Chapter 14: Unveiled Power

Deku stood at the edge of the teleportation plaza, gazing out at the sprawling cityscape of the floor they were on. His mind drifted back to the conversation with Asuna over their shared meal. He still wasn't sure how he felt about her suggestion of sticking together, but the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. Floors were getting tougher. No one could predict everything, not even him.

He was pulled from his thoughts when a flash of light illuminated the teleportation circle in front of him, signaling the arrival of another player. Asuna appeared in a burst of blue, and before he had time to look around, she barreled into him.

"Oof!" Deku grunted as they collided and fell to the ground in a tangle of limbs. His head hit the stone floor with a dull thud, and for a moment, everything spun.

"Ugh... wha—" he began, his hands automatically bracing against the weight on top of him. That's when he realized his hands were resting on something... soft and squishy.

Before he could process what was happening, he heard a shrill, familiar scream.

"Deku! What are you doing?!" Asuna screeched, her face burning with embarrassment as she quickly scrambled off him.

Deku's mind went blank for a second as he froze. His hands were still in mid-air, hovering where Asuna had been moments before. His face turned crimson as the realization hit him like a freight train.

"Oh no... this is it… this is where she kills me," he thought, panic rising in his chest. "I'm sorry! I didn't realize! I-I didn't know it was you!" Deku stammered as he leapt to his feet, his words stumbling over each other. "It wasn't on purpose! I swear! I didn't mean to—"

Asuna's eyes narrowed, and Deku was certain that pain was about to follow. He clenched his eyes shut, bracing himself for the inevitable slap, punch, or worse.

But instead of pain, he felt her grab his arm—tight. Confused, he slowly opened his eyes to find Asuna hiding behind him, gripping his sleeve as if her life depended on it.

"Wh-what are you doing?" Deku muttered, his brain trying to catch up with the turn of events.

Asuna didn't respond, her eyes wide with panic, as she looked toward the teleportation circle again. Following her gaze, Deku saw a tall, imposing figure materialize from the blue light.

The man, dressed in ornate, high-level armor with the emblem of the Knights of the Blood Oath, strode forward with an air of arrogance. His name hovered above his head: "Kuradeel".

"It's my job to ensure Lady Asuna's protection," Kuradeel announced, his voice dripping with disdain as he glared at Deku. "Her hanging around a beater like you is just asking for trouble."

Deku narrowed his eyes at the insult but stayed silent. He could feel Asuna tighten her grip on his arm as Kuradeel continued to approach.

"And what are you doing here?" Kuradeel demanded, eyes shifting to Asuna. "You shouldn't be wandering around without my supervision. I never left last night. I've been watching over you, ensuring your safety—"

"Watching me?" Asuna snapped, stepping out from behind Deku. "That's not your job, you creep! You've been following me this whole time?"

Kuradeel's expression didn't falter. "It is my job. You're too important to be left unprotected. Even while you sleep, I make sure no harm comes to you."

Deku's eyes flashed in anger. He had already heard enough. "You've crossed a line," he said, stepping forward protectively. "Asuna doesn't need a stalker. She can handle herself."

Kuradeel sneered, clearly unimpressed by Deku's presence. "You think you're in a position to lecture me, beater?" he spat, venom in his tone. "I know your type—power-hungry, selfish, only looking out for yourself. You probably don't even care if others die."

Deku felt a surge of rage bubbling up inside him. "I'd watch what you're saying," he warned, his voice low and dangerous. "You don't know me."

Kuradeel laughed mockingly. "You think you're something special? Just because you call yourself 'The Black Swordsman'?" He unsheathed his sword, pointing it at Deku. "If you're so tough, why don't you prove it? I challenge you to a duel."

The plaza went silent, with other players nearby suddenly stopping what they were doing to watch the scene unfold.

Deku took a deep breath, his mind racing. He didn't want to get into a fight in front of Asuna, but at this point, Kuradeel was leaving him no choice. And if he was going to protect Asuna, he'd have to put Kuradeel in his place.

"Fine," Deku said, his voice steady. "I accept."

A duel request popped up in front of Deku's HUD, and with a grimace, he clicked 'accept.' The countdown began, and Kuradeel's smug smile only widened.

As the duel started, Kuradeel wasted no time charging at Deku, his sword gleaming as it came down toward him. But Deku was faster. His mind raced as he remembered a move he had been working on—a hybrid of a sword skill he learned from his battles and the raw power he had seen heroes like Mirko display.

"Lunar Smash!" Deku shouted, his body blurring with speed as he activated the skill.

In the blink of an eye, Deku closed the distance between him and Kuradeel, his sword moving so fast that Kuradeel had no time to react. The blade collided with Kuradeel's sword, shattering it instantly, and with a single strike, Deku sent him flying backward.

Kuradeel hit the ground hard, his health bar dropping into the red zone. For a moment, the entire plaza was silent, the watching players staring in shock. No one had expected the fight to be over so quickly.

Breathing heavily, Deku lowered his sword. "Get up. The duel's over."

Kuradeel, dazed and humiliated, scrambled to his feet. His face was flushed with anger and embarrassment as he glared at Deku, but there was nothing he could do. The duel had been decided.

Without another word, Kuradeel turned on his heel and stormed off, leaving the plaza and disappearing into the crowd.

Deku sighed in relief as the tension dissipated, but before he could gather his thoughts, Asuna stepped closer, her face flushed with both embarrassment and gratitude.

"Thanks for that," she said softly, a slight blush coloring her cheeks. "I... I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been here."

Deku, still visibly stewing from the encounter with Kuradeel, was momentarily distracted by her words. He blinked, his thoughts snapping back into focus as he noticed the way Asuna was looking at him.

He blushed slightly and scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "It was nothing... I'm sure someone else would've stepped in if I wasn't around."

Asuna shook her head and nudged him playfully with her shoulder as they began walking toward the dungeon. "Don't sell yourself short, Deku," she said with a small smile. "You did great back there."

Deku's heart fluttered a little at her words, and for a brief moment, he allowed himself to relax. It wasn't often that he let his guard down, but with Asuna by his side, things felt... different.

As they approached the entrance to the dungeon, Asuna glanced over at him again, her blush returning. "Seriously though... thanks."

Deku's face reddened further, but he tried to play it cool. "Y-Yeah, no problem..." he muttered.

Deku and Asuna pressed forward, slicing through the various beasts and monsters that lurked in the labyrinth. Each strike of their blades echoed in the stone hallways, leaving behind only silence after each battle. Though they fought with precision, there was an unspoken tension lingering in the air, mostly from Deku's thoughts about the earlier confrontation with Asuna's bodyguard.

As they made their way through yet another corridor, Asuna broke the silence, her voice softer than usual.

"You know... when Mito and I first joined the Knights of the Blood Oath, it was different," she began, her eyes distant.

Deku looked at her, curious but allowing her to continue. "Different how?" he asked.

"Back then, it was smaller. A close-knit group. We were like a family, looking out for one another and working together to clear floors," she explained, cutting down a creature in front of her. "But now that it's the biggest guild in the game, it's... changed. We've grown so much, but with that growth, things have become more about victory and power, less about helping each other survive."

Deku nodded, keeping pace with her. He didn't fully understand guild politics—being a solo player made it easy to ignore such matters—but he could tell Asuna missed the way things used to be.

"That must be difficult. Especially when things were smaller and more personal," he said, striking down another beast with a swift motion.

"Yeah..." Asuna trailed off, her sword slicing through a nearby monster. "Mito and I still stick together, but it's not the same as before."

They fought in silence for a few more minutes, both lost in thought, before the path ahead opened up into a wide chamber. Deku's eyes narrowed as he recognized the distinctive doors that stood before them—the doors to the boss room.

"Is that...?" Asuna whispered, her gaze locking onto the massive doors at the far end of the chamber.

Deku nodded, approaching cautiously. "Yeah, that's the boss room."

They hadn't planned on finding it today. They were only supposed to clear the floor and map out the dungeon. But now, standing before the ominous doors, the pressure weighed down on both of them.

"We're not ready to fight it yet," Asuna said quickly, glancing at Deku. "We need more people for this."

"Agreed," Deku responded, eyeing the door. "But we should at least take a peek. Get some info on what we're dealing with so we can come back with a proper strategy."

Asuna nodded in agreement, and the two cautiously approached the door, cracking it open just enough to glimpse inside. The dark, ominous room sent a chill down Deku's spine, but they didn't step inside, opting instead to observe from a distance.

The boss—a towering, beastly figure with glowing red eyes and a hulking frame—stood motionless in the center. Its roar could be felt more than heard, a low rumble that vibrated through the air.

"We're definitely going to need a bigger group," Deku whispered, closing the door quietly.

Asuna let out a breath she didn't realize she'd been holding. "Yeah. No way we're taking that thing on alone."

With the boss scouted and no more monsters in sight, they decided to take a break and eat the meal Asuna had prepared. Finding a safe spot a little distance from the boss room, the two sat down on a large, flat rock.

Asuna pulled out the food, and the aroma hit Deku immediately. "That smells amazing," he said, his stomach rumbling in anticipation. Asuna smiled. "Good thing I made plenty. You'll need your strength."

They dug into the meal in silence, but the peaceful moment was interrupted by the sound of someone calling out. "Deku!"

Deku looked up, startled, and saw Klein approaching with his guild. "Oh man, this is rich!" Klein said, laughing as he approached. "You've finally partied up with someone, and it's not me?!"

Deku scratched the back of his head, looking embarrassed. "I didn't exactly have a choice... I value my life."

Klein raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" Deku muttered, his voice barely audible. "Ya see, well... she, uh, gave me no choice."

"Ohhh, scared of a girl, huh?" Klein teased, nudging him with an elbow. But then, Klein took a better look at Asuna and froze, his jaw dropping.

"Wait... that's the Lighting Flash from the Knights of the Blood Oath!"

"Yup! Name's Asuna."

Without missing a beat, Klein leaned in with a playful grin, clearly trying to flirt. "Hey there, beautiful. I gotta say, you and I would make a great team. Maybe you should ditch this guy and—"

Before Klein could finish his sentence, Deku swiftly punched him in the side, right below the belt.

Shocking everyone, including Deku, by his action.

"Ow, what the hell, Deku?!" Klein groaned, doubling over as his guild members laughed.

Asuna couldn't help but smirk with a slight chuckle at the exchange.

As they continued to joke around, the lighthearted moment came to a sudden stop when a large group appeared on the horizon—the Aincrad Liberation Force, or otherwise known as ALF. The leader of the group, Corvatz, a stern man with a commanding presence, approached them.

Deku frowned, recognizing the reckless determination in their eyes. These were people who didn't care about preparation—they just wanted to charge into battle.

"What are you doing here?" Deku asked, his tone wary.

"We're here to defeat the boss," the Corvatz said with a proud grin, his chest puffed out. "We don't need help from anyone. We've got this under control."

Deku's eyes widened in disbelief. "You can't be serious. You don't even know what you're walking into! At least take a break and think this through. Gather more intel—"

"We don't need your advice, beater," the Corvatz snapped, cutting him off. "We're the Aincrad Liberation Force. We've faced worse than this."

Deku clenched his fists, frustration welling up inside him. He took a step forward, his voice low and urgent. "Please, listen to me. I've seen the boss. You're not ready for this. At least consider a better strategy—"

But the Corvatz waved him off, turning back to his group. "We'll handle it. You stay out of our way." Deku stood there, his heart pounding. He knew this was going to end badly, but there was nothing more he could do to convince them.

As the ALF marched toward the boss room, Asuna placed a hand on Deku's shoulder, her expression grim."They're going to get themselves killed," she said quietly. Deku's jaw tightened, and he nodded. "We need to follow them. Just in case."

Klein, who had been watching the exchange silently, agreed. "Yeah, I've got a bad feeling about this."

The group hurried toward the boss room, trailing behind the ALF. It wasn't long before they heard the unmistakable sounds of screaming and the clashing of metal from inside the chamber.

Without hesitation, Deku broke into a sprint, his eyes hardening as he drew his sword.

"Asuna, with me!" he shouted over his shoulder.

Deku and Asuna rushed into the boss room, the heavy doors slamming shut behind them. The scene before them was horrifying—an absolute bloodbath. Bodies of ALF members lay strewn across the room, some already dissolving into pixelated fragments, while others fought for their lives. Twenty-four had gone in, but half were already gone.

"This is a massacre..." Deku whispered, wide-eyed as he took in the chaos.

Klein caught up with them, his eyes darting around, trying to process the carnage. Seeing what was happening, he shouted over the clashing steel and screams:

"Use your teleport crystals!" he yelled desperately.

Several remaining ALF members, including their leader, Corvatz, immediately pulled out their teleport crystals, trying to escape the slaughter. But nothing happened. Corvatz stared at the unresponsive crystal in his hand, shock and confusion crossing his face.

"They're not working?!" Klein exclaimed, his voice filled with dread.

Deku, hearing those words, felt a chill run down his spine. His mind raced back to the trap on the first floor—the trap that had taken Melissa from him. His body froze, the memories of that moment playing over and over in his mind. The helplessness, the feeling of being trapped with no way out. He felt paralyzed by the same overwhelming sense of dread.

As Deku stood there, lost in his own thoughts, The Gleam Eyes, the towering monster, let out a guttural roar and swung its massive sword. The blade cleaved through the air, slamming into three ALF players, including Corvatz, sending them flying toward Deku.

At that moment, Deku snapped back to reality. He saw the bodies of the players soaring through the air, their faces filled with terror. His instincts kicked in, and he charged forward, his hands outstretched, desperate to catch them.

But it was too late.

Before Deku could reach them, the three players shattered into pixelated fragments, dissolving right before his eyes. His outstretched hands closed around nothing but air.

"No..." Deku whispered, his heart sinking into his stomach. The same helplessness gripped him again, just like that day with Melissa.

For a brief moment, he stood frozen, his mind replaying the images of loss. He had failed again.

Suddenly, a flash of movement snapped him back to the present. The Gleam Eyes' sword was coming down directly toward him. Before he could react, Asuna, acting on instinct, rushed in, using her sword to block the hit. The sheer force of the blow sent both of them flying backward, slamming them into the ground and separating them.

Deku groaned as he lay there, his vision spinning. He forced himself to sit up, fighting through the pain. His eyes darted across the room, locking onto The Gleam Eyes as it turned its attention to Asuna. She was cornered, barely able to stand, her body trembling from the impact of the attack.

"Not again..." Deku whispered as he watched the boss raise its sword, ready to strike Asuna down. His chest tightened, his heart pounding in his ears.

The image of Melissa's death played vividly in his mind. He couldn't move fast enough. He couldn't save her. Not her. Not Asuna.

"No…" Deku's voice was low, a whisper only he could hear.

"No..." he said again, louder this time.

The rage in his chest boiled over. He refused to let this happen. He refused to let Asuna die.

"NO!" he screamed, his voice echoing through the room, pure determination in his tone. "NOT AGAIN!"

He shot forward with everything he had, his body moving on instinct. As he ran, something surged through him—a power he hadn't yet fully understood. Suddenly, a bright blue light appeared in his left hand. A second sword materialized in a flash of energy—the Elucidator. His right hand already gripped his trusted Dark Repulser.

Asuna gasped, her eyes wide in shock as Deku came between her and The Gleam Eyes, deflecting the blow meant for her with both swords.

"A second sword?" she whispered, her breath catching in her throat. No one had ever seen anything like this before.

But Deku didn't pause. His entire focus was on the monstrous boss before him. With a determined battle cry, he launched himself back at The Gleam Eyes. Both of his swords were glowing brightly, one with a faint green hue, the other a deep blue, as they sliced through the air.

"Faster..." he muttered under his breath, barely audible. "I have to go faster."

The Gleam Eyes was powerful—its swings sent shockwaves through the room, its heavy, glowing sword crashing down with immense force. But it was also bulky, slow to react. Deku knew he had to exploit its size.

"Faster..." he muttered again, his teeth gritted in concentration. "I have to be faster!"

The battle raged on, and it was clear that The Gleam Eyes was preparing for its finishing move. The boss's sword began to glow, its eyes narrowing as it locked onto Deku. The next strike would be fatal.

But Deku didn't hesitate. His mind worked at lightning speed, calculating every movement. He gripped both swords tightly, his body surging forward in a blur of black and green.

"PLUS ULTRA… STARBURST SMASH!" Deku roared, his voice filled with raw power.

In one fluid motion, he dashed toward The Gleam Eyes with a speed that no one had seen before. The boss brought down its sword, but Deku was faster. He moved like a black and green flash, his swords cutting through the air as he unleashed his ultimate attack.

For a split second, the entire room fell silent. Everyone watched, their breath caught in their throats, waiting to see who would fall first.

And then, The Gleam Eyes' body began to glow, cracks forming along its massive frame. With one final roar, it shattered into thousands of pixels, dissolving into nothingness.

The congratulatory screen appeared above them, but no one moved. Everyone stood in stunned silence, unable to process what had just happened.

Deku, still standing in the middle of the room, his right hand raised over his head as the glowing pieces of the boss float around him slowly dissipating into nothing. His body trembled with exhaustion, his breath coming in ragged gasps. He had done it. He had beaten the boss. He had saved Asuna.

But as the adrenaline faded, so did his strength. His legs gave out beneath him, and he collapsed backward, his eyes fluttering shut as unconsciousness overtook him.

—-

As the haze began to fade and the pain in his body dulled, Deku slowly opened his eyes, blinking against the dim light of the boss room. The first thing he noticed was warmth—someone was close to him. Then he heard a voice, soft and trembling, pleading with desperation.

"Please wake up... please no, please, get up..." Asuna's voice broke through the fog, her face hovering above his, tears in her eyes.

Deku blinked again, trying to process what was happening. His entire body felt like it had been run over by a truck, but the fear in Asuna's voice was what snapped him fully awake.

Before he could say anything, Asuna wrapped her arms around him tightly, tears now streaming freely down her face. "Thank god, I thought you were—" her voice audibly shook, her words trembling as she struggled to hold herself together. She couldn't even finish her sentence.

Deku winced as the pressure of her embrace pushed against his sore body, but he didn't care. He was alive, and so was she. That was all that mattered. Slowly, he raised his arms and hugged her back, offering whatever comfort he could.

"I'm okay," Deku whispered softly, his voice hoarse. "I'm still here."

Asuna pulled back slightly, enough to look him in the eyes, her expression a mixture of relief and frustration. "You idiot..." she muttered through her tears, her voice a little steadier now. "I thought you were going to die."

Deku gave a weak smile, though the weight of her words hit him harder than any boss attack could. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean to scare you."

They sat there in silence for a moment, still close, both of them letting the reality of the situation sink in. They had survived, but the cost had been high. Finally, Deku pulled himself together enough to sit up, though his body protested every movement.

"Klein," Deku asked softly, looking over at his friend who had stayed back to give them space, "how many did we lose?"

Klein's face hardened, his usual cheerful demeanor absent as he looked at the ground. "Too many... We lost nearly everyone who went in."

Deku's heart sank, the weight of the loss crashing down on him. He had seen it happen, but hearing the numbers made it all the more real. For a moment, all he could hear was the sound of Melissa's voice echoing in his mind. He clenched his fists, frustrated at his inability to save them all.

Klein, trying to lighten the mood, gave a weak smile and asked, "So... what the hell was that sword skill?"

Deku blinked, momentarily thrown off by the question. "Oh... that. After I got the Dark Repulser from Lisbeth, I got a notification saying I had unlocked a new skill."

"A new skill?" Klein echoed, intrigued. "And that second sword?"

Deku glanced at The Elucidator, which lay beside him. "It's called The Elucidator. I've had it for a while, but I haven't really used it much yet." He paused, not wanting to admit the full truth, even to his closest friends.

Seeing the curious looks from both Klein and Asuna, Deku continued, offering another half-truth. "I figured if I started using a unique sword skill like this in front of everyone, it might cause some jealousy, you know? Maybe lead to some problems later on."

Klein raised an eyebrow, but after a moment, he nodded in understanding. "Well, whatever it was, it saved us all." He chuckled, though the weight of the battle still hung in the air. "Me and the others are heading to open the portal to the next floor. You coming?"

Deku shook his head, wincing slightly as he shifted his weight. "Nah, I think I better rest up a bit more first. I got a little more beat up than I intended." He scratched the back of his head, a sheepish grin on his face.

Klein laughed softly, finally sounding a little more like his usual self. "That's the price of being a hero, right?"

Before walking away, Klein crouched down next to Asuna, who still had her arms wrapped tightly around Deku, her head resting on his chest. "Hey, Asuna, do me a favor... watch out for him, will ya? He's a good kid, but he always seems to find trouble."

Asuna, still shaken, simply nodded against Deku's chest, her voice barely a whisper. "Of course."

Klein smiled, patting Deku on the shoulder before standing up. He stopped one last time before turning around, his back to the two of them. "Hey, Deku?"

"Hmm?" Deku responded, tilting his head slightly.

Klein hesitated for a moment, his voice softer now. "You know... I... uh." He paused again, wiping at his eyes, and Deku finally noticed how shaken Klein had been by everything that had happened.

"I'm really proud to call you my friend," Klein said quietly, his back still turned to them. "Anyway... see ya." He gave a small wave before walking away, his figure slowly disappearing through the portal.

Deku sighed, feeling the weight of the battle settle over him once more. But before he could dwell on it, Asuna's voice broke through his thoughts, her words soft and full of emotion.

"I was so worried," she said, her voice trembling slightly. "I thought... I thought you were going to die..." Tears welled up in her eyes again, and she gripped his arms tightly, as if she were afraid to let go.

Deku offered her a small, comforting smile, his hands resting gently on her shoulders. "I'm okay, Asuna. I promise. You don't have to worry about me."

Asuna wiped her eyes, trying to compose herself. She took a deep breath before finally loosening her grip on Deku, though her hands still held onto his forearms.

"I'm taking a leave from the guild," she announced suddenly, her voice firm despite her earlier tears.

Deku blinked in confusion, thinking it was a joke. He let out a small laugh. "Oh? And what are you gonna do? For as long as I've known you, you've always been fighting, prepping, or training."

Asuna's expression turned stern, and she gave him a look that made him immediately realize she wasn't joking. "How dull can you be sometimes? I'm staying with you, silly."

Deku's eyes widened in shock. "Wait... what?"

"After today," Asuna continued, her voice serious, "I don't want to take another chance. Just knowing that something like this could happen again at any moment... I wouldn't be able to breathe if I knew you were out here alone."

Deku sat there, stunned, unsure of what to say. He had always been alone—at least, ever since Melissa. The thought of having someone by his side, especially someone like Asuna... it was both comforting and terrifying.

But as he looked into Asuna's determined eyes, he felt a warmth wrap over him. Knowing that there was nothing he could do to change her mind, he just nodded.

"Alright," he said softly, a small smile tugging at his lips. "We'll stay as a party then."