[Alfheim Online, New Aincrad, Floor 22]

"I'd say, 'welcome to my humble abode', but I'm too poor to live like this, haha!" I'm so lonely...

Asuna, the Princess that she is, offered us her cabin on Floor 22 for our party, either she's got a sixth sense or just knew I was homeless, probably both. It was a round log cabin located in an open grass field, surrounded by a thick forest. The house is surrounded by a wooden fence with a wooden gate. The one-storey house consists of only two main rooms: the large living room and the bedroom, as well as a small room used as a storeroom near the living room, kitchen, and bathroom. The living room has a round wooden table, a wardrobe, a full-body sized mirror beside the cutlery sideboard. A balcony that overlooks the large lake in the middle of the floor, as well as the surrounding hilly terrain, thus providing a gorgeous view from it. The house also has a small terrace at the entrance. Again, I'm poor, she's not.

"Woah... so this is Asuna's house?" Yuuki was the first to enter and take in the surroundings. As Tecchi and Talken brought in their supplies, Yuuki bent down. "Oh? You already had a feast set up?"

"Oh, wow!" "Looks so good!"

"I'm not that good at my job of deception," I replied, picking up a note left on the coffee table. I almost snorted at the generous offer.

'Congrats on defeating the boss!' At the bottom was a pair of swords crossed, a crown, and a fairy. Those three... great, now I owe their kid, my list of debts grows by the day.

We quickly set up our supplies and got stuck in to the wonders of money and Asuna's God-Tier cooking, my Mixing skill could make some stellar drinks so I had them come out of my reserves, really gives a kick despite the lack of alcohol.

The sheer atmosphere reminded me so much of the holidays with my family. It was chaos but a fun, level-headed kind, I often wonder what it was like if my sister was here. Even now, with the Sleeping Knights I felt... at home. I had friends, sure, but these guys were something else, the energy they gave off reminded me of my family. "You'd have love these guys, sis, especially Yuuki,"

Back to my story. "-so a friend of mine comes back to our inn, left looking like he had just met the girl of his dreams, yadda-yadda-yadda, he-he comes back pale-faced and utterly broke!" I snorted. "He won big, like, 'set up for several floors' big, even ALS and DKB were near flat-broke and he lost it all in a single game of Blackjack,"

"Aw come on, it was totally rigged from the start!" Jun scoffed, crossing his arms. "I'd never be tempted to follow through after that."

"Uh, Jun, recall our last savings account?" Nori gave him a deadpan stare. "We trust you to buy 'two things', just two, and where'd all our Col go?"

"Down the drain," Talken sighed sadly, sipping his wine.

"H-hey, I was under alot of pressure!" He tried to defend but got sharp glares instead, biting into his ham joint. "Oi! Nwt my fwlt, gwy whs rwlly pwrswsithe!"

"Agil is anything but subtle," I pointed out but shrugged. "So, hit me, Cupcake - worse game to date." We did this back and forth for nearly an hour now.

"Yeah, so the absolute worst MMO ever is an American one called Insec-Site," Yuuki recollected.

"Oh, that one..." Siune smiled with her eyes closed for a time, but it was clearly a terrible game.

"I feel like the more context given the worst I'm about to feel," I squinted as Yuuki paled in horror, holding up her hands in disgust.

"Bugs! Nothing but bugs! It wouldn't be so bad if it were only the monsters, but you're a bug too!" She gagged, making a very odd face. "I lucked out and turned into a bipedal ant, but Siune..." A devilish grin appeared and Siune's face fell sharply.

"Oh? This I gotta hear," I leaned closer eagerly.

"Please, don't tell him!" She begged but Yuuki wouldn't stop grinning.

"She was a giant caterpillar, see..." She closed her eyes to 'elegantly' move her hand as if to spit something from her mouth. "Spitting out threads from her mouth like this, pew! Hahaha!" Siune was scarlet and ashamed by now.

"I... don't think SAO was ever that cruel to us, worst was Floor 6," I felt a heavy weight on my shoulders. "If I ever go back to that puzzle floor again, I'm going to scream," Shaking off my fears of endless puzzles, I smiled. "You guys have been to so many worlds already,"

"What about you, Zeno? I mean, we know you were in SAO, not to mention here and now, but were there others?" Yuuki pressed, leaning to the edge of her seat.

"Aside from Asuka Empire that I mentioned to you, there's GGO, one a girl called Sinon came from, she's a crack-shot sniper there, so if anyone else could match me in terms of archery its her," I replied. "I played another once with my sister... but that was a long time ago," Only once, but... it was before... I quickly hid my own sorrow with a smile. "But yeah... this Floor was really relaxing, though I couldn't afford a place I camped out alot. May have been a Death Game, but it had its charms,"

"Hm, this place does make me feel at ease," Siune sighed before she suddenly gasped, covering her mouth. "I-I'm so sorry, it slipped my mind!"

"Huh, what?" I cocked my head.

"Speaking of costs, when we asked you to help us out, we said we'd give you something the boss dropped. That was our agreement, wasn't it?" The second her words reached their ears. Tecchi and Jun froze mid-bite, and Nori and Talken froze with their drinks.

"That's right..." Talken gulped, but by now, all was devoured say for the drinks.

"I totally forgot about that!" Yuuki was equally upset but I was trying so hard not to snicker but a small chuckle escaped my lips. "Eh?"

"Hahahaha, oh Gods above, it's ironic, usually I'm the one in debt to people, so its funny," I wiped a tear from my eye before shrugging. "Don't worry about it, I had a feeling it slipped your minds when we went out, so hey, I got a compromise,"

"A compromise?" Yuuki echoed as I nodded.

"There's alot I want to talk to you about, and vice versa, I've... not really shared my story of SAO outside of Kirito, Asuna, and the others, and... I want to know more about you, Yuuki," I really did, something about her was drawing me in, like a moth to a flame. Her words back in the Labyrinth came to me as I went ahead with my idea.

"I get it, in debt to anyone leaves a sour taste, no? So how about I partner up with you guys longer? Go on harder quests with an extra pair of hands, tons of loot and adventure, I'd say the chaos writes itself, and hey! I get paid, win-win!" I winked. "Rambling aside, I... wouldn't mind if you let me join your guild, I... haven't ever considered one since SAO, so..."

Yuuki's eyes shot wide, and the others were visibly shocked by my request. Even if they turn me down, I... still wanted to be near them. I... I have to overcome this in a way Kirito's group can't help me with. I needed to do this of my own volition.

"Listen... listen, Malzeno," Yuuki was quiet and she refused to meet my gaze. "The six of us... the Sleeping Knights, will... be disbanding in the Spring probably. By then, most of us won't really be diving as much anymore, so..."

Right, they mentioned they'd be busy so it made sense, reasonable. But, there was something else. So, that part of me decided to try again, but for two reasons now. I had to know why... "Ah, right, understandable. But hey, until then, it'd be fun to spend what time we would have, the more the merrier, right?" I softened my gaze. "What are friends for?"

But Yuuki's fists were clenched on her lap, shaking again. So this does concern me? Or maybe it was a bit of both? There's too little to work with. "Sorry... I'm sorry, Malzeno," She croaked out. "Really, I'm sorry."

"Um... Mr Malzeno, I... we..." Siune too, all of them were sharing a mournful look in their eyes. Something about them was going to change by Spring, and... there was no coming back from it.

Maybe... that was it...

I put on a brave face, right now, I had what I needed to investigate further. Suck it up, Malzeno. I stood up, stretching out a sigh. "Look, it's all good. I really wouldn't hang around me that much either, I mean, bounty, remember?" I snorted. "Besides, Cupcake-" I jabbed my finger down at her. "-our contract hasn't expired yet,"

"Huh?" Siune stared at me as I clicked my fingers.

"Tsk-tsk-tsk, forgotten already I see? The very thing we fought tooth and nail for, it's updated by now I bet - The Monument of Swordsmen," It was the final step, and I was a man of my word. "I made a deal to carve your names into the Black Iron Palace, and it's time to make good on that."

"Hey, that's right!" Jun was the first to shoot up, food stuck to his cheeks. "Hey, let's go and take a picture there, that'll be the real ending to our journey, right!?"

"I like your enthusiasm, Clifford!" I pointed to him.

"Good idea!" Talken smiled.

"Yeah, let's go!" Tecchi agreed.

While the others started a chorus of conversations, I felt the world surround me and Yuuki as I offered her my hand. "Whadda say, leader? Ready to finish what we started?"

She looked up again, her eyes glossy but gradually, her smile rose again. Her hand carefully uncurled in my palm.


[New Aincrad, Floor 1, Black Iron Palace]

~{-It is important that you remember the following. There is no longer any way to revive someone within the game. If your HP hits zero your avatar will be deleted from the system, forever}~

~{And the Nervegear will simultaneously destroy your brain}~

His words echoed on and on every time I walked through this place. The players that stood by praying for the Assault Team's victory. The names... that were crossed off one by one with an invisible blade. In the first few days, many blinked out like lights. Now, it was forged for its real purpose, as a true testament to players' victory against Aincrad reborn.

We all walked slowly, Yuuki's hand in mine as I led her on. Jun was the first to perk up with excitement. "Is that it?" Just ahead was a teleport gate, and behind it, a massive open space with a large black marble panel with names written on them. "Woo-hoo~!"

"Hey! Wait for me!" Nori cried, chasing after him as we all took off with gusto.

We scanned the wall, going floor by floor, passing by Kirito's group a few times, Klein's too, I was a part of their teams so my name wasn't there, but then, I felt Yuuki's hand squeeze mine tightly. "There... there we are," She breathed.

At the end, on a new column...

|Floor 27|

Yuuki

Siune

Tecchi

Talken

Jun

Nori

Malzeno

"There they are... those are our names!" Yuuki teared up beside me as I held her hand tightly. She looked so relieved.

"And to think you were worried," I quipped, nudging her side. "The fearless Cupcake led her guild to the hall of fame. Not just ALO, news outlets for gaming will be talking about your feat for a while, the first guild of seven players to take down a Floor Boss." Best not to say what a certain Black Swordsman did in SAO.

Her hand didn't jab my side, she was simply in awe.

"Hey, lovebirds, we're gonna take a photo now!" Jun yelled, waving us over as I rolled my eyes.

"Come on, Yuuki," I pulled her toward the middle while Jun set up a blue diamond to take the photo. "Hey-" I pulled at Yuuki's cheek. "Turn that frown upside down, Cupcake~" I teased as she slapped my hand away, ours still locked but she did, a gentle, loving smile that I almost stared at for too long again.

Jun ran back as the timer ramped up. We all put up a peace sign, and Yuuki leaned her head against my shoulder as I laughed, the flash of the camera capturing my action perfectly probably, ah, better be my good side. The others dispersed to chat and look at the other feats before them, leaving us alone.

"Guess... it's been an honor, Yuuki of the Sleeping Knights," I did a polite bow as she held my hand tighter. "Not goodbye, you'll never get rid of me," I ruffled her hair as she giggled.

"Yeah..." She glanced back at our names. "I did it, Aiko." That confirmed it.

"Bet she's prouder than ever before," I remarked.

"Huh?" Yuuki blinked at me, our hands separating as I admired the wall of names.

"You said her name, Aiko, so that's your sister, huh? I mean, you mentioned having a sister before but never her name," I replied. "You said it during the final push, and just before the battle too,"

I heard her gasp sharply. But I didn't see it until I turned to face her, "I get that, I thought the same for my older sister - anyone... would..."

She covered her mouth, tears running down her face in horror at what she said. I...

"Yuuki? What's..." That look in her eyes as she stepped away from my hand. Grief, pain...

...Loss...

I realized why... what I feared I had predicted. Aiko is... "Malzeno... I-I..." She hiccupped.

Her hand instantly swiped down, her menu appearing as she drew it across to her options and down to a spot I knew so well as it haunted me somedays when I logged into Full-Dive as a whole.

"Wait..." I reached out my hand, but her body disappeared in a blur of particles, crimson and teal met a final time before all I saw was the Monument of Swordsmen. "...Yuu...ki..."

I... couldn't reach her.

I... I failed...

...all over again...

If there is an answer... I don't hear it.

[To Be Continued...]

[Author's Notes]

Man, that part still stings, what's coming will be a rollercoaster of emotions too, we're at the low point, now, how will Malzeno rise from it? If he can... I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support, seeya in the next chapter, Readers!