A/N: Sorry for the delay on this one, was on holiday for a week so didn't have much time to focus on my uploads and whatnot, but I have returned, so enjoy!
|Sword Art Online, Floor 60, Labyrinth Boss Chamber|
|Feb. 20th 16:12|
In almost every floor boss, upon its defeat, there was a wave of relief that followed in some capacity, a euphoria that everyone was a step closer to the end of this world. People were lost here and there, especially during the 25th floor, but even their deaths never went to waste. The 60th was special in that it was the closing act to a monumentous campaign, to those heavily invested in its story, this was a moment worth celebrating, a bittersweet end to what has been a journey spanning several months.
That is, until Nagi's life came within an inch of death.
"Evet... why would you strike at a defenceless person?" To speak up was the woman that saved Nagi's life, Shirayuki.
The man to disrupt the joyful occasion was the orange player that had vanished after the 55th floor, Evet. He looked the same as he did before, only, the nodachi he hoisted over one shoulder was new. It appeared to be made from a strange, obsidian metal, crooked for its grip and guard, akin to an fang, the blade was long, reflecting lime light from its dark pine-green texture that appeared almost onyx.
"Because, he's my target," Evet answered honestly, watching several draw their weapons, closing around Nagi and Klein who were still unable to move.
"Why is that? Is this for Hotaru?" Shirayuki pressed, her brow furrowed. "Her death was not by his hand,"
"If you had given up on your pursuit, she wouldn't have done what she did, so you are all partially to blame," Evet didn't raise his voice, but that cold apathy didn't hide his resentment. "His death, while a risk, would demoralize many of the frontrunners, many would become weary, and easy to pick off one-by-one,"
"Oh yeah? Good luck with that, pointy chin!" Daora yelled, waving his axe toward the stoic man. "No way in hell I'm missing this time!"
"Even I'm not so deluded to think I can take a whole raid team by myself," Artorias rolled his shoulders, glowering back at Evet. "But please, since you're oh so wise, I'm begging you to try it."
"My point exactly, you are so willing to defend Nagi... that his death will bring about the absolute worst feeling imaginable for you both, wouldn't it?" Both of them stifled themselves at his callous tone. "You would be vengeful, forgoing caution to cut me down, that is exactly what I want, for you to dull your own senses like the children you are," Evet gestured to the pair. "You both gloat and stand atop titles as though you were twice your age; do not grow so full of yourselves, you both are impulsive and easily tempted by your emotions, am I wrong?"
"All of you, do not interfere," Taking a step off the ledge, Shirayuki landed to stand on even ground with Evet. "I shall deal with Evet,"
"Shirayuki-" Nagi attempted to say, but was met with a calm smile filled with undeterred resolve.
"I gave you my word, remember? Recover, this fight is one only I can resolve," Turning to face Evet, Shirayuki drew her snow-white blade just as Evet's lowered into both hands.
"You would risk fighting alone? Very well," Evet stepped forward, watching the dangerous NPC's movements closely. This woman was far more human than most, just like Hotaru. "You would defend your sister's killers? The ones that will end this world?"
"They have given more to me than I can put into words, Hotaru's death is my burden to bear, for not being there for her. But, for her sake, the wish she had for you to live in peace," Standing firm, Shirayuki gripped her katana tighter than any other day, her heart pounding in her ears. "I shall defeat you in her place."
Disappointed by her answer regardless, Evet took his stance, his blade remaining the same, dark pigment. Neither side moved for a time, others looked anxious, wanting to step in, but it was too late to interfere, both combatants quickly dashing toward the other. In an instant, Shirayuki swung from her right as Evet struck down, their weapons quickly flowing into a chain of blows far faster than any seen before, creating white and green sparks and contrails behind each strike that grew in ferocity.
"I... I can't even follow them!" Klein swallowed the lump in his throat, completely taken back by their speed.
"When the hell did he get this fast!?" Mito was much the same.
Leaping forward, Evet ground his blade down the length of Shirayuki's, twisting it to flick her defence sideways to saw back, nicking her shoulder before her sword sliced across his stomach, the two swivelling back to cross swords, but the damage was done, Shirayuki's white eyes trembling at the nauseating sensation coming from her shoulder.
"You've been cut by my Hiretsuna Toge," Evet observed.
"That weapon reeks of darkness, you truly have gone mad," Shirayuki commented, slashing in a criss-cross pattern, each of her attacks ringing off Evet's own as her shoulder felt stiff.
"It took considerable time, but this weapon was forged from various materials gathered from corrupted creatures, thus, I have made a weapon that carries a deadly toxin capable of inducing Corrupted Poison, even reducing your defence. Against powerful foes like you, its highly efficient at cutting you down."
"Tch, if you believe I will be defeated by mere poison, then you have already lost!" Throwing her weight forward, she swung diagonally, forcing Evet back as he leapt into the air to avoid her wide swing that whistled in the air. Throwing Hiretsuna high, he clenched his fists that took on a teal glow.
Throwing several punches at the air, Shirayuki recoiled in visible discomfort when something struck her body like a hammer, her weapon swung in a pale white glow. "Forth Art, Conflagration!" Her sword skill struck the unseen impacts. "He can weaponize wind pressure?" This was a technique even she had rarely seen in martial artists.
Landing and catching his weapon soon after, Evet adjusted his posture, the weapon by his hip before lunging toward her yet again, only for Shirayuki to do the same, matching his speed but missing her upswing as both exchanged hellish blows on equal ground, each clash of their mirrored Dance of the Water Dragon creating a violent gust of wind.
"To believe someone as strong as you would aid those who only care to leave this world, resigning its fate to being destroyed!" Evet yelled over the ringing and slash of steel.
"I will not aid in keeping thousands from their families awaiting them, why would I!?" Shirayuki countered, noticing Nagi trying to stand against Yuuki's and Kirito's clear complaints. "Stand your ground!" All three locked up, meeting that piercing look in her eyes. "If you fight as you are, he will kill you!"
"You should worry about yourself!" Another gash opened on Shirayuki's cheek, her body bending back to avoid the worst of Evet's swing, twisting her hips, her right leg swept wide to slam against Hiretsuna, the sheer strength of her leg throwing Evet off his feet and over the chasm at the center of the boss arena. "Such strength behind that kick, impressive."
Sprinting toward the edge, Evet kicked off the ledge, bringing a heel down as it thundered with a golden trail underfoot, bouncing off his left leg to crack his right against Shirayuki's own blade, using this to hook and wrap around her body, slashing at strands of hair when she fell onto her back, quickly twirling onto her knees to slash for Evet's legs only to miss and take a direct Waterfall straight to her side, thankfully, guarded by her katana.
Shirayuki, unfortunately, was sent skidding across the ground, using her fingers to slow her sliding, remaining crouched as the poison from Hiretsuna Toge numbed her cheek too.
"Shirayuki!" Nagi rasped worriedly.
"Get up!" Daora hollered too, equally as anxious given how Shirayuki was faring.
Slightly enervated from the Corrupted Poison, Shirayuki stumbled to her feet, using her weapon to push herself upright.
"I must admit, this battle has my heart racing despite what I came here to do, I'd rather not kill you if I can help it; if you would only stand aside," Evet requested, his own body licked with a few, glowing cuts trickling with red particles.
"Never," Shirayuki unhesitantly refused, taking on a two-handed stance, her weapon poised forward. "No matter what you say, I will not yield!" Pushing off her right leg, she closed the distance, raising her weapon higher as it turned a blazing blue. "First Art, Rising Sun!" Her blade tore through the air, cutting a thin line across Evet's chest, despite her speed, he remained steadfast, recovering quickly.
"Impressive!" Closing in retaliation, Shirayuki bounced back on her toes, barely parrying the air force jab he threw, she didn't know the name of the skill from the Martial Arts skill, but too many of those attacks would break her down in seconds. The force of the blow sent her flying back several feet, but she yelled in defiance, taking off toward Evet once again.
Off to the side, Artorias's expression grew pale. "I knew he had trained with swords IRL, clearly, but this speed, hell, all of his stats are so much higher already, I... I can't even follow half of his movements between sword skills. And that weapon, it's not just weakening her defence, it likely has a passive, slow debuff too," For the first time since facing OryxKing, Artorias felt his body shaking with fear. "If I tried to step in, I-I'd get either one of us killed..."
The increased tempo of sword swings and occasional skills flashes and conjured a haze of light crackling around the pair, each of Shirayuki's attacks barely making it through Evet's ironclad defence, and with only three cuts across Shirayuki's body, her health continued to decline passively. Catching Evet's nodachi with her blade against its guard, their arms trembled, attempting to push the other back.
"You struggle in vain as your body is weakened by the poison, you cannot hope to win like this!" Evet tried to persuade her to yield, but she screamed, throwing his arms back only to come under assault, pivoting her sword to counter each venomous slash, narrowly evading a glowing Flash Blow thrown in-between, grazing her hair or clothes.
Backing up momentarily, Shirayuki swivelled around another Ripple Thrust, drawing her sword in a winding turn. "Second Art, Solstice Haze!" Her twin crescent slashes clipped Evet's sides, deflected by Hiretsuna, without breaking a sweat, Evet laid on layers of strikes, heavy and fast, watching Shirayuki's perfect defence beginning to lumber after each swing.
Inverting his hold, Hiretsuna flicked upward, throwing Shirayuki's swing skyward in the process, and leaving her wide open for a Flash Blow, burying his knuckle into her stomach, feeling something crack as the shinobi gasped horribly, spitting up saliva in the process. And yet, her legs remained steady, drawing the tip of her blade toward his chest. "Third Art, Solar Brilliance!"
Two of the four thrusts cut deep into Evet, himself diving under her winding horizontal that cleaved through his cloak. Rolling, he spun around, continuing his endless assault with the Water Dragon Dance yet again, each strike growing stronger than the last, throwing Shirayuki's body wide.
"To think, you would continue to grow stronger as this game progressed!" Instead of parrying like usual, when Shirayuki's sword swung down, he caught it with his bare hand, even at the risk of severing the limb entirely, leaving her wide open as the tip of Hiretsuna pierced her right eye, forcing her to gouge it herself to pry it out of her face, letting out a throaty gasp, the poison filling her head with pins and needles.
She began to stumble, nearly on the verge of collapse but surprised Evet when she righted herself, gritting her teeth. "First Art, Rising Sun!" The crimson blade tore through the air, missing Evet by a hair, but she wasn't done, taking a page out of Artorias's book as her blade turned a deep purple, quickly adjusting her stance in tandem. "Forth Art, Conflagration!" Each of its eight strikes had them dance around the chasm, winding arcs forming streams made of hardlight, while dealing sufficient damage to Evet, he remained steady, even as he suffered from blocking such incredible power.
"San Ge," Exhaling the name, Evet's weapon turned lime green, Hiretsuna drawn against his hip as light flowed from the guard.
"Fifth Art... Ra!" Her snow-white sword tinged a greater, pearlescent tinge, both collided in the middle. Shirayuki's weapon swung diagonally twice over each shoulder, then swung to intersect the previous two slashes from each hip, followed by a final, deadly thrust to connect to the leaping, downward vertical from Evet, their molten weapons electrifying the air around them with a single burst of hot wind.
Along came a great silence, many beginning to find their voices again. "Is... is it over?" "There's so much dust in the air..." "I can't see their health bars,"
"Did she win!?" Daora exclaimed hopefully, but Nagi's expression was wracked with worry, matched only by Klein who bit his cheek, his eyes trembling their sockets.
As the dust settled, distance was placed between the two, Evet's health had fallen into the dark amber, and Shirayuki's was nearing that point, the Corrupted Poison icon still visible from the continuous appliance of the toxin. Unlike Evet's winded state, she was taking deep, raspy breaths, wounds lined her body, and her right eye was torn out, leaving her with barely enough strength to stand.
"If you continue like this, you will die as Hotaru had; a pointless death for these people, who have used you only to better themselves, don't you see that by now? You are a tool meant to be discarded when this quest ends," Evet narrowed his eyes at her, gesturing toward her. "Lay down your sword, while you still can." That made several tense up, if Shirayuki couldn't beat him, an NPC as powerful as her, then, how many would die protecting Nagi.
The raven-brunette in question trembled to his feet, Kirito supporting one of his arms, himself twisted with anger and anxiety, Nagi could see it, in all of them, they wanted to help Shirayuki, now was their chance. "We have to move, but I... the fatigue from Isshi's spell is still making my arms stiff, but the others, they have to help her! Shirayuki!"
Slowing her breathing, Shirayuki collected herself, turning to look straight at Evet, something in her burned in the pits of her soul, clasping her sword in both hands, wearing a wide grin. "I am a member of the Misfits Guild! Shirayuki of House Winter! I gave my word, that not a soul will die here!" She knew what she had to do. "Samurai Klein, Young Shinobi Nagi, witness the true form of the technique I have bestowed upon you both!"
"Esoteric Art!" Exclaiming the term proudly, she hunched forward, her sword poised backward as her very body became engulfed by a mighty, golden light, her sword skill permeating across her Gi and skin, turning her eyes to goblets of fire. The light of her skill looked more like roaring flames.
The sheer intensity of her form had Evet shiver, that look in her eyes making him hesitate for a few seconds. "Such raw emotion, you truly are her sister..." Hiretsuna took on its own, putrid light, matching the venomous nature of its name perfectly. "If this is how it must be, then I will meet you in kind, Shirayuki!" For a moment, he lost himself in the battle too.
"Sixth Form... Solaris!" Yelling its name at the top of her lungs, with extraordinary speed, the skill's light flowed alongside Shirayuki, turning the Winter shinobi into an intense pyre of light, leaving a trail in her wake as it almost sounded like her weapon was roaring.
Colliding like a speeding comet, a massive eruption engulfed the pair, the blast radius filling up the entire chamber as everyone watched with baited breaths, and a few screamed our Shirayuki's name, either in panic or encouragement. Within the epicentre of the colliding sword skills, Shirayuki swung down, cleaving through Evet's left arm, splitting it in two as she pulled back to deliver a similar blow straight to the head.
His own sword skill's motion crossed with hers, causing it to divert down into his gut, making him nearly gag from the unpleasant sensation, feeling her weapon twist inside him as she let out a roar, carving up the entire length of his body with a single, sickening squelch and crackling flames.
Flames spun around the whole area, the unique skill burning with an unbelievable spectacle, the likes no skill has ever displayed before, then, that great nova burst and dispelled in the air, the intense heat blown through the air with clouds of dust. The whole room became unnaturally quiet again.
"Is it... over?" Asuna murmured, her lips feeling dry.
"I dunno..." Lind could barely find his voice either.
When the dust began to thin, two bodies could be seen through it, "There!" Nagi gasped, squinting to see them clearly. "Shirayuki, she's..." His voice snagged with a sharp hitch, colour beginning to drain from his face as he shook his head. "Shira...yuki..."
Evet's HP had been completely depleted... only for the greyed gauge to slowly start refilling again, his horrific wounds and split left arm sewn back together again, even a massive wound straight through his torso quickly mended. And his nodachi, Hiretsuna, was ran through Shirayuki's stomach, the woman letting out a gargled gasp, her own sword hung by her side.
"N-No...!" Yuuki gasped, covering her mouth in horror.
"Shirayuki...!" Mito felt her whole body grow numb at the sight of her impaled form.
"I... warned you... so many times..." Uncomfortable as reviving was, Evet couldn't complain given the results. That last attack had overpowered all the buffs applied to him, including Battle Healing, if not for Second Chance, she had struck him down. But that no longer mattered, his body had healed completely, and with his weapon impaling her, the poison and piercing damage would kill her. "Its over, Shirayuki, I am sorry for this, but I assure you, this world won't be destroyed, you have my word. You were truly strong."
"You are by far the greatest intelligence I've ever seen, far more human than programmiN'," Argo concurred, waving a finger knowingly.
"If that shorty Hotaru can break her coding, someone as scarily powerful as you can, least, that's my take on this," Artorias shrugged.
"Like I told her too! Your code is like flesh and blood for us, it's just what makes up what you are!" Daora even chipped in, beating a fist to his chest.
"I... but I'm not... I..." Shirayuki couldn't find the words, her quest marker glitched and jittered, and her features tensed. "I have a duty to fulfil, I have to... fulfil that role..."
"You're more than that!" Klein exclaimed, stomping forward to grab her right hand. "You're are companion through-and-through, that's always been the case, NPC or not, but you gotta let go of this idea we don't care beyond that,"
"We're right here, just as you've been here with us," Mito stood alongside them with a worried look. "I didn't know what to believe when I met you, I thought at first that all of them were wasting their time, being so invested in your character. But... I was wrong, you do matter, Hotaru and all of the things you care about are real,"
"Your feelings are as real as ours!" Silica grabbed Shirayuki's left as it shook, the woman's features twisted with conflict, trying to fight her own design, her quest continuing to bug out and deconstruct itself. "Just like I love Pina, I love him just as much as any of my friends!"
"Shirayuki," Her snow-white eyes fell to Nagi's calm onyx, the same that had to deal with the burden of taking a life, the same that she had fought beside for months, the same that risked his life for her own and her quest. "What do you want to do? What is it that you want to accomplish yourself?"
Tensing all the muscles in her body, mustering up the last embers of strength she had, Shirayuki's remaining eye hardened as she growled and drove her sword through Evet's chest. "My friends, I... have been blessed to have met you all! This is my resolve, of the human soul you've believed in!" Even Evet's face twisted in anger, channelling his focus into a single right jab, aimed for her bleeding eye socket, only for Shirayuki's free hand to snatch out and clamp his wrist, keeping the burning, orange hue from reaching her face.
"How... how she able to fight back?" But more importantly, Evet's anger turned to panic, with her weapon embedded in his body, his health was starting to trickle down. "No, at this rate, we'll both die here!" Pulling Hiretsuna, his panic turned to desperation, tugging against was felt like solid concrete. "Why won't my weapon budge!? How can the system replicate muscle control like this!?"
"No matter what, you're not running away!" Shirayuki swore on her very being, screaming wordlessly to spur on her indomitable resolve.
"Let go of me... get off!" He growled back, letting go of his weapon to start punching Shirayuki square in the face, but that only made her hold on tighter, threatening to break his wrist as a result, his constant thrashing may just see to that. Letting out a hellish scream from the depths of his stomach, Evet matched Shirayuki's own volume. "GET OFF!"
"Haaaaaaaaaaahh!"
Pushing away from Kirito's arms, Nagi fell to the floor below, scrambling to his feet to draw NightSky, even if it was something as weak as a single swing, he had to help her. "Move! Move for Shirayuki's sake, hurry!"
Instantly, several overtook Nagi, Artorias, Daora, Mito, Kirito, Yuuki, Ran, and several move all took off without a second thought, each channelling a sword skill each, not a single thought was given to the act of taking a person's life, adrenaline and emotions ran too high for rational thought to sink in before their feet kicked out from under them.
"I told you, you're not getting away this time, Pointy Chin!" Daora howled, Destroyer swung overhead, his heart pounding against his ribs, he had been waiting for a moment like this, he'd save Shirayuki, just as she saved him plenty of times, he would return the favour tenfold. "Grand Destruction!" At various angles, others closed in.
"Horizontal Arc!" "Vertical Arc!" "Vorpal Strike!" "Ripple Thrust!" "Ichimonji!" "Rend!" "Slant!" "Crucifixion!" "Fatal Thrust!" "Avalanche!" "Whirlwind!"
With his veins set to burst from under his skin, Evet's right hand flashed with light, summoning his old katana, its plain edge turning a deep vermillion as he swung down and severed his own left hand with a single strike. Having put so much force behind his distressed attack, the blast threw Daora backward into Mito, the others drawn to a halt as the area filled with smoke; Evet, having thrown a smoke bomb a second later, his body bursting from the veil towards the stairwell leading up to the next floor, leaving Shirayuki to collapse to her knees, Hiretsuna also missing from her stomach, but the broken blade from Shirayuki's sword remained wedged in Evet's.
The surprising retreat caught them all off guard, say for Nagi who ran forward, drawing from his inventory one of his old, one-handed swords from a random drop. Arching it back as far as humanly possible, he threw it like a javelin, he didn't have the skill proficiency like Mito, but it closed the gap with ease, and pierced Evet's left shoulder with a satisfying smack, exciting a strained cry from between his teeth.
"Why are you running away!? I thought you wanted to kill me, you coward!" Nagi screamed at the top of his lungs, catching a glimpse of Evet's cold, blue eyes filled with spite, even in his state, Nagi's words brought out a feral anger behind those eyes, or until they turned away without a word. "You claim you did all this for Hotaru, but you're no better than any other murderer! You senselessly take lives without a second thought! So stop running you bastard, you coward! For everything you've done, I'll make you pay for everything you've ever done!"
"Shirayuki was stronger and more spectacular than you could ever hope to be! You didn't win at all! She kept everyone safe, not a single person died to you! You're the one who lost, Shirayuki... IS THE STRONGEST THERE IIIIIS!"
Straining a breath after screaming his lungs out, all those pent-up emotions came crashing forward, tears fell down his cheeks and off his chin, biting his lip in a vain attempt at stifling his sobs, but the stinging in his heart grew too much to bear as Nagi let out a gut-wrenching scream, collapsing to his hands and knees, sobbing as his forehead pressed to the cold, hard floor. Each cry had his voice crack or stutter, completely overwhelmed by his grief.
A number of players trembled, even if they didn't understand why Nagi felt so much pain and heartache for a quest NPC, his tone and words tore at their hearts. And for those that knew better, felt his words like a hammer to their chests. Daora was shaking like a leaf, his knuckles turned white around his axe. Mito hid her mouth with her cloak, trying not to look at anyone. Artorias stood completely still, his body trembling slightly here and there, but his eyes were glossy, gritting his teeth in the process. And Klein's weapon shook in his grip, mouth ajar as his facial features twisted with agony.
As for Shirayuki, she had heard everything, looking at a loss for words, but soon wore a soft smile, relaxing her body against her legs.
"Lower your voice," Shirayuki spoke, hearing Nagi stifle his sobs to look back at her, how she could still manage a smile in her condition. "Knowing you, you'll run off in an attempt to stop Evet, in your state, you will die... then I would've lost this day,"
"Shirayuki..." Nagi muttered.
"Come, won't you sit and speak with me one more time?" She offered, some tried to speak but were quickly hushed.
However, Heathcliff made a gesture to the rest of KoB. "Pursue Evet if you can, he'll likely make his way for the nearest safe zone," Without a word, several members took off, alongside a few from Lind and Kibaou's groups for the added security. Heathcliff then turned to see Nagi approach Shirayuki, the older man closing his eyes for a moment to give them peace. To see such humanity from an A.I was worthy of his respect.
Sat face-to-face, Nagi's eyes were red with tears, attempting to compose himself to no avail. "When I absorbed in thought, there was something I recalled," She began, raising her head to stare at Nagi. "The crest Hotaru sought for Evet, it belongs to our old home, before Winter or even the Sunsingers..." Her eye flickered, the glowing hole in her stomach flaking as her voice strained from the poison. "That crest will lead to another of House Sun's strongholds, though I have never been there myself. There, you may find... a relic of pure light... the Blade of Divine Sakura."
"S-Shirayuki, just stay very still," Nagi croaked, fishing around his item wheel for a potion, a crystal, anything to stem her health bar's steady decline. "M-me or Artorias can heal you, a-and then you can take us there."
"No, this poison, combined with that last attack of his... has already exceeded my health gauge's remaining HP," She whispered, smile never fading. "Shortly, I will disappear," Nagi gasped at this, the taut gaze of seriousness in her white eye hardening. "Before that, please, listen to what I have to say."
No one among the raid parties dared to open their mouths, all listened to what a lone NPC needed to say to the player it entrusted itself to. "Tell Argo to have faith in her instincts, and to look after herself, I know the burden she carries is not easy," Nagi choked a sob, gasping at what she said next, "And... about yourself, young shinobi," Their eyes met, clear, unfiltered gratitude and pride swelled in her gaze. "I have faith in you,"
Nagi's face fell in shock, his breath hitched onto every word she spoke like silk. "I, Shirayuki of House Winter, accept you as one of us - you alone have shown courage, wisdom, and strength for others... you have given me so much in return, and I would trust you with my life a thousand times over, that alone makes you, in my eyes, a true shinobi... so raise your head with pride!" Shirayuki raised her voice a bit, fresh tears rolling down Nagi's cheeks as he tried to stifle his cries. "I know that grief you hold to is deep, and even when it tries to tear at your heart, if you feel yourself beginning to waver... fight, believe in the heart that I believe in, let it light up the whole world for all to see,"
"Do not feel as though this was your fault, as a shinobi, this is merely my duty, and one I will happily give my life for," She felt the strength in her torso fail her, resting neatly against her legs as she held Nagi's gaze. "Young Shinobi," Nagi bowed his head, covering his eyes as tears stained his haori. Shirayuki craned her head right, spotting Daora trembling with his axe, Mito pressing her face against his shoulder. "Lord of Dragons, Miss Reaper," She brought her head back but caught sight of Artorias, his eyes widening. "Red Warrior," And lastly, to Klein who's mouth trembled, supressing his own feelings as he glared to try and force back his own tears. "Samurai Klein... continue to grow, overcome every wall set before you... and be the ones to lead everyone back to your world,"
Then, she placed her hand atop Nagi's head, even as tears filled his eyes, he met her own, filled with love and compassion. "I believe... in all of you." Nagi's face scrunched up, unable to hold her gaze any longer as her own started to fade.
She could feel it without seeing it, her HP was almost all used up, her vision growing hazy and unfocused. Or, until she saw beyond all their grief-ridden faces, all of her memories since they met. Nagi was laughing as Argo poked his side with that teasing grin and love hidden in her whimsical eyes. Artorias duelling with Yuuki, both grinning away carefree. Mito waving a finger at Daora who waved his axe in annoyance.
"This life may've been falsified, but because of them, hah... I got to lose myself in such a wonderful dream..." Now, she stared at the present. Nagi sobbing into his hand before her, Artorias hid his eyes, tilting his head back to stop himself from giving into his feelings. Daora's own tears leaking from the eyes of his mask as Mito hid her face behind her hood, her face still against his shoulder. "And these real memories and feelings, I can leave with them,"
"I found it too, Hotaru... hah..." Closing her eyes, Shirayuki wore the biggest smile to date, letting out a final breath as the world began to fade. "...my family was here all this time..."
Slowly, her head lowered, her soul finally at peace as a shower of blue shards scattered to the wind, some dissolving when they touched the broken sword laid at Nagi's knees as the last of Shirayuki disappeared from the world of swords...
In a report by Aincrad's player-run newspaper, MMO Today, the raid of the 60th Floor Boss on February 20th was reported to have concluded with only one casualty, an NPC by the name of Shirayuki. Despite being a non-player, she successfully prevented the potential deaths of many Frontrunners both during the boss battle and in an attempted assassination of the Guildmaster of the Misfits guild...
The Guildmaster of the Knights of the Blood Oath had this to say. "Shirayuki is proof that even Sword Art Online is a living, breathing world of its own; and its people, at times, can exhibit a humanity exactly like ours."
[To Be Continued...]
[Author's Notes]
Thus ends the journey of Shirayuki of House Winter. I had planned this for a very long time, its bittersweet to reach this point but time marches on. This was a wild arc to write, the 'end' to the massive campaign revealed to have a final step with her death, but the boss battles were a blast to write. Well, I hope you enjoyed, I appreciate the support as always; see ya in the next arc, Misfits!
Next Arc - Divine Sakura
Grief and anger have consumed Nagi as something he's kept buried finally begins to eat away at his spirit, a secret even unknown to Argo. With only the clue Shirayuki left, Nagi goes to see to the end of her questline, no matter what it takes...