Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Unknown Floor, Dungeon) October 15th, 2023

Another dark day within the grimy and dank dungeon that they called their own went by. Amidst the energy that filled them all, the days seemed to blur by without a single spot of time for his mind to calm down. Every day was the same old schtick, and the worst part was, he didn't even know if he hated it.

The dungeon was as huge as the air was thick, so thick it made him feel trapped by its very atmosphere. The darkness of the area did well to hide them from prying eyes, but it wasn't like the others were ones to sit down hiding like rats. Whenever any unlucky sap did happen to walk by, the guys just snatched them up and had their fun.

He wasn't one for joining in, he preferred to think himself as a rung above the other deranged maniacs he surrounded himself with, but that didn't stop him from indulging with them if he felt the mood. A man had to vent sometimes, and while he'd rather be strumming on a guitar and pouring his heart and feelings into music, this didn't exactly hurt either.

"Oi, oi, oi, check this out!"

Indeed, there was never a dull moment with Laughing Coffin.

"Hey, what the hell's this?!"

A group of members huddled in the area, watching over the shoulders of one man reading from a newspaper. The man at first paid them no mind. He preferred not to get as involved whenever the others were overly excited, as they tended to throw reason to the wind, but what was mentioned next caught his ears.

"Old man Heathcliff's been playing us the whole time?! The hell?!" One hooded man jumped up with a shriek, leading the man to jump down from his perch on the dungeon walls, his feet hitting the floor as he directed a grin at the men who noticed him.

"What's all the buzz about? Gimme that." He reached a hand out, leading the others to pause for a moment. He didn't appreciate the hesitation.

"What's wrong, guys? Not feeling the spark in the air right now…" His grin grew into a sneer as his spiritual energy gathered around him, summoning a familiar figure next to him as he felt the static in the air building.

"H-hey now! It ain't like that! Come on, Frusciante, you don't have to pull that stunt all the frickin' time! Here, take it!" His fellow member's voice grew on edge as he nervously handed the paper to him, leading Frusciante to grin triumphantly as he snatched the newspaper from the Laughing Coffin member.

"Alright, now scram. Don't let me see your mugs in my neck of the woods." He waved a hand, leading the others to scurry off into another corner of the darkness, likely off to spread the word throughout the unofficial union they called a guild.

Now that he was alone, Frusciante looked through the paper, reading through the article as he allowed a smile to creep along his face. This was certainly a page-turner, as every new detail seemed to fascinate him more.

He skimmed through the contents of the paper with an amused grin on his face, fitting him right in with the rest of his fellow PK guild members. He was about to go further when a cough interrupted him.

"Looks like some read you got there. Didn't take you as a fan of The Weekly Argo."

He now faced two new men, two figures he recognized well. One was draped in a hood and cloak much like the rest of Laughing Coffin, but his mask betrayed his identity despite hiding his eyes. His skull-like mask was decorated with eye sockets that glowed with a bright red light, giving him a sinister appearance as he rested his hand on a straight, thin sword sheathed at his belt.

The second man was kneeling on the ground, his face completely hidden by a sack mask, his cloak equally ragged and disheveled, leaving his bandaged arms exposed. At his belt were vials containing several poisons and assorted daggers of all crafts and design.

"You'd be reading too, XaXa. Don't you go running your fat mouth." Frusciante snickered, causing the red-eyed player to don a crooked grin of his own as he rattled his blade at his side, fingers clenching tightly around the hilt.

"Oh? What makes you such an expert? For a guy who'd rather sit in the corner away from the fun, you've got a shitty attitude…" XaXa chuckled darkly as his teeth chattered, leading the ragged man beside him to cackle maniacally.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! Yeah, that's it! Come on, Sparky! I got all kinds of fun things planned for that Stand of yours, but you never join in! It's no fun!" The man whined, leading Frusciante to laugh on his own, a twisted smile on his lips to match that of his compatriots.

"I play this game how I want, Black. Ain't that the whole friggin' idea? I join in when I feel like it, and you ain't the boss of me, you get that through your brick of a skull yet?" Frusciante laughed, leading XaXa to growl under his mask, but not without an upward curl of his lips into a grimace.

"What good's that if you don't got the mettle to make the choice? Those without true strength… have no place." XaXa sneered, as a grim aura surrounded him, an aura all too familiar to Frusciante as he grinned even wider from the threat.

"Think a green scrub like you can match my Chilli Pepper? Are you stupid, or just that much of a snowflake?" Frusciante continued to jest at the red-eyed player's expense as both their fighting spirit permeated the air with the dripping black tension of killing intent, a feeling that filled Johnny Black with hysterical glee.

"You asking for it?! You ain't shit, you freak! Come and get it if you're so smug once I flay you alive!" XaXa snarled, his red eyes glowing threateningly like headlights as his aura intensified, a visible outline fizzling into existence beside him. At the sight, Frusciante grinned all the same as sparks danced around him and his Stand, Red Hot Chilli Pepper making its flashy entrance to match XaXa's challenge.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!" The ragged player egged on, the tension in the air building as both their Stands emerged, assuming their physical form as Frusciante and XaXa growled, the pressure in the air rising to be thick enough to slice through.

"Hoh? What's this?"

The intense atmosphere of killing intent dispersed immediately at the introduction of a fourth voice as both players let their Stands disappear, turning to face the man who had shoved himself into their confrontation.

Wearing a hood and cloak like most of the other members, the man currently reading from the paper in his hand did so with a dark curiosity as the cleaver resting at his belt seemed to glower at his increasingly growing dark aura. He turned to the three of them, revealing his messy black locks and marked face, PoH bearing a twisted expression of amusement in the form of a toothy grin.

"Why don't you ask Sparky over here? Asshole's the one reading like an old geezer." XaXa smacked Frusciante on the back, causing the player to growl at the red-eyed man, as he sighed and faced the demon before him.

"You read the damn thing, boss man. Shit, to think old man Heathcliff played us like a damn fiddle the whole time…"

"Wait, what? Hang on, Sparky, what'd ya say?" Johnny jerked his head in Frusciante's direction, his one visible eye bulging through the patchwork mask.

"Commander Heathcliff revealed to be Akihiko Kayaba… Traitor Commander revealed to possess... Hehehe… HAHAHAHAHA! A STAND?! Damn, who would've imagined! To think that motherfucker's been hiding under our goddamn noses the whole time! A Stand user on top of it all! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA~!" PoH cackled like a madman, a gloved hand spread over his face as he tilted his head up, his mouth wide open as he laughed and laughed.

"Yeah, threw me for a loop too. What now? Bet Asuna won't let us slide like the old man did." Frusciante added, leading XaXa to scoff under his mask.

"Hehe… wow. What's got you all hot and bothered? She has something out for you I don't know about? Don't tell me that bitch scares you!" XaXa snickered with a mocking grin, leading Frusciante to glare in his direction.

"She was there. When I took the Arrow. Bet your asses she'll find us out sooner now that the old bastard's barring the exit. Wouldn't put it past her to come hunting for the Arrow, either to boost their own guys with Stands or to stop your fun. Even more so, that guy… JoJo… the Stand User that stopped Shooter…" Frusciante replied, jabbing a finger at XaXa's chest, the latter smacking his hand away with a growl.

"Why fret, Sparky? Look around! All of us! Stand Users on our own! Think that bitch can take all of us, that shitty-haired bastard?! Can ANYONE?! We take what we want and play how we want! ISN'T THIS WHY WE CAME HERE?! TO LIVE ON OUR OWN ACCORD?! BE THE MEN WE WANT TO BE?!" PoH screamed out, Johnny laughing maniacally beside him as XaXa grinned crookedly.

All that he could do was laugh quietly as he patted the man on his shoulder as he walked off on his lonesome, hands in his pockets and a twisted smile on his face.

"You think I'm fretting? With power like THIS?! Like hell they'll get the better of me! Just wait! They'll be screaming before they even have time to regret coming for us." Frusciante grinned, electrical sparks surrounding him and showering him in yellow light as Chilli Pepper appeared next to him, summoned by his powerful resolve, before walking off on his own into the shadows of the dungeon, off to his corner of privacy as usual, leaving XaXa to groan as he eyed his back.

"Asshole thinks he can act like hot shit just because of that Stand of his… Not like he's the only User 'round here anymore." The red-eyed player hissed, before PoH turned to give him an amused look.

"Asshole, yeah. But the brat's got spine, gotta mention that. Just he waits 'till he ain't so special anymore once everyone here gets stronger with their Stands. Nobody would stop you then! Not even him." The Laughing Coffin's leader assumed a malicious smile as Johnny Black looked up with curiosity,

"So? What happens now, boss?"

The larger player picked up the newspaper, then folded it to place it in his pocket, before turning to the dungeon's exit, smiling all the while with a dark aura enveloping his form as he strided, turning heads as he passed his men by.

"What else? What we've always been doing. Get the men ready to move out. It's showtime!"

The men were all riled up, raising their daggers and swords in the air and cheering in a war cry, the bloodlusted atmosphere permeating the air as PoH revelled in Laughing Coffin's thirst for battle. Men of all kinds rose up, as Johnny Black and XaXa fanned the flames, riling up the men further with chanting and screams for blood.

PoH, however, then turned to another corner of the dungeon, dark even by his headquarters' standards, a place where shadows hugged the walls and light could only eke through in tiny volumes. In this small corner of twilight, PoH leaned against a pillar and proceeded to wait.

"So… the game master finally reveals his cards."

PoH grinned as he heard the voice coming from behind the pillar, just behind him as they faced opposite directions. Not like they were able to see each other aside from his Stand's piercing, emotionless stare revealing itself through its yellow slitted eyes.

"Yeah, looks like old man Heathcliff's been holding out on us. You gonna stick around? The way the frontliners are now, what a shame it'd be if a bunch a' gentlemen decided to pour some salt in the wounds of betrayal? Who knows? You might have your own kinda fun in this shift!" PoH laughed, only to hear a sigh coming from behind him.

"You… do make a good point. The way the frontliners are now, they'd have their hands full with Laughing Coffin starting up more trouble. I bet you're just raring to let loose on them, aren't you?" Mercury surmised as PoH grinned at the prospect, not denying his sadistic excitement in the slightest.

"Hell yeah, I am! You get it, right?!" PoH cackled, only to be cut off by Mercury's cold reply.

"No. If they are truly unable to recover from pestering by scattershot madmen, then we have no hope of escaping this hellish prison. We cannot afford to stop the clearing effort just yet." Mercury reasoned, leading PoH to glare over his shoulder, growling in confusion.

"What's that? You holding me back? That's not part of the deal, Merc. I thought you knew better…" The Laughing Coffin leader sneered as his hand fiddled with the handle of his cleaver, methodically clasping his fingers around the blade.

"I do, and you will listen. I'll let you have your fun, you can trust me on that. I believe I have an idea wherein you and I can both be happy, and all I'm proposing is that you hear me out." Mercury replied calmly in response to PoH's threat, his voice as cold and calculating as ever.

PoH paused for a second, before laughing as he processed Mercury's proposal and reaction in his mind, in addition to the feeling of a hand tightly gripping his wrist, the same one grasping the handle of his weapon, reminding him that Mercury was very much not an idiot and was not giving him any chance to lash out at him, lest he lose his arm in an ugly, bloody splatter.

The thrill of it, the sheer thought of it and his situation, what else could he do? What else but laugh with a massive grin?

"Alright then! Let's hear it!"

Stand Showcase:

Lv. ? Stand: Shock and Awe, Red Hot Chili Pepper - Shine brighter than the sun, scream loud enough for the world to hear your name. Make yourself known, for the time has come for your electrifying debut. It's showtime.

Special: Electricity: Manipulation of electricity, ability to turn into electricity. All parameters increase dramatically when absorbing electricity.

Enhancement: N/A

Damage: 500 (A)

Speed: 800 (S)

Durability: 450 (A)

Range: ∞ (Digital) (S)

Precision: 50% (C)

Rank: Unique (S)

Selling Price: N/A

Owner: Frusciante

Aincrad, Sword Art Online ( Lv. 79, Floor Boss Room, Labyrinth) December 22nd, 2023

Some time had passed since the massive paradigm shift after the clearing of Floor 75, but the drive of the clearing teams had not waned in the slightest. Past the dark hallways of the Labyrinth, a chamber stood at the end barred by massive gates parted to reveal the shadowed room within. Although dark, the energy in the air was far from dead as the lights of Sword Skills activating chimed in the air as blades streaked through the darkness, revealing the battle within against «The Tempest of Trihead».

The resident guardian of the chamber was huge, a massive serpent with three heads, branching off at its midsection to form three snapping jaws. Each of its three heads were decorated by ghostly white eyes that glowed in the darkness, only outshined by the white mist rising from between all three sets of jaws, giving the beast an intimidating appearance, but this did little to deter the men and women fighting a heated battle with the monster.

"COME ON!"

The boss let out another screech as its attempted attack was interrupted by an additional Sword Skill, allowing Kirito's blade to slice into its chest, chopping down a sliver of its health and sending it reeling back, stunned. With this, the black-clad swordsman turned back to the other frontliners, nodding in a gesture that was returned by Asuna as she raised her rapier, calling out to the teams.

"It's open! CHARGE!"

The crowd of players charged at the boss, using their blades to slice into the boss in unison, causing the creature to stagger backwards, but not before the Trihead recollected itself to attack once more, opening its three mouths as the mist within poured out in greater volumes as the eyes on all heads glowed brighter.

"Heads up! Breath attack!" Diabel called out, catching the boss's tell and alerting the others, causing the vanguard to move up with their shields out, prepared to defend against the attack. The boss charged up its attack, all three heads aimed at the closest players as energy built up in its mouths, prepared to shower the clearing teams in its breath attack.

"OI DUMBASS! I'M NOT DONE YET!"

One head turned to the side to see Okuyasu running up to the boss in an attempt to halt its attack. The Hand was out with its arm raised, prepared to scrape away at the boss with the Stand's frightening ability. However, the boss was far from blind to his attempt as one head broke away from the charging of the breath attack in order to attack the approaching Stand user, winding its neck back in order to strike at Okuyasu like a snake.

The Trihead's jaws gaped wide open in an attempt to swallow Okuyasu whole, but the punk didn't stop his assault and charged forward, smiling as a purple blur zoomed ahead of him, passing by his left side as Josuke reached for the sword on his back and swung with great strength. The creature's strike was stopped short as Josuke's blade swung in an arc, smacking the creature across the snout with the wide flat of the blade, deflecting the hit with a Parry and stunning the head, leading Josuke to turn to his fellow Stand user.

"GO ON!"

"THE HAND!"

Without hindrance from the boss, Okuyasu brought down his Stand's arm, unleashing The Hand's power as he trailed an arc through the air, slicing through the boss's flesh, scraping away a part of the boss's neck, separating one of the three heads from the rest of the body, causing the remaining head to fizzle out and disappear into an explosion of pixels.

Even better, the attack managed to hurt the boss enough for the remaining two heads to halt their charging breath attack and screech out in a combination of agony and fury as its health plummeted into its final bar, cueing the others to charge once again with their weapons out, attacking the boss and whittling down its health further.

"Let's go!" Diabel called out, winding his sword arm back as his blade glowed a bright yellow as he activated a Sword Skill, unleashing a string of hits onto the boss and allowing his team to do the same. Army infantrymen thrust their spears, lining up in formation and moving according to their commander's commands, deflecting attempts at attacks and chipping down the boss's health, locking it in place.

"Nice! Come on!"

Griselda advanced to the frontline alongside Kirito, summoning her Stand with her sword and shield in her hands, the Black Swordsman with both his blades in hand and dashing across the ground at remarkable speed. Griselda gestured forward with her sword hand, cueing Appleseed Cast to throw a hand out, flinging a collection of seeds to the ground in front of them.

"MAKE WAY!" A cracking sound was heard, followed by huge trees springing from the ground in a diagonal direction, growing sideways and its branches jutting out and rocketing towards the boss at top speed. With Griselda's warning, the other clearers looked behind them and jumped clear of the path, leading the trees to slam into the Trihead, spearing the serpent's body through as the tip of the bark pierced through its chest, leading the boss to scream out in pain.

"Now, finish it!" Griselda called out, as Kirito nodded, his swords in hand as he sprinted in a burst of speed, making a beeline for the stunned boss.

Kirito grinned as he leaped into the air, landing onto the slanted trunk of Griselda's tree, running in a straight path to the boss's incapacitated form, an inch away from defeat. Seeing his opening, Kirito reeled his swords back, preparing to charge a Sword Skill to finish the battle, only for his intuition to spike up.

The boss's eyes flared up as it spied Kirito approaching and rapidly closing distance, before letting out a defiant roar, both remaining heads snaking out and lunging at the dual-wielding swordsman, jaws open in an attempt to bite down on Kirito.

Seeing the attack headed his way, Kirito crossed both his blades in front of him, blocking the boss's attack and pushing against the creature's strength, standing his ground with his boots grinding against the bark. Gritting his teeth, Kirito pushed off, then summoned his spiritual energy, screaming as a familiar aura enveloped him, a winged arm appearing from behind him and extending, grasping the handle of one of his swords and swinging in a wide arc, fending off the Trihead and stunning it, leaving it open for one final decisive blow.

"Kirito!"

The swordsman then turned behind him as Asuna rushed toward him in a dead set path to the boss with her rapier reeled back for a Sword Skill. Grinning, Kirito returned the gesture as he charged both his weapons with Sword Skills himself.

"Right! Let's go!" Kirito released a powerful combo with his dual blades, dancing through the air with both blades in his hands, trailing arcs through the air and cleaving a path forward, the boss recoiling from the damage being dealt. A few more hits later, Kirito leaped back, calling out to his partner.

"SWITCH!"

"This is the end!"

Kirito didn't even finish as Asuna's form blurred past at superhuman speed, her voice screaming out a battle cry as she slammed into the boss with the force of a falling comet, her rapier spearing one of the Tempest's head's eyes through, causing it to scream out in agony as its health finally depleted fully.

As the boss released a final death wail, the players could only watch as the Trihead's massive form fizzled in place before glowing bright blue, then dispersing into a mass of bright blue pixels, dissipating into the air then into nothing. Asuna and Kirito both landed on the floor, Lambent Light free from the boss's head as it sailed back down into Asuna's outstretched hand, leading her to cooly smirk as she returned the weapon to its sheath at her hip, before turning to the rest of the clearers with a smile on her face.

"VICTORY!"

The crowd all cheered in unison as Asuna raised her fist in the air, just as the congratulations banner appeared in the air and lighting up the chamber once more, causing the different teams of players to either congratulate one another or celebrate together, while others took a moment to drop to the floor, taking a breather from the long, exhausting battle.

Kirito was among them, both his swords clattering to the floor as he felt his chest rise and fall with each heavy breath, his hand draped over his face as he let out a few weak laughs, thrilled to finally be done with the battle. He then felt a soft feeling of contact on his other hand, turning his head to lock eyes with Asuna, despite her display of victory, also lying down on the floor exhausted as he could see a shine of sweat on her brow.

With a single look at her bright smile, all Kirito could do was laugh softly as she giggled in return, the both then resigning to laughing together on the floor, their hands intertwined as they faced the ceiling, releasing the adrenaline of their hard-won victory.

"I thought I had that final hit…" Kirito muttered as Asuna let out another giggle.

"It's alright, I would've never been able to get the final blow in without you covering for me." Asuna smiled warmly, leading Kirito to sigh in response.

"Still, thought I had that. Wanted to see what the item was for the bonus." Kirito replied, causing Asuna to sit back upright and nudge Kirito's arm with her elbow, the latter rubbing his arm with his hand as he groaned.

"Agh… what gives?" Kirito muttered before turning to see Asuna giggling again with her menu open.

"We're married, remember, silly? We share inventories now!" Asuna laughed as Kirito smacked himself upside the head, sighing.

"Ah, right… Damn, I still can't believe we've been married for over two months now…" Kirito mumbled with a smile on his face, picking up his swords and slotting them back into the sheaths on his back.

"Well, believe it, jackass. We've still got a long way to go."

Both players looked up to see Josuke looking down at them, a wide smile of his own adorning his features as he extended a hand to Kirito lying down on the floor, the swordsman looking up at his friend before chuckling to himself.

"Yeah, we do, don't we… twenty floors to go, and I still haven't gotten much further with my Stand…" Kirito mumbled as he took Josuke's hand and stood back to his feet, leading Josuke to laugh in response.

"Don't worry about it! We'll worry about that when we get close to Kayaba! In the meantime, we got a whole new floor to map out and explore! What do you say we check out the new digs up top?" Josuke grinned, watching as Okuyasu and Griselda walked up to the rest of Purple Rain, rejoining with the guild.

"Yeah. We should also check back in. Who knows what the others have been up to since we left to fight up here. We can't go exploring the next floor without them, now can we?" Kirito nodded, as the others did the same all in agreement.

*ding*

"A moment, guys?" Asuna raised her finger as the telltale noise of her notification feed rang out with a chime, leading her to trace a finger in a swiping motion in front of her, opening up her menu as she read her new message.

A soft gasp rang out, causing the group to turn back to her, Kirito's eyes widening as he watched Asuna's face pale over as fear swirled in her eyes. Something was far from right, and he didn't need to hesitate before rushing over to his in-game wife's side to ask what was wrong.

"Asuna? What's wrong?"

Asuna looked up with quivering eyes as she scrolled through the message one more time, reading it aloud for the others to hear.

This is Yulier.

This is an emergency

Laughing Coffin has returned

We were caught off guard and the Town of Beginnings is lost

I have evacuated as many survivors as I could but we couldn't save everyone

Meet me at Granzam ASAP

Outfit Showcase:

Lv. 80 Armor: Papal Guard, Templar Mantle – To fight in the name of faith is an endeavor that taxes one's entire being. A crusader's body and mind is dedicated to their beliefs and ideals, and this armor is one that not only protects one on that journey but sets them apart as a shining beacon down the path to victory.

Special: Saint's Revelation: When performing a successful «Block Break» or «Parry», all party members' «Sword Skills» deal 50% more Damage and activate 60% faster for 5 seconds.

Enhancement: +12

Damage: 362 (B)

Speed: 620 (S)

Durability: 470 (A)

Rank: Legendary, Crafted (A)

Selling Price: 162,000 Col

Owner: Asuna

Aincrad, Sword Art Online ( Lv. 57, Knights of the Blood Oath Headquarters, Granzam) December 23rd, 2023

Purple Rain had assembled at the KoB headquarters at Granzam, a loud ruckus coming from the interior as soldiers and players of all kinds digested exactly what was happening. In the council room, the commanding officers of the KoB argued amongst one another as Asuna simply sat in her Commander's seat disconsolately with her chin resting on her linked hands, staring down trying to process the news Yulier had told them.

The Vice Commander of the Army stood before the council beside Thinker, Diabel and the rest of Purple Rain, her distressed face quivering as she clenched her fists, her cheeks wet from tears as she explained what had happened.

"It was in the middle of the night, none of us saw it coming. Those maniacs teleported in, then moved from building to building, slaughtering whoever they came across. Screams rang out in the streets and from every home. Some even tried to attack HQ before Klein fended them off. We had no time or way to fight back, and all we could do was run! And their… laughter… I can still hear it…"

Asuna turned to her fellow councilmen as she turned to Yulier to ask another question. "You said that you had no way of fighting back. Why do you say that?"

"Because they attacked us from within the safe zone. They shouldn't have been able to sleep PK that many people, because that's not what happened. All of them… used Stands. We stood no chance at all." Thinker answered as gasps erupted throughout the room, Asuna and the rest of Purple Rain taken aback by this news.

"The Arrow… it must have given them that power… When I get my hands on the bastard that took it…" Okuyasu muttered, memories of his deceased brother returning to him as he clenched a fist, only for Josuke to place a gentle hand on his shoulder, calming him down.

"What's the status of the town now? How many were able to evacuate?"

The group then turned to the table as Asuna asked the question, her face serious as the grave situation cast a dark cloud over the entire room. Diabel was the one to step forward, sifting through his menu to check some data. There was hesitation in his voice, but he spoke nonetheless.

"Over 2,000 people were living in the Town at the time. With the PK guild now occupying the city, we have no way of checking the Black Iron Castle for an official death count, but… from what we could gather, about 70 civilians were confirmed to be missing or killed."

A pause filled the air as grim silence permeated the atmosphere. Nobody dared break it as the tension threatened to boil over into complete panic.

"Klein…?"

Silica's voice finally broke through as the others turned to the samurai. His eyes were downcast to his feet as his whole body was shivering, trying to hold it together as his hands balled into fists, clenching tightly. It didn't take long for everyone else to turn his way with expressions of mixed concern and fear as they watched him slowly look up, realizing he had caught their attention.

"G-guys, it's fine. Trust me, I'm alright!" Klein laughed, trying to wave off their concern, only for Josuke to walk up to him unconvinced, his concern not leaving his face.

"Klein… you were there, right? Did you see anything?" The Stand user asked him, but to no avail, as Klein waved his hands in front of him, chuckling lightly in reply.

"No, nothing you should be concerned about. Anyways, we're getting off-track. What's the plan?" Klein redirected the discussion as Asuna sighed in her seat, getting back to business.

"The loss of our biggest safe zone and settlement area is a crippling blow. What could their reason be? Why reemerge on such a massive scale now?" Asuna pondered out loud before Agil stepped forward.

"It's a message. They're hitting us while we're on our own and focused completely on the clearing effort. With the stakes this high, I can only guess what it'd mean to prove that the Safe Zones can't protect us anymore." The shopkeeper reasoned as the others discussed amongst each other, trying to make sense of the situation.

"Why don't we send as many men as we can down there? Try to capture them before they become an even greater threat?" Godfree suggested as he turned to Asuna, only for Yulier to shake her head as she raised a hand.

"From what I understand, they're still lurking about the city. Within the limits of the town, they're protected by the Safe Zone, but can fight back just fine with their Stands. We'd be wiped out if we tried to return and take the battle to them." Lisbeth added, her face twisted with concern as the weight of her own words pressed down on her composure.

"Then why not send me?"

The entire room's eyes turned to the new voice as Josuke spoke up, the pompadoured teen's eyes flaring with resolve as he stepped forward with his hands closed into fists, turning to Asuna with a firm stance, making his resolve clear to all in the room.

"I'm the most experienced Stand user in this room, maybe in the whole game. I'd be able to hold my own against a bunch of psychos who've barely had several months to hone their abilities, wouldn't you say?" Josuke managed a confident grin, only for him to feel fingers tightening around his arm. Turning, he met Kirito's concerned gaze.

"Stop right there and think for a second, jackass! You're planning to take all of Laughing Coffin on your own?! We don't even know what all of them can do with their Stands! Besides, if we lose you, we lose Crazy Diamond's healing abilities!" The swordsman protested, not keen on Josuke's brazen proposal.

"I know that! I'll go down to the Town of Beginnings and take a look around. I'll report what I find when I get back, to give us a fighting chance. We won't be able to beat Laughing Coffin if we know nothing about them right now." The Stand user replied, as Asuna nodded with resolution, the other councilmen at the table doing the same.

"Alright, now that's better. Even so, I'm not letting you go alone."

Josuke turned to Kirito with a perplexed face once he heard those words. Cocking his head to the side, all he could manage was a deadpan, "What?"

"I'm going with you. We'd have a better shot of gathering information with two sets of ears, and besides, I've got my own Stand now, remember?" Kirito noted, summoning the spectral winged arm behind him to prove his point, as Josuke let out another sigh.

"Still, you haven't gotten a grasp on your Stand just yet. Do you even know your Stand's ability? Two months of practice and we haven't cracked it!" Josuke protested as he put a hand on his forehead, making his concern clear as Kirito shook his head in frustration.

"We'll figure it out eventually! Besides, I can use it just fine to protect myself, even if I don't know what ability I have! I've done fine in practice, remember? Besides, I want to do something about this, we both do! So come on, let me in on this!" Kirito insisted as he planted his feet in the ground, meeting Josuke's firm gaze with his own.

Josuke paused as he looked into his friend's eyes, looking into them to find the same resolve in his own reflected back at him. He remembered it all, his regrets and his grievances that he left behind in a time that felt so far out of reach yet the memory was so fresh he could swear it happened just yesterday. It was then that he had to admit, his friend would not be backing down and there was nothing he could do to prevent him from joining him.

"Fine, you win. But if you're coming with, I'm trusting you to stay alive. Like you said, there's no telling what'll be waiting for us." Josuke sighed in defeat as he relented, Kirito smirking victoriously.

"I know. Let's just hope it isn't so bad. Hm?" Kirito nodded, before Josuke laughed to himself, causing him to turn to him with a confused expression.

"Sorry… It's just refreshing to have you be the one asking me not to go alone. You've changed, you know, man?" Josuke chuckled as he crossed his hands, smirking as both friends settled to laugh together, the other players in the room catching onto the contagious laughter as the tense atmosphere dissipated, the KoB leaders watching from the table as Godfree spoke up.

"I guess we're in agreement, then?" The redheaded man asked their Commander, who nodded with a smile on her face, watching her friends laugh together in the center of the room, even Yulier joining in.

"Yes. I'll make arrangements for both of them, but in the meantime, keep me updated on Laughing Coffin's activities. I want any and all leads as soon as possible. The quicker we settle this, the more lives we save from their insanity." Asuna instructed her fellow councilmen, who all nodded in response as she walked over to join her friends.

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: 250 (C)

Speed: 900 (S)

Durability: 200 (D)

Range: 2m (D)

Precision: 75% (B)

Rank: Unique (S)

Selling Price: N/A

Owner: Kirito

Aincrad, Sword Art Online ( Lv. 57, Knights of the Blood Oath Headquarters, Granzam) December 23rd, 2023

After some time, the meeting had since passed, the halls now filling with their usual noise as everything returned to business as usual. Knights in white and red chatted amongst one another, going about their daily work and business. As a foreign presence passed them by, they turned in curiosity, but resigned to smile and offer a smile, nod, or wave in greeting which was returned by the woman.

Griselda guessed the others were back at the Log Cabin where they had settled in as Purple Rain's de facto home base. Kirito and Josuke had a big day ahead of them, and she knew how long the former had been practicing with Josuke in the honing of his Stand, trying to figure out its abilities.

With these thoughts in her mind, Griselda traced a finger over her breastplate, recalling the sharp pain of an arrow piercing her flesh. The same day she met Josuke, Asuna, and Kirito. The same day she had received her own Stand, Appleseed Cast. Over her time possessing this amazing ability, she still could hardly process this as her own power.

It seemed so out of this world, like something out of a manga or child's story. She swore to use this new ability to continue doing what she had always done, protecting the weak and fighting for those who couldn't. With this power, it no longer seemed like a distant ideal, but something she could accomplish much like the same man who saved her.

However, he was not the only one on her mind. As she stopped in front of the door, she took a breath as she stepped in, her gaze focusing on a certain samurai seated beside the window with his eyes to the floor, in a different place entirely as he didn't seem to turn back her way, not noticing her presence.

Sighing, Griselda tapped her knuckles against the door, calling out to her friend. "Klein? You there?"

The knocking seemed to catch his attention as he swivelled his head to face her, his eyes widening as they brushed over her form. Hastily fixing himself, Klein managed out a stammer. "G-Griselda! What're you doing here? I thought you'd be with the others."

The female Stand user allowed a gentle smile to grace her lips as she walked in and sat in the chair closest to him, trying to approach slowly. "I saw you weren't with them, so I went looking for you. Thought you'd be the kinda guy to jump into a celebrating mood with the others first. Something wrong?"

The samurai turned to her, his eyes curious before chuckling lightly again with a toothy smile on his face. "Like I said, Griselda! I'm fine! No need to worry about me!"

Klein stopped once he opened his eyes again, facing his friend and noticed something wasn't right. Griselda's smile faded as she gave him a look of concern, seeing right through his weak laughter. "You weren't very convincing back at the meeting either. Whatever happened at the city that night, it wasn't anything good, wasn't it?"

"G-Griselda…" Klein couldn't say anything in reply as he could only stammer weakly, just as Griselda turned to look at him directly.

"Klein… just talk to me. Stonewalling only leads to bad decisions and broken relationships. Trust me, I know." Griselda implored, her free hand reaching for her other, one finger tracing over her fourth.

Klein was speechless. He didn't even need to ask twice about where she was saying this from. When Klein couldn't speak again, Griselda let out another sigh as she placed a hand on his shoulder.

"Klein, you've always been such a bright light in our guild, and seeing you so… down, I-I don't know, it just feels wrong. You're nothing like him, and I know you'll never be. You've respected me and trusted me at every turn, and I treasure my time with you for that and more! Just… talk to me. If anything's bothering you, I'll hear you out. I promise you." Griselda smiled as Klein's face turned as red as his armor. Giggling at his reaction, Griselda patted his shoulder, before sitting back down.

"G-Griselda… alright… I'll tell you." Klein sighed, managing a smile of his own.

Much to Griselda's relief, this smile was genuine.

"I was at the orphanage. I was keeping watch outside when I heard the screaming from the city. I wasn't sure what was going on, only that it was nothing good. I had Sasha stay inside with the kids, then one of Laughing Coffin jumped me, Stand out. He was messed up in the head, laughing like a lunatic the whole time with a wild look in his eyes. I could tell… if he got past me, he'd paint the church walls red." Klein recounted with an unsettled tone of voice, as Griselda could only listen silently, chills running up her spine from his story.

"What happened?" Griselda asked, as Klein fiddled with the blade at his hip.

"I remembered what happened to JoJo. I aimed for his Stand as it attacked me. I sliced off its hand, and he fell to the floor, screaming and crying with a stump at his wrist. However, he didn't stop. He came at me one more time, and I…" Klein replied, before trailing off, his eyes dark as his hands shook, indicating he was reaching into a dark place.

"You… killed him?" Griselda asked, gasping as Klein nodded silently, his eyes cast to the floor in defeat.

"Yeah… I didn't have a choice. He wasn't going to back down, and I couldn't risk him going after the kids. Still… I've got blood on my hands now, and that's something I'll have to live with forever. Gods, that's one hell of a weight to carry..." Klein muttered quietly as he stared at his shaking palms before clenching them into fists, willing them to stop shaking as he turned back to his friend.

"I should have been there… maybe I could have restrained him… Been there for you…" The female Stand user clenched her teeth, frustrated as a remorseful expression crossed her face, as Klein turned to face her amidst both their distress, before managing a smile.

"Hey. I made it out, and the kids were safe, right? Besides, you had a boss fight to win up top. I bet that victory wouldn't have been possible without your help." Klein laughed it off, but this didn't put Griselda to rest as she looked back his way.

"T-that's not-"

Griselda stammered out before Klein stopped her with a hand out, shaking his head as he continued. "Honestly, I didn't want to share this with anyone because I had a feeling you'd react the way you did. Can't bear the thought of you stressing out and fretting over my problems. I'd feel even worse if that happened."

"...what if I'd be fine with that either way?…"

Klein turned to Griselda as he heard that last part, his eyes wide as he heard what she had said.

"What?"

"What if I wanted to share your problems? Share your burdens? Klein… I wouldn't be here if I wasn't willing to let your struggles be my own." Griselda smiled with wet eyes, Klein's face flaring up in a blush as he faced her sincerity.

Her warmth.

Her genuine feelings.

Her smile told him everything. She wasn't throwing words around, instead speaking from her heart to him. She cared for him.

"So… if you're feeling weighed down by your problems… just lean on me. Let me be your shoulder to cry on."

Klein couldn't speak as a warmth spread from within him, rushing out as he recognized this feeling. He couldn't believe it. He'd been chasing girls around, facing mixed results each and every time, and here he was, feeling something he hadn't felt in a long time, for any girl in his life.

He knew what this was, and he couldn't be happier to know that he was exactly where he wanted to be. With a smile, he didn't hesitate to take the leap, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as he tucked his head in the crook of her neck, relaxing as Griselda ran her fingers through his hair.

"Any time. Feel free to lean on mine, too…"

Griselda paused as she watched the tension on his face slip away as he loosened up in her arms, causing her to smile warmly, perfectly content to be in his company.

Staring back at her hand, her eyes drifted to her ring finger. Memories flooded back into her mind, of a small house, frustration, and a face she couldn't bear to see any longer. She remembered her misery in that house, the man who thought he owned her like property.

As she blinked again, she saw no house, only a sunlit room as she stared down at her finger, free and bare, running through the hair of a man she lent her heart to. No noise, no tears, no yelling, only the two of them, more than happy to simply exist beside one another.

With a soft giggle beneath her lips, Griselda knew one thing to be true in that moment.

She wouldn't have had it any other way.

Up next: War on Laughing Coffin!

Hey! Been a while, huh? I have to admit, part of the challenge of writing original segments is figuring out how the sequences go from point A to B without seeming flat. It's been a challenge which is why this hasn't been as long as the other chapters, and I hope I can pull through for the next chapters. A heads up, I'll write an additional three or four chapters to the Aincrad Arc before moving on to Fairy Dance. The Laughing Coffin arc will end either next chapter or the chapter after that. As for me uploading a month late, I've had a very stressful June and I'm starting up my Summer classes with virtual live sessions so do understand that I'll have less leeway over my daily schedule. On the bright side, I've got a clear direction for the story up until the end of Aincrad, so do stay posted for that.

OK, for references, yes, Akira Otoishi's tag is Frusciante, a reference to the legendary John Frusciante, lead guitarist of Red Hot Chilli Peppers. Added some Laughing Coffin segments, what do you think?

As for the boss, its appearance and name is a reference to the same boss from the SAO game, Infinity Moment or Hollow Fragment. Speaking of which, I have indeed delved into the SAO games, namely Fatal Bullet and Hollow Realization. I just started out the latter and spent plenty of time in the former, certainly way more than I'd like to admit.

As for Klein and Griselda at the end, what do you think? It's probably a little bit shorter and sudden than I'd like, but I think I stuck the landing. If not, feel free to call me a garbage writer.

Also, pretty surprised nobody's been able to figure out Kirito's Stand's name. Oh well, once I reveal it later, I'm sure you guys'll love it!

So yeah, thanks for giving my fic a read and offering your thoughts! It means so much to me and I promise I won't let you down! Deuces.

Still, please review, yadda yadda. In this uncertain final stretch, I'll need your guys's help more than ever.

Galmanous: I am aware of the SAO game series and what they changed. However, I don't think it lines up with what I have in mind, and I'm not interested in involving characters from the games such as Strea or Philia. I'd rather the main cast not get too bloated since I'd have to balance interactions between them all, and saving Griselda and adding her to the main cast was plenty already.

NotMrMundy: Yeah, glad I defied your expectations and I hope I don't fail them. I'm sure you'll like Kirito's Stand once I reveal what it can do. As for what his and Heathcliff's can do, I'll have to ask you to keep waiting. It's a surprise.

AshenOne: Thanks for all your reviews! So glad to hear all your thoughts on my story! As for Eyes of Heaven, my disc drive on my PS4 kinda failed on me so I'm stuck on digital games so guess my EoH disc will be collecting dust lmao Also thanks for offering your critiques, I really appreciate it! Sorry, but I don't think I'll be adding Strea in. Finally, I'm sorry, but that's not the name of Kirito's Stand. Nice guess, though!

WandaObuYu: The Joestar Secret Technique is invincible! Also thanks. I wasn't sure if I handled the PTSD angle right since I can't say I can portray it from an insider's or observer's point of view. Regardless, glad it worked out.

Chrisplayz: Thank you so much! Glad you're waiting for more, and yes, I still do think that Yui's reasoning for seeking out Kirito and Asuna could have either been explained better, but I guess it kinda makes sense. Still think the "hope" theme fits the story I'm trying to tell anyway.

WRYYY: Thanks for the advice! Writer's block is such a pain, especially when you have to write scenes all on your own. Still… with quarantine and all, bet going to a park'll be a bit of a long shot. Still, a nice stretch of the legs about the house could do good on that part. Thanks!