October 17th, 2024

After all this time, it was like a well-choreographed dance. Step to the right, thrust. Twirl to the left and duck, as hot breath hissed past close enough to rustle hair. Slash across the back of the neck, and leap back, as scaly limbs whirled back. Hop, twist—and hiss, as cold steel bit deep, leaving a crimson wireframe gash in the shoulder.

A sliver of blue vanished from her vision, bringing her HP down to eighty percent.

No, she thought, spinning on her toes to run. Twenty percent closer to death. That's what that means. That's what it always means.

She'd bought herself a few precious moments, beginning her flight while the Lizardman was still recovering from its skill. A few steps ahead, before it could try to chase. Enough to buy her a short reprieve from the death that awaited, if she made even the tiniest mistake.

Only a short one, though. Lizardmen were fast, and this one was no different. It rushed after her, uttering a hoarse, raspy cry—and it didn't need to cross the distance she'd opened just by its own feet. Its scimitar reared back, and in a flash of light it was leaping across that distance, faster than she could run.

Fell Crescent crossed four meters in under half a second. To the unprepared, unavoidable. And Lizardmen liked to go for the neck, where a single ill-timed critical hit could kill.

Got you!

The moment the light of the skill's pre-motion began, Asuna the Flash was already whirling to face the Lizardman she'd lured into her trap. Midair, before its scimitar could come around to her throat, the rapier Lambent Light stabbed out, once, twice, three times. Throat, torso, and stomach were marked by deep red circles; three more crossed right shoulder, chest again, left shoulder.

The glow of the Lizardman's sword died. Keening a mournful cry, it landed hard, tumbled—and shattered to azure fragments, polygons that scattered to the corners of the dungeon, and vanished forever.

Breathing heavily, heart racing in her chest to the same tempo she was sure her real one was maintaining at that very moment, Asuna slowly straightened from the Crucifixion's post-motion. With the death of the lone Lizardman, she was alone, standing on a meandering stone path. The dungeon's irregular walls, more like a natural cave than the tower it really was, glittered in strange patterns, adding to the unreality of the scene.

This was reality, though. Even as she slipped Lambent Light into the red scabbard at her waist, she reminded herself of that truth. The dungeon was otherworldly, yes, and the Lizardman would soon respawn to hunt again—but that was how reality worked, in this place.

The Lizardman will be back. If I'm not careful, I won't be.

That was why she'd come here, after all. To remind herself of that. Every human life was precious. If the six thousand players still alive ever wanted to leave, she and the precious few others on the frontlines had to remember their own lives were important.

Whatever Asuna sometimes thought, in her darkest nightmares, she was needed.

Which, she supposed, meant that taking on a high-level Lizardman without backup was reckless, on a level a certain someone would never let her live down. But she knew what she was doing, knew Curved Sword skills so intimately no mere mob was going to kill her with them. This once, she was willing to be reckless.

"Asuna-sama! There you are!"

Even if other people don't want to let me, Asuna thought, sighing. She turned to face the approaching voice, carefully schooling her expression before the owner got too close.

"Asuna-sama, you know the Commander doesn't want anyone going off alone." The tall man just coming around one of the dungeon's rounded corners wore the white and red of the Knights of Blood. The sword he carried was a fancy-looking two-handed blade, obviously expensive—and to Asuna's eye, utterly unimpressive as a practical weapon. "You could've been hurt!" His thin, gaunt face bore a frown, like a scolding school teacher. "You were hurt!"

You call me "sama", but talk down to me like that. I don't know what the Commander was thinking. "It was nothing I couldn't handle, Kuradeel," she said coolly, letting just the tiniest hint of her irritation into her voice. She didn't want to be harsh, but a leader had to maintain discipline. "If you can't keep up with me, you really need more training before you spend much time on the front."

"I don't think you should be here so much, Asuna-sama," Kuradeel retorted, glancing around as if he expected more mobs to pop out at any moment. Which they wouldn't, she knew, having already worked out the respawn rate in this dungeon. "You're too important…."

Asuna tuned him out, already used to her new bodyguard's overprotective tendencies. Almost three PM, she thought, with a quick glance at her HUD. We'd better start back if we want to reach Kamdet before dark. Even I'm not crazy enough to go out at night alone. Not with just Kuradeel.

Quickly bringing up her menu, she tabbed through to one particular submenu. A quick look, and she nodded to herself. Eighty percent now. Not bad. "We've mapped enough for today," she said, banishing her menu, and began walking back the way they'd come. "Let's return to town for now."

Momentarily taken aback by the interruption of his monologuing, Kuradeel quickly nodded and hurried to catch up. "Very good, Asuna-sama. I'm sure Commander Heathcliff will be glad to see the progress we've made—even if it really should've been one of the other members…."

Asuna tuned him out again, doing her best to ignore him completely as she followed the winding path back through the dungeon. The simple truth was, whether Kuradeel wanted to admit it or not, none of the clearers could be spared from mapping duty, however "important" they might be. They'd mapped eighty percent of the dungeon tower leading from the Seventy-Four Floor to the Seventy-Fifth, and that just wasn't enough.

Two years, she mused, trotting down the stairs to the level below. It's almost two years now, and we're almost to the Seventy-Fifth Floor. That's not good enough. Not with almost four thousand people dead.

Besides. If she was relegated to logistical duties back at headquarters, only coming out to lead boss raids, she wouldn't be able to keep up with the level curve. That would be even more dangerous than going to a dungeon with nothing but an under-leveled "bodyguard" for company. As in, "she would definitely die" dangerous.

And, Asuna thought, emerging from the dungeon into a lush forest, shading her eyes against the afternoon sun filtering beautifully through the treetops, if I stayed in Granzam all the time, I wouldn't get to see things like this.

She'd almost lost sight of the good things about Sword Art Online, once. Her best friend had woken her from that before she could fall too far.

The forest leading back to the Seventy-Fourth Floor's main town was dangerous, no doubt about it. That didn't make it any less beautiful. And anyway, it was a danger she knew perfectly well how to manage.

"We should just teleport back to Granzam," Kuradeel grumbled, his tone just a note shy of disrespectful. "If you're running low on Teleport Crystals, Asuna-sama, I have them to spare—"

"That would be a waste, Kuradeel," she cut in, shaking her head. "We're not in that much of a hurry, and there's nothing out here even as dangerous as the Lizardmen in the… tower…."

Asuna trailed off, frowning, and quickly held up a hand to silence Kuradeel before he could protest. There was something nagging at her, the faintest sound, an indefinable something at the corner of her vision. Almost like a player with high-level Hiding, which made her adrenaline levels start to spike—but she wasn't getting the feeling of malice she did when something human was stalking her….

There!

Lambent Light was in her hand, and before Kuradeel could do more than let out a startled squawk she was dashing forward. A grunt emerged from the underbrush ahead, and the faint sound turned to a hurried rustle, but the bright white flash of her Linear was just too fast.

In the moment the boar-like creature leapt into view, glowing eyes wide with alarm, her rapier was there, stabbing it in a perfect "true critical".

The monster burst into fragments, and a notice popped up revealing her rewards: a tiny amount of experience, and the item [Barbeque Boar Meat]. An ingredient, that was, and the very first S-class she'd ever seen.

Smiling, Asuna turned back to her slack-jawed bodyguard. "I take it back, Kuradeel," she said, quickly stabbing at her menu, switching to her inventory tab. "We do have reason to hurry." Catching the Teleport Crystal that materialized, she held it high. "Teleport: Granzam!"

Heathcliff studied the expanded map data on the menu before him, hands clasped. "Eighty percent… I see." He nodded slowly. "Very good, Asuna-kun. Within days, we should have the boss room located, and we can begin scouting for the next raid. Well done."

Standing on the other side of the table in the KoB conference room, Asuna couldn't help feeling a rush of pride. Not that she really needed validation at this point, she'd been clearing since before her commander ever reached the frontlines, but it was still nice for her work to be appreciated.

And relative newcomer or not, he is the one who held the line against Vemacitrin, when all seemed lost. Even Kirito-kun couldn't keep it occupied for ten minutes all by himself.

"Thank you, Commander," she said aloud, inclining her head. "Though honestly, it wasn't that hard. My level is more than high enough to deal with the regular mobs in the dungeon tower."

From somewhere behind her, she heard a disapproving sound. Well, it's true, she thought, deliberately ignoring Kuradeel. It's not my fault the Commander gave me a bodyguard who hasn't kept up.

Asuna hoped that thought didn't show on her face, though. As irritated as she was with Heathcliff's edict, she didn't want to complain too much. His efforts kept the guild at the forefront of the clearing, after all.

Something apparently showed on her face, because Heathcliff was looking at her intently. His metallic gray eyes, inscrutable as usual, searched her expression for a long moment—long enough for Asuna to get uncomfortable. Had she screwed something up without noticing? She thought she'd kept up with her guild responsibilities well enough; certainly she'd been throwing herself into them all the more since the Laughing Coffin crusade. That near-disaster had shown her very clearly that there were more dangers than even she'd realized, in the Steel Castle.

"Well done, Asuna-kun," Heathcliff said again, finally closing his menu and leaning back in his chair. "Your work is excellent as always." He paused, not quite long enough to worry her this time. "Take the next two days off."

Asuna blinked. "E-excuse me, Commander?" she said, not quite sure she'd heard right.

"Asuna-kun, you've been working yourself to the bone for two months now. I appreciate your dedication, but I would not have you burn yourself out." He shook his head. "We must clear the game as soon as possible. To do that, the Knights of Blood need every member to be at their best. Take a break, before you slip up from the stress." Heathcliff smiled, just faintly. "Perhaps you might check up on some friends of yours. I'm aware that they tend to get lost in important sidequests, but I admit to being curious as to their recent absence…."

As much as she really had been dedicating herself to guild business lately, Asuna had to admit her shoulders felt lighter after the meeting. A couple of days off, with the prospect of getting back to the guild soon after, probably wasn't a bad idea. And if the Commander can see that I'm stressed, I must be burning out. Morale isn't his strong point.

Even Kuradeel's presence, shadowing her as she strode away from Algade's Teleport Plaza on the Fiftieth Floor, couldn't dampen her mood. For the first time in what felt like ages, she was just going for a walk, looking to catch up with some friends. She could take her time, and see what she'd missed while she'd been so focused on clearing and guild management.

Algade was livelier than Asuna remembered, walking down the mercantile city's streets. Intellectually she'd known a lot of players had moved in as the frontlines moved higher, but she hadn't realized quite how many. For every yellow cursor over a drably-dressed NPC, it seemed like, there was a green one over the more flamboyant tunics and armor of a Swordmaster.

A far cry from ten months before, when the town had been the primary staging area for clearing. Back then, the Fiftieth Floor had been quite the difficulty spike, with everyone dreading the boss that waited in the labyrinth tower. Vemacitrin, she remembered all too well, had more than earned that dread.

Now it was twenty-four floors below the front, and even mid-levels were perfectly safe. From the laughter and cheery conversation she heard, even when she strayed from the main streets down a particular alley, Algade had turned into one of the game's social centers.

Now, if I can just find a certain team… the Commander's right, they must be up to something. Again. One of these days I'm going to tie a bell around Kirito-kun's neck.

Well, Asuna might not have been to Algade much in recent months, but she'd memorized the way to her current destination long since. Not that she particularly needed her memory, seeing a glum Swordmaster step out of one particular shop. "Thank you, thank you," a deep, jaunty voice called from within. "Please come again! Buy cheap and sell cheap, we're always here for you!"

Feeling just a bit of pity for the poor, unsuspecting Swordmaster who was apparently the latest to encounter that slogan, Asuna stepped past him with a shake of her head and a wry chuckle. Caveat emptor, she thought, walking into the small but clearly profitable shop. You'd think his reputation would get around more.

"You haven't changed, Agil-san," she called, smiling. "I'm glad."

"Well, well, if it isn't Asuna!" The big, dark-skinned man behind the counter flashed her a grin, rubbing his shaved head with one hand. "Hey, why change what works, huh? I run an honest business, and I make enough money to get by. What's to complain about?"

She could just hear Kuradeel bristle at Agil's lack of formality. She ignored that just as she ignored his other quirks. Agil had known her since the fight with Illfang, two years before—long before she was ever "Vice-Commander". Outside of official meetings, he'd darned well earned the informality.

"I think some of your customers might," she said dryly, and walked up to the counter. "But I know you, so I'm not going to complain."

"Glad to hear it. So, what can I do for you?" Agil chuckled, leaning against his side of the counter. "You know, when Kirito shows up out of the blue, he's usually after soap. Guy has terrible luck with muck and grime…. I'm guessing that's not what you're after?"

Soap. Somehow, Asuna wasn't even slightly surprised—especially knowing a certain girl's fondness for a good bath. "No, actually, I'm looking for a few ingredients today. Something to go well with boar meat."

"Boar meat?" Agil scratched his head. "Lemme think… not many recipes that call for that, but I've probably got something good here… gimme a sec." He turned back to the shelves behind him, rummaging among boxes and jars. "Got a big meal planned, Asuna?"

"If I can track down a certain someone. I've got way too much meat to have it all to myself." It was her turn to lean on the counter, casually resting an elbow in complete defiance of the "Vice-Commander" image. "I don't suppose Kirito-kun has been by lately?"

"Dropped by this morning, as a matter of fact." Agil pushed aside another box, checking behind it, and grunted in satisfaction. "Stocking up on antidotes. Didn't say what he'd been up to, but his team apparently just finished a sidequest someplace with lots of poisons." He loaded up a box with a handful of smaller ones, along with a couple of jars, and turned to bring the whole thing back to the counter. "The gang looked to be in good spirits, though, so I guess it went well enough."

Of course. Any time Team Kirito dropped off the map, they were always up to something. Not that Asuna really faulted them for it, it'd been that way as far back as when she was still Kirito's partner. That was how they'd met her favorite Dark Elf, and she was never going to count that as a bad thing.

"Kinda surprised you needed to ask, though," Agil said then, as she turned over the expected just-shy-of-extortionate Cor for the spices and other ingredients. "Kirito's gotta still be on your Friends list, right? Just check that."

"That would be rude," she said loftily. "I don't want Kirito-kun to think I'm stalking him."

"…Right." He shook his head, obviously wondering if she was being serious. "Well, take care of him, Asuna. And hey! If that boar turns out well enough, save me some, will ya?"

"You'll get first call on leftovers," Asuna promised, stashing her purchases in her inventory with a smile. "It's an S-class ingredient, so I'm sure it'll be great."

Agil's shout of "Seriously?!" followed her out into the alley. She was left wondering if SAO's emotional expression system made loud enough sounds echo in the ear; given that she'd seen faces literally steam, she wouldn't have been surprised.

Out on the main street, Kuradeel finally spoke up again. "This is not a good idea, Asuna-sama," he burst out. "You should be going home to rest, not going to cook meals for some strange independent group!"

Asuna stopped abruptly. "I'll grant that they're as strange as it gets," she said, forcing her voice to remain level as she turned to face her bodyguard. "But they're all good people. As good as you'll find in Aincrad."

Kuradeel scowled. "If they were that good, they'd be in the KoB—wait." His frown deepened, something she hadn't thought was possible. "You and that merchant said Kirito… you can't mean the Beater!"

She felt her expression turn cold, and this time didn't even try to control it. "I'll thank you not to use that word in my presence," she said, voice clipped and cool. "Kirito-kun has done more for the clearing than you'll ever know."

"You can't trust someone like him! I know the stories—you won't be safe, Asuna-sama!"

"I'll be safer with Kirito-kun and Kizmel-chan than I would be anywhere else in this world." Asuna brought up her menu with a quick, abrupt gesture. "Kuradeel. You are relieved of duty for today." With a few quick motions, she dissolved the party, and materialized one particular object. "I suggest you return home yourself for now.

"Teleport: Home!"

When the azure glow of the teleport faded, Asuna was greeted by the calls of seabirds. Taking a deep breath, she gratefully inhaled the sea breeze, the scent of the most relaxing place in Aincrad. On this one floor, nothing frightening or traumatizing had ever happened.

She had a house of her own, and a nice one at that, on the Sixty-First Floor. Selmburg, the city on a mountainous island in the middle of a floor-wide lake, was a beautiful place. Peaceful, even. But it had none of the comforting—fun, even—memories of the Fifty-First Floor.

Though she was going to have to change her clothes the moment she had a little privacy. The Fifty-First Floor's tropical environs were only ever cold when storms hit; in the afternoon heat, her armor was already unpleasantly warm, and getting worse. Even with her eyes closed, she could see the heat debuff warning on her HUD.

Small price to pay, Asuna thought, finally opening her eyes. That cutoff and shorts set I got from Ashley last week should be good enough. Not that I mind wearing a swimsuit around Kirito-kun that much, but… um. What the…?

The large sandbar—or small island, depending on who you asked—was about the same as ever, Team Kirito's Black Cat safely moored at the same dock. The cabana was still standing, which she was never quite sure of after the Fifty-Seventh Floor.

The smoke drifting out the open windows? That was different.

Shaking off her surprise, Asuna hurried to the front door. For once grateful that residential locks in Aincrad operated on permissions instead of keys, she flung it open. "What's going on in here?! Is everyone… all… right…?"

The living room was mostly clear of the smoke, with just a lingering smell and a faint haze near the ceiling. As far as she could see, nothing was actually on fire. The one guy and three girls of Team Kirito were all present and accounted for, gathered on the chairs and couches by the fireplace.

They were also wearing nothing but smudges of soot, underwear, and very surprised expressions.

Kirito was the first to realize someone else had arrived. Face bright red, he turned to look at Asuna and coughed. "Um… hi, Asuna. Er, I can explain, really…."

Kizmel, clearly not at all perturbed by the situation, chuckled. "As it happens, this really is perfectly innocent, Asuna. Though to be sure, you will probably be chiding our lack of sense by the end of the explanation."

For a long moment, Asuna just stared. First at the shirtless Kirito, then the equally under-equipped girls, of whom only Rain seemed very concerned. How is this his life? Two years, and nothing's changed.

Finally, she shook her head, an unwilling smile curling her lips. "Okay, I give," she said, unable to stifle a laugh. "What in the world happened here?"

A Few Minutes Earlier….

"At least that quest is finally over," Kizmel said with a heartfelt sigh, closing the cabana's door behind the team. "Were I any less of a knight, I do believe I would've strangled Sahasra some time ago. The errands he has for us have long since become quite ridiculous."

"You're just mad 'cause he didn't warn us about the Terrasquids," Philia teased. The treasure hunter had already claimed a place by the—currently unlit—fireplace. Somehow, she'd also changed from her armor to shorts and a t-shirt in the half-second or so Kirito wasn't looking, and was happily paging through her inventory.

No doubt she checking over her share of the loot from their latest excursion. For once, Sahasra's scheme really had involved genuine treasure, leaving Philia about as happy as Kirito had ever seen.

Kizmel, on the other hand, was downright cranky, and the treasure hunter's jibe earned a baleful glare. "The squids were a most unwelcome surprise, yes," she said, grabbing Kirito's arm and dragging him toward their bedroom. Over her shoulder, she added, "Forgive me for disliking tentacles. Especially when quicksand is also involved."

Kirito supposed it was a mark of just how irked the elf girl was by the day's events that she didn't even try to take advantage of their brief time behind a closed door. For once, she didn't even bother teasing him, she just quickly changed from her armor to a tank top and short pants, and headed right back to the living room.

By the time Kirito followed her out, Rain had also found the time to change. The redhead had claimed one of the armchairs, and was examining the gleaming silver sword that had been her major share of the rewards. "Squids, sand, and spelunking aside," she said, when he and Kizmel were settled into the couch together, "I'd call today a success. We got some hints about the Floor Boss, some good drops, and some more info. I'd say it was worth the week it took exploring that cave."

Kirito had to hide a smile at the way Kizmel almost—but not quite—pouted. He knew she wanted to disagree, with her long-standing vendetta against cephalopods, and was even more annoyed that she couldn't.

Rain was right, though. They'd spent the last week exploring a cave system on the southern edge of the Seventy-Fourth Floor, on the advice of the Dark Elf Sage Sahasra, and overall it had paid off. The caves had been half-flooded, requiring extensive use of the breathing masks they'd gotten back on their first visit to the very floor on which they stood. They'd had several places where quicksand served as alternately a deathtrap or a way down to a lower cavern, with only the most obscure hints as to which was which.

They'd had Terrasquids, poisonous cephalopods which lived in both the sand and the water, and could survive outside either long enough to move between. Kirito wasn't quite sure what some of the Sindarin words his wife had used meant, but he was pretty sure they weren't fit for polite conversation.

There'd also been a good proportion of good old fashioned chests, some of them with fancy locks. He thought Philia had been happy even before she got to the contents, and after she was positively whistling. Since she handled the team's joint funds, he was going to take that as a good sign.

He and Kizmel had gotten a few useful bits of armor out of the deal, at least, including some mats he thought would be good with the dragonhide he still hadn't been able to use yet. Better yet, Kizmel had found a new cloak, finally allowing her to replace the one she'd been wearing since the fiasco on the Forty-Third Floor. Her preference for cloaks with stealth capabilities had saved lives more than once, but it did mean replacements were rare.

And Rain had added to her growing collection of swords. Few of them were really high-quality, but all of them were at least decent. Between her habit of throwing them—which had, not long before, unlocked a bonus to her Quick Change mod, allowing her to set it to cycle through an entire class of weapons—and her tentative experiments with improvised dual-wielding, she was snapping up every good blade she could find.

So yeah, Philia's right, Kirito thought, gratefully leaning into the couch cushions even as Kizmel settled against his shoulder. We got a pretty good haul from this one. More importantly….

Sighing, he brought up his menu and tabbed over to the chat log. Not a feature he bothered with very often, lately he'd started taking notes when a certain common thread popped up in NPC chatter. "So, that's the second time this month we found something about the 'Echo'," he said. "And Klein sent me a message when we were coming back from the dungeon—apparently Fuurinkazan ran into a group of them while looking for mats on the Sixty-Second Floor yesterday."

The restful silence that had fallen after the squid banter turned tense. Kirito wasn't surprised. When they'd first encountered the name "Echo", it hadn't meant much, despite the disturbing rewards from that particular quest. In the months after, even when the term started popping up more and more often, they'd always been too busy with other worries to think about it much.

With Laughing Coffin finally put down, and the regular clearing going so smoothly there hadn't been a boss raid casualty in months, they'd finally had time to look into it. As nearly as Argo could determine, Team Kirito's encounter with them had been the first, but in the months since other players had run into them, or references to them, more and more.

Kirito was beginning to think Cardinal had decided that, with the player drama having calmed down, it was time for another questline on the scale of what the Elf War had become. Remembering how close that had come to disaster, he didn't like that thought at all.

Neither did the rest of his team. "Think something big is going down, Kirito?" Philia said, loot forgotten as she leaned forward to prop her chin on one hand.

"I don't know," he said honestly. Turning to look out the east window, he was kind of surprised not to see any signs of a storm brewing. It felt like it would've been dramatically appropriate. "But I'm sure something is going on. If this were an ordinary MMO, I'd say the devs were dropping hints about a big event."

"But SAO isn't normal," Rain mused, carefully tucking her new sword away. "And I'm pretty sure sidequests have never impacted main clearing directly, unless you count the time you and Asuna accidentally brought Dark Elf reinforcements to a boss raid."

Kirito's shoulder shook with Kizmel's soft chuckle. "You're welcome."

He wished he could take the time to really appreciate the joke, instead of just giving her shoulder a grateful squeeze. "No… and yes," he said, in response to the objection he was pretty sure Rain herself was none too sure of. "No system-generated sidequests have impacted clearing—but if I'm right about how Kayaba views this world, PoH's schemes probably counted. If Cardinal was designed to take that into account—or if Kayaba's been micromanaging enough—well, it'd explain the timing. With Laughing Coffin gone, regular clearing has been the only big news lately."

Heck, there hadn't even been any Baneblade sidequests lately. For all that its flavor text had had some very ominous words since the Fifty-Seventh Floor, absolutely nothing had turned up about the sword in months. That by itself made him kind of nervous.

After a long, uneasy silence, Kizmel cleared her throat. "I take it we're all agreed, then, that a storm is brewing." When no one disagreed, she sighed, and pushed herself upright. "As I feared. That said, Kirito… do you have any idea what we might do? We've hints in plenty, yet nothing solid to pursue."

"We do have one thing." Leaving the chat log, Kirito dug into his inventory—specifically, the page the team shared together. A couple of quick selections, and an object dropped into his hand.

He didn't blame the others for the looks they gave it. The crystal may have been shaped like a Healing Crystal, but its blood-red color proved it to be anything but.

"I know," Kirito said, before anyone could object, "we haven't wanted to mess around with these. But we need some kind of lead, and right now we're in a safe zone. Even after the Fifty-Seventh Floor, nothing has ever caused damage to a Swordmaster with Safe Haven protections still up."

It was, he supposed, still something of a gamble. The Fifty-Seventh Floor had proven there were conditions under which Safe Haven protections could be removed. Despite that, everything that had happened there had had a reason. He still believed, after everything, that Kayaba wouldn't arbitrarily change the rules without warning.

He could see his friends going through much the same thinking, and finally Rain sighed. Leaning forward in her chair, she said, "I guess you're right. I'm getting a bad feeling about the Echo, too." She raised her hands in a resigned shrug. "Go for it?"

"Now seems as good a time as any," Kizmel agreed. When Philia added in a quick nod, the elf girl placed her hand on Kirito's. "Let us begin, husband."

"Right." Taking a deep breath, Kirito focused on the crystal, pausing only a moment to recall the activation word Philia's examination of it had revealed. "Ignite!"

In retrospect, he really should've expected what happened after that.

At the time, his first warning was the crystal flashing a blinding red-orange. That split-second gave him time to close his eyes against the much brighter flash that followed, accompanied by a roaring sound and the most intense heat Kirito had felt since the last time he'd gone hunting for mats in a volcano dungeon. It didn't hurt, but the intensity and crawling feeling over his body was enough for him to add a yelp the general exclamations.

When the immediate effect was over, he opened his eyes and drew a breath to ask if everyone was okay—only to immediately cough instead. "Wh-what the—?!" he got out, blinking against the smoke filling the room. "What just—?!"

There was a quick patter of footsteps, and then a creak as a window was flung open. "I think we were right to test that in a safe zone!" Philia coughed out; from the sound of her passage, she was already heading for the next window. "That was kinda crazy!"

"Kinda?!" Rain repeated incredulously, as the smoke began to thin. "What good are these things supposed to be, anyway? That would've killed the user, too!"

"The Echo do seem to be fanatics," Kizmel pointed out; from the sound of things, she'd bent over to get her head out of the smoke. "Perhaps the red crystals are meant as a suicidal attack? My own people, as well as the Forest Elves, have certainly been known to commit such sacrifice, when necessary."

Too true. Kirito wasn't likely to forget any time soon how close he'd come to never knowing his wife at all, for that very reason. "We already knew the Echo was probably connected to the elves, anyway," he said, waving the smoke away from his face. "Probably how they made—or modified—crystals…."

The air had finally cleared enough to see, and suddenly Kirito realized he'd forgotten something very important about how Safe Haven protections worked.

…It looks like underwear counts as Immortal Objects, he thought inanely, unable to keep from staring. Not that the others were any better off, from the wide-eyed looks he was getting in return. Good thing, or this would be really embarrassing.

Kizmel was the first to break the silence, after they'd all had a few moments to take in the amount of skin suddenly showing. "Well," she said, casually leaning her now largely bare flank against Kirito, "at least we'll be cooler now?"

"At least we tried it in private," Philia said ruefully, dropping back into her chair. "Dunno about you guys, but I'm feeling kinda dumb right now."

"I'm just glad we tried it by ourselves," Rain said, blushing. Drawing her knees up in a vain attempt at modesty, she added, "Can you imagine what would've happened if we'd roped in one of the guilds for the demonstration?"

The way his life had gone the last couple of years, Kirito wasn't at all surprised when Asuna burst in just a moment later. That was just the way his luck ran.

"You're right, I do think you're all crazy," Asuna said, shaking her head. She was chuckling, though. Casually straddling a backwards kitchen chair, she continued, "I hope you learned something from that. Please tell me you're not going to try out the Teleport Crystal version right now?"

"I believe we've taken enough risks for one day," Kizmel said gravely. "For now, we will be content with having determined the Echo are, indeed, fanatics." She arched one eyebrow at her husband. "Won't we?"

Kirito nodded quickly, and she allowed herself a smile. Truthfully, she wasn't terribly bothered by what had happened, other than the chilling implications of the consequences had they not made the attempt in a Safe Haven. As it was, their clothing and a few shreds of dignity were a small price to pay.

Though they'd probably all best go clothes shopping soon. Having taken the time to get dressed again before giving Asuna the full explanation, Kizmel had come to realize she was very probably the only member of the team with much of a wardrobe. If Kirito had more than one other set of casual wear, she would have been much surprised.

"Only you, Kirito-kun," Asuna said, shaking her head again. "I'm just surprised it happened before I got here."

At least she was taking it in good humor. Once upon a time, Kizmel knew, Asuna would've been threatening Kirito with violence at such a violation of human propriety. It was nice to see she'd grown so much since those days.

"Well. It's over and done with, anyway, and we're going to be a lot more careful when we do investigate the other crystals." Kirito coughed into his hand. "Anyway! What brings you here, Asuna? Did we miss something important while we were taking care of that sidequest? Argo hasn't said anything, so I figured there wasn't that much going on…."

"No, nothing much from there," Asuna told him, resting her chin on her hands. "We'll probably be setting up for a raid in a few days, the labyrinth is about eighty percent mapped, but otherwise there's not much new. …Would you believe the Commander ordered me to take a couple days off?"

Kirito wasn't the only one who stared at her. "Commander Heathcliff," Rain said carefully, absently tapping her fingers on one knee. "The guy nobody ever sees doing anything but guild work and fighting bosses. Ordered you to take time off?"

That was, Kizmel had to admit, very strange news. If there was one flaw she could name in the man they called the Paladin, it was that he was perhaps too focused on clearing Aincrad. She wasn't at all sure he even understood the concept of rest. In hindsight, she suspected that explained a good deal of Asuna's attitude for a time, before the incident with The Geocrawler had brought her to her senses.

"I know, it surprised me, too." Sighing, Asuna pushed herself off the chair, walking over to one of the still-open windows. "It's true, though, I've been kinda… wired, the last couple months. After what happened in the crusade, I guess I just threw myself into work. Too much, if even the Commander thinks I'm overdoing it." She glanced back over her shoulder, smiling impishly. "Of course, he was also curious about what you guys have been doing lately."

"He can get that through Argo's channels," Philia said with a sniff. "After what we found, he's not getting the info for free!"

"Well, of course not." Asuna turned back to the window, looking out at the gently-shifting sea. "I'm officially on vacation, so I don't have to report anything for a couple days."

"We're not telling you for free, either."

"You're starting to sound like Argo yourself, Philia," she told the treasure hunter. She was still smiling, though, when she turned to lean back against the windowsill instead. "So I have to pay if I want the full story, huh? Hm… how about I make everyone dinner?" Asuna's smile turned smug. "After all, I just maxed out my Cooking skill this week."

Kizmel exchanged an incredulous look with Kirito, one she saw mirrored by Rain and Philia. They'd known, of course, that Asuna had some fondness for the skill. Even so, Kizmel had learned enough about Swordmasters' skills in the year she'd possessed them herself to know quite well just how much time and effort went into improving them. Only dedicated crafters ever advanced non-combat skills beyond what might be useful supporting themselves in the field.

A frontline clearer, completely mastering a skill such as Cooking—

Asuna's smile took on a teasing edge. "Did I mention I got an S-class ingredient this afternoon? Barbeque Boar, enough for everyone."

"Yes, please!"

Kizmel was not at all abashed at echoing her husband's eagerness, even with the laughs their tandem plea drew from the others. If there was one aspect of Swordmaster culture she'd embraced as superior to her own long before she ever learned the truth, it was the culinary arts.

How could she ever have thought Asuna foolish for mastering such a skill? Clearly, nothing was more important!

Later, Kirito was going to find out exactly when the cabana's little island had acquired a fire pit, and how his friends had put it there without him noticing for months. Then he was going to thank them for it, because he'd never realized just how much he needed barbequed boar in his life.

There was something strangely homey about it all. First watching Asuna bustle between the fire pit and the kitchen, somehow keeping track of both the boar outside and the side dishes she was making inside. Then gathering at the table outside with his friends, digging into the delicious dinner as night fell and a cool breeze softened the floor's notorious heat.

Now this is living, Kirito thought, ripping a chunk of boar off his fork with his teeth, as Philia and Rain regaled Asuna with their recent exploits. A nice adventure in the field during the day, and a good meal at night… too bad none of us can cook. This may be the best meal I've had in my life.

"You should've seen the look on Kizmel's face," Philia was saying, gesturing with a butter knife and grinning. "Squids are bad enough. Poisonous, amphibious squids? Oh, man, I thought she was going to kill everything all by herself!"

"Then we found out they could swim through sand, too," Rain put in, between bites of a slice of the bread Asuna had somehow found time to bake. "I don't think I've ever seen Kizmel look so outraged at the universe."

"Well, pardon me for thinking it unfair that such foul creatures should have such advantages," Kizmel said with a sniff. "And for the record," she added, jabbing her fork in the other girls' general direction, "it was Kayaba I was blaming. …Though yes, I suppose the universe bears its share of the blame for allowing his perversion to exist in the first place…."

Laughing, Asuna leaned across the table refill the elf girl's glass of moontear wine, helping herself to a bit more boar when she pulled back. "You guys run into the weirdest things, you know that? The only time I remember fighting squids at all was the labyrinth tower back on… what was it, the Thirty-Seventh Floor? I don't think I even saw any the first time I was here on the Fifty-First."

"Oh, you have no idea." Kizmel took a positively vicious bite. Seeming to take some of her irritation out on the meat, she was calmer when she'd swallowed. "We know Kayaba is watching us. I've long suspected he puts these in our path deliberately, as a personal challenge."

Kirito mostly stayed out of the discussion, content just to watch. It was strange, thinking about it, that he'd probably had more meals like this in the past two years than in the four or five—or more—before. With his father overseas so much of the time, his mother keeping long hours, and his estrangement from his sister, he honestly couldn't remember the last warm, happy dinner he'd had at the table with his family.

Glancing to the west, where stars could be seen in the gap between two floors of Aincrad, he couldn't help remembering a conversation he'd had with his team the first time they'd come to this sea. It's funny, that I had to come to Aincrad to really understand "family". When I get home… well, I don't know what that'll be like, after everything. But I'm going to make it up to them all.

And I'm going to take the time to do things like this. If there's one thing I've found besides friends and a new family here, it's how nice the outdoors can be. You just can't get this atmosphere sitting at a computer.

The world tilted for him, just a bit, at that thought. He was in a computer program, and thinking how nice a night it was outside. Somewhere along the line, his sense of reality had definitely shifted, in more ways than just the obvious.

"Kirito-kun?" Asuna's voice broke into his thoughts, and Kirito looked back at the table to find the others looking at him. "Are you all right?"

"Eh? Ah, yeah. Just… thinking." Setting down the fork he hadn't realized no longer had food on it, he sheepishly scratched his head. When that just got him even sharper looks, he gave up. "It's… well. Do you guys ever feel like… Aincrad is where you were born? Besides the obvious, I mean."

Kizmel gave him a smile bordering on a smirk at his quick clarification. The other girls looked more serious, though, with Asuna nodding soberly. "I know what you mean," she said quietly. Lifting one hand, lit by moonlight, her eyes ran across her fingers as if looking for something. "When I got here, I was amazed by how real everything looked, felt, smelled, but I could still tell it wasn't quite real."

"Two years on, though, you kinda forget the small stuff." Unusually serious, Philia traced a finger on the wood of the table. Rough, that was, but by now Kirito had to stop and look to notice the repeated patterns in the textures. "If I went back to the real world tonight, I think I'd find it… too real, I guess."

"And not just because of sensory input, either." With a couple of quick, practiced gestures, Rain drew a sword from the air. Kirito recognized it as the one she'd picked up in the Laughing Coffin crusade, from a Divine Dragon who'd died in it.

The blade hadn't been the best in her collection when she'd taken it. Since then, he knew, she'd spent a lot of materials and Cor improving it. She'd never said why, but it seemed to be a kind of symbol to her.

"In the real world," Rain continued softly, "I was… going nowhere with my life, really. Here—well, trying to push the clearing, to get everyone out? It's given me a purpose."

"We're not the same people we were two years ago." Asuna glanced out at the night sky, at the same stars Kirito had been watching. "The people we are now, we really were born here. Maybe that's why it feels so much longer than just two years." Her mouth tightened. "Some days, I don't think about the other world at all, you know? This one just… so much has happened here. More than I ever would have done on the other side."

Kirito wondered, not for the first time, exactly what his old partner's family situation was like. She'd never said, and he'd never asked. But the way she sometimes hinted Aincrad was better for her, he couldn't help but think she had problems.

Not that he was one to talk. Though his problems were self-inflicted—and it was more than just "some" days that he didn't think about the real world. The fact that he was married to an AI was probably part of it, but he knew full well there were other factors in his acclimatizing to Aincrad. The swords he wielded on a daily basis felt way too natural now.

"I don't think it's just us, either," he said aloud. "I asked Argo a month or so back, when I realized mapping was slowing down when there hasn't been anything really tricky the last few floors. The clearing group is down to around five hundred players."

Not that there'd ever been that high a proportion of players who went to the frontlines. Even now, most still huddled on the First Floor, trying to wait it out. At its height, though, Kirito knew there'd been at least twice as many Swordmasters pushing forward. With casualties having slowed after the first few months, he was sure attrition wasn't responsible for the decline.

"It is, I believe, a testament to the strength of humans," Kizmel said, entering the discussion for the first time. At the looks that comment got her, she gesturing broadly at the group, before pointing at the sword Rain was still holding. "Those who have left the front, I believe, have done so not out of fear, but rather the opposite: they've become so accustomed to this world, so skilled, that they no longer feel a pressing need to escape."

Huh. That… was an interesting perspective. She may be right, Kirito realized, gazing down at the table and the scattered leftovers as he thought it over. I know I don't worry about much of anything but boss fights anymore. Even PKers, well… I've got trump cards.

So… we're too comfortable now, aren't we? Feeling the bare skin of Kizmel's arm brush against his own, he swallowed. I know I am.

"Even so," Kizmel continued, gripping his hand in one of hers and resting the other on the table, "you—we—must keep going. As much as I love this world, I know it will not last forever. And even if it could, I've come to understand how limited it is. I want to see the possibilities of your world." She swept her gaze across the table. "Rain, Philia. Kirito. Don't forget what we spoke of, the first night we adventured on this floor. You all have people waiting for you."

Mom. Dad. Suguha. Kirito shivered, realizing that after two years, he had no idea what his sister would even look like. He'd come to enjoy Aincrad, and had long since decided it was better to look for the good in every day trapped than worry about the bad. Somehow, that had made it all too easy to forget time was still moving on the other side, too.

From the sudden somber looks on Rain and Philia's faces, he wasn't the only one abruptly reminded of that fact.

It was Asuna who broke the uncomfortable silence that had started to settle in. "In that case," she said, pushing to her feet, "how about I join you guys for a dungeon run tomorrow? I know, I know," she added quickly, smiling ruefully. "I'm supposed to be on vacation. Well, trust me: dungeon mapping with friends will be a vacation for me. Besides, the last time we did that was the Fifty-Seventh Floor. I'd kind of like to have an adventure with you guys that doesn't involve zombies!"

Deep in the night, the room lit only by starlight and the soft blue glow that kept safe areas in Aincrad from true darkness, Kizmel found herself unable to sleep. She should've had no trouble at all; though the bed she shared with Kirito was more cramped than usual, it was because Asuna was tucked in on her other side. Like old times, when the two humans had first become her friends. Having to be more modest than was her wont with her husband was a small price to pay for one night of pleasant nostalgia.

She should have been sleeping easily. Instead, she found herself looking out the window, at the few stars she'd been able to see in her life. Looking at the stars, listening to the soft breathing of her companions, and remembering the evening's conversation.

Someday, this world will pass away. When it does, the Swordmasters will return to their families. But I….

Kizmel's gaze drifted back inside, to the wall across from the bed. The long, cruciform sword Andvar had hung there ever since Kirito gained mastery of Elucidator, and since then her father's tall shield had joined it. The only physical reminders she had of her family now. The only proof she had that any of them had ever existed.

She was as sure as she could be, now, that she was real, and that Tilnel had been as well. Her father… even had she not been forced to fight his visage on the Fifty-Seventh Floor, dark thoughts lurked in her heart now. And my mother. Who was she, really? What was she? Like Tilnel, and myself? A mere automaton, like most of the Steel Castle's denizens? Or something else?

There was probably no way to know, at this late date. Usually, Kizmel tried not to think about it at all. Some nights, though, the reality was hard to ignore. She wondered if it was feelings such as hers that made Kirito so ambivalent about returning to his own world.

As if some trace of her thoughts had reached him, Kirito stirred against her side. "…Kizmel?" he murmured, his words barely a breath against her ear. "Can't sleep…?"

"It's nothing, love," she answered, keeping her own voice low in hopes of not waking Asuna. Lightly squeezing his hand beneath the sheet, she added, "Go back to sleep. You'd best be rested before we assay the labyrinth again."

A soft sound of disbelief, and his hand turned to intertwine his fingers with hers. "I could say the same to you," he said, his breath making her ear twitch. "Come on. It's not like you to lose sleep. What's wrong?"

Kizmel sighed. If it was so obvious her husband could tell when barely awake, she supposed there was no evading it. "I suppose I'm merely… feeling lonely," she whispered. "I realize I shouldn't, but when I stop to think, and realize I have no idea what my family even was… it's somehow worse than them merely being gone."

Kirito let out a long breath. Then he shifted, very carefully, sliding his arm under her and pulling her even closer than the cramped confines required. Suddenly they were face to face, his dark eyes meeting hers. "I know how you feel," he said. "I've been there, remember?"

So he had. Not, perhaps, as dramatically as she, but she doubted that had made it any easier. Family, as she understood it, was very important in her husband's homeland.

"When I see my family again," he said then, the arm around her shoulders coming up so he could stroke her hair, "I'm going to make things right. And they're going to be your family, too, Kizmel. They took me in. I promise they'll welcome you, too."

For all that Kirito was often obviously conflicted about leaving Aincrad, this time there was no doubt his voice at all. Even with the knowledge that they still had no idea how to take her to that world, in that moment Kizmel couldn't help but believe him.

Asuna shifted behind her, having either woken up or just unconsciously noticed the sudden gap, and hugged her from behind. That, perhaps, was an answer to her doubts of its own.

Those doubts remained, in the void that was her sense of family. But it was enough, Kizmel thought. For one night, she could take comfort that she was not alone in the present, and there was something waiting for her in the future.

Wordlessly cuddling closer to Kirito, one hand resting on Asuna's arm, Kizmel closed her eyes.

I wonder… what the family that brought him up might be like…?

October 18th, 2024

Getting ready for a day of clearing with Team Kirito was like a breath of fresh air, after so long running the KoB's efforts. Instead of a quick breakfast by herself at home, Asuna had leftovers of the previous night's meal in the company of three cheerful girls and one awkward loner. Instead of quickly gearing up and teleporting straight to Granzam to put together a team of Knights, they put on light clothing and climbed aboard the sailboat Black Cat, taking a leisurely trip to Ousetta Island.

There was, Asuna thought as they sailed to the Fifty-First Floor's hub, a much friendlier atmosphere with Team Kirito. Though they may not have been nearly as efficient as the KoB, they made up for it with high morale. Kuradeel was her most persistent annoyance lately, but she'd have been lying if she really found anyone in the KoB very sociable.

It did occur to her wonder, belatedly, exactly how they got Black Cat back to the cabana on days when they teleported straight home, and made a mental note to ask Kirito about it later.

Nearing Ousetta at about nine in the morning, they took turns going belowdecks to equip the armor they'd need up on the Seventy-Fourth Floor. The process of checking over gear also left Asuna with the question of exactly how many swords Rain had. The redhead cycled through at least five before they docked, and from the look of it she had more.

I know she has that sword-throwing skill, but does she really need that many? …Well, I guess they've all got their little tricks. That's how they keep ahead of the big guilds, even when half the time they're busy with sidequests.

All in all, Asuna had decided by the time they reached Ousetta's Teleport Plaza, it had the makings of a good day. If she was lucky, it'd be like the old days, when she and Kirito had been regular partners.

Materializing on the Seventy-Fourth Floor, moments before their frontline armor could start inflicting Heat damage in the Fifty-First's climate, Asuna took a deep breath. Even the air seemed a little fresher, less stifling. "Ahh… that's more like it."

Kamdet was one of the simpler towns in Aincrad. That didn't mean it didn't have its own flavor. Built low, its buildings all having a single floor, pretty much everything was brick, with terracotta roofing. Brick towers bracketed the only gate in its wall, with a distinctive trio of crosses mounted above the gate itself.

It was a small place, nestled among hills, and from what Asuna could tell no Swordmasters were using it for anything more than a staging area yet. But even if she had no interest in living there herself, as a staging area she thought it was a pretty nice place.

Turning on her heel to face the rest of the team, she smiled brightly. "Are we all ready to go?"

"Just about," Kirito said absently. He'd already brought up his menu, and seemed to be relying on Kizmel's guiding hand to make sure he didn't walk into anything. His attention was focused firmly on the map in front of him. "So… the labyrinth's about eighty percent mapped… if we're lucky, we might even stumble on the boss room today."

Asuna exchanged a quick look with Kizmel, the elf girl giving a rueful smile. The way he was walking, eyes on his map, he'd certainly be doing some stumbling without help. Not that I'm one to talk, she realized, only then noticing she'd started walking backward herself. Well, as long as we're more alert when we get to the labyrinth—

It was precisely because she was looking back that she saw another blue sphere appear in the Teleporter, beyond Philia and Rain. She almost turned away without a second thought—plenty of clearers would be just starting their day, after all—but at the last moment she caught sight of the newcomer's armor.

Before she had time to really process that, the voice that rang out removed any doubt as to identity. "There you are, Asuna-sama! Where have you been?"

That was enough to bring Kirito out of his single-minded focus, and brought his entire team to look back. "Who the—?"

No. Not today. Asuna's hands clenched into fists. "I am on vacation, Kuradeel," she said, struggling to keep her voice level. "As Commander Heathcliff ordered. Why are you here?"

"I know you're on vacation, Asuna-sama," Kuradeel replied, with exaggerated patience. "Which is why you shouldn't be here, either. And where were you last night? You never came home!"

…What? She stared at him, cold creeping into her veins.

"Okay, who is this guy, exactly?" Philia demanded, glancing between Kuradeel and Asuna. "And why does he sound like a creepy stalker?"

"This is Kuradeel," Asuna replied absently, staring at him. "My bodyguard. Whose duties do not include keeping track of my movements when he's off-duty, let alone when I am."

"Of course they do, Asuna-sama," Kuradeel retorted. Frowning like a disapproving parent, he stalked forward. "What kind of a bodyguard would I be if I didn't make sure you were safe at all times?" He shook his head, already reaching out as if to grab. "Now come, Asuna-sama, you shouldn't be taking chances when you're supposed to be resting—"

Asuna's hand went to the hilt of her rapier. Unnecessarily, she quickly found, as Kuradeel's progress was suddenly stopped short by two one-handed swords, a Swordbreaker, and a saber. Not to mention a shield, and four very stern glares.

"I believe Asuna's safety is currently our responsibility, Kuradeel," Kizmel told him, voice low and dangerously even. "I believe we'll also be sending a stern message to Guildmaster Heathcliff about the behavior of some of his Knights."

"Don't be ridiculous!" Kuradeel snapped, losing his veneer of politeness. "As if a group of ruffians such as you could possibly protect Asuna-sama—!"

"We'd probably do a better job than you," Kirito said flatly. From the look in his eyes, Asuna thought he was wishing he could threaten the man with the Baneblade.

Never a good sign, that. She knew pretty well he never used that sword as a bluff.

"He's right," Rain chimed in, eyes narrow. She idly twirled her sword in her hand, clearly sizing Kuradeel up. "I know I've never seen you around the frontlines…."

"Yeah. Can't imagine somebody like you keeps up with the level curve like a regular clearer." Philia's gaze was speculative—focused on the sword at Kuradeel's hip, Asuna realized. "Though I guess maybe you make up for it with quest EXP?"

Kuradeel flinched at that one, just a little. Which Asuna found interesting, though it did at least explain how his stats appeared adequate when his skills didn't seem to match up.

And we're drawing a crowd, she realized abruptly, noticing quite the gathering around the Teleport Plaza. Between other clearers arriving arriving for a day's mapping and grinding, and NPCs apparently acting on some atmospheric algorithm, Kamdet's center was starting to feel positively crowded.

Kuradeel seemed to notice it, too, and his face flushed angrily. "It doesn't matter anyway!" he snapped. "Asuna-sama is under orders to take a break, so she shouldn't even be here. If you ruffians will just get out of my way—"

All right, that's enough. Asuna forced herself to take a deep breath. Yes, it was creepy that her bodyguard was stalking her. Yes, it was infuriating that he was so condescending, and even more offensive that he was treating her friends that way. There were plenty of reasons for her to be angry, but losing her temper here wouldn't help anything. Though she did very much intend to have words with her guildmaster, when she returned to duty.

And this has gone on quite long enough.

"Kuradeel," she said, breaking into his incipient monologue. "I am on vacation. I do not need—or want—a bodyguard today. But if you're so sure of yourself…." With motions as precise as her anger-driven diction, she opened her menu, selected a submenu she'd rarely had cause to use, and tapped a few short commands.

More distant observers might've thought the notice that popped up in Kuradeel's face was a party invite. Asuna suspected the way Team Kirito abruptly moved out of the way probably got the truth across quite nicely. Not to mention the way Kuradeel's eyes went wide.

Honestly, she wasn't sure he'd go for it. With his infuriating mix of condescension and fawning sycophancy, it could've gone either way. A duel, with his own superior in the Knights of Blood? Either he'd feel the need to prove himself and accept, or be unwilling to risk the spectacle and withdraw. Whichever option he chose, though, it would work in her favor.

She could see, in the way his eyes darted from the Duel Request to her face, and to the now-murmuring crowd, the same thoughts going through Kuradeel's mind. The real question, she mused, was whether he really understood that the ultimate outcome would be the same regardless.

Finally, Kuradeel squared his shoulders. "If this is how it has to be, Asuna-sama, I will gladly prove my worth to you. You'll see you need no cadre of ruffians to defend you!" His finger stabbed down, pressing [Yes].

Asuna felt a corner of her mouth twitch, the other joining it when she saw Kirito wince. Finally.

"Seriously?" she heard someone in the crowd blurt, as a sixty-second countdown appeared in the air between them. "A duel between KoB members?"

"What the hell is going on here?"

"I dunno, but it's gonna be awesome! Look—that's Asuna the Flash herself! He's gotta be crazy, challenging her!"

She couldn't help but feel some morbid amusement at that, even as she drew Lambent Light. Clearly, random players knew her reputation better than her own bodyguard did. Yes, I'm definitely going to have to talk to the Commander later. My "bodyguard" should be smarter than this!

Sixty seconds to get ready. Once upon a time, Asuna would've been shaking like a leaf at this point, nauseated at the very thought of turning her blade on a fellow player. Even in a First-Strike duel, where a killing blow should be impossible. She would've been sick, and she wouldn't have the least idea what her opponent was going to do.

Today, Asuna only drew back her sword, in a position that could've easily led into one of at least three Sword Skills, and watched Kuradeel draw his own blade. A heavy, two-handed sword, ornate enough that he was obviously making a fair bit of Cor somehow. He at least had some idea what he was doing with it, too, raising it close to a pre-motion stance smoothly enough.

But he clearly hasn't fought players very much. Is that seriously an Avalanche he's going for?

She clung to the absurdity of the situation. She needed it, facing a player in a duel for the first time since the Laughing Coffin crusade. She focused on the details of Kuradeel's sword, and his stance, and as the timer counted down her gaze narrowed to a single point.

[Begin!]

"Forgive me, Asuna-sama!" Kuradeel shouted, bringing his sword the rest of the way up. The blade began to glow a bright blue, and he added, "I'll make this quick!"

That's my line.

It was a picture-perfect Avalanche, a heavy blow starting above the right shoulder and coming down like a boulder. Kuradeel got it moving before Asuna even got her rapier into final position—exactly as she'd planned.

The instant he was committed, Lambent Light twitched, assuming the angle for the basic thrust of a Linear. The simplest skill in the Rapier category—but in a First Strike duel, simple mattered more than power. All that mattered was getting in the first hit, and getting it in the right spot.

Blazing blinding white, Asuna's rapier blurred forward, carried by System Assist the two quick steps she took. It lanced up, ignoring Kuradeel's bulky body entirely, and met his sword just above the hilt.

Normally, when two Sword Skills met, the lesser would be blown back. A rapier's Linear should've been no match for a two-handed sword's Avalanche. But Asuna's aim had been precise, and instead of being blown away she continued right on past Kuradeel, even as a loud crack resounded.

Most of the blade of his sword went in a third direction, whirling off somewhere; she thought she heard a spectator yelp, and the corner of her vision caught someone hopping sideways.

She came out of the post-motion quickly, drawing herself up and turning to face her opponent. Kuradeel landed hard on one knee, staring in disbelief at what remained of his very fancy, clearly very expensive sword.

"Whoa…! They don't call her the Flash for nothing, do they? I-I didn't even see her move!"

"And the other guy's sword—did she do that in purpose? I've never seen a sword that big break that easy before!"

Slowly, Kuradeel rose to his feet. Just as slowly, he turned to face her, mouth opening. Asuna beat him to it, though. "Ornamented swords have a durability penalty, Kuradeel," she said calmly, much of her fury having bled out in the brief duel. "If you were a proper clearer, you'd know that." She paused, allowing him—and the audience—to fully understand that she had indeed done that quite deliberately. "I have no need of a 'bodyguard' who doesn't even know a proper sword when he sees one."

The hilt and broken-off blade chose that moment to finally shatter, blue polygons dispersing into the air. "Asuna-sama," Kuradeel began, "I—"

"You are relieved, Kuradeel," she told him flatly, and slid Lambent Light back in its scabbard. "Return to Granzam, and await another assignment. Good day."

For a long moment, she thought he was going to argue. After all, it was technically the Commander's own order that had given him his position. But the broken sword was damning evidence by itself, and Asuna suspected he realized none of the morning's events were going to look good if he pushed things.

After a long, long pause, Kuradeel bowed his head. Raising one hand, he brought up a menu, and sullenly made a selection.

[Kuradeel Concedes. Winner: Asuna!]

Without another word, he stalked past Asuna, past even the team he'd so easily denounced as "ruffians", and entered the teleporter. "Teleport: Granzam," he said, his voice almost too low to be heard.

Only when her erstwhile bodyguard had disappeared in a blue sphere did Asuna let out a breath, tension flowing out of her so fast she almost fell. Kirito and Kizmel were there to catch her arms, though, and subtly enough she didn't think the crowd noticed. "Are you okay, Asuna?" Kirito asked, voice pitched too low for the crowd to hear.

"I am now," she assured him, smiling at the two of them. "Thanks." She took a deep breath, let herself lean into them a moment longer, and pushed herself upright. "Now, then," she said briskly, "I do believe we've got a dungeon to map!"

Kirito could've easily gone through the forest between Kamdet and the labyrinth tower solo, if he'd had to. With Elucidator and two years' worth of Sword Skill practice, there wasn't much that would've taken him more than a couple of minutes. Though if pressed, he'd have admitted even he wouldn't have wanted to make the trip after dark.

Nastier mobs came out in the dark, on the Seventy-Fourth Floor. And it was a long trip between Kamdet and the tower.

With four other high-level Swordmasters, it was so easy they had the breathing space to chat along the way. Which he took full advantage of, as they slipped through the underbrush of the rough path. Giving Asuna a pointed look, he said, "Bodyguard?"

His old partner sighed, chestnut hair waving as she shook her head. "Commander Heathcliff assigned the leaders bodyguards after the Laughing Coffin crusade," she said. Giving the trees a quick, suspicious look, she added, "We know some of them got away. The Commander doesn't want anyone taking chances."

Well, Kirito couldn't completely brush that off. In the two months since the crusade, there'd been no sign of PoH, Tia, or any of the other LC members suspected to still be at large. With PoH, though, that didn't necessarily mean anything. He'd done subtle long before the open murders began.

Still. "Heathcliff thought you needed a bodyguard," he said, not hiding his disbelief. "And that guy was the one he picked?"

Asuna shrugged helplessly, her rapier catching on a low-hanging branch with the motion. "I know, I know. I didn't understand it either, honestly. But you know the Commander, he leaves most of the day-to-day stuff to me and the party leaders. It was one thing back when he recruited every new member personally; now, I guess he just assumed if he was KoB, Kuradeel was up to the job."

"Look out, guys!"

Philia's quick warning interrupted to the conversation, and kept it interrupted for a couple of minutes while they dealt with the distraction. Four Enraged Boars, who'd just happened to be roaming their neck of the woods; though they resembled the Barbeque Boar they'd had for dinner the previous night, these mobs were a lot more dangerous.

From what Kirito knew of real wild boars, Enraged Boars were a pretty good likeness. Big, easily angered, and mean once they were aggroed. Worse, they had the Deathblow passive skill, giving them a nasty tendency to try one last charge when their HP was depleted.

Technically, spears were considered the best weapons to deal with boar mobs in general. Team Kirito made do with their variety of swords, Kirito himself bouncing off a tree to get the air for a Storm Strike, and Rain flinging at least three blades in as many seconds. Philia hooked one of them under the chin with the back of her Swordbreaker in a move that made Kirito wince, while Kizmel fended off another with careful shield positioning and lightning-quick strikes with her saber.

Asuna managed just by being really fast, again reminding Kirito of how she got her moniker. Though how she got enough distance to pull of a Flashing Penetrator, he wasn't quite sure.

When the boars were all scattered to drifting polygons, and they were back on course for the dungeon, it was Kizmel's turn to give Asuna a Look. "I'm surprised, though," she said, as if the conversation hadn't been disrupted at all. "If Kuradeel is so… devoted to his duty, I would have expected to have seen him with you before."

Asuna let out an exasperated sigh, sliding Lambent Light away with more force than usual. "When was the last time you saw me when I was on duty, except for boss raids? Kuradeel wasn't this clingy when he was assigned. I mean, sure, he's always been trying to get me not to 'take unnecessary risks', but watching my home?" She shivered. "That's new."

"That's creepy, is what it is," Rain told her. She was keeping half an eye out for more mobs, while the rest of her attention was on checking her collection of swords after the skirmish.

"I won't disagree with you there, Rain." They were coming close to the dungeon by then, its entrance visible through the trees to their left. Asuna's gaze focused on that; Kirito thought she was trying not to think too hard about the morning's events. "Believe me, I'm going to have a talk with the Commander, when I return to Granzam…."

Kizmel's ears twitched, a moment before Kirito heard it himself. "Someone is already here," the elf girl breathed.

In just a second, they were diving into the tree line on the hill overlooking the final stretch of the path to the dungeon. Rain faded from view almost instantly, her maxed-out Hiding combining with her coat to leave her more or less invisible. Kizmel pulled Philia under her cloak at the same time; this time of day, it couldn't hide them on an open street, but it was more than sufficient in the bushes.

Kirito couldn't disappear quite as thoroughly. His coat was good enough to hide from the casual eye, though, and big enough for him to mostly pull Asuna under it, ignoring her stifled yelp of protest. He didn't wear it just as a fashion statement, after all.

His main focus, though, was on the path below. He knew the sound of clomping boots, and also knew there weren't any humanoid mobs in the area. Swordmasters, he thought, reflexively tensing. At least ten of them, from the sound of it. Is the KoB sending a team, since Asuna's supposed to be taking the day off…?

In moments, his question was answered, and he found himself blinking in surprise. Around the last bend in the trail came a full dozen Swordmasters, marching with a discipline he'd have expected more from elven mobs. More surprising was their matching garb: black armor, with face-covering helmets, over forest-green uniforms. Six of them had one-handed swords, while the remaining six carried short pikes. Topping it all off, they all carried shields with the image of a stylized castle.

He'd seen those outfits before, but had never expected to see them on the Seventy-Fourth Floor.

They were disciplined, but it didn't take Kirito long to determine they weren't exactly experienced clearers. They weren't even trying to be quiet, and not so much as glancing at the forest bordering the trail. If there'd been any sneaky mobs—or Swordmaster bandits—close to hand, this group wouldn't have noticed anything until the polygons started flying. If he hadn't known better, he'd honestly have thought they were NPCs.

And why so many of them? Outside of a raid, that many people just get in each other's way. Even so long off the frontlines, I'd have expected smarter from them.

Still in that precise, measured formation, they soon marched into the dark mouth of the dungeon. Before long, even the echoes of their noisy boots faded away.

Only when they were gone did Kirito and his team emerge from the trees. "Well, that's one rumor confirmed," Asuna remarked, taking a quick step away from Kirito's coat. "The last big guild meeting mentioned the Army was on the move again."

"What do you mean?" The last he'd heard, the Army—what had once been Kibaou's Aincrad Liberation Squad, before the losses against the Twenty-Fifth Floor boss prompted their merger with another guild—hadn't done much of anything in well over a year. Word was that they'd basically settled on the First Floor as a peacekeeping force of some kind, where it was much safer.

Kirito had dealt with them a few times since, but only when tossing orange players into the Black Iron Castle's dungeon. With the Army having more or less taken over the big fortification in the City of Beginnings, they were also the ones who acted as jailers. Which, he had to admit, they seemed to be pretty good at. At least, he'd never heard of Titan's Hand or the Laughing Coffin survivors escaping.

"It's mostly rumors, like I said," Asuna told him, shrugging. "The word is, though, they've been showing up on higher floors recently. Grinding, getting mats, that kind of thing. There's speculation they might be trying to get back into clearing."

"After all this time?" Kizmel shook her head, peering into the dungeon; Kirito wondered absently if her eyes were good enough to still see them. "Even the day I first gained Swordmaster privileges, I understood how difficult it is to 'catch up' when a Swordmaster falls behind. To push this far, this fast, seems… reckless."

"That's one way of putting it." Rain idly flipped through several swords, a habit she'd picked up in recent weeks as her collection grew. "No way to guess their levels, but that group didn't look up to the frontlines. Two full parties, seriously?"

"Maybe they're trying for the boss," Philia suggested. Her eyes were glowing green, leaving Kirito to wonder if she was looking for secret entrances. Given that this dungeon's main entrance looked like something out of an old adventure movie, he wouldn't have been surprised. "I mean, I remember hearing about this one group that took on a boss with just twelve people…."

Why does everyone always look at me like that? "It was twelve special people," Kirito said plaintively. "And I had beta knowledge to help. And it turned out the boss's mechanics would've made it harder to fight with a full raid. I don't know about you guys, but I haven't seen a boss like that since."

"Reconnaissance in force, perhaps," Kizmel said, though from the doubtful look on her face she wasn't convinced either. "Though usually, scouting an unfamiliar Floor Boss is done by more agile Swordmasters…. Perhaps they know something we do not?"

"Maybe," Asuna said doubtfully. She tossed her hair, and stepped to the hill's edge. "Well, I suppose that doesn't really matter to us today. Let's just stay out of their way." With a light hop, she dropped down to the path below, her stats easily absorbing such a short fall.

Kirito and his team followed after, and as they approached he took the time to really look at the dungeon. As with every labyrinth leading to another floor, it was a cylindrical tower of stone, in this case rising from a cliff. The entrance was set in the base of the cliff, in a shallow canyon; the area reminded him uncomfortably of part of the Fifty-Sixth Floor.

Closer, he realized now his earlier impression was right: the entrance was a dead ringer for a place he'd seen in a movie. If he remembered right, it was a real place, too. What was it called… Petra, I think? Somewhere in the Middle East? I bet Asuna would know.

He couldn't help feeling just a little chill. More and more, Aincrad was the only world he really thought about—and then there were moments like this, when he was forcibly reminded the Steel Castle was a construct, derived from imagination and re-purposed images of reality. There was a human puppeteer watching over it all, pulling invisible strings.

Kirito only realized he'd stopped when Kizmel's hand landed on his shoulder. "Something wrong, Kirito-kun?" she murmured in his ear.

The others had already disappeared into the dungeon, giving them a brief moment of privacy. "It's nothing," he said, reaching up to touch her fingers with his. To reassure himself that "constructed" didn't mean "fake". "I'm just wondering… where is Kayaba Akihiko, anyway?" He looked up at the sky—or rather, the mottled stone of the floor above, blocking out that sky.

Even now, two years later, Kirito still vividly remembered the underside of the Second Floor covered in red hexagons saying [Warning], and red oozing out between them like blood. He remembered the empty red robe Kayaba had used as his avatar, as he proclaimed what he'd then been convinced was a death sentence.

That was the last anyone had ever seen or heard of Kayaba Akihiko, in the death game Sword Art Online had become. His influence could be felt at times, when quest lines were too carefully constructed to be the work even of the incredibly advanced AI Cardinal. Kirito was sure Kayaba had intervened more than once in his adventures with Kizmel, in particular. Yet those subtle touches were the only sign he was still watching his creation, two years after launch.

Kizmel followed his gaze, and shifted just a little closer to him. "…Even knowing he is merely a man with machines," she mused, "I cannot help but envision him sitting in a tower somewhere, spying upon us all through arcane means. Clearly, he lacks the courage to watch from too close." When he lowered his gaze to look at her, there was a tiny smile on her face. "Or perhaps I should say, he has the wit. If he's as 'fair' as you believe, he must know he'd not be a match for thousands of angry Swordmasters."

"Heh. Guess you're right." Shaking off the memories, Kirito took her hand, and started off into the dungeon. "Still… I really have to wonder if he's really having that much fun, just watching…."

Maybe I really am getting too used to this place. Is a dungeon supposed to feel like a field trip?

Only after they'd been in the labyrinth tower for over an hour, steadily climbing from one floor to the next, did it occur to Kirito that it really was weird that Asuna considered the trip a vacation. Just because the five of them were able to shred any mob in the way did not mean the dungeon was a safe place to be.

Well. Wasn't safe for normal people, maybe. He wasn't going to ask Asuna what her level was, but all of his team were up over Level Ninety—around ten levels above what would be considered the minimum safe for clearing on the Seventy-Fourth Floor. One of them alone might have been at risk. In a party, there'd only be problems if they weren't paying attention.

Unless…. "Asuna," Kirito asked, just as his old partner finished breaking a skeletal Demonic Servant to pieces, "there aren't any paralyzing mobs here, are there?"

Caught in a crouching post-motion after her Star Splash, Asuna could only glance over her shoulder. "Not in this labyrinth," she said. A second's pause, after which she was able to straighten, she added, "You guys really haven't been here yet, have you?"

"We were kinda busy," Philia told her. She was scanning the walls with Searching; probably, Kirito thought, the only way they'd find any secrets here. The dungeon's walls were disorienting to normal vision, with their sparkling whirls and curves of gems. "We got the tip from Sahasra about a day into clearing the floor, before anybody got near the labyrinth."

After making sure that Demonic Servant really was the last mob in the area, they set off again down the curving hallway. By the map data Asuna had provided, they were on the top floor, and close to the last unexplored section. If all went well, the trip would be paying off soon.

As they walked further along, Rain harrumphed. "I knew that one was going to be bad news," she grumbled. "It always is with that guy."

"If he's anything like the sage Kirito-kun and I ran into on the Sixth Floor, I'm not surprised." Asuna glanced at Kirito, eyes narrow. "What does surprise me is that you didn't already know about the mobs here. You didn't even buy the info from Argo?"

"He sure didn't, Aa-chan! An' I'm wondering if there's a reason these guys have been outta sight for days! There somethin' I should know, Kii-bou?"

Kirito at least had the comfort that he wasn't the only one who nearly levitated into the corridor ceiling. The rest of his team looked just as surprised by the totally unexpected voice, whose source only revealed itself—herself—after giving them a collective heart attack.

With a chuckle, Argo the Rat stepped away from the wall ahead, where the sparkling wall had joined with her Hiding skill to make her even more invisible than usual. "Nyaha, you guys should see the looks on yer faces! C'mon, you really didn't expect to see Argo-nee-chan here?"

Melding out of the wall that way, still half-hidden by her hooded cloak, Kirito thought the mercenary girl looked more the part of the Cheshire Cat than a rat. Especially with the fanged grin that her painted-on whiskers complemented so well.

"No, Argo," Kizmel said after a pause—one Kirito was sure she would deny was intended to keep her voice from coming out at a higher pitch. "I don't believe any of us expected to see you here. Though perhaps we should have." Fully recovering her poise, the elf girl arched one eyebrow. "Were you also searching for the boss room, or lying in wait for us?"

"Yes," Argo replied simply, still grinning. Hands behind her head, she let out another nasally cackle. "C'mon, Kii-chan, you know the deal, ya want the answers, you pay the regular rate. Like, say, exactly what you guys have been doing lately—"

"We're not that curious, Argo," Rain interrupted, stalking on past the info broker. "And you're probably going to get info for free yourself, anyway. Unless you're going to tell us you're not going to follow?"

Kirito still wasn't sure what, exactly, Rain had against Argo. Not that he could exactly disagree with her this time, what with the Rat's deliberate surprise appearance—not to mention that he knew perfectly well how Argo would react if she got her teeth into what had happened the previous day.

Shaking his head, he joined the others in starting down the corridor again. "She's right, y'know," he said over his shoulder. He swept two fingers down mid-stride, opening up a particular submenu. "I know you, Argo. You can't possibly resist."

A brief pause. "Kii-bou, ya know me too well."

[Argo Has Joined the Party].

Silence reigned for the next few minutes, broken only by Argo exchanging whispers with Philia. Had it been anyone else, Kirito would've worried; with Philia, he thought it was safe to assume information about treasure hunting was being exchanged. That, he could live with.

Philia did her share of teasing, but she kept it in the family. More or less.

Even the whispering came to an abrupt halt down one last curve in the corridor. There, the hall straightened, growing wider; out of one wall, a shallow waterway spilled out onto the floor. The water was eerily bright, reflecting light from the walls. Or rather, the rows of pillars along each wall, each of them made of a glowing blue stone.

The engraved pictures on them were indistinct. Kirito was only able to make out enough detail to be creeped out, and had to forcibly remind himself they bore no resemblance to Fallen Elf artwork whatsoever.

More importantly, the hall came to an abrupt end with a pair of large, blue-gray doors, covered in more carvings.

"Well," Kizmel said, after they'd all wasted a full minute staring. Keeping sword and shield high, she gave the doors a wary look. "I believe we've found the boss room."

"Looks that way," Kirito agreed. Taking a slow step forward, he strained his ears for any surprises. He doubted there would be any, on this side of the boss room, but the soft whisper of the waterway made everything sound just a bit strange.

"Yep." Argo stayed right where she was—pointedly behind the rest of the party, he noticed. "So… you guys gonna take a look? Could prolly make good Cor just from the map data, but…."

Team Kirito's girls turned to look at him. He, in turn, looked quickly to Asuna, who looked back with a mix of annoyance and unease. "I am off-duty, guys," she said, in response to the silent question. Then she sighed, shoulders slumping. "Well, we've come this far. We might as well at least see what the boss looks like, right?"

Kirito let out a silent breath. That was what he'd been thinking, but it was always nice to have a more authoritative opinion. "Okay, then," he said, opening up his menu again. "Just to be safe, Teleport Crystals out. If anything goes wrong, we get clear, got it?"

A chorus of agreement, shimmers as everyone got out crystals, and then they were heading for the door.

There was really nothing about it that was any different from usual. Though the carvings looked positively demonic, that was nothing new. There was absolutely no reason for Kirito's hair to want to stand on end, especially when all they were going to do was look. It wasn't like they were going to try and fight the thing.

The fact that there's enough blank space left on the map for a big boss room doesn't mean anything at all. Right?

Doors meant to admit an entire raid group dwarfed a single party. They still opened easily enough, swinging inward as if someone was dutifully oiling the hinges on a regular basis. On the other side—darkness. As pure a dark as Kirito had ever seen in Aincrad.

At first.

Before he could even comment on the blackness beyond, a pair of blue-white torches suddenly flared up. Then two more, then a long sequence of them, marking out a path straight to the center of the room. At least twenty meters in, they stopped, in front of a single pillar of blue flame that reached for the ceiling.

It took Kirito's eyes a moment to adjust. Soon, he wished they hadn't at all.

A huge shape, roughly humanoid, at least four meters tall. Bulging muscles, dark blue skin, and a head like a goat's, topped with huge, curving horns. As his eyes got used to the odd lighting, he could see its lower body was also more like a goat than a man, and he felt a chill crawl up his spine.

He'd seen a lot of monster types in Aincrad. With the Steel Castle's sheer size, a Swordmaster was bound to run into just everything from real world myth and legend eventually. In all that time, though, nothing had given Kirito quite such a feeling of atavistic fear. Never before, in seventy-four floors, had he encountered anything that so purely resembled a literal demon.

Nervously, he looked above that horned head. Read the name, [The Gleam Eyes]. As it slowly turned to face his party, he quickly learned the name was literal: fiery blue eyes, gleaming in the dark, stared at them.

It saw Kirito. It saw his party. And with no more warning, flame erupted from its snout, and it let out a scream, the likes of which he hadn't heard since the last time he fought a Revenant. The scream was so loud it shook him, it shook the torches, it even shook the floor—and then The Gleam Eyes was in sudden motion, charging at them with blinding speed.

Turning as one and prudently retreating, totally not running in blind panic or screaming shrilly, Team Kirito fled, pursued by floor-shaking footsteps.

Author's Note:

Not much to say this time, I guess. First thing, for those who haven't yet heard? Sword Art Online: Progressive has been confirmed as getting an anime adaptation. Animated Kizmel, at last!

Ahem. This chapter more or less adapted episode 8 of the first anime season, with a bunch of details from the novels that the anime—in fairly typical fashion—left out. With, of course, Duet's spin on it. If nothing else, I think this made for a decent breather after last chapter's grimness?

The chapter title, for the record, is a musical term I dug up referencing the introduction before the first full bar of a piece of music. Seemed appropriate, since this one was mostly setup, with The Gleameyes only appearing at the very end.

For those waiting for an Oath of Rebellion update, that's next on the list. I ran out of the material I'd plotted in detail, so I needed to stop and plan ahead—one reason for the back-to-back Duet updates. Now that this is done, I'm going to take a few days to work out exactly where Rebellion is going next, and hopefully have that back on track soon.

I'm also going to be doing the basic outlining for a side project I've got in mind. (Which, yes, really will be a side project; I don't have enough material to adapt to turn it into anything like what Duet has become. So don't worry about it taking too much time from my big projects.) I won't spoil the nature of said project yet, but I will say I'm going to try to get everyone hooked on another unusual pairing.

Just as well that I'm pushing Rebellion next. Now I need to stop and figure out where Duet is going, because literally every canon event between The Gleameyes and The Skullreaper is either invalidated by Duet's pairing or pushed back to help fill out the Hollow Area arc after The Skullreaper. I don't want to just jump straight from one boss fight to the next, so… I've got some thinking to do.

Side note: last chapter's reviews officially made this my most-reviewed story ever, with nineteen fewer chapters than the previous holder of the title. Have I mentioned you guys are awesome?

Huh. Guess that about covers things this time. Hopefully this was at least a relaxing read, for all that it was mostly putting a slight spin on canon. 'Til next time, comrades. -Solid