Shine On Me

by Viva2212

Josuke receives a NerveGear and a copy of SAO just in time for the full release and dives in. However, it quickly becomes a matter of life and death as he and Kirito fight for their lives amongst 10,000 players. Nothing will ever be the same and the secret world of Stands will be revealed for all to see. Welcome to Aincrad, where legends are made of common men. FAIRY DANCE

26. Soul Sister (FAIRY DANCE VI)

Butterfly Valley, ALfheim Online (Domain: Cait Siths) June 14th, 2024

Everything was happening so fast, Asuna had no idea what to think.

Her wings were spread wide on her back, her hair fluttering in the wind as she sped over the land as fast as she possibly could. Her mind was a mess, barely a moment to spare for a breath or to think things through.

It was barely ten minutes ago when she had set off from Alne, leaving Leafa to fend off an enraged Annie on her own. She could count on one hand the number of people who she felt could match a sliver of the intense aura radiating from Annie, but Leafa simply raised her sword and faced her down all by herself.

Now, she was racing over the plateau towards what Yui told her was the Butterfly Valley.

"Yui, any idea what's out there?" Asuna asked, as the tiny pixie poked her head out of the Sylph's pocket to answer her mother's question.

"The Butterfly Valley is one of three access points from the Domains of the nine races to the central plateau of Alne. It's in Cait Sith territory, between Sylph and Pooka domains. If what Leafa and Annie told us is correct, it would indeed be the ideal location for a meeting between the Sylph and Cait Sith leaders." Yui explained, Asuna looking away for a second to think that information over.

A meeting between two leaders of the fairy races. Asuna knew little of whatever semblance of politics Alfheim fostered, but she figured that there had to be a top dog of some kind for each race, to control the territories and organize pushes for the World Tree.

If a meeting like this was big enough for the Salamanders to gang up and crash it, she could only assume this was a gambit they were unwilling to refuse.

"The Lords… Yui, what can you tell me about them?" Asuna asked again.

"The Lords are the sanctioned leaders in charge of their respective race's Domain. They are elected into the position via a vote amongst their fellow fairies, and are given exclusive authorities much like guild leaders in SAO. Additionally, they reserve the right to allocate tax money and banish unsavory players of their choosing." Yui proceeded to elaborate, Asuna then turning her mind to another question.

"What would the Salamanders gain from killing the Sylph and Cait Sith Lords?"

"If the Salamanders were to kill them, they would be rewarded 30% of their treasury and essentially be given right of way for ten days within a Domain, including taxes and occupying towns." Yui answered, as Asuna's eyes widened in shock.

"If that happens… they're planning to use all that money to gear up for a World Tree raid." Asuna muttered as Yui nodded in response.

"Yes. Alongside the added bonus of nipping prospects of a Sylph-Cait Sith alliance in the bud, it would preserve their top tier status in the game's current meta, as well as eliminate any possible competition for the Grand Quest." Yui continued, as Asuna turned ahead, her eyes cast down.

"What are you planning to do, Mommy?" Yui asked, noticing her mother's emotional state before watching Asuna turn back up with determination written squarely on her face.

"We're not gonna let that happen. How much further, Yui?"

Yui's eyes widened at Asuna's display, gladdened by her growing confidence and bold words, dispelling her fear and anxiety with a brave face. This was the face of the Lightning Flash, of the warrior she had seen inspiring thousands and protecting those dear to her with an iron fist and a swift blade.

At the sight, Yui grinned impossibly wide and jabbed a finger forward. "Over there! Right where the river valley parts the mountains! I'm detecting a group of fairies right there, atop one of the rocks next to the waterfall!"

Asuna then found herself passing between two mountains, moving past the bright green grasslands of the plateau and into rich and dense rainforest, the domain of the Cait Siths. The Butterfly Valley was a beautiful sight indeed, a clearing in the forest that exposed a thriving river, streams flowing from a rushing waterfall.

Just past the waterfall, she could see a spire of rock with an even top surface, on which a long table sat, a group of fairies seated along it. One group, mainly dressed in green attire, while the other wore golden colors, along with the noticeable trait of feline ears decorating their heads.

Approaching from the south was a sight that caused dread to rise in Asuna's throat. A huge swarm of fairies, all flying in formation and dressed head to toe in crimson armor. Without a doubt, it was the Salamander army, and they vastly outnumbered both the Sylphs and Cait Siths.

"There's too many of them! The Sylphs and Cait Siths can't possibly stand up to an army that size!" Yui cried, as Asuna continued forward.

"Let's go, Yui!"

---

ALO Magic:

MUSPEL: Spark of the Eternal Flame. Drawn from the limitless embers of Muspelheim, the destructive potential of the Fire Giants' magic is unparalleled. The primordial fire rages so brightly it burns gods to ash, and only those of worthy strength and valor can tame it.

Element: Fire

Specialization: Combat, Damage Augmentation

---

Bifrost Gate (Alne), ALfheim Online (Domain: Neutral) June 14th, 2024

The noise of battle rang by the seconds, as a furious duel raged at the foot of Yggdrasil.

The girl with golden hair dashed across the sky, her blade a flash of light dancing around her as tendrils of dark hair shot straight for her body. Slices of the sword reduced the hair to shreds, but did little to deter the maddened woman furiously rushing at her.

"GRAAGH!"

Annie smashed a large battle hammer where Leafa stood, a crater exploding from the sheer force of the impact. Her teeth were bared like fangs, her eyes locking onto Leafa, oozing murderous rage from her entire being.

"You need to stop! You think Koichi would stand for this?!" Leafa screamed as she sliced away another needle of hair.

"Don't you say his name!" Annie yelled back in reply, her voice raw with fury.

With another scream, her hair burst with another surge of spiritual energy, shooting out from her scalp and stretching to great lengths. Leafa had seen the power of Stands before, but Annie was something she had never seen before, not even from Recon.

The sheer gravity of her rage threatened to burn all who got close, and each attack from her felt like it would tear into her very soul. Every strand of hair, no matter how fleeting, was a weapon, thousands against her katana.

"ANSUZ!"

Leafa flung a rune as it cracked in mid-air, causing it to burst in a ball of flame, deterring Annie's attacks as the tendrils burnt at their edges. However, this did little to repel Annie, as more hair grew back than Leafa could burn away.

She continued to slice away more hair, dodging the avalanche of attacks aimed at her, every movement purposeful and precise, as her mind raced to keep up with the relentless onslaught. A single misstep could spell bad news, a death sentence if she wasn't careful.

Luckily, Leafa hadn't climbed to the top of her kendo class without an impeccable sense of awareness. Her eyes flicked from one tentacle of hair to the next, her blade moving perfectly in tune as Annie's hair fell in sheer strands around her.

Annie's teeth gnashed and the grip on her weapon grew tight like a vice. She continued to rush at Leafa, yelling maniacally as she swung with savage fury.

Leafa met each swing of the hammer with swift strikes from her sword, the chimes of metal colliding ringing through the air as she struggled to evade the attacks from her Stand all the same.

A cut along her arm, a gash on her side. Despite this, Leafa refused to buckle, watching as Annie winded up a powerful downward slam of her hammer.

"RAAAGGH!"

Leafa hopped backwards to dodge, then her eyes flicked up to see Annie's hair pack together, balling into a condensed mass, winding up what looked like a lethal punch.

Raising her blade parallel to her body, Leafa braced as the wrecking ball smashed into her, knocking her back and placing a generous distance between them.

With a moment to finally breathe, Leafa looked Annie dead in the eyes, opening her mouth to speak.

"Some Stand… You've sure been holding out on me, Yuka." She panted out, slick sweat forming along her forehead.

Annie's eyes furrowed in a narrow glare as she advanced slowly. "Love Deluxe. Every strand of hair, every single one, I can control completely. You can't touch me, Sugu. Not even if you tried."

Leafa winced as she steadied herself. She had seen Stands all over ALO, seen the extent of the sort of power they could unleash. Some of their abilities were wild and complex, while others were subtle and mundane.

Annie's Stand possessed no ethereal spirit like she'd seen in Echoes, but the sheer magnitude of raw energy she could feel in Annie's presence was completely overwhelming, far greater than any other Stand she'd ever seen.

It was as if she was seeing Annie's passion and rage spilling outward into pure, undistilled power.

As much as she hated to admit it to herself, Leafa knew the truth in Annie's words. The only thing keeping her on her feet was her swordsmanship, and even then, she had barely managed to nick her opponent.

This was a losing battle, and she would fall if this continued on.

"Even after all this time… no matter how hard I trained… you're still way stronger than me, huh?" Leafa sighed.

This caused Annie a moment of pause, as the inferno in her eyes dimmed by a miniscule margin. "...What-?"

Leafa smirked and continued to speak.

"Kindergarten, on the playground. Koji gave me a bloody nose." Leafa muttered, her mind racing back to older days, days long since past.

Back when they were younger, simpler.

Happier.

Annie frowned again. "I damn near broke his arm, all because you didn't have the stones to hit him back. Little shit thought he could talk all the crap he wanted and get away with it just because his parents were stinking rich…"

Leafa smiled as Annie recalled the memory, exactly like she herself had.

"You were strong from the moment I met you… We all could see it. You weren't ashamed of who you were or what you loved."

Annie's eyes turned dark as a hint of an upwards grin ominously formed on her lips. "What I love, I love with all my heart. What I hate, I hate with all my heart. You… have tested that line from the very beginning."

Annie continued to approach, one hand dragging the hammer behind her, scraping the weapon against the floor to release a painful screeching noise. Her hair continued to writhe as her eyes remained focused on her alone.

"Second grade."

It was Leafa's turn to look up, confused as Annie spoke.

"Art, we were told to buddy up. Everyone was so damn scared of me. All but one."

Leafa's eyes widened as a slight smile appeared on her face.

"I walked right up to you without a second thought. I knew that you were a good person, that the girl who stood up for me just had to be."

Annie's grip on the weapon grew tighter as her entire arm began to shake.

"You were never scared. You never took their side against me before. The bullies all went after us, but you didn't care." Annie began.

Just as Leafa was about to reply, Annie's aura intensified further, her eyes becoming impossibly darker as her death glare returned in full force, shaking Leafa deep to her core.

"Then why now? When I know more than ever what I want, why the FUCK did you turn your back on me?"

Leafa was speechless, watching as Annie's hair snaked out and grew further, her entire presence radiating pure rage. The hold she had on her weapon threatened to falter as she stood her ground.

"You were my best friend. The only one who'd ever treated me like a normal girl. I trusted you like I trusted nobody else… AND NOW YOU STAND BETWEEN ME AND THE ONE I LOVE?!"

Leafa could offer no word in reply, right as a familiar presence made itself known.

A swarm of white fairies soared down from the branches of the World Tree, focused purely on the Stand-wielding woman, drawn by the incredible fog of spiritual energy that surrounded her. The fairies all moved in formation, dozens of Valkyries diving straight for Annie in what Leafa could only describe as a mad dash.

Despite this, Annie didn't seem to react at all to the imminent threat. Her eyes remained lasered in on Leafa's, her approach not slowing in the slightest. The only thing Leafa could see changing was the surging glow in her hair, spreading to each strand.

Including those that she'd cut off, lying all over the battlefield.

These stray locks levitated in the air, glowing like Annie as they then shifted direction and shot straight at the Valkyries.

The hostile fairies jerked back as if struck, their bodies clearly straining as if fighting against an invisible force. Then Leafa saw it with a shocked gasp.

Annie's hair was coiling all over the Valkyries' bodies, completely restraining them and preventing them from moving. Then Annie's expression shifted, and each of the Valkyries, once trying to slice her apart, now lined up in formation behind her, raising their weapons, albiet with a visible struggle to move as their limbs moved against their will.

"I love with all my heart, and I hate with all my heart. Those I hate… deserve nothing less than absolute annihilation."

Leafa said nothing in reply and raised her sword, preparing for the fight of her life.

---

Weapon Showcase:

Lv. 40 War Hammer: Judgment Fall, The Arbiter – Justice is the only absolute. For all good, there is evil. For every evil, there must be punishment. It is your mission, your solemn duty to carry out judgment, to exact justice upon all things evil. The hammer falls upon the sinful.

Special: Judge, Jury, Executioner: Deals 50% more damage to other «Races» when within own Domain, 20% chance to heal back damage blocked.

Enchantment: +10

Attack: 450 (A)

Magic: 200 (D)

Mana: 350 (B)

Speed: 150 (D)

Durability: 450 (A)

Range: 2m (B)

Precision: 40% (C)

Rank: Legendary (A)

Selling Price: 5,800 Yrd

Owner: Annie

---

Butterfly Valley, ALfheim Online (Domain: Cait Siths) June 14th, 2024

The scene at Butterfly Valley was a bizarre one, that much everyone present could agree.

Sakuya, Lord of the Sylphs hadn't risen to such a position without facing her share of battles and unexpected twists of fate. She had personally taken to the battlefield throughout her time playing ALO, and it was the very reason she stood as the leader of her race to begin with.

Alicia Rue had seen it all. Not quite the martial champion Sakuya was, what she had was a pretty face, a peppy personality, a generous following of fans, and a tight sphere of close friends. She had seen the craziest and wildest tales Alfheim had to spare, and few within the game could match her sheer experience.

Despite this, the sight of a single, lone Sylph facing down an entire army of Salamanders all by herself was a scene neither of the two women could have expected to see.

The Salamanders had made their presence known, the sheer number of them vastly dwarfing those of either race's soldiers. There was never a contest, never a chance in hell of this attack going awry.

It was all lining up perfectly for them, all until the moment they were set to charge.

That was right when Asuna swooped down from the skies above, placing herself firmly between the Salamanders and the Sylphs and Cait Siths, her arms crossed and her stance one of pure, unabridged confidence.

"A Sylph… Hey Sakuya, she one of yours?" Alicia turned to ask her fellow Lord, only to find her expression matching hers.

"N-no… I've never seen this player before." Sakuya muttered, confused as she stared up at the odd player.

The Salamanders paused for a moment, and this gave Asuna the cue to raise her voice.

"Salamanders! I demand an audience with your leader!"

The Salamanders mumbled amongst themselves, voices of confusion and bewilderment echoing within the crowd. However, this was quickly dispelled as a lone figure advanced from within the army's ranks, revealing himself.

It was a man, tall and muscular. Unlike his helmeted soldiers, a face decorated with spiky red hair and a golden circlet frowned at her, eyes looking her up and down like a tiger studying its prey.

"Aren't you a bold one? Come to save your Lord, did you? You should know, I'm going to wipe you all out nonetheless, but I might as well lend you an ear if you're so eager to speak to me." The man spoke in a deep voice, his tone reverberating with authority.

Unwilling to be talked down to, Asuna met his aura with equal intensity. "My name is Erika, and I've come to make a deal."

"Oh? Is that so? Surely you know why I'm here in the first place. If you have anything to offer then it better be-" He began to reply, before Asuna cut him off.

"Me."

This threw everyone who heard it for a loop.

"Pardon?"

"I intend to climb the World Tree, and to make it to the top by any means necessary. I will fight to aid you in your attempt on the Grand Quest, on one condition." Asuna declared, her eyes iron and her stance firm as rock, the Salamander's own expression morphing into one of amusement.

"And what might that be?" He asked.

"Defeat me in a duel, and I'll fight alongside you at Yggdrasil."

Sakuya's eyes went wide, her jaw slack as she heard the audacious words out of the Sylph's mouth. This fairy, whom she'd never met before, had just saved them from an overwhelming defeat at the hands of the Salamanders, and was now offering to join them against her own people?!

Alicia beside her wasn't faring much better, trying to hold in what she could only assume was morbid laughter at the sheer insanity she was hearing. The general however, wasn't as composed, releasing a loud, braying laugh at Asuna's words.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA-! You?! A Sylph with mid gear and a big mouth?! You think you of all people can stand up against me?! Do you even know who I am?" He laughed loudly, rudely.

Asuna's face remained serious as she faced the man down, a hand wrapped around her rapier, ready for battle. "No, but know this. I have a demand to make should I win. And I do not intend to lose."

The man's lips parted into a toothy grin as he held a hand to the blade on his back, meeting Asuna's gesture in full.

"First of all, you're talking to General Eugene! Commander of the Salamander army, and the undefeated, strongest player in all of Alfheim! Second, you don't have a chance in hell, and you bet I'm gonna make you eat those words." The man, Eugene declared in turn, drawing the blade and assuming a stance.

Asuna unsheathed her blade, matching Eugene's altitude as her wings shimmered to lift her in the air. She eyed the man before her, who claimed to be the strongest in all of ALO.

His body language oozed confidence, and from the appearance of his gear, especially that sword, he appeared to be far better-equipped than most of the players she had encountered thus far. Everything about him reminded Asuna of the best players she had met in Aincrad, including Heathcliff himself.

Without a doubt, this man looked like he would be one hell of a challenge.

Asuna felt her balance waver as she gripped her rapier in her hands, her aerial stability shifting without the assistance of the controller. She was already at a severe disadvantage, and the battle hadn't even begun yet.

"You said it yourself. Beat me, and I'll hear you out. Let's see what you're made of." Eugene declared as he stared Asuna in the eyes, sizing her up and cueing her to do the same.

This was going to be a one-sided fight, and she had to find a way to turn the tables before-

The clouds parted, allowing sunlight to peek through the veil of the heavens above. The sky for but a moment shone bright and proud, allowing the land to breathe and to shimmer in the midday sun. However, this was also the instant a ray of sunlight hit Eugene's sword, reflecting it directly at Asuna's eyes.

"!"

Asuna winced as her eyes squinted from the sudden move, only for a brief second. However, it was still a second too much as Eugene suddenly appeared directly in front of her, blade wound back to swing down on her.

A cheap trick, but she had seen her fair share of those back in Aincrad. Even if she were caught off-guard, her speed was well ahead of any surprise attack that should come her way. Within a split-second, she raised her blade and-

No hit.

Much to her shock, rather than the clang of swords clashing she had anticipated, Eugene's sword instead proceeded to pass clean through her rapier, like her defense was nothing but a stream of sheer water.

Now, the leaf-shaped tip of the blade was barreling down with a clean trajectory to her chest, her shock leaving her completely unable to react as she could only brace for impact.

*SHKNGGG*

A powerful hit landed, as Asuna was sent barreling backward, crashing into the cliff face with explosive force. The strike left her reeling, completely stunned from that attack she had never saw coming. Her head spun and she saw stars, but only for a moment as she summoned her strength and locked eyes with her opponent.

Gritting her teeth, Asuna stomped her feet against the cliff and shot off, summoning her strength as she flew like a speeding bullet, crashing into the Salamander as they clashed blades, facing each other with adrenaline-fueled expressions.

"You're still alive! Color me impressed!" Eugene laughed as Asuna clenched her jaw, growling in frustration as they pushed off and went at it again.

Asuna went on the offensive this time, rushing at Eugene from multiple directions as she thrusted her blade, moving like an arrow in an attempt to strike his blind spots. However, Eugene was no mere opponent.

His eyes tracked Asuna through the air as he met her blade with his own, grinning as sparks flew, the rapier bouncing off his sword again and again as he dove and spun in the air. His body wove through the sky, guiding his weapon cleanly as he deflected Asuna's strikes and heaved the sword down to strike back.

Asuna cringed as yet another attack was punished, completely missing her attack as Eugene then went for another swing. Instinct and honed muscle memory immediately kicked in as she raised her sword to block the hit, only for her to just as quickly realize her error as she sloppily evaded the attack, a precious fraction of a second lost as she received a slash along her collar.

"That's some sword…You completely bypassed my defense with it. Is it some kind of perk?" Asuna asked as she crushed a healing rune in her fist, replenishing her battered health bar.

Eugene flashed an arrogant grin in response as he raised his sword in front of him, causing its edge to shine in the sunlight. "You got that right! This is the demonic sword, Gram! So long as I got this bad boy, blocking won't save you! Better flap those wings, little bird! It's the only thing that'll save ya!"

Eugene rushed at Asuna yet again, his swings barreling with monstrous force behind each strike. Asuna frantically moved to dodge, her brain switching to flight as she swerved and spun mid-air to evade Eugene's attacks.

Her natural speed was more than enough to keep the general at bay, but even Asuna herself could tell, Eugene's movements far exceeded her own in the air. Eugene commanded immense power behind his swings, managing to pack a truly demonic level of strength even in the weightlessness of flight. Even despite that, his prowess of mid-air combat was excellent, rivaling the mastery she had seen demonstrated by Leafa.

His wings moved in tune with his body as both his hands gripped the sword, his flight supplementing his attacks as he dove down to swing and rushed her to keep the pressure high. It was almost as if he had been in the air for his entire life, like flying was every bit as natural as walking.

In comparison, she was utterly sloppy. While fast, she lacked the control over her body that Eugene had. It took a few moments for her to readjust herself with each attack and clash, and a few moments was too much against someone like Eugene.

He would take advantage of each opening, rushing back in for a counterhit, and she would be helpless each moment she was unable to dodge in time. Yet again, she raised her sword, Eugene's Gram phasing right through it and earning her a gash across her face.

Asuna's mind raced with panic as she moved with the primal directive to survive, all but halting further attacks on Eugene, now reduced to running away and dodging his hits.

She couldn't give in, she couldn't lose. She couldn't afford to die here, not with the fates of her friends on the line.

However, doubt flooded her with each botched attack and drop in her health. With the way things were going right now, she would be dead if she slipped up even once.

How the hell was she supposed to defeat him?!

---

Weapon Showcase:

Lv. 99 One-Handed Sword: Demon Knight, Gram – The legendary demonic blade of the heroic dragonslayer Sigurd. This sword has bathed in the blood of many and never admits surrender. Like the mighty dragon that fell to its edge, it lusts for battle and worthy opponents.

Special: Ethereal Shift: When attacking, bypasses all [Block], [Parry], and [Invincible]. (Can only activate once per combo)

Enhancement: +10

Attack: 750 (S)

Magic: 400 (B)

Mana: 300 (C)

Speed: 350 (B)

Durability: 500 (A)

Range: 2m (B)

Precision: 65% (B)

Rank: Ancient (S)

Selling Price: 16,050 Yrd

Owner: Eugene

---

Bifrost Gate (Alne), ALfheim Online (Domain: Neutral) June 14th, 2024

Things couldn't possibly get any worse.

Of that, Leafa was absolutely certain.

A single misstep would spell doom. A single error, a single movement that wasn't perfectly calculated would result in complete defeat.

Her mind screamed with panic as her eyes dashed in every direction and her muscles ached from the speed of her swings.

A slash to deflect a puppet's strike. Dodge to the side, allowing a Valkyrie to zoom past her. Block two swings from a duo of foes, the puppets attacking with relentless aggression, an entire horde of Valkyries all converging on her, aiming to tear her to shreds.

On top of all of them, there was her.

"SUGUHAAA!"

Screeching at the top of her lungs, her voice seething with visceral rage. Annie was a feral beast, a rampaging calamity with a single girl firmly in her crosshairs. Her hands grasped her weapon with a grip like a bear trap, the hammer swinging with wild force, her hair a mass of deadly weapons all aimed at the same target.

Leafa was entangled in a frantic, desperate dance. Her wings twisted and beat, each movement crucially and painstakingly methodical. Every curve and dive in the air, one of hundreds of attacks barely missed her body.

Not even a second later, her sword was raised to divert another barrage of attacks. This was getting out of hand fast.

She had no window to return to the offensive, not with the downright oppressive pressure Annie's puppets were enforcing on her, not to mention her unshackled berserker rage. Hair was flying in all directions, shaved off by Leafa's blade as she frantically swung her blade to slice apart anything that got close.

With Annie's hair entangling the Valkyries, they were every bit as aggressive as she was, swinging their weapons wildly leaving no room for Leafa to breathe.

Slash.

A tendril of hair collapsed.

Clang.

A Valkyrie's lance was shrugged off.

Slash.

A counterhit landed, gashing a Valkyrie across the chest.

Woosh.

An arrow passed inches from her cheek.

Leafa's mind was in a state of hyperfocus, only possible from years of diligent training in kendo. Her eyes flicked to every new target and her body followed suit. However, even she could tell that this was a paper-thin tightrope.

Should she make the grave mistake of wavering, even a little, she would fall to her death.

A spell thrown.

A clash of blades.

A swift dodge.

Then it happened.

It was small, something so insignificant and minute one would be insane to imagine it would cause everything to fall apart and crash into oblivion.

A single strand of hair drifted close, too close. Amidst the chaos of the battle, Leafa had to stay on top of every single detail around her, no matter how tiny, but even despite that, there had to be a limit.

Amidst the snow of falling hair, a single strand made its way to Leafa, wrapping around her leg. It was hardly enough to control her like Annie had the Valkyries, but it was just strong enough to yank Leafa off-balance for a brief moment.

In a moment, it all went wrong.

She looked away. The flow of the river was broken.

A sword pierced her abdomen, as a spear ran her through her shoulder, as more and more of the Valkyries moved in for the kill. Leafa's body jerked violently from the avalanche of attacks, coughing out as the air was completely knocked out of her lungs.

Finally, Annie moved in. A tendril of hair wrapped around her arm, then the other. Then her legs were bound, as one last tentacle gripped her neck, immediately tightening into an iron grip.

Leafa's eyes bulged as her body began to tremble. She tried to protest, to resist, but she couldn't even move her body to fight back, as Annie held her up, suspended in the air as she could only let out weak gags, unable to breathe.

Annie walked closer, pulling Leafa in until they were at arm's length distance from each other. Leafa was seeing stars, her vision blurring as she felt her consciousness teetering off the edge. Despite this, Annie grabbed her ponytail with a free hand, yanking it so that Leafa looked directly into her eyes.

Leafa could see it. Her eyes were burning, but her demeanor was ice cold. Her glare burned holes into Leafa's pupils and betrayed the depths of her anger.

"You had this coming from the start. Don't you forget that, Suguha." Annie growled, her hair writhing like serpents as they tightened their grip, threatening to pinch Leafa's head right off her shoulders.

Leafa's vision blackened, her entire body convulsing as the emergency logout warning began kicking in. Her heart hammered in her ribcage like a beating drum, desperate gurgles escaping her throat, begging for air.

It was then Leafa knew, even if she were logged out, her life was in grave danger.

Her mind flashed to scenes from her memory.

She remembered Koichi, the boy she called a dear friend, opening her up to a brand new world when she felt her own was crumbling down before her.

She remembered Kazuto, who had consumed her every hour with ravenous guilt and emptiness. Her undying wish to see him again, to tell him everything she wish she had, to mend what had been broken.

She remembered Erika, that strange fairy who only in a few days had showed her the true extent of the human spirit, inspiring her to push past her self-doubt and reach for the impossible.

She remembered Yukako, her best friend, a girl who taught her what it meant to be strong, to raise herself up and take life by the horns.

As she slipped into unconsciousness, she reached out with a prayer.

A desperate plea, anything to save her.

"Please…"

"LET'S GO! ECHOES!"

Annie's eyes went wide as she flicked her head to face a new challenger.

A familiar Stand descended between the two of them, smashing its tail against the bonds restraining Leafa's body, inscribing a word onto the hair.

*SIZZLE*

From the writing, flames sparked to life and spread, burning Annie's hair to a crisp as she screamed in panic, releasing Leafa from her hold and causing her to crumple to the floor in a weakened heap.

Leafa immediately gasped and swallowed a massive breath of air, clutching her throat as her heart continued to beat incessantly. Pressing a button on her menu to dispel the emergency logout, she looked up to see a sight she'd never been more grateful to see.

Recon stood between her and a stunned Annie, blade drawn and Act 2 beside him. Her two friends stared each other down, not a word exchanged between them.

For the first time since she arrived at the World Tree, much to Leafa's shock, Annie's intense aura had calmed down.

The sound of the wind whistling through the air was all that broke the silence, the three fairies all standing their ground, not a move made lest another bout of absolute chaos should erupt all over again.

"Koichi… you-" Annie began, her voice impossibly softer than her tone with Leafa.

Reon raised a hand, cutting her off as he looked her in the eye. "Yukako, please… let's stop this."

Leafa watched silently as she saw Annie's body still and her stare laid firmly on him, as if he were the only thing left in the world.

"Stop…?"

Her voice sounded unsure, confused even.

However, Leafa also warily took notice that the grip on her weapon hadn't loosened, not even a little.

"There's no stopping what's already in motion. There's no stopping the guilty from getting what they deserve." Annie's voice dropped to an icy chill as she stared them both down, her eyes impossibly cold.

"Strike her down. Do it, Koichi." Annie said, her voice monotonous and firm, as if it were painfully obvious. Her hammer pointed at Leafa, as Recon stared back at Leafa and then back to Annie.

"Why?"

Annie's aura intensified hundredfold with his question. "If you really love me… you wouldn't take her side, would you? You're with me."

Her voice maintained that calm, ice-cold tone, but Leafa could feel layers upon layers of venom and searing malice beneath each word leaving her lips, chilling her to the core.

Recon made his answer without a hint of hesitation. "I'm not hurting my best friends. Neither of them."

Silence.

Complete, vacant, suspenseful silence.

"Fine."

Then an explosion.

Annie's eyes burned with volcanic fire, her hair bursting from her head in waves as her aura grew into a suffocating cloud of sheer killing intent.

"THEN DIE TOGETHER!"

Leafa and Recon prepared themselves as Annie charged at the both of them with her hair springing to life and aiming to kill. Leafa raised her sword as Recon brought out his Stand, ready for battle.

Leafa hacked away Annie's hair, as waves of tentacles were sent her way. The Valkyries continued to attack them, but with Recon's presence, the pressure was far less oppressive.

Despite her explosive outburst, Annie had been focusing most of her attacks on Leafa, only attacking Recon when stepped in or got too close. This allowed Recon to cover Leafa's bases when she was open and vulnerable.

As one Valkyrie rushed her, she blocked its strike with her sword, the clash holding it in place. Immediately, Recon moved, driving his blade through its throat and killing it. Leafa swung her blade to slice away another hair attack, as Recon blasted an incoming attacker with a rune.

The battle continued to rage on, as Recon and Leafa fought back, eventually striking down all of Annie's puppets, turning to focus on the woman herself, eye twitching uncontrollably as she bared her teeth, growling angrily.

Facing off, the three stood their ground, Leafa raising her sword in front of her in a ready stance, while Recon held fast, his Stand beside him. Annie held her hammer in her hands, her hair writhing behind her, her spiritual power coursing through it.

"Yield! We don't have to keep doing this!" Recon called out, making one last attempt to pacify the enraged fairy.

If only it were so simple.

"YOU'LL HAVE TO KILL ME FIRST!"

Annie made a mad dash for the two of them, her wings bursting with light as she used her hair like additional limbs, digging into the ground in front of her and pushing her further.

Leafa and Recon stood ready, Leafa meeting Annie's initial strike, the loud noise of metal colliding ringing in the air. Annie's hair immediately began converging on Leafa's back, trying to take advantage of the opening, but Recon was ready.

Slicing at her hair with his blade, Recon tossed another rune at Annie, causing her to leap back to avoid an explosion of flame. As she did so, Leafa took the offensive, winding her sword back and running straight for her.

Annie raised the hammer in an attempt to deflect Leafa's attack, but she was too fast and too strong, as the sword hit the shaft of Annie's weapon, knocking it away and leaving her open. As Annie attempted to resume her guard, Leafa was miles ahead, her arms a blur as her blade drew a slash right across her chest in the blink of an eye.

While she was the only player amongst the three of them without a Stand of her own, Leafa more than made up with the sheer mastery of her swordplay. With her experience and training, her weapon was an instrument of war.

She struck again, again, and again. Powering through her defense and landing hits at every opening and opportunity. As Recon countered all the attacks from Annie's Stand, this left Leafa to focus entirely on offense.

Absolutely relentless, she continued, her blade dancing with incredible grace and power. Annie continued to grit her teeth, her guard failing to withstand the overwhelming assault from the Sylph.

"I'm always sticking my neck out for you!"

Clang.

"Always vouching for you!"

Clang.

"You're my best friend! Nothing can change that!"

Clang.

"Even when everyone feared you, I stood right beside you!"

Clang.

"Even if you hate me, I could never, ever hate you!"

Clang.

"DON'T YOU UNDERSTAND THAT?!"

*CRACK*

Annie's hammer split in two halves, as Annie could only stare with bulging eyes, overcome with shock as Leafa wound her sword back for a finishing blow.

No.

"SUGUHAAA!"

Annie's hair then burst out one last time, every tendril of hair rushing from her head and all aiming to strike, moving as one to ensare Leafa once more.

Leafa's eyes flicked to them all and she gripped her sword tightly. With her experience, she knew instantly, there was no way she could fend off this attack in its entirety. So many angles to cover, no matter how she tried to move, she would get hit without fail.

Even so…

"RECON!"

"ACT 2!"

Recon's Stand was fast, Leafa knew that to be absolutely true. Indeed, she felt Act 2's tail strike her back just under her wings. It didn't hurt her, as she knew Stands could, but she knew writing had been inscribed on her body.

This eased her mind even as Annie's hair began to constrict and wrap around her, holding her tight and completely immobilizing her. Even with this, she revealed a snide smirk, knowing their victory was now assured.

After all, in order to bind her, Annie's hair had to touch the writing.

And so, Act 2's power was triggered.

*BWOOSH*

The result was immediate, as Annie flew back, knocking her completely down and dispelling all the hair from Leafa's body, setting her free.

Now with her enemy utterly defenseless, Leafa moved forward, her sword drawn as she sliced in a single step, moving behind Annie as her long hair fell clean from her scalp, now cut completely short. With her Stand ineffective at the moment, Leafa seized the opportunity without missing a beat.

Grabbing her from behind, Annie wrapped an arm around her neck and used the other to grasp her body. Annie struggled with all her might, but Leafa refused to let go.

"RECON! NOW!"

Annie's furious eyes then flicked to Recon, diving in a straight line for her.

His eyes were filled with a solid conviction, a bright flame that showed all the world that he was on a mission and nobody would stop him.

The very same fire she fell in love with.

Screaming out one last time in defiance, her hair sprung back to life, growing out in an instant as they all moved to defend her.

However, she was still too slow. Recon was an inch away from her.

She began to think. Did she really want to win? If it was Recon, maybe it was okay with her. It proved he was willing to stand by his beliefs no matter what.

She braced for the strike, the decisive blow.

But it never came.

Instead, she felt another pair of arms around her, embracing her in a hug.

Annie was completely speechless, her mind screeching to a halt as the Pooka continued to hold her close, even feeling Leafa's own hold on her relaxing. However, she felt no desire to seize this advantage, even as her hair was poised to ensare Recon completely, the tendrils hovered in place, refusing to budge, because her heart didn't muster any will to convince them otherwise.

Any and all aggression in her began to dissolve like mist.

Why?

Why did he do this? He had the chance to kill her, to run away with Leafa and leave her behind. She had given them both every chance and incentive to push her away, and yet…

"Yukako… I never said I stopped loving you." Recon spoke softly, a gasp escaping Annie's lips as they remained in that embrace, completely still and blind to the world.

"I'm sorry I didn't say anything before. You and Suguha mean the world to me, and I don't know what I'd do if I lost either of you…" Recon continued, as Leafa's chokehold then morphed into a tender embrace of her own, wrapping her hands over to pull Recon in closer, sandwiching the stunned Annie between them both.

"Koichi…"

"Fifth grade, the sports festival."

Both Leafa and Annie's eyes widened as they heard Recon speak, memories rushing back to them as they had earlier during their duel, a happier memory. One they all shared.

"The relay race. You, me, Yukako, and Mami." Leafa laughed as she reminisced on the tender memory.

"We lost, I fell behind on the last leg. Mami got so angry with me…" Recon chuckled, as Annie allowed a small giggle to escape her lips, as a smile finally crept onto her face after so much tension and anger.

"We tore into her for that. Both of us. She ran back to the tents pissing herself scared, and we…" Annie laughed, her smile growing as the sound spread between the three friends.

"...we hugged, just like this." Leafa's laughter grew, as the tension dispelled and the three shared in their warmth for a moment.

All the world went quiet for them, as their hearts healed and their anger and resentment washed away like rain. For this moment, they were once again at peace with the world and with each other, true friends like before.

The three separated, allowing Annie time to breathe as a single tear rolled down her cheek, eyes filled with regret as her Stand's energy faded, her hair returning to normal.

"I-I'm so sorry… I shouldn't have done that- I-I could've… Is there any way you can forgive me?" Annie sobbed, as the weight of her actions and words fully weighed on her, filling her with overwhelming regret.

How could she forgive herself, after nearly killing the two people she loved most in this life? She had no excuse, not after these two went all this way, stood against her absolute worst and still had no intention of returning that hatred, purely because they cared about her that much.

Despite that, she looked up to see Leafa crossing her arms and smiling. "Koichi's forgiven you from the start, and if he does, then so do I. However, there's somewhere we need to be."

Annie raised a brow at that second part, her mind drifting back to that odd fairy who Leafa and Recon had strung along with earlier that day.

"Does this have anything to do with your new friend? If she went to that meeting-" Annie began, recalling what Sigurd had told her.

Nodding, Leafa reached out a hand to Annie. "Yep. She's probably there right now, fending off the Salamanders all on her own. C'mon! We gotta go help!"

Annie sighed, taking Leafa's hand as she then raised a question. "Her? One player against an army of Salamanders? She's probably already dead, don't you think?"

Leafa's reply was to simply smile, her eyes twinkling with confidence as she materialized her wings on her back, causing them to shimmer. "If I've learned anything about her, she doesn't go down easy, not in the slightest! Still, she can't possibly do it alone! Now let's go!"

Leafa took off in a heartbeat, leaving Annie alone with Recon. The two took a moment to let the silence take hold, to process the situation and each other.

"Sugu's really worked up… Does this really mean that much to you? So much so you'd sacrifice yourself for their sake?" Annie asked the Pooka, genuinely curious as she recalled what Leafa had told her, the sheer ardor with which Leafa fought her.

If this person had managed to get through to Leafa like this, she could only imagine what kind of person they'd met.

Recon shook his head, but bore a soft smile on his face, the familiar light of faith in his eyes. "I'm not sure myself… but they're genuine, that much I know. Whatever they're after, I'm sure it's the same thing Sugu's chasing."

Annie paused upon hearing this. She knew her friend was struggling for a long time with feelings regarding her brother, feelings she could clearly see took a greater toll with the advent of the SAO incident.

While her own feelings of resentment and jealousy clouded her concern, what she observed she couldn't deny. Despite this, her friend's convictions today were clearer than she'd ever seen, as if she'd finally tasted water after wandering a desert her entire life, as if she finally knew what she had to do to make things right.

Just like herself when she realized her own feelings for Koichi.

"Are you in?" Recon asked, holding his hand out to Annie.

Annie smiled in turn. Her answer was clear, the answer she should have given from the start.

"I'll follow you anywhere, Koichi."

---

Stand Showcase:

Lv. ? Stand: Decibel Drive, Echoes: Act 1 - Sound cannot be seen, sound cannot be touched. Yet, what can be heard is more than enough to leave a mark, to move mountains.

Special: Soundmaker: Ability to write words onto any surface, causing the words to play as audio.

Enhancement: N/A

Damage: 100 (E)

Speed: 100 (E)

Durability: (B)

Range: 50m (A)

Precision: 50% (C)

Rank: Unique (S)

Selling Price: N/A

Owner: Recon

---

Butterfly Valley, ALfheim Online (Domain: Cait Siths) June 14th, 2024

This was hopeless.

Not only was Eugene powerful, he was fast, deceptively so for a man his size. Not even Asuna's perks as a Sylph could save him, not when he could use his wings hundreds of times better than she ever could.

She dodged another fireball, as she turned yet against to face the General of the Salamanders, chasing her with what she could only assume was a sadistic smile etched on his face.

"What's wrong? You chicken all of a sudden? Get over here and face your death with dignity!" The Salamander yelled out, flinging fire spells in her direction, forcing her to move and dodge with limited success.

Flames singed her clothes, as Eugene caught up with her, yet again swinging his blade. Asuna quickly swerved to the side, messily winding up a counterattack as his swing missed.

Eugene was far from oblivious, however, as he blocked her attack and shoved ahead, forcing her back and off-balance as he moved in for yet another round.

Forced to eat the attack, Asuna braced as the blade passed through her guard and sent her barreling to the ground, dazed.

Asuna held a hand to her head, trying to regain her senses as she began to reel in the gravity of her situation.

This fight was horribly imbalanced on her end. As a Sylph, her main advantage over Eugene was her ability to move in the air, but with his experience and grasp over the flight system far outclassing her own, the tables had turned on that front.

To pile onto that, while her speed was greatly superior, her sloppy movement in the air meant she could barely control it to organize herself, like a child at the wheel of a space shuttle.

If all that wasn't enough, Eugene's strength meant each of his hits dealt a severe blow to her health, and to top it all off, he had a weapon that rendered blocking his strikes completely null and void. She had no means of hitting back in a way that didn't severely risk herself, and now she was on the verge of horrible failure.

"Think, Asuna! Think!"

Her mind raced and turned, frantically trying to think of a solution.

How could she beat him?

How?

How?

HOW?!

"Is this all you got for me?"

She looked up, facing the armored fairy slowly walking towards her, his sword shining in the sunlight as he approached her menacingly.

"So you were all talk, then? What a shame. Here I thought I'd found a fairy who could actually give me a challenge, and yet you can't even use your wings right! Aren't you just a complete joke!" Eugene laughed.

Asuna's fist tightened around her weapon. This man had the stones to deride her like this?! This man, who'd never known the fear of death?! Never fought just to survive another day?! Fought to save countless others on the battlefield!

Her teeth gritted and her anger flared. He knew nothing of what it meant to risk your life! To stand up against the most horrific nightmares and lead armies against them! He knew absolutely nothing of the life she'd known in Aincrad.

A place with no magic, no wings, only your blade and an iron will to live to see another day.

If he were on the ground, she would be wiping the floor with him, just like she did with the mercenaries in-

"Legrue…"

Her eyes widened as her mind flashed back to that moment, that place.

"THAT'S IT!"

A lightbulb lit up in her head as she now knew exactly what to do.

"What's wrong? Giving up?" She faced Eugene, confusion creeping onto his face, likely noticing her own change in demeanor.

In reply, she simply gave a small smirk and revealed her wings.

"Bet you'd like that, huh?"

Summoning strength into her wings, she shot straight up at rocket speed, feeling the wind slam against her face as she flew high, as quickly as her speed could muster.

She had one shot to make this work, and she had to be quick. Without further ado, she called to her daughter.

"Yui! Are you there?"

The pixie peeked out from Asuna's pocket.

"Mommy! This player's really strong!" She cried out.

"I know! I have a plan! Are there any entrances to underground caverns nearby?" She asked.

Yui's eyes immediately went wide as she understood what Asuna was trying to do. Closing her eyes and sifting through data, she opened them again a brief moment later and pointed at the waterfall.

"Behind the waterfall! There's a cave entrance there! Hurry, mommy!"

This was now or never.

She had to reach that cave if she wanted any chance of beating Eugene.

Asuna's body snapped into the new direction, diverting her movements to instead shoot towards the waterfall at top speed, the general following closely behind her.

"Keep running! You only delay the inevitable!" Eugene laughed, his voice getting closer as she inched closer and closer to her destination.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three.

Ever closer, as the seconds ticked by like hours.

Just a little more and-

Water.

She hit the sheet of water and punched straight through it like an arrow, feeling the immediate chill and shock of the water splashing onto her body with thunderous force. Nonetheless, she continued to shoot forward, right as her wings began to fail her.

As her momentum alone carried her forward, she looked behind her to see the dark shadow just behind the waterfall approaching at rapid speed.

There he was, flying straight into her trap like a moth to a flame.

"I have you now!"

The man roared, right as he burst through the curtain of water, faced with the sight of Asuna leaning back in mid-air, pointing a hand in his direction and finishing the last words of an incantation, her fingers glowing with the telltale light of a spell being cast.

"That's my line." Asuna muttered, just loudly enough for him to hear as she let loose an Aesir spell, a ball of wind shooting in Eugene's direction.

The man scoffed. She couldn't have been more predictable if she tried. Eugene had seen how sloppy her flight was, and if there was any hope of salvaging victory, she'd have to try a sneak attack, but he could easily dodge this spell, and she would be defenseless.

In here, she couldn't take advantage of her flight perk and he'd have a free kill. All too easy.

He moved aside, allowing the spell to fly past his body as he smirked in victory.

"You missed."

"Did I?"

What did she say?

The spell hit the mouth of the cave, causing the entrance to cave in as rumbling cued a pile of debris and boulders to block the way out, entrapping them within the cave.

Baffled, but amused, Eugene laughed.

"You're a special kind of stupid, aren't you? You've trapped yourself here with me, and you can't use your race's advantage on me! You've already lost-"

*SHKNGG*

A single second.

Not even in that time did it all happen.

Within a fraction of a second, everything changed.

A formless blur sped past him before he could even blink and process his opponent's disappearance. As Asuna vanished from his sight, he jerked to the side as a deep gash appeared in his side. It all happened so fast, he couldn't even react or internalize what had been done.

Asuna was now behind him within a flash of a step, and without a word, turned her head and body around as she spun on her heel, her eyes stone-cold and focused like lasers.

Eugene caught her face within his glance for an instant as he turned with a baffled expression, and he looked into the eyes of a woman unlike any he'd ever seen before.

Those eyes held intense gravity, harboring the oppressive aura of battle-sharpened focus. These were the eyes of a natural-born soldier, a predator completely in their element and with their prey firmly in their sights. A glare that told him all he needed to know without a single word out of her mouth.

She was about to rain hell down upon him.

Then, before the instant could even pass, she moved.

He raised his sword to block, pure instinct taking hold as his every muscle screamed to defend against what was to come.

*CLANGSHINGTINKWHCHNGG*

Her sword shredded through the air at such unnatural speed, Eugene couldn't even track it with his naked eye, a formless blur of strikes hammering against his guard with such primal force he staggered back, threatening to fall to the ground.

He just couldn't believe what he was seeing.

The girl who had previously been struggling to balance herself in the air, helpless against his attacks, was now a monstrous force of nature, her body moving with such precision and speed his entire being sent warning signals to his brain as he blocked attacks from all angles.

Each strike from her held explosive strength behind it, each swing and thrust a deadly bomb that would utterly eviscerate him.

All he was left now was a single question:

Who the hell is she?!

*TING*

With one final thrust, Eugene was knocked back entirely, his entire body peppered with cuts and wounds as he faced the Sylph with wide, stunned eyes.

"They call you General? Don't make me laugh. In here, you have no wings. Just like back there."

Her words held unimaginable weight, like the darkest recesses of her heart were boiling them to the surface.

"No flight. No magic. Only your sword and your will to live another day."

His eyes bulged. She couldn't mean…

"In the air, Erika could never beat you. Down here… I can finally fight as I did then."

Her eyes looked up into his own, an iron glare within them, a flame raging behind her eyes that burned with her very soul as she raised her rapier to point squarely at Eugene.

"HEAR ME! YOU FACE THE COMMANDER OF THE KNIGHTS OF BLOOD OATH! COMMANDER OF THE FLOOR CLEARERS OF AINCRAD! YOU FACE ASUNA! THE LIGHTNING FLASH!"

Now he knew.

It all made sense. Her words held the gravity of her entire life behind them, she wielded her sword with the conviction of her entire being. Only one place in the world could possibly produce a soul such as this, and Eugene had been waiting for a long time to see one.

"An SAO survivor…"

Asuna's aura flared as she assumed a battle-ready stance with her sword drawn back, prepared to strike once more.

"I have a mission, and you're in my way. NOW FALL!"

She vanished.

Eugene's eyes bulged as he frantically tried to tag her with his eyes, to find her before she could-

A gash on his side.

He cringed and raised his blade once again.

A barrage of thrusts from behind.

He blocked what he could and prepared to strike back. The tables were well and truly turned, and he was now at the mercy of Asuna's relentless assaults as she hit him from every angle, whizzing past him before he could react at truly superhuman speeds.

However, he would not be outdone, not in a million years.

"Don't you underestimate me, dammit!"

He threw down a fiery Muspel spell, sending out a ring of fire that cleared out all angles, forcing Asuna back as she skidded across the floor, dragging her fingers over the rock as she screeched to a stop a generous distance from Eugene.

Not missing a beat, Asuna used her position as a running start, grinding her boots against the ground and pushing off, her rapier poised to strike like a cobra. Unwilling to back down, Eugene held Gram in both hands and yelled out, swinging forward to cleave into his enemy.

Asuna watched the sword come down, and reacted in a flash, hopping to the side and releasing a series of slashes with her opening.

Eugene wasn't done, he knew he had to be quick to match up to a hint of the kind of speed Asuna was displaying. It wouldn't be enough to meet her level, but at least he could make a stand with his strength.

He swung as quickly as he could, swiping the area around him frantically as eyes moved to track her. Asuna wasn't immune as a few strikes slipped past her guard, but she still had him on the ropes and continued to keep the pressure high.

The carnage continued, as Asuna accelerated her attacks, slicing, slashing, slicing, slashing to whittle down Eugene as quickly as she could. Eugene traded strikes with Asuna, using his blade's ability to gain the upper hand, but as he was finding out, Asuna was catching up frighteningly fast.

He swung down, the blade phasing through her block once again, but his eyes widened to see her move.

In a blink of an eye, her arm twisted to reposition her blade, assuming a second block before his blade even reached her body, forcing Gram to firmly collide with her rapier.

He couldn't believe it.

She had just managed to circumvent his biggest trump card, by quite literally outspeeding his swings.

Pushing off, she had her opening, and she did not waste it.

"HRRRAAAAAAAAAAAGGHH!"

Asuna screamed from her very soul as she released a barrage of attacks directly at Eugene.

Hundreds of swings and thrusts, all slicing into him at once. Nine, ten, thirteen hits landed each second, as Eugene watched his health plummet like a rock in the ocean.

This was the strength of a woman who took on the death game, who challenged the worst Aincrad had to offer with armies of soldiers behind her. This truly was the true face of the Lightning Flash.

He was going to die.

"AAAAAGGGGHH!"

Eugene fought back as best he could, his Gram slicing into Asuna's body as she continued peppering him with attacks without delay or slowing down. If he was going down, he was taking her with him.

The exchange was no duel, it was no back and forth and clash of blades. Instead, both fighters were bloodthirsty berserkers, their minds firmly set on taking the other down without mind or care for their own health.

No attempts were made on defense, no movement of the blade was made to deflect or block. It was now a race to the finish line, and neither was accepting last place as an option.

"RRRRAAAAAAAAAGGHHH!"

Both warriors screamed, both fighters flared with raw fighting spirit as they cut each other apart. Something had to give, something had to end.

And then-

*SHKHH*

Both fighters ran each other through.

Eugene's Gram impaled Asuna through her abdomen, his shaking hands pushing the blade deeper through her stomach as she jerked back from the movement.

Asuna's sword was sticking out the back of Eugene's neck, causing him to release a weak gurgle in lieu of words.

Gritting her teeth, Asuna gripped her weapon tighter until the veins on her arm bulged.

"FALL!"

In one swift motion, she pulled her arm to the side, forcing her rapier free and slicing Eugene's throat wide open.

Eugene released the grip on his sword, staggering back as his hands reached for his throat, trying to grasp it. Gasping for air, he gave in, finally falling to his knees as his face followed, slamming against the floor.

Then his body vanished in purple smoke, reemerging as a bright red flame hovering above the ground.

He was dead.

Asuna stared where the general once was, as a small smile inched onto her face. Feelings of relief and joy filled her as she let out a chuckle.

However, it was short-lived, as she too followed, her legs giving way as her back smashed against the floor. Her vision went black and a single alert appeared as her health finally emptied.

[YOU ARE DEAD]

What followed, Asuna wasn't entirely aware of.

Completely light-headed and exhausted from the battle, her mind drifted back to the duel. She had revealed herself to Eugene, revealed her true self as she faced him down.

She let out a small laugh, a weight on her heart relieving as she recalled the vigor of fighting as herself once more, as the Lightning Flash in her full glory.

"Guess it was within me all along…"

"Erika!"

Light peeked into the cave as she was then faced with a new sight.

Recon, Leafa, and Annie came into view from her position on the floor, the three of them staring at the aftermath of the battle.

"Is that… Eugene?!" She saw Annie ask incredulously, pointing at the red flame ahead of her.

"No way… she really did it! How the hell-" She heard Recon reply, equally shocked,

"I got Erika! Yuka, you grab Eugene! We'll revive them outside!" Leafa's voice rang out, as the Sylph scooped her flame up in her hands.

The three fairies took them back out to the meeting site, Recon chanting a spell as both their respawn timers disappeared. Asuna felt her body return to material form as she felt like she had awoken from her bed.

Blinking several times, she regained her senses as she turned to Leafa, smiling radiantly at her as were all the other Sylphs and Cait Siths in the area, left completely speechless as Asuna turned to face them.

Even the Salamanders a bit further away seemed to murmur impressed comments amongst themselves.

"So… guess I won?" She giggled nervously, as Leafa nodded.

"That was incredible! Since when have you had a player like you under your banner, Sakuya?" Alicia Rue chirped, stars in her eyes as she turned to her fellow Lord and friend, crossing her arms as she gave Asuna a smile.

"What a shame I'd never gotten a chance to properly introduce myself to you, Erika. You're unlike any other Sylph in this game, I'm sure of it. If you'd like, I'd be happy to invite you to party up with me." The Sylph Lord said, as Asuna grinned in reply, grateful for her praise.

She then turned her attention to the newly revived Eugene, turning to her with an unreadable expression on his face.

"You know… if you wanted a ground duel, you could have just said so." He grumbled, but with a snide smirk on his face.

Asuna blinked, then laughing and rubbing the back of her neck awkwardly. "R-really? Sorry about that. Still, I won, so I guess it worked out anyway!"

Eugene nodded with his smile growing. "True that. I gotta admit, you gave me the fight of a lifetime. You SAO players don't mess around, that's for sure."

Asuna nodded back with a grin, as Eugene continued. "Well, you beat me. A deal's a deal, friend. What do you want from me?"

Asuna's face then turned serious as she gave her answer. "My friends are being held on top of the World Tree. I tried to ascend the tree with my party, but with no success. I would like to request the combined aid of the Sylph, Cait Sith, and Salamander armies to help me get to the top of Yggdrasil. Just for this battle, I ask you put aside your rivalries and help me reach the top."

Eugene's eyes narrowed as he heard this. "You do understand exactly what you're asking of us, right? Besides, you're a Sylph. If I help you, I'm risking my own race's chances."

Asuna shook her head. "I have no interest in the reward for the Grand Quest, nor do I have loyalty to the Sylphs alone. The only thing I want is to reach the top. If you all help me, I'll do whatever I can to repay you if you want."

Eugene paused, gears in his head clicking as he pondered the offer. Beside him, Alicia and Sakuya stood, offering their own words.

"Without a doubt I'd help one of my fellow Sylphs, but more so, you've proven your strength. We'll lend you our blades, Erika. Just say the word." Sakuya hummed, flicking her fan to cover her mouth.

"You bet I'm gonna help! You're awesome! The Cait Siths got your back, stranger! Count on it!" Alicia Rue cheered, as all heads present turned to the Salamander.

Facing Asuna, he finally spoke.

"I'm a man of my word. I'll talk it over with my brother. If he agrees, then I'll rally the Salamanders at the World Tree to fight together with you all. However… I have one condition."

Asuna's face shifted to one of worry, alongside Leafa, Recon, Annie, Sakuya, and Alicia.

However, their worries were dispelled upon seeing the smile on his face.

"I'd like a rematch in the future. I won't lose a second time, you hear me?" He asked, holding out a hand to her.

Smiling, Asuna slapped her own hand against Eugene's with a competitive fire in her eyes.

"You're on."

With that, the Salamander army took off and returned in the direction they came, leaving the Sylph and Cait Sith groups with Leafa, Recon, and Annie.

"So… Leafa. Care to explain what's going on?" Sakuya broke the silence, bringing Leafa's attention to the Sylph Lord.

Blinking, Leafa sighed with a tired smile. "It's kind of a long story."

After some time running through the basics of the situation, the Sylph Lord planted her fan against her chin, thinking the information over as she let out a hum.

"I see. So Sigurd was responsible for the leak, then tried to prevent you from intervening by sending Annie to deal with Leafa…" Sakuya muttered, as Alicia Rue butted in with a raised brow.

"Yikes. Can't imagine one of my own boys stabbing me in the back like that. Any idea why?" She asked, as Annie spoke up.

"Prick's always hated how the Sylphs hadn't caught up with the Salamanders in the meta. Always took the race war too damn seriously, it made me wanna hurl." She spat, as Asuna recalled the one time she met him in person.

She'd seen people just like him all around Aincrad. People who didn't care for saving lives or fighting on the frontlines. All they cared for was the idea of power, of the kind of authority they could never lord over others in the real world.

Sakuya then spoke. "It must be the new update. I heard the devs plan to allow race switching in the future, and he must have been aiming to become a Salamander."

Recon's eyes widened. "If he'd succeeded, then he'd assure his new race was already far ahead of the others…"

Sakuya shook her head with a sigh in reply, before turning to Leafa and Asuna. "Sigurd… I'll deal with him personally. Rest assured, we will join you at Yggdrasil. It's the least we can do to repay you for saving our necks, Erika, Leafa."

The two Sylphs nodded in reply, smiles on their faces before Alicia spoke up. "Still though… what's got you in such a hurry to get up there? Sure, all of us have been trying since the game came out, but something tells me you're different."

Asuna processed her question, and sighed, a forlorn expression on her face.

"People very dear to me are here in this game, but they've been changed. Perverted. Turned into monsters. The only way I can get them back is by reaching the top of the World Tree, of that I'm certain. I know it's asking a lot, but this is my only chance."

Alicia and Sakuya took pause, taking in Asuna's answer as she faced them both in the eyes. Her face was wracked with grief, an overwhelming sense of sorrow, as if she had been mourning the death of a loved one. However, they also saw the fire in her eyes, the undying conviction that blazed in the duel with Eugene, a fire that refused to stop burning until she had seen her mission through.

It was then that they understood, no matter what they said, she couldn't be refused at all.

"I see. Alright, then! We'll see you tomorrow at the World Tree!" Alicia grinned, her mind made as Sakuya mirrored her expression.

The two fairy Lords then took their leave alongside their soldiers, leaving the group of four fairies alone.

"So those were the Lords…" Asuna muttered, thinking back over her impression of the three high-ranking fairies.

"Yep. And you got all three of them to help us! You really are something, huh, Erika?" Recon laughed, as Asuna could only giggle awkwardly at his praise.

"Ah, quit it… I only did what my heart told me." Asuna smiled, Annie eyeing her.

"Some player you are. Maybe Recon and Leafa have the right idea about you. Sorry we got off on the wrong foot the first time, yeah?" Annie said, her voice bearing none of the fiery rage she had seen prior.

To see such a different side of this girl shocked Asuna, but it was a pleasant change of pace as she nodded in reply.

"You bet. Look forward to working with you!"

The three then took notice of the lack of words from the fourth member of their group.

They turned to face her and saw her eyes shaded by her hair, an unreadable expression on her face as she crossed her arms and looked up to look Asuna squarely in the eyes.

"I overheard something… earlier."

Asuna's eyebrows raised as Leafa continued.

"Asuna… an SAO survivor, huh?"

Asuna's eyes widened and her face paled as she heard the words leaving Leafa's mouth.

"You… heard that? I-I can explai-"

Before Asuna could continue, Leafa raised a hand to stop her.

"Not here."

Asuna's expression twisted into confusion as she heard Leafa speak, before she pulled up her menu and turned to face her once more.

"Meet me at his hospital room."

Asuna paused.

"Huh? W-whe-"

Leafa simply smiled, a somber expression gracing her face.

"You know the one."

With that, she logged out, leaving Asuna with many lingering questions and a rapidly beating heart.

---

ALO Magic:

ALFVEN: Nectar of the Elves. The lifeblood from which all things flow and emerge, the sap of Alfheim restores the vitality and magical energy of all who receive its blessing. Those who master the water are those who hold the very threads of the realms, an overflowing well that ensures no ally of theirs will fall.

Element: Water, Light

Specialization: Health and Mana Restoration, Combat Buffs

Affinity: Undines

---

Tokorozawa General Hospital, Saitama (SAO Wing) June 14th, 2024

Asuna was running like her life depended on it.

She had just fought tooth and nail to enlist the help of three fairy races to help her in her quest to save her friends, and if that wasn't enough, she had to have her mind blown on the side.

Leafa dropped a complete bombshell on her before she logged out, by not-so-subtly implying she had some relation to Kirito or Josuke, asking her to meet at their hospital room.

The very same room at the end of the hall she was currently running down.

The sun had long set since she had first logged in this morning, and she had woken up to a night sky outside her window as crickets sang in the distance. Despite this, she didn't hesitate to hastily slap on whatever clothes she could scrounge up and run for the door, calling for a taxi.

The halls of the hospital were sparse, but still populated by nurses and doctors tending to patients in the various rooms, protesting as Asuna sped past them, bumping into a few in her rush to reach the room.

She hastily apologized under her breath and kept running, her breaths short and quick.

She had absolutely no idea what she could expect.

No idea what Leafa could possibly mean.

All questions that would be answered as she made the final round over the bend as she passed through the door into Kazuto and Josuke's hospital room.

Inside, all was quiet as her friends slumbered silently in their hospital beds, the beeping of machinery ringing in the air and filling the ambience.

Standing atop Josuke's bed, she saw an unfamiliar girl. Her black hair was short, cut just around her chin level. From her appearance, she appeared younger than her, but what she could see from her legs under her skirt revealed toned muscle like a trained athlete's.

She stared curiously at Asuna, ivory eyes scanning her up and down. Eyes that seemed so strangely familiar to Asuna.

Then with a smile, she stared down at Josuke's prone figure.

"I thought that Dark Knight looked familiar. Your friend here's a dead ringer for him." She said, as Asuna's eyes widened.

"You're… Leafa?"

The girl smiled kindly, her hands sliding into her pockets as she faced Asuna.

"Hi, my name's Suguha. Suguha Kirigaya."

A gasp escaped Asuna's throat as shock filled her entire being. The pieces came together and she began to understand.

Kirigaya. She and Kazuto were related.

Noticing Asuna's shock, Suguha sighed. "Maybe I should start at the beginning, then."

Asuna said nothing, then nodded silently, cueing Suguha to speak.

"Kazuto and I… aren't actually siblings. His parents… my aunt and uncle… died when we were just babies, and since then, he's lived with my family. For as long as I've known him, he's my older brother." She explained, as Asuna listened without a word.

"I think he found out on his own some time ago… Since then, he'd retreated into video games and distanced himself from me. It had gotten so bad, we'd practically become strangers under the same roof. Then two years ago… things took a turn for the worst." She muttered, as Asuna gasped.

"SAO…" Suguha nodded.

"I was so heartbroken. I'd never had the chance to make amends, to tell him I still loved him. To repair what we'd lost together. I swore that once he woke up again, I'd be the sister I never was before, and I started by following the SAO story."

"Then… the survivors woke up. Even though my big brother didn't wake up, it was still the craziest thing… I'd started hearing all about him from their stories." Suguha said, as Asuna recalled the day she herself returned from the death game.

"I heard about Kirito… a hero who fought on the frontlines of Aincrad. A warrior who took on the game's final boss and won. A player who saved countless others from squads of PKers. It was so surreal." Suguha laughed as her gaze turned to her passive brother in his own bed, unresponsive.

"I also heard of the Stand-using player who fought as his brother-in-arms… and the woman who loved him."

Then she turned to face Asuna, who stared back with wide eyes, before her expression morphed into that of sad nostalgia.

"It's true. I met your brother on the first floor. When all hope seemed lost, when everything looked at its worst, he never gave up. He never let the game win him over. Not like me. I was so scared… so afraid and full of despair I almost didn't see the point of going on." Asuna began to reminisce.

She remembered her experience on the first floor, right after the shattering despair of their new reality sank in. How she had hidden herself away, before resolving to take the world on, not caring if she lived or died.

"On the first Floor Boss… he and JoJo… both of them taught us all that victory was possible. When Crazy Diamond appeared for the first time, we all realized that we had a chance. I'll never forget that moment. I went on to lead the efforts to clear the floors, and over time… we learned to lean on each other." Asuna recounted, Suguha listening with wide-eyed wonder.

"We'd all faced unimaginable losses in Aincrad. People we cared about and loved, killed and lost forever. Kirito… he and Josuke even lost an entire party. It scarred him, left a mark on him for a long time, and I couldn't think of anything else to do. I held him close… and he'd eventually do the same to me." Asuna's smile grew as warmth spread from her heart and across her whole body, memories of their time together flooding in.

"We'd find a little spot on the 22nd Floor, a cute little log cabin just for the two of us. We met Yui there… Spent many days and nights sharing precious memories… What I'd give to return there someday…" Asuna laughed, the love in her heart blooming outward as a blush formed on her cheeks.

"Wow… looks like Big Bro was quite the guy in the game, huh?" Suguha giggled.

"Yeah. I've never met anyone like him before, and I'll always be grateful for that." Asuna smiled.

Suguha and Asuna continued to laugh together, reminiscing on memories they shared of the boy they both loved with all their hearts. Suguha regaled childhood memories she could scrounge up, as Asuna laughed at embarrassing moments she had revealed. Asuna did likewise, sharing her own stories from their time spent in Aincrad.

"No way, so that's why you can't swim?" Asuna asked with a giggle as Suguha sighed with a drop of sweat falling from her brow.

"Yeah… that water strider was just a little out of my reach. Big Bro saved me, but ever since then I've had aquaphobia. People poke fun, so it kinda sucks." She breathed out, the memory thoroughly embarrassing her.

They continued on, the moment passing by as they shared in their feelings, with one another and towards the boy asleep in his bed.

"No way… he got a STAND?!"

Asuna nodded as Suguha balked in absolute shock.

"Yep. The Commander got the jump on him, stabbing him with the Arrow. When he woke up, he could summon that arm. He'd learn to use it better, but he got the hang of it really quickly. Not that JoJo ever stopped teasing that his Stand was stronger." Asuna laughed, Suguha laughing in turn.

Suguha stopped, turning and staring at the girl laughing beside her. She was beautiful, her hair long and silky and her face perfectly shaped, complemented by bright, vibrant eyes filled with love for her brother.

To think that this girl was the one behind Erika all along… that she was the one who had gone so far and fought so hard to reach the World Tree… just for a chance to see… him?

"You love him…" She muttered.

"With all my heart. With all I am." Asuna replied, a hand over her chest with a blushing smile on her face.

Suguha watched this, eyeing her up and down, seeing the entirety of her love envelop her aura. Then she spoke once again.

"A-Asuna…"

The girl in question turned to face Suguha with a curious expression, Suguha's face bearing a serious mask.

"Hm?"

"Do you really believe… that if we reach the top of the World Tree… we'll finally be able to wake Kazuto up?"

The question was delivered with overwhelming weight, as if the girl was asking Asuna not only for confirmation but as a desparate prayer, a deep, heartfelt wish for a way to hope again.

She knew the answer before it even left her lips. Suguha thought back once again, recalling the days that consumed her every waking hour ever since the SAO incident took hold.

The guilt, the regret, the unimaginable grief that gripped her heart and refused to let her go.

She had come to ALO to relieve that, to fly free, but only found herself floating aimlessly, like flotsam in an endless ocean.

Ever since she met Asuna, she had shown her the answer.

She felt everything she had suffered. She had known exactly what it meant to stomach that cesspool of regrets and sorrow. Despite it all, Asuna's resolve to find an answer shone through, completely overpowering her sadness.

She declared herself determined to find answers, to reach the ending she wanted by any means, reaching for the impossible with everything she had.

From the moment she saw that resolve, Suguha knew that she would follow Asuna to the end of her journey, no matter what the cost. If only to understand and carry on the strength Asuna had shown her.

And as the stars would align, she now saw that the end of that journey was also the exact same destination she was chasing.

Asuna's answer came without hesitation.

"I do. I swear, Suguha. I will bring him home, no matter what."

A tear rolled down her eye.

She cried as she embraced Asuna in her arms and held her tight in a hug. Her eyes watered and her heart trembled, but her smile shone through brighter than ever.

She swore from that moment from the bottom of her heart.

She would pay Asuna back in full for helping her hope again.

And she would do it by fighting with all she had.

"Thank you, Asuna… T-thank you!"

---

Up Next: The Ascent!

So… thought I'd get this one out as soon as I could. Glad it took me quicker than the last time, but we're almost at the end and I want to keep going! As for how the Yukako fight went, I hope you liked it! Also as a side note, I don't advocate sticking it out for a relationship you know is toxic. If you're being hurt by someone, don't ever feel pressured to endure it for their sake.

I also already explained the inspiration, but I decided to give Yukako a hammer as her main weapon as a reference to the movie. If you know, you know.

Finally, I should mention I've finished a roadmap for the future chapters all the way to the end of Alicization, meaning I now have an outline for the entire future of the story chapter by chapter. If I follow it to the letter, that puts the end of my story at around 99 chapters. Holy shit, this is gonna be a doozy.

Now with that out of the way, hope you enjoyed the two fights! I spent a lot of time on them, and I hope you also enjoyed the reveal scene with Suguha and Asuna! Anyways, that's it for now! Hope you enjoyed, PLEASE don't hesitate to leave a review, and I'll see you in the next one! Deuces.

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WitnessofFate: Thank you so much! I really put in my all to write that final battle, and listening to One Winged Angel: Rebirth nonstop when doing so really helped! I'm really glad you enjoyed my fic and what I brought to the table. The fights I try to make as big and as crazy as they do in my head, and yeah, I'm dedicated to this fic because I really like both series and I wanted to create something that does both justice! If you think it does, then that's a huge relief!