Author's note:
As I mentioned last time, here is a brief respite from the action.
Please note that this interlude is very short compared to the other chapters and is just a bit of fun.
Also, in my opinion it's a really mediocre piece of writing that can essentially be ignored.
Despite that, hopefully you enjoy it and are still looking forward to chapter 11 :)
Later,
-asdf
Interlude 2: Tag! …I'm it?
Ganesha familia home:
"Lord Ganehsa, I beg you to reconsider!" The follower's pleas were frantic as he yelled at his god in desperation.
"I will not!" Ganesha announced dramatically. "The orbs will be released into the city at noon, and they will be deactivated at midnight!"
His god's resolute words produced a howl of despair from the one follower's throat. The second merely sighed and rubbed their aching head. How many millions of valis had been poured into this endeavour?
Standing in front of the window, Ganesha put his hands on his hips and stood with his feet at shoulder-width. Head tilted up slightly to stare into the morning sun, his pose was a mimic of the one right below him. A giant statue that had previously cost this familia multiple millions of valis.
"I am the god of the masses," Ganesha declares in a loud voice, "as such, it is my job to make them happy. With no festival this year, the spirits in Orario are low right now. We must fix that!"
"Yes, my god!" Bowing sharply at the waist, his two familia members departed immediately to finish preparations for this impromptu game Ganesha had set up.
The Benevolent Mistress:
"Hey…" The greeting was awkward.
"Hi…" The reply was too.
This was too be expected though. For the first time in a week, Kirito and Asuna were looking at each other again. Kirito was exactly how Asuna remembered. That awkward smile, and unruly black hair. His face was calmer though. More mature now. Asuna, however, was not how Kirito remembered. Staring into her aqua eyes, Kirito felt a jolt of discomfort. They were a perfect match for a necklace she now wore around her neck. The change made her… complete. She was now an adventurer of Orario, not a person trapped in a video game.
A video game… It's been a long time since those words came to Kirito's mind. In the beta, he'd been constantly reminded about it, now though… It felt like he was in another world.
The distraction helped take his mind off Asuna as he led her over to their table. Everyone who was coming was there already. Whispering about different things to each other, Philia and Rain had their heads together, thick as thieves. On the other side of them, a bored Hestia sat waiting for Kirito to return. Taking his seat beside her, Argo occupied the seat on his other side, another awkward addition. At the head of the table, Syr sat whenever she didn't have to run off to help run the restaurant. This left the spot to Syr's right and Philia's left for Asuna.
"Well, looks like everyone is here!" Syr announces with a clap and a smile. "We're here to celebrate…" Trailing off briefly, the reason was obvious. It had been pushed back an entire week, with multiple events happening between them. "Here to celebrate many things!" Syr recovered. "Including your success in the dungeon, Kirito's level-up, and new beginnings!"
"Cheers!" It sounded so convincing when Syr said it, that the table instantly cheered her speech. Raising their glasses in unison, a hearty clink rang out from the center. After that, the meal was underway. Even on a Saturday, a brunch was the most they could arrange. Conflicting schedules and plans had made an evening meal impossible.
Looking around the table with a grin on face, Kirito decided it was worth it. Despite the splitting with Asuna, and then Argo soon after, Kirito felt no resentment towards them. They had joined other familia's and had other opportunities. In fact, both of them seemed more at ease now, more settled. As his friends it was impossible for him not to be happy for them.
"What's that big grin for?" Philia asks with a smile.
Touching his face, Kirito realized that even while eating, a happy grin had plastered itself on his face. "Well, it's uh…" Struggling to find the words, a faint blush crept unto Kirito's face as every single occupant stared at him. "Fun, you know to see everyone and eat a meal together…"
"It really is!" Rain agrees with a big nod. The remnants of food in her mouth slurring her words. "We should do this more; you and Hestia are always welcome at our home!"
As Rain and Philia give their vehement approval of Kirito's words, Argo and Asuna simply look embarrassed. Their daily lives consisted of large meals with many people.
Laughing lightly, Syr focuses the conversation on her, "It really is wonderful, isn't it? That's part of what draws me to restaurants, you get to meet new people and learn new things every day."
"Also, food…" Kirito adds on with a euphoric look induced by the delicious food.
At this, the table erupts into laughter and breaks down into multiple smaller conversations. The good feeling was universal though. None of them felt like an outcast or that they shouldn't be there.
Time passed like this as the food was slowly consumed and replaced by even more. Glasses continued to be refilled and drank. It was a good thing they were non-alcoholic or none of them would be able to walk.
At a quarter to noon, a shimmer manifested itself in the air, drawing the eye of every pattern. Swirling briefly, it eventually paused, then opened up to reveal a person; like a mirror, or television screen.
Puffing up his chest, the person declared in a loud voice, "I am Ganesha! The god of the masses!" At this the god flexed his biceps. A fan favorite, the bar erupted into cheers upon seeing their favorite deity.
"I have decided that Orario isn't happy enough!" Ganesha continues, all the while flexing his muscles in different ways. "To rectify this, I will send six orbs out into the city! Your goal, is to catch the person carrying it, take the orb, and remain uncaught until midnight! Good luck!"
"W-what?" That seemed to be the sentiment echoed throughout the bar.
"I would like to clarify Lord Ganesha's statement." A cool woman's voice replaced Ganesha's. Craning their heads to see the divine mirror, Shakmi's royal visage had replaced Ganesha and his strange flexing. Opening her mouth, she went through a list of rules concerning the orb and each of their various magical effects.
What it essentially boiled down to was that you had to hold onto the arm of the possessor of the orb for at least two seconds for ownership of the orb to pass to you. Apparently, it would magically teleport into your possession. There were other minor governance rules, but that was the main one.
"Well?" Syr's voice turns every head to her yet again. "Aren't you going to go play?"
Locking eyes with each other, broad smiles stretched over the adventurers' faces. A chance to run around together and potentially win big rewards. It was a chance far too tempting to pass up.
"Everyone agrees?" The excitement in Kirito's voice is palpable and only further incenses everyone else.
"Well, I don't think I'll be coming," Hestia tells him with a smile. "But I'll be cheering for you! So, win us some money!"
"Yes, goddess!" Ignoring the dollar signs in Hestia's eyes, Kirito leads the reassembled party to the coliseum for the beginning of the event.
Outside the Colosseum:
"THREE! TWO! ONE!..." With a dramatic pause, the gathered citizens help their breath as the final word was announced, "ZERO!"
From the stage where Ganesha stood posing, a strange contraption launched the six orbs in random directions. Their smooth onyx surfaces caught the light and scattered it.
From atop one of the closest buildings roof's, Kirito's eyes tracked the closest of the orbs as it soared to the street below and was caught by a swift adventurer leaping into the air. Even with their speed, they would have been immediately pulled down if not for one of the rules. Anyone with 100 feet of a claiming can't capture the person who claimed it. Now they'll have to pursue someone else or wait for a different person to claim the orb and stay out of the range.
Instantly, the speedy cat person races down the street away from the gathered crowd. Expecting one of the orbs would be sent this way, Kirito signalled to the rest of the party and jumped down in pursuit.
Not wanting to scare the previous owner too badly, Kirito hung back twenty feet and left the gap there. After all, he was in no hurry to take the orb. These main streets were far too cramped to ensure a successful getaway. At level two, Kirito wasn't even panting as he chased the catman whom was sprinting full speed.
They had assumed that at least some level three adventurers would join in on this game Ganesha familia had set up. For that reason, their strategy wasn't predicated on speed. It had to do with what they considered a couple loopholes in the rules. The first was that there was no rule against someone possessing the same orb more than once.
As they reached emptier streets and smaller back alleys, the cat person ducked into one of the connecting passageways. Smiling broadly, Kirito picked up the speed and followed him in.
Less than ten feet in, the cat person came to an abrupt halt as a figure stood in their way. Quickly turning around, Kirito stood there with his hand out.
"Orb please."
Whipping their head back and forth, the panting figure was clearly in no shape for another chase.
"Never!" Making up their mind, the figure lunges at one wall and leaps off it towards the opposite one. It's an ambitious plan, but it's working. Their feet are almost at head height when they make contact with the second wall and begin their third jump.
"Stop that." Tsking at them, Kirito grabbed the cat person's foot and yanked on it.
Letting out a distinctively feminine yelp, the cloaked adventurer crashed to the ground. Glaring at Kirito who still held their foot, large tears began to form in her eyes as she rubbed her bottom. "Rude!"
"Oh, uh sorry." Apologizing for some reason, Kirito averts his eyes from the girl.
"Stop flirting and let's go Kii-bou," Argo grunts from the other side. Already the shouts of pursuit can be heard.
As the black mist solidifies in his hand, Kirito nods. "Let's go." Dashing past the still upset catgirl, Kirito and Argo disappear deeper into the confusing backstreets of Orario, pursuers hot on their tail.
The Blue Pharmacy:
"Ah, Hestia! How are you?"
Greeting his fellow poor Deity, Miach managed his shop by himself today.
"Miach!" Hestia replies happily. "Where is Nazha?"
"Where all the children are," Miach laughs, "Playing Ganesha's game."
Nodding, Hestia confirmed his thoughts. She'd initially been heading home to read, but the streets in that direction were far too treacherous. That led her to Miach's shop.
"Do you think the prizes are any good?" Hestia asks to pass the time.
"Absolutely," Miach confirms with a strong nod. Pulling out a stool for Hestia to sit on, Miach explains. "You see, Nazha wasn't going to go at first, but two Ganesha familia members were talking outside. Ranting about how Ganesha had crippled their savings yet again."
"Hehe!" Hestia's maniacal laugh briefly revealed the money-starved goddess within. "I'm counting on you Kirito!"
"Ah, don't be like that," Miach laughs. "It's all in good fun for the children."
"Yes," Hestia sighs, giving in to Miach's logic. "Ganesha's always had a way with that."
"He has indeed," Miach agrees, "Except with his own for some reason."
At this both of the deities break into gales of laughter at the expense of Ganesha's children. For as the people of Orario chased after the sparkling orbs with wonder in their eyes, Ganesha's children had to avert their eyes to prevent themselves from breaking down.
South-West Orario District:
"Hah! I've got you!" A man declares triumphantly.
"Huh?" Slowly turning around, Kirito gave a confused glance to the man whose hand was wrapped around his arm. "I bag your pardon?"
As the seconds crawled by, the man slowly realized his mistake. No Orb materialized in his hand. No magical connection informed him of his new possession.
"I-I thought…"
"Excuse me," Ripping his arm out of the grip of the confused man, Kirito continued on his way. Until he was around the corner, Kirito left the confused expression on his face. As he rounded it though, small giggles broke through the surface.
Long shadows obscured most of the alleyway as the time ticked past 6 pm. As the time crept past, Kirito and co had only lost the orb once, and that for a short time. They had successful cordoned themselves off in a poor district on the edge of Daedulus street. Ideally, they would have used Daedulus street itself but didn't dare. Not only would the complex pathways confuse them, it would give the residents of the district a distinct advantage.
"Here you are," with a wink, Rain gave Kirito the orb and kept walking. The smooth transition a staple of how they'd avoided getting hunted down so far.
Jumping up on a strategically placed dumpster, Kirito climbed unto a nearby roof where Asuna and Philia waited. "Hey."
"Here," Asuna offers, proffering the boy some food. Having taken a break, Asuna had bought food and brought it back to them. The long day was started to wear on all five of them.
Chewing gratefully on the food, Kirito was glad for the chance to sit down and stretch his legs. Currently, the trackers on the orbs were doing more harm than good for the people hunting them. They could feel every time the Orb changes hands as well as its general direction.
None of the sensations added up though. First a change was detected, but the orb didn't move far? Nonetheless, the pursuers steadily closed in.
As time drew on it was becoming increasingly clear that a lone adventurer could do nothing, only parties had any chance of being successful.
"I don't know if I'll last another six hours," Philia yawns. "It's so much running."
Nodding, the other two whom were present agreed with the girl. The game certainly had been fun, and still was, but they were starting to think they'd started too early. Twelve hours was simply a ludicrous amount of time to evade pursuit for.
"We could take a break for awhile," Kirito offers. "Try to capture one again around nine of ten."
Both of the girls frowned though, not liking the suggestion. First of all, abandoning all their hard work felt wrong. Second, getting it back once lost may prove harder than initially thought.
"We need to move." Interrupting the conversation, worry filled Argo's eyes.
"Where and why?" Kirito asked, standing up prepared to move. All thoughts of quitting were gone as the drive to win consumed him again.
"Into Daedalus," Argo panted desperately, fear thick in her eyes. "Freya familia is moving."
Folkvangr:
"Are you children not going?" Freya's lilting voice draws the attention of all her children. Once a week, Freya descends from Babel to mingle with her familia members and update statuses.
"Basking in your presence is infinitely better than any prize Ganesha familia could think of," Ulfric declares immediately. The thought of leaving his goddess for a game was anathema to him.
"Aww," Freya pouts, "and here I was hoping you would retrieve the orbs for me."
"Is that an order my goddess?" Ulfric asks, prepared to personally retrieve all six of them for her.
"Hehe, not quite," Freya smirks, an evil gleam in her eyes. "My order is to take the entire familia and claim as many of the orbs as you can. If possible, have fun while doing it."
"Our goddess demands glory!" Roaring, the leader of Freya familia instantly assembled the troops. Instantly forming up into sharp lines, the coordination of Orario's strongest familia was unmatched.
Giving a couple more orders, Freya familia broke up into five groups and dispersed into Orario.
The sixth orb, Ulfric decided with a tight smile, he'd retrieve on his own.
South-West District:
"I knew following you would be a good idea."
A figure seemed to materialize into being behind them. The figure's aura overpowered the four gaping adventurers.
"Get beyond 100 ft!" Screaming his orders, Kirito rolled off the roof with out hesitation. Even taking the pre-emptive move, it was barely enough to avoid the initial lunge.
"Impressive," the man announces in his deep baritone. Standing at the only exit, he simply stared at Kirito who crouched on top of the dumpster. "Wait… It's you again."
As Kirito met the man's gaze, understanding flooded his body. It's the same werewolf he saw on the day of the raid three weeks ago.
"You've levelled up boy," the werewolf speaks with a vicious smile, "but can you keep running forward?"
This just that statement, the man's figure seemed to waver like the morning mist. Before Kirito's uncomprehending eyes, he appeared right before his eyes and wrapped his hand around the one where Kirito kept the orb.
"Ahh!" Gasping under the pressure on his hand, Kirito stared at where the man's hand covered his, wondering if he would crush it. After a couple tense seconds though, the orb faded into mist and transferred owners.
Exhaling heavily, Kirito took a couple seconds to recover. Standing up slowly, Kirito pulled himself back on the roof where all the girls were now assembling. Rain returning from her distraction duties sensing that something had gone wrong.
"So, do we give up?" Argo pouts.
"I don't see another choice," Asuna admits. "Against a level four…"
Sighing, Kirito looked off into the distance. Losing this game wasn't what left a sour taste in his mouth, it was how they lost. As he stared though, a smile overtook his face. "I think I found us a way to even the odds, let's go."
With just that cryptic statement, Kirito jumped onto the next roof and led the way. All the way he prayed that his enhanced vision hadn't lied to him.
Reaching the edge, he looked down upon the street and his face split into a wide smile. "Klein!"
"Huh?" Glancing around in confusion, the red-haired samurai eventually locked onto Kirito and split into an answering grin. "Kirito! It's good to see you again!"
"Hey Klein," Kirito smile back at him. It's good to see that he's still alive and going well by the looks of things. "I've got a proposal for you."
"Oh, what's up?" Klein asks, his mouth forming a mischievous smile that really does transform him into a bandit.
"You're hunting the orbs right now?" Kirito asks instead, confirming his assumptions.
"Of course," Klein smiles. "But we ran into Magni familia and now our familia leaders are standing around arguing."
"Even better," Kirito answers with a smile. "The leader of Freya familia currently has the orb we're hunting."
"W-what!?" Klein shrieks. The information filling him with a distinct terror. "Well we need to find a new one to hunt!"
Shaking my head, I deny his statement. "He is still only one person." Mouth splitting into a big grin, Kirito follows it up, "Besides, won't it be fun?"
"Fun?" Klein splutters incredulously, "It's insane!" However, the idea was slowly taking root as Klein's mind as he puzzled it over. "You know though… My familia leader is level three…"
"So?" Kirito pressed.
"Ah, screw it," Klein huffs, "Let's do this!"
Jumping down from the roof, Kirito clasped hands with the samurai. This was the easy part though. Next was to convince the familia leaders upon which this plan rested.
Just showing up on the edge Kirito had abandoned, the girls shivered seeing their twin smiles. It was the one boys usually wore before doing something incredibly stupid.
Twilight Manor:
"So, Freya familia is joining, are they?" Goran muttered thoughtfully, stroking his beard.
"It seems that way," Astrid agrees with a murmur.
Bursting into the closed room, Loki barged into the leaders' chambers with a lack of proprietary that only she could achieve.
"And you're just going to let her win?" Loki growls at the three leaders.
Shrugging his shoulders, Phineas is quick to answer. "This game means nothing, only the dungeon can bring glory to Prums."
Eyes glinting, the man had fallen right into her trap. "You're wrong!" Loki declares, pointing her finger at him. "Success here will carry your name across the city. Every little bit builds up and makes your successes all the more impactful!"
"I don't know…" Phinease trailed off frowning. "It doesn't sound like something Finn would do…"
"Are you kidding?" Loki shrieks, "He'd be out there on the front lines manoeuvring his soldiers to defeat his opponents. He never backed down from a challenge!"
"And neither will we," Astrid agrees with hard eyes. A simmering anger still burned in her eyes from the injustices Asuna had experienced two weeks ago.
"Ho ho," Goran chuckles deeply, "then let's do this shall we? I'm not much of one for a chase, but there are other ways to protect the orbs."
With barely a few more words, Loki shooed the leaders out to gather the familia and prepare for 'war' with Freya familia. Armed to the teeth, the adventurers left to play Ganesha's game in a way he had never expected.
South-West Orario:
"Please, just shut up," Kirito moaned for what felt like the tenth time. It seemed impossible to get these people to work together amiably. And yet… Kirito would have said they were friends despite that.
Sneering at his counterpart, the proud elf Luvis stood tall in the middle of the street. He was Modi familia's and by extension, Klein's familia leader. At level three, he's a seasoned adventurer and a good person to have on your side.
Opposite him, stood a thick dwarf, arms crossed, and feet spread wide. An unmovable stone. This is Dormul, captain of Magni familia. Behind him stood an awkward Agil and his party. Also, level three, Dormul and Luvis formed a perfect stereotypical elf versus dwarf rivalry.
"Perhaps I should just deal with you now, hmm?" Luvis sneers with contempt at Dormul. "After all, you have no chance against my grace and speed."
"Hah!" Dormul laughs back unfazed, "I'd snap you like a twig with my unmatched strength!"
Usually Kirito would be worried that a fight is about to break out after words like that. This time all they elicit is a sigh. The reason is that this isn't the first time, or even the second similar taunts have been said in the few minutes he'd been here. Also, neither of the would-be combatants make any threatening motions or go for their weapons.
"Alright, listen up boys!" Asuna had apparently gotten fed up with the bickering and took matters into her own hands. "This is your time to show which familia is better. Whomever gets the orb wins. So, stop bickering and let's get to it!"
Nodding hastily, the experienced adventurers looked terrified of Asuna's overwhelming will. It took everything Kirito and co had not to break out into laughter at them.
"So, uh what is the plan?" Klein asks to break to tension.
"Force him to the wall," Kirito breaks in immediately, glad for the focus. "Once he's there it should be easy to overwhelm him with numbers."
Nodding, excitement started to flow through the group. It was a rare opportunity to test yourself against the strongest adventurer and have no chance of death. Even if this wasn't a traditional battle, seeing his raw power and speed would be informative.
"Let's go!" Yelling their motivation, the large group of adventurers split up and began encircling the man who currently evaded pursuit with ease.
Daedalus Street:
"Oh my god, oh my god." Repeating her mantra over and over again, Sachi ran through the complex streets, orb tucked securely in her arms. She knew she was headed the right direction because the sounds of combat were fading behind her.
"Anything?"
"Eep!" Yelping pathetically, Sachi flinched away from the level two Mikoto whom had seemingly appeared from nowhere.
"Come on!" Hastening Sachi along, Mikoto tugged at her hand.
Getting over the shock, Sachi resumed sprinting at full speed along the pathways. "What's happening?" The girl asked, fear thick in her voice.
"I think Loki and Freya familia are abandoning this orb," Mikoto told her in a serious voice. Despite the seemingly good news, Mikoto didn't appear happy.
"Then I can stop?" Sachi asks hopefully.
"Absolutely not!" Mikoto retorts. "It may be a ruse. We can't sacrifice our prize after this much effort!"
The Takemikazuchi familia members had spent the day relentlessly pursuing the orbs which promised riches. As one of the poorest familias, there were never enough funds to go around. There always seemed to be another expense: more arrows, weapon repairs, more potions. If that wasn't enough, there were monthly donations they sent back to the far east.
"As you command…" Picking the pace back up, Sachi continued her journey deeper through Orario's sketchiest district.
Roofs of Orario:
"So, you still come boy…"
Staring at the man from the other side of an alleyway, they were separated by at least 50 feet. Yet, despite the distance, Kirito felt like they were side-by-side under the bright full moon shining down upon Orario. Full darkness had come, but midnight was still an hour or so away. All of the citizens had given up on Ganesha's game, leaving adventurers to duke it out.
Where the other orbs are, Kirito didn't know, nor did he care. All he had wanted to do was test himself against this man. After an hour, the difference was stark. However, Kirito didn't let himself feel despair. Numbers were on his side and he could see the effects of exertion begin to take their toll on the man. Despite his seemingly limitless endurance, the toil of evading two level three adventurers wasn't a trivial task. Between the assembled adventurers, over 100 people were pursuing him.
Yet through all of that, he seemed focused on Kirito. For what reason, the boy didn't know. At this point though it was obvious. So, Kirito had devised a plan around this point.
Even though the street was abandoned of people for the first time today, the man's eyes didn't leave Kirito's face.
"Let's get this started…" Muttering to himself, Kirito jumped first to the streets then bounded back onto the roofs on the other side of the street. Even that was a stretch for his level two agility.
"Solo? You're lucky I don't kill you for the disrespect."
Kirito could tell the man was in a talkative mood, for him anyway. The two complete sentences sounded like paragraphs when said by him. A man who only spoke when necessary. A glimmer of joy sparked in his eyes that Kirito challenged him like this.
"For your bravery, if you can touch me, I will bequeath the orb."
"How kind…" Kirito muttered darkly. Approaching warily, Kirito keenly knew how far apart their abilities were. Even with the offer, it didn't change anything, the old plan was still in effect.
After a seemingly casual step, Kirito exploded into a low dash at the tall werewolf. With mocking slowness, the man dodged casually to the side. Foot planted where the man had previously been standing, Kirito leapt off again.
Thus began a kind of dance. The two participants nimbly leaping from spot to spot. One thing was held constant throughout however, the direction they were travelling, towards the wall. Steadily but surely Kirito kept the duo moving in that direction.
As the time ticked on, the man began to lose the faint half-smile. It became increasing obvious that Kirito wasn't really trying to touch him. Sure, Kirito was moving to the limits of his abilities, but all of his motions were herding, not aggressive attempts.
"Enough," Speaking that one word, he changed his tactics. Dodging Kirito's hand he planted his foot firmly on his chest. Sneering down at Kirito, his expression held such contempt that no words are necessary.
"Hah," Kirito coughed weakly, his chest aching in pain, "that wasn't nice."
"Let's go!" Roars from both sides of the street interrupted whatever the man was going to do next. Head twisting to both sides, only now did he take in exactly where he'd ended up.
"You…" Some modicum of respect re-entered his gaze as he began laughing. A wicked smile on his face, the lone adventurer attempted to evade the approaching hordes.
"You okay?" Klein had caught up to where Kirito was only now peeling himself off the rooftop.
"Yeah, of course," Kirito groaned. Pushing himself up, Kirito accepted Klein's proffered hand. His chest still hurt, but it was the exhaustion of the long day that was really getting to him.
"Ready to finish this, boys?" Jumping onto the roof as well, Rain still wore her untiring smile.
"You bet I am!" Klein replied instantly.
Kirito could only roll his eyes as Klein stared at her with an open mouth and wide eyes. "Let's go." Kirito commands, running forward once again.
Pausing on the edge of the final house, the three look down upon the mass of humanity. Despite the lines of people, the werewolf wasn't letting anyone grab on to him, or even touch him. Nonetheless, his head continued to whip back and forth searching for an exit.
Excitement renewed, Kirito catches the eyes of Dormul and Luvis, it was time to end this. Jumping down, Kirito dashes through the lines of people who were searching for something to do. Most of them were part of Magni and Modi familia, but a good third are from assorted familias.
"Now!" Roaring the orders, Kirito kept himself low and aimed for the werewolf's feet.
"Gotcha!"
"Ha!"
Shouting their lines, Dormul and Luvis jumped out from their hiding places behind the assembled adventurers.
"Huh?" Caught in a three-way pincer, the man briefly hesitated.
Kirito didn't know why he did, and didn't particularly care, they had him.
At near identical moments, Dormul and Luvis managed to grab his hands. Not wanting to give them all the glory, Kirito continued to lunge, aiming for one of his feet.
"Amateurs." Perhaps more accommodating then his usual scorn of 'weak', his body vanished into a blur. Grabbing the level-three adventurers right back, he threw them against each other, and cartwheeled backwards away from Kirito's lunge.
Lifting his right hand, Kirito stared at the numb appendages from where the man's boot had contacted them.
He stood five feet away and stared at them. "You touched me… But I expect more…"
"So, this is where you went." Standing atop on of the highest surrounding buildings, a figures quiet voice cuts through the din easily. The sultry voice has an irresistible feminine tinge to it. Illuminated by the moonlight, only the deciding womanly curves of the silhouette were visible. Even this her face in shadows, Kirito knew she was beautiful.
"Antianeira," the man's deep voice growls back. "Maybe I will go all out…"
As the man looked up at the moon, Kirito felt a deep foreboding hit his body. A sense that even with all the assembled people, it would be impossible to stop him if he did whatever he was threatening too.
"Don't let me stop you," the woman replied easily, not making a move to approach.
Smiling deeply a sadistic gleam entered the werewolf's eye as he stared at the moon.
Werewolf.
"Oh." Suddenly comprehension flooded Kirito's body. If he could actually transform… And got even stronger, that would be bad.
As if receiving some sort of message, the werewolf's head snaps to the left, towards the center of the city. "This game begins to bore me." Leaving it at that, the man unceremoniously, chucks the orb deep into the city. The high arcing path would carry it at least two blocks before it fell.
As everyone stared at the precious stone as it slowly drifted further away, no one noticed as the werewolf slipped out and returned to his master.
Giving one last glance to where the woman had been, Kirito felt disappointed that she was gone already. He wanted to know who could carry such disrespect towards the strongest adventurer.
"So, should we keep going?" Argo asks with a yawn as the group forms up around Kirito again.
Shaking his head, Kirito gives them all a small smile. "I don't think so. There's only like twenty minutes left. Besides, Dormul and Luvis will probably dominate the battle now that he doesn't have it."
Laughing wryly, the group sits together peacefully staring at the bright moon above Orario.
"We did well though, didn't we?" Asuna asks happily, exhaustion thick in her voice.
"We did," Philia agrees. "Even managing to trap a level four."
"I don't know if we can claim credit for that," Kirito laughs, "But yes, we did well."
Spending a few more minutes together, the party broke up into their four separate components and disbanded. The day of unity behind them, it was back to their jobs starting tomorrow.
A few blocks away, an unlikely figure stumbles upon the missing orb. Without a transfer having been completed, the magical aura was confused and unhelpful for the adventurers to track by. So it was, a few minutes left to midnight, that a girl picked up the orb.
"Is this seriously…?"
With a tremendous gong, midnight arrived, and the event was finished. The Orb and its prized contents now belonged to someone to wasn't even part of the hunt to begin with.