Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 49, Mujen) May 22nd, 2023

The town of Mujen was enjoying another relatively peaceful day, as soldiers hung around the city, keeping to their parties and enjoying a day off before the inevitable battle to come.

Some took to the several bars and taverns and shared a drink, enjoying the city and all its pleasantries while they still had the chance, cheering and singing filling the nights.

This evening, there was a grim silence in the air as Nautilus could only stare at the sight before him.

A soldier, lying limp on the side of a building, his body slumped over with a sizable wound in his chest. His breathing was labored, his health didn't deplete in the slightest, but one thing was very certain. The man was dying.

Nautilus watched as Yuna tried to help the man, giving him a healing potion, repositioning his body to lie down on a blanket she had laid down. She was always so quick to help others in need, and he admired her more than anything for that. However, her efforts seemed to be in vain as the man's condition failed to improve.

The soldier weakly looked up as Yuna grasped his hand with tears in her eyes, her lips curving upwards into a smile as she sang a little song under her breath, just softly enough for his ears to hear. Anything to help comfort the man in his final moments.

Nautilus walked in closer to the man as the soldier's eyes moved to him, Yuna turning to face him as well, never letting go of his hand. Nautilus opened his mouth to say something, but sighed, shaking his head. Turning to Yuna, he could see the sadness in her eyes as she wept for the man. Gritting his teeth, Nautilus then locked eyes with the soldier.

"I'm… sorry… we tried everything we could…" Nautilus managed, a lone tear falling down his eye.

The soldier didn't speak, but Nautilus could tell from his attempt at a smile that he appreciated hearing his words, and acknowledged their efforts. Damn, now his tears were multiplying.

Then his eyes drifted back to the wound, a deep cut that didn't fade. His health was full, but strangely enough, the man was one foot in the grave already. His mind couldn't stop thinking about it.

"What did this? Do you know?" Nautilus asked the man, who eked out a weak mutter before his head and limbs went limp.

His eyes closed, his chest deflating as his form fizzled into the familiar death animation. Nautilus watched the man breathe his last before his avatar exploded into a mass of bright blue pixels.

Nautilus could only watch as Yuna's hands were suddenly free, her eyes fixed on the thousands of shards that scattered into the air, reaching for them as they vanished into nothingness, like she hoped she could hold on to them, pull them back from the unknown brink.

Alas, they could not save him.

Yuna sank into her knees as her tears trickled to the ground, the whimpering cries in her voice tugging at Nautilus's heart in aching scores. Nautilus walked up beside his dear friend as he put a hand on her shoulder, trying to console her, to comfort her.

The girl slowly turned her head to face him, and Nautilus could see the wet trails falling down her cheeks as she sniffled once again, her heartbroken expression filling him with grief. The girl then leaned into his touch as she embraced him in a hug.

Nautilus could hear her crying against his chest, her wet tears dampening his clothes, but he didn't mind as he put a hand over her head, his other returning her embrace.

When one of them would cry, they had the other's shoulder to cry on. He wouldn't trade this bond for anything else in the world.

Weapon Showcase:

Lv. 40 One-Handed Sword: Ironwood – A simple blade in design and intention. Its blade sharp and unerring, but not particularly flashy or loud. However, fresh fruit can grow from any tree if grown well.

Special: Firm Stance: On successful parry, 10% chance to ignore interrupts and not flinch when performing Sword Skills.

Enhancement: +9

Damage: 300 (C)

Speed: 300 (C)

Durability: 350 (B)

Range: 2m (B)

Precision: 75% (B)

Rank: Rare (B)

Selling Price: 30,000 Col

Owner: Nautilus

Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 49, Floor Clearer Camp) May 22nd, 2023

"Say that again?"

Straight Shooter stared at the soldier giving the report, the man's head bowed as he spoke, while Shooter couldn't help but darken his expression, his hands supporting his chin as he sat, listening to the grim news.

"Hector was found dead in the downtown area. Same wounds and conditions of death. Yuna administered healing, but failed to save him." The soldier reported, not leaving Shooter's distress unnoticed.

"Hector… tell his team that they have the night to say their respects, and that they will know their next commanding officer by morning." Shooter instructed, leading the soldier to nod promptly and rush out the tent, leaving the general alone.

Shooter turned to ponder on the circumstances at hand. Things were not looking good for them right now, and while the scouting team had returned with no major losses as he feared, a new setback was emerging from right under their noses, and they hadn't even begun to understand it.

"You got room in here for one more?"

Shooter turned to the entrance, then his eyes immediately moved to the intruder's hair.

Ah. He knew exactly who this was.

"JoJo…"

"Hey, Shooter. Heard the news. Got time to chat a bit?" The pompadoured teen asked, offering a small smile which was returned by the general.

"Have a seat. It's just… a lot to take in." Shooter sighed, pressing fingers to his forehead in his stress.

"I bet… I'm sorry for your loss. I wish I could have done something to help them…" Josuke muttered, expressing his sympathies as Shooter shook his head with a hand raised, offering a tiny upward curve of the lips.

"No… don't blame yourself for their deaths. There's no way you could have known quickly enough to save them. Besides, I'm not even sure if you would have been able to save them if you'd been there." Shooter replied, leading Josuke to twitch his head to face him directly.

"Oi, what're you saying? How would you know that anyway? You know if I'd heard anything I'd be there in a heartbeat!" Josuke insisted, only for Shooter to stop him as he raised his hand up.

"The reports said that some died even though their health was full. It's possible that they suffered injury from the real world, maybe even an illness. Do you think your Stand would have been able to fix that?" Shooter reasoned, directing a firm glance at the teen sitting opposite him on the table.

Josuke took a moment to ponder his words. Shooter was cold with his words, but he wasn't wrong either. His Crazy Diamond could heal injuries and restore what once was, but he couldn't cure illnesses or sickness. Even in SAO, this was evident as he couldn't relieve debuffs like damage over time or paralysis.

"T-that's…" Josuke tried to retort, but his words died in his mouth for a moment.

"My men are my responsibility, and I will shoulder the blame for failing to protect them. If you're willing to help prevent more deaths, then healing more soldiers on the battlefield will surely help." Shooter stated solemnly, while Josuke stood up from his chair and leaned forward.

"That's been my plan from the start. What I am saying, is that the towns aren't safe anymore. We can't risk more people dying than there needs to be. I understand that the frontlines are dangerous, I'm sure everyone here knows that. However, this is just…" Josuke said, sitting himself back down as he thought over the situation longer.

"What's bothering you?" Shooter asked the teen, his piercing gaze focusing on him. Josuke was silent for a moment, but breathed out as he looked back up at Shooter with a serious expression on his face.

"I… saw someone die in a safe zone. A… friend. She was killed in the Town of Beginnings." Josuke managed to say, Shooter easily noticing that it took a lot out of him to come out with this revelation.

"What happened to her?" He asked, now curious.

"A Stand User." Josuke then replied, his eyes flashing with an emotion he hadn't seen before in such volumes.

"It wasn't the same as the deaths happening here, but I can't help but shake a familiar feeling here, you know?" Josuke muttered, his eyes blank, like his mind was in an entirely new place.

"Just how far are you willing to go to prevent more people from dying?" Shooter looked at the boy as he asked this, observing his distress and resolve all at once in his eyes as Josuke turned his head back up to Shooter, meeting his glare with equal intensity.

"I already saw one person die in front of me, because I wasn't fast enough to save them. I suffered the consequences and let down my best friend. I'm not letting that happen again, to anyone. No matter what it takes." Josuke declared, his eyes afire with burning determination and resolve, the strength of his will shining through his words.

Shooter couldn't help but pause in the face of Josuke's declaration. His words rang with weight, his spirit brimming with overwhelming purpose. Shooter could very easily see why he was blessed with Crazy Diamond's power, and it made him more curious than ever.

"Well, if you're serious about finding whoever might be behind this, I wish you luck. Hopefully no more soldiers will die under your watch." Shooter hummed, standing up and looking over his menu.

"You can count on that, sir." Josuke smiled, as Shooter grinned back.

"Now, why don't you regroup with the others? The next battle draws closer." Shooter dismissed the boy, who nodded with a respectful bow.

"Roger, General." Josuke promptly said, before excusing himself and leaving the tent.

As Josuke left, Shooter could only look on, thinking back on that moment. That resolve, that hardened determination…

"Is this the kind of soul deemed worthy of the Stand?"

Stand Showcase:

Lv. ? Stand: Rampaging Repair, Crazy Diamond – Heal or destroy? Forgive or punish? You have the power to decide, the strength to pass on judgement. You are a diamond in the rough.

Special: Restoration: Ability to heal or restore any object, mob or player without use of items.

Enhancement: N/A

Damage: 550 (S)

Speed: 900 (S)

Durability: 500 (A)

Range: 2m (B)

Precision: 85% (A)

Rank: Unique (S)

Selling Price: N/A

Owner: JoJo

Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 49, Floor Clearer Camp) May 22nd, 2023

Josuke left that conversation with Shooter with several questions on his mind. He thought of the idea of players dying within the safe zones, among many others from that prospect.

These thoughts lingered in his brain as he approached another tent, marked by the red and white banner of the Knights of the Blood Oath.

Entering the tent, Josuke looked around and his eyes came across three figures in the room. Asuna sat at a table, Yuna sitting opposite her while Nautilus stood by, the latter's gaze turning to meet him.

Asuna's face bore an expression of care, a sympathetic demeanor that Josuke could only describe as motherly as she whispered words of comfort to the girl sitting in front of her, who had both elbows on the table, cradling her face in her hands. Josuke could hear her weeping quietly, tears falling onto the table while Nautilus knelt beside her, comforting her.

When Josuke walked in, Asuna noticed his appearance and stood up to walk up and greet the pompadoured teen.

"Hello, JoJo. What brings you here?" Asuna asked with a kind smile, her downcast eyes betraying her true mood. Turning to the girl at the table, Josuke sighed as he scratched the back of his head.

"I heard about what happened to Nautilus and Yuna. Thought I'd drop by to check up on them." Josuke answered, his words not unnoticed by Nautilus and Yuna, the latter looking up amidst her tears to face Josuke.

Nautilus then took a chair from the corner to the table as he gestured a hand over to Josuke, asking him to take a seat, only for Josuke to smile softly as he walked up to the table to face the duo, raising a hand to refuse the offer.

"Hey Nautilus, Yuna. You guys doing alright?" Josuke asked in a reserved tone of voice, gentle as he assessed Yuna's state. The girl was always very open with her emotions, expressed in her usual bright and sunny personality. However, right now she looked sadder than he'd ever seen anyone in a long time.

"We're… managing." Nautilus muttered, his eyes turning to his dear friend, who managed a smile as she looked at Josuke.

"What exactly happened for you guys to get like this?" Josuke asked, curious, leading Nautilus to take a breath as his eyes signified he was in another place to recover the memory.

"We were just… walking about town, about to head back from dinner to meet up here when we heard this… scream. Yuna ran over right away, and I followed right along." Nautilus explained, his eyes darkening at the recollection.

"Then you found him…" Josuke muttered as Nautilus nodded.

"Yeah… he was lying on the ground against the wall, something stuck in his chest. Yuna rushed up to help him, but when she got close, the murder… weapon… er…" Nautilus began, before stopping, as if unsure of what to say next.

"W-what happened?" Josuke asked, now fearfully intrigued.

"It… moved out of his chest… and flew away."

Nautilus and Josuke turned to Yuna, who spoke in a quiet voice. Josuke's eyes widened when he heard that, then turned to Nautilus, who nodded in agreement. Josuke could only stare, his mouth gaping open in shock.

"I know… I couldn't believe it either." Nautilus sighed, as Yuna mustered her own voice amidst sniffles.

"I tended to Hector, did everything I could think of. I called his friends in the DDA, I tried to heal him. I used potions, I tried using my Chant skill, but… *sniff* b-but…"

Yuna's tears returned, as she was now fully crying at the memory, Nautilus turning his attention to her as he continued to comfort her, offering his shoulder for her to lean into. Seeing this, Josuke couldn't help but feel old memories resurface.

He remembered Sachi's face that evening, before she disappeared right before his eyes. A sight that haunted his nightmares ever since he went it alone. The memory that would forever mock him, remind him that he was too slow, that she died because he was unable to stop that Stand User.

He saw that same feeling of guilt in her eyes, that feeling of uselessness that gnawed at his conscience like a parasite. It pained him to imagine Yuna sharing that feeling, a feeling she must have been bearing like a burden with the death of that soldier. Swallowing a breath, Josuke put a hand on Yuna's shoulder.

"Yuna… I'm not sure if this is the right thing to say… but don't beat yourself up over what happened to Hector." Josuke told her, as Yuna raised a finger to wipe another tear away.

"B-but…" She whimpered, before Josuke sighed.

"I know how it feels to watch someone die in front of you. You feel useless, like you could have done something, just a little more, even if you couldn't have done anything else. That idea, that you couldn't have done anything, it's the most painful thought I've ever felt." Josuke vented, Asuna and Nautilus's eyes widening at Josuke's words. The boy was essentially venting at this point, letting his bottled-up thoughts run out his mouth, and Josuke was aware.

"That's why… don't hold yourself responsible for being unable to save them. Don't let the lives already lost stop you from protecting the ones still here. I promise I'll find who did this, and bring them to justice." Josuke declared, putting a fist to his chest as Yuna stared in silence at his words.

"JoJo…"

"Besides! You're the heart and soul of our little team! Back on our battle with the boss, you were always looking out for us and making sure we made it out safe! We wouldn't have made it out alive without you or Nautilus!" Josuke then turned on a dime, his mood giving way to a luminous smile that touched her heart.

Yuna took Josuke's words to mind as she turned to her dear friend, who stood held her close, protectively. The girl felt a wave of emotion rush over her as she saw Nautilus's eyes brush over her own. Smiling contently, the girl leaned into her partner's embrace.

"I'll… try my best." Yuna announced, her resolve shining in her voice as she directed her gaze to Nautilus.

"We both will." The boy smiled, leading Yuna to lean in closer with a generous blush dusting her cheeks.

Nodding, Josuke flashed another goofy grin as he turned to Asuna, who gave her own content smile as she nodded to Josuke, her eyes full of gratitude.

"Thank you JoJo, for helping out. Yuna's such a sweet girl. I couldn't bear to watch her cry any longer. If Nautilus keeps her company, I can trust her to recover well in time for the next battle," Asuna told Josuke, who gave a smirk as he patted Asuna on the shoulder.

"Anything for a friend. Besides, we wouldn't be going anywhere on such low spirits, don't you agree?" Josuke laughed as he turned to the exit, only for Asuna to speak up again.

"Wait…"

"What's up?" Josuke asked, only to be met with a serious expression from Asuna as her face hardened.

"About what you said earlier… does it have anything to do with your falling out with Kirito?" Asuna asked, leading Josuke to gape in surprise for a second before a softer smile returned to his face.

"I can't hide that at all, can I?" Josuke sighed, before walking outside.

"Oi, you okay over there, JoJo?"

Josuke turned to his side at the voice calling to him, facing the rough-looking boy beside him. Okuyasu's face was once of concern and worry as sweat beaded at his brow, as he leaned against the tent, next to the entrance.

"He must have been waiting outside…" Josuke thought to himself as he gave an answer.

"I… don't know. Hearing about these murders… I just can't help but feel like I could have done something…" Josuke told him, recalling the thoughts swimming around his head just earlier.

Okuyasu's expression twisted, turning into a sad and downcast face. Then, an uncharacteristic silence, but Josuke did appreciate his suppressing his loud and boisterous voice to offer a bit of respect in a touchy situation.

"I… Yeah… If I'm bein' perfectly honest, I agree with you more than you might think. I hope it stops soon. Don't think I could stomach the thought of more people dying in the towns." Okuyasu muttered glumly, his eyes downcast.

Josuke could only continue to walk as he contemplated his words in silence. This entire predicament was casting a dark shadow over the air, and Josuke could do little to dispel it. Gazing up at the moon, his mind drifted once again, to older days. To simpler days.

"Kazuto… what should I do?"

Weapon Showcase:

Lv. 50 Greatsword: Overture – The thumping beat, the weaving of the melody, the dance of the rhythm. The songs of your legend have yet to be sung, the first verse written by the strikes and slashes of the blade.

Special: Reverb: Increase all counter and parry damage by 30%, increase critical chance and critical damage VS staggered enemies by 20%. Perfect Parry up to 10 times to unleash a powerful counterattack.

Enhancement: +3

Damage: 430 (A)

Speed: 253 (C)

Durability: 530 (S)

Range: 2.5m (B)

Precision: 50% (C)

Rank: Crafted, Legendary (A)

Selling Price: 78,000 Col

Owner: JoJo

Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 49, Floor Boss Dungeon) June 1st, 2023

The week had gone by in a fleeting rush as the day of the Floor Boss raid finally came upon them.

Josuke was among the soldiers present, as he gripped the handle of the sword slung over his back, mentally preparing himself to return to the battlefield.

Looking around him, Josuke could see their forces were now far greater in number. He had gone into this same dungeon with but a small handful of elite soldiers, but right now, an entire army's worth of men and women were all armed for war.

He spotted some members of the Divine Dragon Alliance readying their blades, Okuyasu among them as he twirled his mace in his hand, spotting Josuke with a smirk, hefting his weapon over his shoulder. Josuke returned the gesture with a grin of his own before he turned to face the others.

He spotted Diabel rousing his Army troops, delivering a speech while the soldiers cheered. Josuke was glad to know he hadn't lost his charisma as a commander. Not too far from them, he could also spot Klein and his friends on the scene as Furinkazan, their presence demanding respect as they cheered along with their leader.

"Elvis? Hey! What's up!"

Josuke blinked as he turned to face a familiar face and voice. Meeting bright and mischievous eyes, Josuke smiled as he greeted the blacksmith.

"Lis! You made it!"

Lisbeth was considerably more battle-dressed than she was when she and Josuke went hunting for ore. Over what seemed to be her smithing outfit, she now wore several plates of silver armor. A segmented pauldron adorned her shoulder, while a breastplate and gauntlets covered her arms and chest. In her hands, she held her mace and shield, now appearing considerably beefier than he last saw them.

"What do you think of the new look? Think it cleans up nice?" Lisbeth asked with a mischievous grin, leaning over in front of Josuke as he looked to the side with a sweat rolling down his face, his eyes turning to scan her up and down.

"Not bad, but you could have gone with something a bit less plain than stainless steel." Josuke snickered, leading Lisbeth to huff a breath of annoyance as she crossed her arms in a light pout.

"Well excuse me for not being as much a world class seamstress than I am a blacksmith! Geez~"

"Still…" Josuke muttered after a good laugh, as his memories of their little adventure returned to him.

"I thought you were good working the shop instead of risking your life here on the frontlines. What made you change your mind?" Josuke noted, curious for her answer, as the blacksmith looked up from her pout, before smiling.

"Yeah, I thought about what you and Asuna said, about me fighting at the frontlines. I thought it was time I started pulling weight up top like I do in the forge, y'know?" Lis laughed, scratching the back of her head as she chatted with the Stand User.

"Even so, I'm glad you came by, Lis!" Josuke smiled, while Lisbeth gave another smug grin.

"Oh, you flatter me, Elvis! Just you watch! I'll outshine everyone here without even breaking a sweat!" Lisbeth gloated, a very arrogant air surrounding her as she laughed.

"Crazy Diamond might want a few words about that." Josuke then snuck in, leading Lisbeth to deflate as she hopped over closer to him, lightly tapping his hairdo with her mace.

"Try me, I dare ya."

The sound of marching then filled the air, leading everyone to turn to the entrance to the room, where they spotted a new group of players then appear on the scene, all bearing a familiar ensemble of white and red armor.

Asuna led the party of Knights, fully dressed in her battle gear with her rapier sheathed at her side. Among those that joined her, Nautilus lagged behind with an unconfident expression. However, it waned when Yuna caught up to him to grasp his hand, comforting him as he picked up his pace.

Josuke then watched as Asuna walked to the entrance of the Boss Room, turning to face the assembly of players and soldiers gathered to fight. Her eyes scanned over the crowd, looking at the faces of the fighters who had come to offer their lives to push forward. With that, she raised her voice.

"Everyone! Thank you all for offering your swords today! Thanks to the efforts of the scouting teams, we have more than enough information on the boss to move in, and I can assure you! As long as we remain coordinated, we will emerge victorious with no casualties! Now, I have only one thing to demand of you!" Asuna announced before drawing Lambent Light, raising the iridescent blade up into the air as her eyes flared with intensity.

"STAY ALIVE! LET'S ALL WIN THIS TOGETHER!" Asuna cried, her voice loud and echoing throughout the chamber as the soldiers all raised their swords in unison, cheering along with her, Josuke drawing his own blade and raising it to the ceiling.

Pointing her blade to the boss room, Asuna gave the order.

"LET'S GO!"

The players all charged in, yelling battle cries as they flooded into the Boss Room. The different teams took their positions, Josuke placing himself amongst the vanguard, waiting for the boss to appear.

The room was again, completely dark, enough so that from the gate they were unable to see a few meters into the massive chamber. Once the group entered, a dim light shone from the ceiling, allowing the group to see each other as they looked around at the expansive circular arena.

"Stay alert, everyone!" Diabel yelled out as the mood began to change, a bright flash of light blinking off the walls.

An electrical hum rang throughout the room, a high-pitched whine similar to a machine starting up. More light flashed off the walls as the soldiers huddled together, holding strong in their formation, preparing for anything.

"Above us!" Klein yelled out, causing everybody to turn to the ceiling, at the source of the flashing lights.

An orb dropped from the ceiling and began to hover in place, emitting a metallic shriek which prompted the players to cover their ears in pain from the irritating noise. Josuke looked up to see dark gas dropping from the ceiling, congregating around the orb to form a familiar shape.

The creature was now fully formed as a set of health bars appeared next to it, bearing its name for all to see as The Chaos Nimbus announced its presence with a flash of lightning and a loud screech.

"Hold together! Keep your eyes open!" Diabel ordered as the vanguard raised their shields, prepared for the first attack to come as the boss's body vibrated, releasing violent sparks of electricity from its body as it charged its first attack.

"Advance!"

Diabel's team was the first to move in, followed closely by the others. They ran in, the vanguard retaining their guard as Diabel moved right behind them, watching for the boss's cues. Suddenly, it came. The monster's cloud body continued to glow brighter before it blinked out for a split-second.

"Shields!" Diabel yelled out, just as the boss fired its first shots.

The men up front all raised their shields, just as a volley of lightning shot from the boss's core, slamming into their defenses with violent force, causing several to stagger back from the strike.

"Switch!"

Furinkazan ran in with great speed to close the distance, Klein leading the charge with his katana out, charging up a Sword Skill while the boss was still recovering from its first attack. His guild did the same, preparing their respective weapons for a counterattack.

The boss's eye turned to Klein approaching ever closer, letting out a bright flash of light that did not go unnoticed by the samurai. The boss shot out another series of lightning to shoot down the small guild, but they were far from unprepared.

The first shot was aimed at Klein, who simply grinned as he let his sword protect him. Raising the weapon in a stance, Klein swung, striking when the lighting neared face, redirecting the attack, quite literally knocking it out of the sky as it bounced off of Klein's blade and into the wall, before he lowered his weapon, charging a Sword Skill.

The rest of Furinkazan did just as fine, using their shields or respective weapons to deflect the incoming fire, leaving the boss vulnerable as they closed in, finally ready to land the first hits.

"Jackpot!"

[Tsujikaze]

Klein's blade moved to his hip, a stance reminiscent of iaido. His grip on his blade held firm as he felt the Sword Skill reach its maximum charge. Drawing the blade in an outward slash, Klein's sword moved at a speed that blurred to the naked eye, yet he could easily tell the strike hit. The boss flinched back as its eye failed to evade the attack, staggered from the blinding strike as it descended to hover above the ground.

The rest of Furinkazan landed their hits, striking the boss's eye for a few good seconds before it recovered, forcing them to put their guard up as it charged another onslaught of electricity.

"Brace!"

Klein called out, causing him and his team to assume defensive stances and back off as the boss released a burst of lightning in its immediate surroundings, bathing Klein and Furinkazan in electricity, only for the sparks to bounce off their shields as they leapt back.

"Switch!"

The Army team arrived next, drawing their own weapons as Diabel led the charge, delivering his own devastating barrage of attacks with his sword, before standing back to allow the rest of his team some hits of their own, as the boss began its getup attack.

"Shields! Let's keep this up!" Diabel yelled out as they managed to block the attack.

"Switch!"

[Flashing Penetrator]

"You're mine!"

Asuna put her title of Lightning Flash to shame on the battlefield as she appeared in front of the staggered boss in a blink of an eye with her Lambent out, striking with a comet's force as she drove the tip of her blade directly into the boss's eye before it could recover.

[Star Splash]

She switched almost instantaneously, her movements so fast they seemed to blur together as she executed another combo within a split-second of landing the next one.

Three strikes in the center, two low, one high at a speed that could only be described as inhuman-

[Crucifixion]

Asuna's movements flowed like a rushing river, slipping seamlessly into a second combo so quickly, it was almost like she hadn't even taken a single second to charge up the next one. Three strikes vertically, then three horizontally, forming a cross symbol-

[Quadruple Pain]

Much to Josuke's and many others' shock, with every wild flurry of strikes, she only seemed to grow faster and faster. In a time some of the soldiers would have been lucky to finish a single combo, she seemed to fire off four or five in less.

The boss recovered eventually and began attacking once more, directing another beam attack towards the vanguard, only for Lisbeth to leap in with her shield, pushing out with her weapon to deflect the attack back at the Nimbus, causing it to screech as it fell stunned once more.

"Switch!"

The cycle continued, Josuke landing some strikes along with many others thanks to their skillful play and coordination. The boss's projectile attacks continued on through its first health bar and well into its second, easily deflected away and countered as they moved in for those sweet spots.

One Army soldier was knocked back by a violent lightning barrage, his health draining from a mistimed parry. Josuke quickly ran up to him, summoning Crazy Diamond as he put a hand on the man's body, allowing his Stand's energy to replenish his health, filling it all the way back up.

Josuke watched the fight go on, and he could easily tell from a glance that this fight was going far more smoothly than his first run, so much so that bringing all they had seemed like overkill at this point. What had taken them a good hour to get the boss's health this far down, they were now nearing its final bar and it had only been several minutes since they landed the first strike.

"JoJo!"

Josuke turned to face Yuna, who was now smiling brightly as ever while her fingers strummed on her lute. Thanks to her Chanting, the parties had time to easily recover from bad hits when Josuke was occupied, and buffing them to hit back harder. The girl's voice shone in her songs, and Josuke was glad at the sight.

"Yuna! Nice to see you smiling again!" Josuke laughed with a goofy grin as Yuna giggled at his demeanor.

"Thanks for breaking me out of my funk, JoJo. I guess I really needed to hear that from you, huh? I've made up my mind! No matter what, I'll keep trying to protect these people, however I can!" Yuna declared passionately, leading Josuke to let out a laugh.

"The pair of you and me both! Let's make it work!" Josuke cheered on, raising a hand in front of Yuna, who giggled again, smacking his hand in a high-five.

"Yep! I'm ready to help out wherever I can! Me and Nautilus are ready whenever, wherever!" Yuna proclaimed, her eyes filled with childlike hope and optimism, in a way he could only describe as pure.

Interrupting the two, Josuke could hear a familiar loud, ear-piercing screech coming from the direction of the battle. Both players turned to the boss which began to rise from the ground, flying to the ceiling as it charged more lightning within its cloud in a familiar animation.

The boss's body rumbled as a familiar whir and hum filled the air, sparks of lightning writhing about the boss's form as it gradually hovered to higher altitudes, charging up an attack Josuke remembered well, leading him to unconsciously reach for his arm.

"It's going to charge! Be ready!"

Josuke heard Asuna call out, then he smiled as he walked up to the vanguard in the direction of the boss, watching as it prepared to dive.

"Its weak point can't be recklessly attacked. The eye moves in and out of the body to dodge hits unless it's staggered by an attack or recovering. However…" Josuke thought to himself as he drew Overture from his back, hefting the heavy blade in his hand.

"...that isn't the case here. When it prepares to dive, the eye always moves to the same spot…" Josuke again contemplated, watching as he reeled his arm back and took aim, his greatsword charging up a Sword Skill, waiting for just the right-

The Nimbus had reached the apex of its ascent, its eye now directly in the center of its mass.

"THERE!"

"DORA!"

Josuke summoned Crazy Diamond's arm over his own as he swung, the Stand's strength coursing through the attack as he felt the hilt leave his palm. The sword flew like an arrow, bursting through the air with rocketing force and speed.

Direct hit!

The sword slammed directly into the beast's eye, completely stopping the charge as it screeched out in pain. Josuke watched as its electric field disintegrated entirely as it fell to the ground, completely staggered and twitching in agony.

"Great! Let's go!" Josuke cheered audibly as he ran up to the boss along with the others, reaching out with Crazy Diamond over his hand, beckoning for the sword to return to his hand.

The blade answered as it yanked itself free from the boss's eye, flying back to reach Josuke's waiting open hand, beckoned by Crazy Diamond's power. Josuke smirked at the catch as he drew his blade back for another attack. He would never get tired of that blade throw attack.

"Yeah! That's the way! Come on!" He heard Okuyasu yell out excitedly, readying his mace for a pummeling.

Grinning, Josuke laughed along with him. "Yosh! Let's make this great!"

Reaching the boss's static form alongside Okuyasu, Josuke let out a yell as he let loose. His hands worked his sword, slashing and hacking away at the boss's eye, alternating with rapid punches from Crazy Diamond, melting down the boss's health bar until it neared the red. Okuyasu did the same, bringing out his own Stand to aid him.

"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA!"

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"

The boss was helpless against the barrage of the two Stands, before it recovered and pushed Josuke back with a burst of electricity, forcing the pompadoured teen to leap back to avoid another nasty shock.

The rest of the raid party joined up with Josuke, readying their weapons for the next attack as the boss rose to the air once more, preparing yet another electrical assault. The soldiers readied their shields as they braced themselves for the next attack.

"Shields up, men! We're almost done!" Diabel called out as the boss charged a new attack, sparks of lightning yet again dancing around its gaseous body as it let out another metallic shriek, moving to the far end of the arena to buy itself time.

Josuke and Okuyasu looked at the boss preparing to fire at the edge of the chamber, gritting their teeth.

"I don't know if I can make it in time, not even with my Stand. You? Think you could give it another toss?" Okuyasu growled, turning to Josuke bearing some sweat on his forehead.

"This is a huge room. Don't think even my Stand's strength could throw that far to stop the attack. Just brace!" Josuke called out, preparing to face the monster.

However, the noise of footsteps behind him caused Josuke to turn as he saw a new player walk forward, taking long strides with a hand to the sword on his back. The player wore a cloak over his clothes, his head covered by a hood. Josuke watched as the player proceeded to nonchalantly walk towards the boss, almost without a hint of caution in his steps.

"Hey, what're you doing? Get back!" Josuke yelled, grabbing the man by the shoulder in an attempt to stop him. The man stopped his stride, his hand not moving from his sword before tilting his head back to Josuke.

From the corners of the man's mouth that he could see, Josuke could spot a small upward curve of his lips as he snickered under his breath, speaking in a soft voice.

"Oh ye of little faith."

A loud whine and flash of light coming from the boss's direction interrupted them as Josuke looked ahead to see the Nimbus unleashing a massive avalanche of electrical shots, firing rapidly one after another in waves.

The mystery man wasted no time, bursting into action as he kicked up his feet in a sprint, drawing his blade to face the tsunami of projectiles, and Josuke could only stop and gawk as he bore witness to what happened next.

The man ran in a straight line, using his blade to quite literally slice a path through the storm of missiles headed straight for him. With a twirl of his sword, a cluster of lightning was dispelled or deflected, bouncing off his blade and into the ground.

Another twist of his wrist and series of slashes, he was closing the distance quickly and seemingly with little effort. His accuracy was impeccable, his reflexes almost superhuman with how he timed his parries and swings, almost like a Jedi deflecting blaster fire in Star Wars.

"This is our opening! Let's go!" Josuke heard Asuna yell out, raising her sword to the air as the men charged, himself and several others pulling ahead to advance.

Josuke let Crazy Diamond take hold of his sword, summoning his gauntlets to his hands as he rushed forward, crossing his arms in front of him in protection, while Crazy Diamond deflected any and all lightning sprayed in his direction, swinging the sword with incredible speed despite the weapon's heavy weight.

"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA!"

Okuyasu did the same with his shield, rushing ahead while his Stand protected his front. Josuke snuck him a glance, and watched Okuyasu use The Hand, the Stand's right hand drawn to his left side, before swiping outwards, when a wave of lightning approached him.

A loud noise was heard that Josuke couldn't describe as an arc trailed from The Hand's arm, right as the lightning neared Okuyasu. With a simple swipe of his hand, they vanished.

Not deflected or blocked. It was as if they simply disappeared on the spot.

"Is that his Stand's ability?" Josuke couldn't help but wonder to himself.

Josuke was now near to the boss, and was just about to land his share of hits, but alas, the mystery man had him beat to the punch.

The man's blade danced through the air, landing a wild flurry of slashes and stabs as his sword glowed again and again from his Sword Skills.

The man rose to the air with an upwards slash as the boss's eye locked firmly on him, discharging one last blast of electricity, a missile hurtling towards the man in mid-air. However, the man was undeterred.

With a single swing of his sword, the shot bounced off the blade with a satisfying metallic clang, sending the shot right back at the boss's eye, causing it to stop firing and screech as its health dropped to a single sliver of health. Smiling, the man locked eyes with the creature as his blade rose to the air in both his hands.

"You're done!"

Descending to the ground, the man swung his sword down on the eye, the blade slicing cleanly as the orb at the creature's center split in two halves, the Nimbus's ringing screech ringing out one final time before the cloud began to disperse in sparks of electricity.

With that, both halves of the eye clattered to the ground before fizzling out and exploding into a mass of bright blue pixels.

First, there was silence as everyone stopped. No words were spoken, no breaths taken.

"VICTORY!" Diabel cheered with a raised fist.

With that, a huge screen popped up above the dungeon, spelling "Congratulations!" in huge letters as the entire raid party exploded into cheers and elatedness, alerts appearing on each player's menus, rewarding them with EXP and Col.

Josuke dropped to the ground, taking a seat on the floor to catch his breath, along with several others as they shared laughs over their victory, congratulating one another and tending to the wounded.

Josuke's body plopped to the ground, completely exhausted as he stared at the ceiling, but not before something interrupted his line of sight.

"And here I thought you trusted me more than that. I'm hurt, you jackass."

Now that they were done with the battle, Josuke smiled as he let out a laugh. He could easily say it was from the sheer thrill of the battle, the adrenaline pumping through his system from earlier. He could easily say he was just that happy that nobody died, that everyone made it out just fine.

But no. That wasn't it. He laughed even harder at the sheer thought of it.

The fact that he recognized that voice very, very well, and he didn't realize it until now.

"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Ahhh…" He laughed loudly amidst his fatigue, before pausing to stare up at a very familiar face, grinning smugly down at him.

"I just might be a jackass… I didn't know it was you from the start…."

"...Kirito. We have way too much to catch up on."

Up next: A Reunion to Remember!

So, the two boys finally reunite! I know, this might have been a bit rushed, but honestly it took a lot out of me to write this chapter. For starters, I have big plans for the murder mystery arc, particularly because my approach to it is entirely different from what happened in the show, down to the characters involved and the mystery itself. Whether it's good, I'll let you decide. Second of all, I needed to write a chapter that bridged the Lisbeth chapter and the Murder Mystery chapter, and honestly this kinda feels like filler. I'll be real here, after this next chapter the story more or less goes back on track with SAO proper, but with my own changes, naturally. Writing original segments is honestly quite the drain, more so than normal, but I hope you liked it. By the way, been spending a lot of time playing Eyes of Heaven lately! It's fun to see the attacks, poses, and such from the characters but some of these side missions are gonna be the death of me!

Forgive my ranting, I was ready to nod off when I finished this.

Again, PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE REVIEW. I have said it to death before, but I'll say it again. Reviews are your way of offering your thoughts, and one of my favorite parts of writing is hearing what you think about my work! Each new review gives me more motivation to continue on, and helps me consider your opinions so I can alter the story according to them! Please, don't be shy! I'll take anything you have to say!

Aurum79: Hey! Thanks for reading! I actually came up with that rhythm game thing from SAOA! I thought to incorporate that into her playstyle, being crazy good with her parry timing if she got the patterns down. As for Akira, you'll see him soon enough, trust me on that.