Author's note:

Hello again,

Nothing really for me to say except I hope you enjoy the chapter :) It contains a scene that I had imagined the outline of since the time I wrote the first chapter. Actually getting to publish it, even if it changed slightly, still feels extremely rewarding.

Enjoy,

-asdf

Chapter 26: The Climb

Guild Headquarters:

"Stay safe…" Whispering to no one, Eina couldn't help but feel anxious. Her experience and extensive knowledge of adventurers should have soothed her nerves, comforted her that this 'expedition' Kirito had gone on was more symbolic than anything. They had more than enough power and skill to make it to the eighteenth floor. Further even, though they didn't have the experience to tackle the colossal tree labyrinth at this point.

Still, this is the dungeon. Eina had known more than a couple of adventurers who should have been completely safe. Quick trips to floors long cleared. Only to never come back. The slightest slip in attention or loss of focus could cause irreparable damage.

Nervous again at her spiralling thoughts, Eina's fingers tapped against her desk, barely seeing the work in front of her that she was supposed to be doing. Each document was supposed to be read thoroughly and then approved before it can be posted as a quest. It wasn't typically a job that Eina did, but as one of the most efficient guild workers, she typically found extra duties thrust upon her.

"Oh, worried about your boy?"

Sighing, Eina rubbed her eyes before turning to face her co-worker. The excitable Misha knew Eina far better than she liked at times. "He is an adventurer. Nothing more."

"Oh, I see. Are the harem rumours true?"

"Eep!" Eina squeaked, face flushing. She was quickly growing to hate that word. She still couldn't believe that the naïve boy she remembered was able to maintain a straight face while delivering his reasoning. Eina had been able to do nothing else except nod alone, not really understanding what was happening. That had been a sleepless night, stunned by Kirito's revelations, unsure about how she felt about it.

"Oh, so that's a yes!?" He pink-haired friend continued to prod.

"Yes!" Eina shot back. "The rumours are true. But now he is going into the dungeon, deeper than he's ever gone before."

"Hmm… So even after being rejected, you still care for him!"

"W-what are you talking about!?" Eina screeched back, drawing more than a couple looks and chuckles from the other people present. "He's just an adventurer I'm in charge of, that's all!"

"Hmm, well alright. Strange day for an expedition though. I'd have waited until Goliath is killed again."

"…What? Goliath doesn't spawn for another two days."

"Hmm, no, I don't think so. I received a memo to pass on that the initial reported date was two days late since the Riveria adventurers hadn't bothered to report it."

"…And!?"

"…And what?"

"Did you pass it on!?" Eina raged at her irresponsible friend.

"Of course! I… I mean… I-I'm pretty sure."

"Misha!" Eina groaned at the girl. "Many people live and plan around the goliath's spawn schedule. If it's off by two days…" Breaking off the guild lecture, Eina's heart skipped a beat as she realized the more immediate implications. "Kirito's heading for the eighteenth floor…"

Feet flying, Eina shot deeper into the guild. She'd need her superior's permission to order a mission to force one of the big familias to deal with the respawning floor boss.

Silica:

"Are you sure about this?" Hestia asked me nervously.

"Yes," I confirm, voice coming out far surer than I felt. "I got this ability for a reason. I know it will come in handy someday. Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but… It will."

Sighing back, I couldn't see Hestia's expression, but I could imagine it was extremely skeptical. "You got Hunter, it just seems like such a waste to pass on such a good ability…"

"Please respect my wishes goddess."

"You got it." Finishing the level up, I waited a few minutes more for Hestia to finish the transcription, lock my status, and get off.

Standing up, I pulled my shirt down and hesitantly took the sheet. I was now the same level as everyone. Strea, Kirito, Leafa, they had already reached this milestone. Now, I was here as well. It felt nice, but it was also strange. No more could I depend on them to save me or jump in and correct my mistakes. I had to stand beside them as equals.

I had always thought when I reached this point… I'd feel more prepared. Yet I still felt like an immature adventurer. Unable to read the situation or move as well as the others. Feeling slightly sick to my stomach, I took the sheet proferred by Hestia. Staring at the page's contents, a small smile rose to my lips, the joy of getting stronger combatting the rising responsibilities associated with it.

Silica

Level One → Level Two

Strength: C 624 → I 0 Defense: B 743 → I 0 Utility: B 792 → I 0 Agility: S 901 → I 0 Magic: I 0 → I 0

*New* Tamer: I

Magic:

*New* Fade Edge – Imbues the user's next attack with magical energy. Especially potent at cutting through armour.

Skills:

Dragon Trainer: Increases the user's ability to tame Dragon-type monsters.

My eyes were first drawn to the new magic that Hestia had informed me would become available upon leveling up. It seemed interesting. Thankfully, the chant was extremely short. It seemed likely that the spell's power wouldn't be quite as cool as Leafa's or Kirito's, but still, it was magic.

"Shouldn't you be getting ready?" Hestia asked. "The others will be leaving soon."

"Oh right!" Having forgotten about my party, there is little I can do but bow to Hestia and dash out of the room. Arriving at my own, I get there just as Leafa emerges from it, fully dressed for the dungeon. As usual, looking at her it was hard not to feel awe. While many of the other adventurers, like Kirito, had very barebones outfits, Leafa's oozed refinement. Beautiful steel gauntlets and greaves offset a forest green jerkin and was completed by a chest protector on top. The only slightly off part of her right now was her hair. It was currently stuck between short and long. The bangs held back with a hairpin, that if I was being honest, didn't really fit her.

All of which was secondary to what she was carrying on her back. A large pack, smaller than Lili's massive thing, but still large, sat there. A far bigger pack than she usually used. This was a supporter pack. It restricted a lot of motion to ensure that it sat properly on the shoulders and maximized capacity.

"I didn't realize…"

"Kirito just dropped them off," Leafa replied, wincing slightly.

Finding myself with no reply, I can only give her a sad smile. I remembered our inclusion in the raid being conditional, but still, being relegated to supporting the others felt super lame, even if we needed the larger bags to make it worthwhile. There were already far too many times in the dungeon where we simply had to leave money behind due to lack of room, or someone not wanting the extra weight wearing them down early in the day.

Meanwhile, everyday Lili and Bell came home late from the dungeon, the amount they made per person barely lower than my party's. I didn't have a solution for it, since I'd given up on becoming a supporter, but we were in desperate need of one.

Maybe Yui could…

Dismissing the thought, I slid past Leafa and into the room. Running around, I quickly threw my gear on. It had far less metal than hers. Most of it was a thick studded leather. Kirito had assured me that it was perfectly acceptable and had indeed stood up against the blows it had taken. Next, my knife went on, the sword and potion belt tying into place neatly, also helping to stop the jerkin from flapping. The skirt I'd worn in my early days was gone. They may be unfeminine, but pants were far more practical. Two pairs quickly went on, a thin, skin-tight cotton pair that I'd be embarrassed to be seen in. Overtop of those went the thicker leather set that provided some protection.

Standing in front of the mirror in the room we shared, I evaluated my appearance seriously. To my dismay, I still resembled a child playing dress-up. There was none of the refined adventurer that Leafa managed to pull off. The only slightly notable thing in my garb was the amulet hanging around my neck. The beautiful necklace an undeserved reward from an orb that I stumbled across on the days just before I became an adventure. Touching the wrought silver, the familiar warmth from the amulet does nothing to aid me today. Vision trailing up, I wiggle my cat ears, the action usually able to cheer me up, today though, I felt nothing looking at the brown-fur covered extra appendages wave. Even my tail, swaying back and forth as I commanded it to, did nothing to stoke my fallen pride.

"Maybe it's the pigtails…"

Sighing, I disregarded the chain of thought and picked up the large backpack. Even empty it kept its form due to the thick leather sides and molding. Yet as I pulled on it, I confirmed that it would be able to stretch to accommodate oddly shaped objects.

Throwing it on, I once again evaluated myself in the mirror. It was hard to not compare myself to Lili. Even though I had a good foot on the prum girl, carrying a backpack, I made a much better supporter than adventurer.

"Hey."

"Eep!" Squeaking at the interruption, I turned and found Kirito standing in the doorway. "W-what are you doing here?"

"Well… We are supposed to be leaving in five minutes or we'll be late…"

"F-five minutes!? I-I'm ready…" Giving my reflection one last sidelong look I walk to the entrance. "Umm…" Staring at Kirito, he hasn't moved from the entryway.

"I, uhh… talked to Leafa," Kirito said vaguely, a small wince touching his face. "I guess I wasn't clear enough about the role the two of you would be allowed to play in this expedition."

"No, no," I reply waving my hands, blushing from the embarrassment that I made Kirito think I was ungrateful about being allowed to come. "Being able to adventure with you… In any capacity is amazing!"

"Ha…" He replied scratching his head. "It's nice of you to say that, but one day for sure, I look forward to fighting side-by-side with you, alright?"

"Yes!" I confirm happily, my previous disappointment and shame vanishing. It almost scared me how quickly Kirito could cheer me up.

"Alright then! Let's go!" Reaching his hand out, Kirito rubbed my head lightly. The sensation lingered for awhile before it changed completely.

"A-ahh…" Breathing out, my knees felt weak at the stroking sensation rubbing my ears. "K-Kirito…"

"Huh? O-oh, umm… S-sorry Silica…"

"I-it's…" The word fine somehow didn't come out. Panting, I wanted to assure him that it was alright… however, I got the feeling I took it in a very different way then he meant the action. Feeling slightly sad despite the pleasurable sensation, I followed him awkwardly down the stairs to meet with the rest of the familia.

Kirito:

Walking along, my boots crunched upon the loose rock of the middle levels. The treacherous pathway was now so familiar that I didn't have to look down to maintain an easy balance. Beside me, another pair of boots thumps along. Glancing over at the tall figure, it's hard not to feel a little intimidated by Ouka's massive frame. The man resembles a perfect warrior, with a large, chiseled body; compared to him, I feel like a pretender. Yet, both of us are tasked with the same job, holding the front line.

It was a task I certainly wasn't thrilled about. The fact that none of our three familias had any serious tanks, or durable frontliners was turning into a serious nuisance. To be fair though, it was at least more interesting, and less stressful, than Strea's duty of pulling up the rear. That left Philia and Rain holding up the middle left side, while Mikoto and Chigusa managed the middle right. Our three supporters, Leafa, Silica, and surprisingly enough, Sachi, were protected in the middle of the formation.

I hadn't asked if she hit level two, or why they had brought her along. My interactions with the girl have been extremely limited since that fiasco in the dungeon where she had almost died. Only the timely reinforcements from Ganesha familia had brought the potions required to heal her.

"Grr…" Announcing their presence, a pair of fourteenth floor hellhounds stepped out of an adjacent corridor and glared at us.

"On it!" Without being ordered, Chigusa and Philia announced their decisions with a firm shout. Drawing my sword anyway, it proved unnecessary as an arrow and a throwing knife whipped past on either side of me and into the monsters. Both proved deadly as the hellhounds keeled over, unable to do anything.

Shooting Ouka a small smile, the big man shrugs back at me, our jobs taken from us. Advancing past the bodies, I have to struggle to stop myself from extracting the stones myself. It was on our supporters to divvy up drop items and make sure no one was over encumbered. It was a little rude to make the three girls in charge of such an important responsibility, on top of being forced to substitute and change out weapons for people. While I did feel bad for them, it was for a good reason. I needed to know exactly how beneficial it was to have a supporter. I had no ideas for one currently, but surely it should be possible to find an unaffiliated supporter if we need one.

"Almost to the fifteenth," Ouka noted. "Do we need a break?"

Looking around at everyone, I shrug in answer. "I don't think anyone needs a break." Raising my voice so that it is audible to all, I don't see any faces that need a rest. Nodding once to confirm the decision, I gesture toward the stairs. "Alright, to the fifteenth!"

With our column moving again, I was starting to feel more comfortable with everything. While I don't really know the Take-Mikazuchi members all that well, we had been through enough together that I didn't feel as awkward around them as I would with most strangers.

If only Ouka was slightly less impressive…

Knowing he should be a comforting presence instead, I try to focus on the current goal, the eighteenth floor. With how easy it was to get down here so far, I expected no major issues for the rest of the journey. The only thing that could really screw us up was the roof collapsing and dividing the party, or maybe massive monster parties.

As both of those things had happened last time already to us, we would hopefully be able to deal with it. Striding into the fifteenth, the light dimmed again. Still, with my enhanced status, I could easily pick up every detail within my immediate surroundings. No doubt Silica and Rain, with their species enhanced vision could sense even more.

Just as I thought about it, a small cracking sound reached my ears from further ahead. Stopping the column with a hand, I drew my blade. "Can you tell how many?" I ask generically.

"Still spawning," Silica replied immediately.

"Multiple hell hounds though," Rain confirmed. "I can probably get my magic off before they arrive."

"…Hmm," unsure, I didn't want to resort to such drastic measures. Especially when we have so many level twos, each of them capable of fighting multiple enemies.

"Oh oh!" Strea bounced up and down with excitement. "Let me go clean them up!"

Smiling wryly at the happy girl, her energy was always a bright light. Opening my mouth to agree with her, the poor girl hadn't gotten to draw her weapon yet today.

"Not good," Silica informed us, her nose sniffing slightly as she looked at the adjoining corridor we had passed. "They're behind us as well."

"We split the fight then," I decide, making a snap decision. "Mikoto and Chigusa, come forward and fight with Ouka and I. Rain and Philia fall back and aid Strea. Supporters…" Trailing off awkwardly, I realized I had no idea what a supporter was supposed to do in this scenario.

"Stand here and do nothing?" Leafa snapped, clearly upset with her role.

While the criticism hurt, she was fulfilling a needed role within our party. "Leafa, prepare your magic, Silica and Sachi, protect her. Change out weapons if needed."

Leaving it there, I turn back to front just as the first monsters whip around the corner. A pack of four hellhounds outpacing everything else coming. Stepping up to the right two, I swung my blade in a long arc, timing it to catch two of them. Ouka used his great axe to mirror my actions on the other side, his larger weapon making the action far easier. Unable to kill either of them, I stopped the forward charge, which was my job, and step back.

Filling in the gap instantly was Mikoto. One blazing flash swing from her katana, one dead monster. Stepping forward again, I blocked the lunging fangs from grabbing her and stepped back again. Another slash, another death.

Now free to glance over at the other two, I see that they've dealt with the two hellhounds just as easily. Ouka's big axe destroying one of the stones while Chigusa buried a knife into the other one.

"Good job everyone."

"You as well," Mikoto replied. "Despite having never fought side-by-side before, we anticipated each others moves well."

Haha… yeah," Laughing awkwardly, I wasn't sure how to deal with the formal, yet complimentary answer. "Let's keep it up."

"We will have to," Ouka booms, his eyes focused on the distance. "We have a lot coming."

Nodding, I could hear combat being entered behind me. Forcing myself to stare forward, I'd need my attention here as monsters fill the corridor.

Asuna:

"Get back!" Roaring at Lind, I try to stop him from overextending, my mind running a mile a minute in the meantime while everything began to descend into chaos. The sixteenth floor was filled with howls, cries of pain, and roars of anger. It was hard to talk over the noise.

Surrounded by monsters, my party was getting shoved back against a wall. Forming a semicircle, we tried to protect the two injured members. Both of them were extras given to us by the higher-ups as a safety mechanism to stop exactly this from happening. Inevitably though, it was those two that got overconfident and were injured by a trap monster while joking around.

A half-dwarf and a cat-person. They certainly made an odd couple. Linzel, the half-dwarf was a woman that used a rapier like me and appeared to be focused on agility despite not being a particularly fast species. Completely counter to her, Groln wore heavy armour and focused on defense with his large shield. Without a helmet though, his armour did little to stop the rock from knocking him out.

"Hyah!" Lunging forward, I catch a hellhound with my rapier and retreat quickly. Just getting out before a liger fang's claws pass through that space.

"You should cast," Lind suggests tight-lipped. "There are too many to fight through."

Biting my lip, I hate to agree with him, but the situation is not favourable. To encounter this much resistance so early is also surely a bad sign. I've heard that there are level three adventurers who are entrusted to go to the eighteenth and back on their own. There's no way we should get overwhelmed this easily.

"Groagh!" Fed up with waiting, a pair on minotaurs begin beating on the right side of our formation. Shields crunching under the stinging impact. Wincing in sympathy for my party members, I nod in agreement to Lind.

Drawing my staff, I keep my rapier in my right hand and begin casting. The spell will certainly be weaker with this stance, but it provides me with more versatility. Verses falling from my mouth, I can barely remember the struggle I used to have with just getting the spell off.

With everybody already encumbered with monsters, no one could rotate to cover more ground. Therefore, with me gone, Lind was left to cover both his and my positions.

Once again, I was left with that useless feeling. It felt humiliating relying on people to protect me just so that I could use magic. This is the where a mage is supposed to be, backing up her party. And yet, I want more. I want to be able to fight beside them and use magic.

"Grr…" Growling at the monsters, Lind deftly deflects a Liger fang's lunge. Drawing back his weapon, he hit it with a short chop, injuring it slightly as he remained huddled in a defensive posture, not wanting to overextend.

"RAWRG!" Howling at the injury, the beast used its available space to tense up, its powerful hindlegs tensing as Lind could do nothing but watch as the beast prepared to maul him.

Lifting his shield in answer, Lind deftly caught the beast's claws. Staggering under the weight, he planted his sword into the beast's midsection, killing it. Off balance, he collapsed to one knee, the corpse sliding to the ground beside him. Unseen, a second Liger fang pounced over its fallen comrade, claws aimed at Lind's exposed face.

"!" Reacting instinctively, I dash forward myself, rapier extended. Catching the creature in the side, its lunge is interrupted as I knock it to the side; my rapier ripped from my hand as it rolls along the ground.

Nervously retreating a couple of steps, I search anxiously for that magical thread. Finding it, I breath a sigh of relief that the action hadn't destroyed the spell. Diving into the final verse, there's only a few more lines as Lind picks himself off the ground.

"Vannforlengelse!" Angrily pouring more energy into the spell, I form a wall of water weapons around my party. Gesturing imperiously with my staff, the water turns the monsters into clouds of blood that quickly fade into ash, even that washed away by the water before it too fades.

"Oh my god, you can do concurrent casting!?"

"No wonder Loki dotes on her so much," Groln gasps in pain, recovering slowly.

Turning back around, I glare at the two of them. "First of all, I shouldn't have had to try it if you two hadn't been goofing off! Second of all, I hope this has shown you that I am the leader of this party. Not you two! You will obey my orders."

Standing over them, I glared down at them hoping I sounded like a leader and not a whiny little girl. Hiding my anxiety and racing heart, I watched as they slowly nodded their acceptance, the long-time adventurers looking abashed.

Nodding sharply at them, I glance over their injuries. The potions they have applied were beginning to do their work, sewing up the worst of the injuries. Forcing them to do a couple of stretches and a thorough inspection, I decide that they are good enough. There is no point in wasting more resources, either my mind or more potions.

"Well then, let's keep going. The seventeenth floor is still ahead." Commanding them onward, I retrieve my rapier before personally leading the party forward.

Leafa:

Grr…

Growling mentally, my head kept swinging back and forth as the fight raged on two fronts. Magic prepared, I could feel the energy swirling within me, begging for release. Unfortunately, there was little I could do but wait to see which direction would need my support first.

"Amazing… How fast… Wow…"

With Sachi uttering to herself, I couldn't help but find her utterances annoying. Partly because of how true they were. I thought I had understood the difference in power and quantity of monsters on these floors versus the upper ones. However, even having ascended to level two a week ago, I was still left in awe of some of the moves they used. Especially the speed at which they executed them was intimidating. In particular, it was the Take Mikazuchi members that really astounded me. As adventurers of this world, their status grew far slower than mine, and as such, probably didn't have a status advantage over me at all. Yet I was confident that each one was more skilled than me.

"Leafa!" Kirito finally called. "If your magic is ready, we could use it."

"Coming!" I answer instantly.

"Leafa!" Comes Strea's lilting voice. "Could we get a spell over here?"

Freezing, I would have laughed if it wasn't such a dangerous situation. It was also an inevitable outcome that at least one of use should have seen coming. Both sides held on as long as possible to make sure they needed the magic. Now, they both did at the same time instead of trying to clear out one direction.

Staring at Kirito, his face told me he had heard Strea's demand. "Go, we will hold here. Sachi and Silica, any help will be appreciated."

"Y-yes!" The girls squeaked back in unison, dropping their heavy packs, and rushing forward.

Sending Kirito once last long glance, I prayed for his safety. Turning to where Strea was, the small movement began to upset the magical energy I held ready. Even fully prepared to cast, it wasn't easy to move with it. "Strea, fall back!"

"Got it!" Gesturing at Philia and Rain, the three level two adventurers easily cleared the space around them and retreated.

"Wind Blade!" Calling out the name of my magic, the air hardened into dozens of sharp edges and shot toward the monsters. Each one was barely visible with only a small difference in refractive properties and some small specs or magic energy flitting around them.

Crying out as a collective, the fifteenth-floor monsters fell as limbs and life were rent from them in one quick rush. Having long since gotten over the recoil at the gore, I impassively evaluated how much damage I'd done to them. After hitting level two I'd found that Hard Armoreds and Silverbacks were the only two upper floor monsters with a realistic chance of surviving my magic. Here though… I winced as a pair of liger fangs picked themselves back up. If even those could endure a hit, then no doubt it would still be largely ineffective on minotaurs without a direct blast.

As the three adventurers passed me, each one flashed me a thankful smile before rushing back into the fray against the few survivors, and injured beasts.

Giving them a nod of acknowledgement, I whirled back around to evaluate how the other fight was going. Looking over it, the battle appeared to have stalled out. For some reason, the monsters appeared to be reluctant to throw themselves on the adventurers. As such, they could do little to thin out the monsters' numbers without overextending themselves in the fairly wide corridor. Without thinking about it, or asking permission, I dove back into my chant.

My spell didn't take so much energy such that it was impractical for me to use it twice in such a short time. Part of me longed to use my other spell. To fly over their heads and dice the monsters from above. To show everyone the power that I had. To show them that I could fight alongside them as an equal.

Halfway through my chant, everything went wrong. Trying to support Chigusa with a spear, Sachi slipped on a lunge, the loose rock giving out beneath her feet, sending her tumbling to the ground.

"Sachi!" Came the twinned cries of Kirito and Ouka. Both men repelling the monsters baiting them to dive in front of her prone body. Crashing together with an ugly crunch, they splayed out on the ground stunned and unable to help.

"Hiyah!" Somehow keeping a clear head through it all, Mikoto dove forward, her katana little more than a blur as it cut down the nearest foes. Gaping at the level two adventurer, a strong sense of awe flowed through me at her deft moves, bereft of hesitation that saved her teammates.

Seeing the adventurers fall, the monsters forgot whatever was making them hesitate. With unbridled bloodlust and rage they dove forward seeking blood. The two dagger users Silica and Chigusa were quickly repelled, both of them giving ground rapidly under the assault.

Dashing back out of the melee, Ouka bore Sachi in his arms, the girl looking more embarrassed than injured. "Is your magic almost ready?"

Realizing that he is talking to me, I search quickly for that strand of power that connects me to my magic. Paling, I shake with trepidation. "I-I dropped it…"

Ouka doesn't say anything, I don't even get a sense of disappointment from him. As if he had expected this. That this is why Sachi and I were only supposed to be here as supporters.

Filled with shame, bow my head in defeat. After only a second, I sense him leave, back into the struggle, informing the others that no magic would be coming to aid their struggle.

Clenching my fist around the handle of my unused katana, I feel a new emotion bubble up, beginning to overpower the shame. A red anger, directed at myself this time. An anger that I expected they would want me there, fighting side by side with them. I needed to prove my usefulness, show them that they can trust me with their lives. Opening my mouth, I began a new song, a shorter one.

"I am the daughter of wind, protector of Sylvain.

"Let my blessed wings bear me to new heights."

Drawing my blade, I held it between my two hands. Expecting a rush of nerves at showing people my magic, I found myself strangely calm. That anger centering me and keeping me focused on my objective, proving my worth.

"Come final wind and blow through me forever. My name is Sylph!

"Lady of the Sky!"

Calling forth the power, I felt my body naturally get lighter, my previous state seeming almost slow in comparison. Kicking off the ground, I sailed easily over their heads, the week of practice giving me far greater control than my first bumbling attempt.

"Hyah!" Slashing down with my Katana, the blade was coated in a beautiful light green magical energy from my skill. The single strike downed the liger fang easily, pumping my wings to bring me up and out of reach of any further attacks.

Up and down.

Again and again, each swoop brought another kill.

The monsters never seemed to notice; their attention pressed squarely forward upon the adventurers they had seen. Smiling with the exhilaration of battle, I felt unstoppable, even with the fairly low ceiling, the seven or so metres were more than enough.

Confidence soaring, I targeted a group of four hellhounds at the back. Coming down with a massive horizontal swing, the attack instantly dealt with two of them, as the other two spun around confused. Kicking off the ground, I tumbled over their heads and landed on the other side.

Rotating, my faintly glowing blade killed a third. It was almost unfair. The monsters had such a two-dimensional approach to fighting that it was trivial for me to kill them.

You'll have to respect me now!

Wanting to keep going, I located a Liger fang and dashed toward it. Noticing me just in time, one of its paws blocked my slash. Abandoning the straightforward attack, I sent myself straight up, preparing to dive down and kill the unsuspecting monster.

"AHH!" Crying out, pain consumed me, radiating out from the center of my back. Collapsing back to the ground, I fell with no grace. Landing with a hard thud, my breath was forcefully ripped away as my vision spun around in circles. More pain that prevented thought.

Whimpering, I felt tears fall as my mind was consumed by the sensation coming from my back. A literal burning sensation as the scent of my seared flesh reached my nostrils. Writhing, I tried to crawl away, my hands uselessly pulling against the loose stones.

"Grr…" Twin growls surround me. The liger fang I was going for, and the fourth hell hound I forgot about. Some thought returning, I couldn't believe the elementary mistake I'd made. I'd gotten euphoric with a false sense of invincibility. The dungeon punished me for it.

My idiocy would cost me my life. "I'm so sorry… Onii-chan."

"GRAGH!" The demonic scream was practically inhuman. Finding the energy to look up, there he was. Kirito.

My precious Onii-chan.

A pure rage burned bright within his golden eyes, the slash a blur to my eyes, both monsters were eviscerated. Lowering my head again, another whimper escaped between my teeth as the pain threatened to send me into wails of pain.

"Ouch, just lay there…"

"Huh?" Muttering at the voice, I couldn't work up the energy to look up to see who was there.

"It's alright Leafa," they muttered again, the voice feminine. "We all thought you looked very cool."

Emitting a strained bark between clenched teeth, I focused on her words. It had to be Silica. No one else would compliment a person that almost got themselves killed.

"Ahh…" Moaning in relief, a cool sensation erased the fire in my back. Panting heavily, the sensation felt amazing as the heat was slowly washed away by a cooling aura. "Thank you…"

"No problem," Silica laughs lightly. "That looked like it hurt…"

Nodding slightly, I don't trust myself to talk about it. I could sense an encroaching fear of fire entering me. Firsthand knowledge of exactly how dangerous it could be.

"That's our only burn heal however…" Silica winced, "we borrowed it from Take Mikazuchi familia… It's really expensive."

Each statement burned the shame in a little more. I had in my stupidity forced a helping familia to use their only precious counter to burns. Now, we'd be left with nothing if something major came up.

Pushing myself up onto my knees, I tentatively reached back, feeling at the spot where the fire struck. Torn and tattered fabric met my fingers, a hole right where the center of the impact struck me. My wings would have been burned as well, perhaps adding to the pain and why it decreased slightly when my magic faded.

"You should rest for a little." Silica insisted, "the monsters have been cleared out now."

"No thanks to me…" I mutter.

"W-what are you talking about!?" Silica shouts back. "You were awesome! The way you were swooping in and out, killing them left and right! It was so cool!"

"Heh…" Closing my eyes, I felt some peace return. I really can always count on Silica to cheer me up. "Thank you for your kind…" Trailing off, I felt a presence behind me.

"That was risky."

"I-I just wanted to be helpful… Onii-chan."

"Silica, can you go help the others round up magic stones?"

"Y-yes!"

As Silica leaves, I clam up, waiting for the scolding. That little bit of peace that Silica brought to me fades as I feel his eyes upon me. Bowing my head, I almost wish for the pain back. An appropriate punishment for the issues I've caused him.

Waiting nervously, ten, then twenty seconds pass by with no words. No lecture about the importance of trust, or fulfilling the job assigned to you.

"That looks like it hurts."

"Huh?" Questioning, I start to turn my head then freeze, as a soft sensation strokes my exposed back. Shivering under it, I stare at nothing, as Kirito continues to touch my exposed skin.

"I know you don't want to be a supporter," he sighs. "But please Leafa… I thought I lost you."

"Huh?" Once again muttering in surprise, my back stiffened as I felt Kirito's arms wrap around me. His head leaning on my shoulder.

"One day, you'll surpass all of us here, I understand that, I really do. But don't kill yourself trying to get there."

"I won't… Onii-chan." Tilting my head back and to the side, I stared into his eyes from barely an inch away.

"Thank you, Sugu."

My exhilaration at hearing his nickname for me was only topped by the kiss moments later. Holding it for only a second, Kirito unwrapped his arms and stood up. Walking in front of me, he stuck his hand out, a slight smile on his lips.

"Also," Kirito continues, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "You look good blond."

Blushing under his gaze, I took his hand and stood up. "Thank you, Onii-chan. I'll do my best to support you for the rest of this expedition."

"I look forward to it." Ruffling my hair as he talked, I felt my heart beating hard in my chest. This was the brother I'd always known he could be.

Clenching my hand, I found a foreign object in it. Kirito must have slipped it in during the kiss. Gaping at the magic sword, I stare back up at Kirito but the boy is already walking away, no explanation given for why he was entrusting it to me.

Seventeenth Floor:

"Huh, that's strange."

"What's that?"

Walking through the final floor of the middle levels, the two adventurers were long time residents of Riveria. Having moved their residence there almost permanently, they spent their days making forays into the seventeenth floor or sometimes nineteenth to pay for their lifestyle. Having given up on getting stronger, the level two adventurers were content with their life as it was.

"The great wall of sorrows… It's finished."

"…You're right, I thought the goliath wasn't spawning for a couple more days."

"Oh well. Not our problem."

"True that brother! Drinks on you?"

"Hell no!"

Breaking down into laughter, the two finished crossing the room, a singular crack ringing through the wall behind them.

Asuna:

"Almost there!" Cheering on my party, my arms felt like lead and my voice was hoarse. The end of the seventeenth floor was in sight. It felt like every inch through this final half had been a struggle to claim. I thought my past two raids through this area had prepared me for the sheer number of monsters that guard this area. Now though, I was no longer a supporter but party leader and took on the brunt of the work each battle.

"What a slog…" Groln sighs, taking a second to wipe the sweat of his forehead as his shift on the front-line ends.

"Are you saying this level of monsters is unusual?" I ask quickly, picking up on the information.

"Well…"

"Not unusual," Linzel breaks in, the two of them forced to fight with the high number of encounters wearing down my party. "Just extremely concerning."

"How so?" I press, "do you have an explanation?"

"W-well," Linzel stutters slightly under the force of my question, "it's just that the usual reason…"

"Doesn't make sense," Groln agrees. "You see this exodus of this area when the Goliath is about to spawn. The monsters fear becoming thrall to its voice and peace out."

"Yupp! They nope out right quick."

Blinking at the strange idioms, I then frown as I process the more important information. Linzel is right, the reason doesn't work. There should be another two days until the goliath spawns.

"We press on," I decide, "the party needs rest, trying to climb to the surface in this condition won't work."

Neither of them reply, only sharing a long private look that I'm not a part of.

Heading forward once more, I try to bolster morale where it slips. Each member is beaten and bruised, their armour dented in dozens of places. A string of broken weapons following us here. "Lind, switch out."

Knowing my stubborn sub-commander wouldn't unless commanded, he reluctantly lets another member take his place so that he can drop back and talk to me.

"This seems to be the last, I'll cast my magic one last time to clear out the corridor."

"Got it," he replies, voice strong despite the wince and pain from his injuries. "Why did you tell me to switch out?"

"You put too much strain on yourself," I explain, all the while knowing that he knew every reason. "The men look to you as someone that fights side-by-side with them. I don't want them collapsing form trying to emulate you."

"…I'll try to be better."

"Good. Groln, Linzel, prepare to switch in for a final shift."

"…Yes."

Ignoring the less than enthusiastic response, I knew they disagreed with my decision. I didn't care though. They may outrank me in the familia, but here, I was in charge. We would also be in a far better position if they hadn't blundered.

Slamming my rapier back into its sheath, I hold my staff forward in an aggressive stance. Starting the too familiar chant, my shimmering blue magic circle radiated out from under my feet. Robes spread around me, I cast.

"Vannforlengelse!"

Crying out, the spell forms and shoots forward, eviscerating the monster column ahead. Holding my head, I feel the pain from my fifth or sixth use of the day. Once again, I put too much mind into it, the water wrecking havoc on the walls and ceiling in addition to the monsters.

"That appears to be all," Groln announces calmly, as if the day had proceeded exactly as he had expected it to. "The way to the eighteenth floor is clear."

I couldn't miss the sidelong glance he stole at me. Or the pursed lips on Linzel's face. I was confident both would have left by now if they weren't obligated to see this through.

"Oh man, the great wall of sorrows at last!"

"Did you hear Lind's descriptions of it? Gonna be awesome!"

Hearing the excited voices of my party members, I couldn't help but clam up. We had no choice but to go forward. The morale would plummet to irreversible levels if I ordered us to turn back after such a long slog through waves of monsters.

"Everybody," I announce silencing them and bringing their eyes to me. "Congratulations for getting this far. Every single one of you has shown admirable courage and proven your strength. When we get home, you can walk heads held high as a proud member of Loki familia…" Trailing off, I could tell the overly formal speech wasn't really working. Their expressions ranging from confusion to humour.

Taking only a second to not let attention drift too far, I tried again. "We are going to be pressing onto the eighteenth floor momentarily. Yes, we have cleared this most challenging hurdle, but the dungeon is tricky and may throw something else at us. So be wary." Visibly wincing this time, I wondered what was wrong with me. I was supposed to be more than their leader, I was their friend as well. Yet all my words came out as my mother's. No wonder they bring their problems to Lind who then has to ferry them to me.

Waving them on, I stride forward first myself. I won't let someone else face whatever danger may be ahead before me. The gradual downward slope from before becomes more extreme. A steep hill leading further and further down. The path, while somewhat familiar, was different from the ones that the raid group had taken. Then, with more people, and the second time carts of equipment, we'd utilized larger, less precipitous paths what were a little further out of the way.

With each step, I could feel the tension rising. I was sure of it now; the goliath was not two days away from spawning. Picking up the pace, my party fell in seamlessly with the faster speed. As the end of the tunnel approached the massive final room that served as the goliath's lair, I picked up speed again, almost sprinting down the sharp incline.

Throwing myself unto the flat ground, I stopped just inside the room and stared in horror at the great wall of sorrows. The wall was moments from shattering.

"Run!"

My scream was drowned out with a mighty crash. Like the tinkling of glass, the beautiful multicoloured wall shattered to reveal its seven-meter-tall owner. The boss of the middle floors. A monster Rex.

Goliath.

Craning back its head, it howled at the ceiling signifying the start of the battle.

Silica:

"Huh?" Stopping suddenly, my cat ears perked up. Since hitting level two, this day has been a confusing mix of strange and novel experiences. My ears started to pick up all sorts of sounds, things I never would have heard before. Thinking about Kirito's and Leafa's conversation still brought a blush to my cheeks. More than that though, I could almost hear the dungeon itself.

Like now, maybe I was imagining it all, but it seemed like a monster further in let out a great howl. It was frustrating how imprecise the knowledge was. All I knew was that I had been blind before now, and even still, I could sense how much better things were supposed to get. How much information there was if I could just access it!

"Silica?"

"Huh?" Glancing up at Kirito, I realized I'd fallen behind. For some reason he had switched places with Strea after the hard fight on the fifteenth floor. Now, on the seventeenth they still hadn't shifted back.

"Is everything alright?"

"Y-yes… well… maybe not," I admit after a moment's hesitation. Glancing at him out of the corner of my eye, it's comforting that his expression doesn't change. No fear, just a confidence in his ability to fix whatever my issue may be.

"So, what's wrong?" Kirito asks as I examine him.

Smiling slightly, I'm once again amazed at how easily Kirito makes me feel better. Even after my spike of jealously at how he doted on Leafa and ignored my efforts in the fight. "I don't really know…" I lead with, not wanting to make my feelings sound like the truth. "It's just that… My senses feel a lot sharper after hitting level two. It just took me awhile to realize that."

Kirito nodded in understanding. "It can be hard to adjust for awhile. It's happened to me a couple times, when my body's capabilities have improved too rapidly, I feel like my mind and body are slightly out of sync. It can be easy to miss how much potential you're really losing as you unconsciously hinder yourself."

"…" Stunned into silence for a moment, I let Kirito's words sink in. I'd never really heard of something like that before, but it made sense. I could easily run two, three times as fast here as I'd have been able to in the real world, or even just here before joining Hestia familia. The fact that my reflexes and mind can keep up with those speeds indicates that it has to grow as well. "I guess this is…similar. Only it's my hearing that's getting stronger."

"Okay…" Kirito says slowly, not following what I'm saying. "So… you… heard something?"

"W-well, maybe…" I say slowly, blushing from embarrassment. I should have heard something else by now if it was real. "I just… I thought that maybe… There was a monster that emitted a loud howl further in."

Staring at Kirito, I saw small signs of disbelieve. They quickly faded though behind a thinking face. "We've been talking for… probably a minute now," Kirito reasoned. "You heard this before we started talking, so about a hundred metres back, give or take. If we're heading in the direction of that howl, and haven't heard anything since, then you're claiming that you heard something at least half a kilometre away, maybe more."

Blushing deeper, my claim sounded even more ridiculous when Kirito framed it like that. It simply wasn't possible. I was probably still adjusting to these new senses. Getting delusions about being important due to my enhanced senses. "I-I'm sorry I brought it up… I just…"

"Minotaur!" Ouka's voice rang out form the front, signifying the presence of one of the strongest monsters to roam these floors. Tensing up, I dashed forward a little with Kirito so that we could see yet keep the formation intact.

From an adjoining tunnel, one of the creatures had burst out and was looking around. A few seconds later, a second followed it out. Sniffing the air, they quickly saw us. Eyes beginning to glow with bloodlust, they took one half step toward our waiting party and froze.

Their heads turned with forced stiffness down the tunnel we were heading down. Facing us again, they sent one last glare and took off. Sprinting toward the entrance to the eighteenth floor.

"Oh no…" Kirito's quiet words washed over our silent party. Every single person stunned into silence at the odd behaviour. "But… there's two more days… I checked."

"What do you mean two more days!?" Philia asked in a squeak, looking scared.

"The goliath," Kirito moaned, "it wasn't supposed to spawn yet."

"HROAGH!" As if mocking his words another howl ripped out of the tunnel. The sound was incredibly loud to me. Looking at the others though, they acted like it had barely been perceptible.

"Do we… return to the surface?" Ouka asked, making the logical assumption. Our party was in no way ready to face a monster rex.

"It's fighting someone though…" Kirito moaned making a pained face. "Can we really…"

Gasping, my eyes widened as the truth of Kirito's words rang true. The beast wouldn't meaninglessly call monsters to itself. Adventurers were stuck in a fight they probably didn't expect. That could have been us. If I had been quicker getting ready in the morning. If we hadn't paused so long in a room on the sixteenth floor, observing where a pair of adventurers appeared to fall victim to a trap. I hoped they had been saved by the lack of a body; the others had a less favourable outlook on the situation.

"People die every day in the dungeon," Ouka continued tonelessly. "It happens. We have no obligation to kill ourselves trying to save them."

"…You're right." Kirito mumbled, the words appearing to pain him.

"I think we should check the cavern," Rain added on. "We don't have to fight it, but if there are survivors, we can help them."

If I hadn't been staring at him, I would have missed the imperceptible shake of his head. As if he disagreed with something Rain had said but couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Rain is right."

"Huh?" Muttering to myself, Kirito's words are completely contradictory to his actions.

"I won't leave someone to die. If you want to return to the surface, now is the time. I'm going to see the eighteenth floor."

Gaping in awe as he passed me, my feet started moving on their own. It would probably be safer to run back up to the surface, but I couldn't. Where Kirito led, I followed.

To a person, everyone joined Kirito. Scanning them briefly, only really Ouka seemed to be upset about the decision. But he ran alongside us just as hard. The last few hundred metres disappeared in a few seconds. Feet pumping, the noises only increased in volume as the floor got steeper. Almost falling more than running, we descended into the chaos at a rapid pace.

Suddenly with no warning, we were there. My knees crying out in discomfort from the landing upon flat ground. Taking a step forward, I instantly discovered why Kirito shook his head at Rain's comment. There was no saving people from this. Even if the Goliath was too large to leave the chamber, the hordes of monsters weren't.

"Mikoto, are you willing to come with me?"

"HUH!?" Every single girl, myself included, gaped at Kirito's question.

"We need to distract the floor boss while people remove the adds. You're the fastest one here and I doubt my ability to do it alone."

"…It would be an honour," the girl agreed with a small bow after a second's hesitation.

"Then let's go. Everyone else… good luck." Holding my eyes for a brief second, I saw an unexpected emotion in his eyes. Behind the mild fear and love that he felt for so many people in this party… he was exhilarated.

Swallowing, I tried to remember the monsters as the two of them dashed off. Feeling bulky with my backpack on, I wasn't sure if I could, or should, drop it. It had some weapons still attached to it that people may want. Following the wall hesitantly, the whole room descended into chaos within seconds. The shouts of our party mixed with the yelling from the people already here. As Kirito and Mikoto disappeared into a sea of monsters, the party instantly began fracturing. Different people seeing different groups of monsters and attacking. Or maybe people in need of help.

In no time at all, everyone had split up, only Sachi and I left huddled against the wall. Even Leafa had run off somewhere, maybe following Kirito.

"W-what should we do?"

Blinking in confusion, I wanted to reply with that was my question. Sachi was the older one here, she should be telling me. Biting my lip, I contain my complaints and look around the room again. "W-we… need to get away from that tunnel. If monsters come out of it, we need some warning so that they don't catch us unprepared."

"R-right!" Sachi readily agreed.

Leading her in the direction that Philia had gone along the wall, I wondered if this was how Kirito or Leafa felt when leading their parties. Like they were making things up as they went along and just did what their gut told them to.

"S-so, what now?"

"W-well… Umm… Get ready to fight?" Replying awkwardly, I wasn't sure if that was the right decision. Yet this swirling storm of monsters, all centered around that gigantic thing in the center, could attack us anytime.

The goliath.

Once I focused on it for that brief second, I couldn't rip my eyes away. The hulking monstrosity dominated the chamber. Its very presence was a tangible thing. It felt like no one could fight that thing and emerge victorious. I was amazed that adventurers regularly killed it. More symbolism of keeping the path to the eighteenth floor open than an actual struggle. How terrifying.

"Silica!? Sachi!?"

Hearing my name getting shouted, I rip my eyes away and study the cacophony of sound, hoping to home in on the source.

"SILICA!?"

"Kirito!" I shout back jumping up and down and waving my arms.

"What's happening!?" Sachi asks confused, missing the call in the noise.

"Kirito is looking for us," I explain. Doing so, I frown in consternation. He was going to distract the goliath, wasn't he?

"There you two are." Skidding to a halt, Kirito has a panicked look in his eyes. "Mikoto needs a new weapon."

The Take Mikazuchi follower looks slightly abashed, throwing the hilt of her broken weapon on the ground. "After a couple of swings against that things hide it just… snapped."

Kirito growled in frustration, "hide? It's more like heavy plate coating its entire body. Those other two adventurers distracting it won't hold for much longer, we need to get back."

"Armour?" I mutter, missing everything Kirito mentions after. "K-Kirito… I think… I may be able to hurt it. Can I come with you?"

"I don't know what you're planning," Kirito replies, "but you are an adventurer. If you want to try and face that thing, that's your right."

"A-are you really going?" Sachi asked, slightly awe-struck as I dropped my pack to the ground.

Am I?

Stopping briefly to consider my actions, I wonder if I've lost my mind. It hasn't even been a minute since I thought about how terrifying the goliath was, how insurmountable a foe it is. This was, without a doubt, the stupidest thing I'd ever done in life. But…

"If I have even a chance of saving someone… I want to take it. Kirito taught me that." Giving the girl one last smile, I dash off after Kirito, ground disappearing under my feet. While I could tell Kirito wasn't running full speed, I still gained on him fairly easy. Out from under the weight of the backpack I felt like I could fly.

"Are you ready?" Kirito asks, as we quickly approach the floor boss. Like he said, the floor boss was fooling around with two adventurers, feeling absolutely no threat to its life. The rest of their party was surrounded by a group of monsters, so I didn't know who the unlucky souls were.

"Y-yes!" I reply, trying to be confident. Yet a stutter still gives away my unease. I've never used the magic before. I didn't get a chance to on the way down.

"I'll hit it first and draw its attention, you follow up with… whatever you're doing."

"Got it!" Managing not to stutter this time, my words were blown away by a gust of wind from Kirito. The speed I was so proud of that let me catch up was rendered meaningless as he took off, far outstripping anything I could come close to. It didn't seem possible for a level two to move that quickly.

Slowing down slightly, I didn't have to wait long for Kirito to draw its attention. His blade connected with it and… if I squinted, I thought I saw where it hit. A small streak of red on a gray background.

"Groah!" Roaring nonetheless, the goliath turned away from the relieved adventurers, one of them crumpling to the ground from a mixture of exhaustion and injuries. Each step the monster rex took was enormous and completely changed how the available targets of attack. Locking onto its left calf, I chant my ultra short spell.

"Bless my blade, keeper of sword skills!

"Fade Edge!"

Feeling the magical energy rush through me is exhilarating. It was akin to finally figuring out how to do something you could do along, yet something was holding you back. With that barrier removed, energy poured into my blade granting the steel dagger a casing of pulsating light blue energy.

Dashing toward my previously identified target, I held back slightly, scared of the feedback from striking a hard object. A slight fear that what happened to Mikoto's katana would repeat itself here.

Next to the floor boss, I could see more clearly the damage Kirito had dealt. While it had looked small against the beast's massive frame, the cut was fairly deep. On any other monster it would be a sizable gash inhibiting their ability to fight.

Swallowing nervously, I plunged my dagger forward, striking the skin several inches below Kirito's wound. "Huh?" Muttering in surprise, the resistance on my dagger was minimal. Sinking it in up to its hilt, I used the momentum on my run to tear it out a foot farther along.

"GROAGH!"

Stumbling under the roar, I almost lost my footing as the floor shook under the goliath's rage and pain. Locating me, the beast tried to step toward me, its fist cocked back for a punch. Placing its left foot, the beast buckled, pain overwhelming its senses as it stumbled back onto its left, unfortunately, it didn't fall."

"That was amazing Silica!" Kirito shouted enthusiastically. "I'll keep trying to distract it and you keep doing that!"

"Yes!" Answering Kirito, I prepared myself for a long fight. This thing wouldn't be going down any time soon.

Asuna:

"Move!" Roaring at my party, I swung my rapier like a madwoman. More monsters came every second, it felt like an unstoppable, unending horde. We had finished one challenging fight, only to get met with a second nigh impossible one. Everyone, including myself was absolutely exhausted. We would have died minutes ago if Groln and Liznel hadn't gone to bait the floor boss.

Leading them along the wall, we continued to inch closer to the eighteenth floor. If we could get inside one of the passages down, then we should be able to stem the monsters.

Darting forward, my rapier flashed, two stabs into a minotaur's arms, another two into its stomach. All during the time it took the beast to try and punch me. Ducking the blow, the injured monster moved slower, allowing me to line up a final, killing blow. Taking an extra half second longer to compose myself, I dove silently forward, the effort to cry out too much.

Hearing the reaffirming crack ring out, I bought us another foot of space. "Move!" Hearing my command, the party took a synchronized step to the right. I'd lost count of how many times we had done this, but from the slight visions of the chamber beyond I'd gotten, there were at least another fifty left before we reached the tunnels.

Currently, the only thing going right was that the Goliath was still not participating in killing us, and that other adventurers had shown up. Without them, I had little doubt that the monsters would have ground us into paste by now.

Lunging at the next monsters to try and close us in, my slow movement was ineffective against the agile hellhound. Taking a step back, its crimson eyes sparkled in delight as it opened its mouth. Flames licking its maw, there was little I could do to stop it. Trusting in my expensive battle robe, I ducked behind it, forcing myself to take the blast head on. Anything else would endanger my familia members behind me.

"Guh!" Forcefully exhaling, the force of the fire blast was stronger than I expected. Dropping the robe though, I lived. Easily too. Unable to inspect any potential damage to it, I dove forward at the beast once again.

With the monster stuck in its post breath state, I split it through the mouth. Failing to hit the magic stone, I kick the corpse away. "Move!"

Another small distance, another foe coming to attack me. The endless repetition was too much, we wouldn't make it.

"I'm so sorry… I killed you all…"

Reality hitting hard, I stumbled into the wall, eyes glazing over. The Liger fang that faced off from me stared at me warily, unsure if I was feinting. Chuckling weakly, I couldn't believe my hubris. How stupid I had been for pushing on. Both Groln and Liznel had told me. That pushing on was dangerous. We knew what was behind us, even if it would be extremely disappointing.

Ripping myself off the wall, my last vestiges of pride stopped me from simply dying. Having gotten fed up with my passiveness, the liger fang attacked, pouncing with large exaggerated motions. Dropping to the ground, I extended my rapier and let the beast impale itself on in it.

"Urgh," grunting I was pushed to the ground by the beast's weight before it broke into ash. Coughing, I pulled myself slowly to my feet. With the monster gone, that last vestige of strength I found in myself once again waned. Sword dipping, the point scrapped uselessly along the ground.

"Gragh!" Crying out in pain, one of my party members was blown out of the formation, colliding roughly with the wall. With one glance I knew he wouldn't be moving. He needed my magic or a hi-potion to heal that.

"So, this is how it ends…" I mutter to myself. "Dying to my bad decisions. How typical. Now all I need is Kirito to show up to save me again." Smiling wryly to myself, I walk over to take the fallen member's place.

Seeing the minotaur there, club in hand standing there, a vicious smile of joy on its face, pissed me off. "How dare you hurt my party in front of me…" Whispering at it, I doubt any of them actually reach the beast, or my party. Yet the creature takes a half-step back, as if intimidated by my presence.

"DIE!" Finding my voice again, I throw myself at the creature, my skill propelling my tired body forward. Meeting my charge with a swing of its club, I debate briefly trying to duck it, or stopping to let it pass. Instead, I throw myself faster, pushing myself past the creature's potential. My left shoulder erupts in pain from the club. Even a glancing blow dealing serious damage as I get inside its reach.

"Guh!" Gasping again, I cough violently as my blade finds the core of the minotaurs chest. Glancing down I find its second hand. Buried in my stomach before it turns to ash. Coughing again, I taste blood on my lips as it coats the ground in front of me in a light sprinkle. Staggering back a step, I fall to my knees.

Strangely, the path out is clear of monsters. It seems the newcomers are dealing with the back-up extremely well. Only this last wave still presses in on my beleaguered party. Through it, I catch a glimpse of the Goliath. Turning in circles, it howls in rage, struggling to catch the people dashing around it. And there… Leading it on its chase… A flapping black coat, red salamander wool lining the inside.

"Kirito…" Breathing out his name, I start laughing, only to turn into another coughing fit as my abused stomach forces more blood out.

"Asuna!?" Lind cries, just picking up on my situation.

"Asuna? Asuna!"

The rest of the party echoes his cry to my surprise. Each and every one of their voices filled with fear for me. It felt surprisingly… nice. Maybe they do see me as a friend. Smiling slightly, I use my rapier to haul myself back to my feet. It may not be much, but their words have provided me the energy to keep going. And Kirito…

He has given me the motivation to kill this thing.

Pulling out my staff from behind my back, I leave the monsters here to my party, I have a room to clear. With more adventurers here, I'll actually be able to do it.

Blood and coughs coating each word, I started my spell. Less of a song and more of a death hymn. The final rites for a soul. Now we would determine if that was monster or human.

Kirito:

"It can't be…" Missing my strike on the leg, my sword scraped uselessly against the hide's surface, unable to penetrate without hitting the proper angles.

Even as the beast raged though, Silica's attacks slowing it down considerably, it was pushed to the back of my mind. That had been Loki familia. Not just any Loki familia party, that was Asuna's. I didn't recognize the last two, but… It was her. Hurt and kneeling, barely alive but still fighting.

I thought I had gotten over those initial rush of emotions. That joy and desire I felt every time I saw her. I had thought I was happy with my life now. That the girls and me could continue forward, making a life for ourselves. Now though… I had to admit it.

"I love her…"

"What was that?" Silica panted, coming to a rest beside me as the Goliath roared again, frustration pulsating through every note of the extended sound.

"…Can you hold it on your own?" I ask her, completely unfairly.

Silica shakes her head in answer. Looking in her eyes, I instantly regret asking. I'm not sure how she's still moving. While I've gotten to rest a little, not being forced to move at full speed to dodge the slower blows; Silica has been forced to sprint solid while casting magic for well over a minute at this point.

"…I'll handle it alone. Go over there to those adventurers, help them defeat the monsters surrounding them and figure out what they need."

"I-I can still fight!" Silica rejects me, readying her knife once more as the Goliath finds us, ready to finish the two of us off.

"Go," I order her. "Please… I need you to save her…"

"…Alright." Nodding once, Silica took off rushing toward the beaten down Loki familia. Taking one last second to examine the room, I appreciate the work our party has done on the monsters. Giant swaths of creatures have been cleared out. All the while Loki familia, Asuna, has been whittling away at the party surrounding them.

Hand shaking slightly, I can't believe it's happening again. I had dreamed of this moment for so long. Of the day I got a rematch this creature and came out on the winning end. Standing here, with my life on the line, I began to doubt my ability. It had played with me last time and would be doing so now if Silica's magic hadn't pissed it off. Now, it would be searching for a quick kill.

Taking one deep breath, both of us moved at the same time. Darting forward, I sought after that space between its legs. The large beast struggled turning around, its top-heavy body needing extra precautions to ensure it didn't tumble over.

"Groah!" Predicting my action, the Goliath had seen me do it too many times. Taking its right fist, it slammed it into the ground, not even aiming for me.

Trying to run around it, I staggered and hit the ground as the monster rex's insane power sent a shockwave rippling through the ground. Picking myself quickly back up, I glared at the beast. "Shit!" Throwing myself to the ground once again, I barely dodge the follow-up stomp, chunks of rock flying up and cutting me.

A trickle of warm blood flows down beside my left eye. Trying to blink it away, the cut pulses again, sending even more blood into my vision. Forced to close my left eye, my vision was reduced by half as I began running again.

Even with the endurance, strength, and agility that I had built up these past months… It wasn't enough. My breaths were coming fast. My calves protested each and every action. Even my mind felt sluggish from the two times I'd been forced to use my skill today, even if they were for short intervals.

Almost getting hit by another punch, my body rolled until I slammed into the hard wall on the far edge of the room. Glancing up at my approaching murderer, we were the only two living beings within thirty metres. Everyone else had conglomerated at the far side, caught in a deadly scuffle between man and monster.

I'm still too weak.

The one thought echoing through my head, I laugh drily in response, pushing myself back to my feet as I prepare to face death. After a thousand years of adventurers, the dungeon still hadn't been cleared. I never really understood why until today. No matter how good you are, or how safe you play it, you can't win. One bad roll, one unlucky break and it was over. All of your work rendered meaningless.

"I'm so sorry… Everyone."

Whispering my last words, I stared up at the beast as it raised its right fist high in the air. The damage done by Silica was fading, the Goliath was moving faster now, more efficiently. It's level four potential was on display. I couldn't dodge it.

Refusing to close my last eye, I glared defiantly at the beast. Holding my sword aloft, I made sure it's last punch against me would hurt it as well.

"GROAH!" Howling in pain and anger, the Goliath stumbled as it struck, the fist missing me to my right by at least three metres.

Staring in confusion, there she was. "My guardian angel…" Floating midair, Leafa truly resembled one. With one last yellow twinkle, the blade in her hand crumbles away. "…and thank you, Liz." I had felt it yesterday when I received the blade, that she had saved someone with her gift. I guess that someone turned out to be me.

"Get out of there, Onii-chan!" Nodding back, I forced my tortured body back into motion. Jogging slowly away, I was forced to limp as my right leg refused to bend. Something happened to it when the goliath sent me careening into the wall. Despite my slow speed, the goliath didn't try and attack me. Rotating, it stared, almost disbelievingly at the one that had hurt it. Looking up at the monster rex, I could see the lines where the lightning had scorched it. No doubt the center of the blast had done serious damage.

"Watch out Leafa!" I call back to her, "it's after you."

Instead of a response, she just nodded, katana in front of her as she faced down the monster. Heart in my throat, my eyes bulged as I realized her plan. Preparing myself for death was nothing compared to this. I couldn't do anything. Leafa, my darling imouto, and now girlfriend, was preparing to fight a floor boss on her own. And there was absolutely nothing I could do.

Continuing to jog away, I needed to get her reinforcements. She had certainly seemed comfortable in the air, but it would be all too easy for the goliath to kill her. The slightest slip-up, the first mistake… Nothing would save her. She had no guardian angel.

"Vannforlengelse!"

Freezing at the name of Asuna's magic, I gaped open mouthed at it. Had it really only been a weak ago that I last saw her cast this? A wall of water sprung up mid-air, water forming into lines of long spears.

"Stop!" Crying out at her, I wasn't sure if she'd lost her mind. There was no way for her to not hit my party. People currently fighting those monsters that couldn't get out of its way.

My cry did nothing to change the inevitable as her water rushed forward. Staring in horror, I forced my left eye open through the blood, soaking in every detail as the water… Sailed right over the monsters.

With a terrifying rumble, the wall began to crumble. The thousands of tons of stone that separated us from the rest of the seventeenth floor began to shift and slide, collapsing the tunnels.

"She's stopped more monsters from coming…"

Reaching the conclusion, I smiled at the girl's brilliance. Hobbling faster now, she just assured the one thing I was trying to achieve. If it was only the Goliath, we could flee to the eighteenth. Beseech the adventurers in Riveria to aid us.

"Asuna!"

"…Kirito," came her weak answer as she lay panting on her knees, a puddle of blood surrounding her. Even on the brink of collapsing, she still lifted her head to meet my gaze as her party lay around her. Each one injured in different ways. Some maybe just exhausted and no longer able to stand. "Did… my magic work?"

"Yes," I assure her, falling to my knees in front of her. "You were amazing, you're going to save us!"

"Save?" Asuna muttered weakly, "hehe, no, you're the one who always saves me."

"Not this time," I assure her, shaking my head. "You saved my party, my family. Thank you."

She only replied with a weak smile. Despite what should have been good news, her eyes were filled with sorrow. "I don't have enough mind to heal my party. I'm glad… that at least you'll survive."

"W-what do you mean… no…" Breathing out, I realized the fantasy I'd created for myself was collapsing. Fleeing now would be to abandon Asuna and her party to death.

I can carry her out!

Irresponsible thought filling me, my arms shoot forward for a second before I stop myself. She can't die. Not Asuna. But I also can't abandon my family here to die. "Why… Why can't I save everyone?"

Asuna touches a hand to my cheek, stroking it softly. "I wish I had said yes… That I had gotten even a couple hours with you. To muster the courage to tell you the truth even once…"

"…Asuna."

"I love you Kirito." Leaning forward, she pressed her lips against mine slightly. Then, as if the action had taken the last of her mind, she collapsed against me. Her head falling to my chest, unconscious.

"…No."

Breathes coming faster, my world constricted to a single point. The half smile residing on Asuna's petite lips. Comforted by the fact that she got to tell me the truth before what she believed would be her death.

"NO!"

Screaming the word, it was ripped from my hoarse throat, tearing my vocal cords apart as it did so. Right hand quivering, my blade was still clenched tightly between my numb fingers.

I won't let it end like this.

Standing back up, I laid Asuna gently on the ground, her new staff sparkling brightly between her arms. Stroking her head once, I turned to glare at the beast.

Going back the way I came; the goliath was slowly pinning Leafa down. Each second, she moved a little slower, and the floor boss sped up. Drawing on its seemingly infinite reserve of strength to fuel its body and recover from the damage dealt.

In a pinch, there's a move that can kill any monster in one hit.

It was the first lesson Eina gave me. Even after I assured her I already knew it. She said she didn't care. Staring straight into my eyes, she repeated it so I'd never forget.

Every monster has a magic stone lurking roughly in the center of their chest. Hit it, and the monster will die.

That nearly impenetrable skin of the goliath and near on three feet of flesh protected the Goliath's stone. Even If I buried my blade to the hilt, it didn't guarantee a hit.

"Single target magic, huh?" Muttering the words to myself, even that was enough to hurt it again. Wincing slightly, I held my blade to the side and began casting. My ruined voice hating every second of it.

"Lord of the forest, king of trees,

"Conqueror of the ground, and Herald of the skies."

"Let loose once more your power unto the world.

"Let my body be your roots, my blade your sprout."

As the magical energy flowed within me, the battle shifted. Leafa got baited too close to a wall, an errant punch pelleting her with rock shards. Like a knife through hot butter, I winced as she screamed in pain, the rocks shredding her wings. Magic fading, her hair flickered between the mystical golden-yellow and her natural black. Falling like a stone, she hit the ground hard and didn't rise.

"Misjudged and mistreated, Lonely and in search of friends.

"I know your pain of isolation; I know your desperate search."

Sensing the magical energy within me, the Goliath turned toward me, howling in fear as it did so. Completely forgetting about my fallen sister, it began to run, its lopsided frame moving far faster than it looked like it should be able to.

"Absorber of light, Piercer of the skies, enter my blade and extend. Reach the limit and penetrate, break the rules and reforge destiny."

Running out of time, the goliath was right in front of me. Growling at it, I dug deep inside myself. Pulling forth the impossible, I prayed for a miracle.

Leaping off my left leg, I sprang backward, completing an entire rotation in midair with skill enhanced strength. Landing roughly, I searched for that thread of magic. Finding it, I unleashed a sadistic smile upon the goliath and continued the chant.

"I call you here now by name, great guard of the north. Enhance Armament!"

Jumping off the ground, I threw myself toward the Goliath's chest as it started its follow up punch, my blade and its fist destined to meet in mid-air. Pouring all of my anger, all my rage into the sword, and most importantly, the love I'd found, I sent it forward with a roar.

"Gigas Cedar!"

The black tree exploded from the tip of my sword. Almost a foot in diameter, the spear leaked black energy as it flew toward the monster rex. Colliding with its fist, a small sucking noise was all the indication of resistance it gave before it blew the appendage away. Continuing straight, the spear pierced the center of its chest, and kept going.

Hitting the wall with a dull roar, I hung suspended in the air, held there by my blade connecting me to a wall more than thirty metres away.

"Groagh…" Emitting a weak groan, the Goliath began moving.

"No…" Muttering weakly, I had no more strength. This had been my final gambit. The dual drain on my mind from skill and magic had left me empty. As the spear disintegrating, I fell. Collapsing to the ground, I gasped in pain as my right leg struck hard, something in it letting out an ominous snapping sound.

All the while, the Goliath continued to lift its intact left fist. Its movement jerky, like it was on autopilot. Taking one step closer, it collapsed.

Falling to its knees, the body swayed there before tumbling sideways, ash rising slowly, as if the beast didn't want to admit its death.

"It's over…" Smiling slightly, I prayed that the rest had gone well. "I hope… I saved them."

Drifting into unconsciousness, those words Asuna said kept floating through my head, I love you.