Aincrad, Sword Art Online (Floor 100, Valhalla) April 6th, 2024

Waking up…

A thought that crossed his mind for the entire past two years.

A brief, meaningless thought that first came to him that first morning in Morioh.

Ever since then, it's been a mantra echoing in his brain. A thread of hope to cling to each and every day that passed within the iron castle in the sky.

He watched people fight for their lives, people emerging as legends, people lose sight of who they were, people falling in love, people falling into oblivion never to return, each and every day. He remembered the faces of those that were lost, the people who remained standing to see this moment, to visit this town at the top of the castle.

Each morning he woke up, each new time he'd open his eyes to greet a new day, it was a reminder. A reminder that he was still standing, that he hadn't been defeated, that he still had a home to return to, and he always had another day to climb another step higher to freedom.

Holding these thoughts in mind, Josuke leaned against the railing of the walls, overlooking the town of Valhalla, the last pit stop before the final boss waiting for them in the massive crimson fortress looming over the entire floor.

He looked over the whole town silently, sitting over the wall and dangling his feet off the edge overlooking the circular base of the hundredth floor. The town was calm, quiet, and undoubtedly beautiful.

Small houses lined the streets, vines covering the walls and vegetation thriving all across the town. Between the cobblestone streets and outside the town all over the floor, lush and vibrant gardens spread into the distance. Rows upon rows of green hedges dotted the area, the fragrant aroma of flowers of different varieties lingering in the air as the shimmer of butterfly wings sparkled over them.

Such a ravishing and resplendent sight, yet that crimson spire at the center of the area reminds him that the climactic battle for their freedom will be upon them, and allow them to finally leave behind the prison of Aincrad. A warning that he still had one last battle to fight before returning home after surviving two entire years by the sword.

"Wondered where you've been hiding."

Turning his head and clearing his mind of his thoughts, Josuke faced a certain swordsman clad entirely in black, smiling with wide, onyx eyes. Carrying a bowl of food in his hand, he set it down as he took a knee and sat down beside the pompadoured teen.

Eyeing the bowl, Josuke's nose twitched at the savory scent of stew, wisps of steam rising from the food. Humming with a smile of his own, he turned to face his friend.

"Thought I'd explore the town a bit more. You seeing this view?" Josuke chuckled, gesturing to the vast expanse beyond the wall, providing a generous overlook of the entire floor on one end, the infinite sky on the other.

Kirito let out a laugh in reply, before looking towards the castle. "I get it. Still, I can't believe we've made it here. It almost feels like a dream, you know?"

Josuke sighed. "Two years. Two long years of fighting, and you're still trucking on as a bona fide hero. That's a dream if I ever heard one."

Kirito hummed as he heard Josuke's response, before looking down at his feet. "You'd think dreams would feel sweeter. We didn't make it here without sacrifice, innocent people that didn't have to die. With everything we've been through, I can't help but feel like I let them down…like I should have tried harder. If it's really a dream, I can't wait to wake up already."

Josuke stared at Kirito, thinking back on days gone, faces now only remaining in memory. He remembered those he couldn't save, times he let this world get the better of him. He remembered Sachi's love. He remembered Shooter's resolve. He remembered Yui's heart. He remembered Frusciante's destructive pride. He remembered the day he left Kirito to grieve by himself.

All things that would remain on his conscience long after he bid this world farewell, yet despite that, he couldn't keep his head on the past, not when the way out and into the future was standing tall before his eyes.

With that, his resolve was clear.

"Well, can't say that I'll forget this place, for better or for worse. Still, we've all been dreaming long enough, wouldn't you say?"

Kirito nodded as he faced the castle.

"Kayaba…"

They both turned to face the site of their final battle. The Ruby Palace standing tall and proud over the entire floating iron castle, like the abode of an almighty king watching over his vast kingdom.

"Think we got a shot at him? He's definitely not gonna make this easy for us, especially compared to the last time."

Josuke remembered that day well. He remembered the man's unflinching confidence in his sword, his impenetrable defense. His absolute mastery over the game. Of course, the very man who sculpted this world with his own hands would understand its inner workings more than anyone else. If there was any more fitting candidate for the final boss of the death game, Heathcliff was leagues above them.

"Well… like I said, we've gotten this far. Think we'd let him do us in after we've climbed all this way to his doorstep? We're going home today, Kazuto. I just know it." Josuke grinned, drowning out his thoughts and pointing a finger at the palace, determination radiating from his spirit.

At the sight, Kirito simply turned to his friend, laughing under his breath as he stood up. "Definitely. Still, try not to get too banged-up before we make it out. I'd hate to nurse that pride of yours knowing I managed to outlast you for once."

Whipping his head to face the black swordsman, Josuke grinned widely after hearing his snide joke. Laughing boisterously, he then grabbed his friend and pulled him into a headlock, grinding his knuckle into his hair. "HAHAHAHA! That's the spirit! I knew you had it in you!"

The pair remained on the wall, a duo for the ages laughing together, basking in the light of the sun as they stood tall over the iron castle in the sky, the prison they had spent the past two years fighting to conquer and ascend. A pair who risked their lives and grew to become true heroes. Soon after, they ventured back into the town, laughing all the way.

They arrived at the longhouse in the center of the town, Nordic in appearance to fit the town's name of Valhalla. Opening the massive doors, Kirito and Josuke looked all around the interior as the sounds of celebration echoed off the walls and through the air.

Befitting a hall of warriors waiting for the twilight of the gods and final battlefield, the longhouse of Valhalla was just that and more. A massive gathering hall where the survivors of Sword Art Online were able to rest their spirits and feast as brothers and sisters in arms. The celebrations that rang through the day and well into the night were made in joy for having survived for so long, as well as in honor of those who fell before they had a chance to stand within these halls.

Josuke spotted groups upon groups of people seated at the many tables in the center of the room, with food and drink in excess as spirits were high. Singing and laughing were abound, groups of survivors toasting mugs of ale and feasting themselves silly.

Meanwhile, he was able to spot the various members of Purple Rain spread throughout the building. Argo had organized a poker circle at one table, a decently sized throng of spectators surrounding the players as they played cards, chips changing hands and drinks abound.

Silica, Lisbeth, and Griselda were playing with young children, the trio laughing as they chatted and played along with the kids and entertained them. Klein, Okuyasu, and Agil were at a table of their own, the rest of Furinkazan seated along with them, all of them sharing a great feast with stew, mutton, and mugs of ale.

Finally-

"Where were you two? You're missing all the fun!"

The duo turned behind them to face Asuna, hands on her hips and wearing an apron over her armor. A visible sweat glistened against her face, indicating she had been working hard to keep the hall stocked and fed. Cocking her head, a gentle smile found its way onto her features as her eyes turned to her in-game husband.

"Ask this idiot. Found him on the city wall, talking to the sun and clouds."

Josuke let out a braying laugh as he smacked Kirito upside the head, causing him to smirk on his own. "Hearing that from you of all people fills me with so much dread you wouldn't believe it. Hope we didn't skip out on the party too much, Asuna."

With the display from the duo before her, Asuna brought a hand to her mouth as she giggled. "Well, you'll only burn more daylight standing here. Now, come on. The stew's getting cold."

"Can't wait." The pair moved to follow Asuna, surrounded by the sounds of revelry.

However…

*BONG*

The sounds of the bells rang through the town, rocking everyone to the bone. The loud, reverberating gong echoed, drowning out anything and everything at once.

Those who feasted and laughed stopped in an instant.

What followed was bone-chilling silence as a wave of dread washed over everyone and everything, the entire world of Aincrad seeming to stand completely still. Nobody dared to move, nobody dared to utter a word from their lips. After all, they all recognized this feeling of dread well.

It was the very same frigid chill up their spine that they felt on the first day of the death game, when the game's very creator, Akihiko Kayaba announced their indefinite imprisonment in his floating castle in the sky. The same feeling of fear they felt when Heathcliff finally uncovered his true agenda and identity before their eyes.

A feeling of complete and utter powerlessness, the very thought one felt in the presence of an insurmountable gap in strength and ability. As if one was a mere insect before God himself. This feeling returned in full force as Kirito and Josuke turned to each other and saw that their bodies were glowing in a familiar animation.

"We're being teleported!" Kirito yelled out to everyone, who panicked to see their bodies glowing all the same.

"Everybody hold on!"

Asuna's voice was the last thing he heard before the light swallowed him whole, just as his vision flashed completely white.

Opening his eyes once more, Kirito looked around and faced an old memory. The survivors on the final floor all began to reappear one after the other, a sight that very much brought to mind that first day, the moment that changed all their lives forever. Surrounded by the beautiful gardens under the blazing sun, the players all stood before the Ruby Palace, like criminals awaiting trial.

Seeing Josuke beside him, the Stand user turned to his friend and shrugged, displaying his own confusion as he flinched at the sight of the sky changing color.

A red alert appeared in the sky, blinking before multiplying hundredfold, spreading to form a vast tapestry that blanketed the air and blocked out the clouds. The sun's light passed through the dome, casting a sinister red light over the entire space as everybody could only stand with quaking legs and watch with quivering eyes.

With that, pixels began to form in the air, much to the confusion of those watching, increasing in number and congregating to form a humanoid shape. As it streamlined and smoothened out, within a flash of light, a man appeared and hovered in the air above them, someone every player instantly recognized.

"Heathcliff…"

The man appeared complete in his regalia, armor shining as his silver ponytail danced in the wind. Eyeing the crowd, his lips twisted into an amused smile.

"Greetings, players. I offer my fullest congratulations to you all for conquering all the challenges I set before you and reaching my domain on the hundredth floor. What you have accomplished together was no easy feat, one not made without sacrifice or loss. However, you have all emerged from the battlefield with your heads held high and your hearts beating, and to that, I extend my wholehearted and earnest respect." Heathcliff announced, a smile adorning his face as everyone stopped and listened.

"However… remember that your fight isn't over just yet. One battle remains, one that guards the final gate to your freedom, where I stand between you and your ticket out of my world." Heathcliff's voice dropped in tone, assuming an ominous feel that gripped every player in attendance.

"Any challenger who dares is more than welcome to step through those doors and challenge the final boss. Emerge victorious, and you will have earned your freedom. That is… assuming any of you have the skills."

Heathcliff's voice boomed with confidence and unflappable certainty. However, Kirito only saw the look in his eyes. Cold. Condescending. Exactly the same feeling that he felt that first day. There was no doubt in his mind, this man was the same person who imprisoned them here and left so many to die in his world.

Clenching his fist, Kirito stepped forward, fire in his eyes and determination burning in his soul.

"You think you're so tough?! Don't think you can act high and mighty when we came this close to beating you the first time!"

Heathcliff's stony gaze shifted to the black-clad swordsman, curiosity and intrigue glinting in his irises as a small grin crept up the edges of his lips.

"So, Kirito. Does this mean you volunteer?" He grinned, as all eyes shifted toward Kirito.

Kirito gritted his teeth as he saw Josuke looking his way with a surprised expression, without saying a word. Kirito paused for a moment as he felt the pressure on him. He knew the weight of the air, and he felt as if he could crack like glass under the pressure. His heart hammered away as if his ribs were chisels, his throat dry beyond measure.

However, he didn't forget. He never did. The voices of those who died. The men and women who fell before his eyes. The reminders of his failures, all because of the machinations of the very man addressing him right now. Right now, Kirito had to end this. Not just for him, but for everyone who couldn't see this day.

His thoughts shifted to his friends, the people who stood beside him in the guild. He then thought of Asuna. The woman who saved him from his despair and self-loathing, the person who gave him a second chance to find happiness in this hell. He thought of all the memories shared, of all the moments they spent in each other's company.

Then a thought came to him. One that ate at his heart like salt.

He loved this world. He'd been waiting his entire life for a world like this to come into being. This world took him from everyday life and turned him into something beyond his wildest imagination.

However, this world took from him. Made him suffer. Made so many others suffer.

He didn't want any more suffering, he didn't want Asuna to face the pain of this world any longer.

With that, he knew exactly what had to be done.

"I do. Mark my words, I won't lose this time!"

The crowd gaped in shock as they cleared out, leaving Kirito to stand alone facing the man floating before the palace gates. Heathcliff continued to gaze upon his challenger, his amused smile giving way to a quiet chuckle under his breath.

"Such fire… It will serve you well in this final duel of fates. Your swords against mine, can you truly overcome a god on your own?" Heathcliff taunted, Kirito assuming a hardened expression as he balled his fingers and glared at his enemy.

"Who said he'd be alone? Besides, Kirito's not the only one you owe a rematch, remember?"

Kirito turned to face the voice that cracked through the silence, as Josuke stepped forward, a confident smile on his face, his eyes trained firmly on Heathcliff. His fighting spirit flared out, his Stand appearing into view beside him.

"You think it'll be so easy? You think we'll just have a repeat of last time? That's rich coming from the guy who peaced out while we were busy clearing an entire twenty-five floors!"

With Josuke's spirited declaration, Heathcliff's smile grew wider as his eyes shone with an excited glimmer. Descending from the air with his feet touching the ground, Heathcliff nodded with a satisfied hum.

"That battle in Collinia… That day you two showed me the strength of your bond, that together, you lived up to every expectation I had of you and far more. I have no doubt in my mind… this final battle will be like nothing before! I trust you two won't let me down."

Heathcliff laughed, before extending his hand and waving it in a sweeping motion.

A piercing cluster of screaming from the crowd rang out, a familiar noise entering their ears. One that caused the both of them to turn around, their eyes agape.

One by one, they saw it. Pillars of light appearing in the crowd, consuming each player as they could only watch in confusion and fear. As the light swallowed them, the players each began to disappear, fading out of sight as they were teleported away. The crowd decreased more and more in size, until Kirito and Josuke could only spot the members of Purple Rain standing amidst the empty courtyard of the Ruby Palace.

"W-wha-?! What the hell did you do to everyone, you bastard?!" Okuyasu yelled out in anger, pointing an accusing finger at Heathcliff, whose stone mask of calm remained unbroken.

"No need to worry. All I've done is transport them to a place where they can watch from a distance. As for whether they return here, that depends on who emerges victorious in our battle. If you prevail, none will ever return to the iron castle in the sky and awaken in the real world, safe and sound. If I win, they will all teleport back to Aincrad, never to escape this game until one of them manages to defeat me." Heathcliff explained, pushing open the gate to the Palace and turning to walk inside.

"H-How dare you! How long are you willing to remain here, keeping us prisoner?! We aren't your pawns!" Griselda yelled out, furious.

"I fully intend to hold the line with my very life. If none of you can match me, then I am prepared to cross blades with every single person who challenges me, down to the very last man standing in Aincrad. After all, the game will never end unless you defeat the final boss." Heathcliff replied, his voice cold and unflinching, sending an uncomfortable chill down their spines.

"I'll give you a last moment to prepare, to leave any parting words with your guild. Take all the time you need." He spoke softly to the duo, before looking over his shoulder, a piercing look in his eye as he stared them down.

"I'll be waiting."

With that, Heathcliff closed the gate's doors behind him, leaving the guild to stand alone, only the howling wind interrupting the silence between them, undisturbed by none in the entire castle, now deserted of all its inhabitants.

The group met each other's eyes, the sheer gravity of the moment stirring in the air like a thick soup, a dense miasma that clogged their throats and strangled their hearts.

"So… this is it, huh? The home stretch? Hot damn, ya guys… I knew we'd have to say our goodbyes soon, but this…" Argo chuckled under her breath, her eyes unreadable under her hood.

"Goddammit, you guys! Here I thought we'd be able to spend one more night celebrating with drinks in hand! I'm not gonna forgive you for sticking up until you buy me a cold one out in the real world, you hear me?!" Klein cried, screaming out as everyone shared in his distress.

"You guys better kick his ass, you hear? I wanna see Trish again so we can all meet up and celebrate properly in Dicey!" Agil exclaimed, as Griselda stepped forward, her fist beating against her chest.

"We've survived together, and I want us to meet again! So don't screw this up! Wouldn't want to be the only one left to challenge that bastard if you guys don't stop him yourselves!" The older woman attempted a grin amidst her dampening eyes, gripping Josuke's shoulder with fingers that tightened as she tried to keep her wits about her.

"You've got a lot of nerve, trying to act all tough. Listen, I'll never forgive you if you lose this one holding MY babies, you hear?! You better take those swords of mine and run him through with them! Come back and tell me that you used my swords to beat this game and set us free!" Lisbeth screamed, tapping the Repulser's hilt on Kirito's back with her finger.

"We'll make you proud, Lis. Cross my heart!" Josuke laughed, using his hand to ruffle her hair, much to her chagrin, but not without allowing a small giggle to emerge from her lips.

"I only wish I could be fighting with you! Come on! He wouldn't mind, would he?! The Hand'd scrape him real good and he couldn't do a thing about it!" Okuyasu yelled, clenching his fists in frustration.

In reply, Kirito put his hand on his shoulder as he smiled. "Kayaba made this personal. If we're settling this, it has to be us. Please, Okuyasu, we don't want you to get hurt."

With that, another set of hands reached for his arm as he looked down to face Silica, Pina resting on her head. "I feel the same. I wish I could be there to support you guys, but at least we'll be able to cheer you on from the sidelines. I had a lot of fun hanging out with you all!"

Lastly, the pair turned to Asuna, who had remained speechless the whole time.

Nudging Kirito's shoulder without saying a word, Josuke shot him a look that Kirito flinched under. Sighing, Kirito locked eyes with his in-game wife, her expression sending waves of emotion through him.

Her eyes were shining with dampness, the furrow in her brow betraying her feelings to him. This was a face he'd see more often on the battlefield, or right before she would tell him he was doing something stupid. A face he saw with their lives on the line and the stakes through the stratosphere.

"Asuna…"

Kirito began to mutter, his words dying before they could leave his tongue. He knew more than anyone, no matter what he said, when facing this side of Asuna, he was in for a verbal thrashing.

"-iot."

"Huh?"

"Idiot! What were you thinking back there, you dummy?!" Asuna screamed suddenly, gripping the collar of Kirito's coat with her wrists very visibly shaking as she did, leaving the black-clad boy speechless and unable to reply.

"You can't just throw yourself at a battle like that without saying anything to us! I know it's personal for you guys, but you just keep forgetting that your personal is my personal now! Didn't you say we were gonna share our burdens? That we'd lean on each other?! How am I supposed to do that when you walk over to fight for your life and leave me behind?!" Asuna continued to scream, raising her fist and pounding away at Kirito's chest, but not nearly enough to make him flinch.

"What would happen if you lost? How would I have any drive left in me to keep going?! What's stopping me from taking a dive off the edge of the floor?!" Asuna cried, her eyes leaking streams of tears as Kirito stared with wide eyes, before clenching his own fists.

"Asuna, we need to settle this, and this is the best shot we have! As far as I know, we're lucky he even agreed to fight the both of us! Besides, if we failed, I know you guys'd find a way! You're-" Kirito began to rebut, before Asuna slammed her fists against Kirito's chest once again as her tears flowed faster, silencing him instantly.

"I'd be sitting here with a broken heart, knowing I wasn't able to do anything to save you!"

Kirito's senses snapped to a complete stop as he heard the words coming from her mouth. He remembered the scars he suffered on the long journey to make it to this point, all the pain he felt, the utter emptiness that filled him when he lost Sachi and the Cats. When he devoted himself to Asuna, he swore he'd never make her feel that pain again, that he'd hold her like she did him so that she'd never lose herself in the void like he did.

Now, here he was, telling her that she'd have to be prepared to face that agony herself.

It was cruel, unspeakably so. He understood this better than anyone, and he couldn't bring himself to utter a word in reply. How could he?

"I want to see you again, dummy! I want us to meet up again in the real world! Be together like we are here! Don't you see?! I don't want to lose you, Kirito!"

Asuna continued to sob uncontrollably, as everyone could only stare in silence. Asuna was emotional at heart, but she could easily control herself. She kept a cool head, and hardly raised her voice. This was different, more similar to the day Kuradeel died, not before taking Yuna with him, along with Nautilus's pride and soul. She was falling apart at the seams, bringing everything to the surface as she wept.

Suddenly, she felt hands on her shoulders.

Warm.

The first thing that came to her mind before that warmth enveloped her, spreading all across her body and soothing her inner turmoil.

In front of her, Kirito stood. His hands clasped around her, he held her tight as their eyes rose to meet each other's gaze. Her amber orbs trembled with the dampness of her tears, as Kirito could only watch, tracing the contours of her beautiful face with his eyes.

"Asuna…"

He raised his hand, gently touching her cheek with his fingers. As their gazes met, the pair stared in silence before Asuna's tears flowed anew, leaning into the warmth of his touch with another whimper choking past her throat.

With that, Kirito reached his hand further to the back of her head, feeling past her long, flowing, silken locks of hair to pull her closer. He closed his eyes as he leaned forward, feeling his forehead lightly tap against hers, the warmth of her body suddenly connecting with his at that point. He heard her sobs right in front of him, every sorrowed breath brushing against his skin. Then, he couldn't hold it any longer himself.

The pair shed their tears, as though the world around them no longer existed, as though nobody could listen. A million emotions swirling within him, Kirito let out a breath as he opened his eyes once again to meet her own.

"Wait for me."

"W-what?-"

Asuna asked, before Kirito managed a smile to reach his lips. Despite the flinch in his eyes, he stood his ground and smiled.

"I'll find a way back to you, no matter what it takes. You hear me? I'll beat Heathcliff, and I'll see you again. I'll do anything and everything to make sure I have that chance! Just trust me! Besides…" Kirito laughed, Asuna watching in stunned silence.

"...I've got this jackass watching my back! We'll all make it out, I swear it!" The black-clad swordsman grinned, pointing a thumb to Josuke behind him. Brimming with determination as his Stand flared into existence, shimmering in the light of the sun.

Asuna stood silently, her face blank. For a solid minute, not a single word came out of her, nor did anything interrupt the vacant silence.

Then, a familiar noise broke through the air.

"G-guys! Outta time!"

Everyone turned to Agil, whose hands were beginning to disappear.

"Agil!" Josuke yelled in alarm, but not before he raised his pixelating arm to stop him in his advance.

"Don't worry about me! Just get in there and win this thing!"

With that, he was gone.

Soon, everyone realized the same thing was happening to them, leaving the unaffected Kirito and Josuke to stare at them in alarm, as their bodies glowed, swallowed by the light and slowly disappearing into the void.

"Pina! Stay close! You guys! Thanks for all the fun we had!" Silica disappeared, hugging Pina in her arms with a smile.

"Pleasure doin' business with ya boys! Yer girl Argo'll be rootin' for y'all, don'tcha worry!" The mischievous info broker managed another fanged grin as she held up a "V" sign with her fingers as her smile faded into the air.

"Hey, guys! Let's play together again sometime, in another place, another world!" Klein smiled as he waved the duo goodbye.

"Thanks for everything! I swear I'll make it up to you in the real world!" Griselda grinned as she did the same, but not before a hand patted her shoulder, causing her to face a certain samurai beside her.

"S-say… what do you think about nabbing a drink sometime? Out in the real world?" Klein asked, his chest already fading away, watching as Griselda stared at him in surprise. With that, a giggle emerged from her throat as she laid a fading hand on his own shoulder.

"You kidding? Of course I will!" Griselda laughed as she uttered those final words before disappearing, leaving Klein with an overjoyed look on his face.

"It's a date then…"

The older pair then disappeared, leaving Lisbeth to sigh as she placed a palm over her forehead, her digits already disassembling into the air.

"I swear, those two… Keep on trucking, you two idiots. I'll never forgive you if you let us down, you hear?" Lisbeth laughed, her giggling disappearing as her head disappeared into the light.

Okuyasu stared at the others before turning back to Josuke.

"Oi… we'll be cheering you on. Me, the others, Big Bro… He believed you'd be the guy to save us all from this game. Get out there and prove he was right, dammit!"

He laughed heartily, disappearing like the others, a silent breeze flowing through the air. Kirito and Josuke stood in the town square, watching as the entire castle stood, undisturbed and silent. Like an asteroid drifting in the cold void of space.

"Asuna…"

Kirito reached out to Asuna, her body already shimmering in the light, threatening to disappear for good. The last of the guild remaining, her eyes turned to her husband's as she slowly advanced towards him.

Her arms wrapped around him as her body shone with the light. His eyes widened as she embraced him tightly, her body leaning into his own as he felt her warmth envelop him once again. A warmth he never wanted to let go. A love he couldn't stand the thought of losing.

He thought of Asuna's words, of her tear-laden cries. He remembered Sachi, Yui, and everyone else this game had taken from him. He thought of Asuna facing the same grief, and it filled him with sorrow.

That was… until a new feeling arose. His resolve burned within him, because now he knew exactly what he was fighting for.

"Don't keep me waiting, Kirito." Asuna giggled, as Kirito sighed, his arms wrapped around her body now feeling empty space as she faded away.

"I love you… Asuna."

A tinkling, fleeting laugh chimed through the air, like the bells on Christmas. Then, the shimmer of pixels floating and fading into thin air as the light dissipated. Then… they were alone.

Not a soul remained in all of Aincrad, apart from the two heroes who stood inches away from their final battle. A gentle wind blew as leaves scattered through the garden, picking up their hair and coats as they faced the sun above them, drifting through the endless sky.

A quiet, vacant silence, in a word, at peace. Looking over the beauty of the world around them, Kirito and Josuke turned to the gates of the massive Ruby Palace. Walking up to the statuesque doors, the duo traced their fingers over it, before pressing their palms down against the metal.

No going back.

No more games.

The moment to live.

The moment to fight.

All things flowing through their minds as they turned to face each other one last time.

"You ready?" The swordsman asked.

"Always." The Stand user grinned.

With a push, they passed the point of no return.

"May fortune shine on me… and my Crazy Diamond."

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: Complete control over all digital data connected to the Stand. 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 (Floor 100, Ruby Palace) April 6th, 2024

The Ruby Palace was absolutely massive in size, and the interior of the castle only exemplified this, a vast expanse of open space hidden within the walls, which towered hundreds of meters above them, converging into the castle's towers. A glorious and stalwart monument to the efforts of the men and women who slaved and suffered to see it through trial after trial.

Far above them, Josuke could see the faint orange glow of sunlight, much like the light of heaven raining through to illuminate the world. In a sense, it reminded him of the Black Iron Palace all the way down in the Town of Beginnings where their long tenure began. A reflection that truly signified that this was the end of the road, the final gate to their freedom.

Up ahead, they spotted him.

Standing calmly in the center of the massive chamber that took up the entire base of the castle, an enormous and grandiose arena perfectly fitting for the battle to come. A lone man positioned himself like a marble statue, standing guard in the very center of the circle. His hands grasped the hilt of his blade, sheathed in his tower shield in front of him.

Approaching with caution, the pair watched as he calmly stood, seemingly meditating as the wind blew at his ponytail, his eyes closed with a content smile on his face, without a care in the world or burdens on his back. A face at utter peace with the world.

The face of the man that stood between them and victory.

Taking another step forward, Heathcliff slowly opened his eyes, directing his iron gaze towards the duo, the smile on his face not wavering in the slightest. Kirito and Josuke continued to walk forward in caution, their hands reaching up to the swords on their backs, ready for anything.

"You're finally here. Words cannot fully express how glad I am that you've survived this long." Heathcliff smiled, leading Kirito to grit his teeth, which did not go unnoticed by the man.

"What about those who didn't?" He asked, his voice low, but loud enough for the older man to hear.

"Is that all you wish to ask-"

"It is! What about them?!" Kirito roared, interrupting Heathcliff, who for once, was at a loss for words. However, that calm mask of a smile was quick to return.

"I have all the power in this world, but I have no power to restore life to the dead. Nobody does. It's the beauty of life. One only has one chance, one moment to run as far as they can before they inevitably awaken from the dream. That's the way it's always been, and that's how it will be forevermore." Heathcliff declared, his face downcast as he spoke, his eyes flickering with a hint of reminiscence, from which the two players had no idea where he drew upon.

"Well, I don't know about you, but I've done enough dreaming for one lifetime."

Josuke gave a soft smile of his own as he grasped the greatsword on his back, gripping it tightly as he drew it to grasp in both hands. Heathcliff visibly grinned at the sight, before turning to Kirito, watching as he continued to stand there, his fists clenched at his side as he glared at Heathcliff.

"Why do you hesitate? After how hard you've fought, all you've suffered, don't you want to be free again, Kirigaya?"

This caused Kirito's and Josuke's eyes to widen in unison as they gaped at that last part. Heathcliff smirked at their reaction, stuffing down a laugh under his breath as he did so.

"So long as a connection exists, nothing is hidden from me. Not even you, Kazuto. Your parents passed away when you were a child, and you live with your aunt and uncle. As a result, you've lived your whole life isolated from others. You displayed exemplary skill with computers from a young age, and turned to video games to fill the void in you. Lo and behold, this is where you befriended a most unlikely boy." Heathcliff turned from the stunned boy to Josuke.

"Josuke Higashikata, born of an affair between a young Japanese woman and of all people, Joseph Joestar. You suffered from a fever when you were only a child, and since recovering, you have lived in Morioh with your mother in relative peace. Much like your father and his grandson, Jotaro Kujo, you not only possess an extraordinary power within your soul, but the courage and chivalry of a true hero." Heathcliff breathed as Josuke stood silent, shocked at Heathcliff's sheer knowledge.

"Your stories are ones of great intrigue, and from your roots, you ascended yourselves into something greater. Something worthy of this great challenge. You are ready, and I know it. Yet still, you hesitate." Heathcliff grinned as he locked his eyes with Kirito.

"Why?"

At Heathcliff's question, Kirito looked up, a sigh escaping his lips and thoughts swirling in his mind like a hurricane.

"You're wrong."

"Oh? How so?"

Kirito directed a steely gaze to Heathcliff, his stance firm and his legs standing true. "This place is everything I've ever wished for. To be a better me, a stronger me. For better or worse, I'll never forget Aincrad. For all the bad, I've felt the good. And I'll never regret logging in that day."

"Then why do you stand here today? Why do you swing that sword?" Heathcliff asked, his smile growing.

His mind turned to everyone. Every moment. Every laugh and smile he shared in this damned castle.

He remembered her.

"Because this isn't just about me. Not anymore. Today…I'm fighting for everyone."

With that, he drew the swords on his back and assumed a battle-ready stance, his eyes gleaming with determination and fighting spirit as his soul burned ablaze. His boots were planted on the ground, unwavering as he prepared for the fight of his life.

Beside him, Josuke laughed as he did the same, his sword held in hand with an iron grip. His soul flared with power, Crazy Diamond making itself visible as it raised its armored fists.

The wind in the Ruby Palace stilled to a deathly stasis, the air feeling so heavy all within it felt as if it would crush their bones to paste. The man in red said nothing in response to his declaration, before assuming that telltale smile as he wrapped his fingers around his sword, pulling it from within the confines of his shield, holding it up to point to the duo.

Suddenly, a timer appeared above them, counting down from ten.

No turning back.

Five.

No more regrets.

No more unanswered questions.

Four.

"I will disable my immortality and my assist system. Kill me, and you will clear the game."

Three.

Only one thought shared between the two heroes who rose above all and reached the final gate.

Two.

"I'll kill him!"

One.

"WE STAND SURROUNDED BY A MILLION YEARS! SHOW ME HOW FAR YOU'VE COME!"

"HRAAGH!"

It didn't even take a second for the pair to move instantly. As Heathcliff stood ready with his shield, Kirito made a mad dash for the former Commander, swinging his blades in an arc with the intent of smashing through.

Heathcliff stood firm against Kirito's lightning fast approach and watched in awe as his pupils glowed a brilliant golden yellow, accompanying the appearance of a pair of glowing wings streaming from behind his shoulders.

"Your Stand…. Beautiful. What wondrous ability will you show me?"

"Shut up!"

Heathcliff gasped in wonder as he stood behind his shield, feeling Kirito's swords relentlessly smash against his stalwart guard, unflinching and unbuckling. Kirito swung, and swung, and swung, roaring until his throat was hoarse. For each hit, Kirito saw the commander's face. A cold mask, never losing his cool, never letting his guard down. For each strike, he would move his shield and block it. Just as he did back then in the coliseum.

Heathcliff was precise, almost frighteningly so. He anticipated every swing, and moved with just the amount necessary to negate it. He wasted no energy, nor expended any wasted effort. He was in complete control.

Anger building in him, Kirito refused to back down as he let his Stand assist him. Two claws clasped his shoulders as he felt the power flood through him. His heart hammered like a drill, his blood rushing through his veins like rushing rivers.

"Faster!"

"I NEED TO GO FASTER!"

Heathcliff was left at a loss as Kirito's relentless attacks increased in speed, accelerating and accelerating with each strike he landed. Each swing seemed to be delivered twice as fast as the one before, and he wasn't slowing down at all.

Heathcliff rushed to defend against all of his strikes, moving his shield rapidly, but he could not match Kirito's astronomical speed, as he grit his teeth. His perfect defense was failing.

Suddenly, he felt it. A quick gash on his face as Kirito's sword poked through his guard for a brief instant, nicking him on the cheek. The first time he'd ever been hit by another player in battle. This brief moment of surprise was all Kirito needed as he moved in.

Raising his swords, Kirito let his Stand take even more hold as the power consumed his entire being. He moved, and Heathcliff slowed to a crawl. Time itself blurred to stasis as Kirito stepped, his body burning with his heart aching against his ribs. A brief second was all he could do to move this way, to achieve this speed, but it was more than enough to step past his shield and appear at his side.

"NOW!"

Screaming through his boiling blood, Kirito swung his sword and carved out a chunk of Heathcliff's abdomen, the man grunting as he immediately reacted, swinging his shield to smack the boy away, only for Kirito to hold his second sword out to block. Regardless, he was sent flying, too dried out from his Stand's power to keep up the relentless offensive.

"DORA!"

However, Heathcliff's problems were far from over as Josuke leaped in, raising his blade and flinging it in his direction. A split-second after he heard the telltale cry of Crazy Diamond, Heathcliff raised his shield and swatted the blade away, watching as Josuke leaped in with his fists, armored and ready to bash his face in.

"Nice try, but not this time!"

"GHKH!"

Josuke widened as instead of blocking his strike, Heathcliff opted to stab forth with his sword, nailing him straight in the gut in mid-air and suspending him on the end of his blade like a meat skewer. Josuke heaved out a cough as his breath was choked from his abdomen, his boots leaving the ground as he stared in shock.

"Don't think the same moves will work on me, not like last time!"

With that, Heathcliff pulled his blade in and smashed his shield into Josuke's head, the force of the blow sending Josuke flying back with a pained grunt. Turning his attention back to Kirito, he watched as the boy rose to his feet from the blow he took, but in that brief moment he looked away, he failed to take notice of Overture landing from its descent beside him and embedding itself into the ground.

A brief flash of spiritual energy surrounding the blade entered his peripheral vision and before he could react to the undeniable outcome, it was too late.

"DORA!"

Crazy Diamond's fist slammed into the side of his face, rattling his brain with a shattering blow. Josuke felt Crazy Diamond's power leave the sword before the punch was landed, but the momentum from the pull of the attraction was more than enough to send him flying straight towards the vulnerable Heathcliff.

"I'm not out of new tricks yet!"

Wrapping his fingers around the sword Josuke heaved it forward as his Stand reeled in another punch. Roaring as he swung, Josuke grunted again as the weapon smashed against Heathcliff's shield, which he abruptly raised to defend himself, his eyes snapping back from their dazed state as he haphazardly resumed his ground.

Josuke growled as Crazy Diamond threw a punch.

"DORA!"

Blocked. Two more.

"DORARA!"

Both blocked.

"DORARARARA! DORA!"

A brief rush, capped off with a powerful right hook. That last one made the commander buckle, which made Josuke's eyes widen. He never buckled. Heathcliff's guard was still strong, but it was noticeably less stable than he would normally be in prime condition. He was open to staggering, as he was still recovering from that punch he'd taken directly to the head.

It was now or never.

Nodding for a brief moment to Kirito, the pair rushed him at the same time, their blades and Stands at the ready, not about to let this opportunity go to waste.

Kirito was the first to approach Heathcliff, unleashing a stream of slices and slashes, attacking the shield as his Stand snaked out from behind his shoulder and reached for the older man's face. Heathcliff's eyes instantly widened as he understood exactly what would happen should that Stand take hold of him.

Raising his sword, he let it enter the grasp of This Is War, then instantly pulled it down, slicing the Stand's palm open as Kirito visibly cringed, his eyes watering as an open gash appeared on his own hand.

Turning an instant later, not wasting any of his movements, Heathcliff just barely missed Josuke's swing of his sword, smashing it against his shield as Crazy Diamond threw several punches aimed past the shield and directly at him.

"DORARARA!"

A few of the punches hit that weren't panickedly dodged, causing Heathcliff to shift his eyes to his health bar, which had lost a good-sized chunk of its original state.

A sudden impact against his ankles caused Heathcliff to flinch, as Kirito's swords found their target, slashing at his legs and bringing him down to take a knee. His eyes bulged in shock as he processed the sudden attack, cursing himself for not taking the time to take care of him before moving on to Josuke.

Now kneeling on the ground, the duo's minds thought as one as small grins edged on their faces. Sprinting in a mad dash for the commander, they raised their blades for a finishing blow.

"You're dead!"

Heathcliff was far from done.

"Congrats. You've made it to Phase Two."

He made a move. Not to block any of their strikes. If he had, one of them would have struck a potentially fatal blow. No. Instead, he raised his shield and with a guttural roar, smashed it against the floor directly under his feet.

*BLAM*

With a massive crash, his shield shattered into pieces, a great shockwave rippled across the floor and all throughout the Ruby Palace, echoing off the walls like a choir of destruction. The wave sent Kirito and Josuke flying off their feet and off-balance as they fell to the floor, dazed and anxious of the loud rumbling all around them.

Then they saw it.

The ground cracked from the point of impact, branching off like a spiderweb, spreading across the floor at breakneck speed. Not just that, the Ruby Palace groaned and crumbled, the pillars supporting the enormous cathedral cracking and falling away, as the roof collapsed in on them.

Before they could spot Heathcliff's glimmering expression of determination, the ground beneath them gave way and fell apart. Just like that, the very floor under their feet was no more than a rain of rubble and debris, sending all three of them tumbling through the hundredth floor and down a hundred meters to the floor below.

Josuke's eyes widened as he attempted to reach higher ground, only to realize that it wasn't just the Ruby Palace. As pieces of the walls came apart and were torn asunder, he was given a glimpse of the floor outside.

The gardens, the town, the walls, the beautiful landscape under the endless sky, all of it was crumbling to dust and ash before his eyes. The stone streets came apart, the houses shredded into oblivion as they fell to the floor below. The entire hundredth floor was going down, and so were all three of them.

Letting out a breath, he took a leap of faith, descending into the void below.

Feeling the wind against his face, he streamlined his body as he watched pieces of the town fall beside him, his eyes scanning the pieces of falling stone for his enemy. His sword in hand and his Stand at the ready, Josuke fell freely, bracing for impact.

'DORA!"

Suddenly, he sensed danger as he threw his sword to the side. A piece of debris crumbled into dust that blasted against his face, and past the cloud, he spotted Heathcliff.

The man stood on a piece of falling debris, perfectly upright and balanced as he raised his sword, pieces of rubble hovering beside him as he put on a confident smile. Raising his sword to Josuke, the debris rocketed towards Josuke at breakneck speed.

His eyes bulging in surprise, Josuke recalled his sword with Crazy Diamond, and let the Stand wield it as it batted away the pieces of rock, some of them whizzing past and blowing him through the air.

Heathcliff grinned as he continued to send his improvised missiles in Josuke's direction. If he managed to strike him, he wouldn't be able to collect himself for a landing. However, he did wonder where his partner had gone off to-

He then saw it. A pair of luminescent wings speeding along pieces of falling debris raining from the sky. Leaping from rock to rock, Kirito used his swords to cleave a path through, his eyes dead focused on his own as his teeth bared in a growl.

"KAYABA!"

Heathcliff then merely let out a single chuckle under his breath and raised his free hand, sending a wave of debris up his way, a meteor shower shooting towards the Black Swordsman as he watched in baited breath.

Exhaling, Kirito let his Stand fill him with power. This Is War filled him with its ability, then unfurled fully, the wings extending and spreading, allowing Kirito to direct his movement mid-air as he shot through the air at an angle, shifting his direction to the first rock as he picked up speed, the Stand's ability taking effect.

His feet landed on the first missile as he ran along its length, jumping off and reaching the next rock, repeating and repeating as he weaved through the meteor shower with unparalleled agility and precision.

Huffing a frustrated breath, Heathcliff raised his hand, reaching for something with his Stand, before bringing it down. Kirito raised an eyebrow at the gesture, before he looked above him to see the bulk of the Ruby Palace hurtling down on him, seeking to smash him like a pancake against the quickly approaching floor.

"More! MORE POWER!"

Urging his Stand to go faster, Kirito ran, watching the massive fortress crash past the debris as he ran along the rubble, closing in on Heathcliff's position. He heard the crashing noise of the palace zooming past behind him as he took one more leap, raising his swords and swinging them down.

Destroying Heathcliff's platform, he looked up as he realized he missed as Heathcliff jumped from his position, sending more meteors his way as they crashed through the floor below, the massive palace beneath them punching a hole through the floor and down the next several hundred meters.

"At this rate, we'll be falling indefinitely! All of Aincrad'll be destroyed!"

Suddenly, Heathcliff turned to spot Josuke making his own way towards him, flinging his sword to different points of debris, then using Crazy Diamond's power to attract himself to the weapon, directing him through the air in a straight line towards him. Dodging the blade throw, Heathcliff raised his sword to block a punch from Josuke, pushing them apart as he parried the strike and swung, Josuke blocking the attack as he flew backwards.

Despite this, Heathcliff failed to notice the blade returning to Josuke's hand. Overture gashed against Heathcliff's torso from behind him as he gasped out in surprise as his health took a hit. The opening Josuke needed to pull himself in and throw a punch at Heathcliff, nailing him across the face. Swinging his sword down, Heathcliff gritted his teeth, not willing to fall just yet, the two blades clashing with violent force.

With that, Heathcliff flinched under Josuke's strength and momentum, sending the man plummeting down to the ground with a loud crash and a cloud of dust in his wake.

Grinning in victory, Josuke then flung his blade upwards, using the pull to slow his fall just enough to land without serious injury. As the remnants of the floors above crashed down to the ground in pieces, he looked around to see they had fallen quite a distance down, reaching the Roman city of Collinia.

They stood in the center of the Coliseum, although its walls had been crushed under the hail of rubble, as the entire city seemed to suffer the same fate, buildings and monuments of all kinds reduced to dust and gravel as destruction rained upon the entire town, pieces of the floors above continuing to fall, holes in the floor opening up as they crashed through.

Josuke watched above him as Kirito landed gracefully, the wing-like shape of his Stand helping to slow his fall as he glided down to the floor, both swords in hand as his Stand retreated back into his body. Sharing a look with his friend, they both nodded as Kirito tossed him a healing potion, with Josuke placing Crazy Diamond's hand on Kirito.

The swordsman's wounds were healed by the Stand's energy, and Josuke let out a sigh of relief as his health returned to the green as he swallowed the contents of the small glass vial.

Then, they turned their attention to their front, where Heathcliff stood, crushing a Healing Crystal in his hand, causing his health to return to the green as well as he held a damaged sword in his hand, looking as if it would break from receiving all of the hits Kirito and Josuke had dealt him.

Not taking any chances, the pair raised their weapons and prepared for the next stage of the fight as Heathcliff recovered.

Not wasting a single beat, the pair immediately rushed in, intent on ending this as soon as possible. Kirito and Josuke moved as one as Heathcliff stood his ground. Raising his sword to block Kirito's immediate swing towards him, he raised his free hand, causing pieces of scrap to fly towards him from the rubble. As Josuke took his swings, the scrap moved to defend Kayaba, each shield shattering as Josuke used Crazy Diamond to smash through, only stopped by the sheer quantity of improvised shields at his disposal.

"DORARARARARARARARARARA!"

Each punch thrown, a piece of debris stood in his way to deflect it. Kirito wasn't doing much better with Heathcliff, his sword impeccable even against Kirito's dual blades. Each swing, each combo was parried without fail, without fault despite the meager state of the blade he swung.

Kirito's blades flashed blue, as he let out a scream, unleashing one of his Dual Wielding combos. Heathcliff saw this and gritted his teeth as his hand on the sword clenched tighter.

"Starburst Stream. I can block it, parry it, even. But this blade won't hold for long. All you're doing is giving me a hint to your movements. I bet you know this already, Kirito. Heh. Not bad. Not bad at all."

«Starburst Stream»

Kirito's blades danced as he attacked Heathcliff. Josuke could only watch, Crazy Diamond continuing to be peppered with missiles from all directions, preventing him from assisting his friend. Heathcliff held a solid defense, using his sword to deflect the strikes, each string of the combo ingrained in his muscle memory, as he effortlessly moved to deflect each swing of his sword.

Even so…

Heathcliff hadn't seen the combo executed at twice, no, thrice the speed the game would allow.

This Is War siphoned power through Kirito's veins, consuming him with adrenaline and spiritual energy. With that, Kirito moved like a shapeless blur, the combo unable to be followed by the naked eye as Kirito entered an unearthly realm of speed.

Heathcliff saw the change and with eyes wide, tried to parry it before it could overwhelm him. Even with his expertise and foresight, he couldn't compare without the assist function, which he vowed to leave inactive. Alas, it was too late. Kirito landed three strings in the time he would normally be in the middle of the first. Heathcliff raised his blade to block it, but his weapon could take no more.

Shattering terrifically, Liberator was no more. With a mighty swing, Kirito cleaved straight through Heathcliff's guard as his blade exploded into formless shards, leaving him completely open.

"YOU'RE MINE!"

Kirito then went for the final string in the combo, swinging his sword down aiming for Heathcliff's head. Even if one strike wouldn't bring him down, at least it would leave a large dent in his HP.

Unwilling to submit, Heathcliff raised his hands and clapped them together, catching the blade between his palms and causing his elbows and shoulders to buckle from the sudden move, Kirito widening his eyes in surprise before gritting his teeth in response.

Raising the second blade, Kirito thrusted it forward just as Heathcliff raised his boot to knock Kirito back. Just as both players moved to counterattack, for a moment they forgot about the third force at play. The opening needed for Josuke to make his move.

*BAM*

Heathcliff cringed as a large piece of concrete smashed against his head.

Instead of destroying the debris, Josuke instead opted to swing his sword like a baseball bat, sending missiles flying away from him and straight towards Kayaba. While it wasn't enough to knock him off his feet, it was enough to break his concentration. Enough time for Kirito to gain the upper hand.

*SHHK*

The blade struck true and ran through Heathcliff cleanly, causing the older man to grunt in pain as Kirito felt his lips curve upwards. Heathcliff's wide eyes drifted to his health bar, and stared as it dropped like a rock. Yelling out, he raised an arm, as torrents of earth and rubble swept Kirito away, swamping him and knocking him away.

However, this left Josuke unattended as the Stand user made use of his opening. Crazy Diamond roaring a battle cry, Josuke watched Heathcliff yank the unmanned sword out of his gut and raised it to defend himself.

"DORA!"

In a single strike, Crazy Diamond swung a kick down against Heathcliff's sword, just as he raised his free arm in response. Confused by the gesture, Josuke only watched blankly, wondering what he could possibly be attempting in a time like this, believing he would raise his hand to prop against his blade for additional pushback.

However, his smile said it all.

One of satisfaction and silent glee.

His eyes bulged in shock before Heathcliff even threw his hand down with a loud roar.

"HRAAAGH!"

With that, the ground burst out, a flower of earthen shards exploding from the ground in all directions from under Heathcliff's feet.

Kirito jumped back to dodge the sudden appearance of the spikes, but Josuke was not so lucky as one found its way rushing through his gut, causing him to hack out a breath in surprise and pain.

The debris and wreckage surrounding the city and coliseum then cleared away, the pieces of floor all around them falling through as the cracks and destruction from Heathcliff's outburst spread all across the floor, indicating another descent.

As he stood at the epicenter of the blast, Heathcliff was the first to fall, the rest of the floor falling to follow him. Josuke and Kirito braced themselves as the ground beneath their feet gave way to open air, everything crumbling apart around them as the open maw of the void below gaped to swallow them whole.

As they descended in freefall, Kirito and Josuke caught sight of one another, careening through the air as the sky around them rained ruins, rubble, and stone. Looking around them, they scanned the wreckage for signs of their opponent, but he was nowhere to be found.

Passing floor after floor, they watched all around as Aincrad came apart around them, the great iron castle that had imprisoned them for two long years tearing itself down as the walls, biomes and towns all were mercilessly laid to waste, nothing left but scrap and wreckage raining like hail upon the lands below them.

As they approached solid ground, Josuke and Kirito made their own attempts to land safely, with Josuke using his Stand to grab a piece of rock flying by and repairing it, the pull upwards slowing his fall as he let go, rolling on the ground without a scratch on him. Meanwhile, the black-clad swordsman again used his own Stand to slow his fall, spreading them out and catching the wind beneath him to glide to terra firma safely.

Looking around, Josuke could see the remains of a beautiful flower garden, a vast expanse of color that spanned all around the floor. Immediately, he recognized where they had landed. None other than the 47th floor, the land of flowers. As far as the eye could see, color and vibrant life surrounded them, or at least it used to.

The mountains of wreckage from above rained down upon the land, reducing the beauty of the floor into a barren hellscape, anything and everything torn asunder by the shower of rubble from up above.

Ahead of them, they saw Heathcliff, who held Kirito's Dark Repulser in his hand, tilting it with a curious eye scanning it up and down. A satisfied smirk on his face, he faced the pair as they eyed him closely. Watching for sudden movements, watching for the moment he'd pull a new trick from under his bottomless sleeve.

They'd watched him escape an inescapable maneuver from them both, watched him read their moves like a book he'd flipped through a thousand times over. They'd seen him as he brought down his hands to tear down the castle he'd built by himself. The impenetrable and infallible iron castle that wouldn't surrender their lives, that wouldn't give them up, a gauntlet that tested them to their limits and spared no mercy.

Reduced to nothing but scraps and dust with just a wave of his hand.

A man they knew far better than to underestimate.

"Dark Repulser… a lovely sword. Ingenious, using X'rphan's Crystalline Ingots to create it. Craftsmanship is top-notch… My compliments to the blacksmith. They did an exemplary job." Heathcliff hummed with a smile before tossing the blade back to Kirito, who caught it with his free hand, raising both to the Commander.

"Perhaps it's about time I showed you the rest of my collection."

Heathcliff then waved his hands out, as weapons fell from the sky, landing in a circle to surround Heathcliff. Standing back, Kirito gaped in awe as he recognized each and every weapon that surrounded the Commander.

Every weapon at his disposal was indisputably rare and of high caliber, things he could only dream of obtaining with his skills. Even so, he couldn't imagine what prerequisites he'd have to acquire to be able to wield any of them. He spotted weapons and blades of all varieties and classes.

Spears, swords, axes, glaives, hammers, maces, staves, nothing was exempt from Heathcliff's arsenal as Heathcliff reached for a weapon on his right.

A beautiful glaive, much like the Japanese naginata in appearance with a wide and curved blade at the end of an engraved pole, decorated with a red ribbon at the base of the blade.

Spinning the blade in his arms, Heathcliff brought it down to slam into the ground, as a loud and ringing CLANG echoed throughout the floor. The impact rang out as Josuke and Kirito flinched in their steadfast stance, watching as Heathcliff gave another confident smile their way.

Then they heard a familiar noise.

The growl of a beast that Josuke didn't recognize, but he could tell just from looking at Kirito's reaction that this was far from good. His face paled like a sheet, his arms shaking in fear.

"Kirito? What's happening?!"

The swordsman turned to him with wide eyes, but before he could say anything, Heathcliff lifted his weapon as two creatures appeared beside him, spawning on the spot as Heathcliff summoned them.

Josuke recognized the one on the left. A massive, walking pile of rocks and ore, clustered together to form a solid and impenetrable outer shell to hide a glowing hot core in the center. The Ancient Golem raised its body and assumed a threatening pose, with Josuke remembering his battle with the creature back in the canyon with Lisbeth.

The one on the right, however, was one Josuke didn't remember, but it was one Kirito knew very well. A creature he associated with one of his darkest memories in the game. A reptilian beast bearing muscular legs ending in sickle claws and long arms lined with razor-sharp arm blades. The Dromaeo released a shrill screech as it knelt down, ready to break into a sprint.

As Heathcliff raised his weapon to the pair, the two tightened the grips on their weapons as they prepared for the third phase of their battle.

"Show me what you're made of!"

With that, the two monsters moved to attack, the golem charging at Josuke as the ground rumbled underneath them. Meanwhile, the Dromaeo was already gone, blinking in and out of sight at blinding speed. Kirito kept his guard up, prepared to face the speeding demon from his past.

The monster appeared in brief flashes, threatening to pop out in the flesh and skewer the swordsman on its blades before he could even react. Despite that, Kirito stood his ground, breathing in and out as he willed his hands and knees to stop shaking. He knew that if he were to lose himself, it would be the definitive death of him.

So, he stared ahead, but abandoned his eyes. Watching Heathcliff running to approach, hearing Josuke evade the strikes of the golem, he listened and waited patiently, honing his ears for a sign, anything.

A sudden movement just behind him-

"THERE!"

His Stand phased into existence instantly, taking ahold of him as its power surged within him, slowing time down to a crawl as he turned around, seeing the monster appear out of its slip in time and space, its blades out in preparation to run him through. Baring his teeth in a growl, he swung his weapons and attacked.

A swing of one sword cleaved through the creature's arms, the other sweeping down to hack off its legs. As his Stand's power could hold no longer, the Dromaeo tumbled across the ground, completely dismembered and screeching in agony, utterly confused as to what had happened.

Heathcliff stopped his advance and watched in surprise as Kirito then rushed up to the creature, driving his swords through the monster's head as it exploded into a cluster of pixels. Raising his blade, he allowed Kirito to turn his attention to him as they rushed one another, crossing blades once more.

Meanwhile, Josuke was still running. Evading as the golem smashed its way past debris to reach him, Josuke took care to remember exactly how he and Lisbeth stopped the creature back then. The way things were now, he couldn't do a thing to get past that shell, not with brute force.

That was why all he could do was dodge and wait. Wait for the perfect moment to strike-

The creature then opened its cavity in an attempt to blast him with fire.

The moment he'd been waiting for.

"CRAZY DIAMOND!"

The creature shot out a smoldering ball of flame directly at Josuke, just as the Stand user summoned Crazy Diamond to appear in the path of the projectile, raising its fists to intercept the attack.

"DORA!"

In a single punch, the fireball exploded harmlessly, dissipating as Josuke's Stand smashed it apart with its fist. In a fluid motion, Crazy Diamond then wound both fists back and punched outward in the direction of the golem.

"FIX IT!"

The very flames that died on Crazy Diamond's fist then shot back into existence, rocketing to life and flying in a straight line right back to its place of origin: The golem's open chest, completely unprotected and vulnerable.

With a terrific explosion, the fireball burst against the golem's core, causing it to release a screech as it fell to its knees, staggered. Seeing his opening, Josuke rushed in, his sword in hand and prepared to end it and get back to focusing on his top priority; Kayaba.

Driving his sword through the core and preventing it from closing back up, Josuke then had Crazy Diamond manifest, the Stand roaring as it kicked down against the hilt of the sword, its legs every bit as fast and violent as its fists.

"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARA! DORA!"

Hundreds of kicks hammered the sword deeper and deeper into the golem like chisel being driven through stone. Josuke held on for dear life as Crazy Diamond slammed its foot down one more time, the thundering force and strength punching straight through the golem as it fell limp and exploded into nothing.

As he recovered, Kirito and Heathcliff rushed each other for the upteenth time, clashing their blades in an elegant and frantic dance of battle. Heathcliff wielded the polearm like an extension of his own limbs, as though he'd been using it his whole life.

A spin of the glaive to deflect a swing from Kirito, turning and raising the weapon horizontally to deflect a downward slash, causing Kirito to stagger for a brief second, leading Heathcliff to grin as he readjusted his grip and swung the blade down, only for Kirito to cross his blades, preventing his counterattack.

"Impressive. I thought you'd be thrown off by my using a different weapon, but you've held out."

"Don't you underestimate me, dammit!"

Needless to say, both of them were equally matched, equally dextrous, equally skilled with their blades. Heathcliff would strike, and Kirito would block or evade it to counterattack, only to be casually parried by the Commander.

It was a battle where neither side gave quarter, neither was willing to surrender. Kirito swung yet again with a thrust, and Heathcliff was ready, holding the polearm at an angle so that his blade slid along its edge, carrying Kirito with the momentum as he spun the shaft of the spear to smash into Kirito's torso, causing him to cough out the contents of his lungs as he flew back.

"DORA!"

Before he could deal a fatal blow to Kirito, Josuke rushed in, Crazy Diamond flying out sword in hand as the Stand smashed a crater into the ground as it brought the weapon down where Heathcliff once stood, the Commander dodging with a spirited smirk on his face.

"My turn!"

"By all means, take your best shot!"

Heathcliff's eyes tracked the sword-wielding Stand carefully and cautiously, quickly making moves to dodge or deflect as Crazy Diamond rapidly swung at the Commander despite the huge weight of the blade. Josuke ran to reach Heathcliff as Crazy Diamond laid the offensive.

"DORARARARARARARARARARA!"

Heathcliff couldn't predict the sequence of the swings like he would a Sword Skill, nor did he have the system to assist him, but he wasn't helpless, not in the slightest. Blocking strike after strike, he raised the blade vertically to defend his head from a swing, above him to stop the blade from caving his skull, then drove the blade end into the ground to stop the sword from hacking his legs off.

Suddenly, as Crazy Diamond's hand flinched back from the parry, the Stand used the momentum of the blade and swung in an upwards arc, aiming to cut Heathcliff open from the bottom up. Eyes wide, Heathcliff raised his weapon and prayed.

"DORA!"

The glaive was sliced in half as Heathcliff flew back. Josuke then reached the battle, letting Crazy Diamond release the sword as it flew in the air, Josuke jabbing a finger towards Heathcliff, who opened his palms to summon a new set of weapons into his hands.

"DORARARARARARARARARARARA!"

Heathcliff summoned twin daggers in his hands, using the blades to match Crazy Diamond's strikes blow for blow, a rapid and desperate dance for dominance as both fighters stood their ground, but Heathcliff was losing ground himself.

The blades lasted several hits, but shattered under Crazy Diamond's strength. However, Heathcliff was not without speed as he summoned a new set of weapons immediately, a resplendent rapier much like Asuna's, splattering thrusts at the speed of light, but the blade snapped and disappeared as it clashed with Crazy Diamond.

A heavy mace swung against the ground, rocking the earth but doing nothing to faze Josuke as it too, was lost.

A kite shield was brought out to withstand the strikes, but it was nowhere near as resilient as the Liberator as Josuke grabbed it and smashed it against Heathcliff's head, staggering him and tossing it far away, as he leaped up to grab his sword falling from the sky and slammed it into the ground, sending Heathcliff back as he evaded the blow.

All matched Josuke's attacks, but failed to hold up.

Reaching for a katana, Heathcliff ducked as Kirito rejoined the battle, swinging for his head, swerving under both fighters as he sliced at Josuke's ankles, causing him to fall to the ground.

Kirito vaulted over his friend's body, swinging as his blade rang out to clash with Heathcliff's sheath, after which he drew the blade from the scabbard, a quick draw quickly sending Kirito back with a cut against his chest.

With a roar, Heathcliff brought the blade down as Kirito and Josuke could only watch, then gape in horror as an absolutely massive shockwave burst out from the swing, tearing the ground up, scattering flowers in all directions and laying waste to the earth. As the ground rumbled and shifted, they realized they were going down once more.

"Well done, well done. It's time I got serious!"

Heathcliff gloated as the floor itself appeared to split in two, a massive fault opening in the center of the floor as both sides tilted inward, causing Kirito and Josuke to lose their footing as the void below opened up to swallow everything whole once more.

Kirito summoned his Stand in preparation for the descent, before Heathcliff rushed at him, flying across the inclined ground and slashing at him. Kirito raised his blades to block, but only flew into the open fault, downward into the void as everything came down once more.

Josuke saw this and gritted his teeth, running down the incline and picking up speed as rubble and earth rained from behind him like an avalanche. Heathcliff flew over to him, his blade in hand and swinging down to slash at the Stand user. Seeing the man approaching, Josuke growled as he made his move.

Jumping, he entered freefall as he flipped to face the sky, Heathcliff quickly approaching, diving at him from the sky directly above him. Holding his blade parallel to his body, Overture acted as a shield as Heathcliff's blade struck him, knocking further down into the empty air below, hurtling to the ground miles below.

To his surprise, Heathcliff continued to hover, raising his hands as the pieces of floor above and around him floated in the air, the man holding them in space as he clenched his fists. The entire floor then exploded into dust and rubble in an instant, both Kirito and Josuke watching as Heathcliff smiled, shifting his hands as each and every piece of rock held by his Stand chipped away to form jagged tips, turning them into deadly arrows.

Thinking quickly, Kirito used his Stand to dive behind cover, as Josuke grabbed a piece of rubble beside him, using his Stand on it and repairing it, just as Heathcliff brought his hand down, sending the deadly hail raining down, a shower of arrows falling into the void, rocketing towards them.

Josuke's reconstruction was complete, forming a wide sheet of concrete above him, just in time to shake as Heathcliff's meteors struck down, sending him tumbling into oblivion.

The improvised shield held out, but not for long as the shards shot through and knocked him down, causing Josuke to cringe as he slammed against a floor below, already falling apart from the weight of the worlds above, so much so that nothing remained other than devastated land and platforms of stone.

Seeing a flash of light above him, Josuke gasped as he frantically rolled out of the way, just enough to miss Heathcliff slamming down on the platform, his sword embedding in the stone with earth-shattering force.

Raising his sword, he waved a hand with a grin as four swords appeared beside him, then proceeding to encircle his body, acting as a shield and a threatening display. Josuke saw his challenge and raised his own sword to meet it. Heathcliff then rushed him, his sword held in an iaido stance as he prepared to strike, Josuke prepared as he stood his ground.

In a flash, Heathcliff was in front of him.

Grunting, Josuke swung his sword to meet his strike, just barely missing the attack as it grazed his collar. The force of the strike sent a shockwave all throughout the space, as Josuke's blade began to splinter and crack, worn from the strain of this battle. A close call, but it was well worth it as Josuke reached out with Crazy Diamond and aimed for his throat. Unable to dodge in time, the Commander stood there, but did not move.

Josuke then flinched as the swords surrounding Heathcliff jerked into rapid movement, swinging in mid-air to hack his hand clean off, Josuke barely making it by with a scrape against his wrist. Moving forward with a flurry of slashes, Heathcliff quickly gained the upper hand as Josuke was left to grit his teeth, quickly overwhelmed by a barrage of strikes from five blades.

"Two hands on the sword, two on your Stand… I'd say you're two hands too short, my friend." Heathcliff taunted as he attacked again, holding nothing back.

Heathcliff swung his sword at Josuke, who raised his own blade to parry it. As he struck Heathcliff's guard with a counterattack, the man only grinned as the blades surrounding him flipped in the air to swing at the Stand user, all aiming at him at the same time.

"DORARA!"

Crazy Diamond reacted immediately, throwing two punches to deflect the blades aimed at his torso, but could only gape in horror as the other two flew towards his head.

However, the blades never hit as a dark blur appeared, the two blades disappearing for sight before Kirito landed in front of Josuke, standing to face Heathcliff. Rising to his full height, his Stand unfurled from behind his back, both wings grasping onto Heathcliff's swords, as Kirito assumed a battle-ready stance, a total of four blades in hand and at his disposal.

Seeing this, Heathcliff let out an amused chuckle as he grasped out into the air, a blade forming in his open palm, causing him to wield two swords not unlike Kirito's preferred style of combat, causing Kirito to raise an eyebrow.

"Surprised? I was the one who designed that skill. Don't think for a second that it's out of my reach. Now then, think you can keep up with me?" Heathcliff grinned as Kirito tightened the grip on his blades.

"I should be the one asking you that." Kirito growled as he slammed his boots down, streaking across the floor straight towards the Commander.

Josuke was quick to join in, the pair of them rushing the Commander, who summoned another set of blades to surround him as he stood ready, both blades in hand as the duo rushed him.

No surprise, Kirito was the first to reach him, as Heathcliff rushed to meet his blade, the swords encircling him rushing to slice at him, but instead of aiming for him directly and clashing blades with him, Kirito threw his fourth blade in his Stand's hand at the flying swords, dispersing them and used his momentum to carry his body forward, sliding down and aiming low.

Jerking his body around as he sliced at Heathcliff's shins, this caused him to take a knee as Kirito slashed at one leg with his Stand's open claws, forcing him down in a millisecond, gravity working at an accelerated pace.

Looking up, he saw Josuke moving in, Crazy Diamond at the ready and sword in hand. Not wasting time, he redirected his blades to follow him, only for the Stand to swat them away, Josuke's sword doing away with the rest. However, it was enough time for him to get back on his feet and focus his attention back to Kirito.

Josuke swung, Crazy Diamond throwing punches alongside him, only for Heathcliff to cross two blades to hold back the Stand, causing them to shatter and quickly be replaced, the blade in his hand blocking Josuke's swing as Kirito directed a series of slashes from his other side. Heathcliff's eyes were sharp and his memory sharper, as he guarded against Kirito's onslaught, swerving to get Josuke's weight off him as he met Kirito's attack with both blades.

Josuke growled as he rushed with a thrust, Heathcliff throwing his blade at Josuke's feet and raising his hand, springing it upwards into the air as Josuke caught the blade with Crazy Diamond as he flinched back, but not before redirecting his movement to toss the blade back with a mighty swing.

"DORA!"

Heathcliff grinned and willed the blade to sail by, missing his head and aiming directly for Kirito, whose Stand moved to deflect it again, sending it soaring up into the air, as Heathcliff reclaimed it in his hand to swing at Josuke, who clashed his sword against Heathcliff, Kirito continuing to lay the offensive as they wore the game developer down bit by bit.

The battle continued as they descended in freefall, the platform they battled on sailing down past floor after floor, the sky raining destruction around them as they crossed blades. Heathcliff stood his ground, every swing purposeful as he stood against the pair of Josuke and Kirito whaling down on him.

However, he was not mindlessly taking swings as he watched and waited. He kept track of every swing, every parry, every clash of the sword. Waiting patiently for something. The perfect opportunity, the definitive tell that would be the key to victory.

Then he saw it.

Kirito's and Josuke's blades were on the verge of shattering, their defense thoroughly battered after the long battle.

Heathcliff gave a small grin at the sight. They had been fighting so aggressively, keeping their health in very close mind, but never considered how long their weapons would hold out.

"ENOUGH!"

Heathcliff declared as he slammed a boot down, a massive shockwave knocking Kirito and Josuke off their feet, as Heathcliff made his move, spinning on his heel and aiming his next swing at Josuke's blade. Josuke was quick to react, summoning Crazy Diamond to catch Heathcliff's blade between its palms, swinging his own sword for one more counterattack but Heathcliff laughed as the blades surrounding him all converged on Overture, colliding with a metallic screech.

Then, the blade was no more, nothing but shards of obsidian as Josuke stared in horror, much to Heathcliff's amusement.

Then, he jumped up, shooting straight up into the air as he hovered in the air, raising a hand as the duo stared up at the man.

At Heathcliff's command, the pieces of debris surrounding them in freefall converged, pieces of rock rising and collecting, piling up and smashing into each other, forming a huge mass that overshadowed the duo, causing them to gawk in fear as a mountain-sized ball of concrete, earth, and rubble loomed in the air above them.

"I'm impressed you've made it this far! Let's end this with a bang!" Heathcliff laughed, bringing his hand down as his gigantic meteor crashed down to his two enemies.

Kirito and Josuke were quick to move, and before they could process it, the massive projectile destroyed the platform they stood on, reducing it to dust and pebbles, the pair of them dodging purely on gut instinct as they flew in opposite directions, losing one another amidst the cloud of dust and shrapnel.

As Kirito found solid footing, he realized he was standing on a remnant of floor, an entire section of the floor hanging on as the abyss opened up on the other side. Looking beside him, he spotted a familiar sight all around him.

Where there were once majestic swaths of rolling hills blanketed by dutiful evergreens, now buried under the hail of rock and stone from the sky, as the forest burned all around them. The shining lakes that filled him with peace, now rocked and boiled as the rubble crashed to break the water's surface, churning them and splashing the banks over.

Finally, he looked off in the distance and saw it.

A lone log cottage, sitting amongst the forest trees, a simple and peaceful retreat. The very place he sought refuge when the world seemed against him. The home he had carved out for himself and the woman he loved.

The battle had brought them here, so far below, to the 22nd Floor.

Kirito was suddenly snapped out of his thoughts as Heathcliff crashed into the ground where he once stood, a sword plunged into the ground as four blades followed suit, embedding themselves into the ground before rising and fluidly moving to orbit Heathcliff's body.

Kirito took a good look at him. The man's armor was half-gone, his left shoulder pauldron gone, revealing the black garment he wore underneath. His ponytail had come undone sometime during the fight, leaving his long silver hair to dance in the wind, gray strands of hair falling loose around his eyes and face.

In both hands, he held a sword each, as he eyed Kirito with an eager glint in his smile. Raising the blades, he beckoned for Kirito to prepare himself, as Kirito raised his own blades, his Stand at the ready.

With a roar, Kirito rushed at Heathcliff, who raised his swords and crossed blades with the swordsman.

A furious dance ensued, as Kirito swung desperately, hacking away in search of an opening, but Heathcliff was quick, collected, and held a huge advantage. As Kirito aimed a slash at Heathcliff, he would raise a blade to clash with him, and do the same with the other. Every now and again, Kirito would aim his Stand at Heathcliff, but it was no use.

With the spinning blades surrounding Heathcliff, he couldn't risk losing an arm, not here.

Heathcliff then spun the blades in a drilling motion, sending it towards Kirito as the swordsman crossed his blades to block it, but not before Kirito growled, sprinting at Heathcliff at full speed, using his swords to swat the blades out of his path and making a beeline for Heathcliff.

Grinning, Heathcliff raised his blades to meet Kirito's, and watched as Kirito sent a claw from his back to grasp his face.

Heathcliff pushed off, but not before a small gasp appeared on the side of his face, drawn by This Is War as he felt his mind reel, shifting to a separate plane. Kirito felt the shift within Heathcliff, realizing his Stand had taken effect, and wasted no time, charging up a Sword Skill, the most powerful one at his disposal.

"Now's my chance!"

[The Eclipse]

At a staggering 27 hits, The Eclipse was the most complex and damaging combo in the entire Dual Wielding skill tree, and Kirito had never used it up until now. Right now, at the edge of victory, he saw no better opportunity to use it.

However, he noticed something strange about Heathcliff as he moved in.

Heathcliff had been affected by This Is War, but in such a small dose of the Stand's power, Heathcliff watched as Kirito moved in slow motion to finish him off. Raising his arm, it felt slower, felt heavier than his mind's pace, but it was enough for him to meet the strikes.

Every strike.

Kirito watched as Heathcliff seamlessly met every swing of The Eclipse with a combo of his own, completely canceling out the massive combo as Kirito could only helplessly watch, his body moving independently from his mind to complete the combo.

At the last strike, Kirito felt the Dark Repulser shatter into hundreds of tiny crystalline fragments, the lag sinking in as his body entered the brief cooldown period. It was brief, but a precious second lost as Heathcliff triumphantly aimed his sword at his heart.

"Game over."

*SHKH*

Kirito gasped as he felt the sword pierce him through, grunting as his eyes widened, watching the blade sink through him and out his back. Feeling his strength sap away and watching his health deplete, he realized the bitter truth.

He was about to die.

Before he could react, Heathcliff kicked into his torso, sending Kirito tumbling over the ledge as he disappeared into the darkness of the void below.

"One down. What a shame."

"KIRITO!"

Suddenly, Heathcliff turned to watch as the Stand user finally found his way to the battle after being separated from them and smashed his fists together, his gauntlets and greaves appearing atop them as he stared Heathcliff down with an enraged expression.

"I'LL KILL YOU!"

Sprinting at the Commander, Heathcliff could only laugh as he discarded his blades, letting them sink into the ground as he summoned a set of gauntlets and greaves onto his own limbs, meeting the Stand user's challenge.

Ten.

Josuke threw a jab at Heathcliff, who responded with a swipe of his palm, redirecting it away and driving a hook against the Stand user's face.

Nine.

Josuke roared as he sent a kick up to his torso, causing the Commander to cough out from the sudden impact.

Eight.

Throwing another set of punches, Heathcliff defended against Josuke's attacks as he returned himself, clashing their fists with one another as their greaves bounced off each others' in mid-air.

Seven.

Crazy Diamond constantly attacked in savage fury, its punches avoided or redirected with a blade sailing obediently through the air to defend Heathcliff as he matched fists with Josuke.

Six.

Heathcliff stepped back as Josuke directed a combination of kicks his way, then leaped up as he slammed a fist into the ground, blowing dirt and stone out in a crater.

Five.

Heathcliff grinned as he saw his opening, flipping and driving his heel into the back of Josuke's head, completely stunning him.

Four.

Now staring down his staggered foe, Heathcliff threw an uppercut into his chest to send him up into the air, before whipping a haymaker into his body, sending Josuke flying over the edge of the floor.

Three.

As the Stand user looked up, he saw Heathcliff looking down on him from above with an expression of surefire confidence, one of certain victory. Also, a hint of disappointment. He was glad to have this fight, but let down by their loss.

Two.

However, as Heathcliff took out the healing crystal in his hand in preparation to crush it and replenish himself, Josuke looked up… and grinned.

One.

He'd fallen into their trap.

Before the second could pass, Josuke retrieved a familiar item from his coat and mouthed words Heathcliff could not read. A split-second after he saw it activate, he immediately recognized it and turned around, but to no avail.

"Resurrect. Kirito…"

*SCHKNG*

Before he could move, before he could react, Kirito's Stand placed him light-years ahead of Heathcliff as he sprang back from the void, right behind Heathcliff as he slashed one more with the Elucidator, hitting his target without fail.

A single cut straight through Heathcliff's arm, severing his limb at the bicep as the hand continued to grasp the unused healing crystal, disappearing into the dark abyss below.

Heathcliff was so caught off-guard, so shocked at this turn of events that he never saw coming, that he didn't even make an effort to correct his balance, he and Kirito continuing to fall one last time down into the bottomless pit cleared away by the falling iron castle around them, Aincrad in its entirety now nothing more than a decrepit ruin of its former glory, nothing but scrap and dust.

"The Egg… so you kept it all this time… even after all you've encountered… I… never expected…"

Heathcliff muttered as he fell, Kirito and Josuke rushing at him in mid-air, as he haphazardly blocked a strike, sending him tumbling further down.

Eventually, they reached the point where they could fall no more, as Heathcliff groaned and weakly hoisted his body up with a sword, looking all around him as he found himself surrounded by a familiar sight.

A massive city, now a shell of what it used to be. Once the site from which it all began, once a place of joy and gathering into a new world, now crumbled into nothing as the castle above them tore down and tumbled into the swirling clouds below them, never to return from the bottomless sky.

The Town of Beginnings stood quietly as the three men stood where their journey and long war began, where they first set foot in this world and stayed for two years. In the very square where Heathcliff himself addressed the players as Kayaba, announcing their imprisonment and their indefinite stay.

As the world rained fire around them and his health a mere inch away from draining completely dry, Heathcliff- No, Kayaba took a moment to think to himself.

He remembered the promise he made.

To himself.

To her.

To his best friend who he failed.

He'd see it through.

He'd make his dream come true.

Here he was, at the very end. Staring the final act in the eye as Kirito and Josuke stood at the ready, their armor dirty and ragged, Kirito hoisting his remaining blade up for one final assault, Josuke raising his fists as Crazy Diamond bore an expression of seething rage.

They were prepared, they had turned the tables, and all that was left was the final blow.

The end of the dream, the end of the castle in the sky, the end of the ruthless vigil he had pursued his entire life.

These men would emerge from the castle forever changed, forever immortalized in the memories of the survivors. Now and forever, true heroes.

They were finally ready to wake up.

"THE BELLS TOLL FOR THE END! TAKE BACK YOUR FREEDOM, CHAMPIONS!"

Heathcliff screamed into the air, his voice echoing through the sky as the bells from the tower chimed for the evening sunset that cast a golden light over the empty square.

Yelling out, Kirito and Josuke made their move. Rushing towards the fallen Commander, they sprinted in a straight beeline to end it once and for all.

Raising his hand, Heathcliff growled as mountains of spikes erupted from the ground, causing Kirito to roll to the side, quickly regaining his footing, before materializing every single weapon in his arsenal in the air above him, lined up and raining down upon the ground, then waving his remaining hand to direct waves and waves of rubble down along the path.

However, Josuke was quick to react, smashing a boot into the ground and springing a massive chunk of the ground into the air, before smashing an open palm with Crazy Diamond against the flat end that was once part of the floor, sending it flying towards Heathcliff, dispersing the tsunami of projectiles and cleaving a straight path forward.

Heathcliff was quick to react, raising an arm to stop the projectile before it hit him, but not before it smashed apart, Josuke emerging from behind it with maddened eyes, his Stand's face mirroring its master's.

"DORA! DORARARARARARARARARARARA!"

Crazy Diamond struck first, using its fists to attack the one-armed man, a flurry of sword strikes and improvised shields rising to defend Heathcliff from the onslaught.

However, Josuke could tell just as well as Heathcliff exactly who held the advantage this time around.

With only a single arm, Heathcliff was far less coordinated and controlled. His balance was easily thrown off, his grip thrown off without effort.

Eventually, Heathcliff could take no more.

His sword flew out of his hand as his defense slipped for a second, Josuke relentless in his counterattack, summoning Crazy Diamond to pummel the Commander into oblivion.

"DORARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARARA! DORA!"

Dazed, in absolute pain, and without any hope of victory, Heathcliff looked up as he watched his health rise and drop like the waves of the sea, Josuke attacking with reckless abandon, his own body unable to stand their attacks.

Looking up, he watched as the ceiling of the iron castle gave way and crumbled away completely, providing a glimpse of a sight unlike any other.

He saw the sun dipping down on the horizon, showering the land in the golden shimmer of twilight. His castle, his life's work, his final destination, had come full circle as the sun set upon his Aincrad for the final time.

A most beautiful sight.

Looking up, he watched as a black shape leaped at him in the middle of the shining light, closing in as Kirito rocketed down with a primal battle cry, his sword in hand in preparation to deal the final blow.

In response, Heathcliff said nothing.

And closed his eyes.

"HRAAAAGGHH!"

Kirito brought his sword down, landing on his knees and breathing heavily as his Stand folded its wings around him, not before Heathcliff crashed down against the floor.

In two clean pieces.

As Heathcliff's final drawn-out breath heaved from his mouth, his lips curled up yet again into a small, satisfied grin as his body began to glow and shimmer.

"Well… played…"

With that, his body disappeared and exploded into a mass of blue pixels, dispersing into the wind.

Kirito stood up, his breath shallow as he sank to his knees, unable to say anything as Josuke did the same, his eyes staring up at Heathcliff's particles scattering into the sky as Aincrad fell apart all around them.

There were no words, no cheer, no tears. Only a voice that rang out as an announcement was made, heard by everyone who bore witness, everyone present, everyone who would walk out of the game alive. Words they couldn't believe were finally being heard.

"As of 18:00, April 6th, 2024, Sword Art Online has been cleared. I repeat, Sword Art Online has been cleared."

Weapon Showcase:

Lv. 99 One-Handed Sword: Black Knight, Elucidator – The obsidian black sheen of this blade is as sharp as it is intimidating, and its ferocity is only matched by its infallible bastion. This sword fears no foe, and falters to no challenge, no matter how great.

Special: Heart of the Hero: Activation time of all «Sword Skills» decreased by 50%, 30% more damage dealt to «Boss» enemies, all recovery time reduced by 30%

Enhancement: +50

Damage: 700 (S)

Speed: 400 (B)

Durability: 900 (S)

Range: 2m (B)

Precision: 75% (A)

Rank: Legendary, Boss Drop (S)

Selling Price: 300,000 Col

Owner: Kirito

Elsewhere…

An endless sky.

The first thing Kirito saw the moment he awakened.

A golden warmth washing over his every being as he rubbed his eyes quietly, blinking twice to drink in his surroundings.

"Where… am I?..."

All around him, he saw nothing but the boundless sky. Clouds drifted by in the distance in every direction, as the wind danced a slow breeze in his hair and coat. Below him, his feet stood on no visible ground, yet he remained standing upright. Sitting against the transparent surface, his feet found the edge as he dangled his boots off the edge, staring into the void.

Off in the distance, far down below him, Kirito saw it.

A great iron castle, floating above the void amongst the swirling clouds. A hollow shell of its former magnificence, as fragments of its exterior fell away, coming loose and tumbling into the infinity below, never to rise again.

The outer shell of Aincrad was nothing more than a ruined skeleton, the walls opening to reveal a hollow interior, each and every floor destroyed beyond recognition as mountains of dirt and stone vanished below the clouds.

He watched the castle shatter and crumble away, watched the prison that held him for so long disappear, that fantastical world that stole from him and bled him dry, yet hoisted him up to be something beyond his wildest dreams.

He stared, and could say nothing.

"Kirito!"

Suddenly, his eyes flashed open as he turned around, immediately recognizing the voice that called out to him.

Meeting his wide-eyed gaze was a face he'd never forget. Chestnut brown hair flowing in the breeze, shimmering in the golden light of the sunset just like her amber eyes. Dainty hands covering her lips as her eyes gleamed with the wetness of tears.

"Asuna…"

Rushing over to her, Asuna did the same, the two meeting midway amidst the golden sky in a tight and heartfelt embrace, all their emotions releasing at once as they held on, afraid to let go, like the other could slip away and fall, just like Aincrad and its remains. Nestling his head in the crook of her neck, Kirito heard her hasty breaths and gasps as she sobbed, a contagious sound that he soon found himself mirroring as his eyes felt damp in moments.

Looking up, Kirito locked wide, tearing eyes with Asuna, the two deep in a moment as Kirito took the brief respite to manage out a word.

"See?… I told you I'd find a way."

Kirito felt a small smile curl up the edges of his lips as Asuna let out a faint sigh amidst a tiny smile and buried her face in his chest, holding onto him tighter.

"Idiot… What were you thinking? Letting yourself take the fall to get the upper hand… You almost gave me a heart attack."

Kirito blinked as an eyebrow rose.

"You were watching?"

Asuna smiled as she looked up, her eyes still wet. "I was teleported away to a place like this… All I could do was watch the battle… Watch you tear down Aincrad in the process… W-watch him run you through as you faded away…"

"I know, right?"

The pair turned as Josuke appeared beside them, looking none the worse as he rubbed a hand behind his neck with a kind smile. The pair smiled at their friend, as the three turned to the edge to watch Aincrad finally come apart in the distance.

"We'd have never topped Heathcliff with brute strength and skill alone. Everything we'd throw at him, he'd still have something to turn up the ante. If we didn't have the revival item, we would've never gotten that final hit in." Josuke muttered, Asuna's eyes remaining on the crumbling castle.

"So… it's finally over. We did it…"

"Indeed."

For the second time, a foreign voice rang out through the silence, causing all three players to turn to their right, casting their eyes on a lone figure standing on the far end of the platform.

Dressed in a long, flowing white lab coat, the man looked nothing like a player, nor anyone they had met in the game before, and yet his voice was astoundingly familiar to them.

Not turning to face them, the man's face betrayed no emotion as he addressed the trio, his eyes locked on Aincrad falling apart in the distance.

"Beautiful, isn't it?"

A soft sigh, as his eyes betrayed a hint of sadness, yet peaceful.

"A fleeting, yet memorable dream, crumbling away as the distant slumberer awakens in their bed, returning to their former lives." He breathed, as Kirito's eyes widened.

"Akihiko Kayaba…"

The man in question finally shifted his gaze to meet the trio, a hint of that satisfied smile Heathcliff always wore on his face. A surefire sign that he was the same man.

"As we speak, my Stand is combing the SAO server in Argus headquarters, wiping it clean, until nothing will remain. Like a distant dream, it will fade away into oblivion. Only preserved in memory." Kayaba said as he turned once again to his life's work, never looking away.

"What of the players?" Asuna asked, on edge as the man hummed in response.

"The six thousand who had survived the game up until our final battle have been spared, and have all logged out safely." Kayaba stated curtly, sifting through a menu of the survivors displayed, before swiping it out of sight.

"What about the fallen?" Josuke then asked, a calm mask hiding edge in his voice as Kayaba narrowed his eyes at the castle below.

"I've told you already. They won't return. Not in this world or any beyond. One chance was given, and they were unable to run to the end of the road. Whether they died fighting or unjustly, is that not the same case in the real world?" Kayaba asked, a coldness in his voice that caused Kirito's brows to furrow.

"That doesn't change what you did. What you did to take their choice in the matter away. You talk like you're exempt, but you didn't lift a finger to save anyone, even when you had all the power to do it!" Kirito growled, venom in his voice as Kayaba's eyes drooped, taking on a new emotion of sorrow.

"I won't refute that. I wouldn't ask you to forgive me for what I've done. I couldn't make it up to any of you, not even if I tried. The most I can do is give away my shares to compensate the families of the dead, but even then, none of them will see me as anything but the man who stole a precious life from them. Even so, even if I hid the truth from them, every soul who entered this world of mine did so of their own free will. They wanted something more, something out of this world, so I gave it to them."

Silence filled the air at Kayaba's declaration, before Kirito spoke up again, asking a question.

"Why… W-why did you do this? All of this?"

With that, Heathcliff let out a wistful sigh as he stared off into the horizon, the golden sunset light bathing him as he smiled with nostalgia in his eyes.

"I suppose… it began with a dream. Long ago…"

"I didn't remember when I began to have that dream, or why I became so obsessed with it, but I knew one thing to be true the moment I woke up. I wanted to climb the iron castle in the sky, and see what was at the top."

"Every night I would wake up at the first floor, then climb each one by foot, one by one, floor by floor. I'd sometimes wake up all the way up on the 98th floor, other times, I never made it past the third. One thing was constant, though. I'd never see the top. A world nothing like our own, a place I could escape to every night, and I'd yearn to visit it again. Over and over, until one day… the dream stopped."

"I developed the concept for Full-Dive technology when I was in college. I decided that I'd build that castle on my own, make an entire world for me to explore, to escape to, without worry of ever waking up to see it all gone. But…"

"...I lost my motivation. My drive. Forgetting why I wanted it so badly, why I was trying so hard… I burned out. I collapsed, and my colleagues were near the end as well, despite our hardest efforts. Sugou was on the verge of quitting. Higa was ready to drop. Rinko whined for days on end."

"Then… it happened. I was in a museum, when by complete chance, I saw it. A golden arrow, more beautiful than any I've ever seen."

"Your Stand…" Josuke gasped with wide eyes, as Kayaba nodded.

"I used my power to find out about Stands, about the arrows, about the exploits of a certain family of heroes who harnessed its power to conquer evil. Suddenly… I remembered."

"My reason. My ambition. I wanted something more out of this world. Something that would change it forever, to become something out of my wildest dreams, and here it was. People of the real world… to them, the world of Stands is invisible. Undetectable. Hidden beneath mystique and veils."

"With my Stand, I realized I had the power to change that. To realize my dream in full and bring the world of Stands into the light. You remember a certain saying about Stand users don't you, Josuke?"

"Stand users attract other Stand users…" Josuke muttered as Kayaba smiled once more.

"Correct. With my power creating SAO, I expected to draw in people from all walks of life, people who possessed Stands, or had the potential to harness the power. Those people would be the legendary heroes who used their power to save lives, the larger-than-life warriors who didn't let the game win them over. This was what I wanted to create all along. To bring back a world of heroes, of legends."

"Laughing Coffin didn't think the same… They used their power to murder, to torture." Asuna breathed out, as Kayaba sighed under his breath.

"Where heroes rise, villains will follow. Despite the odds, you defeated them. Showed that despite their evil, you had the tenacity and the power to prevail over it. As the players emerge from this world, they won't forget who saved their lives, the power of the Stand which shielded them and pushed them through the path to freedom. They will bring word with them of these legends, and the word will spread. The world of Stands will no longer be hidden, and our mundane everyday lives will never be the same." Kayaba smiled, the breeze blowing at his coat as the three watched in silence.

"You know… it's strange, but answer a question for me, will you?" Kayaba asked in passing, as he inhaled.

"Do you believe… that somewhere out there… beyond the void… beyond our two worlds… that my castle still stands?"

Kirito paused for a moment as he stared down, watching the castle split into fragments, almost completely destroyed, as he thought back.

He remembered the feeling he felt, of wanting more out of this life, to leave the world behind and reach a place beyond his wildest dreams. The very same reason why he came here in the first place. Now watching it all crumble to ash, he turned to Kayaba with his answer.

"Yeah… Maybe it still is."

As silence passed through them all, Kayaba then completely turned his body to face the three of them, a smile on his face as genuine warmth glinted in his eyes, a look that none of them had seen before.

"Congratulations on your spectacular victory, on completing the game, Kirito. JoJo. Asuna. You gave your all and astounded me at every turn. I pray you'll continue to run far and long out in the real world, or any other."

With that, Kayaba turned away into the distance, his back to them as he walked away slowly, turning back one last time with a heartfelt smile on his face.

"Thank you so much… for playing my game."

Kirito, Asuna, and Josuke watched as the man walked into the distance, his body fading into the golden light as he muttered one last thing under his breath.

"Rinko… I'm coming home…"

And just like that, he was finally gone with the wind.

Now completely alone in this world, the Commander, the black swordsman, and the Stand user all sat on the edge of oblivion as the steel castle in the sky finally splintered into nothingness, Aincrad tumbling down into the swirling clouds, never to return.

As they stared into the horizon, Kirito broke the silence.

"So… I guess this is goodbye." he muttered somberly, before Josuke interrupted him.

"Don't say it like that. It's just the beginning. We'll meet up with the rest of the gang in the real world and finally have a proper celebration. We'll get drinks, they'll be food hot out of the oven. Everyone sharing their wildest memories from the game. It's… gonna be great!" Josuke chuckled as Asuna piped up.

"More importantly… I'd like to hear your real names." She smiled, Josuke and Kirito doing the same.

"Kazuto. Kazuto Kirigaya. I'm fifteen years old." Kirito was the first to share, as Asuna let out a small giggle.

"So you are younger than me, huh? I'm Asuna Yuuki. I'm sixteen." Asuna smiled, as Josuke chuckled with her.

"That puts us around the same age, then. Name's Josuke Higashikata. Remember that, yeah?"

"Jo and Jo, huh? JoJo… That's clever. I didn't think about that!" Asuna giggled, only for Kirito to interject with his own laugh.

"Yeah, unlike you who just went with her real name. That's real creative, huh?" He laughed, causing Asuna to puff her cheeks out in annoyance as she lightly punched Kirito's arm, who simply continued to laugh as he withstood her mock assault.

"It doesn't have to be creative, you goose! I'm proud of my name!" Asuna tried to sound angry, but simply devolved into more laughter as the three shared in the moment.

At that instance, there was no fear, no sadness or grief. Only three friends sharing in a moment, glad to exist at the end of a dream beside one another in laughter and joy.

Then, the golden light of the sunset shone brighter, intensifying to swallow the world around them as the three of them embraced one another, laughing together and awaiting the end to come, to awaken them from the dream they shared for so long.

As the light engulfed them all, Asuna felt a hand, a soft and warm touch against her cheek as she looked up.

She saw the man she loved gazing into her eyes with his own, all the joy and love he could muster shining like diamonds behind his orbs as he smiled for her. A smile she'd treasure for the rest of her life as he breathed out a final parting word.

"I love you, Asuna. Always."

Stand Showcase:

Lv. ? Stand: Roaring Adrenaline, This Is War - 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: Acceleration: On touch, applies or amplifies the concept of "speed" onto anything.

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

Tokorozawa General Hospital, Saitama (VIP Wing) April 6th, 2024

Before the blinding light of the ceiling lamp floods her senses, the first thing she senses is the smell.

It's flowery, fragrant, and yet, synthetic. Like it was put through a filter.

A smell she hadn't experienced for a long time now.

After blinking several more times to sieve out the light, her cloudy vision finally clears up. She stares up, and nowhere else.

A flat, concrete, smooth surface, a rectangular lamp lined up on top of her. She then starts hearing the noises of the room.

The steady, rhythmic beeping of a heart monitor, the whistle of the air conditioner. Brief, but audible noises of cars rocketing down the highway.

She then tried to move. Lifting her hand was the first step, as she felt her muscles ache, her limbs cry and scream out as she moved bones that hadn't seen action in two years. With great effort, she raises a hand to meet her eyes, and she draws it against the clunky metallic helmet fastened on her head.

It feels numb. Cold, dead, and numb. Her fingers hit a surface, yet she can't feel the metal against her fingertips. As she lets out a breath, she lifts her other hand from underneath the warm blanket and tries to pry off the vice trapping her hair and skull.

The NerveGear.

The device that trapped her in that game.

The game where she met them, her comrades, and her closest friends.

Where she met him.

Asuna Yuuki's eyes widened with a raspy gasp as her memories flooded back in full force, her cheeks wet as she remembered the man she loved, the man who saved her time and again. The partner who danced with her on the battlefield.

Kirito.

I want to see him again.

I-I need to see him again.

She whimpered out a sob, but her throat was dryer than a desert, her bones creaking as she rose from her bed, sitting upright as she slipped the NerveGear off her head, allowing her hair to flow freely down against her shoulders and upper back.

Her hair felt dirty after years of slumber, unkempt and unmaintained, and yet she didn't care. She pivoted her body on the bed and dangled her feet off the edge, her hospital gown feeling like a burden on her shoulders as she felt the tubes and cables attached to her arm pull taut as she tried to move.

Wincing, she plucked the IV tube free, a small sting pricking her arm as she cringed, the heart monitor letting out a flatline beep as she let that loose. Her legs felt weak, her feet ready to collapse under her own weight.

She didn't care.

She didn't care in the slightest.

The only thing that mattered was that she had to see her friends again.

She had to see him again.

As she stumbled out the door, leaning on her IV stand as it rolled beside her, she cried in desperation as she weakly staggered down the open hallway, not minding the shocked patients around her, not listening to the nurses and doctors that noticed her out of her bed.

Asuna didn't know where she was walking, nor did she care.

"Josuke… Kazuto…"

Up Next: Back in the Real World!

Bet you weren't expecting that, huh? Let me explain. I've heard over and over again that one of the most egregious criticisms people have with Fairy Dance is the fact that Asuna is reduced to nothing but a damsel in distress and eye candy. I say FUCK THAT. ASUNA'S GONNA TAKE CENTER STAGE THIS TIME! Obviously, this means Fairy Dance is gonna have a lot shifted around. New details I thought up, as well as reimaginings of certain scenes. If you read how I wrote Sugou in the last chapter, that should be a small taste as to what I have in store for him. Like I said, this is SAO if it were mixed with JoJo. Why waste that?

Moving on to the fight, I really hoped you liked it. Plenty of time playing video games, watching anime, and listening to a LOT of One-Winged Angel: Rebirth did me a lot of favors in making it. Oh yeah, I got the platinum for FF7R, and that final boss was the most hype thing I've ever played, let me tell you. I tried to make it count and make every moment explode like it did in my head, so I hope it ended up great. Only seems fitting that the final battle itself be the thing that destroys Aincrad, wouldn't you say? I can confidently say, making a fight as long as this one, a whole 10,000 words dedicated to a single fight scene, half the whole damn chapter, it's something I never imagined I'd be able to do. That's why for a battle like this, I wanted it as massive and huge as I possibly could.

So, sorry I took this long after I promised I'd end this a couple months ago. I don't really have an excuse, this was just me procrastinating and not managing my time well enough, as well as the staggeringly bloated word count of this chapter. As you can tell by that horrendously long opening before the fight, I guess I got a bit sidetracked. Hope I'll make it up to you guys by getting back on track with the show proper.

So… after four entire years, I've gotten the Aincrad Arc done. To everyone who's stuck with me reading this story and enjoyed it, I'm eternally grateful to you. I'd never have ran this far without your motivation, and I pray you'll stick around to enjoy my story some more. For those who I let down or couldn't satisfy, I'm sorry.

I made this story in the first place because at the time, it really felt like I was the only brain-dead idiot who enjoyed both SAO and JoJo, and didn't understand why I found nobody who thought the same. Now, I'm glad to see people who enjoyed what I've made, and people who made their own stories as well. Those people pushed me to continue when I hadn't updated in three years, and now I'm finally glad to say I'm never going to give up until I'm through.

Also, no. Even if I neglect to update on a regular basis, I'll have you know I'll never throw in the towel until this is done. I mean every word of that. This is probably the closest to a passion project I've felt, so I'll keep going, and I'm not stopping even if nobody reviews my story or reads a word of it. I'm putting everything I have into making this idea brewing non-stop in my head onto the page, and I can only hope you'll indulge my efforts. Mark my words, I will finish this story, and I hope I managed to entertain you.

One last little fun fact I found while doing a bit of research: This Is War originally debuted on the soundtrack of Dragon Age: Origins, debuting earlier in the same year the full album was released, in late 2009. Something Witty Entertainment, you are geniuses. Kirito's Stand and abridged opening is ultimately a reference to a VIDEO GAME SONG.

Poetry.

It's been a wild ride, and I'm just getting started. See you in the next one, my friends. Deuces.

Chickenhell: Thank you.

dumpstertrashfire123: Huh. Quite a lot of criticism. Really appreciate it. Alright, I'll break it down per review. First of all, I've added a note and established it: In this world, the JoJo characters share similar history, but not all of it is the same. Josuke has not gone through the DiU events, nor has he met any of the friends he makes there prior to SAO. As for why Kira's here, that comes later down the line. MUCH later. Patience. As for why I killed the Cats off, I explained already, I know that it feels lazy, but I wouldn't know what to do with them, plus I'd rather not make the main cast overly bloated with them doomed to sit in the sidelines and do nothing, which was a lesson I'd already learned with a previous fic. Balancing that many characters only makes it harder, and besides, Aurum79 already has an SAO/JoJo fic where Sachi survives and joins the main cast. Give it a read, it bangs.

Akira… I understand that it'd feel weird that he goes this far. I know that his only motivation in DiU is to dick around, be a rock star, and escape capture, but I feel that the setting shifts things around. In a world of life and death, people either show their true colors or let loose a lot more, and Akira wouldn't be sure if he'd ever return to the real world and have a chance at pursuing his original goals. Not saying it's exactly what Akira would do here, but I'd imagine it wouldn't be far off. He makes for a very threatening villain, and I hope I made this decision worth it with that final battle in Ch. 18. Finally, if you want a story where Akira joins the good guys and redeems himself, again, look at Crossing Fields of Golden Wind. Thanks for checking out my story and leaving your suggestions!