Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 50, Agil's Shop, Algade) September 25th, 2023
"Agil! Open up!"
The large dark-skinned man's ears perked up at the noise of banging against the front door of his shop, as he reached for the door, opening it as Kirito and Josuke both barged through, slamming the door behind them as Josuke pushed his weight against it.
"We made it…" Josuke sighed exhaustedly, dropping to the floor as Kirito grabbed himself a chair nearby.
"Well, look who decided to finally show up! Our men of the hour!" Argo laughed as she looked up from a newspaper she was reading (her own newspaper).
Silica emerged from the next room with Griselda, helping move items around the shop as the young girl stared quizzically at the two teens who just arrived in the shop. "What's wrong, guys? You look exhausted!"
With that, Josuke pointed a finger to the info-broker relaxing at the counter, looking up from her newspaper to give the pair of them an obnoxiously smug grin. "I don't know, why don't you tell me, Argo?!"
"Aww, come on, Jo-boy! Ya know I gotta make bank somehow! If I see opportunity, I take it! Simple, right?" She laughed, leading Josuke to let out an annoyed breath before slumping back against the door.
"Hand me that newspaper, will you?" Griselda asked Argo, who raised an eyebrow, leading her to sigh as she flipped a coin to her.
Catching the coin, Argo grinned and held out the paper to the female Stand User, who snatched it and shook it to straighten it out, allowing her to read from its pages.
"Hmm… "Despite three casualties, the 74th Floor Boss was defeated on the first try thanks to the combined efforts of Furinkazan, the Aincrad Liberation Force, and debuting guild Purple Rain… The Black Swordsman Kirito reveals Unique Skill, «Dual Wielding» and defeats Floor Boss alongside The Diamond Fist, JoJo…" Ah. At least it's nice our little group's got some press..." Griselda hummed as she read from the articles.
"This is why I hadn't revealed the Skill before… Now I got a whole bunch of people crowding at my place asking for answers. What a pain…" Kirito muttered as Josuke couldn't help but snicker under his breath.
"Tell me about it! I came over to your hovel of a place this morning and I see a whole bunch of guys outside! I thought you'd have a panic attack before I came to bust your ass out!" Josuke laughed as Kirito sent a grin his way.
"You really think that lowly of me? I'm hurt." Kirito joked as Josuke laughed even harder, just as Lisbeth walked through the door with Okuyasu in tow.
"You know, I knew you said you wanted to keep it a secret, but I thought you'd show it off a bit sooner, don't you think? I put a lot of work into that Repulser of yours, about as much as I put into Overture and Lambent. I'd be hurt if you let it waste away in your inventory, Kirito!" Lisbeth giggled, leading Kirito to droop in his seat.
"I love the sword, I really do. What was I supposed to do? I had a chance to do something, so I took it. Nothing wrong with that, right?" Kirito mused as Okuyasu lent a smile.
"That's thinking with your heart, Kirito! I like it!" The rough-looking teen grinned, Kirito and Josuke's smiles emerging as well.
"What was that skill anyway? I don't think you really explained it to us?" Agil asked the black-clad swordsman, who sighed.
"It's called «Dual Wielding», and it's exactly what it says on the tin. It lets me equip two separate offensive weapons at once but with no demerits that usually come from dual weapons. The stats and Specials stack, and let me take advantage of both or let them play off of each other. Think about it. I can have one sword that gives me crit chance on combos, and another sword that multiplies my crit damage on top of it." Kirito explained.
"That's… overpowered. Think of the possible loadouts you could run with that potential!" Agil muttered as Kirito nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, heard some people say this could be a match for Stand Users. Guess that's why people came looking for me." Kirito said, before something else caught everyone's attention.
Suddenly, the door slammed back open as both Asuna and Klein entered the shop, out of breath as they heaved over, exhausted.
"We got a problem, guys!" Klein exclaimed amidst tired gasps, leading Josuke to look at them, confused.
"What's going on?"
Asuna turned to him with a worried expression on her face. "The Commander wants an audience!"
Weapon Showcase:
Lv. 90 One-Handed Sword: Crossing Blade, Liberator (Sword) – The man who fights for what he believes is a man who rises above the battlefield with his conviction. This blade cleaves a path for any with that conviction, carving out the way for those who seek the truth.
Special: Covenant: When paired with Liberator (Shield), increase Durability and Damage by 300% upon successful Block and Parry. All «Freestyle» combos deal 50% more damage.
Enhancement: +25
Damage: 500 (A)
Speed: 325 (B)
Durability: 750 (S)
Range: 2.5m (B)
Precision: 80% (A)
Rank: Legendary (A)
Selling Price: 100,000 Col
Owner: Heathcliff
Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 55, Knights of the Blood Headquarters, Granzam) September 25th, 2023
"So we finally meet, Purple Rain."
Kirito and Josuke met with Asuna at the 55th Floor in order to meet with the KoB Commander, arriving from the Teleport Gate and immediately taking in the atmosphere, a far cry from many of the other floors.
Granzam, alternatively dubbed "The Steel City" earned its title with its skyline filled by iron towers and castles, surrounded by barren wastelands, mountains and canyons. The city itself was bustling, but not as lively as the hectic maze of Algade.
Asuna led them to the Knights of the Blood Headquarters, a massive castle fortress that stood tall above the city with red banners and flags bearing the sign of the illustrious guild.
Right now, the group stood in the guild's main office, before them, the leaders of the Knights of the Blood, one seat next to the center empty as its occupant stood amongst Purple Rain, facing down the man in the center currently addressing them.
That man stood out next to his fellow leaders, wearing an ensemble of red over white instead of the uniform palette of the others, his eyes and features rugged lined by silver hair. Those in the room were very aware of who he was, none other than the leader of the KoB and the strongest player SAO had ever seen thus far.
"It's a pleasure, Commander Heathcliff." Kirito addressed the man, who smiled amusedly.
"You know, I don't think I really took the time to get to know any of you beforehand in any of the strategy meetings. Guess that came back to bite me, didn't it?" Heathcliff mused, before he continued on.
"Right on to the point. Imagine my surprise when I heard our Vice Commander opted to take leave to join a newborn guild. Then, imagine my intrigue when I learned this guild managed to consist of some of the game's strongest heroes and then proceed to take down a Floor Boss on the first try!" Heathcliff grinned as Josuke eyed him warily.
"You didn't call us here just to pat us on the back, did you?" The Stand user asked, leading Heathcliff to hum as he put his hands to his chin.
"No, you're right. As you can imagine, with our numbers spread thin, we could only manage so well without our Vice Commander, and here I find you trying to take her away from us." Heathcliff spoke, as the members of Purple Rain looked amongst one another, leading Kirito to speak up.
"She made that choice on her own. We didn't do anything that she didn't want. However, I think your conduct couldn't speak the same way. Your choice of bodyguards, for one." Kirito rebutted, leading one of the sub-leaders to raise his voice.
"You're talking about Kuradeel, am I right? We're really sorry for whatever trouble he caused." The man stated, leading Heathcliff to intervene.
"Yes, thank you, Godfree. We will deal with Kuradeel on our terms, but do understand that Asuna's absence will be a severe blow to us, and we won't give her up easily." Heathcliff declared, as Josuke stepped in as well with his own conviction.
"On that, we agree. Don't think we'll give up on a friend just like that." The Stand user proclaimed, leading Heathcliff to smile under his breath.
"If that's the case, why don't you demonstrate your mettle? I'll challenge one of you to a duel. Defeat me in combat, and I'll let Asuna go to remain with Purple Rain. On the other hand, if I win, Purple Rain will join the Knights of the Blood Oath." Heathcliff proposed, causing shocked faces amongst the trio as they heard Heathcliff's challenge.
"So then… who will rise to the challenge?" Heathcliff asked, turning to Kirito.
"Kirito, word of your «Dual Wielding» skill has spread far, and it's made me quite… intrigued. Why don't you take me on? See how far you can push the limits of this power of yours?" Heathcliff proposed, before Josuke stepped forward, much to everyone's surprise.
"Why don't I give it a shot?" We took down the boss together, after all." The pompadoured teen suggested, leading Kirito to turn to him.
"Hang on a second, didn't he challenge me first?" Kirito asked, leading Josuke to turn to his friend.
"Think about this for a quick second! This guy's the strongest player in the game, and as far as I know, he doesn't even have a Stand! Crazy Diamond's faster and stronger than almost anything in this game! Think he can top that?" Josuke whisper-yelled to the swordsman, who growled under his breath and did the same.
"Hold on! You start thinking about this yourself! Without your Stand, you could never beat me sword-to-sword, and that's without the second blade in my hand! Besides, you can't heal anything Crazy Diamond takes for you! It's too risky!" Kirito rebutted, leading Josuke to grit his teeth in frustration.
"If you're so indecisive… I wouldn't mind taking you both on."
The two bickering players turned slowly at the Commander, their eyes bearing shock and surprise when they heard his suggestion, delivered so casually it threw them for a loop..
"Did he just say that?" Kirito thought.
"He's that confident?!" Josuke screamed internally.
"C-Commander?!" Asuna exclaimed, completely shocked, as Heathcliff merely smiled calmly.
"I've heard story after story of the dynamic duo the two of you were, the master swordsman, and the Stand user. I would want nothing more than to see you in action with my own eyes, to test your skills against my own. It would be the greatest honor." Heathcliff stated, his voice sincere and eager, the duo before him looking at each other, before smiling and nodding.
"It's a battle you want? We won't go down easy." Josuke declared, Kirito nodding all the same, as Heathcliff laughed, walking up to the pair of them and extending his hand, the two players reaching out to shake.
"Now there's a look in your eyes. Like black holes in the sky!" Heathcliff declared as he shook with Josuke, his words leading his eyes to widen.
"That's…" Josuke muttered as Heathcliff walked back to his seat.
"Pink Floyd. You have good taste, JoJo."
Weapon Showcase:
Lv. 90 Tower Shield: Crossguard, Liberator (Shield) – The man who fights for what he believes is a man who rises above the battlefield with his conviction. This shield defends with the resolution of that conviction, enduring through any trial to emerge victorious.
Special: Covenant: When paired with Liberator (Sword), increase Durability and Damage by 300% upon successful Block and Parry. Nullifies Damage of next hit received upon every third «Perfect Parry» in a row.
Enhancement: +25
Damage: N/A
Speed: 200 (D)
Durability: 950 (S)
Range: 2m (B)
Precision: 50% (C)
Rank: Legendary (A)
Selling Price: 100,000 Col
Owner: Heathcliff
Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 75, Colosseum, Collinia) September 26th, 2023
The next day, there was a lively energy filling the air as the newly unlocked town of Collinia crowded with people. The city resembled an Ancient Roman city, buildings complete with marble and granite pillars. In the center of the city, a massive circular arena stood tall and proud, and was the epicenter of a massive buzz in the city.
Players of all kinds assembled at the Colosseum, the excitement building to a boiling point as lines trailed from the arena and into the streets. At the arena, stalls of all kinds were set up. In one corner, people gathered around as Argo collected pouch after pouch of coins.
"Come one, come all! We're takin' all bets! Who will emerge victorious? The Dynamic Duo or The Living Legend? Place yer bets now!" Argo yelled out as crowds flocked around, the sight of the coins piling up sending waves of shameless joy through her as Agil and Lisbeth could only watch their friend revel in her wealth.
Klein, Okuyasu, Silica and Griselda walked through the gate and into the Colosseum, marveling at the sight around them as aisle upon aisle of seats completely filled as the minutes passed by. Okuyasu made it to his seat, clutching a bag of popcorn in his hand and munching away. "How'd this even happen? One minute we hear Heathcliff wanting to speak to Kirito and Josuke, and next thing we know, BAM! Duel!"
"I just hope nobody gets seriously hurt…" Silica muttered as she reached a hand into Okuyasu's bag and opened her hand in front of her shoulder, allowing Pina to nibble on a piece as the dragon chirped happily.
"And if they fail, we gotta join the KoB? Man, talk about stakes… I don't wanna ditch the guys at Furinkazan…" Klein muttered, as Griselda sighed, her hands to her chin as she pondered in her seat amidst the cheering.
"You're technically not an official member, so I guess you won't have to worry. Still, what's Heathcliff's game? Challenging Kirito and JoJo both at the same time? He's crazy." The older woman watched as the Commander stood in the center of the arena, his demeanor completely calm and composed. Truly deserving of his title of The Living Legend.
"Well, let's just hope our boys got a plan up their sleeve." Klein muttered as the crowd cheered on.
Meanwhile, down in the fighter's chambers below the arena, Asuna, Kirito and Josuke met, dealing with their own set of problems, including the upcoming battle and their stakes in the matter.
"God, you idiots! Why'd you just agree to this?! Now it's like all of Aincrad's here!" Asuna cried, leading Kirito to assume a nervous expression from the pressure.
"I-it's not like we had much of a choice! Besides, not like we expected him to take us both at once!" Kirito stammered, trying to calm her down as Josuke watched, amused.
"He really did, huh… He's confident. Does he have anything that could match my Crazy Diamond and Kirito's dual blades?" Josuke asked, curious as Asuna put a finger to her chin.
"Word is, he's got a Unique Skill of his own, just like you, Kirito." Asuna stated as Kirito nodded.
"So I've heard. The «Holy Sword». It maximises his offense and defense, and allows him to switch between either on the fly, even using both at once. I've seen him kill monsters with his shield." Kirito muttered, as Josuke nodded.
"So, you got a plan? We can't just go out there unprepared." Kirito asked Josuke. This was going to be a tough battle, one they couldn't just waltz blindly into, lest they suffer defeat in front of thousands of onlookers. Josuke felt a sweat run down his brow, clearly nervous, more so than he'd been for nearly any boss fight he'd participated in.
"We gotta be smart. Let's go over what we know already. We can do it, let's go!" Josuke encouraged as Kirito smiled, the two of them then proceeding to strategize.
Several minutes later, a man entered the hallway watching the two discussing amongst each other. He cleared his throat with a cough, leading the three of them to turn his way. Kirito and Josuke recognized him as the same soldier at the leader's table who spoke up.
"It's time." He spoke frankly.
"Thanks, Godfree. I think we're ready." Asuna noted, patting Kirito on the back as he rose to his feet with his friend.
"Hey, you two!" Godfree called out, leading Josuke and Kirito to turn his way.
"Give them a good show! Hoorah!" The man jovially exclaimed, pumping his fist into the air as the duo grinned, Josuke raising his fist in return as they moved to the light at the end of the hallway.
The light of the sun gave way to the rising crescendo of an excited crowd, cheering at the sight of their appearance. The duo walked across the sandy floor of the arena, Kirito looking anxiously around him, not used to seeing so many eyes focused on him. A pat on the back from Josuke followed, leading him to look up at his friend.
"Stay cool, man. Get your game face on!" Josuke grinned as he walked with confidence. Sighing, Kirito sucked in a breath as he puffed his chest out, his back straight as he walked forward.
Looking ahead, the pair locked eyes with their opponent. The Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath stood calmly as he smiled, in his hands a massive tower shield, holding a great claymore in its center. He now wore a set of heavy armor, much like the uniform of his subordinates in the KoB, only colored a deep shade of crimson with white highlights, the reverse of the norm.
Stopping before the Commander, both teens nodded in greeting as Heathcliff addressed them. "I do have to say, I wasn't expecting this much of a commotion. My apologies if this is too much pressure to work with."
"You can blame Argo for that. Bet she's over the moon with the sales she's making." Josuke laughed, leading Heathcliff to chuckle.
"That does sound like The Rat's doing. Now then, why don't we get started? The first to land a strike wins. Although in my case, it'll be two." Heathcliff smiled as he sifted through his menu, fiddling with the settings.
Both Kirito and Josuke heard the chime of their notification feed as they both opened their menus, opening the alert for Heathcliff's duel invitation. Looking up to the Commander, Kirito offered one more word as his finger hovered over the "Accept" icon.
"One last question, why ask to duel us both?" Kirito asked, leading Heathcliff to pause, before laughing softly under his breath.
"Simple, really. I thought it'd be fun."
Kirito's eyebrows quirked at that answer, as Josuke turned to him with an amused smile. The both of them then accepted the challenge, leading the timer to begin sounding off, ticking down the seconds as both parties reached for their weapons.
Kirito's hands reached for both his blades on his back, drawing them as he assumed a stance, Elucidator level to his chest, while Dark Repulser was held back. His eyes watched closely as the seconds ticked by, his brain reaffirming the discussion he had with Josuke in the hallway.
Speaking of which, Josuke held a hand to the sword on his back, but didn't draw the blade yet. His free hand was held in front of him as his body moved into a more stable stance. Crazy Diamond was nowhere to be seen yet, as Josuke's eyes joined Kirito's as they closely observed Heathcliff's movements.
The Commander reached for the hilt of his weapon, releasing the weapon from its sheath as he held his huge tower shield in one hand, the sword held vertically as his face was stone cold, completely calm and collected. The crowd's excitement quieted down as the atmosphere grew tense, neither side making the first move.
Three.
Two.
One.
"HAHH!"
*clang*
Kirito was the first to move, his swords clashing against Heathcliff's shield with a deafening ring. Heathcliff's eyes widened in surprise as although he expected one of them to make the first move, he certainly wasn't expecting Kirito's hit to land barely even a millisecond into the duel.
"Okay, first, a pre-emptive strike'll be our way in." Kirito said to Josuke as they discussed strategy.
"You really think it'll work? Hell, I wouldn't really fall for that." Josuke muttered.
"I highly doubt it will, but the key is catching him off-guard. If we surprise him with a strike so fast he never expects it coming, maybe his concentration'll break. He wouldn't be able to collect himself to parry our combo after, anyway. He'll be stuck turtling behind that shield." Kirito reasoned as Josuke hummed in understanding.
"I can't close that gap in time. Think you're fast enough?" Josuke asked, leading Kirito to shrug with a grin.
"Guess we'll have to see ourselves."
And fast he was. In a flash of an instant, Kirito was in front of Heathcliff, unleashing a flurry of strikes with unrelenting power and speed, only for each strike to clash against Heathcliff's shield. The crowd's cheers increased further as the action began to pick up.
Heathcliff deflected strike after strike as his mind raced. In front of him, Kirito continued to throw strike after strike, all of them for naught as his shield remained resolute and steadfast. Deciding to break the charade, Heathcliff pushed his shield out towards Kirito, causing him to flinch. Now, he would take his sword and go for a hit while he was-
"His reaction time should be incredible, and he's not gonna take hits lying down, don't you think?" Josuke asked, as Kirito continued to ponder further.
"After that first combo, he'll try to counterattack. That's when we'll switch out. Obviously, I can't call it out, so you'll have to be watching the battle. I'll try to make my hits as fast as possible to keep his focus on me. That should be enough time for you to get a good eye on the signal." Kirito suggested as Josuke nodded.
"I'll trust you on this, hope you make it work, jackass." The teen laughed.
"DORA!"
A sword flew at him from his right, leading Heathcliff to gasp as he swung his own sword to the side, clashing with Josuke's improvised missile and sending it flying into the air, much to the excitement of the crowd. This was only the beginning of his problems, however, as Josuke ran up to him.
"That sword-throwing move I keep seeing you do… try to enter with that. If we're lucky, it might hit." Kirito suggested.
"Then, I call it back and attack?" Josuke asked, only for Kirito to cut him off.
"Wait… maybe not. You still got those gauntlets and greaves, right?" Kirito asked.
"Yeah, why?"
"Let's make this great!" Josuke yelled, as Crazy Diamond made itself visible, roaring as it prepared for battle, the crowd cheering loudly upon the sight of its appearance.
"DORA!"
Josuke's Stand reached out with its fist, the armored limb striking against Heathcliff's shield. Growling, Josuke yelled out as Crazy Diamond wound its fists back.
"CRAZY DIAMOND!"
"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA!"
Heathcliff felt himself getting pushed back by the onslaught of fists. Too fast to parry any of them, he stood behind his shield, taking the hits. With his Unique Skill in play, he could afford to tank considerably longer than he'd be able to get away with. However, he already sensed something odd was happening. "Why's he attacking my shield? He could be going for me directly, and Kirito could be going for my back, but all he's doing is throwing punches at my shield!"
Glancing around him, Kirito was approaching slowly, but surely. His swords in both hands, he simply seemed content to lay back as Josuke attacked him. Something was definitely off, and he didn't like it.
«Singularity Point»
*BLAM*
Suddenly, his shield hand flew to the side as his guard was completely blown open. A sudden impact on his shield was felt, releasing a deafening ring into the air. Looking ahead of him, he saw Josuke's newly armored fist smoking as a red-hot glow diminished.
"How about this Sword Skill? It might just be the trick."
"That one? It's low-tier. Sure, it can shatter any guard in one blow, but that's only if your enemy's stupid enough to turtle behind a wall and sit there waiting for you to charge it! It's like Captain Falcon in Smash!" Kirito objected, leading Josuke to smirk.
"Yeah, but that's where I'm different. With Crazy Diamond's speed, this could work." Josuke suggested, leading Kirito to sigh.
"Enlighten me, then."
"Crazy Diamond's speed should force Heathcliff behind that shield with a whole bunch of fist rushes. If he tries to peek from his guard, it'll land a hit on him. If he moves, you could be on him. Besides, that way, he'd be unable to see me charging my Skill right behind his shield. Crazy Diamond distracts him by attacking the shield for a few good seconds, then, BAM! Direct hit!"
"Of course! He used his Stand to ensure I couldn't see it coming! Clever." Heathcliff mused internally as both teens rushed in, keen to take advantage of his opening.
"Very clever indeed." Heathcliff grinned, watching Josuke rush in from the front, his sword in hand as Kirito approached from the side at breakneck speed.
Smiling, the Commander used his momentum and took his shield arm, thrusting the end of the tower shield directly in Josuke's path, leading him to gasp as he was nailed in the stomach, knocking all the air out of him as he was sent flying back, sprawling across the floor.
Turning his attention to the swordsman mere milliseconds from being directly next to him, Heathcliff rode his body's momentum again and swung his sword to meet Kirito's blades swinging down on him. Continuing to spin to face Kirito, he directed his shield to knock Kirito away like he did Josuke.
However, Kirito was ready. Using the force he used to push his dual blades onto Heathcliff's, he pushed off and flipped into the air, missing the swing by a margin as he was airborne, riding his descent and crossing his blades into a scissors formation, trying to slice at Heathcliff as he neared the ground.
Smirking at his moves, Heathcliff simply raised his shield and blocked the strike, pushing off and thrusting with his own blade, which Kirito managed to parry, diverting its path away as he pushed off of Heathcliff's shield with his boots, landing next to Josuke.
"Impressive! You two truly live up to your reputation! Your wits are as sharp as your skills!" Heathcliff marveled, leading Kirito and Josuke both to grit their teeth, rising to their feet.
"And you're not bad yourself!" Kirito noted as he raised his swords.
"But we're just getting started!" Josuke grinned from ear to ear with determination, bringing his sword out as Crazy Diamond prepared for battle, leading Heathcliff to grin all the same.
"Come on you strangers, you legends, you martyrs, and shine!" Heathcliff declared as he raised his blade once again, the cheering of the crowd intensifying as the energy in the air built to a boiling point.
Both teens approached, Kirito running ahead as he crossed his blades again for an attack, clashing once more against Heathcliff's ironclad defense. Striking several more times without landing a hit once as each of his hits bounced off of his shield.
One swing after another, before a shearing slice with both and a kick off, pushing Kirito back as Heathcliff watched Josuke move in, closing the distance quickly, thrusting with the tip of his larger sword, pushing against Heathcliff's defense as the older man flinched from the sudden impact.
Josuke roared as his Stand's punches alternated with his sword's swings, not giving Heathcliff the time to deflect his strikes by telegraphing his combo hits. A swing to the left, followed by a triple jab at the shield, an outward swing to the right, immediately followed by a combination of kicks and punches from Crazy Diamond.
A final slam downwards threw Heathcliff back, but he took his shield and swung it as Crazy Diamond attacked him, parrying the Stand's next strike as it flinched backwards, but before Heathcliff could deal a blow with his sword, a dark blur moved within his range of vision, as Kirito leapt off of Josuke's hunched back, his swords poised to attack.
He raised his sword to parry the overhead aerial attack, but Josuke had already recovered from his stagger as he moved in from the vulnerable front, his sword leveled to strike.
"What if we don't get him after all that? There's something we need to think about then." Kirito pondered, his hand to his chin before Josuke sighed.
"Well, all this time, we've been thinking about taking turns. What we need to start wondering is how we can approach this as a team, at the same time." Josuke suggested as Kirito snapped his fingers.
"You got a point. So then, all we need to do is to get his guard focused on one of us, allowing the other to land a hit. All we need is one to end it." Kirito muttered.
"How about this? I try to hit him from the front, and you try to hit him from above. Use me as a springboard, then aim for his head. With luck, he won't be able to hold both of us off!" Josuke then noted, grinning with excitement.
Heathcliff was pushed into a corner with their formation. However, he was still calm as he raised his sword above his head to fend off Kirito's sword swings behind his head as the black-clad swordsman soared towards him, as he raised his shield once again to defend against Josuke's frontal assault as the pompadoured teen wound back an arm with his sword in hand.
"DORA!"
The blade left Josuke's hand and zoomed through the air like an arrow, the cracking noise of the sword rocketing through the air sending chills up the man's spine as he moved ever so slightly, the blade missing him by a margin as he heard it slam into the Colosseum walls far behind him, Kirito's blades nearing closer by the millisecond as the Stand user before him attacked.
Josuke had his gauntlets on as he screamed a battle cry, throwing punch after punch at the infallible shield at incredible speed.
Wait…
"Why isn't he using his Stand?"
Then, he saw it barely an instant after that thought entered his mind, Kirito's blades clashing against his sword above his head, deflecting his strike.
Crazy Diamond behind Josuke, its hand stretched out and sparkling with its spiritual energy.
He heard it.
The familiar noise that shouldn't be heard in this game, of a projectile moving through the air right behind him.
"You say that, but if he'd fended us off before, you really think us being slightly faster and simultaneous would help?" Kirito asked, leading a smug grin to move onto Josuke's face.
"Yeah, maybe a double-pronged assault wouldn't be enough… but how about three?" Josuke asked, placing a hand to his back at the greatsword slung over it.
Drawing the blade, Josuke gazed at the hilt, a familiar purple cloth that matched with a similar fabric wrapped around his hand. Tossing the blade to the wall, Crazy Diamond's energy formed around the hand, as the blade flipped back to return to Josuke's hand.
"So then-" Kirito began, before Josuke smirked once more.
"Yep! I start out with throwing my sword, then as he's busy fending us both off, he gets hit right in the back when he least expects it!" Josuke laughed, thrusting his sword out to emphasize his point.
It was like time stood still as Heathcliff realized what was about to happen.
Josuke was in front of his shield, pounding away at it and demanding his guarded attention. He could spare some to defend against Kirito's attack from above, but his back was completely open as Josuke's blade returned to its wielder's hand, with him directly in its path, keen to strike him from behind.
He couldn't move his sword in time so long as Kirito was weighing his blades down on his own, and if he turned around to swing at Josuke's sword, the Stand user would be able to land a hit with his own fists the second he dropped his guard. This was a near-airtight approach, one that greatly impressed Heathcliff.
"A three-pronged attack… not bad at all. You just might have outdone me!" Heathcliff smiled internally, before gathering his resolve.
"...but I won't lose!"
What happened next was a complete blur.
Heathcliff's sword moved, but Kirito didn't even feel the blade remove its force from his swing before it swung down, smacking Josuke's blade away.
"W-wha-"
Not even an instant later, he felt a sharp impact into his abdomen, as before he could process what happened, Heathcliff's sword was already in his body as he was tossed aside, sent sprawling across the sand as he heard the roaring cheers of the crowd reach a fever pitch.
"H-how…?"
Josuke could only stare in disbelief as Heathcliff deflected his sword and dispatched Kirito in what he could only describe as the blink of an eye, at a speed he could only describe as impossibly inhuman, before redirecting his shield to bash into Josuke's strike, which the pompadoured teen resisted, before gripping the shield and tearing it off his hand.
The Commander stared at his empty hand as Josuke breathed heavily, cracking his knuckles with a grin as Heathcliff turned his way with his sword in both hands, assuming a stance as he prepared for his enemy's attack.
"COME ON!" Josuke yelled as Overture returned to Crazy Diamond's hand, the Stand preparing for a full frontal assault as he was left on his own, the crowd cheering louder as his declaration rang out into the air.
"Show me a good time, JoJo!" Heathcliff grinned, as Crazy Diamond raised the blade above its head, preparing to swing.
"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA!"
The sounds of blades clashing chimed through the air, as both weapons collided and crossed, each swing delivered at a lightning pace. Josuke's Stand roared, swinging the blade with all its strength, slashing again, and again, and again so quickly that Josuke couldn't keep up with his naked eyes.
Despite it all, everyone could only watch in complete shock as despite missing his shield, despite being without a Stand of his own, the Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath stood his ground.
His blade moved to match Josuke's swings blow for blow, his swings just as fast, just as precise, just as strong to stand on equal footing with Crazy Diamond as he smiled just as calmly as ever.
Suddenly, Josuke felt an odd impact on his sword as Crazy Diamond's sword arm flew back, Heathcliff's own blade moving upwards purposefully with a perfectly placed Parry, staggering Josuke as he could only gape in shock, unable to believe what he was seeing.
"How the hell did he do that…? He parried Crazy Diamond's attacks?!" Josuke screamed in his head as Heathcliff thrust with his sword. Unable to deflect the strike, Josuke grunted as the blade's edge gashed into his side, causing him to cringe as he fell to his knees.
Looking up to see Heathcliff's blade pointing down at his head, Josuke stared in disbelief at the Commander's calm smile, just as the chime of a bell rang into the air, reaching the ears of all bearing witness, an alert appearing above the arena announcing the victor.
"Game."
The crowd's cheers erupted into the air as Heathcliff stood victorious, leaving Kirito and Josuke to remain on the ground, looking up at him in shock. They could do nothing but think back at that decisive moment, that instant when their foolproof plan of attack fell apart right on the verge of victory.
"Heh."
Heathcliff turned down to Josuke, intrigued as he heard him let out a chuckle under his breath as he sat on the ground.
"Hehe…Hahahahahahaha~!" Josuke laughed as Kirito joined him, both boys laughing on the ground, as Heathcliff could only stare at them, slightly confused.
"Talk about a fight!" Josuke laughed, his hand covering his face as his head hit the ground, his body facing the sky, his voice filling with laughter, venting out the adrenaline that filled him during the fight.
"I know, right?! That was insane!" Kirito yelled out, smiling despite his complete disbelief and shock, as the excitement building up inside him burst forward in a laughing fit.
Staring at both teens' reactions, Heathcliff couldn't help but chuckle himself. "You put on an incredible show. You had me on the ropes back there, I won't lie. If you'd like a rematch in the future, I'd be honored to oblige."
"You can count on it!" Josuke replied as he rose to his feet, walking over to Kirito and extending his hand out to him, helping his friend to his feet as they laughed together over the hair-raising match they fought earlier.
Heathcliff said nothing after, as he continued to watch the pair laugh together, happy to indulge in each others' presence and happiness as he could only smile as he always did, hiding his thoughts and emotions behind that smile like he had his whole life.
"Their teamwork, their strength combined… Yes. They're the ones. I can already tell." Heathcliff thought to himself with a satisfied grin, walking away to ponder further.
Weapon Showcase:
Lv. 60 One-Handed Sword: Draconic Claw, Dark Repulser – Do not let its glassy frame fool you. Forged from crystals guarded by dragons, this unholy blade strikes without mercy or remorse much like the fearsome beasts themselves. Like a proud dragon flying high, you are a king of nature, an unchained storm.
Special: Reverse Scale: All «Sword Skill» damage increased by 30%, Critical Damage increased by 50%, Critical Chance increased by 30% for 2 seconds on successful «Combo Chain»
Enhancement: +15
Damage: 600 (S)
Speed: 350 (B)
Durability: 250 (C)
Range: 2m (B)
Precision: 75% (B)
Rank: Crafted, Legendary (A)
Selling Price: 95,000 Col
Owner: Kirito
Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Lv. 55, Knights of the Blood Headquarters, Granzam) September 26th, 2023
"Got anything else to wear? These flashy threads aren't working for me…"
Cue Josuke and Asuna laughing as Kirito groaned, tugging at his new uniform with visible discomfort, slumping down in his chair with a sigh.
Following the decisive battle against Heathcliff the day before, as per the conditions both parties agreed on, Purple Rain joined the Knights of the Blood Oath, much to Asuna's frustrations. Part of their membership also entailed receiving uniform armor to signify their membership, complete with a white and red color scheme, much to the chagrin of the formerly black-clad swordsman.
"Shut up, man. You look great! No man disrespects the name of fashion in my presence!" Josuke laughed, leading Kirito to stare at him with a deadpan look.
"Says the guy who couldn't land a hit on an old man with a sword despite having a Stand that can punch at supersonic speed…" Kirito smirked, causing Josuke to direct a confrontational look at him.
"Oh. So we're going this way then? At least I went down fighting! He just skewered you in the blink of an eye!" Josuke exclaimed, leading Kirito to groan, flailing his arms in the air as he sank into his chair.
"Aaaaaghhh… And here I thought I'd last a bit longer than you, dumbass." Kirito muttered, leading Josuke to snicker mischievously.
"It's funny you even had that thought. Either way, Heathcliff's insane! I knew he was crazy good, but that was way beyond anything I'd imagined! He matched my speed with his bare hands! How's that even possible?" Josuke asked as he stared at the ceiling, buried in his thoughts as Kirito contemplated on his own.
"How… is that possible…?" Kirito thought out loud, leading Asuna and Josuke to turn to him.
Before they could say anything, the door opened. Turning to the noise of the creaking door, the trio were greeted by Godfree, a cheerful smile on his face.
"Hey, there! You two, get ready. Your training's gonna be with me!" The man announced as Kirito's head cocked to the side, confused.
"Training? Us?" The boy asked, leading Josuke to assume a similar expression.
"Hey, buddy, I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think we need any tips. In case you didn't watch that fight from yesterday, we can handle ourselves just fine!" Josuke seconded, leading Godfree to chuckle.
"The way I see it, there's always room for everyone to improve, no matter how far they go! You're gonna want to defeat the Commander one of these days, right?" Godfree replied, causing the two to look to each other and sigh.
"Hang on a second, Godfree! Kirito and JoJo are already partied with me, so why're yo-" Asuna began to protest before the older man cut her off.
"I understand, ma'am, but as our Vice Commander, you know how things work around here. As the leader of the assault team, it's my job to oversee our newcomers and evaluate their skills!" Godfree said, before turning to both teens as Asuna pouted in her seat.
"We'll be going with three more guys to clear a dungeon on this floor. I'll be seeing you two at the eastern gate within the hour! Hoorah!" Godfree exclaimed jovially, pumping his fist in the air as he walked back out the door, leaving the three teens alone.
Asuna sighed as she sank into her seat again. "And here I thought we'd at least have a bit of time to ourselves…"
"Don't worry about it. We'll be just fine as a team. Besides, we won't be going by ourselves," Kirito noted as he smiled in Asuna's direction as Josuke rose to his feet, stretching his limbs.
"Still… I'd rather I go on these evaluations with you. They're no joke, especially with our guild's requirements. Besides, we're a team, aren't we?" Asuna said, her face glum as she sat, before she felt a hand gently pat the top of her head.
Looking up, she saw Josuke smiling at her goofily. "We'll be fine, Asuna. I'll come back with Kirito safe and sound, I can promise you that!"
"Hold on a second, when'd you become responsible for my safety?" Kirito asked in a deadpan voice as he stood from his chair.
"Since you managed to lose to Heathcliff about fifteen seconds before I did. Your point?" Josuke smugly replied, leading Kirito to huff a breath in annoyance.
"H-hang on! That was-" Kirito began to bicker with his friend, the two going back and forth like they usually did, in an argument Asuna had heard the likes of endless times over from her experience together with the pair. With moments like these, she couldn't help but smile.
She remembered Kirito's vulnerable side fully revealing itself to her that day, when he'd completely broken down in front of the Boss Room. She feared that he faced these problems alone, that he'd be cursed with those burdens for the rest of his life. However, in the face of the sight before her, she couldn't help but feel comfort.
After all, she knew for certain those two would have each others' backs until the end.
Several minutes later, Kirito and Josuke walked to the gate where Godfree said to meet up, walking down a large chained drawbridge and out into a clearing that led into a grassy plain on the outskirts of Granzam.
"I can't believe we actually have to train…" Kirito muttered as Josuke chuckled in response.
"Well, not like it hurts to get the limbs stretching and the blades swinging, am I right? Besides, I thought you liked that kinda thing?" Josuke grinned as he leaned into his hands behind his head.
"I mean, I like it, but on my own terms. You feel me?" Kirito stated, leading Josuke to nod as he hummed in contemplation over his response.
"I guess, but hey, why does that stop here? After all, it wouldn't kill to show off a bit right? Show 'em why we're top dogs here!" Josuke laughed, to which Kirito grinned in agreement.
"Now that's what I'm talking about! Just don't slow me down, yeah?" Kirito smiled as Josuke let out a loud snort as he laughed.
"Big talk coming from you!" Josuke cackled before they reached the exit, where Godfree waited.
"Hey, guys! Over here! Why don't we all get familiar with each other?" Godfree smiled, as two other players stood by next to him.
"JoJo! Long time no see!"
Josuke and Kirito turned to the group and saw Yuna waving their way, giggling with a massive smile on her face, Nautilus following shortly behind her, smiling in his own reserved way as he greeted the duo.
"Hi, Yuna! Nautilus! Damn, I haven't seen you guys in forever!" Josuke laughed as Nautilus grinned.
"Yeah, I was wondering when we'd meet again. Yuna really missed hanging out, you know?" Nautilus chuckled, leading his friend to blush heavily.
"Mouu~! I thought I told you not to blab about that! It's embarrassing!" Yuna whined as Nautilus laughed at her expense, causing her to pout with crossed arms amidst her flushed face.
Josuke laughed as well, glad to be reunited with the pair of them, then he took notice of the third player, standing by off in the corner, watching them. His scowl and scrawny face was a dead giveaway for him. It was none other than Kuradeel, the man who had been assigned as Asuna's bodyguard when they first met.
"You? What're you doing here?" Josuke asked, annoyed as Kuradeel flinched when he heard Josuke's voice.
Josuke hadn't forgotten the cardinal sin the man had committed in his face, and from the looks of it, Kuradeel had very much not forgotten the pummeling he received because of it. From the way he shook in his boots at the sight of Josuke, that much seemed all too clear to him. Growling under his breath, Josuke walked towards him, only to be stopped by Godfree putting a hand on his shoulder.
"Now, now. I brought him along so you guys could settle your differences peacefully. After all, we can't get along as a guild if we keep our grievances with one another, right?" Godfree said as he tried to mediate the situation, Josuke calming down along with Kuradeel.
The man walked up to Josuke before bowing his head, much to his surprise. "About the other day, I apologize for my behavior. I shouldn't have insulted you like that. I hope you can forgive me."
"N-no problem, man. Just don't do it again, yeah?" Josuke muttered, a bit confused on how this was going, but glad the man apologized, leading Kirito to sigh under his breath.
"I swear, you take it way too far sometimes." He mumbled, leading Josuke to laugh nervously before Godfree raised his voice.
"Alright then! Since we all know each other, why don't we get going! Hoorah!" Godfree cheered joyfully, his fist pumped in the air like usual as the others weakly cheered along with him, Josuke, Kirito, and Nautilus giving modest smiles in appreciation for his efforts while Yuna met his enthusiasm with her own cheer.
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. 55, Ravine) September 26th, 2023
The group continued to venture through the barren fields of Floor 55, the many rocky mountains dotting the landscape giving way to patches of green and deep ravines, one of which the small party was walking through en route to their destination.
After walking a considerable distance, the group came to a halt at a relatively open area in the canyon, with several rocks elevated from the ground. Plopping himself down onto one of the rocks, Kirito sighed as he let out an exhausted breath, Josuke following soon after as he leaned against the rock on the ground.
Nautilus helped Yuna take her own seat before resting on his own, Kuradeel finding his own spot as Godfree took a look at his party and smiled understandingly. "Well, looks like this could be a nice spot to take a breather. Why don't we have ourselves a quick lunch before moving on to the dungeon?"
"Sounds good. Got any grub?" Josuke asked as Godfree smiled, tossing him a bag.
Opening it, Josuke looked inside to see a plain piece of bread and a bottle of water. Kirito opened a similar bag and fished out the loaf, sighing to himself as he stared at the bland brick of wheat with a deadpan stare.
"Not gonna eat? You're gonna burn out sooner or later." Josuke asked Kirito, who looked up, clearly somewhere else.
"I dunno, after having a taste of Asuna's food, I don't think I could go back to stuff like this…" Kirito groaned, leading Josuke to smack him lightly upside the head, causing the boy to yelp in surprise.
"Quit your whining. The last thing I want is for you to run dry in the middle of a serious fight." Josuke muttered, taking a bite from his bread, the coarse texture only made worse by the taste of sawdust and cardboard.
Taking a swig from his water bottle, his face twisted in mild confusion as he smacked his tongue in his mouth, staring at the bottle before turning to Godfree.
"Hey Godfree? What'd you do to this water? It tastes like rat's piss." Josuke asked, before Kirito drank some of his own. Looking ahead, he could see Nautilus was drinking from his own bottle.
"Huh? Kuradeel's the one who packed it."
By the time his gaze drifted over to Kuradeel, it was already too late before he saw his smirk edge onto his face.
His eyes widening, Josuke threw his bottle away, before he felt his balance give out and his body go totally limp, unable to move at all aside from his mouth. Kirito dropped to the ground shortly after, followed by Nautilus and Godfree. The lightning icon next to his health bar said all he needed to know. They all had been paralyzed.
"NAUTILUS?!" Yuna exclaimed in fear, before a loud cackle echoed through the canyon walls.
Kuradeel stood to his full height, laughing hysterically with a wicked grin on his face. Despite the man's psychotic laughter, Yuna gritted her teeth as she tried to take an antidote crystal to cure Nautilus, something that didn't go unnoticed by Kuradeel.
"Oh no, you don't! I'm not letting you ruin the fun!" Kuradeel laughed, kicking Yuna away before she could cure Nautilus, sending her tumbling to the ground.
"Awww, trying to heal your boyfriend? Well, you know what?! I'm sick of watching your little lovey-dovey act with him! It makes me want to puke!" Kuradeel screamed as he stomped a boot onto Yuna's stomach, pinning her to the ground as she struggled to break free.
"W-why, Kuradeel?!" Godfree stammered out, as Kuradeel retrieved his sword from his inventory, and much to the horror of everyone watching, pointed the blade at Yuna beneath his feet.
"Why, you ask?! Because I hate you! ALL OF YOU!" Kuradeel screeched, raising his blade above his head towards the girl's chest, leading Nautilus's eyes to widen in horror.
"NO! DON'T DO THIS! PLEASE!" Nautilus screamed, but to no avail as Kuradeel laughed even harder, bringing the blade down onto Yuna, piercing into her avatar as she stared in horror, feeling the sword hit her over and over, whittling down her health.
Josuke watched from his paralyzed state, unable to move, to summon his Stand no matter how hard he tried. His fingers twitched, his body shook, but he was unable to help Yuna as Nautilus cried out in vain. It tore at his soul to watch, to listen, but unable to move a muscle to help.
"PLEASE! IT'S ME YOU WANT, NOT HER! LET HER GO! ATTACK ME INSTEAD, DAMN YOU!" Nautilus screamed, trying to stop Kuradeel as tears ran down his face, watching Kuradeel slash away at his friend.
"Here's how this'll go! Suddenly, we were ambushed by members of Laughing Coffin! Despite your best efforts, you fell in battle! And yet somehow I survived, and bravely fought them all off!" Kuradeel cackled as he brought his blade down onto Yuna's body, her crying doing nothing to help her.
"Y-you won't win…"
"Hmmm?" Kuradeel turned to his victim below him, her hand grasping the blade currently plunged into her chest, weakly trying to pull it from her body.
"I-if this is about… A-Asuna… She… won't acknowledge you…" Yuna scowled at the deranged man, whose expression went still at the mention of the name that escaped her lips.
"Asuna…"
"RAAAAGGGHHH!"
Kuradeel's rage spiked as he stabbed Yuna with such intense brutality the girl didn't have time to process it as her body jerked violently from the impact of the sword penetrating her body again and again, leading the others to stare in complete horror.
"ASUNA?! I HATE HER MOST OF ALL! FOR NOT ACKNOWLEDGING ME! FOR DISMISSING ME! FOR TREATING ME LIKE A DAMN BUG! ALL I DO IS MY DAMN JOB, AND SHE HAS THE NERVE TO RESENT ME FOR THAT?! BULLSHIT!"
"NO! YUNA!" Nautilus screamed, struggling with all his strength to move, to do anything to save his friend, but alas, the paralysis locked him to the ground, leaving him only able to watch it all play out to his agony.
Kuradeel screamed psychotically, driving his sword into Yuna once more, her eyes leaking one last tear as she realized, she was not going to survive.
She thought of her father, of the kind people who watched her sing, of her beloved, dear friend who stuck with her until the very end. She only had moments as her health drained, yet she wanted to fit in so much in what little time was left.
So she turned to her side, her tearing eyes locking with Nautilus's as she offered one final smile.
"I love you... Eiji..."
With that, her body fizzled and glowed blue, her avatar exploding into a group of blue pixels that dispersed in the wind.
Yuna was dead.
Kirito and Josuke watched in complete horror as the madman cackled with his sword in hand, the sheer elation in his voice after taking an innocent life both frightening them and filling them with fury.
Nautilus could only stare speechlessly. His face wracked with emotion as he stared at where Yuna once was. He didn't say a word as his face twisted into one of complete and unbridled anger.
"KURADEEL! YOU BETTER KILL ME NEXT, BECAUSE MARK MY WORDS, I'LL MAKE YOUR DEATH THE MOST PAINFUL ONE IMAGINABLE! I'LL MAKE YOU FUCKING PAY, YOU HEAR ME, BASTARD?!" Nautilus screamed, his eyes mad with rage as they watered amidst his grief, while Kuradeel stared at him amusedly with a toothy grin.
"Well, if you insist, then I'd be more than happy to-"
"DORA!"
Kuradeel was sent flying back as a fist collided with his face, sending him flying backwards into the wall. Rising weakly to his feet, Kuradeel scowled when he saw Josuke standing on his feet, cured from his paralysis.
"H-how are you standing?! That poison shouldn't last any less than several minutes! I made sure of it!" Kuradeel growled, leading Josuke to clench his fists.
"When you were going on your rant, Yuna slipped me an antidote crystal. Guess you were too narrow-minded to catch onto that, huh?" Josuke replied, his voice sharing no sympathy for the grinning man.
"Even so, I have my revenge already! I swore I'd get back at you for beating me to the ground, and I have! You could do anything you want to me, but that doesn't change a thing! SOMEONE DIED IN FRONT OF YOU, AND YOU COULDN'T DO ANYTHING TO SAVE THEM! HOW'S THAT FEEL, HUH?! TELL ME, "HERO"!" Kuradeel laughed hysterically, as Josuke's rage peaked to a boiling point.
"Shut up already!" Josuke yelled, summoning Crazy Diamond as he prepared to beat the man down, only for Kuradeel to smirk as he revealed a hand, fingers lined with sharp metal spikes.
"Throwing picks?!" Josuke saw the spikes as Kuradeel threw them at him. Summoning his Stand, Josuke prepared to defend himself.
"DORARARARARA!" Crazy Diamond's fists deflected most of the attacks, but Josuke failed to notice Kuradeel appearing in front of him with his sword, mere inches from his neck.
"IT'S OVER! DIEEE!"
«Flashing Penetrator»
All of a sudden, Kuradeel was sent flying as a flash of light burst into the area, leading Josuke to turn to his side to find Asuna standing next to him, panting and breathing heavily.
"I…*gasp*made it…"
Asuna held out her palm, revealing a bundle of antidote crystals as she turned to the Stand user. "You may not be able to heal paralysis with your Stand, but this should help. I'll handle Kuradeel."
Josuke nodded as he tended to Kirito, Godfree, and Nautilus, leaving the furious Asuna to turn to Kuradeel, whose eyes widened upon catching sight of her, walking towards him as her rapier glinted menacingly in the sunlight.
"A-Asuna! T-this isn't what you think! Y-y-you see, the-" Kuradeel stammered, trying to reason with her, but to no avail as she wordlessly raised Lambent to strike.
«Star Splash»
A torrent of thrusts from Asuna's blade washed over the hapless Kuradeel, unprepared for the assault as his health drained by the second at the mercy of Asuna's sword. All he could do was scream in terror as Asuna unleashed hell upon him.
Asuna stopped as Kuradeel's health was well into the red, just a shy away from draining completely. With this, the man immediately whimpered and dropped to his hands and knees, kneeling before Asuna, who pointed her sword at the man.
"P-please! Spare me, I beg you! I-I'll run away! Go into exile! Y-you'll never see or hear from me again! P-PLEASE! I DON'T WANNA DIE!" Kuradeel cried, leading Asuna's grip on her sword to falter as she hesitated upon hearing his words.
All the time Kuradeel needed to retaliate with a psychotic grin, grabbing the sword at his side and swatting Lambent out of Asuna's hand, knocking it out of her reach and leaving her defenseless.
"STUPID BITCH! YOU FELL FOR IT! NOW DIE!" Kuradeel cackled, raising his sword to swing down on the girl as Asuna could only stare in horror as the tables were turned on her in an instant. Kuradeel let out a screech as he swung the sword down, grinning as he felt his blade strike flesh, but his eyes widened to see Kirito raising his arm to stop Kuradeel's sword.
The hand was chopped off as it separated from Kirito's arm, disappearing entirely as it disintegrated into pixels.
"Don't touch her. Ever again."
Kirito was about to deal the final blow, before a blur sped by him, nailing Kuradeel in the chest and slamming him into the wall. Kuradeel weakly looked down at his abdomen, finding a fist stuck in his chest, turning his head up to see Josuke, his face looking at him calmly, but with pure anger swimming in his eyes.
"W-what's this…? Y-you're going to kill me? Who are you to judge me? An injured man… on death's door… You'd beat on someone like that…? That's awfully heartless..." Kuradeel laughed, leading Josuke to retract from him, his serious expression remaining.
"You're not wrong. It would be heartless… That's why I've taken the liberty of healing you." Josuke stated coldly, leading Kuradeel's eyes to bulge out. Looking to his health bar, he saw his health was completely full.
"Just so you know, I didn't do this out of pity. I did it because someone asked me to." Josuke scowled at him before turning away and walking back to Kirito and Asuna, leading Kuradeel's face to twist into one of rage.
"WHY YOU DAMN-"
"Shut up."
Suddenly, he was pinned against the wall. Kuradeel wheezed out a breath as he looked ahead to see Nautilus, his eyes trailing tears and bloodshot, completely swirling with furious rage as he pushed the sword in deeper, before yanking it out of his body, raising it above his head.
"Shut up."
Nautilus brought it down, his eyes lacking any shred of sympathy for the murderer of his friend. He brought it down again. And again, and again, and again, and again, and again, his rage venting completely in his swings hacking away at Kuradeel's helpless form.
"SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UUUUUPPPP!"
Kuradeel was covered in deep cuts as Nautilus brought the blade down onto his face with a desperate cry, his tears flowing like a river as he screamed with his grief for all the world to see, bringing him to his knees once Kuradeel's body finally ebbed away and disintegrated into the void.
"Yuna..."
His cries broke into sobs as Nautilus fell on his hands and knees, wailing mournfully for his dear friend. Godfree rushed over to tend to the grieving boy, placing a hand on his shoulder as Nautilus's tears fell like rain. He lost his friend, the girl he had promised to return to the real world, a girl who deserved none of the tragedy that had befallen so many. Yet, despite it all, he failed her.
Godfree attempted to console him, but his tears couldn't stop. How could they? Josuke tried to approach Nautilus, only for Godfree to extend a hand between them, shaking his head wordlessly. Josuke looked on solemnly, before nodding silently, sadness written all over his face.
"I'll take him back to base. You guys coming with?" Godfree asked, leading Josuke to rise to his feet, before Kirito looked at Asuna, sharing a look between them as Kirito spoke up.
"I'll be there, just go on without us, JoJo." Kirito replied, leading Josuke to nod in understanding as he helped the sobbing Nautilus to his feet alongside Godfree, walking the poor boy back to base.
Once they were alone, Kirito could hear Asuna crying behind him, leading him to turn around.
"I'm… sorry…" She whimpered out, her tears beginning to form in her eyes as she sobbed.
"T-this was my fault… wasn't it? K-Kuradeel… I should've done something… Anything! And now… Yuna's gone because of me…!" Asuna sobbed, her tears pouring out as Kirito's eyes widened.
The self-loathing.
The self-hatred.
The constant feeling of guilt stabbing at his heart.
He knew what Asuna was feeling, and he'd be damned if he let it take her over like it did him. He wouldn't let that happen, not in any lifetime. Not after what she had done to pull himself out of a similar place.
"I-I… do nothing but cause trouble for you guys…! I-I should just stay away… never be a bother to you again…!"
Kirito didn't let her continue as he turned to embrace her in a hug, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close, much like how she did for him that day. Asuna felt it.
His warmth.
His kindness.
His care.
His sincerity.
All in one gesture, Asuna felt Kirito's feelings pour into her.
"Asuna… I don't know what I'd do without you… I want to share my burdens with you, and to face yours as my own. I want to be your shoulder to cry on, and to cry on yours." Kirito muttered, his eyes leaking themselves as he poured his soul out into his words.
"You saved me that day when I didn't have the strength to stand up again… I wanted to save you too, to be there for you when you were in a dark place like you were for me. Hey… Asuna?" Kirito asked, facing the girl with wide eyes, who returned his gaze with one of her own.
"Y-yeah?"
"Let's hold onto each other. So we'll never lose each other again, and make it to the real world. Together! W-what do you say?" Kirito asked, whispering into Asuna's ear as they held onto each other, lost in each other's healing embrace.
With that, Asuna only smiled with tears in her eyes, not of sadness, but of joy.
"Always, Kirito. Always."
Kirito's tears multiplied as an unimaginable warmth washed over his heart, his eyes lost in Asuna's own and vice versa, the pair looking up from their embrace and closing the distance between their lips.
A brief contact, soft, subtle, but healing their souls as the world around them stood still.
Up next: The Girl in the Woods
Huh. This took more out of me to get out than I thought. Maybe because I was unsure about that ending and how I handled Kuradeel's scene. For those wondering if I'd spare Yuna, I'm sorry. I know it went differently in the OG, but after introducing both her and Nautilus, I figured I might as well write out how it came to be, besides I have big plans for Ordinal Scale, as I plan to introduce someone big there. Was the final dialogue between Kirito and Asuna out of place? I don't really know for sure. As for the Heathcliff fight, I tried to emphasize that "impossible speed" element that gave him away as well as make sure Josuke's Stand was used well. And yes, I had Heathcliff quote lyrics from "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" by Pink Floyd.
Also he quotes Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance at one point. See if you can spot it.
Overall, I wonder what you all make of this. If I screwed up, feel free to tell me. Anyways, next should be Yui's introduction, and hoo boy that girl is a can of worms all on her own. See you in the next one! Deuces.
Aurum79: Thank you! That means a lot coming from you! I think that was the chapter I'm most proud of at the time I'm writing now. As for Kira, I suppose I should have kept it a bit more under wraps.
NotMrMundy: That's totally fine! If you don't have anything bad to say, then just say what you think! I'm fine hearing anything from you guys! Glad to hear you liked those parts!