WARNING: This story includes mature and sexual elements. Readers, proceed at your own discretion.

Long ago, when strife was still ever-present in the Human Empire, often caused by the encroachment of wild beasts and ill-spirited nobles, the people prayed for strength and bravery from the Goddess of Swords, Gladia—a representation of knightlihood and justice. According to the scriptures, it was her blessings that allowed men and women both to find power in raising their swords, the «Secret Techniques» said to have been passed down from her.

~ Scriptures of the Goddesses, Paragraph 18

Yuuki Konno had the cards dealt against her from the very beginning, forced to live the rest of her life in a way that most would have seen as a cursed existence. And yet, she marched through her days with a bright smile and cheer, wanting to make the live her life to the fullest.

Even when fate had thrown her into a strange new world that was completely unlike anything she had ever experienced thus far, she was undeterred. She drew her sword, not to seek thrill or competition, but for the people that she loved.

And no beast, though great as a titan, will best her. Any and all opposition shall be cut down, scattered like blood-red petals—such is her divine will.

So this was Zekken.

It'd been hot news going around the game, where a single person was challenging other players to a one-on-one duel. That alone wasn't anything strange. This was 'ALO', a game that was just as competitive as any other, and the fun of it all was in having all these races with differing abilities clashing together.

What made things far more interesting, however, was the fact that they'd apparently gone undefeated thus far. Even Lisbeth and Leafa, who had both tried challenging her, had walked away with a loss to their name, his sister especially calling this mysterious swordsman a powerhouse in her own right.

Kirito's interest was piqued there and then. While he wasn't an absolute battle maniac who enjoyed picking a fight with every single person in his vicinity, he'd be lying if he hadn't come to enjoy that part of any game. Sure, he dabbled in fishing every now and then, but the high octane moment of swordplay and the thrill of victory or defeat (minus the dying in real life part, something fortunately an impossibility now that they weren't in Aincrad anymore) had become something of an enjoyment of his own.

And the offer of an eleven-hit «Original Sword Skill» was too good to pass up on. The system of inventing one's own «Sword Skill» in this world was straightforward but not entirely simple, so his interest in this person was even higher than it had been.

Could this person have been a survivor of Aincrad as well? After all, the ingenuity needed to make such a skill meant that they must have had experience in such an environment like the death castle—though, he knew for a fact that he'd never heard of a player named Zekken during his time in SAO, though maybe that was just an alias.

So, with ample time to spare, he'd gone to New Aincrad and visited the twenty-fourth floor. It was a beautiful place, almost resembling a lake of sorts with aisles scattered about, connected by floating bridges. He remembered just how mesmerized he'd been the first time he laid eyes on this floor back when he was still in 'SAO', and getting a bird eye's view of everything now with the opportunity of flight made him appreciate it all even more.

Zekken's fights were supposedly hosted on this little aisle with a nice big tree. Practically impossible to miss. He kept an eye for such a landmark, drifting through the skies and enjoying the wind in the meantime.

And when he'd found the place, he'd arrived to the sight of a massive, burly Salamander getting his ass kicked by a girl a quarter of his size. Other spectators gathered around openly laughed at his defeat, cheering the younger girl on and shouting 'Another win to Zekken!'.

Kirito paused, blinking. Wait. So the little girl was Zekken? Not the big dude? That was… huh. That was not what he'd expected.

The young girl was slim of build, with eyes as red as roses and long, luscious locks of violet hair billowing with the wind. She had milky white skin. Her armour didn't seem to cover much, her chestplate and vambraces being the only things metal that he could see. Beyond that, it seemed like her armour was more designed for manoeuvrability than actual protection.

Then again, he'd gotten used to the idea that armour in-game was more deceiving than not. Some equipment could seem so flimsy, yet the bonuses and raw defense that they offer was higher than those that looked proper. Like the bikini armour. Videogame logic in its purest form there.

Shaking his head, the boy finally dropped down to the ground, alerting the others of his presence. He hid his grimace behind a well-timed cough, raising a hand with a smile on his face. "Hi. Sorry, I heard there was a challenge going on here, and I wanted to see what it was."

"Hmm? Oh, that's me!" The young girl—and goodness, he hoped this wasn't her actual appearance, because if so then she appeared just as young as Silica does (and the image of Silica casually kicking people's asses left and right was both amusing as it was terrifying)—waved her arm in the air, smiling brightly. "Just about finished a fight, so if you're looking for a challenge, I'd be down for that."

"I'd like that, though maybe you could use a break. You just finished, after all."

"Oh, really? You don't mind?"

"Yeah, it's fine," he waved his hand. "I can wait."

The girl smiled back, appreciating the offer and using that time to walk back to someone with long, pale blue hair. Must be a friend or teammate. While she did that, Kirito quickly made his way to her most recent challenger.

"So, how was she?"

"Good. Insanely good," he said, not sounding annoyed in the slightest. "When my bro told me about her, I was a little skeptical. But she sure proved my doubts wrong when we got in the ring," the Salamander his head. "It's like fighting a real pro, which is crazy when I say it, but it's true. She had the reads on me from the start, and she moves like water. Hard to get a hit on her, hard to expect when she'll strike, and by the time you think you've got it figured it out, you're already beat."

"Oh yeah..? Does she have any trump cards so far?"

"Nothing that I noticed. She'll ask you if you want to fight with flight or without, so I chose the latter. But even then, she was just too good. Relying on pure swordsmanship… it was honestly incredible."

Certainly seems that way. This game offered its fair share of spells to be used in combat that could actually even the odds at certain points, so the fact that she had won simply through swordplay was impressive in its own right.

He paused to think on that. It was possible that this game had been playing in this game from the very start. Or, she might have come from a different game that had prioritized physical prowess and finesse. And that also opened up the possibility that she was from SAO.

Again, he'd never heard of her, but hey? Maybe she was using a different appearance and name now. He could ask her that later on.

"Okay, I'm ready!"

"Huh?" Blinking, Kirito looked back to Zekken, who was already pumping herself for the fight. "Oh, right. Sorry. Just blanked out for a moment there. So, um, are there any rules?"

"Nope! You're free to fight however you want. I usually just ask if anyone wants to use their wings or not, and then if they want to use their spells. I'm okay for either one."

Well, even if he'd gotten infinitely better at flight compared to his earlier days with Leafa, he sure as hell wasn't going to use it against someone who might have more experience compared to him. And though the magic system wasn't too bad, he didn't really have much in his arsenal that could work against her.

"I'll go for a pure sword fight. No flight, no magic."

Surprisingly, his words made her beam at him. "Alright! Then let's get this show on the road."

Nodding, he drew Unity Vox from his back, taking a stance. Zekken did the same, staring him down with a level of focus that was admittedly impressive—and cute, what with her youthful appearance trying to adopt a serious look. Not like he'd say that out loud, though.

It was a tense few seconds, reminiscent of the old days where loud, dangerous combat succeeded a moment of silence. The calm before the storm, essentially, and he knew he couldn't let his guard down in the slightest. Just a single trip, and that would cost him too greatly.

Someone stepped to the side. The other person followed suit.

A single breath expelled.

And suddenly, he was upon her, darting in with a straight charge as his eyes burned, blade raised for an executioner's swing, light bleeding off the metal.

Zekken didn't even flinch. In the face of such a deadly charge, the girl simply met him head-on, initiating her own «Sword Skill». Blue light swallowed her weapon as she slashed downwards, metals roaring as they collided, and they were both repelled from one another, boots digging into the ground for purchase.

This time, it was the girl who initiated the charge, rushing in at him with renewed vigour as she swept in for a quick thrust. Kirito angled his blade to take the attack on the flat face of his blade, feeling the impact rattle his bones, yet he simply carried himself with the momentum, stepping back instead of pushing forwards to then slash at her.

From there, he moved close into her range to slash at her. Their weapons traded contact every single time, ringing loudly around them as they fought for an opportunity to claim ground, yet none of them faltering whatsoever. It was a showcase of fast reflexes and predictability, and Kirito held his ground as he continued to meet each and every one of her swings with his own, unable to find the upper ground.

Whenever he activated a «Sword Skill», Zekken was able to parry his attack with one of her own, cancelling each other out. Whenever he tried to put some distance between them, she would chase after him, giving him no time to strategize. And if he tried to strike an undefended part like her legs or neck, her body would move automatically, either to duck or to vault over his weapon.

'She really is insane. Throughout the fight, her movements have been nothing short of perfect. I just can't find an opening.'

It was perfect. Too perfect, in fact. It almost reminded him of the way Kayaba, through his in-game account Heathcliff, had fought, utilizing the system-designed mechanics to always fight as fluidly as possible, avoiding danger and somehow able to capitalize on the littlest things to get a deadly blow in.

But there was no way Zekken was cheating in the world. Not when he could make out the brief glimpses of imperfections, as minor as they were; the little overextensions, the small missteps, the single second mistiming of a swing.

She was still human, but she was getting as close to being a perfect swordswoman as she was now.

"Hey," he spoke between their fight, clashing his weapon against hers. Something came to mind. Something he had to know. "Zekken, are you from SAO?"

"The death game? No, I'm not!" She grunted as she slashed upwards into his attack, leaving him wide open. Before she could stab into his chest, he'd already spun out of the way, letting her attack graze safely past him. She pouted at that. "Why?"

"Just wanted to know. You're way too good right now. The way you move is just too fluid. Too natural. It's unlike anything I've ever seen before."

Somewhere along the way, a brief flash of panic stretched before her expression, though she quickly wiped it away with a wide, if a little forced, grin. "T-That's just practice! I've been playing this game for a long time, is all!"

"I'd believe that, but there's only a couple of people I know that can move as perfectly as this. And that's only if they've spent a long time living in videogames. But if you're not, then how are you..?"

"That's not..!"

"Zekken, are you living in the virtual world or something? Are you just like me—"

He didn't know how it happened. One second, he'd been trying to probe information from the girl. The next, he'd suddenly erupted into flames, his chest stabbed over and over again as the girl unleashed her self-made «Sword Skill» into him, the beauty and precision of every blow as immaculate as he'd imagined it.

But even then, he couldn't have possibly marvelled at the skill completely. Not when he'd been more focused on the look of anguish on the girl's face.

"I-I…" She stepped backwards. Quickly, she sheathed her sword and turned away, hiding her panic from him. "Sorry, everyone! That'll have to do for today! I, uh, got to go! Bye!"

Without waiting, the girl shot from the aisle in a burst of speed, leaving behind a great explosion of air. The other spectators cheered for her victory, oblivious to the tension that'd been birthed mere moments ago.

And Kirito, unable to do anything, simply watched the girl disappear into the clouds, cursing himself.

He'd fucked up.

That felt expected of him. Disappointing his family by ghosting them for years, letting Coper die, watching Sachi and the Black Cats be culled one after another in front of him, almost losing Asuna—the list was too long, and he couldn't imagine just how a person like him was still functioning sanely, even despite his mountain of failures.

There were nights when he couldn't breathe. When those ghosts would grasp him by the throat, mocking him. Threatening him. Shaming him for having survived when he should have died, be it by the end of a sword or in some alleyway.

And he agreed. He should have.

But he knew that, if he had died, he would have let everyone else's sacrifices go in vain. He would have never been able to truly make up for his mistakes to his family. He would have never been able to see his friends again.

Despite acknowledging the truth, Kirito still felt sour at the idea that he would continue making mistakes down the line. It was a bitter pill, and one he had to swallow once again when thinking how he'd mishandled things with Zekken.

That had been a week ago, and from what he'd heard, Asuna had actually beaten her. Or, well, not beaten her per se, but accepted? It was a little confusing, but Asuna said that it was a good thing, so he chose to believe that. Especially now that she and Zekken—er, Yuuki—were the best of friends.

So the story was that the Sleeping Knights intended to leave their mark behind in ALO. And to do that, they intended to take on a floor boss all on their own, which would engrave all their names on the monument of completion. And to do that, they needed one final member for additional firepower, hence the challenging.

Admittedly, he was a little upset that he wasn't in that team. He could have totally performed! Er, well, there was still a deep, repressed fear of failing his guild like he had with the Moonlit Black Cats (he was getting better, he knew, but there was never a complete recovery from something as traumatic as that), but he liked to think that he would have still worked decently well with Yuuki and her gang.

But, well, he supposed it was impossible now. After he'd gone and upset Yuuki with his remark.

'Couldn't just keep my big fat mouth shut, could I?' He groaned to himself, rolling the lazy chair back and forth. 'Well, nothing I can do to fix things now. I just got to accept it and move on.'

Truly, ever since Asuna had been accepted into the Sleeping Knights, she'd been hanging out with them a lot. He was happy for her, getting the opportunity to socialize more with others outside of their little circle. He'd only wished that Yuuki's guild would come over and hang out with them in the cabin, though maybe they wouldn't want to considering his mistake with their leader. It'd just make everything awkward.

About the only time he'd even interacted with her ever since that duel was when he'd shown up outside of the twenty-seventh's floor boss to stop the other players from getting in. A brief glimpse at the young girl, though that hadn't even been long, his heart in his throat at the thought of what her expression would be if they ever made eye contact.

At least they managed to win that floor boss fight. His minor contribution paid off in the end.

Now, things had become a little more relaxed… or, well, back to normal. ALO was always relaxed, their days peaceful since the Death Gun fiasco. Nothing else mattered. And he was going to use this opportunity to chill as much as possible.

That thought promptly came to an end when the front door swung open. A single eye peeked open, only to close once more. "Oh, hey Asuna. Welcome back."

"I'm home," he heard her greet in turn, able to sense the smile on her face. It was enough to make one of his own form on his face. "Well, someone's looking quite comfortable."

"Trust me, this chair is the single most comfortable thing in the world. I can understand why our forefathers invented this now, and I will defend it to the ends of time."

A snort. "You're sounding like an old man, Kirito-kun."

"Well, I am old."

"Don't kid yourself. We all know the oldest person here would be Agil-san, and he doesn't even act the way you do."

He shrugged back. Maybe it was just in a human's nature to act and feel old when they didn't have to when faced with certain circumstances. Back pain, constant sleepiness, some foods tasting strange, and—as he could prove now—the comfort of a lazy chair.

"Anyways, maybe you'd be kind to move to the couch. Someone wants to talk to you."

"Oh yeah? Who's that?"

"Um… It's me."

For a moment, the voice didn't fully register in his head, so he hummed back nonchalantly as he continued rocking his chair. That didn't last long as recognition struck him, his eyes shooting wide as he sat straight up, staring wide-eyed at a sheepish-looking Yuuki.

"Wha—Yuuki?" He rubbed at his eyes, thinking that he was staring at a doppelganger or something. When he blinked once more, he realized that he was looking at the real deal, her red eyes showcasing nervousness. "Oh! Uh, hey! Welcome!" Hastily, he stepped out of his chair, almost stumbling out of it. "Didn't know you were coming, or else we would have prepared some stuff for you."

"Oh, no! It's fine! I, um, came unannounced and all, so…"

"It's fine, it's fine. Everyone's welcome," without wasting a beat, he promptly guided the girls to the living room. "Well, let's find someplace to sit."

"Oh, you two can talk without me. I have something else to handle in the meantime," Asuna smiled, ignoring their panicked looks, already making her way to the door and ignorant of the way both of them reached out for her.

"A-Asuna, wait—"
"Asuna, don't just leave us—"

"Well, you two have fun! Bye now!"

She stepped out of the door, clicking it shut behind her. Afterwards, the sound of a sonic boom reverberated, indicating that she'd taken flight. They were effectively on their own now, the tension and the silence so thick as they stared at the door.

Kirito held back the urge to scream his wife's name. Just why on God's green earth did she think to just bring Yuuki over and leave them on their own like this? Hadn't he told her that the two of them were awkward around one another? Or had she done this precisely to give them room to work things out?

God damn it, Asuna, your help is not really helping right now!

Sighing to himself, he moved to the kitchen, snapping Yuuki out of her stupor. "Go ahead and take a seat. I'll ready us some tea and snacks in the meantime."

"R-Right. Okay. Thank you."

The whole process was done in silence, no small talk exchanged. What could he have even said to her? They hadn't talked to one another since their match, and any thought of trying to exchange words with the nervous girl was cut away because even he wasn't in the best of states, despite having so many things to ask her.

How was she? How was Asuna? Were they having a lot of fun together? Had she been taking on more challengers since Asuna had joined their guild?

None of them ever left his lips. Not even as he settled at the table, setting down some cups and pouring one for Yuuki. A quiet 'thank you' was the only thing she said before she sipped from her drink, Kirito doing the same and pondering on why Asuna had forced them into this.

Clearly, she just wanted them to make up and get along. He appreciated it, truly, but wasn't this a little too sudden?

The boy sighed in his mind. No, that was wrong of him. Knowing the kind of person he was, he would have never done anything to initiate the conversation. He would have settled for keeping quiet and hope that something happens, whatever that was.

He couldn't do that. Not when Asuna went through the trouble of calling Yuuki here. He had to take charge.

"I'm sorry," it was the first thing he'd said in a while, his voice coming out a little gravely. The girl sitting opposite of him perked up, looking at him in surprise. "Partially for Asuna bringing you here all of a sudden, but also because of… well, you know. Everything."

"O-Oh, no! You don't have anything to apologize for!" Yuuki cried out, waving her hands in front of herself. "Seriously, the one who messed up was me. I… I shouldn't have just left like that. I didn't even talk to you afterwards," the girl cringed, guilt apparent in her gaze. "I'm really sorry for that…"

"It's fine. I was being insensitive," he hummed, leaning back. "I really didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I just… damn it, I'm not good at this… I just thought you were like me. Like us."

"What… do you mean?"

"Well, this isn't a story we yell out loud, but you'd know if you ask around. Hell, you could even ask Asuna, and she'd probably tell you," he shook his head. "We were survivors. From the SAO accident," judging by the look of shock on her face, she knew what that meant. "Two years. We spent that much time being trapped in that game that it felt natural to be in there. As if we were alive in the virtual world. That was why we could fight so well, because it just feels natural."

Granted, that couldn't apply for all of them, but he liked to think that a great majority of them had grown accustomed to the gaming world. Asuna, Klein, himself—they were shaped by the game, and could move with far greater flexibility and naturality in games compared to other people.

It was one such reason that allowed him to achieve the dual wielding skill at all, for it was in the many years spent in the game that granted him the ability to surpass his normal reaction speed and capabilities. As such, the system recognized him as a qualified inheritor of the skill.

And fighting Yuuki that day… he liked to think that, if she had been in that game, she would have inherited that skill instead.

She was so much faster than he was. Her reaction speed was insane, and that was solely swordplay. Had magic and even flight been taken into account, he liked to think that she would have wiped the floor with him. That was just how good she was.

"You were moving insane. In fact, you moved even better than me—and, not to brag, but I'd been known to have done some crazy stunts back in SAO. But fighting you… you were just something else."

"A-Aha, well, I guess I'd spent a long time in games…"

"No kidding. So I'd thought that you were in a situation similar to mine, though I'd gone about that a little bluntly," he winced. "Really, I'm sorry about that."

"Ack! N-No, it's okay! It's fine!" She shook her head quickly. "I know you didn't mean anything by it! You hadn't been rude or anything. I just… I was caught off-guard, is all."

Her eyes fell to her lap, her fingers toying with one another. Her gaze seemed hesitant, though when she looked at him once more, she seemed assured of herself.

"You were right. Like you, I lived in the virtual world. Actually, no… I'm living here, would be more accurate to say."

"Huh? What do you mean by that?"

The girl seemed to have shrunk on herself, looking timid. For a moment, he wanted to retract his words—to tell her that she didn't need to share her backstory with him. He wasn't entitled to know—though the girl quickly found her courage, lifting her gaze to meet his.

When Yuuki began recounting her story, Kirito listened with complete attention. And with every passing second, his sympathy for the young girl grew.

What else could he feel for a person who, from birth, had to live with a disease that permanently crippled her for life? He'd known just how debilitating AIDS could be, but to know that it had resulted in her immunity system breaking apart, body wrought with multiple ailments and now put into a state of permanent hospitalization solely to delay the inevitable… it was heart-breaking.

And he could only imagine how much worse it was when she had been forced to transfer schools when people found out, rumours circulating about 'that girl with the disease'. And the fact that her parents and sister were gone now made him even more upset.

Even that turned into anger for her, realizing that all of this could have been avoided had the man behind the operation simply been more careful. Instead, Yuuki and her family had to pay the price for one man's blunder with their lives. It was sickening.

"And then, Doctor Kurahashi—he's now the one who's looking after me—offered me to try out the Medicuboid."

"Medicuboid?"

"Mmhm! It was inspired by the NerveGear, from what I heard, and right now, they're trying to collect data to see what works and what doesn't before they can properly commercialize it. From what I heard, it'll mostly be used in the hospitals."

"So, it's a third-generation FullDive technology designed to treat and improve the quality of life of terminally ill patients…"

Yuuki perked up, looking surprised. "That's actually right. Wow. You understood all that?"

"Ah. Well, I'm a bit of a technology geek," he chuckled nervously. "Hence the reason why I got into Sword Art Online to begin with. When I was a kid, I built my own computer, so I got fascinated by the NerveGear."

"Whoa, really? That sounds cool!"

"It's not as amazing as it sounds. I just had a lot of free time and curiosity," despite that, he couldn't help but feel a little flutter in his gut at her earnest awe, his smile coming easily to him. "Guess it's been a lot of fun for me to figure out."

"Maybe you'll go on to become an inventor of some super cool piece of tech in the future, huh?"

"Pssh, like that'll happen. It would be a whole lot longer before something like that happens."

"Suuure. But if I see the next big thing and it's got your name on it, I'll be the first to say 'I told you so'."

It was such a silly thing. The idea that he'd end up as an adult wearing a fancy suit and tie, his smiling face plastered on some billboard while he held up some kind of technology—maybe a computer, an oven, or something else along those lines—that would make headlines across the world was just so ridiculous.

A snort broke through, only to turn into a full-blown laughter as he threw his head back, mirth running across him.

"You think so? That would be amazing!" He laughed, wiping his eye. "I sure would love to see such a world. Might have to do something about my crippling social anxiety while I'm at it, but I should be."

"Hehe! Yeah, you'll do great!"

"Yeah… And Yuuki?" The girl hummed back, meeting his gaze. Kirito's smile turned softer, his chest feeling much lighter than it had been this morning. "This is gonna' come out of nowhere as well, but after all of this, I just wanted to say… Thank you," it came out so soft, so quiet, she would have almost missed it were it not for the silence of the room. Ruby eyes staring into his grew wide with surprise. "What happened to you… it was terrible. And I'm sorry. No one deserves that sort of thing, least of all you."

"Ah, that's…"

"But even after all of that, you never let it get to you. You kept moving forwards, bringing positivity wherever you go and just living your days to the fullest. Even in this world, you've found something to work for with your friends rather than hide away from the world in despair."

Where he had shut the door in his family's face and wasted years of his life away, Yuuki continued to take the hands of others', forming friendships with the people simply because she wanted to.

Where he had continued to blame fate for taking away his family, Yuuki continued remembering the happier memories of her own.

Where he had been too scared to find his place in the world, Yuuki continued moving forwards, meeting each day with a smile on her face.

She was dying. And yet, sitting before him now—with eyelashes fluttering as those red eyes blinked slowly, her button nose and her lilac hair spilling over her exposed shoulders—this girl was brimming with so much life that he would have thought her to be the embodiment of hope itself.

"You're a good person, Yuuki. You've been good to the people around you, and I know just how happy you make Asuna," smiling, the boy bowed his head a little. "Thank you, Yuuki, for living. And for being the way you are."

When Kirito rose back to his full height, it was to a look of abject shock on the younger girl's face. It was as if someone had walked up to her face and told her that she was actually their mom, which he found to be a little funny. Yuuki would be great as a young, single mom, though.

And then, colour bled into her face, her pale skin slowly being overtaken by the colour of her eyes. From her cheeks to the tip of her pointy ears, it was one of the most adorable sights he had ever seen in his life.

Words fell from her tongue in bumbles and jumbles, stammers that made it very clear that she hadn't expected the words he said at all. Those eyes, wide as plates, darted from his place to the floor, to the ceiling, and everywhere in-between.

"K-Kirito!" She eventually cried out, flailing her arms frantically. "Yo-You don't have to thank me for all that kind of stuff! R-Really! I, ah, I'm just..!"

"I know, I know. You're just being yourself. But even that alone has been nothing but a good thing to so many people, Asuna included. So I just wanted to thank you for that, too."

"B-But still..!"

"And I know what I've said and done won't be enough to fix things, but I'm really hoping that we could at least get to know each other better from here on out," the words made her halt, eyes staring at him. And, where he would have expected fear or reluctance, he saw hope. It gave him unspeakable amounts of joy. "I want to be your friend too, Yuuki. If you'd be okay with that."

He couldn't ever take back his mistakes. But that was just part of being human; making all sorts of fuck-ups. What mattered, though, was taking all the steps to fix them, no matter how long it took him.

And Kirito, for all the regrets he has felt in his life, would never regret those words. Not when the girl's eyes lit up with excitement, and those glossy lips of hers turned into such a bright smile that was as blinding as the sun itself.

"Yeah! I'd love that! Let's be friends!"

If there was ever a hobby he would have never thought he'd enjoy in a million, fishing was at the top of the list.

As a kid, he'd never been particularly taken aback by such a thing. After all, children were usually more captivated by the high velocity sports like football or swimming, or actually interesting stuff like learning an instrument. Fishing just seemed like an old person's thing in comparison.

And yeah, Kirito had that exact same mindset growing up. But in SAO, when there were often peaceful days where absolutely nothing happened, it was important to find something to occupy oneself with. And of all the things it could have been, fishing was not it.

Sufficed to say, he didn't regret it one single bit.

There was something magical about the entire process. Certainly, people just simplified everything to 'throw hook into the water, wait for fish, pull when it bites'. And he supposed that was the way it is; clearly, people fished for the results, hoping to snag a bite or a trophy.

But there were plenty more people who enjoyed fishing simply for the peace of it all. The quaint silence, sitting, waiting for the moment the line is pulled. And having company made it even better, whittling the time away with a peaceful topic as they listened to the sound of the water.

Kirito didn't have that. The company part, that is, but he was fine. Asuna much preferred being in the kitchen, while his other friends enjoyed their respective hobbies. He was totally down for solo fishing.

Today, however, it seemed like things were shaking up for a change.

"You want to join me?" He asked, surprised. In return, the girl standing before him nodded excitedly. "Huh. Didn't take you for a fan."

"Well, I'm not, but I thought it'd be a fun way to spend some time together! And what better way than to take part in a friend's hobby?"

He felt touched by her considerate words. Kirito smiled back. "That's nice of you. But it can be a little boring for some. How about you? Anything you enjoy doing?"

"Ahh… No, not really. I usually spend my time in ALO doing quests or sightseeing," the girl shrugged. "So I usually join my friends whenever they're doing stuff."

"I see. Well, I usually go fishing on my own. The others are all out," no one but him had logged in—and so did Yuuki, apparently, who'd been notified of his presence since they'd added each other into their friends list. His friends were busy with stuff on their own ends, and he had time, so he opted to hop into the game for a bit. "You down for it being just us two?"

"Sure thing! Lead the way!"

Well, they didn't really need to go far. This being the twenty-second floor of New Aincrad, which had such a low population of monsters roaming the wilderness, they faced no problems simply walking through the forest path. And they walked, Kirito in the mood to enjoy the scenery. He'd thought that Yuuki, excitable as she could be, would have requested they fly to their destination, but she simply skipped beside him, taking it all in with a grin of her own.

Floor twenty-two really was a beautiful place. It was no wonder that he and Asuna had chosen to buy their house on this floor when they got together. The natural beauty, the general peace, and the way it felt like they were secluded from the rest of the world, made for a wonderful place to live.

No joke, if this place existed in the real world, he would have retired to this place once he got to that age. No place could possibly hold a candle to this place.

"Did this floor exist in the old game?" Yuuki's question had him humming back. "Back in… you know."

"You don't need to worry about saying its name out loud. There's this rule that we don't say it out loud because it'd just cause a lot of sympathy in other people. Plus, it would be a bit of a pain to explain everything, but it's not a forbidden thing."

"Ah, right. I understand."

"Mmhm. But back to your question. Yes, this floor existed in SAO, and it hasn't been changed whatsoever. A good thing, too. This floor is too important to me."

"Really? Why?"

"Ah… W-Well, it's a little embarrassing," he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck with his free hand, a bucket of bait in his right hand and his fishing rod clamped to his side by his arm. "So, you uhh… you know how me and Asuna met in SAO. When we got together, I thought it'd be nice to have a house of our own to share," he chuckled, flushing at the memories slowly returning to him. Memories of warm, peaceful days, those were. "So we scrounged some money to finally buy the house. Then there was a dumb side-quest… but, uh, we got the house in the end! And it's been great."

"Wooow… That sounds really nice."

"Mmhm. Nowadays, we all just come together in that house whenever we want to hang out. Heck, just like how you brought your guildmates over, we tend to have other guests too."

"And you don't mind? Us intruding, I mean," Yuuki frowned. "It's an important place to you, after all."

"Sure I'm sure. Asuna is happy to have guests over, and it's always nice to have company. It'd be a little boring otherwise."

"Well, if you say so… Oh, is that where we're going?"

The aforementioned that was referring to a little pier, elevated by wooden beams that disappeared underneath the water. There were a couple of seats arranged in rows by the side, where people were expected to fish from. Granted, this wasn't a set rule, though it was a comfortable spot to just sit and wait.

Heading over to the pier, Kirito took a seat at the edge of the pier, Yuuki depositing herself on the seat beside him. He set the bucket down between them, and pulled out a wiggling worm from the pile.

"Ewww."

"Well, that's just what we've got to work with. Come on now, give it a try."

It was clear by her expression that she didn't share his calm, making faces as she pulled out a worm from the bucket—only to yelp and swing her arm outwards, throwing the poor little thing in a wide arc before it dropped into the water, its fate decided.

"S-Sorry! I panicked!"

"Nah, don't worry. They're cheap. Try it again. If you still can't, I don't mind putting it on for you."

"N-No! I can do this," she nodded, resolute. "Just watch! I've got this!"

As she said, she did eventually get it. After at least two more tries, however, when she steeled herself throughout the wiggly-giggly part and fixed the worm to the hook. The level of focus on her expression was adorable.

"Alright. Now then, swing your hook out. Like so."

He cast his rod, watching the hook disappear a fair distance. Yuuki followed suit, and then the wait began. It would take time for the fish to be drawn in and take the bait. Until then, it was just sitting back and waiting.

And Kirito found himself enjoying that part the most. Just a quiet chance to look out over the sparkling waters, to where the great green hills towered over the forests. Several birds darted across the surface of the lake to catch hopping fish in the distance.

Everything about the scenery was a fairy tale made manifest, and he breathed it all in, feeling more alive than he had ever been…

Only to pause, realizing that he wasn't the only one here.

'Yuuki is here,' he had to remind himself. And so far, she hadn't said a word. 'Is she doing alright?'

Though Yuuki had seemed more than happy to join him on his fishing trip, a part of him was hesitant. He was worried that Yuuki would somehow lose interest along the way, unable to tolerate nothing happening and maybe make small talk. That would have been acceptable. It was her making an excuse to leave that worried him more.

To his surprise, however, in the ten minutes of them simply sitting there and looking around, Yuuki had spoken not a single word. A quick glance to his side told him that she hadn't fallen asleep, a gentle smile on her features as she stared at where her line had gone. He wondered if he should say something, not exactly wanting to break her focus, but he did so regardless just in case.

"You've fished before?"

"Hmm?" Her red eyes met his. "Nah, this is my first time. Why do you ask?"

"Well, it's not often that a first-time fisher could be this patient. Most people usually complain about the lack of anything. I certainly did at first."

"That's 'cuz fishing is obviously a waiting thing. There's nothing to gain from rushing things. Plus…"

"Plus?"

"W-Well, you seem to really like it, you know? Asuna certainly told me so," his wife talked to her about his hobby? "I, ah, actually asked her for her opinion. On how to spend time with you."

"Oh, really?" That was a lot more embarrassing than he expected, though he was more curious about what his wife said about his hobby. "What did Asuna say?"

"When she found out that I knew about your past regarding SAO, she told me that you were always stressed. Thinking about the next fight, always going on quests to earn money and find new equipment, planning for the next boss raid…" Soft as her words were, each one of them reminded him of those days when things had sometimes been more than what he could have tolerated. "And when you discovered fishing, she told me how much you enjoyed it. How it became a safe space for you to just unwind, forgetting everything else. It was a place for you to breathe again."

"You aren't wrong… Fishing has and always will be an escape for me. And getting to run away from it all and just focus on the now… it's liberating."

And sometimes, that was all a person needed; an hour or two away from responsibility, pressure and wants. To just find a single place where they could let their guard down, knowing that there would be no one to judge his shortcomings. Kazuto Kirigaya, Kirito… none of those mattered. It was just the then and now.

And his admiration towards Yuuki grew even further. Even despite how boring this was, she was willing to tolerate it simply to spend time with him.

Something soft touched his hand. His eyes fell down, surprise filling him when he found a smaller hand grasping his. A strange urge to hold it in turn rushed into him, and he snapped his gaze upwards to meet Yuuki's, finding her visage calm and… relieved?

"You remember how you told me you were glad that I lived and all?" Her voice was a soft whisper, yet in the silence of that moment, it was the only thing he could hear. "Well, I'm glad that you and Asuna and everyone else made it out of that game," she smiled. "And I'm glad to have met you."

"Y-Yuuki…"

They were such heartfelt, intimate words that he almost choked up. Quickly, he looked away from her, smiling.

I'm glad to have met you. Words countless of people had spoken to him when he felt that he hadn't deserved it in the slightest—from Klein, his brother in all but blood; Agil, who was the rock in his life and a fountain of wisdom and patience; Asuna, whose love had saved him time and time again; Sachi, who never even cursed her in her final moments…

And now, this wonderful girl before him, happy to have found a friend in him despite all his faults.

Sucking in a breath, he looked back to her, parting his lips to say something in turn—

The line on Yuuki's rod suddenly pulled taut. Black and red eyes snapped in that direction.

"Ah! I caught something!"

"Shoot! Hurry, grab it!"

"Yeah, I got—Whoa! I-It's a big one..!"

"Seriously? Talk about first time RNG buff… Ack, never mind! Don't fight it! Just angle your line and pull back slowly! If you feel it pull hard, just relax your rod and let your line lean in that direction!"

"Oh no, oh no, it's getting loose..!"

"We got this! Don't worry!"

The two struggled to reclaim purchase, fighting hard against the fish's aggressiveness. The shadow underneath the water was large and murky, masquerading its identity. Even Kirito, in all of his experience in the fishing area, found himself praying desperately that Yuuki's first catch would actually be in their favour.

Just as quickly as it had started, so too had it ended, as the two swordsmen planted their feet firmly on the wooden panel.

"Together! On three! One, two—"
"Three!"

Screaming in unison, they pulled—

A massive beast the size of a titan flew out of the water, making an impressive arc through the air and slamming meatily on the grassy patch a fair distance away.

A moment of silence passed as they stared wide-eyed at the creature flopping on the ground a fair distance away. Eventually, it found its balance, turning onto its front and walking on four stubby feet. Its eyes on the side of the head rolled about as it tried to find its hunter, only to finally zone in on them. Its maw opened wide, and a bloodcurdling scream pierced through.

The name 'The King's Servant' floated above its head.

Kirito felt his eyebrow twitched.

"You have got to be kidding me."

"Whoooa. What is that!" Yuuki gasped, looking excited. "Is that actually something we can eat?!"

"Yeah. Though, back in SAO, we would have needed a high fishing level and a special bait to get it out. But I guess that's the king, and this is…" Well, it was slightly smaller, a pale blue colour, and it didn't have the most intimidating aura as The King of Lakes that he and Nishida had fished out years ago. "Welp. Time to kill it, I guess. Let's go, Yuuki!"

"Yeah!"

Fortunately, that was the only unexpected disturbance they had thus far, with the rest of their fishing trip being as normal as it could possibly be. There was a lot of fish caught, tail to the face, laughing, and memories made.

They fished long into the evening, when even the occasional hobbyists and fish enthusiasts had returned home. And when a message came to him from Suguha, scolding him for staying in-game for too long and calling him for dinner, he logged out of the game with haste—but not before promising Yuuki to take her out on a future trip. And, judging by the excitement in her response, she was looking forward to it as much as he did.

And somehow, Kirito never did realize that his infatuation with the girl had started, let alone her own feelings towards him.

Isekai stories was a fan-favourite in Japan. Just put the word 'reincarnation' in the title, and it was practically guaranteed to sell. Whether that spoke of a person's secret desire to find a life beyond their boring everyday, or because it resonated everyone on a spiritual level was beyond him.

Personally, he wasn't the biggest of fans, even though he technically had a fairly similar experience through SAO. And he could admit, he did have a somewhat OP advantage in his Beta Tester background, thus his understanding of the game's mechanics and future knowledge of the bosses had come in handy. But outside of that, he was just as likely to die as everyone else.

But he still didn't like isekai's. Nothing could change that.

What he did like, however, were the novels daring to tell the story of what comes after the isekai. The people who find themselves returning to their original lives, and having to reintegrate themselves into their old civilization with knowledge and experience accumulated in a different world.

In that sense, he could literally empathize; he had spent two whole years in a world unbound by their realism, then forced to return to his old life.

In the real world, he wasn't Kirito the Black Swordsman. He was just Kazuto Kirigaya; an unlucky victim of the death game who was now looking to live his life as an earnest student in the SAO Survivor School. Asuna, Keiko and Rika were there as well, and overall, their school life was fine. Not much excitement, but that was fine.

Today, as the past few days had been, was shaping up to be a little more different than usual.

"Ohh, really? I didn't know you enjoyed haiku as well, Konno-san!"
"Eheh, yeah. I just know a little about it since my sister loved it, so I just stuck around."

The voice was mechanical, almost akin to someone speaking through the loudspeaker of a phone. Despite the artificial reconstruction, Kazuto could recognize the spritely voice coming out of the little camera perched on Asuna's shoulder, bringing a smile to his face.

Being approached by his girlfriend with the request of helping Yuuki experience a school life was an odd experience. And, at the time, he'd thought something about bringing the classroom itself to the virtual space, establishing a classroom and bringing in outsiders to make it feel authentic.

But if that was the case, then perhaps there was no need to ask him for his help. And the more he thought about it, the more it made sense.

Yuuki didn't want something in the virtual world. She wanted to experience normalcy like the rest of them; to be out there in the real world, talking with people beyond the screens and try out the normal things.

That Asuna cared so much about the younger girl to the point of asking for his help in this was more than enough to have him burying his head in the books and the Internet, trying to figure out what feasible methods he could take to make that a reality.

Granted, the camera idea was not the perfect solution. All Yuuki could do was connect to the probe from her Medicuboid, and she'd then get to look at the world through the probe and speak to everyone from the speaker attached. And he'd been worried that the people around them would be giving her weird stares for what was essentially a girl in a device.

Thankfully, no one in the school was normal. Not after they'd been trapped for two years. As such, not a single one of them seemed to bat an eye when Asuna showed up in her classroom with a probe on her shoulder. In fact, after she explained Yuuki's situation (minus her debilitating status), everyone, the teachers included, were more than happy to involve the sickly girl.

Lessons, lunchtime, after-school sessions—the fact that everyone was so receptive of the younger girl was a relief for him. She'd get the chance to make more good memories with people outside of her small circle of friends. And that was enough for him.

Just as he was about to pack up his stuff and grab some food, someone called out to him. "Kazuto-kun!"

He perked up, looking back and meeting Asuna's smile. He returned the gesture. "Hey. What's up? I thought you were gonna' hang out with the other girls."

"Wanted to, but I thought it'd be nice to have lunch together," she said. "Me, Yuuki, Rika and Keiko-chan are planning to head to the rooftop."

"Ehh? That's all girls, though. Maybe I could…"

"Oh, come on! We should go eat together!" Yuuki practically begged, the look of her wide-eyed, puppy look enough to pierce his heart. "Pleeaase?"

"…Haaaah… Only because Yuuki asked…"

The two girls cheered. There was no winning against a single one of them, and when teamed up like this, he was just a sucker. At least he was used to being the only boy in their lunch group.

Seriously, though, why didn't he knew a guy friend who was his age? He literally only hung out with Ryoutarou and Andrew, both of whom were men with jobs! What the heck is up with that?

Shaking his head, he joined the girls and headed up to the rooftop, where Rika and Keiko were already seated on the floor with some food prepped up. It wasn't always that they sat here, having established a rotation system for who could have their turns being up here (no joke, they literally do that amongst their classes). And today was their turn.

"Ah! Asuna-san, Kazuto-san! And Yuuki-san! Over here!"

"We're coming, Keiko," he grinned, moving over and sitting in front of her. Asuna took a seat beside him, lifting her skirt a little before smoothening it over her legs; a practised motion at this point, displaying all of her high classiness. He refused to acknowledge the fact that he'd been discretely watching the motion that entire time. "So, what's everyone having?"

Rika snickered, holding up her boxed meal. "I've got myself a nice chicken club sandwich that Asuna made for me!"

"And I have a simple bento box my mother made for me," Keiko shyly added, grinning cutely. "I didn't plan to ask her to make me one, but she insisted."

"Both of you are already bringing in the heavy contenders," and he'd openly admit that he was jealous that Asuna made him something—but he won't say it. Because even he had scraps of pride he wished to keep. "Asuna?"

"Nothing overly complicated. I have a bento box as well," she pulled out her box from her bag, set it down on the floor, and proceeded to open it.

Nothing complicated was the fattest lie she had ever spat in his face. The sheer luxury of the ingredients shone through in the beauty of their presentation. Each composition was slotted into neat little squares; from the little sausage octopuses (octopi? Octopodes?) to the glistening fruit salad, to the fancy little rice balls and even the round omelette.

All of them stared, hungry.

With great willpower, Kirito pulled his gaze away, masking his groan with a laugh. "Well, at least Asuna's cooking skill carried through in the real world. Maybe we could use videogames to simulate IRL things to improve a person's skills."

"Ooh, that would be cool. I mean, there's been a lot of studies about that, right? Like, how people who practise in fast reflex things actually react faster when put into similar tests in real life?"

"You got that right. Granted, not everything translates perfectly. Like gun aiming or acrobatics… or, maybe they could. But they'd need to simulate realism as closely as possible. But some things would be impossible, since you would need to build the body for that."

"All very true and very interesting. But we're getting off the rails here!" Rika grinned at him. "What'cha brought for today's lunch? Boring ol' cup noodles or something?"

"Hey! I'll have you know, I've been eating healthy ever since we got out of that game," because the doctor had drilled into him the importance of eating healthy food, and he came to appreciate their importance in helping him live an overall good life. "But to answer your question, I broooought… this."

So saying, he pulled out his boxed meal and set it in front of him. It wasn't a fancy box like Asuna's, but it was what he had, and it was the one he chose to brought today. And it wasn't the box that mattered; it was the content.

And when he unlatched the box and opened it, it was to his satisfaction to hear their gasps.

"What the heck? You're eating salad?"

"You bet I am."

And though he could have gone for some basic greens, he'd actually collaborated with Suguha to put together some Caesar Salad. Romaine lettuce, soft-boiled eggs sliced in two, baked croutons that were as crispy as chips, and little cherry tomatoes. The set was complete with salad dressing and sprinkles of parmesan cheese.

Overall, this was the fanciest salad they had ever made, and he was sure as hell proud of himself for deciding on a healthy option, never mind the fact that he may have added a bit too much cheese in his meal.

But look, it was cheese. Who wouldn't say no to extra cheese?

"Kazuto, are you sure you're okay with only this much?"

"Of course I am. We're nearing the end of the day regardless. Might as well have something light enough to fill my stomach, but not heavy enough to send me into a food coma."

"Doctors in the world will surely find some reason to be upset with your statement," sighed Asuna. "But if you're sure…"

"It's fiiine. Trust me. I can go a long way."

"Then… why don't we say a few words?" Keiko suggested. "Before we start eating, I mean."

"That sounds like a good idea. Who wants to go first?" Everyone looked around, and it was to no one's surprise that no one lifted their hands. Asuna chuckled. "Alright, then I'll go first," she cleared her throat before speaking again. "This isn't exactly a special occasion, but it isn't always so bad to let our gratitude be voiced out. And so, I wish to give my thanks for all the good memories, and hope to continue making more with everyone here."

"I agree!" Chirped the youngest girl there (and yes, Keiko was younger than Yuuki—she was born in October, whereas the latter was born in May). "We've been through so much together, that finally having this chance to rest is… it's wonderful. And I hope it continues being this good for everyone."

"I'd prefer some excitement, but I guess we've all had more than enough of it, huh?" Chuckled Rika, throwing her head back. "To think we had such a different life in a world where monsters were the norm and we were greater than our teenage selves… What a crazy thing," she met everyone's gazes and smiled. "But as long as I'm here with you guys, then that's good enough for me."

The girls looked to him next. Kazuto hummed. What could he say that they hadn't already? They'd mirrored their sentiments so perfectly that not a single night had gone by without him feeling grateful for all the peace they've had since their departure from Aincrad. But if there was something he could say…

"I hope everyone finds the happiness they're looking for," everyone went silent at his words. He stared back. "What?"

"That was… simultaneously cheesy but also heartwarming."

"What can I say? We've all had bad experiences. I just hope people can learn to move on and find a happiness of their own," and he wouldn't wish for his own. Not when he's already reconciled with his family, and found one of his own in the form of Asuna and Yui. His life was already perfect. "That goes for everyone here."

"Hehe… Well, everyone will be happy someday, I'm certain."

The odd lilt to Asuna's declaration had him quirking a brow, more so when the other girls seemed to avert their gazes from him. There was something there, though what it was, he had a feeling he didn't want to know.

"Err, right. And Yuuki? Want to close it out?"

"Uhh, me?" She asked, sounding surprised.

"Yeah. There's gotta' be something you want to say. Just let it out."

"But… But it's embarrassing!"

"Don't need to feel that way around us. We're all friends here. Plus, if even a single one of us makes fun of you, Asuna would kill us."

"Hey!" The girl in question pouted. "Don't say that."

"Don't deny the fact that you wouldn't throw me off the building if I even made Yuuki cry."

"I-I wouldn't! You know that!"

He did. He knew how obsessed she was with him. But he didn't dare find out what her cognitive dissonance—her love for him and her loyalty to Yuuki—would push her to do. He shook that morbid thought aside and focused on Yuuki once more. "So, uh, yeah. Just let out your feelings. Doesn't matter what it is."

There was no egging from the other girls. Everyone here liked Yuuki, and she liked them in turn, so all they had to do was wait for her to finally find her strength.

Eventually, her voice came out through the probe's speaker. "I… want to thank everyone here. For all the happiness you've helped me find. And for being such good friends to me. To Asuna, Rika, Keiko… a-and Kazuto too," he could imagine her going red in her virtual space. "I mean, you went ahead with this crazy idea just because I was curious… You didn't need to—"

"But I wanted to," he interrupted, smiling. "You're our friend. Of course I'd do what I can for a friend."

"Y-Yeah… And, for all these past few days that I've gotten to experience school with you guys, I'd remembered just how much fun it's been. Regaining all those lost opportunities and making so many new friends…" She sucked in a breath, sincerity inflecting her words. "Thank you, Kazuto. So much."

"I… Yeah. You're welcome."

There was a stretched silence afterwards, the other girls looking at him amusedly. Thankfully, that didn't last long before Asuna cleared her throat, all smiles once more. "Well then, I suppose it's time we get to eating. Wouldn't want to let our meals get soggy, don't you think?"

"R-Right! Yeah! Good idea, Asuna! Come on, everyone! Let's dig in!"

"Nice! Oh, and Yuuki, what'd you got on your end?"

"Oh, I have uhh… this nice hamburger, I guess."

"Advantages of living in the virtual world. You can just imagine what you'd want and you get it right away. And you don't have to deal with the additional calories…"

"You talk as if you're fat. You're not."

"Shut up! It's a girls' thing!"

"Are you kidding me? Guys worry about body fat just as much as girls do!"

"K-Kazuto-san, I don't think it's the same…"

As they argued and ate, their lunchtime on the rooftop became yet another pleasant memory that he would look back on fondly. Every prayer spoken from his lips in every visit to the shrine would be nothing but hopes for such peaceful days to remain a constant in their lives, and for opportunities to continue making even more memories together.

Even with Yuuki, despite her situation… Well, he would hope for her good health, as low as the odds may seem. Because she was a girl who deserved all the happiness in the world for all the good she's given to the people around her.

Unbeknownst to him, someday, perhaps that opportunity might present itself in the most bizarre of ways imaginable…

Author's Notes:

Didn't get much of a chance to highlight Yuuki's insanity here as I did with Asuna, but I think this was a good change. Might as well have some fluff every now and then.

I'd hoped for a scene where the two could have reconciled after that first blunder. Would have been more realistic, though I suppose more time had been spent in building Asuna's, Yuuki's, and the Sleeping Knights' rapport and trust to progress the plot.

Also, yeah, I had to write a lot of these scenes on my own because the light novel and anime have depicted no further interactions between the two. And that's the nature of a fanfic; you end up making your own thing from time to time.

Either way, I'm happy with how this turned out, though it's been a busy week. We're nearing the end, however, and I'm excited for the programme to come and end. It's a mixed feeling; I've enjoyed living in this place, but I also can't wait to go back home. Typical dilemmas of a trip.