Aincrad, Sword Art Online ( Lv. 55, Knights of the Blood Headquarters, Granzam) October 10th, 2023

"Well, well. Our newlyweds back from their honeymoon already!"

A little over a week had passed since Kirito, Asuna, and Josuke went on their brief escapade with Yui in the Town of Beginnings, and a little after that, imagine the latter's surprise when Kirito and Asuna announced their in-game marriage to the rest of the guild. Celebration was due for the couple's union, Purple Rain feasting as family in arms.

Josuke had opted to return to Granzam and the frontlines after the marriage, allowing the couple time to themselves while he and the guild stayed back and fulfilled their duties as members of the KoB, ranging from menial grunt work to assisting in dungeon clearing and mapping. Exhausting work, but he was fine with it so long as his friends got some much-needed time with one another.

What followed was a week of peace and high spirits, at least until today, as Josuke faced the pair of them in one of the rooms in the Granzam Castle along with the others, Klein, Argo, and Lisbeth taking the time to tease them while they faced the brunt of their assault, leaving the others to watch amusedly.

"Shut up, Klein…" Kirito muttered, all with an embarrassed smile on his face. Asuna could only giggle as she stroked Kirito's hand to calm his nerves.

"Still though, why're you back so soon? Thought you'd take a bit more time off. It hasn't even been a week and you're already suited up and ready for action. What's the rush? Okuyasu asked, tilting his head in the couple's direction, before Argo spoke up.

"Lemme take a wild guess, Heathcliff called ya for the upcomin' Floor Boss raid?" Argo smirked smugly, waving a newspaper in her hand as Kirito and Asuna both turned to the info broker with surprised expressions.

"How'd you know? Ah, who am I kidding, of course you would." Kirito asked, before sighing, leading another raucous cackle to escape from Argo's throat, as Josuke leaned in closer once he heard the last thing Argo said.

"I heard we were planning on discussing strategy for the battle, but why'd the Commander go through the trouble of calling Kirito and Asuna back? I thought he agreed to give them time off? It's usually a little over two briefings before we move in!" Josuke asked, confused as Argo hummed understandingly.

"That ain't wrong, but then again, this ain't yer average boss we're dealin' with from what I hear. It's the 75th Boss, and the quarter marks of this game have always been some of the bloodier battles in the game. To top it off, we ain't got a way to know what this damn thing looks like." Argo muttered, her eyes clouded over as she continued reading from her paper.

"What do you mean by that?" Kirito asked, leading Argo to tilt her head to the side with a snide expression on her face. Kirito raised an eyebrow before he picked up, sighing as he fished a coin from his pocket and flicked it to the info broker, who grinned with a satisfied expression.

"It was just the other day, we got past the last Field Boss and to the Labyrinth on this floor. The top brass sent out a scouting party to see what we were gettin' ourselves into, sent 'em into the Laybrinth to sneak a peek into the Boss Room." Argo explained as Kirito and Asuna listened in intrigue.

"That doesn't answer the question, why call us here now? If we sent a scouting party, shouldn't we have at least a bit of info to work with?" Josuke asked as Argo sighed, handing out her sheet of newspaper to the Stand user as she continued.

"See, that's the thing… they didn't come back." Argo muttered, leading everyone to turn to her with horrified faces.

"W-what?"

"They went in, then the gates slammed shut behind 'em. 'Bout five minutes later, the gates opened back up and rest of the guys looked inside. Nothin' was left. Not a single member of the team survived, not even a glimpse of the Boss." Argo recounted, as Josuke read the top article of the paper reporting this very news.

"An Anti-Crystal Zone… they didn't even stand a chance…" Kirito mumbled as his hands started shaking again, dark thoughts resurfacing in his mind, leading Asuna to gently place her hand over his, calming him down with a smile.

"Yeah. Word is, Heathcliff's plannin' on gettin' everyone together to beat this thing. Even crazier, he'll be leadin' the charge himself." Argo said, as Asuna nodded.

"The Commander's strong. If we have him on our side, I'm confident we can win this with enough forces on our side. Still… the 75th Floor Boss…" The vice-commander mumbled, putting a hand to her chin with the others humming in agreement.

"No intel, no strategy, and no way to run when things get hairy… on top of that, a quarter point Boss. Yeah, we're fucked, aren't we?" Lisbeth sighed in defeat as she let her back hit the floor, drawing a long, exhausted breath.

"L-Lis, don't joke around! T-this is serious!" Silica squeaked, only growing more nervous from Lisbeth's words, shivering in her seat as she cradled Pina in her arms.

The mood in the air dipped as the gravity of the situation weighed over them all. Kirito looked all around and saw everyone was not in the best of spirits. This was undoubtedly sure to be the most challenging battle they'd ever fought thus far, and the knowledge that they were completely in the dark was certainly no comfort by any means.

"Well… we've all made it this far, haven't we?"

Everyone turned to Josuke, wearing a smile on his face as he stared down at his open palm, before looking up to face the rest of the guild with a familiar glimmer in his eyes.

"Besides, if we could beat that Boss on the 74th Floor on the first try with little help, then what's another big, bad monster in our way?" Josuke smiled, standing up with a fist in the air, grinning goofily as he usually did, not letting his doubt show as everyone in the room felt his infectious smile touch their spirits.

"We don't know what's waiting for us in there, but I need you all to watch each other's backs. We need to make it out together!" Josuke declared as the others looked to one another, roused by his words.

Josuke remembered Yui's words to them all, how their courage would carry them forward and inspire the others around them to fight onward. He remembered hearing of how their victories and bravery spread hope to everyone in Aincrad, showed them all that there was a light to chase at the end of the path.

He had to keep hope alive. Not just for his friends, but for everyone around him.

Stand Showcase:

Lv. ? Stand: Rampaging Repair, Crazy Diamond – Heal or destroy? Forgive or punish? You have the power to decide, the strength to pass on judgement. You are a diamond in the rough.

Special: Restoration: Ability to heal or restore any object, mob or player without use of items.

Enhancement: N/A

Damage: 550 (S)

Speed: 900 (S)

Durability: 500 (A)

Range: 2m (B)

Precision: 85% (A)

Rank: Unique (S)

Selling Price: N/A

Owner: JoJo

Aincrad, Sword Art Online ( Lv. 75, City Plaza, Collinia) October 11th, 2023

The next day, Josuke walked through the portal alongside Kirito and Asuna, all three fully dressed in their combat gear, their weapons close at hand as they watched the Roman cityscape of Collinia reveal itself.

The square was crowded with players of all kinds, some of the big shot guilds were visibly present, with Diabel rallying his Army troops and getting his men prepared for the fight ahead, the blue-haired man spotting the Stand user and smiling with a salute of his fingers, which Josuke returned with a wordless nod.

Amongst the DDA party, Josuke spotted Silica and Griselda chatting with Schmitt, catching up as former guildmates. Nearby, Okuyasu and Agil were chatting with Klein and the other members of Furinkazan. The group then caught sight of them and walked up to greet them.

"Hey, guys! You made it! I was wondering when you'd arrive!" Okuyasu smiled as he high-fived Josuke, Kirito cocking his head to the side as he caught sight of Agil.

"No way, you're actually here, Agil? I thought you'd be staying back and running your shop with how dangerous this would be." The black-clad swordsman muttered, leading Agil to laugh as a second voice interrupted them.

"Yeah, rat on us all you want, Kirito. No way we're missing out on this with that show Elvis put on. We're seeing this through, and I'm here to make sure you make good on that."

"Lis…" Josuke sighed with a grin as the pink-haired blacksmith giggled with her mace hefted over her shoulder, Argo following suit with her hood down, revealing her whisker tattoos as she rubbed the back of her head, metal claws decorating her knuckles.

"It's true! Ya wanna talk chickenin' out, look at me! I'd very much not rather be here riskin' my hide, but hey, I'd regret not seein' this with my own eyes! 'Sides, someone's gotta be watchin' yer backs, right?" Argo sighed with a grin, before Lisbeth scoffed with a smug expression of her own.

"I had to drag her here. She only came because I gave her a discount for my services." Lisbeth whispered to the others, not unnoticed by Argo, whose cheeks flared up in a rare blush as her eyes widened.

"H-hol' up! Why ya gotta spill that?! H-hey! Quit yer laughing, ya asses!" Argo stuttered in embarrassment, only for the others to laugh at her expense, causing her to shrink further.

"Even so, I'm so glad you all came along. We'll be in your care!" Asuna laughed, only for Klein to place a hand on her shoulder.

"No, we'll be looking out for one another. I'm trusting you to keep an eye on us, and I'll do anything I can to do the same! Like we agreed, let's all make it out as a team!" The samurai grinned, pumping a fist in the air as the others smiled at his spirit.

"I just hope everyone makes it out alright…" Silica muttered as Pina nuzzled her cheek, leading her to giggle as Griselda patted her head with a smile.

"Between Stands and the top players in the game, I'd say we won't have to worry so long as we keep our eyes open." The older woman remarked, before a new noise interrupted them all as the Teleport Gate activated once again, signalling the arrival of another player.

Heralded by a bright flash of light, A group of players stepped out of the gate and towards the archway in the center of the plaza. The others present merely watched as Heathcliff made his entrance, flanked by his fellow soldiers from the Knights of the Blood Oath, all dressed in full battle armor including the Commander himself.

Josuke took a good look within the group of soldiers and noted that Nautilus was absent among them. A pang of guilt struck him as he could only assume he declined the call to battle due to the loss of his friend.

With these thoughts in his mind, Josuke's resolve only strengthened as he clenched a fist. He wouldn't allow another man to face what Nautilus had, to grieve like he did that day. Like Kirito did. Like he did. No more lost loves. No more ties severed. This time, he would save everyone in front of him.

"Corridor, open!"

Heathcliff stepped in front of the archway, holding up a teleport crystal in a gloved hand, which shattered in his grasp as he spoke the command, leading a portal to form in the archway as a rippling distortion in the space, shining with light as Heathcliff to turn to the assembly of players in the Clearing teams.

"Well, shall we get going?"

Heathcliff smiled before walking through the portal, as Kirito, Josuke, and Asuna walked through the portal.

Lv. 90 Tower Shield: Crossguard, Liberator (Shield) – The man who fights for what he believes is a man who rises above the battlefield with his conviction. This shield defends with the resolution of that conviction, enduring through any trial to emerge victorious.

Special: Covenant: When paired with Liberator (Sword), increase Durability and Damage by 300% upon successful Block and Parry. Nullifies Damage of next hit received upon every third «Perfect Parry» in a row.

Enhancement: +25

Damage: N/A

Speed: 200 (D)

Durability: 950 (S)

Range: 2m (B)

Precision: 50% (C)

Rank: Legendary (A)

Selling Price: 100,000 Col

Owner: Heathcliff

Aincrad, Sword Art Online ( Lv. 75, Floor Boss Room, Labyrinth) October 11th, 2023

The bright sun and Ancient Roman scenery of Collinia faded away from sight as they advanced, giving way to a dark chamber, what they could only assume was right outside the Floor Boss room in the Labyrinth. They were at the end of a corridor, facing a massive door engraved with runic markings, two torches at each end providing dim lighting.

"Pina's got a bad feeling…" Silica reported as she let twin daggers appear in her hands, her tamed dragon growling in the direction of the door, on edge as the other members of Purple Rain watched, feeling a gripping tension take hold of them as they entered the area, sweat dripping from their brows.

"Y-yeah. I've got a bad feeling about this. No going back, huh?" Okuyasu muttered, as he and the other players tended to their menus, retrieving their weapons from their inventories. A mace and shield appeared in the Stand user's hand, as Agil retrieved a large double-headed axe, holding it in his hand.

"Seems like it. Either way, not missing out on this. Not when I got a fortune to be made from the drops."

"Now yer speakin' my language, Gil-boy!" Agil grinned, leading Argo to cackle as she raised her hood over her head and let her claws materialize onto her hands.

"Just don't hog it all yourselves, you two!" Lisbeth laughed, sorting out the last of her gear with a sturdy kite shield appearing in her free hand as Klein and Asuna's hands drew closer to their scabbards and the hilts of their blades.

"Just hope you all can keep up with me! I'd hate to hear I'd outdone the Lightning Flash!" Klein laughed, as Asuna's eyebrow rose with a snide grin on her face.

"Think you've got the guts? Let's see you try. Just know your limits, Klein. The last thing I want is for you to get hurt on my account." Asuna laughed, before a gentler smile appeared on her face, Klein grinning with a thumbs up at her concern.

"Got it, mom." Klein laughed, before feeling a hand smack him lightly on the back of the head, turning to see Griselda with an amused smile as her shield and sword appeared in her hands.

"You're gonna get more than a scolding if you get yourself hurt, Klein. Besides, how'll you have my back if you're getting too cocky?" She grinned as Klein sighed.

"Alright, maybe I got a bit ahead of myself. We can't afford to lose you or your Stand, now can I?" Klein laughed as Griselda rubbed the back of her head, tints of red appearing on her face as she turned away slightly.

"Yeah…"

"How about you? You gonna be alright? Once we're in, we have to beat it to leave." Josuke asked as he turned to his friend, a look of concern on his face as he reached behind his back to grip the hilt of his greatsword, the black-clad swordsman beside him looking his way to meet his gaze as he drew both his own swords from his back, taking a deep breath as he willed his hands to stop shaking, keeping his eyes on Asuna laughing with Klein and Griselda.

"I'll be fine so long as Asuna's safe. Just be sure to keep everyone alive with Crazy Diamond. You're our lifeline, man. We're all counting on you." Kirito grinned as he shoved at Josuke's arm lightly, to which Josuke chuckled amusedly as he lifted the sword off of his back and gritted his teeth.

"Thought that was the plan from the beginning. Just don't forget to stay alive yourself, jackass!" Josuke laughed.

"Is that a challenge?"

"Why not?"

"You're on!"

The clearing teams then turned to the Boss Room gates, as Heathcliff stood in front of the doors, his tower shield held resolutely in front of him as he directed his steel gaze to the soldiers present as they awaited his words.

"I thank every single one of you for your bravery today. The Knights of the Blood Oath will serve as the vanguard, tanking the Boss's attacks and drawing aggro. In the meantime, I'm counting on everyone to stay sharp and alert. Learn the boss's attack patterns and prepare to adapt. I will be completely honest, this battle will be the toughest we've seen so far. However, I have faith in you all to pull through! For if we prevail, we have a clear shot to the finish line! For liberation!"

Heathcliff lifted his fist into the air with his declaration, the clearing teams all cheering in unison as they summoned their courage, Heathcliff smiling at their spirit as he put a hand to the door, pushing it open.

Everyone had their weapons out and at the ready, prepared to charge at a moment's notice as the doors creaked open to reveal the darkness of the room within. Both his swords in hand, Kirito turned to Asuna with a smile summoned to his face.

"Promise me you'll stay safe?" Kirito asked as Asuna drew her rapier from its scabbard, grinning confidently.

"I swear. Besides, I got you to watch my six." Asuna smiled, just as the doors finally gave way and opened completely.

"CHARGE!"

At Heathcliff's command, the clearing teams screamed a battle cry as they all flooded into the Boss Room, weapons in hand and prepared for anything. The soldiers rushed into the darkness, filling the space and spreading out before they got a better look at the interior.

The room consisted of a huge circular platform over a dark abyss, not a single light to be seen. The soldiers quieted down as they moved into position, weapons at the ready to face whatever would come to face them. The air was quiet and dead, the tension so thick one would need a saw through it.

The massive doors then shut and disappeared behind the group, trapping them inside as the darkness of the shadows enveloped the entire chamber, blinding everyone as they shifted about, waiting for the inevitable arrival of the monster waiting for them and barring the way to the Floors above.

"Anything?" Diabel asked as he and his men moved into defensive positions, watching and waiting for danger.

"It's too damn dark! Can't see a thing!" Okuyasu growled, The Hand out and ready for battle.

"JoJo! A hand?" Griselda called out, just as a large tree blossomed to maturity at the center of the platform, the pompadoured Stand User nodding as Crazy Diamond appeared beside him.

"Let there be light!" Josuke grinned as Crazy Diamond snapped its fingers loudly next to the bark, the sparks from friction lighting embers on the tree's roots, climbing all the way up to the leaves up top until a flaring orange light filled the chamber.

"Pina senses something!" Silica called out, the small blue dragon perking up as its furry ears twitched, before jerking its head to the ceiling and growling.

"ABOVE US!"

The beast tamer cried out, leading everyone to turn to the ceiling as soon as the distinct noise of bones rattling entered their ears. The light from the fire was dim, but just enough to reveal a frightening figure hanging above them.

The creature was absolutely massive in size, its body completely skeletal in appearance and extremely long, lined with sharp rib-like legs that writhed and clicked as it crawled, making it resemble a gigantic centipede. Its front legs especially were particularly large, more closely resembling the razor-sharp blades of a scythe, giving way from an elongated skull for a head, complete with four glowing red eyes and a mandible-like lower jaw that split apart and snapped shut, resembling a gigantic xenomorph.

The entire group could only stare in horror as five health bars appeared beside the monster's head as it let out an ear-piercing screech, the boss's name finally revealed: «The Skull Reaper».

"MOVE OUT OF THE WAY! GET AWAY FROM IT!" Heathcliff cried out as Josuke turned back to the monster, watching its legs detach from the ceiling as it dropped down to the platform where they were standing, its glowing eyes locked onto two players directly below it.

The two players were frozen with fear, unable to move for a good few seconds before kicking up their legs and scrambling away just as The Skull Reaper's body crashed to the ground with such force that it shook the entire arena, knocking the two off their feet and sending them falling to the floor as the area's lighting kicked in, taking on a menacing color of red.

Now they could only brace as the creature's bladelike front legs slashed them, throwing them into the air with a single swipe. Josuke's eyes widened as his Stand emerged, reaching out to them.

"Hold on! I'll heal you guys-"

He never had a chance to finish as the pair of them never reached the ground, dispersing into a mass of blue pixels only a couple feet from Crazy Diamond's outstretched arms. Everyone could only gawk in terror as they watched it all unfold not even within a few seconds, shaking as fear washed over them once more.

"ONE HIT?! WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING?!" Klein screamed, his grip on his weapon wavering as his hands trembled.

"It's game over, man! IT'S GAME OVER!" Okuyasu exclaimed, watching as the monster's eyes shifted.

The players closest to the massive myriapod screamed in terror as they sprinted in the opposite direction, trying to get as far away from the monster as they could, but the creature's speed was just as terrifying as its visage. Hundreds of bony legs clicked as the boss scuttled along the floor, its body snaking and winding as its eyes were locked onto a single player who failed to get away in time.

"MOVE IT! HURRY!" Kirito yelled out, just as Heathcliff rushed forward with his tower shield in hand, arriving just in time to fend off The Skull Reaper's attack, the loud chime ringing out of impact on metal as Heathcliff parried the creature's strike.

Alas, it was a vain effort as the monster simply swiped with its other front leg a second later, slicing deep into the poor player as he died on the spot, his body already disappearing the second his feet left the floor.

The Skull Reaper skimmed over the floor, scanning the crowd of players and zeroing in on a new target. Reaching out a bladed limb and swinging it down, Kirito sped forward, crossing his swords above his head to guard against the boss's strike as he did for the Gleam Eyes.

The creature's limb slammed down against his guard, and Kirito grunted as he felt the sudden weight crash down on his arms, causing his legs to buckle as he took a knee, feeling the Reaper's front leg push down against his blades so deeply that the sharp edge started cutting into his shoulder, causing his eyes to bulge out at the sight of his health dropping like a rock.

Once again, the boss was unfettered by this show of defiance as it swung its other arm with the intent of gashing at Kirito's side, only for Asuna to rush in, using her rapier to parry the boss's strike, the incoming limb jerking back as soon as it made contact with the sword.

"DORA!"

A whistling noise followed a loud crack in the air as Josuke's sword flew through the air, ramming through the Reaper's skull with a drill's force, causing the monster to recoil back, screeching in agony as Josuke reached a hand out, causing his blade to return to his waiting grasp as the group recovered from the attack.

"We need to work together on this. It's a big target. If some of us hold the front, the rest of us have a clean hit!" Asuna cried out, leveling her rapier in front of her as the creature recovered itself, preparing to charge once more.

The clearing parties all nodded to one another as they moved into action. The monster swung once more, only for Heathcliff to raise his shield again, holding strong against The Skull Reaper's attack as Josuke, Kirito, and Asuna moved to counterattack, striking at the creature's face as it flinched from Lisbeth timing a perfectly placed parry against its second swing.

"Do it!" Lisbeth screamed as Josuke rushed in with a battle cry, his Stand fully manifested and winding back its fists.

"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA!"

Crazy Diamond advanced with a relentless storm of punches between the monster's four eyes as Josuke aimed several swings at its jaw, all charged with Sword Skills as Kirito followed up with a combo from his dual blades, Asuna leaping in with an aggressive rushdown of strikes.

At the end of it all, the trio leaped back from the monster's retaliation as it slammed a limb down, looking at its head to see in despair that they had only whittled down a third of the first of five health bars. Agil and Argo rushed in for the second attack at its lengthy flank, bracing as the creature set its sights on the two of them.

The Skull Reaper lashed out its long, barbed tail, whipping at Agil as he held his axe in front of him, shielding Argo as he pushed her behind him, the creature's attack sweeping two players beside them off their feet and cutting deep, killing both instantly as Argo could only watch with trembling eyes, Agil's own hands trembling as he saw the deep cut in his arm from the attack.

"Thanks for savin' my ass…" Argo managed out before Agil glanced back at the info broker.

"No problem. Just keep your guard up!" Agil replied, the pair of them rushing back in to attack the monster's legs.

Heathcliff remained at the front, taking the full brunt of the boss's attacks and trying to draw as much aggro as he could alongside his men, among them Godfree, holding his own and standing his ground beside the Commander as the insectoid beast directed slash after slash at them as its flanks were attacked liberally by the other clearing guilds.

After a few attacks and its health bar nearly halfway down, the boss screeched as it moved, scrambling away as its legs skittered along the ground, bones clicking with one another as it switched targets, moving from one frantic player to the next, forcing the clearers to run along the arena to land more hits.

"That thing's fast! At this rate, trying to tank'll be too risky to keep up forever!" Klein growled after landing several strikes with his guild, leading Griselda's eyes to widen.

"Hold on! I think I got it!" The woman exclaimed while Klein directed a curious expression her way.

"What's your plan then?" He asked, raising his katana and ready for anything

"Just cover me! Trust me on this!" Griselda grinned, summoning her Stand as Klein caught on, smiling confidently himself.

"YOU HEARD THE LADY, BOYS! LET'S GET TO WORK!" Klein yelled out to his friends in Furinkazan, the guild all readying their weapons and moving out with Klein.

"GUYS! NEED A HAND HERE!" Klein then called out to the rest of Purple Rain, who looked up from their positions on the battlefield and saw Klein and Griselda running down the length of the boss's body as Furinkazan deflected incoming strikes of the creature's legs.

Kirito continued to hold the front with Asuna and Josuke, counter-attacking in tune with Heathcliff's vanguard. Klein ran up to the boss's flanks, his katana charging a Sword Skill as he held it to his hip, dodging under a strike and drawing his blade quickly in the blink of an eye, a clean slash along the leg, causing the creature to flinch,

Appleseed Cast then appeared next to the writhing legs, extending an open palm between the legs as Griselda ran, smacking a palm on each leg she passed. The monster seemed to notice what she was doing and wound its tail back to whip at the group, Griselda and Klein's eyes widening as they saw the incoming strike.

"Oh no, you don't!"

Lisbeth then leaped in with her shield just as the monster's tail moved in front of the group, fending off the strike and sending her tumbling to the ground, Silica rushing over to the legs, screaming as she drew twin daggers and dashed along the length of the legs, slashing while the boss was down, Pina leaving her side and releasing Healing Breath to help the blacksmith recover.

"You need a hand? I GOT ONE RIGHT HERE WITH YOUR NAME ON IT!"

Okuyasu screamed as he jumped at the boss while it was staggered, swiping in front of him with his Stand, his body dashing forward in mid-air as he closed in, his sights set on the creature's lower backbone, segmented and connecting its lengthy body together. Grinning confidently, he wound up his Stand's arm for a penultimate strike.

"GET OVER HERE!"

The Hand swung down with its arm, tracing an arc in the air through The Skull Reaper's spine, carving out a large chunk of bone and causing the creature to let out an ear-rending wail of agony as it thrashed violently from the damage. The damage to the boss stitched itself back together quickly in a flash of light as the pixels reformed in the empty space, but the damage was done as a chunk of its health was whittled down.

The Skull Reaper, understandably furious, lifted its entire tail into the air and aimed the pointed tip of its tail directly at Okuyasu, aiming to spear him through. Bringing his shield out, Okuuyasu braced for the impact.

"APPLESEED CAST!"

A loud cracking noise was heard as Okuyasu caught sight of shadows surrounding him and growing in size. A collection of trees grew from the ground directly under the boss between the creature's many legs and sprouting, branches and leaves growing up to the ceiling and thick bark expanding, trapping The Skull Reaper's bony legs between them and holding the boss in place as thick branches shot out from the trees over the boss's back, interlocking with one another to form a massive brace, the Reaper unable to move as it writhed in place.

"I think it worked! Damn, you're amazing, Griselda!" Klein exclaimed as the female Stand user smiled.

"What was that? Yer Stand?!" Argo exclaimed, impressed.

"I planted seeds between the boss's legs. It should hold long enough for everyone to get hits in for a while, but I'll try my best!" Griselda explained, drawing her sword as the others saw the opportunity arise.

"LET'S GO! BEFORE IT BREAKS FREE!"

Asuna called out loudly as she drew her rapier parallel to her gaze in a stance, Kirito readying his dual blades for an attack as everyone else grabbed their weapons and charged in.

Flashes of all colors lit up the room as The Skull Reaper was left helpless against the onslaught of Sword Skills from the many players, hacking and slashing away at its immobile legs twitching between the trees. Griselda dealt strikes of her own, willing her Stand to continue working on the trees, watching for the ones that would buckle under the boss's strength, wavering as they threatened to crack.

She made the bark stronger than rock, she extended the roots to dig deeper and deeper into the ground below. It was then that she realized her vision was blurring up by a slight margin.

"Griselda!"

She was falling to the ground. Klein was kneeling next to her with a hand on her shoulder. She blinked twice and realized she was on the floor as she rubbed her head, confused.

"K-Klein?" The Stand user groaned as she heard the cracking noise of wood snapping, The Skull Reaper roaring as its upper body writhed free from its restraints.

Her teeth gritting, she tried to summon her Stand again, only for her to feel even more exhausted as she let go, breathing heavily as Klein held a hand out to her. Taking it, she weakly rose to her feet as she felt Klein's hands grip her shoulders.

"Don't. Looks like overusing your Stand taxes your energy. I'll call Silica to take care of you with the rest of the wounded. Use whatever strength you have left to shield them from the boss." Klein said, before drawing his sword and facing the battlefield again.

Undeterred, Griselda narrowed her eyes as she gripped her sword tightly, unwilling to back down from the battle. "I can still fight-"

However, she lost her footing and was only saved from her face hitting the floor by Klein reaching his arms out, slowing her fall and leading her to breathe a bit heavier from the strain.

"Please. You trusted me to watch your back, so go ahead and let me do that. We got this!" Klein grinned as he directed a glance her way.

Pausing for a moment, the Stand user blinked without saying a word. Looking into the samurai's eyes, she sighed in defeat, her fingers unclasping from her sword as she raised her hands in surrender.

"Alright. I'll round up the rest of the wounded. Don't do anything stupid, yeah?"

At that, Klein only grinned mischievously as he rushed off to face The Skull Reaper again.

"Can do!"

Lv. 60 Claws: Howling Slash, Wolverine – Made from a hardy metal, these claws have been said to cut through anything they slash. While they lack the range of a sword, they certainly could leave one really nasty scar if wielded with a beast's cunning.

Special: Bloodhound: Increases all damage dealt to «Bleeding» enemies by 300%, 80% chance to inflict «Bleed» on critical hit

Enhancement: +15

Damage: 400 (B)

Speed: 500 (A)

Durability: 450 (A)

Range: 1m (C)

Precision: 70% (C)

Rank: Rare, Crafted (B)

Selling Price: 65,000 Col

Owner: Argo

The battle was long and arduous, The Skull Reaper unrelenting in its perseverance as its health whittled down slowly, striking back for every hit it endured from the players. The trees holding the creature had all but been reduced to scraps of lumber, but this did not deter the clearing teams in the slightest.

Once again, it swung a limb at the closest person to its face, only for its arm to swing back at the light noise of metal clashing, Heathcliff grinning as his parry took effect, staggering the boss for a split-second as one of his men leaped forward to intercept the second swipe of its claws, sending it into a stunned state.

Seeing an opportunity, Asuna rushed in with Lambent alongside Kirito with his swords, the pair of them attacking the face relentlessly and without slowing down, their blades dancing in the air as they carved into the Reaper's skull mercilessly.

The creature screeched once more in pain before raising both its claws in the air with the intent to slam into the ground in front of it, clearing out the players currently chopping at its face. Both Kirito and Asuna retreated to a safe distance before the claws could reach them, only for a player to rush in front of them with the intent to meet the attack.

"Let's make this great!"

The creature's blades never touched the ground as Josuke's boots pushed against the floor. Crazy Diamond's hands were grasped around the sharp tips of the creature's legs, suspending them in the air just inches from Josuke's hair as the monster's strength forced his legs to buckle from the sheer weight he was holding up.

"You're wide open!" Josuke grinned triumphantly as he pushed the limbs upwards, throwing the Reaper off-balance and then aiming Crazy Diamond's fists directly at its exposed torso.

"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA!"

The creature cried out as it was sent reeling, unable to defend against Josuke's savage attacks as its health dropped like a fly. At its flank, it was enduring just as much, if not more punishment from the rest of the clearers.

Agil yelled out a battle cry as he heaved an axe against one of the creature's many legs, hacking it clean off and causing it to disappear into pixels. Lisbeth was delivering her own strikes with great strength, and in addition, was parrying strikes left and right after the battle had drawn on long enough for her to nail the boss's attack patterns and tells.

Argo was not willing to let Agil outdo her after saving her, and brought out her claws, diving and dodging stabs from the creature's legs and delivering her own slashes and tosses of throwing picks, dealing status effects and chipping away damage. A player beside her dropped after receiving a hit to his arm, his health now substantially low, but still alive.

"Over here! I'll try to heal you as best I can!"

Silica called out as loudly as she could from the corner of the arena, trying to make her voice heard amidst the noises of battle. A wall of trees was erected on one edge of the map, obscuring a good amount of wounded players from the Boss's sight as the other players did their best to keep the fight on their end of the platform away from the injured, where Griselda tended to their injuries with help from Healing Crystals and Pina's Healing Breath.

The player scrambled over to the corner, only for the boss to take notice and direct a tail swipe at him. Screaming for his life, the player braced for the end.

"WHERE ARE YOU LOOKING, DUMBASS?!"

The Skull Reaper let out a loud wail of agony as its tail was completely severed, courtesy of The Hand's power as Okuyasu used a swipe from his Stand to attack the spine connecting the tail to the rest of the body, scraping all the way through and disconnecting the two body parts, leaving the tail to disappear completely.

"Our turn!" Klein grinned as Furinkazan cheered with their weapons ready for battle, delivering their own onslaught of strikes whittling down the boss's health bit by bit. Klein's katana sliced at leg after leg, chopping at the bone until he directed one final slash at the joint, severing another leg.

Several minutes gave way to the turn of the hour as the boss grew weaker and weaker, its health bar emptying by the second as more and more Sword Skills landed, hacking away at its massive skeletal girth.

After a drawn and mercilessly tedious battle of back and forth defense and counterattacks, the wounded went in and out, and even the KoB vanguard grew fatigued from a near hour-long struggle as the Reaper's health drained inch by inch, its health now well into the red of the final bar as it grew weaker and weaker from the relentless assault from the Clearers.

Josuke punched the dying creature without slowing, feeling the pain of his knuckles burning as Crazy Diamond brought the pain, keeping up a non-stop barrage of punches as The Skull Reaper eventually stopped in place, unable to move.

"Fall! FALL, DAMN IT!" Josuke screamed in his head, watching everyone scream as they moved in a final time.

With one final screech, The Skull Reaper released a death wail as it reared its upper body with jaws wide open. Everyone could only watch with bated breath as the monster's body shone brightly before exploding into void, pixels dissipating into the air, leaving nothing behind as the Congratulations banner appeared to signify their victory.

However, there was little cheer as nobody had the breath to do so. From the long battle, everyone was so exhausted all they could do was fall to the floor and finally relax their nerves and muscles as the noise of weapons clattering to the floor echoed all around the darkened chamber.

Josuke turned and walked to the wounded, using his Stand to heal them as he passed by numerous soldiers, all well into the yellow or red with a massive gash in their avatars, most likely from an unfortunate attack from the boss. Looking at their injuries, all Josuke could think of were those he couldn't save.

He remembered the first two who died, gone before he even had a chance to try. A memory that would no doubt haunt him like the losses before. As he lifted a hand from one soldier, he turned back to his friends.

"How… many did we lose?" He asked, his voice laced with fear as if he were afraid of hearing the answer.

Kirito raised an eyebrow and drew a finger in the air before him, opening his menu and sifting through it. His eyes widened as he gave a light gasp before dipping his head with a grim expression. This was not a good sign.

"Twelve dead." Kirito managed to say before the room echoed with the noise of gasping as a cold chill filled the entire chamber.

"And we still got twenty-five floors left to go…" Okuyasu muttered, tightening a shaking fist as everyone felt the heavy air intensify upon their backs, realizing the gravity of their situation.

"How the hell will we ever make it to the top?!" Klein growled, as the mood in the air changed into one of unease and distress. However, the noise of metal hitting the ground rang out, causing everyone to turn to the man still standing.

"Enough about the few we lost. What we need to do is acknowledge the many who survived!"

Heathcliff stood resolutely, almost as proudly as he did at the start of the battle as he gave a small smile to the exhausted Clearer parties. "We will not forget the sacrifice of the brave men and women who perished in the line of fire. We will see to it that they died honorably in our hearts and that their deaths pushed us forward. Moreover, remember, we began with hundreds of soldiers, and several hundred remain standing! Remember this day! A testament to your strength! Your will to fight on! Celebrate the lives we were able to save! The brave warriors and heroes who won this day!"

Heathcliff's words struck a chord with everyone, as the chill in the air began to fade, the light of hope continuing to shine as the Commander's speech entered the ears of the many players present, inspiring them to smile and cheer up, Josuke and Kirito included. The cheering of the crowd intensified, bringing another smile to Heathcliff's face as he turned to the pompadoured Stand user.

"Your power, in particular, was something to behold, JoJo. To think that a spirit of such overwhelming speed and power would have the ability to restore and heal… Truly an ability that suits you as well. You have won us battle after battle from the beginning, a shining star like those before you!"

Josuke didn't say a word as his eyes scanned Heathcliff up and down. Kirito turned to both curiously, his eyebrow raised. To everyone else, it was nothing, but to them, something was a bit… off.

"Thanks. Who would've thought Crazy Diamond could've been such a help. Still, something's been nagging at me a bit…" Josuke laughed sheepishly, rubbing the back of his head at his flattery.

"Ask me anything, Josuke." Heathcliff smiled.

"What do you know about the Joestars?"

"DORA!"

Everyone sensed the sudden shift in the air, and those who didn't certainly heard Crazy Diamond's signature cry as the loud noise of impact echoed all around the chamber. They all turned to see Crazy Diamond fully summoned with a fist between him and Heathcliff's faces.

What surprised them even more was that Heathcliff hadn't moved aside from a slight flinch. Whereas anyone else would have been sent flying and sprawling across the ground several feet away, the Stand's fist was a mere inch away from Heathcliff's shocked face, suspended away from his skin by a familiar purple barrier.

"JoJo! What's going o-" Asuna cried out in a panic before noticing the familiar alert and barrier, reading, «Immortal Object». More and more people were silenced as they saw the alert appear before gears began to click in all their minds, Heathcliff's included as he merely stood there without saying a word with a surprised look on his face, before an amused smile appeared.

"Heh. What gave me away?" He asked calmly, although his smile did not hide his amusement as Josuke's eyes narrowed.

"Y'know, ever since that duel Kirito and I had with you, I've been doing a lot of thinking. I'd heard all kinds of stuff about you, that you were always in the green, that you were the strongest player around, and what I found most unbelievable was how you did it all without a Stand of your own." Josuke replied, Heathcliff cocking his head to the side, as if he were unsure of what he was implying.

"Your health right now is right on the verge of the yellow. It's literally a point away from turning. But then again, that could just be a weird coincidence. Yeah, what's unbelievable was that you parried swings from Crazy Diamond at full speed. Kirito's never been able to top that." Josuke continued as Heathcliff's smile grew.

"Ah, of course. I was wondering when you'd piece that together." He chuckled as Asuna turned to Josuke with a confused face.

"H-hang on a second, what does that mean?!" She asked before Kirito spoke up, his own eyes widening as he pieced it together.

"The Dual Wielding skill is supposed to go to the player with the highest reflexes in the game. If Heathcliff could outspeed my parries, then the skill would have never been mine. It would be his." Kirito explained, Heathcliff and Josuke nodding as Asuna gasped under her breath.

"What stopped you from acting, Josuke?" Heathcliff asked, continuing to smile.

"I didn't want to jump to conclusions just yet. I had to find something else to know for sure. That's when you mentioned my family, the Joestars. Nobody here but Kirito should know my full name, and even then my name doesn't link back to them, and yet you mentioned "shining stars like those before me". What do you really know about me… Kayaba?" Josuke asked as Heathcliff took a moment to pause, everyone's shocked eyes on him as the name was spoken and his silence did nothing to deny it.

"I was wondering if that would go over your head. Josuke Higashikata… I commend your intuition. I suppose this was bound to happen sooner or later, but I guess I'd be more disappointed if none of the heroes of my world ever found out for themselves." Heathcliff smiled as the chill in the room returned in full force, a tense aura radiating from Heathcliff as he cleared his throat.

"Perhaps it's time I properly introduce myself. My true name is Akihiko Kayaba, I am the creator of Sword Art Online and the final boss of the game."

Everyone gasped in shock and bewilderment. They couldn't believe what they had just heard, that the Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath, who had led the charge to victory after victory, encouraged and inspired them to prevail against unimaginable challenges, was in fact, the very man who had imprisoned them in this hell to begin with.

"I was confident I'd be able to best the both of you with my own skills, but I have to say you went above and beyond in that duel to force me to reveal my cards so soon. That three-pronged attack would have done me in had I not been using the system's assistance to boost my speed. The pair of you truly are everything I'd hoped you'd be." Heathcliff laughed to himself, not losing his composure in any way.

"How dare you… we put all our hopes in you…" Heathcliff looked up to see many of the other players were riled up, their weapons in hand as they glared at him with murder in their eyes, many of his own men included. This was inevitable, he supposed.

"HOW DARE YOU!" One of his councilmen leapt at him with sword in hand, Kirito joining them with his dual blades followed by the rest of Purple Rain.

"Wonderful World."

Suddenly, everyone's muscles felt limp as any tension was immediately relaxed, forcing everyone to the ground, completely incapable of movement of any kind. Josuke looked up to his health bar and saw there was no paralysis or any kind of status effect on him. Whatever he had done, this was not something even a GM could do.

Only Kirito was left standing, grinding his blades in an effort to strike Heathcliff, only for him to casually raise his hand as Kirito grit his teeth. The «Immortal Object» barrier was blocking Kirito's blades from actually making contact with Heathcliff as he looked all around and faced Josuke.

"You did get one detail wrong about me, JoJo. Stands can only be seen by Stand users, so why would I create a game that permitted their existence unless I had prior knowledge of them? Unless…"

"...you were a Stand user from the very beginning…" Josuke muttered in shock, Heathcliff's smile growing.

"Yes. This power, my power, is the very foundation for this game. My Stand enables me to manipulate and shape digital code and data at my personal whim. The food you ate, the monsters you killed, the bodies through which you live, the very castle you have inhabited for over a year are all the creation of my Wonderful World." Heathcliff laughed, as everyone could only watch in complete shock.

Josuke's own eyes widened considerably. When Heathcliff revealed he possessed a Stand, he never expected something of this magnitude. With this ability, he was essentially an untouchable god, more so than any admin or GM. With that, Kirito grit his teeth into a growl as he attempted to strike again.

"So we found you out, huh? What now? You're gonna kill us all and cover it up?" Kirito questioned furiously as Heathcliff let out another amused chuckle.

"Why, of course not. Defeating you like that, in a situation such as this… would have no meaning." Kayaba grinned, causing Kirito to narrow his eyes in anger.

"Come on, then! Let's you and me go at it again! No Stands, no cheats!" Kirito roared as he failed yet again to break through.

Heathcliff didn't say a word, before he let out a laugh louder than anyone had heard from him before.

"That's the spirit! You know, I created that skill wondering who would receive it. Imagine my surprise when you turned out to not possess a Stand of any kind! At every turn, every victory you achieved, I could only shudder as you shattered every single expectation I had of you! You inspired hope in thousands, you stood beside a member of the Joestar bloodline, and shone just as brightly as he!" Heathcliff marveled as Kirito let out a gasp, surprised to hear all this from the man's mouth.

"You know, I do feel you deserve a reward for discovering my identity. Rejoice, Kirito. I can hardly imagine what you will gain from this gift!" Heathcliff then said, causing Kirito's face to twist in confusion.

"What the hell are y-"

"KIRITO!" Asuna let out a yell.

*shkh*

"!"

Pain.

It hurt.

In his chest, all Kirito could feel was a sudden, sharp spike of pain. Looking down, he saw it with wide eyes.

A familiar arrow, beautiful and ornate in design.

Heathcliff held it in his free hand, and Kirito watched as he pushed it an inch deeper into his chest.

"GKGHHH!-"

"Heal your wounds, Kirito. Reach the top floor. Unlock the hidden power within your soul. I'll be waiting for you at the Ruby Palace. After that, we'll settle the matter. Once and for all."

"GAHH!"

"KIRITO!"

Kirito felt the sharp pain increase once Heathcliff finished, yanking the arrow from his body and dropping his body to the floor. The last thing he felt was Crazy Diamond's hands on him as he felt the pain fade away, giving way to the blackness of unconsciousness.

Stand Showcase:

Lv. ? Stand: Endless Horizon, Wonderful World - The world is what you make of it, and reality is yours to shape. O cruel world, gaze upon my great work and despair, for now I play God to my own personal Eden.

Special: Source Code: Manipulates digital data to form creations. All creations consist of code within digital space and can be manipulated at will.

Enhancement: N/A

Damage: N/A (E)

Speed: N/A (E)

Durability: 900 (S)

Range: ∞ (Digital) (S)

Precision: 100% (S)

Rank: Unique (S)

Selling Price: N/A

Owner: Heathcliff

Aincrad, Sword Art Online ( Lv. 76, Asagao) October 12th, 2023

The first thing Kirito could feel was the sun in his eyes.

Rising from the bed groggily, Kirito rubbed his eyes as he looked around, scanning his surroundings. These were unfamiliar surroundings, certainly unlike any inn he'd been in. The bed was a decent size, and the room was not much bigger than his own living quarters on the 50th Floor.

The light shining from the window came in the form of a sunbeam through the glass, giving the room a serene feel that put his soul to peace. Outside, he could already see light snowfall as flakes of snow brushed against the window, carried by the breeze.

"Ngghh~…"

Upon hearing a mumble from a corner of the room, Kirito turned his head to see two figures in the room with him, both sleeping in a couch ahead of the bed. His eyes fell upon Asuna's calm face as she slept. Her figure was relaxed and serene, seeming to shine in the soft morning sun in a way that made his heart come alive.

She moaned in her sleep, shifting ever so slightly as she nuzzled her head against his second visitor. Josuke had joined her in a deep sleep, his arms crossed across his chest as his head was dipped, concealing his closed eyes from sight with his unkempt pompadour, a few rebellious strands of hair sticking out from his lack of care in slumber. His chest rose and fell as he breathed, looking rather relaxed as well.

With that in mind, Kirito decided to exit the bed, only for a sharp pain to appear in his chest, causing him to fall off the side of the bed and tumbling into the nightstand, bumping his arm on the way down.

"Ghh…"

Kirito didn't feel pain from the fall, but the lingering pain in his chest caused him to wince as he opened his shirt, revealing a bandage around his chest. Looking at it, Kirito couldn't help but poke at it curiously.

"Kirito…"

At the sound of a soft but familiar voice calling his name, Kirito turned to the couch and couldn't help but smile softly.

"Morning, Asuna."

The two walked up to each other before embracing one another in a hug. Meeting in the center of the room, the two simply smiled, happy to be in one another's presence as both of them now sat down on the bed.

"I'm so glad to see you're alright…" Asuna muttered, whispering into his ear with a smile as she leaned into the crook of his shoulder, Kirito himself laughing under his breath.

"I promised I'd make it out of there alright, and here I am." He joked, only for Asuna to lightly punch him on the arm.

"You don't get it… after Heathcliff stabbed you with the arrow, I was so scared. JoJo healed you right up, but you wouldn't open your eyes until now. That's why…" Asuna admitted, leading Kirito's jaw to hang out upon hearing this.

"You were here all night? Waiting for me?" Kirito asked, leading Asuna to nod silently.

"We're in the main town on the 76th Floor. The others decided to explore ahead of us, but Josuke insisted I let him help take care of you." Asuna smiled, leading Kirito to sigh.

"That jackass… Always looking out for a nerd like me…" Kirito laughed to himself.

"That's what friends are for, you goof. I thought you'd at least understand that."

The duo then turned to the man of the hour, smiling as he ran his fingers through his hair, letting it loose as his long, purple locks flowed down his forehead and around his face before he fished a hair comb from his pocket and tended to his morning routine of fixing his hair before a more serious expression appeared on the Stand user's face.

"Well then, now that you're awake, I think it's time we talked about what happened the other day."

"Kayaba…"

The mood dropped as that name was mentioned. The man had dropped a bombshell on them after the boss raid, and now they had learned that their strongest ally was the very man that barred the way to their freedom. Needless to say, there was much to discuss.

"I thought he had something up his sleeve, but I didn't think he'd be a Stand user…" Josuke muttered as Asuna turned to him.

"The ability to manipulate digital code of any kind… He's basically a god in this game. How do we beat a power like that?" Asuna asked, before Kirito put a finger to his chin, deep in thought.

"Call me crazy… but I don't think it'd be as impossible as we think." Kirito suggested, as Josuke turned his way.

"What's on your mind?"

"Think about what he told us. You think he'd be satisfied just killing us with a snap of his fingers and being done with it? You think he'd go through the trouble of setting up the way forward for us and leaving us to die? You think he'd pierce me with the Arrow with the intention to kill me?" Kirito asked, as Josuke and Asuna looked at him curiously.

"You're saying-"

"He wants a proper duel of the souls. A battle where we test our skills and nothing more. He wants us to reach him and defeat him. Don't think he'd do anything unsporting or unfair." Kirito suggested, as Josuke tilted his head.

"What makes you think that? You think you can be sure?"

"He didn't finish us then, and he wanted to see me gain power of my own… my own… Stand?" Kirito mumbled, gazing down at his chest wound as Josuke and Asuna looked at each other, then at Kirito with wide eyes.

"Those pierced by the Arrow's power either gain Stands… or die…" Asuna muttered as Josuke assumed a grin on his face.

"Hey… what if you could summon a Stand right here and now?" Josuke asked, leading Kirito's face to fill with awe and amazement as he thought of it.

A Stand of his very own, gaining a spiritual ability like his friend's, a physical extension of his very soul and fighting spirit. He'd have one of those?! He'd seen Griselda with her own Stand, how she'd grown into it in a flash and was already putting it to great use on and off the battlefield. He began to wonder about all sorts of things. What would it look like? What ability would it have? How… h-how…

"I-I, err… how do I… summon a Stand exactly?" Kirito asked sheepishly, realizing he didn't actually know that simple thing.

Josuke paused for a minute, before laughing on the spot. It made Kirito slightly uncomfortable, but his friend's laughter died down soon enough as he gave an answer. "Okay, yeah, I think I should start there."

Clapping his hands, Josuke raised a finger. "Stands are manifestations of the fighting spirit, and respond to that spirit. To summon my Stand, I summon the urge to protect myself, either that or I think really hard about something I want it to do."

"I… don't… know if I get it?" Kirito tilted his head to the side curiously.

Josuke gave no reply, and simply dipped his head to the ground, laughing deeply under his breath as his eyes were shaded by his hair.

"Care to repeat that, punk?"

"J-Josuke…?" Kirito felt sweat run down his forehead. He'd seen this look before, and Asuna clearly remembered, as she had recoiled in her seat on the bed with Kirito and backed away.

"What did you say…"

Josuke cocked a fist back as he glared down at Kirito, Asuna quickly turning between them with absolute fear on her face.

"KIRITO!"

"...ABOUT MY HAIR?!"

Kirito couldn't describe it, but in the instant he felt it, he could immediately tell this was the same feeling Josuke had described to him just moments before. A surging fire within his chest, raring to escape, begging to be released, the voice in his soul that screamed a rallying cry.

To fight.

That lasted for about a second before he realized Josuke's fist had stopped right in front of him as he heard the Stand user laughing his head off, leading both Kirito and Asuna to stare at him a moment.

"Oh my- HAHAHAHAHAHA! AH, YOU SHOULD'VE SEEN THE LOOK ON YOUR FACE! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"Y-you were kidding?! Come on, dumbass! You'll give me a heart attack one of these days!" Kirito stammered, still recovering from his shell-shocked state of fear before Josuke calmed down, wiping a tear from his eye.

"Ahhh… Well, either way, I guess it worked! Look at that!" Josuke laughed, smacking his hands together as Kirito realized what he was talking about. Looking over his shoulder, he saw it.

A single arm, protruding from behind his shoulder.

Its surface was dark, but speckled with tiny white spots, making the arm's appearance resemble the canvas of a starry night sky. Along the underside and the elbow all the way to the shoulder blade, a beautiful set of dark feather-like spines, making the whole arm resemble a wing when outstretched, flexing to reveal more of the starry night tapestry, white sparkles visible within to make it seem like a whole universe was within the limb. At the end, an open palm ending in five digits, each finger ending in a notably sharp claw.

Without a doubt, Kirito knew. He was looking right at his own Stand.

"Still… just an arm? Thought I'd see more…" Josuke muttered, clearly a bit underwhelmed. It made Kirito pout a bit with the dullness in his eyes.

"At least it's something, right?" Kirito mumbled as Josuke laughed.

"Yeah, I guess. At least we know you have one. JoJo, I suppose testing his Stand's ability and practicing it for combat can be left to you?" Asuna asked, leading Josuke to raise an eyebrow, surprised to hear such words from the girl.

"I guess… what's the holdup?" He asked, before Asuna sighed.

"I promised the other councilmen of the KoB that I'd return as soon as Kirito recovered. With Heathcliff now gone, I'm next in command." Asuna explained, dipping her head as she laughed under her breath dryly.

"Strange, huh? I come to you guys to give me a break from that guild, and yet I'm dragging myself back in every time and all of you guys with me…" Asuna muttered, but not before Kirito placed a hand on hers, leading her to turn to look him in the eyes as he let his spiritual arm disperse into the air.

"Wherever you drag me, I'll be along for the ride. Just lead the way, and I'll be happy to follow, Asuna." Kirito smiled with a grin, Asuna returning his kind gesture with a hug as the two held each other, losing one another in each other's warmth.

Josuke could only smile warmly at the sight of the two sharing a moment before he returned to his own thoughts, gazing out the window at the winter wonderland that was the town outside, the morning sun waking up the rest of the town.

"A Stand of your own, huh? Hope we can make it work, jackass."

Stand Showcase:

Lv. ? Stand: Roaring Adrenaline, [UNKNOWN] - The moment to live, the moment to fight. This is a duel between heroes and villains, and there will only be one victor in this brave new world.

Special: [UNKNOWN]

Enhancement: N/A

Damage: N/A

Speed: 900 (S)

Durability: 200 (D)

Range: 1m (D)

Precision: 75% (B)

Rank: Unique (S)

Selling Price: N/A

Owner: Kirito

Aincrad, Sword Art Online ( Lv. 75, Colosseum, Collinia) October 13th, 2023

"Girl, you sure about this?" Lisbeth asked, her face bearing one of concern at her friend.

The guild of Purple Rain was now standing in the lower corridors of the Colosseum in Collinia, awaiting a massive crowd of people seated outside as the air grew tense, the pressure so thick Josuke swore he was ready to spontaneously explode on the spot.

In front of them stood Asuna, dressed in a new set of KoB-brand armor. The newly appointed Commander of the Knights of the Blood Oath was dressed in an outfit that resembled her old one, although the main difference was a flip of the color palette, red where white used to be and vice versa as places formerly bare such as her shoulders were now protected by additional plates of armor. Needless to say, Asuna had all but adjusted to her new look.

"I'll be fine, Lis! Don't worry so much." Asuna laughed nervously before Griselda cut her off.

"I'm sure you'll be fine. I'm certain of it. I'm more worried about how the crowd'll react. This'll be one tough pill to swallow." The female Stand user noted as the others nodded in agreement.

"You got that right. Things are only gonna get hairier from here. If there's trouble waiting around the bend, then I guess we gotta look out for each other." Agil seconded, humming as Silica pumped her fists.

"Yeah! Just give us a call and we'll come running, Asuna! You know we'd be there in a heartbeat!" The beast tamer smiled, Pina chirping happily alongside her.

"Thanks, Silica. I'll keep that in mind." Asuna giggled.

"Hope this turns out well. Can't have everyone all depressed an' the like. 'sides, it's bad fer business if ain't nobody wanna keep fightin'." Argo drawled, sighing as she leaned against the wall, before Klein sighed with his fingers pinched to his nose.

"Look, just… be cool. Can't have you losing your nerve now, right? Come on! Show us that smile!" Klein laughed, as Okuyasu jumped in.

"Yeah. You're more cut out for this than you think. Wouldn't have anyone else better. Sure my Big Bro would've thought the same." Okuyasu grinned with a thumbs-up.

"I said I'll be fine! Still, thank you, everyone. I'd never be able to do this without your help." Asuna smiled as Kirito and Josuke stepped forward.

"No turning back now, huh?" The swordsman wondered out loud, rubbing the back of his head as Josuke turned to him.

"Looks that way. Either way, I'm glad we've all made it this far. Whatever comes next, let's all face it together. I'm ready for anything!" Josuke grinned, the three of them sharing a moment to laugh between themselves.

"Asuna?"

The entire group turned to the exit, where Godfree was standing, turning to his new Commander with a bow of the head as a show of respect. "It's time."

"Thank you, Godfree. I'll be right there." Asuna smiled as she turned to walk to the exit, but not before turning back to the entirely of Purple Rain with a determined smile on her face.

"Wish me luck, guys!"

Asuna walked out of the corridor and into the brightness of the sunlight, listening as the crowd's voices intensified upon her reveal as the audience caught sight of her. However, she could practically taste the pressure hanging in the air, and it was almost enough for her to choke on it. Nonetheless, she stepped forward to the center of the arena where everyone could hear her.

Taking a series of deep breaths, Asuna waited for the crowd to quiet down before running her hands to pat her armor, dusting it off and clearing her throat. Once the crowd had died down completely, she spoke.

"Hello, everyone. I'm sure you already know who I am. As of October 11th, we have officially cleared the 75th Floor of Aincrad! With this victory, only 25 floors remain until we can escape this death game!" Asuna announced as the cheer of the crowd rose in volume. Asuna smiled knowing she had the crowd on her side as she patiently waited for the crowd to quiet down.

"Yes! However, this victory did not come without great cost! Twelve brave souls gave their lives that day, and we will remember their sacrifice as one that would bring us to the light at the end of the road! Let us pray we do not suffer such severe losses in the future, and may this be the first warning! From here on out, we can only assume the floors above will be more difficult and dangerous than any below!" Asuna declared, leading the crowd into silence, before she moved on.

"Lastly, I'm sure you all are wondering why I wear the Commander's red colors. Following the defeat of the 75th Floor Boss, we learned a grave truth: Commander Heathcliff in truth, was Akihiko Kayaba! The final boss of the game and the same man who trapped us in this game!" Asuna announced, leading gasps to echo throughout the arena as men and women alike expressed mixed emotions of shock and bafflement.

"Yes, we were at just a loss for words as every single one of you. However! While his betrayal has hurt us, we will not allow it to slow our ascent to freedom! The Commander was an inspiration for us all! His bold and brave example as a leader gave many of us the chance to prove our mettle and unite us under the cause of liberation! I will be perfectly blunt! The future will be filled with strife! We will struggle, we will know the taste of defeat and loss!" Asuna took a moment to breathe, before her eyes flared open with newfound drive.

"However, what we will never taste is despair! No matter what, we must never lose hope! Never surrender, not to any monster, not to any PK guild, not to Kayaba! We must prevail! We WILL PREVAIL! AND TO DO THAT, I NEED YOUR HELP MORE THAN EVER! LET'S WORK TOGETHER TO HELP CLEAR THIS GAME, TO SURVIVE! NOT JUST FOR OUR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES WAITING AT HOME, BUT FOR THE FALLEN WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES SO THAT WE COULD BE FREE! DO NOT LET THEIR SACRIFICE BE FOR NOTHING! WE WILL SEE THE LIGHT OF DAY AGAIN!" Asuna declared loudly, screaming until her voice could be heard all throughout town as the crowd's voices rose like a tidal wave.

"FOR LIBERATION!" Asuna proclaimed, raising her rapier to the air as her crimson armor shone in the midday sun, the sunlight causing her sword's edge to shimmer in the light.

"LIBERATION!" The crowd echoed, cheering loudly as the energy in the air reached a fever pitch, the entire city of Collinia roaring with the war cry of the survivors of Sword Art Online, all rallying as one under the banner of freedom.

"I swear it, we will… make it back to the real world!"

Up next: The Aftermath

Hey guys! Sorry about not updating. Had a lot of stuff to deal with a couple weeks ago so I had little time to update. Also, bet you thought I was gonna end the Aincrad arc here, huh? That would've been the easy way out, wouldn't it? Yeah, I thought so. Like I said, I had a lot of time to think this story over, and I still have unfinished business with Aincrad. Hope you all can stick through until I make it to the pile of scrap that is Fairy Dance. I put a few references here, including a quote from Aliens, and Devil May Cry 5. So, we got two new Stands! As for Kayaba's Stand, I don't actually have a design in my head for it, if it even has one. Who knows, maybe it'll come to me sooner or later. As for Kirito's Stand, look up Nero's Devil Trigger wings from Devil May Cry 5. That's pretty much what I feel they look for its name, I'm planning to reveal that later, but those of you who'd like to give it a shot, I'll let you take a guess! I hope I stuck the landing, because things are only gonna get muddier from here, since I no longer have reference until the final battle. Hope you all can stick with me on this! So yeah, until the next one! Deuces.

Again, please leave a review. It helps me a lot and shows me what I could fix or what you guys like. I respond to every single review and post that response on every next chapter, so if you review here, you're gonna see my response in the next chapter!

reven228: Thanks! I hope you'll be sticking around for more!

NotMrMundy: For one, we are near the end, just not right there yet. As for Part 5 characters, I can say this. Wait until the GGO arc. I got plans ready. Also yes, plenty of SAO stories do have people called "uncle" by Yui a lot. But here I guess it makes sense since Kirito and Josuke are basically brothers in arms. By that logic, he's like an uncle.

Aurum79: Yes, I did find it particularly annoying that Yui only acknowledges Kirito and Asuna's happiness over everyone in Aincrad. I have your answer regarding Kayaba's Stand here. What do you think? Also as for his motivation and backstory? I'm excited to cover that once I get to it.

Lifeofriles: Thank you so much! I'm glad you read all my chapters and I hope you stick around for whatever I have planned next!

Dat-boi-waddup: I've changed quite a bit already, but I don't think I'd see a point in keeping Sachi alive, since I wouldn't know what to do with her, and besides there's another SAO/JoJo story a friend made that has that already. Besides, I bring that death and failure a lot in this story. Also, I have plans for Kira. Like I said once before, this goes way ahead of Aincrad, and Kira is no exception. If my execution sucked, feel free to call me a trash writer. I'm still learning, after all.