SAO: in your time.
Hello welcome to another chapter and side project right now another SAO story about Kazuto time traveling back in time to stop as many deaths as possible… enjoy.
With that enjoy this new chapter.
Start chapter:
After the revelation that Argo had had a brush with death Dan stayed with Argo for a time until someone from her guild came to pick her up. He wouldn't leave Argo from her sight.
Argo however was cantatonic she was replaying the same thing in her head
The dossier Kirito drew up of PoH
Specially if encountered
If you encounter PoH and you are alone simply put just Run there Is no doubt that he's actually alone and most likely one or two of his enforcer's are with him. And will ambush and kill you easily. Teleport away.
Teleport away.
The entire time during the encounter her body and mind screamed at her to run.
Now she wish she had
'If he just turned around for one second he could have killed me… so why did he run?'
There was only one answer Argo could think of and it frightened her more
'He wanted her to follow him, He was luring her into a trap. And it nearly succeeded.'
'If it weren't for Dan I'd be dead.' Argo thought. As she finally looked up at him
"Dan seeing Argo move took a breath "oh good i was worried." Dan sighed in relief
'He's sweet, he stayed by me the entire time.' She thought.
"Argo?" A voice said Infront of them
Argo ad Dan looked over to see Kirito approaching well, The Black Swordsmen approaching Hood up and menacing eyes under the hood.
Dan stumbled "wait your."
Kirito didn't acknowledge him he just kept walking and knelt before Argo putting a comfortable hand on her shoulder
"Are you alright?"
Argo stuttered out a nod.
"Y-yeah yeah. It's just." Her head dipped for a second before she pulled her head up to show Kirito she was crying
"I had a run-in." She admitted showing her guild master how terrified she actually was.
Kirito nodded and stood up "then let's bring you home." He said as he turned to Dan
"Thank you for taking care of my wayward Guildmate." He said as he walked away with Argo holding his hand
The sign looking like a parent holding onto a child.
Dan wanted to say something but it felt off to say it now.
No he'll have another chance soon.
Kirito lead them to the base and lead Argo inside
Only once there did kirito take his hood off
Only once he knew they were safe.
Argo broke down upon seeing her leaders face
"K-Kirito I'm I'm so sorry!" She cried
Kirito watched her as he stepped forward
And pulled her into a hug.
"We take care of our own." Was all he said
This just made Argo cry harder.
Kirito looked around at the assembled guild and was grateful that everyone had allowed them space.
If he was younger he would have been embarrassed about this especially Infront of Asuna probably fearing that she'd mistake this for something romantic.
But after spending as much time together Kirito had matured. They didn't discuss it but having Yui allowed Kirito the ability to be a parent.
And right now that's what Argo needed,
Kirito took one look at Asuna who nodded and headed to the other room
It was then to everyone else's shock Kirito picked Argo up bridal style allowing the rat to nuzzle herself into the crook of her neck as Kirito made his way to the stairs to the private rooms
Those about to tease him found there words dying on their lips
Everyone gulped as they saw his face.
'You joke about this and I kill you, personally.' Was what his face read.
The group decided to not mess with that as Kirito walked up the stairs and put Argo in the bed before leaving shutting the door
He leined across the back of the door and slid down it.
His mind fell into a downward spiral
'So many people have been traumatized by Laughing Coffin, and so many more to go.' Kirito thought
However he found himself with the urge to fight harder as he made his way down to the others.
He found them muteably talking to each other.
Harry one was the first to notice him and elbowed his leader about his arrival
Klein looked up as most of the others turned to look at him.
Kirito sighed
"I think it's clearly obvious about what happened. So I won't hide it." Kirito said
"On the way back from extracting Argo's firends the code breaker Emily who has swore to use her skills to root out any problems with the guild should we come up with moles. Asuna noticed the group was being followed once they meet up with the Legends Braves. Everyone looked at the second enforcer guild in there ranks they each looked steadfast yet worried
"It turns out. They were being followed by PoH himself." Kirito admitted
Klein punched the table
"Damn it!" He hissed
"We're all to blame for this we don't know who was followed we should have done a better sweep." Orlando said
Kirito however shook his head "there's no one to blame for this." He said
He sighed "PoH is just that good. Along with the other two. By tomorrow I'll compile what I know about Johnny Black and XaXa and give everyone the dossier. I want you all to be caught up on the information and be able to recall it in seconds it may very well save your life." Kirito said
"Once we get grounded I'll be handing out Dossiers for individual targets you will be hunting, but that's long ways away. I don't think that'll happen until floor 10-12." Kirito said
Everyone blinked did he really expect it to take this long?
Kirito noticed the look on there faces and sighed "make no mistake we are playing the long game, PoH and Laughing Coffin are trying to cause as much damage as soon as possible. Spread as much chaos and panic,
All we need to do is outlast them and they will get desperate.
"However that doesn't mean we can't not prepare for our position after Laughing Coffin is gone. He said
"The guild is the main opposition but we make up 3 clearer guilds we have tremendous power to change the clearers once we focus on that." He said
Agil you and your guild focus on getting us more funds I want the guild hall to be ready before the tenth floor.
Agil blinked
"But that's 3 floors away." He said
Kirito nodded "we don't have to have everything but I at least want a roof over our heads to take in refugee's." Kirito said
"You think L.C. Is going to ramp up attacks?" Orlando asked
"If they haven't already." Kirito nodded
"Lizbeth, Nezha, how far has your smithing going?" He asked
The smiths looked at each other
"I've got to level 45." Nezha said
"I'm about 10 levels above him." Liz said
Klein nodded "ok that's about in line with players here start, I think it's time they start making weapons for Agil and the others to sell. While the other works on making stuff for the guild hall." He said
"Wait hold on." Kirito said, making the others pause.
"Most guild halls require a lot of wood to make unless we get the stuff premade we're going to have a wood crafter to allow us to make the stuff we need for the walls." Kirito said
We can sell the stone and buy it premade." Agil said
Kirito nodded that was a solid idea.
"Ok well do that then."
They broke up the meeting as Asuna arrived with dinner.
They talked about happy things, how they were doing how training was, what was expected of the next floor,
They didn't descuss Laughing Coffin at all,
The next day Argo woke up and found Kirito sitting at the foot of her bed "hey Argo how are you doing?"
Argo sighed "better…" She said
Kirito nodded "I've trained Klein and his guild how to apprehend and hunt Laughing coffin but we still need you to go out and find them." He said
Argo nodded it was going to be hard but she knew that she had to. So she accepted.
Kirito nodded "thank you Argo feel free to rest up we are working on getting the guild hall set up." He said as he left her to allow her to have time to herself.
By midday Argo left to find more allies to individually track down Laughing Coffin and find out where they were.
She was fortunate to get the help that Kirito had some of the dossiers of low ranking members.
A guild on the low tier of the coffin conspiracy: a training mission for Argo.
They call themselves the Godhand.
4 members.
Viktor,
Seazya
Connor
And Uzebik.
Complete with dossier and last known location she felt confident that She could take them out they seemed very green for Laughing Coffin boasting about there kills in the open.
Acting like tough guys.
There guild being easily traced.
Definitely amateur's or L.C. Wannabes.
Well that would be there downfall as Argo would easily come and break them apart.
As she left to start doing that who else would she run into Than Dan.
Argo stumbled but played it cool
"Oh I Um hi Dan." Argo said looking away
"Oh hi Um fancy meeting you here." He said
"Yeah yeah it is. Um look it's good talking to you but I need to go."
However Dan grabbed her arm
"Hold on, why are you always in such a rush?" He asked her
"Well I got stuff to do." Argo said evading the question
"Well maybe I can help." Dan said
Argo scoffed dismissively hoping to anger him enough to possibly make him storm off 'I don't want to put him in danger.'
"I highly doubt you know anything about how to be an info broker." She said
Dan smirked "well I'm a fast learner, come on let me try what's the worst that can happen?" He asked her shrugging nonchalantly.
Argo huffed 'this guys gonna get killed. Or worst he'll get me killed.' Argo thought
'Damn it.' She swore as she sighed
"Fine but keep up I'm not slowing down to save your ass." She said as she ran off
Dan smiled at her fleeing form.
"Gottem," he said as he took off running after her.
They reached each other as Argo began to look around the corner's
And got a message from Kirito however it was received by Anonymous.
Her heart sank, this started as a training mission just got stakes.
Agents! Your mission today is by far the most important you have undertaken to date. As our Number One in the field, the Rat will be leading from the field.
Argo hummed unless Kirito was working behind the scenes she was the only group in the field which means either Kirito went behind her back and recruited another. Which she dismissed almost immediately
'Or he's trying to trick L.C. Into thinking there are more of us than there are.' Argo thought coming to that conclusion she found an attachment on the message as an encrypted item. She tapped it making it appear in her hands as a rolled up piece of paper and deleted the message.
She sighed and spun around startling Dan. She crouched low and unrolled the paper out.
"Okay, here's what we have. As you may have heard, there is suspected Laughing Coffin activity in this area."
Dan Choked blinking stunned thinking 'What the fuck did I get myself into?'
"My intel says that members of the Small Guild called The Godhand loyal to Laughing Coffin have acquired a high-level Item as well as Several Base locations and are holding it with the intel in this secure location. It's a small building complex in the middle of a clearing in the forest environment. South of here." Argo said dragging her finger out of the town and into the forest below.
"What does security look like?" Dan asked seriously getting fully on board with the mission.
"Unconfirmed reports say that a high ranking member of Laughing Coffin is on the way to retrieve the item and bring it back to them, they will not be alone." Argo said leaving the nondescript answer to speak for itself.
"That's a lot of security." Dan huffed not liking this more and more.
"We're up to it. Our job is to infiltrate the building, work our way to the place where the Sarcophagus is being held, and secure it." Argo said
Dan looked confused "The Sarcophagus?" He asked
"That is what we are calling the primary objective." Argo explained before sighing.
"But since this is a high-level asset, we need to access a key to open the room the Sarcophagus. Is being held." Argo said
"I'm guessing they don't keep that just taped to the side." Dan said
"I can pick the lock but it's going to take a bit and I'll be vulnerable." She explained
"Unfortunately time is against us. I've been informed that the Laughing coffin member is on his way now acting as both an inspector and a middleman as he goes from base to base between inspections. However the base he hits before this one is 50 minutes out, That's when we'll hit the facility." She said looking to Dan who was absorbing everything
"We need to acquire targets within minutes of each other. We fail that, the remaining target will enter lockdown and we miss our window. We will not have another chance at this." Argo said
"So that means two teams?" Dan asked
"Unfortunately no I highly doubt your stealth skill is high enough to not get caught I am but again I need someone who will watch my six and keep overwatch," Argo explained
"I will work infiltration on the Package's storage facility. Find intel and create as much chaos as possible before I leave." Argo said
"How are we getting there?"
"Transport will be two lightly-equipped Horses we get before we leave town. rigged for fast running only." Argo said
You will act as recon for me, and once I enter the building, you will move in to attack the target giving me breathing room.
Dan nodded "Got it." He said before a question popped into his head
"What about friendly assets?" He asked
"They will not be accompanying us on this mission." Argo said
You job should be simple. Make noise and don't die and if you run into The laughing coffin member delay him as long as possible. I have more of a challenge. Mainly if the Sarcophagus is an unknown." Argo huffed
Dan looked at her "How unknown are we talking?" He asked
Argo felt a migraine coming "Unknown in that we don't know its size, or its weight, or its dimensions. We just know it will have these markings somewhere on the exterior. Of the room"
Argo flipped a sheet over to reveal the symbol which looked like a Blocky 8 with a line going down the middle bisecting it.
"I saw those same markings in the city here."
Argo nodded "Correct. The group has ties to the city here as well, the primary objective. Was held here before but they moved it." Argo said
Dan looked at Argo "Do we know who did it?"
"Yes, we know." Argo said leaving it at that.
"We have a job to do. Let's do it right and come home safe." Argo said as she picked up the stuff
Dan nodded
They made their way to the south of the city where they paid for the fastest horses they could before riding off.
In the apartment Kirito looked out the window intuitively as the Sun began to set soon Asuna came in looking at her messages.
"Our operatives are in position, Love." She said
Kirito looked over his shoulder and nodded his face ridged "Good. Send them in."
Asuna nods and taps out a message but hold's before sending it.
She looked up at him "If I may say. My reports indicate that this might not be the best team for the job. Adding a new member so soon and Argo is-."
Kirito turned to her "The system will determine what's best, Asuna. This mission will determine who to trust. Send them in." He repeated
Asuna sighed sending the message as Kirito looked back out the window Asuna standing by his side putting a arm on his shoulder as they looked out the window together.
Kirito watched as two people in black hoods walked the street.
In the forest at night two people in black hoods were walking around the Complex complaining. As they walked under the canopy of leaves the forest had for them.
"Christ, is it dark or what?" One member said
The other using the codename Murphy gave a nondescript response "Uh huh."
The other using the codename Scully kept ranting "How dark do you think it is? It has to be at Pure Black out, right?"
Murphy sighed "Well, I can't see in front of me. So, yeah. Pure black." He said
Scully scoffed "Patrolling in the dark with no lights. Give me a fucking break. You know who doesn't have to patrol in the middle of the night, in the Dark?
Murphy muttered under his breath as he went about his patrol routine not really listening "I'm sure you'll tell me."
"Jenkins. I bet Jenkins is sleeping right now. Back in his rack, with his big fucking melonhead on a soft pillow." Scully ranted
Murphy tilted his head "Yeah, that's Jenkins."
Scully shook his head "You know I had research duty 8 weeks straight? 8 weeks man!"
Murphy sighed "Well lucky you."
Scully kept going "-And then I make one fucking comment about the CO to Jenkins."
"Uh huh that's great."
"-And the next thing you know I'm out on patrol." He said as he walked around to look for people.
Unknown to him Murphy is suddenly pulled up from his neck by a rope.
Scully keeps ranting unaware "-And then Jenkins gets my next terminal duty. And I get to walk around blind on my ass out here with... Murphy?" Scully asked as he turned around and noticed his partner is gone.
He looked around taking tentative steps forward he called out again
"Come on Murphy. Hey where are ya? Murph. Stop messing around Murph. Murph."
Scully pulls out his sword and looks for Murphy.
"Murph!" Scully said about to signal the general alarm when Scully got a private chat from Murphy.
Yeah, in here on your left. Thought I heard something.
Scully holsters his sword and walked over.
"Oh yeah? Whatcha hear, a ghost?" He said as he walked into another room.
Scully chuckles to himself and walks in the room. He steps inside and hears a shattering of glass. He looks up fractictly and sees Argo hanging from above. Knife in hand.
Murphy's knife.
"Yeah, I guess you could say something like that." She said
"What the-!" Scully yells as Argo falls on him stabbing him before he can send the message to others.
Stunned Scully lays face down in the dirt as Argo kept hitting him in the back before he shattered.
Argo looked around before sending an audio message to Dan "Hey we clear?"
On the canyon overlooking the Complex Dan laid probe looking over the complex with binoculars and tracking vision on to follow her in the dark.
"Yes Argo you're clear but watch your corners. This foliage is good for cover but it's playing hell with my thermals. And the distance isn't helping." He said
Argo looked around "What's the time?" She asked
Dan sighed "Don't worry about the time. Worry about the objective. Next patrol is in twenty seconds."
Argo sneered, "Heh, I'll be gone before that." She said as she snuck off
Dan tried to rein her in "Ok, slow it down Argo. Set your eyes to tracking mode." He said
Argo hops down onto a Laughing Coffin's back and stuns him before killing him
Argo looked around seeing the coast was clear and stood up "Nah, takes too long." She said
Dan wasn't having it "So does getting caught. Set your tracker." He argued
Argo forged ahead and enters a building containing many guards.
Dan growls "Argo! I don't have visual in there. I can't be your eyes if I can't see." He said in a message.
Argo was sneaking around, the complex "Just trust me Dan, I got this." She sent
She stealthly sneaks past the guards. With them unaware of her presence.
Argo stops as she waits for a group of Guards pass her,
"Argo, talk to me." Dan whispers
"Not right now Dan. I see the objective, going to initiate transfer." Argo said as she ran to the desk and started pulling out Fake files from her inventory and replacing them with the real ones.
Dan huffed "While it's loading, set your goddamn tracker. There's bound to be some…" Dan started before he went silent for a second.
Outside Dan was watching the Complex when he heard Laughing behind him
Dan was about to roll onto his back when he felt a Dagger at his throat.
(Play song: The joker, by: Steven miller band)
"Tell me how are you doing Morris?" The voice behind him said
Dan froze. The guy knew him. Not just knew him, he knew him IRL. Dan gulped
"Who are you?" He asked
"Oh you know who I am." The voice said before laughing
"PoH." Dan said
"Exactly now here's what your gonna do..." PoH said
Inside the Complex Argo was just about finished when he heard Dan speak to her again.
"Argo I've got something odd on thermal. Two small dots.
Argo was pulling out the last of the papers but she kept fumbling the last one "Come on, come on." She muttered
"ARGO! six!" Dan yelled warning her
Instantly Argo spun around and raised her throwing knife above her head ready to be thrown as she activated her skill but didn't release she see a Laughing Coffin member message open ready to be sent his hand hovering over the buttion.
Argo warning him "Don't even think about it."
After after a few seconds the member twitched his hand Causing Argo to throw the knife and stun him causing his hand to go limp
Right on the send button
"Aww shit. It's about to get loud." Argo hissed as she snapped the case shut and ran.
The body hits the alarm and it begins to blare.
Argo ran past several Laughing coffin members trying to cut her off as she tried to flee
Dan stood up, PoH long gone. "On my way!"
He jumps off the cliffface and slid down grabbing two soldier's arms holding daggers and making them cut themselves making them fall in a tangled mess together
"Well, so much for keeping quiet. Argo head South to meet for extraction." He said
Argo grunted as she threw several daggers stunning more laughing coffin members as she ran past them "Roger. Might need a minute."
Argo runs past three guards quickly executing them. With her claws She jumps off a platform and is soon cornered by three more coffin members. She lunged at them as they unfearingly runs forward, Argo strikes first kicking two backward and jabbing one in the head with a throwing knife. She grabs one of the remaining soldiers and yanks his leg sending him tumbling down before jabbing him stunned. She tosses him towards the other remaining soldier and kicks the soldier in face, smashing his head against a tree
Argo makes a rush South, then again, becomes surrounded, until Dan appears, lunging with a Rapier jabbing quickly. Before he finds himself disarmed he switches to a Short dagger and jabbed it several times right into a Assassins stomach.
Argo called to Dan "Daggers!"
Dan reached behind him and grabs a rolled up pouch of knives then tossses it to her.
"Catch!" He said before throwing it over his shoulder
Argo catches the pouch and uses it smash an assassins face in activating a sword skill to do it. Before she flicks the pouch open and starts drawing more knives
"Thanks!"
The two of them take cover as daggers starts landing around them.
Argo grit her teeth "Throwers! Top of that gatehouse!" Argo called out as they hid behind two trees
Dan peeked out and nodded "Switch on my mark. Sync?"
Argo nodded "Sync!"
Dan barked out "Mark!"
The two switch positions as Argo passed the pouch of daggers to Him while safe behind the building Argo grabs a limb body.
"Moving!" Argo calls as she uses the body as a makeshift shield to block the throwing knives
Dan calls out while throwing knives to pin down the assassins "Go go go!"
Dan calls to Argo "Watch your left!" He called saying he was coming up on her
Argo brave against the Gatehouse while Argo throws a few knives to knock out the guards
Dan called to argo "Get the door, I'll hold them off." Argo focuses completely on picking the lock as she hears a click
"We're good, let's move." She said as the door open
The two pass through the door and run to the open road, executing every assassin in their way.
"Switch! Move!" Dan called out as they switched positions with Argo vaulting over Dan to stab an guard
They reach the exit where they left there horses, and then notice the soldiers surrounding them.
Argo swore "Oh fuck me." She said as she sent a message
In front of me the Laughing coffin executive already with his hands on the item stood before them the item being wrapped up so they had no idea what it was
"Attention assholes, stand down you're surrounded. Give us the data back now!" The laughing coffin member said.
Back at the Base Kirito looks over to Asuna who just received a message.
"Situation is critical, sir. Should we do something?" She asked Kirito.
"Yes. Im going in." Kirito said as he made his way to the door while Asuna sent a message back saying that help was on the way.
Asuna nodded "Roger that good luck sir."
Kirito nodded "Activate failsafe."
Asuna nodded "Copy sir. Initiating beta protocol."
Cut to the Assassins surrounding Dan and Argo.
Dan scoffed as they looked totally screwed "Well, out of the frying pan and into the fire."
"Eh, think I can take about 50 of 'em. How 'bout you?" Argo said
"How 'bout you save your jokes until we get out of this?" Dan bit back
"Where the hell is extraction?!" Argo hissed
Above them the Laughing coffin member called to them with more standing behind him. They're all aiming there weapons at Dan and Argo.
"Attention assholes! Stand down, you're surrounded!"
In the background, a figure in black armor is seen edging their way into position.
The Laughing coffin member kept talking "Give us the data file now! You will be taken into custody! We can do this the easy way or the hard way! There is no escape, so give us the damn data file!"
The soldier in black leaps down and kicks the soldiers around them off there feet as they draw there swords. They then lunges and stab the Laughing coffin member away and uses the distraction to throw several smoke bombs at the ground.
"Get down!" Argo screamed
Argo grabs Dan and shields him with her body as the other platform is broken. The two then get up and look at the man attacking the Assassins.
"Son of a bitch." Argo said stunned
Dan looked confused "What's going on?"
"It's him." Argo said
Dan was stunned "What? What's he doing here?!"
From the smoke the man in black leaps out of the smoke backflips onto the area beside Argo and Dan. It's the Black Swordsmen
"Okay, my turn." He said as the Laughing coffin guard lunge at Kirito
Starting with a flourish spin Kirito slices up the first yo arrive before engaging another not bothering to check if he died.
He didn't need to he knew his blade was imbued with the poison.
Several seconds later the shattering of glass was heard confirming the fact.
He begins engaging the armed soldiers in hand-to-hand combat. While others panic. Argo and Dan go on the offensive.
Cut to an assassin looking for a Sword while the 3 run or flip around behind him, kicking, punching and shooting any assassin who gets in their way.
"Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. Oh, yes! A saber!" One moron said crawling around on the ground
Behind him another person walks up to him
"Uh, hey man."
"I'm saved!" The first guy said drawing the blade and cutting at open air.
"Uh, I hate to bother you but I think that's my sword you're holding." He said
Swinging randomly at the air "What the hell are you talking about? Just grab any rifle! Like look at that, there is seriously a pile of rifles…"
Urge other person started talking over him "No, that's my good luck sword. That's the one I sleep with every night."
"Are you kidding me, man-?!"
They both cry out as Argo kicks them to the ground. As the Crusaders fight, the Laughing Coffin member can be seen in the background getting back to his feet and grabbing a throwing knife and aiming it at Dan.
Argo looked over just in time "Dan, look out!"
She pushes him out of the way and gets stunned as the dagger buried itself in her chest making her limp.
"Gahhh!" Argo called as she hit the ground
Dan screamed for her "Argo. NO!"
Kirito looks back to see Dan cradling Argo and sees himself falling into deep rage.
He lets out a primal roar and lunges into the horde of assassins.
The laughing coffin member was stunned by the berserker state Kirito fell into "What the- !?"
Kirito lunges forward intent to kill however his attack is smacked aside by the assassin as he tried to counter but only earns a punch in the face. He collapses, the other's see the way the battle is turning and decides to leave grabbing there commander and the item and and fleeing.
Dan attempts to get up. Carrying Argo but he is walking slow.
"It's ok Argo, I got you, it's ok you'll be ok!" He said
Dan felt his legs collapse as he ran out of strength sending Argo to the ground rather painfully. Dan spins around and parries a strike just in time however they both know it's only a matter of time before there death. Dan reached for his Antadote potion while holding off attacks. both fire their weapons at the remaining soldiers.
"Come on Argo stay with me!" he commanded as he poured the drink down Argos throat
She coughed and looked at him
D-Dan…?" She asked
"We need to get us out of here, RIGHT NOW!" Dan said as he looked to hear the shattered of glass
Argo looked to see Kirito walking over to them.
"Hey Argo how are you doing?" He asked
Argo coughed "sorry sir…I only got the data, the item got away."
Kirito smiled "it's fine the important thing you got with you." He said
He stood up and tossed two teleport crystals to them.
"Come on, you two. We're leaving." He said as they vanished in a flash of blue light.
(Eoc)