows furrowed deeply as she tried to track her two foes.

The man with the red-eyes and needle-like blade had begun to ignore Leafa. With a crossbow bolt sticking out of his left shoulder, he stared solely at Lili. The small Prum was struggling to keep up with the high-speed fight.

That left Leafa in a worse position than if they had both teamed up on her. Part of the problem was her magic had frustrated them to the point where they were looking for any answer to defeat her. Lili made a tantalizing one.

Hovering three metres above the ground, Leafa spared a singular thought for Silica. The girl had baited the third man with her around the corner. While not being able to see her worried Leafa, she couldn't deny that Silica had started to get very good. That knife user shouldn't be a problem for her.

If anyone needed help, it was Leafa herself. After the leader with the cleaver had done something, his strength had surpassed hers. Leafa had a minor agility advantage, but it was still a hard fight, even one-on-one.

"Abandon the supporter," the man cajoled. "The Prum has proved her worth. Wait…" The man's gaze finally left Leafa and focused on Lili. "Last time… there was a chienthrope. Is that you…?"

"Raaa!" Not answering the question, Leafa charged dishonourably to distract the man. She didn't want any more attention on Lili.

Leafa's slash was one of the fastest she'd ever unleashed. Utilizing her aerial momentum, combined with her skill, the slash was a blur of power.

"Urgh!" Slow to look up, the man's glide was far too slow. Leafa's blow struck deeply through his chest, a fount of blood squirting out. The sight relieved Leafa somewhat. Just knowing that there was an actual human under that clothing was a relief.

Raising her blade again for a follow-up, Leafa was determined to end this fight now. She'd never get another opportunity like this again.

"Hehe, you loss girl!" The man taunted.

"Lili…" Breathing the Prum's name in horror, Leafa's body burned with pain as she threw herself backwards. Her wings blurring, she tore after the red-eyed man.

Lili was trapped against the wall, crossbow out ammo, face defiant as she stared down death without a whimper.

With a burst of supernatural speed, carried on wings, Leafa tracked down the adventurer. Even his level two speed couldn't help him outrun Leafa's magical dash.

"Huh?"

"Hyah!"

With a giant horizontal slash, Leafa resolved herself to go for the kill. Her determination proved unnecessary as the red-eyed man rolled away to the side.

Leafa pulled up just in front of Lili and put herself down gently on the ground. As her left leg touched, she gasped with pain. Looking down at herself, Leafa realized that her calf had been cut deeply.

When she had turned around the man hadn't let her get out free.

"…You should leave me," Lili advised. "Grab Silica and flee for the middle floors."

"No!" Leafa growled, beating her wings enough to hover just off the ground.

"You should have taken her advice…" The cleaver wielding man said, approaching slowly, as if unconcerned about his injury. Pointing his machete at Leafa, she felt a strange tingling from her cut. Looking down at it, Leafa blinked in confusion. The injury looked old now. Not healed, just drained of life. It was the same phenomenon that had happened to the red-eyed one's injury earlier. It must be why Leafa couldn't see any more blood flowing from the leader.

Instead, that cleaver that had started at a third the length of her katana was now over half its size. It was surrounded by a terrifying energy.

"What… What is that magic of yours doing?" Leafa found the words falling unbidden from her lips. The image could be right from her nightmare. The man with the growing sword that ate life and his companion with glowing red eyes.

"You can't tell?" The man mocked. "It's devouring life. The more it drinks, the more it grows."

"T-That's completely unfair!" Leafa complained. She'd read Strea's skill that did something similar. But this man's magic was on an entirely different level.

"Don't trust him," Lili warned, "there's got to be a downside to it. Short chants like that tend to be underwhelming in effect."

Leafa wanted to trust Lili, but her eyes were telling a different story. The power difference rolling off this man was real. While they were still close in status, Leafa knew that would continue to change the more blood was spilt.

"Urgh… How are things going out here Boss?"

!?

Stiffening, Leafa stared in horror as the knife wielder stumbled back into the corridor. He was clutching his gut, a large wound that was still leaking blood. A trail of blood could track back to where he came from.

"Fine," the man replied casually, twirling the massive cleaver. "Is the other girl dead?"

"Oh yeah," the knife wielder smirked. "Caught her with the poison and she seized up. Had to cut the fun short because monsters showed up."

"No… It can't be…"

"S-Silica…?"

Frozen with shock, Leafa didn't even notice as she touched ground again. Lili clutching her arm as despair threatened to overwhelm the both of them. Leafa's first friend in this world. That innocent smile…

"W-WHY!?" Screaming at the man, Leafa felt her vision blur. Tears falling unhindered, Leafa continued to scream. "Why would you kill such a young girl? She had… so much to live for…" Knees buckling, Leafa felt herself held up by Lili. The weight reduction from her magic letting the Prum support her.

"I never had a chance to repay her…" Lili spoke quietly. "Leafa… Let us avenge her. It's the least we can do."

"H-Huh?" Muttering, Leafa was overwhelmed by the despair and anger that twisted Lili's features. The Prum grasped at anger to keep the sorrow at bay.

"Rush the red-eyed one, I'll finish off the injured dagger user."

Leafa was incredulous, but in her mind, she saw Silica's gentle smile. Her cute pout as her pigtails bounced up and down. "Got it."

Nodding, Leafa dashed from her position with no warning. She didn't know what Lili's plan was to finish off the dagger-user, but Leafa didn't care at this point. Her heart was in pieces as the knowledge that she'd never get to talk to Silica again ate away at her.

Swinging to reject reality, Leafa could barely see through her tears.

"W-What!?" Startled by her speed, the man barely got his weapon up in time.

It wasn't enough.

Leafa's strike knocked the blade far back. She was ready to take a second strike when the leader glided in. His enhanced movement giving him the speed to catch her strike. Leafa's job was done, however.

With these two out of the way, Lili dove at the knife-wielder. Howling like a banshee, she stuck out her arm with the unloaded crossbow held out in front of her.

"Holy shit!" Panicking, the man clearly didn't know she had shot her last arrow. Raising his arms, the man defended against an attack that didn't come.

After that, Lili's attack actually did come. A magic sword that Leafa hadn't even known about materialized. The red dagger producing a small gout of fire before snapping into pieces.

Weaker even than a hellhound blast, it would be far too little in most circumstances. With the man injured and panicking, this was her only chance.

"GAAH!" Screaming in pain, the dagger-wielder collapsed to the ground. The scent of charred flesh and blood rising through the air.

Seeing her opponent fall, Lili collapsed to the ground, energy spent. The level one supporter had been pushed beyond her limits.

"Ha… HAHAHA!" Breaking out into raucous laughter, the cleaver-wielding leader didn't appear to care at all that one of his members just received a fatal injury. "This will be fun!"

"Oh no…" Blanching, Leafa realized too late what was happening. The dagger-wielder's multiple injuries and massive loss of blood came together in a dark storm, adding a fresh source of new power.

"Hehe, die now!" The reply swing was even faster than Leafa's.

Trying to meet it with her Katana was futile. Even enhanced by her skill, it was blown back like a leaf in a gale. Backflipping through the air from the momentum, Leafa was saved from an immediate follow-up attack thanks to her magic.

"Yes, stay up there! I want to drink the Prum's blood first, see how high my power can go!"

"Grr…" Growling pointlessly, Leafa could only watch as the pair of people approached the down girl. Mind whirling, Leafa was on the verge of fleeing.

First Silica, now Lili… She couldn't do it. She couldn't win. "I'm sorry Onii-chan… I was a fool to think I could help."

---

Kirito:

Hera familia.

The two words were like a bolt of lightning striking him. Kirito had only heard the names in hushed whispers, voices filled awe or sorrow. One of the two great fallen familias.

Kirito wanted to believe that they were lying. That it was simply just a tactic to throw him off. But he could feel the truth reverberating between them. From their overwhelming aura to the simple way it had been declared.

Kirito's stance wavered just a millimetre due to the shock. That was all his opponent needed,

The figure wrapped in black seemed to shift forward. The supernatural acceleration breaking the ground behind them.

That first thrust almost cost Kirito his life. Breaking out of the stance, Kirito flung his hilt in front of his body. The very base of his blade just catching the tip and diverting it from running through his heart.

Instead, the deep blue of the rapier's tip was knocked into his left arm. Slicing between the chest and the arm, it left a massive gouge on the underside of Kirito's left arm.

Reacting with superhuman reflexes, Kirito went forward. Leg swiping out, Kirito went for their legs.

Rather than dodging, the hooded figure, reacted by stomping their left leg, solidifying their position. The collision of leg on leg was a stalemate. Wielding the slightly shorter weapon, the figure now had a chance at another attack.

Growling, Kirito threw himself backwards. The lightning thrust still caught him. Piercing his armour, Kirito acquired his second wound in as many attacks. This one about an inch deep in his stomach.

"Why…"

"Hmm?" The figure seemed surprised that Kirito still wanted to talk; not immediately pursuing.

"Why would you do this!? You were… You were supposed to be a hero!" Yelling pointlessly, Kirito couldn't understand. Didn't this person have everything at one point? What could have turned them into this?

"Why…? I lost that chance… Six years ago."

Before Kirito could follow-up, they lunged again. The distance between them was shorter, but the robed person stopped earlier, looking for a shoulder blow.

"Grr…" Growling to himself, Kirito leaned back, but just a millisecond late once again. Of every fight he'd been in, this was quickly becoming the most frustrating. Even fighting Aisha—an amazing warrior—down a level, Kirito felt like there was a chance at victory.

Now though…

The robed figure had struck three times and drawn blood on each one. One-sided didn't begin to describe it. The only similar thing Kirito could remember was fighting the silver-haired amazon without a weapon before he had any martial arts experience.

Their skill and tactics left Kirito without even a chance of counterattacking. Every effort expended was another one spent backpedaling. It wasn't a difference in status causing the disparity, but raw skill.

This person had talent that outstripped anyone Kirito had fought before. Aisha's refined dance, even Ulfric's overpowering might didn't have the same polish to it. Kirito was alive solely due to the fact that this person was still level three.

This skill was evidence of their claim. Kirito didn't doubt that there was only one familia that could have molded it. A skill and ability that surpassed even the elites from Loki and Freya familia.

Parrying one blow, then a second, Kirito's backwards journey ended with his back hitting rock. Prepared for it, Kirito placed his left foot on the wall and pushed.

Body practically horizontal, he turned into a missile, aiming for a decisive blow.

Ching!

With the sound of metal colliding, Kirito's sword was deflected to the side. Only the slight rip of fabric to soothe his failure. Lurching back to his feet, Kirito felt their blade pass a hairsbreadth from his spine.

Silently, the figure turned around, uninjured besides the left side of their cloak which had a small tear in it.

Panting, Kirito analyzed his state. Every second, he lost more blood. The gash in his stomach was particularly concerning.

This needs to end.

It felt like cheating, but Kirito was out of options. He needed an advantage that could overturn the difference in skill.

He needed to kill this traitor.

This person that was responsible for the deaths of dozens, if not hundreds of innocents. Someone that had forsaken the ideals of their familia to pursue killing.

Feeling the rage rising within him, Kirito closed his eyes. Taking a deep breath, he activated his skill.

Give me the power to kill this person.

His eyes popping back open, Kirito lunged back into the fight with a vicious cry. "RAAAA!"

Body arcing through the air, Kirito brought his sword down upon their head. The blistering blow whined as the air was rent apart.

Just as quickly, the target lifted their blade and swatted his to the side. Their riposte drew blood form Kirito's side.

Not even feeling the injury, Kirito's next attack was a horizontal slash to the head. Again though, his sword was deflected up.

Why?

Again and again, Kirito's blade flashed, but he didn't score a hit. In fact, after his fifth attack, they were the one to start advancing. Kirito's cheek split by a lightning thrust.

That feeling of time slowing down that came with the massive leap in status was nonexistent. Kirito's strength was a little higher, but the change in speed was negligible.

My skill failed?

But it couldn't be. Kirito felt the drain on his mind. He could sense the boost he was receiving at great cost.

"Is this… the limit of the golden-eyed black knight? Even after the rumours that reached even me…"

"Grr…" Growling, Kirito struggled desperately to hang on. He operated on instinct only at this point. Each attack, his mind locked up more. Why? That question pervaded his every thought.

"Enough…"

With a contemptuous motion, the figure closed the distance. Rather than deflecting Kirito's lastest slash, they trapped the blade against the ground and stepped in close. Off hand rising, they grabbed Kirito by the collar and lifted him bodily into the air.

Surprised by the move, Kirito didn't react instantly, instead hanging there pitifully. His sword was almost ripped from his grip. In his shock, Kirito felt his skill fade away, the wave of exhaustion coming in its place.

"Even now… As I prepare to kill you… All I see… Is confusion…"

Confusion?

Blinking once, Kirito stared into the faceless being and understood in his heart that they were right. It was why his skill failed him. It was strengthened for worthy causes. All he wanted to do was murder this person. The power increase was proportional to his belief in what he was doing; in what he needed to do.

All Kirito wanted right now was to understand. "Why?" Croaking out the word, Kirito put all of his desperation into the question. Eyes bearing down on the sightless hood, Kirito tried to penetrate it. To force his will into the living person underneath.

"…" Not responding, the figure tossed Kirito backwards.

Crashing heavily into the ground, Kirito felt a variety of bruises in the making as jutting crystals stabbed at him. With a lack of heavy armour, Kirito rolled backwards and up onto his feet, his sword still naturally held in his right hand.

As Kirito rose, the figure spoke haltingly. "I… don't understand you… You should… hate me. The ones you love… dead at my doing."

Gasping slightly, Kirito steadied himself against this new information. "What do you mean!? What did you do to Silica and Leafa!?"

The figure shook their head and pointed down the tunnel to where the raid group went. "Her."

"…Asuna?" Kirito had almost forgotten she would be here. Groaning, Kirito stared longingly at where the blue-haired mage would be. Knowing he couldn't make it right now, he turned back to the figure, desperate for answers.

"She will burn."

"What did you do?" Kirito growled. Strangely, all he felt was anxiety.

"Yesterday… I hunted. The stones… fed."

The speech became even more choppy. Each word almost a croak. The pain must have been intense as the figure's hand trailed up to their throat.

Kirito spoke hesitantly as he tried to put together the information. "You fed… magic stones to…? To what?"

"Rex."

Kirito's mind slid to a halt for a moment. He had never even contemplated something like this. An enhanced floor boss. What would that be like? Kirito didn't even know much about the boss monster of the twenty-seventh floor in its normal state. Often enhanced monsters began to develop extra abilities beyond the norm of their species. It was terrifying to consider what could happen to a monster that was already so powerful.

"Do you hate me now?"

The words grated on Kirito's ears. The pain was evident now as the halting was suspended. Rather than emotionless, precise words, an accent had entered them. They sounded alive.

"I… I don't know." Kirito answered. "Why do you want me to?"

"I want you… to curse me as you die. To know… that you were powerless to deny your destiny…"

"Like you were?" Kirito bit back. "Is that your excuse for working with evilus? Something went wrong in your life and you gave up?"

"Gave up…" For the first time, Kirito detected emotion in the voice. Pure anger coated each word. "I kept going. I endured. …I still endure."

It was more tantalizing information, but not enough. There were so many holes. So much history Kirito didn't know.

"Die now."

Once again, Kirito struggled to handle the first lunge. Their stance changed from relaxed to in motion with no warning. Stumbling back, Kirito's chest protector crumbled under the force of their attack. It was terrifying how easily their weapon tore through his armour.

Swinging wildly, Kirito's right arm felt leaden compared to moments earlier. His skill use was still wearing on his body. It should fade, but right now he'd have to make do.

"This is the cost?"

"Talkative now, aren't you?" Kirito growled back-pedalling out of another thrust. Getting his legs in motion, Kirito tried to take this fight into another gear. Hopefully the higher the pace the less their difference in skill will matter.

Glancing over his shoulder, Kirito saw the figure hot in pursuit. Their jumps off the crystals jutting out gave them the speed to quickly close the distance and attack.

Using his slightly longer reach, Kirito spun and slashed at their hand. Of course they saw it coming and withdrew the appendage. Instantly after Kirito's sword passed by, they struck. The lunge drawing blood even as Kirito continued retreating.

Sweating heavily, Kirito pushed hard off his left foot to shoot down a passageway. Already there was a pack of mermen. Not having time to consider, Kirito dashed straight through the middle of them. More than one weapon deflected off his armour as he went past.

Glancing over his shoulder, Kirito couldn't help but gape. His pursuer didn't blindly follow. Instead, they began tearing through the pack. Another elegant swipe of their blade, another dead monster.

It took Kirito another moment to notice, but as ash accumulated, it clicked. They weren't just killing the monsters, they were destroying the stones at the same time, preventing the creation of an enhanced species. It was a hypocrisy that wasn't lost on Kirito.

Skidding to a halt, Kirito decapitated a merman that that was lost staring back and forth between him and its rapidly shrinking pack. Assuming a stance, Kirito waited another two seconds for the rest of the dozen to get eviscerated.

The figure looked at the only body in the room, Kirito's, and tilted their head.

"Why do you care?" Kirito asked, giving voice to his words. "You created an enhanced monster rex. Why would you care about one stray stone?"

"…I will kill the monster… if it survives..." Approaching slowly, they broke the final stone with a contemptuous backhand stab through the heart. "Are you done… fleeing…?"

"Yes," Kirito nodded solidly. Curiosity burning, Kirito spoke again. "I have a request."

"Oh?"

"Your hood, remove it."

"…Why?"

Surprised he was still talking, Kirito pressed on. "I want to stare you in the eye. If I have to die, I'd like to fight you fairly. Man on man."

An odd noise emerged from the figure. It sounded like the painful cough of a heavy smoker mixed with the raking coughs of pneumonia. It was… laughter?

"I must… disappoint you."

"…Why?" Kirito asked, preparing himself to deal with that blinding thrust once again.

"I am no man."

Reaching their off hand up to the cloak, they tore it off with a single motion. Underneath, they were wearing a leather bodysuit that hugged their body. No metal to be seen. Around the chest area, Kirito could see it. A bulging of the lithe black material that a man wouldn't have.

"Y-You're a…" Mind blanking, Kirito's sword fell to his side. For the third time today, Kirito found himself overwhelmed by new information.

---

Asuna:

"WATCH OUT!" Astrid's scream was painful to Asuna's ears. She'd have thought that the scream couldn't be missed. However, that was in normal circumstances. This cavern was continually producing insane amounts of loud sounds.

As a result, the scream reached only the closest few adventurers and distracted them from their fights. They would have to rely on each individual party to notice the swarming Iguacu and notify their neighbours.

"Get down!" Mirel hissed from behind Asuna.

Feeling pressure on her shoulder, Asuna sunk to her knees. Her face tilted to the sky, the only thing she felt was numb. This was impossible, fighting two foes at the same time. The dungeon with its crushing resources, evilus with their underhanded tactics and lack of concern about death. Actually, that was the true crux of the situation. Only one of the three combatants in the battle royale cared if they survived. The monsters and evilus would gladly sacrifice themselves in an exchange of lives.

"Oh god, just let it end. Kirito… Save me…"

"Asuna!"

"I can't…" Lowering her head, Asuna's fingers loosened on her staff. Head bowing, Asuna's eyes closed. As the first surprised scream of death rang out from the nearby adventurers, a solitary tear slid down Asuna's cheek.

"ASUNA!"

"Gah!" Getting hit in the side, Asuna's robe was ripped as her body went tumbling along the sharp crystal chunks. "M-Mirel?"

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself!" The elf growled. "There are still people who need to be saved. The floor boss is gone, we can do this."

"No… it isn't."

"…What?"

That foreboding in Asuna's mind. It wasn't just the swarm of monsters. It had started when the king of this area had emerged and hadn't faded since. Its dominion over the waters hadn't faded in the slightest. It would return.

Stretching out her fingers, Asuna brushed the edge of the pool. The lapping water was cool against her skin. Having activated her skill using it, she could still feel that connection that she had established. The waterways that coursed through the multi-level caves.

With just a small brush, Asuna sensed it like a miasma. Its control darkening and obscuring everything else. "Its here…"

"No, you can't mean…"

Mirel couldn't finish before the water exploded again. A massive shape rushing up the waterfall. Leaping off the wall, the dragon turned in midair, its heads in the middle of the flock. Then, practically in slow motion, Asuna watched as a pair of the bird monsters disappeared down the dragon's twinned gullet.

"An enhanced monster…" Mirel groaned. "It has restorative abilities?"

"I think that may not be everything…" Asuna muttered warily. Mechanically, she rose to her feet. She was entirely on autopilot at this point. She fought because she was supposed to, not because she thought it would make a difference.

"…We need to get everyone out of the cavern," Mirel declared. "In the smaller tunnels we can avoid this flock and reduce the boss' potential."

Asuna restrained the head shaking she wanted to do. Mirel's optimism did nothing for Asuna. The hate and intelligence in Amphisbaena's eyes indicated that there would only be one end to this. The death of them, or it.

"GROOOAGH!" The dual roar shook the entirety of the gigantic cavern. For the second time, every fight halted briefly as people took in the reawakened monster. The scales on its chest and back once more shined with pearly brilliance. The enhanced barrage from Droymann was but a distant memory.

To show its strength, the right head, with its rubellite eyes unleashed a spray of similar coloured mist. The substance hanging to its body and protecting it from magic.

Then, abandoning its previous hesitancy, the dragon took its first step unto solid ground. Only a dozen metres away from the beast was a party that had fallen back to the perceived safe area. The members had numerous bad burns from Evilus' tendency to explode.

"Kyuuuu…."

"What was that noise?"

"The boss," Asuna moaned in answer. The sound was essentially a whistle. High-pitched and direct. A command.

"KYUU!" Numerous voices whistled in answer. From the skies above, a dispatch of Iguacu broke off. Like kamikaze planes, they launched themselves for the ground in a continuous stream.

Asuna had to divert her eyes. The injured, defenseless adventurers had no protection. Gross splats echoed five, six times and then it was over. A lone survivor howling in sorrow.

"Your magic…" Mirel hissed. "Use it. Get rid of the mist."

"Why?" Asuna asked dully. "I'm almost out of mind Mirel… This is it."

"…Do it." Mirel decided. "Maybe someone else can help out for once, eh?"

Smiling slightly at the wisecrack, Asuna stared at Mirel's face. Some of the numbness was starting to fade. Reaching out, she grasped Mirel's hand, allowing the fiery elf's warmth to seep into her.

Taking a deep breath, Asuna prepared herself for the cast. Before she started, she took a final look at Mirel. "What are you going to be doing?"

The elf smiled but didn't respond.

With no time to press for an answer, Asuna began the all too familiar spell. The song poured from her lips, rising and falling like waves. Lost in singing again, it was easy for Asuna to forget the chains that had numbed her. In here, she was free, like water in the ocean, capable of travelling anywhere she wanted to go.

Disrupting that peace was the massive floor boss. It had already separated and complicated the fight by layering the ground with a line of its unique fire. Thankfully, the solid ground only hissed, it didn't send up plumes of obscuring steam like water did. Still, only the bravest adventurers would dare try to cross the superheated line on the ground.

Perhaps even more terrifying was the still present flock above its head. The presence of the Iguacu had destabilized the adventurer parties as word spread. They were now caught between keeping an eye on the flock, the floor boss and whatever else they were fighting,

Thankfully, someone—probably Shakmi—had begun to organize an orderly retreat from the chamber. Back in the tunnels, the adventurers should have a far easier time of fighting off their opponents.

Reaching the end of her cast, Asuna began to pour the remnants of her mind into the spell. The power swirled within her, cresting to heights that even her first cast hadn't reached. The room thrummed with the thrill of her magic. The radius of the circle under her feet expanding to over ten metres.

"Groah?" Letting out a questioning roar, Amphisbaena halted its assault and turned to the source. Seeing Asuna, it glared at her. With its mist fully intact it was confident in its ability to take any magic attack. In its eyes, Asuna could see the decision. The, 'just in case' choice to remove her.

"Kyuuu…" Generating the whistling noise again, Asuna seized slightly. She could remember clearly the horrible fate that awaited people who were swarmed by Iguacu attacks.

"Finish the magic," Mirel stated coldly.

Swallowing, Asuna did just that. Accepting her death, she pointed her staff at Amphisbaena and unleashed every bit of magical power she could summon from inside herself.

"Vannforlengelse!"

With a howl, the magic circle beneath glowed with pure aqua light, suffusing the room with its brilliance. Drops of water came and formed in answer. The shape they created was one Asuna was inherently familiar with: her rapier. A wall of blades before her, they shot forward as if out of a cannon.

The swords tore into the red mist, both combatants destroying each other in the process. The dragon itself wasn't unaffected. Hit by a massive force, it stumbled. Legs awkward on solid ground, its large mass tumbled to the side.

Giving it a smirk, Asuna forced more from herself. Utilizing her magic in a way she never had before, a second wave materialized and descended on the prone beast.

"GRAAA!"

Even the sweet howls of pain that rose up from where Asuna had shredded its side to the point where the once immaculate white scales were now an expanse of blood couldn't remove the knowledge that her life was over. Hoping they would be able to finish it off, Asuna closed her eyes.

Her head was a throbbing mess. She had scraped every last drop of power out that she could manage; just short of a mind down.

Sorry… Kirito.

Sad that she couldn't say goodbye, Asuna was glad that he had other people there to take care of him. He tried to hide it, but Asuna knew he was a big softie.

Thump!

Something hit her body, but it wasn't the bullet she'd been expecting. It was soft and warm and was enveloping her. The arms wrapping around her were familiar to Asuna. They were ones she had found shelter in recently.

Thump!

Thump!

Thump!

Three distinct times, Asuna felt an impact shake her. Her body was bounced uncomfortably against the crystals below. Confusion rising, Asuna felt a warm fluid against her neck.

"Are you… alive?"

"Huh? M-Mirel? What's happening!?" Still dazed, Asuna couldn't comprehend what just happened. She should have died, then Mirel hit her instead of the…

Fear and terror sending a crashing wave of adrenaline through her, Asuna's eyes snapped open, the lurid world of her thoughts vanishing. Mirel's body was on top of her, her face pressed into Asuna's neck. From the elf's mouth, a thin line of blood dripped. As she coughed, more blood came out, staining Asuna red.

She didn't care about that. Peeling herself out from underneath Mirel, Asuna stared in horror down at the woman's back. The three consecutive fleshy thumps' origins were clear. They went straight through the cloak and leather armour beneath. The feathers and lumps of flesh stuck there threatened to bring bile to Asuna's mouth. The critical injury was the one to Mirel's lower back. Asuna didn't want to think about the state of Mirel's spinal column.

"Flip me… Over."

"N-No… You shouldn't move. Doing that could make the injury…"

"Worse?" Mirel coughed. "Fine. Here. I. Go!"

Unable to let her struggle by herself, Asuna twisted Mirel's shoulders and laid her down on her lap. Psyching herself, up, Asuna mentally recalled the words to her second spell. Magic that could heal this. It could… If only I had mind…

"Stop." Raising a hand, Mirel caught one of Asuna's in it. "It's okay…"

"No!" Screaming at her, Asuna felt the tears begin to flow. Large, thick droplets poured from both eyes, blurring her vision. "Don't say that! It isn't okay! You can't… You can't leave me."

"Are you being selfish again?" Mirel asked, her bloody lips twisting into a smile. Even that expression couldn't remove the dull look in her eye. The guaranteed sign that her mind was slowly fading away.

Feeling unsure of what to say, Asuna felt a prickling sensation of magical energy suffusing the room once more. There was a powerful caster nearby, but who, and where?

"Ah, so she finally showed up, did she?"

"Who?" Asuna followed Mirel's eyes up to the top of the waterfall. Standing on a rock, protruding from a nearby edge was a lone figure. The cut of the dress was elvish, but any details beyond that were obscured by the distance and angle.

"-Answer my call and come to the plains.

"Connecting bonds, the pledge of paradise."

Mirel's eye lightened a little as she heard the song. Asuna could almost imagine the woman snuggling deeper into her. "Her song is as beautiful as always."

"Turn the circle and dance around,

"Come, Ring of fairies! Please – grant me strength!"

Asuna braced herself as the chant came to an end. While the mage seemed powerful, the chant was even shorter than hers. Using something that should have only a short effective range from so far away seemed very strange.

"Elf Ring!"

"…Nothing?" Questioning, Asuna saw Mirel smirk.

"Just watch."

Before she could though, another disturbance occurred. Having recovered from its injuries, the irate floor boss heaved itself to its feet. Standing on its rear legs, it was just in range to swallow another pair of the bird monsters circling the arena.

Heaving back its heads, the Amphisbaena let out a shrill cry. "GROOO!" It had a different cadence from any of the previous ones. Rather than inspiring fear, to Asuna it sounded more inspirational, like a rallying cry.

Therefore, she was barely shocked when from behind the waterfall, another two dozen shapes emerged. More Iguacu to supplement the shrinking ranks.

"Ha!" Mirel laughed, the action causing a gout of blood to stain her already red robes. "Summon another hundred or two… It won't change anything."

Asuna was going to ask where her confidence same from,\ but didn't need to.

"Harbinger of the end, the white snow.

"Blow with the wind before twilight."

"W-What…" Asuna had heard the name before but knew of no one that could do it. Concatenated casting. There were apparently some magics that could be joined together into a single cast to create a powerful effect.

"I had hoped… to prove myself to Riveria, like so many others…"

"Shh…" Asuna tried to silence Mirel, but the darned woman refused to be silenced.

"But this one… She came and asserted herself as the rightful successor."

"Closing light, the freezing land,

"Blizzard, the three severe winters-"

Sure the magic was done now, Asuna waited for the spell name. Already from the words alone she could tell the effect. But would it be enough?

"The flame will soon be unleashed,

"Creeping war, unavoidable destruction."

Asuna couldn't help but gape. "A-A second concatenation? W-What is this? That would use all three spell slots!?"

"Thousand elf…" Mirel chuckled, seeming pleased at Asuna's shock. "The name is not for jest."

"But…" Feeling like her mind was going to melt, Asuna sat back and listened to the song of their salvation.

"The horn of battle sounds aloud, the cruelty of conflict will envelop all.

"Come, crimson flames, the ruthless inferno."

Just now, Asuna realized that the cavern was quickly emptying. The fleeing adventurers had abandoned their position to simply run. She had no idea where any of her familia members had ended up at this point. Sitting on the edge of the water with Mirel, there was a good thirty metre buffer zone between them and anything else living.

"You are the avatar of hellfire.

"Sweep completely, bring a close to the great war!"

Amphisbaena was now realizing the trouble it was in. The magic energy this mage was emitting surpassed even Asuna at her peak. It was such an ungodly amount that Asuna could scarcely comprehend wielding such power.

The dragon was still struggling to walk with the severe damage to its front left leg. Instead, it whistled its command again, ordering Iguacu to take her out.

The mage didn't flinch as the birds lined her up, her cast reaching its conclusion.

"Burn them through, Sword of Surtr-

"My name is Alf!"

Asuna watched with bated breath as the elf's magic completed. The bird monsters hesitated their attacks, minds realizing too late the fate that awaited them.

"Rea Laevateinn!"

Before Asuna's disbelieving eyes, the world of water transformed into one of fire. Like being transported to hell, the temperature shot up nearly thirty degrees.

Huge cyclones of pure fire sprung into existence. Nowhere in the giant chamber was safe. From the Iguacu circling in the air, to Amphisbaena itself, the world became fire.

Carving paths along the ground, the tornados left a trail of molten rock and crystal; its temperature far exceeding the dragon's own breath attack.

Sitting in the centre of the primary attack was the floor boss. Its minions had failed to stop the magic and were instantly incinerated as punishment. Now, the dragon's heads were pointing to the air and screaming in pain. Asuna could scarcely believe the sight. A dragon was being burnt to death.

The Red mist had already been shredded by Asuna. Now, the vulnerable beast's body was succumbing to the fires from hell. The once flowing blood boiled into a red mist, its intact pearly scales glowed red hot. Its vulnerable eyes turned into pits of fire as the organs burned away.

The monster rex of the twenty-seventh floor screeched in agony, primal instincts pulling it back to its domain. Something it could sense even through the excruciating pain: water.

With a great explosion of water, the beast crashed into the plunge pool, its massive body sinking to the bottom. Asuna couldn't tell as it sank if the monster was dead or not. Either way, the fight was over. It wouldn't be returning.

"Ah, Riveria… Your legacy lives on." Mirel's eyes closed for what Asuna knew would be the last time. "Hey, Asuna… You still there?"

"Oh course Mirel, I'll never leave you."

"Heh, hate to break it to you kiddo, but I'll be leaving you soon. That girl… Become friends with her alright? She took the deaths of the elites the hardest. She was so sweet and innocent before… Please Asuna… try and remove the darkness that settled into her heart."

"I… I will," Choking, Asuna brought a hand to her mouth. "But I can't do it alone. I need you there to help Mirel! I can't… I can't smile without you."

"Me? I'm just an old hag. One last thing Asuna, tell Droymann I'm sorry I couldn't be the elf he deserved, and tell Loki thank you, for accepting a failure like me into the familia."

"No! I won't! Tell them… Tell them yourself!" Screaming at Mirel, Asuna's voice finally succumbed to throaty, ugly sobs. The emotions in her chest spilling out onto the corpse in her arms.

---

Silica:

So, this is the end…

"Kyruuu…"

…Why is it taking so long?

Despite having limited control over her body, Silica's face muscles still twisted into a disapproving frown. If a monster was going to eat her, Silica wished that it would get on with it. She didn't want to sit here as the thing taunted her.

"Kyruuu…"

Having had enough, Silica forced her eyes back open. "Are you going to eat me or not!?"

"KYRU!" Letting out a shrill cry, the monster in front of her flapped its way backwards.

"Huh?" Sitting up, Silica's mind didn't pause to consider how she had managed to do that. The monster in front of her was so strange, so unique. It was shaped like a dragon, but it wasn't. For one, it had feathers. More than that, it was maybe a metre long from snout to tail.

What Silica didn't know was that she was looking at one of the rarest monsters in the water capital. Seeing one was hard, finding one on its own was almost impossible. That had to do with the function they played. Adventurers hunted down any of these monsters with reckless abandon due to the exorbitant price that their feathers drew. However, to do so was also one of the hardest tasks in the water capital.

The monsters here were fiercely protective of the dragons. All it took was one instance of an adventurer witnessing an almost dead monster getting healed by the dragon's unique bubble breath to scream: Not fair!

"Well?" Silica prodded it again. Reaching for a nearby rock, she drew it back and prepared to throw. Only as her arm cocked into place did the information click for Silica. I'm moving!

"I guess he lied…" Standing up, Silica quickly examined the cut. "Huh?" Running a finger over the cut fabric revealed only smooth skin underneath.

"Kyru!" The dragon cried happily, bouncing from side to side on the ground.

"Did you… Heal me?" Silica gaped in wonder at the monster. It was the only thing that made sense to her. She didn't have the resistance ability, and she had been conscious the whole time.

The dragon obviously couldn't answer. Instead, it leaned backwards, rear-end in the air, tail swishing back and forth.

"Hehehe," Giggling at the familiar sight, Silica mentally overlapped the dragon before her with her pet cat Pina. "Hmm, do I have…"

Digging into her small pack, Silica found a small portion of dried meat. Despite her own stomach growling painfully, Silica proffered it to the monster.

Slowly, it approached. One cautious paw in front of the other it closed the gap. When it was under half a metre from Silica, it stopped and stared up at her.

Silica found that she didn't hate this monster. Rather than boundless anger in its eyes, she saw only curiosity.

The moment soon passed, and the monster turned its blue eyes back to the meat in her hand. With a quick snap, it ripped off a corner of the dried ration and swallowed it. The motion had a powerful, feline grace to it as well as something more. That something more was the power of the strongest race of monsters: Dragons. It was more apt to say that felines had a reduced form of draconic grace.

In a couple more moments, the creature snapped up the rest of the meat and purred contently. Rubbing its head against Silica's palm, it arched into her, absorbing her scent.

"Hehe, aren't you a cute one. Take that Shakmi, I am a tamer!" Smiling to herself, Silica let time flow past as she rubbed her new pet.

Then, her face fell into a horrified expression. "Leafa, Lili!" Silica shot to her feet. She had been so sure she was dying that she forgot completely about her companions.

"What to do with you…"

No time to decide, Silica scooped the monster up to a disgruntled chirp and plopped the dragon on her head. It was too large to fit comfortably. If the monster got any bigger, the situation would never work.

With half of her vision obscured by blue feathers, Silica darted for the exit of the cavern, scooping up her knife on the way past.

Running, Silica found herself adjusted to the new weight almost immediately. Her high agility and status allowing her body to accept the weight of the dragon like they'd been together for years.

Smiling at how events had turned out, Silica rounded the next corner expecting to find Leafa and Lili high-fiving with three bad guys trussed up with ropes at their feet.

"Eh?" Making a noise was probably unwise, but Silica couldn't help it. The man with the cleaver's weapon had grown terrifyingly large in size. Also, the man with red eyes was snarling at Leafa, his off hand pressed to his shoulder where a crossbow bolt still stood.

On the side Silica approached from, the man with the poisoned dagger that she had fought was laying against the wall. With one look Silica knew that he was dying. There appeared to be a large scorch mark on his front and he wasn't moving.

Laying right in front of him was a prone Lili. She appeared uninjured besides exhaustion. Silica could see her eyes were half open and the prum was breathing. Most likely the long, strenuous day and drained her of energy.

"Yo boss… the little one is back, guess Johnny was wrong."

"Hmm…" The leader muttered. Silica couldn't see them, but her skin still crawled as the leader's eyes analyzed her and the monster on her head.

"Kyuu!" Letting out a happy chirp, the small dragon jumped down and began sniffing at the injured man's body.

"Stay away from him, beast!" Letting out a surprisingly emotion filled cry, the red-eyed man lunged at the dragon.

"Idiot!" The leader called, catching his sword arm easily. Heaving, the leader tossed the red-eyed one backwards onto the ground. "What do you think will happen if you kill it?"

"R-Right… Your magic."

He can't kill the dragon… because of the magic?

Silica didn't have time to consider any of the implications of the statement. Opening its mouth, the dragon did something Silica wasn't expecting, it blew bubbles.

Silica felt like every person in the room froze and gaped at the strange behaviour. The bubbles seemed drawn to the man's most injured areas. Once they made contact, rather than popping, they adhered to it. Glowing with a soft light, the injury began stitching itself back together.

"Ahh, so that's what it was…" Things clicking, Silica smiled happily. "Who's a good girl? Yes, you are!"

"KYU!" Purring happily, the dragon bounded in circles for a moment then ran up to Silica. Rearing up its back paws, it pressed its front two against her legs and began wagging her tail back and forth.

"Umm, do you want more food?" Silica questioned out loud, wondering how much the monster understood. "I don't have anymore right now, okay? Just wait till we get back to the surface… Or maybe… the eighteenth?"

"S-Silica… Did you… tame that monster?"

Tilting her head at Leafa's question, Silica decided no one would believe the truth. "Y-Yeah. It happened a bit quick but…"

Laughing weakly, Silica reached down and scratched the dragon's chin. It was so warm and real that it was hard to think of it as a monster like the others occupying the dungeon.

"What's the play, boss?"

The whispered words brought Silica's attention back to the enemies they still faced. Readying her knife, Silica motioned at the dragon to get behind her. Obediently, the dragon put its paws down, skulked behind her, laid down, and began cleaning itself.

"It seems we're at a stalemate," the leader spoke, his voice carrying a thin degree of anger in it. "Just this once, I'll let you go."

"Why should we accept?" Leafa glared, readying her katana again.

"Your supporter is in bad shape," the leader explained. "Any injury taken fighting us could very easily lead to your death on these floors."

"…Fine. Silica, grab Lili."

"Y-Yes!" Rushing forward, Silica picked up Lili's body as the knife man was beginning to stir. The breath certainly hadn't fixed everything, but it had stabilized the dying man.

"Hear this, girls," the man with the cleaver called as the three of them began to retreat. "I am PoH and I am the last person you'll see before your deaths!"

"What a character," Leafa sighed, trying for some brevity.

However, the depravity and eagerness in the voice stayed with Silica. She had no doubt that the man was determined to make his threat a reality.

"Hey, Silica…"

"Yeah Leafa?" Glancing over at her friend, Silica was shocked to see tears in her eyes.

"I'm really glad your alive."

"Me too." Sharing a smile, the pair moved on for only a couple seconds more before the dragon running at her side let out a warning howl.

Drawing to a halt, Silica laid Lili against a wall, the girl stirring but still not able to move for herself. Whipping out her dagger, it was only a few more seconds until a pair of figures entered, arguing with each other.

One was a beautiful cat woman with long, straight black hair and fur. Her tail was raised behind her, twitching angrily. Beside her was a large werewolf of a man. Wielding the largest blade Silica had ever seen, his presence dominated the room. Both of them were clearly among the strongest adventurers. They had an aura of strength that exceeded Kirito's.

"Adventurers," the man greeted them without even glancing their way.

The woman rolled her eyes, and glanced at them, her eyes critical and filled with worry. As she saw the dragon, her eyes widened. "A feathery dragon…?"

"Ah, s-she's mine!" Silica claimed, moving so that she was in front of Pina and stretched her arms out wide.

"…You should leash it then and come back with us."

"Back?" Leafa asked, stepping forward. "Umm, sorry but you are with the raid group, right? What happened?"

From behind the pair more shapes began to emerge. There was clearly a large force of adventurers that had ended up on this side.

"…I don't remember a feathery dragon in the raid group that came from Orario."

"Hmm?"

The adventurers had their weapons out before Silica could react. "Evilus members, tell us where your base is and I'll make your deaths quick."

"W-What!? N-No we came with you from Orario!" Silica complained quickly.

Leafa nodded quickly and added onto that. "W-We're members of Hestia familia! It was our first time on this floor so we were lagging behind, but then when the people were dying below we took the cliff down…"

"Took the cliff down?" The werewolf questioned, his voice commanding the room. "Impossible. You're too weak."

"Err…" Silica looked over at Leafa. The girl's magic had faded, returning her hair to its standard black. Without the wings, it would be nearly impossible to convince them.

"Hestia familia?" The cat woman stepped forward, waving the werewolf back. "As a matter of fact, I know some things about your familia. Tell me, how is your captain."

"You know Kirito?" Silica responded with surprise.

"Why does Onii-chan always find more girls?" Leafa complained.

The woman smiled, chuckling with some hidden knowledge. "I'm not one of your rivals." Turning to the raid, the woman spoke again. "I believe they are legit. Let's try and find another way back into the main cavern."

As they ran, the woman filled them in as to the state of affairs. A mage had shown up and unleashed a massive area of effect spell. It had been so powerful that it melted the rock around the entrance forming an impenetrable wall when it cooled.

This group of adventurers was in the process of circling around the obstacle to an entrance that should be open. It seemed barely held together by this woman's leadership. The werewolf, for all the power he had, didn't appear to care about the group's unity.

"So, you trained that monster down here?" The woman asked Silica.

"Y-Yes, I did!" Forcing the dragon back unto her head, Silica continued to carry Lili who had enough consciousness to look embarrassed at her circumstances.

"Hmm, it seems strangely comfortable around people. Even the best tamed monsters would bite out at anyone else that got this close."

Silica wasn't sure how to respond. She knew firsthand the theory on how to tame. The only thing she could think of was that the monster was overly curious. After it had healed Silica, they just kind of fell in together. But Silica also knew that such an answer wasn't what anyone would want to hear.

It came to her as Silica got time to think during this brief recess, were there things like this about monsters that people didn't understand? In their endless pursuit of slaughter, did they miss the monsters that could form actual bonds with people?

Falling in with the group, Silica had time to think as the powerful adventurers cleared the path forward.

---

Kirito:

"A-A woman?" Baffled, Kirito wasn't sure what to do with the information. He had gotten used to fighting them after the altercations with Ishtar familia, so he wasn't sure why this information confused him this much.

"You obviously… don't know much about… Hera familia."

"Can't say I do," Kirito spoke drily. "Missed them by about a year."

"Do you feel better… or worse… dying at an ex-woman's hand?"

"Ex-woman?" Kirito questioned, moving all the while. This chamber, unlike the last one had a river that carved through a corner of it. He came to a halt with his left foot on the shore.

"Of course… I am not longer… a child of the gods."

"Liar." Kirito called her out, hoping that she'd continue talking as he bought time for his plan.

Contrary to his desires, she closed the distance to under five metres. Both of their weapons were hanging in a relaxed grip by their sides.

"Why… would I?"

Listening to the figure talk now, Kirito wasn't sure why he hadn't figured it out earlier. Even through the strange twisting, there was a femininity that refused to be expunged from their words.

"I don't know. Why would you betray your familia, your goddess, to join a group of murderers?"

"Don't… Don't mention her."

"Her?" Kirito pressed, feeling like he was on the edge on something. "You mean your goddess? Hera?"

The figure's rage was clearly at its peak. Opening his mouth to continue prodding, Kirito's plan came to a head.

In an explosion of water, a long shape burst out with the speed of a high-level adventurer. Lines of razor-sharp teeth were on a crash course with the side of Kirito's head.

"Idiot."

Kirito's instincts screamed at him, but he didn't try and avoid the fish monster. As its attack approached him, the woman across from him moved.

Dashing with supersonic speed, her blade flashed out and bisected the monster that was attacking him.

This is it!

Her desire to be the one to kill him had let Kirito compose this plan. The way she had shredded the mermen demonstrated her deep loathing of monsters. There was no way she would be satisfied letting Kirito get killed by one.

With her blade extended killing the monster, she was vulnerable.

Raising his own in answer, Kirito took a half-swipe at her. Whether he missed or his body refused to let him kill her with such underhanded tactics, Kirito's swing connected with the cross guard rather than the blade. Catching her right in the head, the blow was soft and far from the decisive blow he had planned.

Her body rolled away from him along the shore, coming to a halt on all fours. Rather than lunge up at him, she paused, taking a moment to press a finger to the fabric covering her head.

Kirito was shocked to see blood leaking from the small tear. This was at least a level three adventurer. Why would such a small blow have drawn blood?

"…Why?"

"Why what?" Kirito answered.

"Why not take the kill?"

At the question, Kirito only shrugged, pretending it had been a choice. "It was a little too cheap."

"…Agreed. If you had… I would have killed you as well."

The statement was chilling. Yet, there was a wry truth in it. Their speech seemed to be coming easier now. Although each word still sounded so hoarse that the evident pain was undeniable. "How?"

"I had an angle… under your shoulder and through your heart."

Did she!?

Kirito wasn't sure, but he accepted the words as truth. As he digested the statement, the woman rose to her feet. It appeared that their stalemate was coming to an end.

However, her hand was still touching the fabric, trying a keep it in place despite the tear in it.

"Take it off." Kirito commanded, settling into a stance.

"…Very well."

Blinking, he had expected her to reject for some reason. Yet, with a single motion, she grabbed the material that encircled her entire head and with gentle motions, slid it up and off.

At his first sight, Kirito's stomach turned in disgust. Even the gruesome sights of tearing monsters apart with his sword hadn't prepared him for this.

The face, if it could be called that, was a mixture of bright red and black. No hair grew anywhere, any place for a follicle had been scarred beyond recognition by third degree burns. The scarring completely removed her nose and most of her mouth and throat. It was a wonder she could speak at all.

Stumbling a step backward, Kirito's defenses fell. Blade shaking in his head, he felt like a witness at a car crash. Despite how horrible the sight was, he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"Now, you know…"

As she spoke, her eyes finally opened. The only uninured part of her face. The twin orbs shone with a sky-blue light.

"You were an elf…" Kirito breathed with certainty.

"…Yes," she agreed after a pause. "Like your little toy in Loki familia, I was a full-blooded elf."

Kirito gulped. For a member of the most beautiful species to turn into this…

"Repulsive, aren't I? Hideous, a true monster."

"C-Can't you be healed?" Kirito asked weakly. Nazha of Miach familia had a fake arm. Surely burns could be fixed.

"From Amphisbaena's flame, there is no recovery." With the fabric gone, the words were coming clearly. However, Kirito was now given a firsthand look at how the skin cracked and bled as they spoke. Their entire head must barely be hanging together.

"…Is that why you brought the raid down here? So they would suffer the same fate as you?"

A dry croak substituted for a snort. "No, they are lucky and will die to it. I… did not have that luxury."

"…Tell me." Kirito pleaded once more. "What happened?"

"Know, boy… That it won't change your fate."

"That's fine." Kirito agreed to the condition. At the same time, their swords lowered, and Kirito took a couple steps back and away from the water. She mirrored the lateral movement to a safe distance.

"I was part of the last recruits to join Hera familia… Ten years ago…" Trailing off briefly, the ruined elf seemed to be lost in thought. "Over four years, I levelled up twice and was on the verge of another one. No, I already could."

"You could have hit level four?" Kirito mumbled.

Nodding, they continued. "We were waiting for my magic stat to hit S."

"M-Magic!?" Kirito exclaimed. "So… you're a mage?"

"A magic swordswoman." They corrected, face twisting into what was supposed to be a smirk. "Without it… I am handicapped."

"You can't cast anymore," Kirito surmised.

"Yes, boy. My ruined throat can no longer sing the melodies of the air that used to surround me. The adventurers used to call me Imizael the Asphyxiator."

Despite the rather terrifying nickname, Kirito couldn't help but feel a rush of sympathy for this person. They truly had lost everything. Kirito couldn't even begin to fathom what he would do in her position. "Imizael…" Speaking her name, Kirito tried out the foreign sounds on his tongue.

"You speak it like a far eastern person…" Imizael trailed off for a moment before resuming their story. "I came on a raid to kill the dragon on this floor six years ago. Mainly to raise my magic stat. There were other level threes from my familia there… searching for a level-up."

Kirito stayed silent, waiting patiently for the slow speech to conclude.

"I forget who the adventurers were… but they screwed up. I sacrificed myself to block the fire that would have killed them…"

"You were a hero…" Kirito spoke sadly.

"If I had died, everyone would have acknowledged my sacrifice…" Trailing off, Kirito could feel the anger and regret rising in Imizael's words. Blood flew with each syllable as she spoke harshly, well beyond the bounds of what her body was capable of. "My familia members didn't want to 'waste' the lone potion of fire-quenching we had. They carried my corpse back to the surface, realizing half-way there that I still lived."

Kirito winced. The instant treatment she needed had be denied due to her familia member's mistakes. No doubt they had been in shock, unable to think clearly.

"Rushing me to the surface, they hired the services of Dea Saint, but by then…"

"It was too late."

"It was too late," She agreed. "Even the strongest healing magic in the world couldn't fix this. She had never seen injuries like mine that weren't fatal. The damage stretches down my entire back."

Kirito shivered again. The story had left him numb. "So… what was different last time we fought?"

"Getting there," Imizael scolded, "are you impatient to die, boy?"

"…Sorry."

Lips splitting, she continued. "After an entire day in the bed, writhing in agony, my reason for living walked into the room. As long as I could please her, my appearance didn't matter, nothing did.

"Dragging myself to my feet, I stretched a hand out to her… to Hera. She… She recoiled!" Imizael's voice broke with emotion. It was a heartbreaking display of emotion in this ruined person. "I was disgusting in her gaze. No longer was I her precious child… I survived. I endured endless pain to return to her… and she rejected me."

"You didn't deserve that," Kirito agreed. He couldn't help but compare himself to her position. What would he have done if one of the girls had recoiled from him? Philia? Rain? Leafa? Asuna?

It would break me.

"I cursed her… I cursed my existence. I cursed my familia members that were too stupid to aid me!"

"So, you ran and found Evilus…" Kirito muttered. "Why?"

"…That wasn't the plan," Imizael admitted. "That night I snuck out, grabbed my blade and descended into the dungeon. I killed and killed and killed, while leaking fresh blood every step."

"You went there to die?" Kirito asked.

Imizael nodded once. "In the dungeon, he saved me. The God of Death stared into my ruined face and smiled. He offered me a new start."

"And you said yes just like that?" Kirito finished. It was the cliched story of the vulnerable person who had just been rejected getting accepted by the person on the other side.

"Of course not," Imizael chuckled. "I cursed his familia that was stirring up trouble in Orario even back then. But my fragile body couldn't fight as he had me brought into his lair."

"So, it is on this floor?"

"No, of course it isn't. The lowest entrance is on the eighteenth."

"W-What!?" Trying to cut in, Kirito closed his mouth again as the blue eyes drilled him into silence.

"Over time, he convinced me. That one day, if I stayed alive, he would let me see the end of Hera familia. Five long years, I waited for that to occur. Once it did… Well, I agreed to help out."

"…" Kirito struggled to respond. The story made sense. The girl, left for dead by her familia laid in wait for their destruction. There were still so many things Kirito wanted to know. "Why me?"

"You have everything I wanted."

"Jealousy? It's that simple."

"Probably."

Frowning, Kirito didn't like the vague answer. Nonetheless, it wasn't like he could press for clarification. "The state you were in when we fought last then?"

"A magic item Thanatos procured for me. It represses the pain, helps me talk, and drops my status like a rock."

Well, that makes sense.

Kirito could attest firsthand that he could wipe the floor with the person that had failed to kill him in the upper floors. "Why aren't you level four?"

They had mentioned they could have been level four before they fought the floor boss six years ago. The fact that they fought with a level three's speed now indicated they hadn't received a status update.

"I can't. I told you… my entire back is destroyed. I'm no longer a child of the gods."

"Ah…" The ceremony to update statuses. It couldn't be finished on her ruined flesh. No magic, no status update. It truly was a cursed fate except… "That was why the calamity last year didn't take you, isn't it?"

"Yes… a strange irony. My chance to finally die and I was rejected again."

"You have a sword," Kirito told her harshly. "Fall on it if you hate life that much."

Imizael shifted in place. Her eyes had a strange reluctant light in them. "My lingering pride… I can't… give up… I can't continue… I am trapped in place until…"

"Until…?" Kirito blinked; the answer was obvious. "Until someone kills you…"

Is that what she really wants?

The thought rose unbidden in Kirito's mind. This fallen hero had acted out of what? Anger at her goddess for rejecting her? And why him? That seemed important. The only question she hadn't answered.

"..It can't be…" Stumbling back another step, Kirito's mind refused to accept the conclusion that he wanted to draw.

"…"

Imizael's silence only confirmed it for Kirito. Those blue eyes, so close to Asuna's, stared at him expectantly.

"You want me to save you. You want someone who will love you for who you are. For someone to make the pain of living worth it."

"…"

Kirito began to hyperventilate. He couldn't do it. It was impossible. This whole situation was impossible. This person had almost killed him multiple times. They had in fact killed numerous people, and for what?

"I can't… I can't save you."

"…" Imizael's blade rose into a high position. Her body moving slowly into a ready position, waiting for Kirito to prepare himself for death.

Kirito knew this was the end. This final rush would determine who survived and who died. This could have ended differently.

Kirito didn't know how. This was the only end he could see. He couldn't save everyone. Mouth tasting the bitter feeling of failure, Kirito assumed his stance.

Pulling out the final card in his list of tricks, Kirito began chanting. The final secret he had kept hidden from everybody for a situation like this.

"Trapped and secluded, I cry alone."

Imizael tilted her head. "I've heard of your magic. It won't save you, boy."

Kirito, trapped in his chant, didn't answer. Their stances tightened further, the explosion of momentum only seconds away.

"Oh Endless fights, flying fortress, I endure."

"Die now."

"Incarnate the Radius and answer to me!

"Mirrored Blades!"

The chant finished as Kirito pushed off the ground. Despite putting everything into the lunge, he was behind Imizael. Their agility was probably equal, the gap between them purely a difference in skill expression.

Kirito watched, almost in slow motion, as her rapier approached his heart. He couldn't dodge the thrust that would surely end his life.

Left hand raised, a warm sensation gathered there as motes of light solidified into a sword. An exact duplicate of the sword he held in his right hand.

This was his second magic: Mirrored blades. It took the effects of the weapons he held in each hand and bestowed them across to the other. With only a single weapon in his right hand, the magic forged one for his left. The short cast enabled him to get it off just in time.

Ching!

Like the shattering of glass, the magic formed sword shattered upon colliding with Imizael's thrust. The elf's eyes were open wide as her blade was deflected to the side. Instead of Kirito's heart, it cut deeply into his upper-left arm.

Thud!

With an unpleasant sensation, Kirito's blade stopped as the hilt rammed against Imizael's stomach. His aim was true. The edge was horizontal to the ground and had passed straight through her spine. This time, she wouldn't survive.

"Ah… You had… Another trick." For some reason, Imizael's mouth split into a genuine smile. It revealed the surprisingly perfect teeth beneath. The beauty that still existed beneath the ruined exterior.

Her rapier fell from her limp hand. As her body began to collapse, Kirito wrapped his left arm around her and lowered her gently. As she fell, Kirito's blade was pushed back out. Unwilling to pull it out, Kirito knew that doing so would hasten her death.

Imizael didn't care and did it herself. Finding some hidden strength to take the metal out of her stomach. "Why do you smile… I-I killed you…" Kirito knew the words were childish. It wasn't his first murder. So why did it hurt so much more?

"Your hand… I can feel it… Cupping my soul, guiding it to heaven… it's so warm."

"H-Huh?" But Kirito's mind supplied the information. As the sword in his right hand had supplied the information to his left, his hand's properties and been conveyed into his blade. "…I'm glad."

However, his mechanical thoughts were soon swept away as he too felt it. The warmth that composed her essence. Even with his sword now removed, the fragment of magic energy that connected them strengthened.

Kirito's vision blurred as he felt his consciousness shift. Suddenly, he was the one laying on the ground, staring up at the crystal ceiling. After a brief delay, the pain came. Kirito had thought he understood how severe Imizael's injuries were, but oh was he mistaken.

Fierce, crippling sharp waves of pain came relentlessly from his ruined back. The damage was far from superficial scarring, the injuries penetrated through the entire spinal column, invading on the organs beneath. The damage continued upwards, enveloping his entire head. The muscles controlling his head had been completely destroyed, keeping it frozen in place. Even more painful, somehow, was the agony from his throat. The windpipe had been completely destroyed. It should be impossible for it to breath, let alone make noise. Only a sufficiently high status could keep a body together in such a state.

Even considering talking made Kirito whimper in fear. To do so would be to invite more pain into his miserable, half-life. This was not a true life, it was a forced, unbearable existence.

From within in this state, Kirito could feel knowledge of Imizael's three magics flow into him. The first two were halves of a whole that gave her the unofficial nickname of 'asphixiator'. One thinned out the air letting her choke out enemies, the second hardened air making it harder for people to move.

Kirito was certain, that if she could have used either, he would have died instantly due to surprise and being unable to properly fight.

Before the third magic could properly come to him, his magic ended. Not maintaining it actively, the duplication ability simply faded, and Kirito's vision returned to that of his own body.

Imizael spoke again, an act that Kirito could now sympathize with. "Ah… so this is how it feels… to not live in pain." Imizael's expression were relaxing by the moment. Her eyes were fixed upon the ceiling, no, they were on the sky far above. "I'm coming… Hera."

"You still love her," Kirito whispered, his eyes blurring as he watched the last member of Hera familia's final moments.

"Of course… I… Oh gods… I'm so sorry Hera. I never should have… I… I…"

Looking down at her, Kirito could almost see how she should have been. The perfect alabaster skin with proud eyebrows and long, slanted ears. How her hair would flow in blue waves, almost white in appearance it was so fine.

"Hey… Boy, thank you…"

"No… Don't thank me for this," Kirito choked out. "I wasn't strong enough… I couldn't save you."

Imizael's smile was gentle as her gloved hand wiped away a tear that threatened to fall. "Thanatos… Isn't just a murderer. There is… eternal life. I hope… I can see her there… Apologize."

"I know you will," Kirito nodded quickly, his throat closing up with emotion. "Next time I see you… We'll do something fun, okay?"

"I… Look forward to it. Goodbye, Kirito… and thank you. Take my blade, fix my… mistakes." Somehow finding the strength, Imizael's hand grabbed the hilt of her magnificent rapier and shoved it into Kirito's right hand.

"Goodbye… Imizael…"

As the last bit of life slipped from her eyes, Kirito couldn't stop the floodgates. Large, ugly tears, the result of the past weeks of constant struggle spilt out onto her ruined cheeks.

Accompanying them were wretched sobs, fit to have come from her ruined throat. Kirito sat there and wailed as he cursed his weakness. The failures that he continued to accumulate.

Reaching for his own blade, Kirito's hand paused.

He couldn't.

Not anymore.

He was done fighting. He couldn't stand up again. Not this time.

Even as he sat there weeping, a warmth thawed his frozen right hand. The diamond in the pommel of the blade flashed with light. Mechanically, not even actively doing it, Kirito's body rose, gently lowering Imizael back down.

What… is happening?

Stumbling around the room, Kirito collected his sword and sheathed it. Then, he collected Imizael's discarded outer garments and wrapped her in them once more.

Finally, with the rapier still out, Kirito picked up her body in his left arm and allowed it to pull him into the river.

In a couple moments, the current had pulled them from the room. There was nothing left behind to give evidence that they were there besides stained stones and piles of ash.

---

Asuna:

Silence reigned over the chamber. Asuna didn't lift her head, but if she had, she would have seen the slowly cooling floor that was hardening in waves, like the ripples left behind by lava. Entire entrances that had once existed were now covered by the hardened rock; metres thick.

The once present corpses had been given a burial by cremation, monster, adventurer, and evilus alike.

Head hanging, Asuna wondered where everyone went. How Mirel and her had managed to get so separated. Yet, even as she began to numbly consider these things, Asuna didn't move. There likely wasn't a point until the room cooled to a temperature it would be safe to walk on. Plus, Asuna was still hoping to bring Mirel back to the surface in one piece.

"Wow, that bitch sure did a number here…"

"Yeah, what the fuck was that? I didn't hear shit about fire tornado's in the briefing!"

"Yeah, it even wiped out the floor boss we were told wouldn't die…"

Even the introduction of loud voices into the cavern couldn't get Asuna to lift her head. Slowly though, she could hear their footsteps approaching. The steps accompanied by the sound of sizzling leather when they weren't careful about the path they picked,

"Hey, you! You're Loki familia's water witch, yeah?"

"Oh yeah she is!" A second voice crowed. "Not going to do much with a broken staff, are you?"

"…Broken?" Muttering under her breath, Asuna's mind forced her to look at where she had tossed her staff aside, still within arms reach. The stranger was right. Most of the rare sapphires from the east had broken. Loki had warned Asuna this would happen from overuse, but this was the first time.

It only served to dampen Asuna's mood. Another loss that she had to endure. But with her tears spent, she only took in the cracked gems for a moment before looking back at Mirel's face. It was so peaceful. If Asuna pretended, she could almost imagine she was only sleeping.

"Wow! You know… These elves… their pretty fine."

"…One of them is dead, mate."

"…So?"

"…"

The rumbling laughter contained every trait that Asuna hated. Cockiness, arrogance, domination. A masculine desire to rule wrapped up in a love of causing pain. It made Asuna's skin crawl as they got closer.

"Ha, she isn't even going to fight back!" One called out.

"What can she do besides cast spells?" Another sniggered. "She's just a mage."

"…Shut up."

The group of men froze as Asuna's harsh words rolled over them. It was clear to her now that this wasn't the mind-controlled mob that swore fealty to a god of death as a last result. These were people who had joined these side simply because their tastes didn't align with the law.

"W-What'd you say little elf?"

"Yeah! Just stay silent and this won't hurt… much."

"Do you…" Voice cutting off as Asuna's throat closed with emotion. "Do you realize what you've done? What you've taken away?"

"Aww… Did the wittle elf's fwend get hurt? Aww, boo hoo!"

Asuna's body moved mechanically as her knees straightened, bringing her to her feet. The rage that was building in her was barely contained at this point. Her right hand shivered with a desire to draw her rapier and begin the slaughter.

"Nee, Nee," the excited one from earlier interjected. "So here is the deal, alright? If you don't want to watch me violate your friend's corpse, you better get on your knees and start begging."

The words shattered the final restraints in Asuna's mind. To hear some one talk about a woman Asuna had held up as a role model, an inspiration, as what she should strive to be; to hear her reduced to an object of this man's desire was too much.

"You think… I'm a mage?"

"That wasn't very good begging!" He continued, cocky as ever. Taking large steps, he paused only a few steps away. "Get to the… begging."

Asuna still hadn't looked at any of their members. With her gaze still focused on Mirel's face, she placed a hand on her rapier's hilt.

Asuna had never once considered her a mage. She simply had access to magic that she utilized. Like the person that had taught herself to fight, Asuna had never thought of herself as something other than a swordswoman.

Hand tightening on the blade, the whirling slash tore through the air with a whistle. The polished, silver blade hadn't even been out of its sheath for an entire second today before it registered its first kill.

The man's windpipe and carotid artery were opened from Asuna's blow, resulting in a low whine of noise and a burst of blood.

Taking in the man's ratty appearance, Asuna decided coldly that nothing of value was lost. Flicking the blade clean with a single motion, she stalked forward toward the next person. She wasn't in a particular hurry to end this. Asuna realized that she wanted to see their fear. To have them acknowledge how badly they had screwed up before they died.

"H-Holy shit!"

"Shit! She's a level three!?"

"R-Run!"

"No! Its still only her! If we fight together than we can…"

That one was the one Asuna targeted next. Sliding forward, she utilized the burst of speed from her skill, flashing penetrator, to cross the ten-metre gap in less than a second.

Even with that little time to work with, the man defended himself well. It was clear that this wasn't a scavenger like the rat Asuna had beheaded first was. This brute of a man that hulked at just under two metres tall was a seasoned adventurer.

Asuna's rapier skimmed off the edge of his double-sided battleaxe and caught him in the right shoulder. The thrust struck bone before Asuna's momentum and the man's own sideways trajectory forced them apart.

"Damn, bitch, eat this!"

Asuna wondered if she hadn't made a mistake as she deflected a hastily thrown dagger. Yes, the brute in the center was the one advocating for fighting, but by targeting the ones that already wanted to run, Asuna would have fractured them further. Now, united under a single front, they formed up and faced her down together.

"…Unforgivable." Asuna whispered to herself.

"You trying to apologize now?" One yelled angrily. "Don't bother, you ain't escaping alive after taking out Jeff!"

"Your crimes… are UNFORGIVABLE!" Screaming out her pain and loss, Asuna threw herself at the remaining five adventurers. Her lithe body transformed into a whirlwind of speed and power. She deflected swords, daggers, maces, even the large battle axe. Dancing past them, her dance would have invoked images of a certain golden-haired adventurer if any present had known her.

In her blind rage, Asuna's instinctual mind internalized the lessons her active consciousness couldn't pull off. Each attack she faced was perfectly deflected with an efficient motion. The skill required surpassing Asuna's usual abilities.

Knocking a sword off course, Asuna leaned backwards away from a knife strike and stepped in. Left hand flashing she caught their cloak and pulled the level two adventurer in.

Before the brute could stop his strike, Asuna lifted the person into its path.

The massive axe cleaved the head in two. It was a gruesome sight, but Asuna didn't even react, just tossed the body at the stunned man. He reacted as any person was want to. He dropped the axe and caught the corpse of the friend he'd just killed.

Moving away from him, Asuna tore at the three remaining. Catching the shaft of a mace in her left hand, Asuna rammed her blade into the man's right eye hole and back out with one motion.

Her blade was just in time to deflect the sword from the right, but the dagger caught her in the abdomen. Ripping through her armour, Asuna felt only a small tug as she spun away.

With the leader coming back with his hulking weapon, Asuna couldn't score any more kills right away. Still, as the fight progressed, she revelled in the fear pouring off them. Half of their original number were now gone.

"Damn it!"

Pissed off, the average looking man with a longsword leapt at her, breaking their loose formation.

Smirking at him, Asuna easily sidestepped the attack and plunged her rapier through his heart. It made a soft squishing noise as she retracted the blade and stepped forward.

The last two looked at each other, then sprinted in opposite directions. Asuna paused only briefly before running after the dagger user. It wasn't a fair pursuit; the two men had done this knowing that one would die.

Asuna's only regret as she ran him through the back was that she didn't get to see his fear as he succumbed to the long slow death of paralysis.

Without wasting any time, she turned around and took after the brute. His speed was impressive but still slow compared to her. Catching up to him, Asuna finally addressed him. "Die."

"Damn it!" He cursed, understanding that his life was ending. "You're the real fucking monster!" Pivoting, he swung the massive blade.

Forced back, Asuna let it pass in front of her. Just before she could follow up, she saw shapes emerging from the tunnel ahead. Instincts overpowering rage, Asuna waited for them to identify themselves.

Blinking, she thought maybe it was a mirage. "Astrid? Is that… Leafa? And Silica too?"

With a monster on her head!?

Moving faster than any of them was Ulfric. The large werewolf approached the adventurer and crushed the battle axe with his left hand. With his right, he grabbed the brute's throat and dragged the man to his knees.

"Speak, and you get a swift death."

Asuna stepped up the captain of Freya familia and growled. "His life belongs to me!"

"…Very well." The werewolf accepted. Nodding his head in acceptance of Asuna's prior stake.

"L-Look it was nothing personal! Our god told us to do what we wanted! T-They said it would fun!"

"Fun!?" Asuna growled at him. "You wanted to… You were going to… To her body!" Choking out the words, Asuna felt the rage begin to ebb away. The emotion wasn't powerful enough to sweep away the profound emptiness she found herself left with.

"I-I wasn't!" The man protested, his tough exterior vanishing instantly. "I-I'm not even really with the psychos, take me back to the guild! Can I really be blamed for having a few familia members with disturbing hobbies? I mean, we kill living creatures by the dozens every day, am I right?"

The speech, while impassioned, didn't rouse Astrid's sympathy. She could tell that the werewolf was debating leaving the man alive, if not for the sole fact that the guild may have a bounty on his head.

Levelling her sword along his throat, Asuna spoke harshly. "Tell me then. Once you had used me, would you have let me live?"

"O-Of course! Probably taken you back to the headquarters…"

"Interesting, then this makes me kinder than you are." Without taking a backswing, Asuna stepped through it and swung her arm to the right. The sharpened blade met only minor resistance as it encountered his neck. With a spray of blood, the leader's head crashed to the ground. It was a death faster than even a guillotine could have managed.

"…That was a mistake," Ulfric said but otherwise didn't seem to care, walking past and further into the chamber.

"Asuna…"

"Astrid." She replied, unable to stare her sub-commander in the eyes.

"Where is Mirel?"

"She's…" Breaking off Asuna leapt at Astrid. Feeling pathetic, she felt the tears come back. She was shocked that there were still more in there. They should have all been used up by now.

"Ah… That woman. She went and left us behind, huh?"

"Don't… Don't you care?" Asuna asked, shocked at how Astrid's voice took on a light tone.

"What? You think she'd want us to cry about her? Pff!"

Leaning back, Asuna sought confirmation in Astrid's face. All she saw there though was a tender sadness. The mirth in her smile didn't extend to her eyes.

"Is her body still…?"

"…By the plunge pool."

Astrid nodded and laid a hand on Asuna's shoulder. "Stay here. There are some Hestia familia members that can keep you company."

As Astrid walked away, Asuna felt exposed in the girls' gazes. All three of them had seen what she had done to the leader. How violent Asuna had become.

"Hey, Asuna, are you… No, of course you aren't."

That almost got a smile from Asuna, unfortunately, she felt like those muscles had stopped working. Her whole face struggled to produce any expressions. Wiping her eyes one last time, Asuna forced her gaze over them. There was no hate or disgust there, only sympathy and sadness. Asuna was surprised by that.

"Aren't you… scared of me now?"

Lili answered her in a dry tone. "We all heard the conversation. I think I speak for every woman when I say he got exactly what he deserved."

"…Perhaps you are right." Responding after a delay, Asuna's gaze was drawn back down to his head. It had rolled next to her feet; the sightless eyes were staring at the cavern.

In her hollow state, Asuna felt nothing looking at it. Nudging it with her foot, it rolled back into the trunk, eyes hidden from the world. "I'm going to go see Astrid and help her with Mirel. Oh, and… where's Kirito?"

"Umm… Following you guys to the twenty-seventh," Leafa answered, taking over the leadership role for the three.

Asuna thought about and then frowned. "We should look for him, I never saw him."

Silica nodded at that, the monster on her head bobbing along to the motions. "Kirito probably found the strongest monsters and is busy trying to kill them himself."

Not the strongest anyway…

Glancing back to the plunge pool, Asuna thought once more about the evilus members' words. They had claimed Amphisbaena had perished, but Asuna knew better. The barrage of flame would have killed it. But the dragon slipped back into the cool depths, and once there, it would heal.

Thud!

Asuna felt the reverberation.

Like a premonition of death, she knew its source. Most of the raid had retreated back into the tunnels a ways up. Astrid was practically by herself.

"No…" Muttering, Asuna took off. Sprinting, she tried to extract every last bit of speed from her level three body, it still wasn't enough.

Before her eyes, the water parted, and two heads rose once more. Milky, still unhealed visual organs guiding the beast's path to its revenge. Its body wasn't faring much better, the side she had hit was red, raw and pulsing as it valiantly tried to cover over the wound. The rest of the scales that had begun to succumb to the heat were melted together. Blood and loud cracking noises ringing out whenever the beast moved in such a way that the continuous joining prevented.

But, despite everything, it lived. The floor boss that had long since worn out its welcome was back and ready to go for round three.

"You won't have her, beast!" Astrid growled at it, drawing her blade. Standing in front of Mirel's body, the woman was helpless to stop a breath attack.

"Astrid!" Crying her name, Asuna refused to lose another person. Yet, she was powerless to stop it. Her mind hadn't regenerated enough energy to use magic again.

The dragon seemed to have come to the same conclusion, almost looking confused that someone would just stand there and glare at it. Rearing back, the monster rex opened its left mouth to breath the fire when the water erupted from beside it, revealing another occupant.

For not the first time today, Asuna's mind locked as she failed to process the new information. "…Kirito?"

It was him.

Falling to her knees, Asuna raised her left hand to her mouth. He looked like garbage. Beaten, bloody, carrying what appeared to be a body over his left shoulder, a strange rapier in his right hand. He looked perfect.

The floor boss paused as Kirito turned toward it. Perhaps sensing something in Kirito's gaze, the dragon decided that he was the more pressing concern at the moment.

Kirito's right arm straightened, the blue tip of a foreign rapier pointed straight at the main body.

"Gigas cedar…"

With a profoundly sad whisper, Kirito's magic went off. It wasn't the first time Asuna had seen the spell, but this was not at all what she remembered. Rather than the black miasma, she felt like the sky itself was being pulled into the blade and extending it.

Images of clouds, soaring on to infinity, graced Asuna's vision, as the blade soared between them. A white behemoth stretched from Kirito's arm and hit the surprised beast right in it chest where the necks joined.

There was nothing the monster could do except widen its eyes in surprise before its ruined scales gave way and the magic blade pierced it.

Crack!

So soft amid the other noise it was easy to miss. To Asuna though, it was a magical sound. As the floor boss of the twenty-seventh began to crumble to ash, she could feel it in her heart. The day was over. Finally, blissfully over.

Trying to pull herself to her feet, Asuna was still staring at him as Kirito's eyes turned to her. They were mirrors of her own.

Without taking a step toward her, Kirito collapsed to the ground at the edge of the water with such finality that Asuna wondered if he would rise again.

Rushing over to him, Asuna fell onto her knees in front of him. Opening her mouth to ask, Asuna hesitated. Instead, she just wrapped him in her arms.

Oh God… He's as broken as I am…

But… He was alive, that was enough for now.

As for the next step, they'd figure that out together, familia rules be damned.

---

Chapter Epilogue: Ascension

In a dusty bar, far from the center of civilization, a woman sat on an old stool. A grimy glass containing only water sat on the counter that she sipped slowly. The other occupants were scarce and spread out. For an oasis town in the middle of a desert, there was a surprising lack of sand in the building. The reason why was a staff member whose entire job description was to sweep it out. However, that did nothing to fix the greasy tables and grime that they missed.

With a cloak to keep the sun off wrapped around her body, the woman drew no attention. No one in the bar would suspect her origins were different from theirs. As she took another sip, the woman felt it.

Her last ichor connection: gone.

"Imizael… You're finally done, huh?"

Putting the glass down, the woman slid her coin purse across the counter. She didn't know how much was in there, only that it was magnitudes more than the price of her drink.

"Ma'am?"

Ignoring the bartender, she walked out into the evening sun. In less than an hour, it would be full night. Walking into the falling sunset, the woman felt like she could sense it.

The soul of her final child returning to the heavens.

Smiling into the last rays of the day, the woman let her hood fall back revealing her astounding beauty. A flawless figure that could only belong to one of the deusdea.

For over a year now, the woman had refused to restart her familia. Not after everything she had went through with her children. Hundreds of years of cultivating their talents, only to watch, one-by-one, as they died. Taking in only women, the woman could only watch as the years ate them away, leaving her behind on this plane.

No more.

She was done with the trials and excitement of the mortal world. For hundreds of years, she had experienced all of the good and bad that came in such a place.

Her familia had moved on, and finally, she was ready to follow.

From beneath her robes, the woman withdrew a dagger that she kept on her person at all times. It was a memento from the member she failed. It was the woman's deepest regret.

True, she couldn't have done anything a year ago, the children had made up their mind to fight the dragon god. While that day was still the darkest in her long past, this one was her biggest regret.

Taking it from its sheath, she traced a finger across its blue and white, custom-made surface. It was a side-arm partner to a longer blade that was out for repairs when the woman made her mistake.

With only that momentary delay to trace her finger over it, the woman changed the direction of the dagger so the tip was resting just under her left breast and pushed.

"Ah…"

Gaping, the woman wasn't prepared for the surge of pain as the dagger separated skin and plunged into her heart.

"Is this… the pain you felt that day?" Muttering to herself, the woman's body began to disobey her orders. Falling to her knees, she felt her end approaching rapidly.

As her final seconds of life ticked away, the woman smiled. Her journey through this world had been entertaining. It was time to see her children again. The women who had shared such a brief moment of time with her.

A column of light split the sky. Even in a backwater, small place like this, the residents knew what it meant. They gaped up in wonder at a phenomenon that no one would have thought they'd see. None of the residents had even known that there was a deity living in their village in the first place.

In a different part of the world, an old man stared in the direction of a column he could not see. All the reaction he showed was raising a hand in the direction he could sense the departure originated from. Even now, left alone by the partner deity he had shaped the world with; his task wasn't over.

There was one last member of his familia to look after.

---

Author's note:

...I'm not crying, you're crying.

Seriously though, its been fun bringing about an end to my OC villian's arc. Unfortunatly, I didn't get quite as much time to spend on her story as I would have liked. Nonetheless, I hope it didn't fall too flat.

As Kirito takes a well deserved break, next chapter (probably like a month away tbh) we will return to Bell. I wonder what kind of trouble he could have gotten into during this short interval.