Chapter 76: Expedition Preparation

Kirito:

"Can't you just wait?" Kirito asked the girls in front of him.

"She doesn't want to."

Silica's answer was as short as it was unhelpful. Kirito gave her an exasperated look which she answered with full force. "And Liz and Leafa are here for…?"

"We're going in to help little SIlica her keep her promise of course!" Liz said cheerfully, patting her head. "I want another chance to test out some of my prototypes on stronger monsters!"

"I'm just helping a friend," Leafa shrugged.

Squinting at his sister, Kirito's suspicions were raised as she failed to meet his eyes. Sighing, he leaned back in his chair. "You know what I'm going to say Silica. You aren't strong enough to go that deep. Floor 30 is the destination of the expedition, so just wait until then."

"But–"

"If Rosalia is in trouble, one of the guild, Astraea, or us can shelter her. I forbid you from journeying down to the thirtieth floor."

Forbid… Kirito was momentarily shocked that the harsh word had emerged so naturally from his mouth. Analyzing the group in front of him they all seemed equally surprised.

"B-But, what about my promise?"

"Again, the expedition is only a month away."

Silica's face fell. Pina on top of her head let out a soft mewing noise and rubbed her head against SIlica's cheek. Even that was not enough to save the despondent girl.

"Why not just bring more power then?" The door to Kirito's door opened and another member of their familia entered.

"Strea…" Despite the seriousness of the situation, Kirito struggled to restrain the rising heat in his body. Relentless is how Kirito would have described their night together. Or day, he supposed. Memories of that were hard to squash when he saw her.

She winked at him, clearly thinking the same thoughts. "So, how about it?"

Kirito briefly thought about it but shook his head. "Look, it isn't that simple. Yes, if Strea and I came with you, it would probably work out, but it isn't worth it."

"Why not?" SIlica demanded.

"For a variety of reasons. First, the risk. Second, we are going down there shortly after. Without more to go off of, I am vetoing this quest until the expedition."

"Urgh…" Silica growled for a moment. Then, her face brightened. "We can just move the expedition date up then!"

"That's…"

"Not impossible, Onii-chan. I know because I helped plan it while you were training."

"Yes, thank you for that, but I think Liz is the one that determines the timeline. We are reliant on her magic swords after all."

"Not a problem!" Liz shot him a thumbs-up. "Give me these girls and two days and I'll be ready!"

"So we leave in three days?" Kirito mused. "That… is a lot earlier than planned."

"You said whenever I'm ready," Liz teased.

Kirito shot her a light glare. "And you said only yesterday that it would probably be three weeks!"

"W-Well, that's if I take breaks and plan out the forging for longer…"

"A week." Kirito declared. "You have a week to forge the blades. Take the breaks you need and these three will be there to help with everything that you need."

Silica nodded, accepting the terms. They were likely better than she expected to get. Leafa and Strea, however, both sighed heavily. As bystanders to this they had gotten roped into what would likely be an excessive amount of work.

Kirito stood, stretching slightly. "I need to talk to Lili and the others. Let them know the new plan."

"Do you want me to…"

Kirito shook his head at Silica. "You have magic swords to help forge. And Liz… If you need more time, ask for it. I trust you not to endanger the familia."

"R-Right…"

Kirito's reminder to her importance shook some of that confidence from her face. With a sigh, Kirito marched out with a troupe of people following him.

After parting ways on the first floor, Kirito tracked down Lili and Hestia who were working side by side. The goddess had turned into a reliable worker now. Hestia's effort had reduced his load significantly.

Lili was, as always, a pillar of consistency. Her familiarity with the world's workings and proficiency in strategizing meant it was often fastest to give problems to her.

"Yo, good work, you two."

Hestia and Lili shared a look as Kirito entered. "Why do I get the feeling we are about to get more work?"

"Definitely," Hestia grumbled. "My divine intuition is confirming it."

"Your divine intuition only tells you ways to slack off," Lili dismissed the goddess' aid. Turning to Kirito, Lili didn't glare, but she was wearing a guarded expression. "How bad is it?"

"This is mean!" Kirito pouted. "Can't I come downstairs and–"

"No."

"Nope, not possible."

Having been completely shot down, Kirito hung his head. "I feel like my character flaws have been exposed. A-Anyway, I came to tell you that the expedition is starting in a week. Can you please start–"

"AHHHHH!" Screaming, Lili threw the magic pen on the table. "I should have ran away! I knew it would be horrible!"

"C-Come on," Kirito pleaded. "All the preparations have been made. All that needs to be adjusted is food deliveries and letting the guild know."

Lili gritted her teeth, glaring at Kirito. "And you realize that this requires submitting a personalized request and having to hold an appeal in front of guild members?"

"...I did not."

"Urgh, this sucks…"

"How about this," Kirito interjected. "I'll deal with the guild, you can handle some of my tasks."

"Are you sure?" Lili said quietly. "I will do it if…"

"No, I'll deal with the guild." Kirito looked at the wall mounted clock. If he was right…

"I'm off, Lili, Goddess!"

Perfect. "I'm coming with with you, Bell."

"K-Kirito!?" Bell squeaked.

Waving goodbye to the girls, Kirito grabbed Bell by the arm and dragged him to their home's entranceway. "I'm going to invade your lesson with Eina for a moment."

"S-Sure… Umm, why?"

Kirito quickly explained what Lili had told him.

"W-Wait… we are moving up the expedition date!? That's great!"

"Of course you'd be excited," Kirito grumbled. Dodging around the citizens of Orario, he shot the boy an exasperated look. "I guess Lyu wasn't enough to tamper your excitement for deadly experiences."

"...You survived the thirty-seventh," Bell whispered.

The words would have been inaudible for a lower level adventurer. Kirito raised an eyebrow.

Bell noticed and blushed a little. "I thought I made a lot of progress but… you feel just as far away."

"Oh? Am I super reliable? Feel like sharing your worries with your old familia captain?"

"S-Shut up! I'll close the distance between us soon! A-And I'll learn about running a familia!"

"Hmm, well if Lili's your second-in-command, I'm sure you won't have too many issues."

"Huh? Why are you talking like I'm guaranteed to pass you?"

"...Because I won't be here forever," Kirito said softly. Staring at the bustling streets, Kirito's chest hurt from the pain that he knew would come. "I love Orario and what we've built, but we don't belong here. All of us from the other world will return one day."

"...I forgot," Bell replied.

Taking a look at him, Kirito was surprised by the anguish on the boy's face. "Come on, you don't need to pretend to like me that much."

"Urgh, you know that isn't it!" Bell snapped, his cheeks red with irritation. "It just puts me on a short deadline to surpass you."

"Short? The bottom of the dungeon has never been reached. If we can manage in a decade I'll be happy."

"Ahh, yeah… I wonder… If we really have that much time."

"What do you mean?"

Bell waffled, not providing Kirito an answer for a long time. It wasn't until the guild headquarters came into view that Bell finally answered. "Things have gotten so crazy in the past year. It's hard to imagine this continuing for another ten years."

Kirito elbowed Bell playfully. "That's what all children say. Then they blink and all of a sudden they are adults and lamenting their wasted childhood."

"You're my age, remember?"

"Hmm? Is that right? I wonder why I feel so much older than you?" Kirito managed to get the last word past an irate Bell as he entered the guild. Waving at Eina who was collecting books, Kirito sauntered up to the counter.

"K-Kirito!? Are you joining the lesson?"

"I am not. I need you to process a form about changing the expedition date."

"Hmm? Well as long as it's later and within the timeframe then–"

"It's not. In a week."

"A-A week!?" Eina leaned to see past Kirito to see Bell. "When were you going to tell me!? I don't have time to teach the information about deep floor enemies!"

"I just learned today!" Bell countered with a sulk. "Blame Kirito."

Shaking his head quickly, Kirito raised his hands in surrender. "This is not me. I'm restraining my familia members as much as possible."

After a moment, Eina sighed in defeat. Sweeping back her emerald hair with a hand, she alternated glares at the boys through her oval glasses.

"Please?" Kirito begged.

"Very well."

"Thank you," Kirito bowed deeply. With Eina helping out, it was likely that the process would go smoothly. From everything Kirito had seen, she was well-liked in the guild and was trusted beyond her station.

As Eina was turning around, she suddenly froze and whirled back. Glaring at Kirito, there was a heat in her eyes that almost reminded him of first-tier adventurers. "Hold on! This will ruin my lesson with Bell!"

"Ahaha," Kirito chuckled. "Busted, huh?"

"Urghhh, you little!" Stomping her foot, Eina wielded one of the books she had been collecting at Kirito. "Take this and go study in room 4! I'll be quizzing Bell and you when I return!"

"Aye aye, Maam!" Shooting Eina a salute, Kirito took the thick leather book and walked off to the room. Treading the once familiar path, Kirito felt a sense of nostalgia. He had done this multiple times a week once upon a time. Those were simpler days, that's for sure. Despite that, Kirito didn't miss them at all.

He had found purpose in life. Surrounded by the girls that he had dedicated his life to, Kirito planned to march on, eyes facing towards the future.

It was important to remind himself of that as he endured the blistering gaze from behind. Hoping that he would not spontaneously combust, Kirito held the door for Bell.

"I can't believe you… Using my study session."

"Ahaha," Kirito laughed awkwardly again. "Here, study up!"

"And what about you?" Bell asked suspiciously.

Kirito puffed up, placing a hand on his chest. Putting on airs, he spoke in a grand voice. "I dare say, I know all of that information. I am our illustrious commander. Of course I've extensively studied the floor that we will be traveling to."

Despite his somewhat sarcastic act, Kirito was reasonably confident with his ability to adapt to monsters on the thirtieth floor. Even though they were called the forgotten floors, and the maps were incomplete, adventurers had still made a thorough catalog of the floors' monsters.

As a familia captain, Kirito had been able to request that information from the guild directly to study. It was not those documents that boosted Kirito's confidence however. It had been the 'training' session with Kaguya. Kirito had developed a deep trust for the far eastern warrior during those two weeks.

Almost the entire time had been spent talking, discussing the monsters of the dungeon, its layout, how to best react to danger, and so of her, Kirito had firsthand and secondhand experience with almost every monster on the thirtieth.

Bell only growled in response, swiping the book and sitting down. True to his diligent nature, Bell instantly opened the text and began poring over the extremely detailed descriptions of the thirtieth floor. Ninety percent of the information was useless. Branch shape, fruit growth rate, poison and whether its heat labile.

For most parties, none of the information would help. However, Kirito knew that in extreme situations, niche information could be the difference between life and death. Seeing Bell's diligence assured Kirito because of that. It was unlikely to change anything, but Bell's attention to detail may be what saves one of Kirito's beloved.

"Thank you," the words slipped from Kirito's mouth.

"Huh?" Bell glared at Kirito, clearly still sulking that Kirito had stolen his Eina time.

"...It's nothing."

"Don't go senile on us already," Bell grumbled. "We still need you."

Kirito chuckled. "I think the gods would call you a tsundere."

"Grr… I know you're insulting me."

"Not at all," Kirito shook his head. "I rely on you more than you think."

Bell ducked his head back in his book, trying to hide his red cheeks. Knowing he probably shouldn't, Kirito reached over to rub Bell's hair.

Before he could, Bell's hand shot out like a viper to grab his wrist. Sharing a silent look, Kirito retracted his hand in defeat.

Settling in, Kirito waited for about ten minutes before Eina barged in. "Kirito, I will need you for the rest."

"Yupp." Jumping out, he followed her up through the building to the administrator rooms. Eina led him into what appeared to be a conference room. A single long, oval table occupied most of the room. On the far wall a clean white segment filled most of the area from waist level up. "Is that…"

Dashing over to it, Kirito traced a finger across the surface and gasped with glee. "It's a whiteboard!"

"White… board? No, it is a magical device that allows for quick writing and erasing. They were commissioned from Hermes familia. I believe the guild owns all of the ones in existence."

"Nah, I got to get one of these!" Kirito continued. His eyes sparkled with the excitement of his find. "These are essential for teaching groups of people."

"I… hmm, I suppose so…" Enia mused.

Kirito was impressed by his old mentor. She had never seen a modern classroom and still had instantly begun to see the implications.

"If I had one on the wall when teaching Bell, yes… I see."

"Exactly!" Kirito shot her a thumbs-up. "This is a brilliant magic item."

"I underestimated you again," Eina sighed, touching her forehead as she often does. "I should know better by now."

"The lower the expectations, the easier they are to exceed." As Kirito and Eina were joking like old times, a trio of guild employees filed in.

Kirito recognized the one in the middle. A rich yet ill-fitting suit stretched over a pudgy elven body. "Royman…?"

"Boss!?" Eina squealed in surprise.

"Tulle," Royman greeted her roughly, instantly falling into the head chair. "Explain boy. Why is Hestia so desperate to start her raid?"

Huh? Confused by the phrasing, Kirito took a moment to compose himself. After facing down the strongest monsters the dungeon had to offer though, Kirito did not flinch in the guild leader's face.

"We received an impromptu quest. The timeline for it demands an earlier departure date."

"Is that so? Hmm, and that just so happens to line up with the Amphisbaena's revival date?"

"It… does?" Somewhere in his mind, that information made sense to Kirito. The boss of the new world had been one of many things he had checked on before training.

"It does," Royman growled. "Is your true objective taking it down?"

"No," Kirito shook his head. "I suppose we may have to fight it, but we are still aiming for the thirtieth floor."

"Hmm, and you have no desire to pursue it now that you are aware of its expected spawn time?"

What is happening? Kirito would have once been intimidated in the face of the guild's leader. After braving hell in the dungeon, this all felt like meaningless positioning. "Speak plainly what you desire of Hestia familia, Royman."

"HUH? You think that I need something from you? You are mistaken, boy. I believe you are asking us for a favor."

I see. Kirito restrained a sigh. "Will you please sign the change in expedition date form?"

"I can, if you will accomplish something for me."

"And that is?"

"Amphisbaena bile."

Kirito's face visibly twitched as he repressed the urge to shout at the old elf. Eina did not have the same restraint.

"Guildmaster! That's a job for level six adventurers! A single mistake can leave someone horrifically deformed, if they survive at all."

Imizael… Of the growing number of scars on his heart, that one burned the brightest. Royman's request was unreasonable. It was completely unwarranted for a request as natural as Kirito's.

Walking over, he placed a hand on Eina's shoulder. "That's enough."

"But!"

"I will do it. But know Royman that you owe me."

Kirito hoped the inflection carried his meaning.

The guild's leader writhed a bit in his seat. For all the power he carried, he was still physically weak. "R-Right. Just get the bile!"

Collecting the three glass vials that were slid over to him, Kirito pocketed them. His hand lingered there, feeling at the glass. As expected, they were clearly not ordinary. The glass felt thick and had an odd resistance likely from magic infused into it during its creation.

"Got it. The form?"

"Here."

Task complete, Kirito bowed to Royman and then Eina. "I have other business to get to. Thank you both for your help."


Liz:

"Hiyah!" With one last powerful swing of her hammer, Liz removed the final imperfections from the metal.

The reverberating hammer fell from her limp fingers. Have to… quench… Forcing her left hand tighter around the tongs holding the blade, she staggered a step and dunked it into the barrel of oil.

A squelching hiss accompanied the steam of flash cooling. "Done…"

Placing the unfinished blade on a table, Liz slumped to the floor.

"Umm, s-should I do anything?"

Liz gazed up at the blurry faces of Silica, Leafa, and Strea. "Hmm, can you forge a blade while I sleep? Ahh, that would be nice…"

With a smile on her face, Liz laid down on her forge floor and closed her eyes. To her it was only a moment. Opening her eyes, she yawned in exhaustion.

Standing up and stretching with a loud grunt, Liz looked around her bedroom. "How did I get her?"

Assessing her body in the mirror, Liz found that she had been stripped, washed of soot and stuck into pajamas. Through the room window, bright sunlight filtered in.

"Well now that's odd. Wasn't it night?"

Covering her mouth to stifle another yawn, Liz exited the room to find someone. It didn't take long. There was a decent sized group eating around the dining room table.

"Oi, what happened?"

For some reason as they turned to look at her, their faces went pale. As Liz tracked their gazes, she realized everyone was staring behind her.

As her senses started to wake up, Liz's danger sense finally alerted her to someone standing right behind her.

"Eep!" Whirling around, Liz raised her arms in defense. That was a mistake as both her wrists were instantly restrained by an iron-like grip.

"I told you to pace yourself."

"Urgh!" Unable to meet Kirito's gaze, Liz looked away. With red cheeks, she mumbled out a reply. "I was stopping after that sword anyway."

"According to your original promise, we would be in the dungeon right now."

"Yeah, yeah, I failed." Liz sulked. "Umm, thank you for giving me longer to get it done."

"Is it?"

"No," Liz sighed. "I'm close but I need today and tomorrow."

"Alright."

Liz ducked her head again as Kirito rubbed her head. Urgh, he's too cute! Emotions rushing out of her, Liz leaned forward, resting her head on Kirito's chest. "Did you wash and change me as well?"

"N-No, I did not."

Whispering, Liz looked up at him. "I wouldn't have minded."

Kirito's smile made her toe's curl. Leaning down, he whispered right in front of her. "I'll keep that in mind for next time. Thank you for all of your work. Use your sidekicks more."

Liz thought about agreeing but Kirito kissed her first. It was a gentle kiss that quickly ended. Before he could pull away though, Liz had to ask. "If we have an extra day after my work is finished…"

Kirito winked. "My room door isn't locked."

Before the heat and embarrassment could overwhelm her, Liz rushed down to the dining room table. Grabbing a plate, she scooped a bunch of the Japanese style food onto her plate. Likely Haruhime and Mikoto had been cooking.

Sitting down, she mumbled a general saying of appreciation. "Thanks for the food."

In the moment it took for her to say that, the chairs next to her were filled. Grunting, Liz analyzed the two closing in on her. To the left was SIlica, to the right, Leafa.

Ignoring them, Liz ate. To her famished stomach, it was delicious. Speeding up, she began eating faster and faster.

"Oi, Liz! Did I hear that correctly!?"

"Howmph shud I know?" Liz answered with a full mouth. Silica glared as she was left hanging.

"Oh, you heard her right," Leafa pouted. "This isn't fair!"

"Then you forge the swords!" Liz snapped as her mouth emptied. "If you can't do that then go start my forge. I'll be there in half an hour."

"I… Sorry." Surprisingly, Leafa went and did that.

"But Liz…" SIlica insisted, leaning in. She took a brief look at the rest of the table before deciding the company didn't matter and continued. "By yourself? Aren't you scared?"

"I… I need to forge more swords." Damn it girl! Liz dug in, trying not to think about it. Scared? It was terrifying to consider and wonderful at the same time. It was such a large hurdle of trust that Liz got butterflies in her stomach just considering it.

"Ahh, right." Silica slid away as well and ran off. Alone again, Liz ate silently, trying to ignore the glances from other familia members.

In far less than half an hour, she was walking out to the forge, rolling her shoulder in preparation for another hard day.

"Four blades left…" mumbling to herself, Liz subconsciously separated her workload. Today, she would finish the three easier blades. Tomorrow she would tackle the final sword which was also the hardest.

Finding her 'assistants', Liz began barking out orders. Entering her forge, Liz found the sword with no hilt from yesterday. Taking the pre-ordered hilt, Liz attached the pieces in only a few minutes. With that done, she started work.

Six hours later, Liz was shuffling from her forge, three swords forged. Even she had to admit at this point that her timeline had been impossible. To meet the original goal, she would have rushed every blade; turning them into flimsy things that failed at the worst time possible.

Saying goodbye to everyone that had kept her company, Liz collapsed in her bed. When she awoke in the morning, her body was still aching. Head spinning, she just felt lousy.

"This sucks…" She wasn't sick–couldn't be with immunity. That didn't stop her from feeling like walking garbage as she descended the stairs for breakfast.

"Are you done?"

"Uun," Liz denied. "One more."

"Oh, that's great!"

Yui sounded so happy for her that Liz didn't have the heart to tell her that she had saved the hardest for last.

As she mechanically ate the gruel that had been made by someone, Lili walked by. Inconspicuously, a magic potion ended up in Liz's lap.

Thank you!

Running a finger over the glass vial, Liz had to resist drinking the expensive potion right now. They probably didn't have to be secretive about it, but Liz appreciated it anyway.

After breakfast, Liz dismissed her assistants and walked outside. She could finish this by herself. After downing the potion to fix her mental fortitude, Liz breathed in and out before entering her forge.

"I can do this. I can do this!"

Mental reinforcement in place, Liz started up the forge. Even that simple action started hammering dents in her resolve. Her body felt drained. She put so much of herself in every sword. After having made fifteen blades in four days, Liz had nothing left.

"NO! This… This is for Kirito!"

Gritting her teeth, Liz pumped the bellows, increasing the heat even further. With the shutters closed, the interior quickly began to exceed thirty, forty, fifty degrees celsius. The unreasonable temperature was necessary to work the metal she was using.

From the lockbox, Liz removed a solid chunk of metal wrapped in beige cloth. Reverently placing it on the counter, Liz unwrapped it. Inside, she revealed a solid chunk of black metal. Where light struck it, the whole spectrum of colours played along the surface. Liz couldn't help but take it as a sign of the infinite potential lurking within the high-grade metal.

Adamantium from the deep floors. Kirito had brought it back during his training. It was only half a grade below oricalchum, and a full step lower than Adamantium from even deeper. With this, Liz could craft him a second-tier weapon.

Grunting from the effort, Liz stuck the chunk in the furnace. It had a density beyond normal metals. With wide eyes, Liz watched and pumped as the metal slowly heated.

The powerful metal's color began to bleed away to white. Hotter and hotter it became until it shone with a bright light. It did not just glow like normal heated metal, it had become a star.

"Amazing…" Liz struggled to comprehend that there were metals beyond this one. It was truly the most magnificent thing she had ever worked with.

With a shaking hand, she took the metal ingot in her tongs. Holding it over the anvil, she began to strike. A resounding hollow boom echoed the room. The resonance was a note of pure music.

Another strike, another note of a different tone. The metal sang in her hands. It was up to Liz to create a song worth playing.

Exhaustion faded into the background, time became indistinct. Choruses and verses blended together as Liz alternated shaping and reheating–never letting it lose that pure-white luster.

Unknown to Liz, six hours passed while she laboured. All she was aware of was the struggle to shape it. The Adamantium did not resist, it was just hard. Really, really hard. The flattening was a test of strength and endurance. The magic potion that Lili had given her had run its course, as had the food.

"Finish, damn it!" Sweat pouring off her, Liz struck again and again with all of her strength. The metal barely moved as their wills clashed. Her strikes were no longer landing perfectly. The music slowly becoming discordant.

"NO! NO!" Screaming her frustration, Liz shoved the three-quarters finished blade back into the furnace. Biting her lip hard to draw blood, Liz felt tears blurring her vision.

This blade was for Kirito. It needed to surpass the one she had made before. It needed to withstand blows from a first-tier adventurer.

But even as her heart beat strongly for this, her body and mind were failing. Liz was losing strength quickly. Her hand holding the tongs was shaking unevenly. The hammer in her right hand was deformed and felt like it weighed a ton.

Struggling to lift the hammer, Liz had to let it fall in defeat. She had failed. Unto the glowing blade, her tears fell. Opening her mouth to gasp at her stupidity only created more problems. From her split lip, blood fell.

Her bodily fluids did not steam on the surface, instead, they sat there like drops of diamonds and rubies. "I-Impossible…"

With the power of the unthinking smith, Liz's hammer rose and fell. Unconsciously turning it to its fresh side, the blade emitted the clearest note yet.

"Kirito…" With the name of her most precious on her lips, Liz's hammer began to fall at regular intervals. A rhythm fit for a masterpiece.

Where her tears fell, she struck. She didn't know why it worked, she didn't care. As the waterworks continued mixed with a single drop of blood every fourth stroke that changed the sound.

As Liz poured her literal blood, sweat, and tears into the forging of this one sword, it took shape. The blade lengthened and became sharper. A perfectly flat middle the width of two of her fingers.

For some reason, she no longer needed to stick the glowing blade back in the furnace. It was as if the heat was being held entirely within itself now.

With one last powerful strike, Liz held up the finished blade. It would have no need for whetstone or further sharpening. This was a magic sword that was only missing one thing.

"Kirito, protect me." Whispering, Liz let the ruined hammer fall from her hand.

Not giving it any further thought, Liz jammed her right hand down upon the top of the glowing hot sword.

Gasping from the pain, Liz tensed preparing for the scent of burning flesh and the unthinkable pain. However, it never manifested. She could feel the blade in her flesh, her blood pouring down both sides of it, but not the excruciating pain she had dreaded.

Lifting her hand from the blade, Liz stared in awe as it assumed its final form. Quenched in her blood, the blade's colour faded to a white so light it was almost transparent. In the middle, a stripe of red ran, uneven and beautiful. The whole thing looked like a gemstone, cut from the earth and polished. As she turned it, the different angles caught and reflected the light differently.

"Ahaha… I… did it?" It was indubitably a magic sword, but Liz had no idea what it would do. Still in a daze, Liz quickly attached the hilt from Kirito's last sword upon it. It didn't match perfectly, but the combination was fairly pretty to look at–even if most of came from the blade itself.

In a daze, Liz walked back into the main home. Blood still dripped from her right hand, the completed sword cradled in her left hand.

"Liz?"

"She's injured!"

Ignoring her familia members, Liz's gaze looked around the interior. She could barely focus, but she knew that no one here was Kirito.

"Ki…rito?"

Her voice was soft and barely audible, but a shadow crossed her vision. In that second he appeared, arms around her.

"I… I finished your sword. You can rely on this one. It won't… It won't break, I swear."

"It's gorgeous," Kirito murmured, running a hand over it. "I can feel your emotions in it."

"Heheh, and what emotions are those?" Liz teased, even as her eyelids started to flutter shut.

"Love," Kirito replied, pulling her tighter against him. "You're amazing Liz. You've come so far. I feel your emotions clearly."

"Hmm, that's good. Can you carry me to your room?"

"Ahh, of course."

Liz smiled at that answer and let her eyes close. She must have passed out for a moment because when she woke up, she was laying on Kirito's bed, her hand in the process of getting wrapped.

"Ah right. Thank you."

"What happened?" Kirito asked. "It looks like someone stabbed you with a sword."

"Hehe, your sword did."

"...Is that a euphemism?"

"Can it be both?"

"Liz," Kirito warned, giving her a hard stare. "Please take better care of your health."

"It was necessary," she whined. Writhing in the bed, she felt some energy returning to her. "Did you use a potion?"

"Yes."

Liz snorted. "Wasting money on me? You really are turning into a pimp."

"Haha, only the best for my girls."

Liz laughed along with him. "As long as you don't try to rent me out."

"Oh, I'm far too selfish for that," Kirito assured her, running a hand through her hair. "You really did great work this time Liz. Thank you so much. I'm sure your blades will change the fate of this expedition."

Nuzzling deeper into the contact, Liz sighed with contentment. Those words had been what she was chasing for months now. The comfort of a job well done. Knowing that your work made a difference was a feeling she would never get tired of.

"I still can't forget the feeling of your new sword… How did you manage it? I swear I can feel your heart beating within the blade."

"You still haven't figured it out?" Teasing Kirito, Liz placed her wrapped hand on his cheek. "I really put myself into it, if you catch my drift."

Kirito's eyes were confused for just a second before widening with shock. "Blood really does have power in this world, doesn't it?"

"Don't forget my sweat and tears too," Liz added on as a final jab. "I think that deserves some pampering, don't you?"

Kirito just shook his head wordlessly, apparently lost for words. When he finally composed himself, his words were soft. "You always have some excuse, don't you? Very well. For tonight, any request you want, my lady."

Liz pouted as he ended the speech with a mocking bow. But then again… with quick fingers, Liz tugged on the tip of his right ear. "Embarassed are ya? Worried about my requests?"

"Urgh!"

Having near unlimited power in this situation, Liz unleashed an evil laugh. Grabbing Kirito with both hands, she dragged him down so that he was laying beside her. Turning into him, Liz buried her head into his chest.

"Don't worry, there's only one thing I want. I-I really did put all of myself into the forging. I thought I wasn't going to make it. I thought… I was going to fail you."

"Never," Kirito rejected strongly. "Even if it hadn't worked today, we would have figured something out. Even if I had to hold the hammer with you and aid every swing."

"That would never work, idiot."

"Hmm, but it would let you keep swinging."

"Idiot…" Lifting herself up so that Liz could look into his eyes, she smiled. "But you're my idiot."

Slowly, she pressed down on Kirito's body, her mouth meeting his. Kirito's arms wrapped around her back as the kiss lengthened. The warmth of his body was beginning to consume her.

"Liz…"

"Kirito…"

Simply saying each others names was enough. They had no need for further words. As they progressed, Liz was wondering why she had ever been worried. This was Kirito after all.

She didn't want to call it a formality, but Liz had committed herself to this when she had made his sword. No, that wasn't true. She had given Kirito her heart that day in the dungeon when he had awkwardly declared his intentions.

Enjoying every moment of the long, long night, Liz allowed her thoughts to melt away. It was more than a consummation of her building emotions, it was the start of something new. A foundation finished upon which they could build something fantastic.


Kikuoka:

"It… really worked." He wasn't sure why, but the revelation surprised him. On the screen he watched the passage of days in mere seconds as houses were erected and the once untouched natural world became consumed by human society.

All of what Kikuoka watched was, of course, not real. It was a graphical representation of mnemonic data stored in the lightcube cluster. Qubits of light vibrating in their praeseodymium crystals. That information was converted by Kayaba's ingenious Cardinal AI into polygonal data.

"It all happened so quickly…"

"Ahh, it really did," a peppy male voice added on. Higa was lounging on a nearby chair, eyes closed, arms above his head. "We've done something world-changing here."

"That we have," Kikuoka agreed, standing. It had cost a lot, but it was done. Seemingly impossible objectives had crumbled before him. Even the time acceleration and memory blocking of the 'parents' had worked. A last ditch method to raise the first new fluctlights from babies.

There was the soft sound of the pneumatic door whizzing open to warn Kikuoka before a new voice spoke. "I have a deal for you."

"Oh, Midori!" Kikuoka greeted the Kirigayas' mother warmly. "What is this deal?"

"If you allow me to converse with my son, I'll write something for you."

"And you will permit us to review it first and suggest edits?"

"Obviously."

"Deal." Kikuoka turned to Higa. "Get Kazuto Kirigaya, we will make a new copy."

"Uugh. Not another copy…"

Kikuoka remained calm while the process occurred. Midori did not broach any further conversation. Her face was pinched and her eyes bagged. It seemed that stress had built up recently.

It took almost half an hour to transport the comatose boy from his room in the hospital to the neuralink machine and complete the scan. Those thirty minutes felt long, but objectively, it was a modern miracle.

"Starting in three, two, one…"

Higa's voice faded to nothing as the program booted up. The screen displaying Kazuto's fluctlight's state started up.

As Kikuoka went to talk, Midori stopped him. "Kazuto dear, is that you?"

A small spike appeared in the fluctlight's state before it calmed down. "Mother? Am I dreaming? I swear I was…"

"This is almost a dream," Midori whispered hoarsely. "You won't remember this when you wake up, but your words will reach me."

"Interesting… Some sort of new technology? It's… nice to talk to you, mom. I have… a lot to tell you."

"Oh, do you? Lady trouble?"

"That's… putting it mildly. I won't promise that I'll be able to return to your world, but if I do, I really want you to meet them."

Them!? KIkuoka blinked in surprise.

"Them?" Midori's voice was not warm.

"Yes, I have multiple partners. I swear I'll take proper care of them, though."

"Oh my son," Midori sighed. "I can't say this is something you expected to do. I… I suppose it is pointless to lecture you."

"Fret not, mother. I truly have thought about this long and hard. I did not mean for you to find out this way…"

Midori sighed, rubbing her temples. "I will trust you on this. Is Suguha well? Are you two together?"

"Ahh, she's keeping well enough on. We are in the same familia. She's a bit reckless, but I'm trying my best to mitigate risks."

"Risks? Are your lives… in danger?"

"Often. We are adventurers. To return back to your world we need to reach the bottom of the dungeon."

"B-But surely!" Midori began panicking.

"Calm yourself, mother. I swear that we are doing all that we can to adapt to this world. Sugu told me that my NerveGear had fallen off and that I wasn't atrophying, is that still true?"

"Y-Yes, that's all true… But what does that have to do with anything?"

"Proof that I'm becoming strong. I still have a connection with my old body, and it is confirmation that I have strengthened the blessing my goddess gave me."

"Oh, Kazuto… I miss you."

"I miss you as well, mother. Let… let Father know that I'll make sure Sugu comes home."

"I will…"

"...Umm, so how does one hang up a dream call? Actually, can you explain how you are doing this? You aren't interrupting my actual consciousness in the world, of that I am sure."

"That information won't help you, Mr. Kirigaya." Kikuoka stepped up and spoke. "Enjoy your dream and focus on escaping Kayaba's trap."

"Hmm, so the mastermind behind this speaks… Mother, do you trust these people?"

"No, not in the slightest."

"Not exactly giving me a good impression here," Kazuto's voice came through with a sigh. "Not that I have the power currently to do anything about it. End this dream please."

"Actually," KIkuoka said, pushing up his glasses, "I believe this is an excellent opportunity to learn about the situation on your side."

"Free me."

"Don't you wish to aid us?"

"No. Earn my mother's trust first."

Kikuoka frowned, shooting Midori a glance. She was glaring right back at him.

"Do as my son asks, please." Midori added tensely. "I will not permit you to keep him here and torture him psychologically!"

"That is not what my goal is. Knowing the situation of that world–"

"Will not help you at all!" Kazuto growled. "Leave the world of Orario to those that live there."

"Strange words from someone who claims to want to come home. Are you sure you don't want to stay there and frolic with the girls who've gathered?"

Oddly enough, the boy just laughed. "I ask myself that almost every day."

The lack of antagonism surprised Kikuoka. With another glance, he analyzed the fluctlight's state and was shocked at how steady it was. This approach had been incredibly effective at extending the conversation.

"Honestly, there is nothing helpful I can disclose."

"But it can't hurt to talk, can it?"

"The gods have taught me it can," the boy responded. "One can never be too careful."

This is a child of fifteen!? Kikuoka complained internally. He spoke with a wisdom and confidence beyond his years. Even Kikuoka's attempt to rile him up had failed.

"Gods?" Midori asked, voice raised with confusion or maybe anxiety.

"You don't even know that much?" Kazuto addressed his mother. "In the world I was sent to, the gods are present. It's… strange. They share names and personalities from our histories but… they are slightly different and very real. This is not a game, the gods are not AI or programs. They have true power and wisdom."

"Are you trying to claim that gods are real, Mr. Kirigaya?"

"Aye, they are."

Poor lad is suffering from being trapped… Kikuoka thought. Despite that, somewhere deep in his heart, anxiety stirred. The same feeling of discontent he got when he thought too hard on the progress made, or why he was pushing so hard for certain things.

"Son, that's…"

"Mother," Kazuto interrupted, "do you trust me?"

"That's cruel. You know I just want you to be healthy and happy."

"I know. I am, mom. The gods are very real and so is this world. There are no polygons or game systems here. We even lost access to the menu entirely."

No menu? Kikuoka frowned as oddities built. Nothing that the boy had said changed Kikuoka's plans; however, he still did not like what he was hearing. Even the underworld had a menu that could be accessed.

"Can you… still play without it?"

Kazuto sighed at his mother's question. "This isn't a game. Do you live with a menu? I'm not strapped to a NerveGear. I played the beta test. I know the difference between a game and a new world."

"Apologies. I just hope you can understand that this is a lot… I still haven't gotten over the fact that you're a womanizer. With how Sugu looks up to you, I hope that didn't hurt her too badly."

"..."

"Son?"

"She's… fine with it."

"Kazuto. What aren't you telling me?"

"...It isn't my place to say. Can you talk to Sugu the same way?"

"Very well." Midori claimed without first consulting Kikuoka. "Take care, son. I love you and… and there is no point except my own self-satisfaction saying this, is there?"

"Ahaha, I suppose not. I love you too, mom."

Having a little bit of self-control, Kikuoka shut down the fluctlight. In that instant, the version of the boy they were just talking to, died. An interesting philosophical discussion could be had about it. Had they just killed a person?

Kikuoka didn't think so. However, the person that mattered was his mother. Stealing a glance at Midori, Kikuoka's anxieties faded. His prisoner was now crying tears of joy. She just stood there silently wiping her cheeks that continued to get wet again.

Another piece solved. Turning away, Kikuoka hid his smirk and returned to his desk. He had more work to do.