30A Game of Life and Death
So, I know I shouldn't be making a new story, but fuck it. Anyway, this is rated M, just cause I usually add swearing and a possibility of dirty scenes and whatnot. Anyway, enjoy this story.
P:S – This isn't anywhere near canon SAO. It'll have characters from it, but it won't follow the story line. Also, this is a post-apocalyptic story and contains magic in its own way and is just a bit weird to begin with, and will be updated whenever I feel like.
Also, some characters personalities may be different in this story. There's your warning. Now, enjoy!
Impossible
Well, that's what the kendo champion's thoughts were two years ago. Walking through a destroyed town, his boots stepping on stray twigs and puddles of dried-up blood, the blue sky above was gone, replaced by dark, stormy clouds that erased the presence of the sun. The country town Kazuto walked through was abandoned, no sign of life visible to the human eye. Catching a whiff of rotting flesh, the 15-year-old boy sighed before reaching his hand over his back. Placing his gloved hand onto the handle of a black shinai, Kazuto pulled out the weapon from its makeshift sheathe that he had kept for the past two years. As he walked forwards, a creature once thought impossible staggered into view, its combination of low moans and growls filling the air. Without a moment's hesitation, the boy struck with a single, powerful strike. As the corpse fell to the ground, its head caved in from the force, something strange began to occur. Kazuto watched on emotionlessly as a dark spirit rose from the body, its strangled screams trying to reach his ears. Pushing his black, oily bangs out of his face, the teen muttered a few words as the spirit rushed him, its screams escalating into shrieks. Raising his shinai, Kazuto made a single strike downwards, creating a cut in reality. Air began to rush into the void, the gravitational pull dragging every nearby object into it. The spirit shrieked once more before disappearing back into the Underworld, and as it disappeared, the void also disappeared.
"Damn spirits," the teen muttered before sheathing the shinai. Looking around, Kazuto spotted a small police station in the distance, tucked away from all the two-story buildings. "Nothing's been the same since then." Sighing, Kazuto took a step forward, only for his stomach to rumble in protest. Placing a hand on his gut, the teen patted it lightly before walking off again. Quickly closing the gap between himself and the police station, Kazuto tried to peek through the windows, but the dust collected over the years made everything a blur. Carefully, the boy pushed the door open, his hand reaching behind his waist. Fully pushing the wooden door open, Kazuto looked around at the shabby police station. The building was one large room with a pale brown wallpaper, a jail cell in the far-right-hand corner. An overturned desk was missing a leg, old papers scattered across the cold, hard floor. A light hung from the ceiling in the center, a few stray wires escaping the casing. Clicking his fingers, a dark flame appeared in Kazuto's hand, a mixture of black, blues and purples creating the cold fire. Shutting the door, the teen walked forwards and examined the room for any possible threats. Seeing and sensing nothing, Kazuto sighed with relief before he walked towards the jail cell. Walking in and shutting the door behind him, the teen looked over at the small bed in the corner as the flames disappeared from his hand. A half-broken toilet rested on the wall, nature's hands cracking the plastic, and a sink was next to it as well, roots and dirt also covering it. The bed resting in the corner couldn't really be called a bed, it was more of a dirty mattress found at the local discount store that nobody wanted. Kazuto wasn't complaining though. Sitting down and resting his back against the wall, the teen pulled out the duffel bag from behind him. Unzipping it and looking at its contents, he instantly saw a can and grabbed it. Zipping the bag back up, Kazuto reached behind his waist and pulled out the knife he kept there. Getting the lid off was no problem, and the food contained inside was eatable, but his problem was that there wasn't enough. Unsatisfied, the survivor knew that he couldn't eat too much more, otherwise he wouldn't have enough for tomorrow's trip. Grunting, Kazuto got into the most comfortable position he could before he drifted off to sleep. He could at least get a couple of hours in before he had to skip town.
…
…
…
BANG!
"Quick, get inside!" Woken up by a door being slammed open, Kazuto stayed where he was and half-opened his right eye, his jet-black hair hiding his face. What he saw was quite a surprise. A girl with long hair reaching past her collarbones had her back pressed against the wall and was watching the door, expecting something to get inside. Another person was present as well, an adult man with fiery red hair. Their choice of attire was quite different from the survivors the boy usually saw. The girl wore a purple shirt with a jacket over it that was a deeper shade. She wore dark-coloured jeans and matching combat boots. Her hair was a deep shade of violet that had a bandana running through it.
"Klein," the girl said with urgency. "Tell the others not to come here. We'll meet up at the emergency spot."
"Right!" Kazuto turned and looked at the man named Klein as he pulled out a radio and began talking quickly into it. The man wore a crimson shirt with a blood red jacket over. His pants were of an even deeper red that it was almost black, and his shoes were a plain, dark grey.
"I wonder what's going on outside," Kazuto mumbled to himself before letting out a loud yawn. Startling the girl and the man, the teen stood up and slung his bag over his shoulder before stretching his body. "So, who are you two?"
"Don't." Kazuto walked towards the cell door and pushed it open, slight creaking coming from the old, rusted iron.
"Don't what, exactly? I could've killed both of you already if I wanted to."
The girl's eyes narrowed as she pulled out a blade from nowhere. The sword was quite simple, the only noticeable difference about it was the purple aura that surrounded the blade and the girl. "You're bluffing. Now, answer my question. You aren't one of them, are you?"
"Yuuki," the man said the girl's name aloud.
So, that's her name, Kazuto thought to himself as he slowly approached the two survivors, his footsteps creating barely any noise.
"Think about this for a second," Klein said, his hands raised in front of him, the radio silent. "If he's a survivor, he could help us."
"Hmph." Sheathing her sword in an invisible sheath, the blade disappeared into thin air, but the girl's glare remained. "What's your name?"
"That's a bit rude." The teen replied as he stood in front of the door, wondering what was outside. Yuuki's glare intensified and the boy sighed. "Kirito. Call me Kirito." Placing his hand on the door, the girl yelped and tried to pull him back. "What are you trying to do?"
"Don't be an idiot," she replied as Klein's radio crackled to life. Quickly listening in, the man's face paled instantly as he turned to Yuuki.
"They've been spotted." Yuuki froze in her spot as Kirito yanked his arm free.
"Your friends are in trouble, aren't they?"
""-How'd you know that?" The man asked as he clipped the radio to his waist.
"I have ears, you know." Pushing the door open, Kirito stepped outside, much to Yuuki's displeasure, and looked around. Hearing an engine in the distance, one word came to his mind instantly.
Bandits
"Yuuki, Klein." Kirito said aloud as the two survivors peeked outside. "Did your friends say where they were last?"
"Umm," Klein racked his brains, trying to remember what they said a few moments ago. "They said they were in the forest near the entrance to the town.
"Right. I'm going to go save your friends."
"Why?" Yuuki's voice rang out, making Kirito question his actions.
Why am I helping these people? Kirito questioned himself as Yuuki waited for his response. They haven't helped me in the slightest, and I don't even know them! Yet… Damnit! I lost my humanity a long time ago, so why?
"I suppose," Kirito responded, his voice filled with just a tiny bit of sadness he had accumulated the past two years. "I don't want to see people become the same thing I've become." Without another word, the teen began walking down the road, ignoring the protests from Yuuki. Just as he reached the middle, darkness began to form around him until it created a shroud. However, as soon as it formed, it dispersed, leaving nothing in its wake.
I've seen nothing like that, Yuuki thought to herself as her eyes narrowed. He must be like me and others. Sighing, the girl walked out of the police station, Klein following behind.
"Come on, we've got to get moving to the rendezvous. The bandits have most likely gone back already." Klein nodded in agreement before he followed the girl down the road.
"Run!" Sinon moved as fast as she could, the muscles in her legs screaming at her to stop. The group had been moving carefully towards the town, and were about to exit the forest, only for two cars to come flying out of nowhere. With mad cackles, the men in the cars drove straight towards the group, leaving no time to waste. Sinon, Asuna and Leafa instantly retreated into the forest, forcing the bandits to chase them on foot. The group had then spilt up, Sinon by herself as Asuna and Leafa went together. Shaking her head, the girl continued sprinting through the dark forest, avoiding the never-ending amount of dark, oak trees and large roots that protruded out of the ground.
"Come back sweetie, I just want to play!" An insane cackle of a clearly deranged man was slowly but surely getting closer to the girl. Gritting her teeth, Sinon ran even faster, but was roughly grabbed from beside a tree. A gloved hand covered her mouth whilst another moved her body closer. Trying to fight, Sinon managed to catch a glance over her shoulder, but was surprised to see a handsome teenage boy holding her hostage.
"Stop struggling, you'll give away where we are," he whispered to her as he lifted his hand from her mouth. Pulling her closer to the tree, the two blended in as the madman bandit sprinted past, a machete held loosely in his right hand. As he passed, Sinon let out a sigh of relief before remembering the person behind her. Whipping around, ready to fight, the teenager was already gone, as if he had disappeared into the shadows.
"Where did he- ?"
A bloodcurdling scream filled the silent forest and Sinon's heart stopped beating for a millisecond. As her body became doused in fear, the girl gritted her teeth. That was most definitely Leafa and Asuna fighting off a bandit, or maybe even bandits. Without a second to waste, the girl sprinted off towards the source of the sound.
"Well, well, well. What's two beautiful, pure ladies doing out here, ehh?" Four bandits approached the girls menacingly, licking their lips as they held bloodied machetes in their hand. Asuna gulped nervously as she pulled out a rapier from her waist, pointing it at a bandit. Leafa lay on the ground behind Asuna with her back to a rock wall that blocked their escape, panting heavily as crimson liquid ran from a wound in her thigh.
"I'll protect you, Leafa," Asuna assured the girl who smiled weakly before falling unconscious.
"We'll see about that, girlie!" Leaping forward was a topless bandit, his only clothes consisting of baggy grey pants and a rusty iron necklace. Asuna tried to block the blow, but the bandit's momentum was too much. Falling over, the rapier was knocked out of her hand and the girl was pinned helplessly against the ground.
"Now," the man licked his lips as his hot breath hit Asuna's neck. "Let's have some fun, shall we?" Holding her down with one hand, the man fiddled with his pants as the girl cringed and looked away, preparing herself for the worst.
WHACK!
"Are you alright?" Asuna faced the source of the voice and saw a teenager holding his hand out for her to take. Accepting it, she got to her feet and backed up to Leafa as the teen smiled. "I'll take it from here, okay?" It really wasn't a question from his tone, but more of an order. Nodding, Asuna stayed back and admired her saviour. The teenager was quite, strange, if she had to say anything. His hair was jet-black and looked oily from where she stood, and it just reached the base of his neck. He wore an onyx shirt with an even darker steampunk trench coat over top. Where he had found it, the girl had no idea. The teen also wore black jeans and black converse, completing the look. On his back was a black duffel bag that seemed relatively empty, and an empty sheathe where a shinai would rest.
"That wasn't a smart move, punk," one of the bandits said before charging the mysterious teen. Slashing forwards with the machete, the bandit made his first mistake and final mistake. Moving swiftly to the right at the last second, the teen swiftly swung the black shinai in his right hand into the bandit's neck. Knocking the first bandit out with ease, the teen darted towards the remaining two men with incredible speed. Before the two men could even speak, they were met with a mouth full of grass before their eyes rolled into the back of their heads.
Asuna's jaw dropped as she watched the teen finish his work. He had knocked four men unconscious in a matter of seconds, and to make it even more unbelievable, he did it with just a shinai.
"Hey, are you listening?" Shaking her head, Asuna realized the teen was behind her. Whipping around, she saw him examining Leafa's wound. "Do you have anything I could use to clean this wound?"
"Most of our first-aid supplies are with Sinon," Asuna replied as she quickly moved over to Leafa.
"Of course they are." Sighing, the teen swung the duffel bag off his shoulder and quickly unzipped it. Reaching into it, Asuna watched, stunned as he produced a first aid kit out of nowhere. "Do something useful and keep watch," the teen said.
"R-Right!"
Sinon poked her head out from behind a tree and looked at the opening that lay ahead of her. The teen that was with her before was standing in front of Asuna and Leafa, a black weapon in his hand. Sinon quickly recognized it as a shinai, but her eyes narrowed as she saw the difference in numbers. A one verse four situation. If they were those useless, shambling undead, the girl would say that it would be quite easy to deal with it, but these were ruthless bandits. Underestimate them once, and you were dead. Moving out from her cover, the girl went to assist the teen, but the mysterious boy looked right into her eyes and mouthed three words.
"I got this."
Shocked, Sinon could only stand still as a bandit lunged at him. In her opinion, the bandits that roamed Japan were quite generic: they all wore baggy pants with either shoes or no shoes and a necklace of some sort. Their hair went from spikey like a cactus, or to messy with something keeping it in check. Either way, the bandits that were in front of her were no exception. Watching the teen for his movements, he seemed calm, his shinai still by his side. At the last second, he dodged, creating a large opening to attack the bandit. Quickly knocking the first opponent out, he darted towards the remaining two enemies, and with speed too fast for the human eye, he knocked the two-bandits unconscious. Or, that's what she thought. As Sinon walked into the opening, she examined the faces of the men and noticed that their eyes had rolled into the back of their heads. As she approached Asuna who ran towards her, obviously happy to see her, the girl noticed that there was blood slowly dripping from the men's eyes and mouth. Looking away, Sinon embraced Asuna in a hug.
"I'm glad you're alright, Sinonon!" Asuna buried her face into Sinon's shoulder.
"I'm glad you're fine as well," the girl replied. Breaking off the hug, Sinon walked towards the teen as he sighed.
"She's fine now," the teen said, slightly startling Sinon. Shaking this off, the girl watched as he packed away what looked like a first-aid kit into his black duffel bag before he zipped it up and swung it over his shoulder.
"Why'd you help us?" Sinon asked as the teen straightened up.
"Why?" The boy turned around before leaning his back against the rock wall. "Would you believe me if I said it was out of good will?"
"No."
The teen let out a harsh laugh, but quickly killed it. "Let's just say that I ran into your friends who were hiding and overheard what they said." The clouds above the teenagers parted slightly, allowing a ray of the evening sunlight to penetrate the misty depression that covered the sky. As the light hit the teen, he scowled and looked up at the sky. Instantly, a black storm cloud covered the gap, instantly erasing the ray. Sinon noticed this, but didn't say anything.
"What's your name?" The sudden question made her glare at the teen, which, in return, made his scowl retreat and was replaced with an emotionless mask. "Right, my bad. I haven't talked to other sane people in a while, so I don't really have manners." Sighing, the teen looked to his right at the sleeping Leafa. "Call me Kirito." Gesturing his hand towards Sinon, the girl let out a sigh of defeat before she replied.
"Sinon." The teen raised his eyebrow, but the girl gave him a cold, hard look. Ignoring the look, Kirito examined the clothes Sinon wore. The girl seemed to not care what she wore from what he could see. If it was practical and worked, she would wear it. Sinon had a simple, plain tank top that was a dark, forest green. The jacket she wore over it reached just down past her waist and was a dark green just like her tank top. It was tight enough that it wouldn't get in her way, but loose enough that it wouldn't restrict her movements. She wore black shorts that reached just past her thighs and black shoes that looked like they were made for combat and a casual day out at the shops. Her ice-blue hair stood out the most, two clips holding the two bangs on either side of her face in place. The indigo eyes that stared at Kirito made him snap out of his thoughts before he turned and faced Asuna.
"What about you?" Kirito asked the other girl.
"My name's Asuna," she replied. Examining the girl quickly, Kirito was quirked by her appearance. It seemed that Asuna preferred beauty over practical clothes. The chestnut-haired girl wore a white sleeveless blouse with a red jacket over the top.
Seriously, what was up with these people all having jackets?
Shaking his head, Kirito also saw that Asuna was wearing a red miniskirt with white leggings emerging from within. The girl also wore red and white shoes that looked like they belonged in a designer shop.
"What about her?" Kirito pointed his thumb at the unconscious Leafa.
"That's Leafa," Sinon said as she turned around and kept watch. Kirito couldn't help but have a feeling of Déjà vu as he looked at Leafa. The girl had blonde hair that was tied up in a ponytail that reached past her collarbones. The girl wore a leaf green shirt with a forest green hoodie that was partially zipped up. It seemed that her massive bust was stopping her from zipping it up all the way. Ignoring her chest, Kirito looked down at her legs where she wore dark leggings which disappeared into bright shoes. On her thigh, it was torn where the machete had savagely cut into her. Bandages now covered the wound, but Kirito knew it would re-open soon.
"Alright then." Bending over, Kirito picked propped Leafa up against the rock.
"What do you think you're doing?" Surprised to see that Asuna said this instead of Sinon, Kirito frowned.
"Yuuki and Klein told you to meet up at the rendezvous point, didn't they?" The teen said as he faced his back to the rock wall. "I don't know where it is, so you two need to lead the way." Raising Leafa onto his back, Kirito leaned forward slightly so the girl wouldn't fall off his back. Draping her arms across his chest and pinning her legs to his sides with his arms, the girl was as snug as possible, "We don't have time to waste, let's go."
"Right." Sinon began to jog back towards the forest as Asuna collected her rapier. Placing it carefully back into its white and red sheathe, the girl went to turn back and tell Kirito to hurry up, but was surprised to see him keeping the same pace as Sinon without even disturbing the unconscious girl on his back. Quickly jogging up to the others, the three made their way through the dark forest.
Yuuki was worried. It had been well over twenty minutes since she heard from Leafa and the others. Walking backwards and forwards impatiently, the girl pondered what could have happened. She knew that Klein was just as worried as her, but they couldn't find the right words to calm their nerves. Turning around, Yuuki looked at the massive fortress that cast the opening they were in in shadows. Usually, something like this was physically impossible, but since the incident that resulted in the world falling to pieces, anything had become possible. After all, Yuuki was living proof of this. Before the event, the girl was close to dying because of her condition. A stupid accident during surgery caused her to have a blood transfusion which was infected with HIV, then she got AIDS shortly afterwards. Before the incident, Yuuki was ready to accept her fate, but before her untimely death, she was taken into a secret underground lab. During the short time she was there, the scientists managed to cure her condition, but they also did something else. They had managed to awaken something inside Yuuki that had lay dormant all her life. There was quite literally no other way but to describe it as what humans called fiction for all their lives.
Magic
However, because of this magic, scientists also managed to create something even worse. Whilst they could use this to save people, they took their next experiment too far. That day, Yuuki could only hear the screams of the living before the dead devoured them. The scientists had somehow managed to bring the souls of the dead back into dead bodies, resurrecting them. Whilst most of them were shambling pieces of rotting flesh that were as dumb as a goldfish, some managed to grow extremely intelligent, resulting in Japan eventually being overrun.
The undead were usually ranked from the colour of their eyes. Dull eyes meant that they were at stage one, basic human strength and speed. Blue eyes meant that they were slightly more intelligent than their stage one partners and were at stage two. Stage three was when they had red eyes. Their speed and strength were incredible, and they were capable of understanding and talking like humans. Stage four undead had golden eyes and were one of the most dangerous of the undead. Their speed and strength were out of this world and their intelligence was unusually high. Only users capable of magic would stand a chance of surviving. Even so, it was unwise to attack these zombies with only one person. Stage five was the most dangerous undead of them all. While they had the speed and strength of a stage three undead, their intelligence level was beyond human logic. They could easily gather huge masses of zombies and even pass of as human if they wanted to. They also had the power to regenerate, and if they chose, could mutate into a stage six undead which resulted in an otherworldly sized undead. Whilst these zombies are the rarest of them all, they easily are nearly quarter the size of a skyscraper and have strength to destroy islands with a single blow. Their speed is reduced immensely alongside their intelligence, but they were a force to be reckoned with. However, they had a massive weakness. Nuclear Weapons.
"Yuuki." Looking up, the girl looked at Klein who was watching her, a worried look planted on his face. "You were lost in your thoughts again. You alright?"
"Yeah, I'm fine," Yuuki replied. Sighing, the girl sat down on the grass and brought her knees to her chest. Hugging her legs, the girl caught a whiff of something being cooked. Turning her head as far back as she could, the girl looked at the massive fortress behind her. The black fortress was currently in its visible state. Usually, the massive fortress was invisible, thanks to Julian's powers, but it was currently resting. Julian's face flashed into Yuuki's mind and she smiled, remembering when the teen first joined them. Unfortunately, she didn't have the time of day to think about that.
"Yuuki!" Watching Sinon approach, the girl sighed with relief, but instantly her guard was up when she spotted the teenage boy who went by the name Kirito approach.
"Hurry up and get inside!" Yuuki ordered as Sinon ran past her towards the fortress. Asuna quickly followed with Klein not far behind. As Kirito approached, the girl gave him a quick nod before he disappeared from her sight. Looking around to make that there were no undead nearby, the girl turned around and walked into the opening that had appeared before it quickly shut behind her. The massive fortress then began to float. At first, it was only a little bit off the ground, but soon it became meters to tens of meters. Before long, they were at least a hundred meters above earth, slowly floating forwards. As the fortress moved forwards, it flickered once before disappearing completely just as lightning flashed through the sky. Rain began to pelt down towards the earth and thunder boomed mercilessly.
Kirito looked around the corridor he was walking in, surprised that technology like this still existed. The corridor was a generic white with lights hanging from the ceiling. The floor was see through, which, to then teen's surprise, revealed the earth from a bird's eye view. As he walked forwards with the girls and guy, they reached the end of the corridor. Sinon stepped towards a device on the wall and tapped a few buttons. The moment the girl finished the code, the wall slid up, allowing the people to pass through. Sinon walked through with Asuna by her side, Klein following the two. As Kirito went to walk through, he felt a hand on his shoulder. Turning around, he saw Yuuki looking at him, her red eyes asking a question. Kirito responded to the question with his own eyes, leaving the girl dissatisfied. Stepping through the doorway, the teen was greeted with a massive room. Well, football field sized room was a more appropriate way to describe it.
"Surprised?" Yuuki asked as she stepped beside Kirito, the teen looking around at his surroundings.
"Yeah, he replied. To Kirito's left, there was a small hut that reminded him of a tropical island that was filled with people eating and chatting. Little kids ran around excited, chasing each other and playing games. Exotic wildlife of all sorts combined with nature also filled the area, silky white sand replacing the cold, hard floor he was standing in before. To his right, the sand led to a rather large pool of water. The sand surrounded the water, creating a circle all around it. Children to adults roamed the pool, happily talking to each other without a care in the world. Kirito's eyes narrowed as he examined the pool. It seemed to become deeper the closer you got to the center, and it looked like something was hidden there. Ignoring this, the teen readjusted his grip on the girl on his back, making sure she didn't fall. Once Leafa was in no danger of falling, Kirito looked straight ahead, following the rock pathway he was walking on.
"Look! It's Yuuki!"
"She's back from another mission!"
Isn't that Sinon and Asuna with her as well?"
"Yeah, you're right!"
"Wait, who's that guy with them?"
"Who cares? He looks so good!"
"Who's he carrying on his back?"
Kirito sighed, ignoring the chatter from all the people around him.
"Kirito," Yuuki said as she raised her arm in front of his path, stopping the teen. "I've called over some people to take Leafa to first aid."
"Right." Seeing a rather young woman and man hurry over, the teen lowered himself until his knee rested against the ground.
"We'll take her from here," the man said as he stepped behind Kirito. With help from the woman, they rested Leafa on the ground before picking her up carefully.
"She'll be fine," Sinon said as she walked back towards the two. "Leafa can heal herself if she's surrounded by nature."
"I see," Kirito replied, his social awkwardness kicking in.
...
"Let's go!" Yuuki shouted to the team as she ran forwards, all her seriousness from before gone as she filled in the awkward silence.
"Geeze, Yuuki," Asuna sighed before she gave chase. "Come back here! We still have to report to the boss!"
"Pff, killjoy," the girl muttered as she came to a stop. "I suppose we should go now then. He'll want to see him after all."
Kirito sighed as he followed the girls towards their destination.
"You alright man?" Glancing to his left, the teen saw Klein walking beside him, his hands resting on his neck.
"Just surprised. Never seen this many people after the incident before." Klein chuckled at Kirito's words as they continued walking forwards.
"If this is surprising you, then prepare yourself for later," the man said with a smile. "If it weren't for people like Julian, this would never exist to begin with." Patting Kirito in the shoulder, the man quickened his pace. "We should hurry up, otherwise Yuuki will punish me."
"Sure."
"Well, what do we have here?" Kirito's eyes narrowed as he looked the man straight in the eyes. Heathcliff showed no emotion in his face, his hands interlocked in front of him. The two sat at different ends of a mahogany desk, both in velvet chairs. Red carpet covered the floor, and a lighter shade of red covered the walls. An expensive looking light hung from the ceiling, basking the room in a warm light. Multiple bookshelves lined the room, a few paintings hanging next to them. Behind Heathcliff was a glass wall, revealing the landscape behind him. Curtains hung on both sides, both a deep shade of red with a white line down the middle. Yuuki and the others watched nervously as their leader made his verdict.
"You have nothing to say to me?" Heathcliff closed his eyes and smiled before opening his eyes again. "What's your name?"
…
"Kirito."
"I see." The man brushed a stray strand of grey hair out of his face as he looked at Sinon. "Sinon, take Kirito here to my brother."
"Yes sir."
"Heathcliff, what do you want from me?" At this, the man smiled again as he faced Kirito.
"What do I want from you?" The older man mused. "Well, Kirito, I want you to regain your humanity." At this, the teen froze, but he quickly relaxed. "I can see it in your eyes," Heathcliff continued, his solid, stormy grey eyes meeting Kirito's dull, onyx eyes, devoid of any emotion. "After all, I've seen that look too many times."
…
"Heathcliff, can I talk to you later tonight?"
"Of course."
Standing up, Kirito excused himself and tucked the chair in under the desk before walking towards the exit. Passing the group, Sinon glanced at Heathcliff before following the teenager out the door. As it slid close behind them, Yuuki instantly closed the distance between her and the desk.
"Why'd you agree to talk to him later?" Yuuki asked as she slammed her hand down against the desk. "You've never done that for anybody else, so why him?"
"Yuuki," Heathcliff stared the girl right in the eyes, making the girl nervous. "This is a personal matter for the boy. After all, I've met him personally before all this happened."
"You, know him?" Yuuki was dumbstruck. The commander had never met anybody on the fortress they were currently on, hell, Heathcliff never revealed anything about his personal life.
"Now, go," Heathcliff waved his hand at the group. "I have urgent matters to attend to."
"Of course, sir," Yuuki said, bowing her head as she did. "If you'll excuse me." Walking out of the room, Asuna followed her with Klein not too far behind.
"Now, Kazuto," Heathcliff muttered to himself as he turned around in his chair. "How will you react to my brother's appearance?" A small smile appeared on Heathcliff's face before the man sighed. "I'm getting to old for this…"
"We're here," Sinon said as she pushed open a door. Entering a bright white science lab, Kirito couldn't help but shiver as a past memory flashed into his mind. Pushing it aside, the teen looked around and spotted a man with brown hair in a white, science lab-coat sitting at a desk.
"Kayaba Akihiko," Kirito murmured. Kayaba, at hearing someone mention his name, jerked up from the desk and looked around.
"Ah, Sinon," he said calmly. "What brings you here today?"
"Your brother asked me to bring him in today," the girl replied.
"Who?" Looking over the girl's shoulder, Kayaba spotted Kirito and his cheerful face instantly disappeared. "Sinon, do you mind leaving us alone for a while?
Sinon looked over at Kirito and shrugged. "I don't see why I can't." Walking past the teenager, the girl stopped at the door. "Kirito, I'll be waiting outside for you, so don't take too long." As Sinon walked outside, Kayaba sighed, clearly tired before motioning for Kirito to sit down.
"I never thought I'd see you in a place like this, Mr. Kirigaya."
…
Sinon closed her eyes and sighed. Leaning up against the wall waiting for Kirito was beginning to make her tired, and she couldn't help yawn. Stifling the yawn with her hand, Sinon wondered what was going on inside that room, and why Kayaba wanted to speak to Kirito alone. Sighing again, the girl pulled out the handgun that was jammed in her belt behind her waist. Admiring the FN Five Seven, Sinon examined the weapon for any nicks, only to find a glossy finish to stare her back.
"Sinon, you can come back in now," a muffled voice said from within the lab. Placing the weapon back where she got it from, Sinon pushed herself off the wall and walked towards the door. Pushing it open, she was greeted with a strange sight. Kayaba was pinned to the wall by Kirito, his black shinai in one hand and a black flam in the other.
"What the hell are you doing?" Sinon asked, outraged at the teen's behaviour.
Kirito looked back at her, his once dull eyes now a dead void. "I don't know. Why don't you ask him?" Pulling the shinai away from the man's neck, he smiled before pulling out a metal cylinder.
"Take this with you, Kirito," Kayaba said before he turned to Sinon. Grunting, the teen caught it in his hand, the flame disappearing instantly. A cylinder comprising of onyx metal rolled around in his hand, two small buttons on both sides. Pocketing the foreign object, Kirito left the room, the glass door slamming behind him creating a large echo.
"So, what'd you do?"
Kayaba sighed before he returned to his deck. "Well, I just recognized him from an old newspaper I have around here." Sitting down in the office chair, he spun around uselessly, fingers interlocked with each other. "Apart from that, I asked him a few questions." Sinon raised an eyebrow, making the scientist laugh. "I swear, that's it!"
"Fine." Leaving the lab, Kayaba sighed as he was left all alone.
"Kazuto," the man muttered as he closed his eyes. "You've changed so much since then." Falling into a light sleep, the man didn't realize Sinon was just outside, listening to what he just said.
"I knew it," the girl muttered before walking off. "I knew something was off."
Kirito sighed internally as he watched Sinon through the darkness. Closing the void, the teen turned around and faced the wall. Taking a step forwards, Kirito phased through the generic wall. Passing through with no difficulty, the teen's body slowly dissolved into shadow before reforming on the other side. Blinking once to get used to the warm light, Kirito looked around as he was surrounded once again by people.
"What a nice view," he muttered before walking towards the hut he passed earlier. As he approached the bar, Sinon came into his peripheral vision on his right. Ignoring her presence, Kirito slid onto a bar stool as he faced the man behind the counter.
"What can I get you today?" The brunette said as he set a cup down. The man wore a Hawaiian shirt that was unbuttoned, revealing his six-pack and a pair of blue board shorts. A bead necklace rested on his chest, moving in a hypnotizing pattern.
"Anything I can eat while moving," the teen replied as Sinon sat down in the chair next to him.
"The usual, Kaleb," Sinon said as she fiddled with her hair. The man nodded before he disappeared into the back of the hut. Kirito sighed as he ran his hand through his hair, pushing the oily bangs out of his face.
"What'd you hear him say?" The question surprised Sinon, more importantly, it startled Kirito himself. The girl hesitated, but before she could answer, Kaleb came back, his arms full.
"Here you go, Sinon, person I've never met before." Setting down a glass filled with a black liquid, Kirito assumed that it was Coca-Cola. However, his eyes were set on the smoking hot chips that were placed in front of Sinon. Looking up at the brunette, he was surprised to see a white takeaway container set in front of him alongside a takeaway cup. Lifting the lid, Kirito's mouth began to water as two kebabs with smoking meat rested carefully on top of a pile of chips.
"Your cup is filled with coke as well," Kaleb said as Kirito looked up.
"You didn't do anything to this, did you?" Kirito said as his eyes narrowed accusingly.
"What? I would never- ."
"Don't mind him," Sinon interrupted before she sighed. "He's been alone for the past two years." The girl watched the brunette's face go through a mix of emotions before it settled into a small smile.
"I understand," he replied before facing the teen. "I swear, I did nothing to your food. Is that good enough?"
"Hmph." Kirito took the container and cup and slid off his chair. As he walked, people that got close to him gave him a strange look before veering away from the teen.
"You know what, Shino?" Kaleb said as he rested his face on his hand, his arm resting on the bench. "He reminds me of you." The girl nodded silently. Not many people knew her real name on the fortress, and she only trusted a few with it. All her best friends, and she considered Kaleb a close friend, knew her name, alongside the commander and his brother.
"I should follow him, otherwise he'll get lost." Sighing, the girl stood up and grabbed her food and drink. "Thanks for the food, Kaleb."
"Anytime." Waving goodbye as Sinon walked away, he turned his attention to another customer after a few seconds.
Thud
Thud
Thud
"Enter," Heathcliff said as the door swung open. Kirito entered, holding a plastic takeaway container in one hand and a cup in the other. Kicking the door shut behind him, the teen reached the chair and sat down whilst placing the food down. As Kirito opened the container, Heathcliff kicked his urges to eat back down into his stomach and smiled as he interlocked his hands together. "Go ahead and eat, I don't mind."
"I wasn't asking for your permission." Pulling out a kebab, it tantalized the older man, but he held his ground. "So, I need to ask you a few questions."
"Fire away."
Ripping away a hunk of meat from the skewer, Kirito chewed it slowly before swallowing. "Do you remember who I am?"
"Kazuto Kirigaya, the national Kendo champion at the young age of 13," the grey-haired man replied. "Was a genius in school and had a promising future ahead of him. However, he went missing a week before the incident and was never seen again."
"Have you ever encountered people who had strange abilities?"
At this, Heathcliff sighed before looking the teenager across the desk in the eye. "Many people refuse to believe this strange phenomenon until it stares them right in the face. While many refuse to believe in it, the best way to describe this is by simply calling it magic." Bringing his hands away, Heathcliff clicked his right hand and a tiny orb of light rested on his fingertip. "To answer your question, yes, I have met many with strange abilities. Many I have saved and brought along this fortress."
Watching the light orbit his finger, he was surprised to see it be snuffed out by a flash of darkness. Facing Kazuto, or now known behind the mask of Kirito, the older man was surprised to see the teen had barely moved, but he hid it behind a mask of impassive coolness. No one had a power strong enough to counter or even fight his, not even Yuuki, but this teen had effortlessly erased his light from existence.
"Next question," Kirito said as he finished off all his kebabs and took a sip from the cup. Clicking his fingers, a small hole appeared in the ceiling beside him and a yelp could be heard outside. As a girl with purple hair fell through the ceiling and landed with on her ass with a thud, a familiar sight of powder-blue hair followed afterwards, but this girl landed on her feet with grace. "Why was Yuuki eavesdropping at the door?"
"For that," Heathcliff said as he gestured at Yuuki to stand up. "I have no honest idea. Maybe she was curious?"
Kirito sighed before he stood up. Sliding the container across the desk to the older man, the teen grabbed the cup and moved out from the chair.
"That's enough for me to know for now," Kirito said as he reached the door. Pushing it open, the teen paused in the doorway, as if he was listening intently for something nearby.
"Kirito," Heathcliff called out to the teen before he left. "I've chosen a room for you to stay in." Tapping something Kirito couldn't see on the desk, he heard a beep before an elevator nearby made a satisfying *Ding* sound. "Look for room #8. It'll be your new living area for now." Watching the teen nod, he disappeared from sight and the door shut. Sighing, the commander leaned back in his chair, dark bags underneath his solid, stormy eyes.
"Sir," Yuuki said aloud. "If I may ask, why did you give him one of the best suites on the fortress?"
"Why?" Heathcliff mused as he leaned forwards in his chair and tapped on a button. As the lights in the room dimmed, the man's eyes seem to light the presence around him. "You'll see soon enough. Now, I'd like you to please leave. While the sun may have just set a few minutes ago, I need to rest."
"R-Right!" Yuuki bowed once before she left the room. Sinon watched her leave and sighed before following her out.
What a troublesome girl, Heathcliff thought to himself before letting out a yawn. Standing up, the man grabbed the takeaway container before he walked towards one of the bookshelves and pulled a book out partially. A faint click could be heard before the bookcase slid backwards into the wall. Walking into the space that was just formed, Heathcliff heard the bookcase slide back into place behind him as he entered his bedroom. Tomorrow was going to be a packed day.
"Number 8, huh?" Kazuto walked past doors that were spread apart by a large distance with numbers engraved on them. Passing numbers #6 and #7, the teen looked straight ahead at the jet-black door with the number 8 engraved in it, the number created with what looked like pure gold. Stopping in front of it, Kazuto examined the door, wondering how he opened it. Seeing a handprint sensor beside the door, the teen carefully placed his hand on it.
Welcome
The door swung open and Kazuto stepped in. Kicking the door shut behind him, the teen turned around and was relieved to see a handle connected. Clicking the lock button on it, the boy sighed and turned around. Kazuto was hoping for a basic place to sleep, but he didn't expect to have a luxury room all to himself. Glass panes lined the wall that was in front of him, black curtains covering most of it to prevent sunlight to enter. The floor was made of onyx-tiles which had a glossy finish.
"Geeze," the teen muttered as he stepped forwards. Looking to his left, a kitchen greeted him. The countertop was a glossy black, the cupboards underneath a shining silver. He didn't understand what most of the objects in his kitchen did, but Kazuto did know one thing. Most of it comprised off his favourite colour. Ignoring the rest of its contents, he looked to this right. A white carpet lay on the ground with black diamond patterns. One large, lounge chair was white, whilst the two other armchairs were made of black leather. A ceiling light hung in the centre, basking the room in its warm glow. Hanging on the wall was a flat screen TV which took up most of it. Walking past this, Kazuto walked through a doorway into the bed room. White carpet with a large black mat was in the centre of the room, a double bed pushed up against the wall. Jet-black sheets were made neatly with matching pillows. Two lights hung on the wall beside the bed, hovering high above two bedside tables that were a lighter shade of black. Glancing to his right, Kazuto saw a bag rack and an archway which probably led to a walk-in-wardrobe. Pulling the duffel-bag off his back, the teen tossed it onto the bed before he carefully pulled the shinai off his back, making sure it stayed in its sheathe. Bending over, Kazuto untied the shoelaces off his hi-top converses. It was quite a story on how he found most of his clothes. Recently, the teen's shoes had fell apart, and he had been left to walk around with a sole on his shoe. Luckily, he had managed to find a designer shop at a destroyed city he had passed through. Walking through, he automatically saw a mannequin laying on its side, a black steampunk trench-coat resting on top with a pair of unscathed converse. Without hesitation, Kazuto had grabbed the coat and shoes before leaving the shop.
"Kirito?" Freezing up, the teen let out a sigh as he moved his joints. Placing the invisible mask on his face, Kazuto became Kirito and turned around. Walking towards the door, he opened it and was greeted with purple hair. Looking down a bit, Kirito saw Yuuki standing in front of him.
"What do you want," he replied, holding the door in between them.
"A duel." Surprised at this, Kirito hid it and held his emotionless face.
"Why?"
Pointing her finger at him, Yuuki held her head high. "The commander just gave you the best suite in the fortress. I want to see if you deserve it." Turning around, the teen left before calling out. "Meet me where the hut was tomorrow morning."
"Fine," Kirito grumbled before shutting the door. Locking it again, he sighed and walked back to his bedroom. Removing the mask, the invisible facade dispersed away and Kirito faded away into Kazuto. Entering the bedroom, Kazuto fell face first into the bed and sunk partially into the soft material. Closing his eyes, the teen heard thunder boom before sleep took control of his body. As darkness enveloped Kazuto, the lights in the suite were quietly snuffed out by tendrils of darkness before they disappeared into thin air, leaving no trace behind.
A blonde teen sighed as he interlocked his fingers, extremely frustrated. Resting his elbows on the white desk in front of him, the teen grunted before pushing himself away from the desk. Flying backwards in his office chair, Julian looked over at a shiny metal rod in the corner of his room. Splaying his hand, a burst of yellow lightning darted towards the rod. Releasing the excess power stored in his body, Julian sighed as the chair came to a stop.
"I wish Yuuki was here right now," the teen muttered.
"Damnit." Yuuki lowered the point of her sword, the purple aura surrounding it jerked once before violently spraying outwards. Panting heavily, the girl let the blade fall from her sweaty fingers. With a wave of purples and pinks, the blade disappeared and Yuuki sighed. "Still lots of room to improve." Smiling, the girl walked towards Heathcliff who stood in front of her, his shield unscathed. The girl had finally perfected her ultimate move, Mother's Rosario.
Five consecutive strikes with the point of her blade from the top-right to the bottom left followed by another five stabs mirrored on the other side of the body at speed too fast for human eyes to follow, Yuuki's first ten strikes created a cross that was near-impossible to dodge, lest block. Then, the girl delivered the final blow with all her might. Tilting her body as far back as possible, Yuuki then lunged forwards with her blade, the purple aura surrounding it, making the attack physically impossible to survive, even for magic users. The only exception so far, however, was the man standing in front of her.
"Well done," Heathcliff called out to the exhausted girl as he lowered his shield. The commander had donned a red tank top and grey sweatpants. He was barefoot, a white jacket with red lines resting on his shoulder, completely undisturbed from the impact of the attack. "You've finished your original skill, and you also combined your magic with it. Very impressive."
"Thank you, sir," Yuuki replied as she wiped her brow, collecting the sweat that had collected from the session. "If you don't mind me asking, how well do you know Kirito?"
Raising an eyebrow from the unexpected question, Heathcliff sighed, allowing a moment of weariness to take over before regaining control.
"That is a question, I'm afraid, that I cannot answer."
"Why is that?"
Heathcliff sighed before ruffling Yuuki's hair. "I'm obliged to not reveal another's past without their permission." Walking past the girl, he called out as he reached the metal door that slid open. "Good luck in tomorrow's duel. Do not disappoint me." And with that, Heathcliff left the room, leaving an exhausted Yuuki behind.
Kazuto groaned as he rolled over on his bed, his left leg dangling dangerously over the edge with his right arm joining it.
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
Eyes opening instantly, the teen rolled off the edge and landed with a soft thud on the carpet. Scanning his surroundings, Kazuto realized the source of the noise was behind him and whipped around. Seeing the alarm clock read – 8:37, he calmed down and tapped the button on top of it. Stifling a yawn, Kazuto walked towards the bathroom while he ran his hand through his oily hair. Entering the room, the colour design was the polar opposite of the suite: the tiles on the floor, wall and the ceiling were a bright white, the bench, however, was a sleek black with a glossy finish. A basic light hung on the wall, lighting the bathroom. The bathroom was quite large for a bathroom: a large shower sat in the top right-hand corner with a small spa-bath sitting one meter away from its left. A toilet sat in the bottom right-hand corner of Kazuto's vision with a sink about a meter away. Shrugging out of the coat, he saw a bar where a towel was and folded his coat before placing it there. Pulling off the shirt he wore, Kazuto tossed it on the ground before he reached his belt. Quickly removing it, his jeans came next alongside his underwear, then his socks. Finished, the boy walked towards the shower and quickly slid the door behind him. Turning the hot water on, he stepped back on instinct as the water came gushing out before sighing.
"I don't deserve this," Kazuto muttered to himself as the water penetrated his thick hair. As his bangs fell and covered his face, the teen sighed before grabbed a bar of soap. Quickly cleaning up, Kazuto turned the water off and stood where he was, letting the steam rise to the ceiling slowly.
DING!
Jumping slightly, the teen sighed with relief as he realized it was just the doorbell. Sliding the shower door open, Kazuto grabbed a nearby towel and dried himself off.
DING!
Wrapping the towel around his waist, he made sure it was secure before walking towards the door. Stooping down, Kazuto scooped up his clothes and grabbed his coat and the spare towel.
DING! DING! DING!
Irritated, Kazuto dumped his clothes on his bed but kept the extra towel. Walking out of the bedroom, he approached the door out of his suite whilst he dried his hair.
DING!
Scowling, Kazuto opened the door with one hand, only to be met with nothing. Seeing the tiniest bit of brown, he looked down and saw a young girl blushing furiously. Instantly, the scowl was replaced with a smile.
"Sorry for taking so long," Kazuto said as he lowered his hand from his head, the towel resting on his hair. "What do you need me for?"
"S-Sorry!" The brunette bowed before looking up again. "The commander told me that you'd need a guide to the arena, but I didn't mean to disturb you."
"Hmm." Sighing, Kazuto pushed the door open a tiny bit, making enough room for the girl to enter. "There's no point on you waiting outside. Come in."
"A-Are you sure that's alright?" She asked, her hands behind her back. "I'm fine with waiting out here-."
"I'll get changed, then we can go." Turning around, Kazuto walked back towards the bedroom as the girl gulped nervously. Stepping in carefully, she squeaked as the door shut behind her before sighing with relief. Admiring the apartment, she didn't realize the teen had returned until he stood right in front of her.
"Hello?" Waving a hand in front of the brunette, Kazuto frowned and went to say something, only for her to jump back and let out a short shriek.
"S-Sorry!" The girl apologized again, but stopped when she noticed Kazuto trying his best to not laugh.
"It's alright," he replied. "Just go sit down, I'll be ready soon." Kazuto turned and walked back into the bedroom as the girl sighed again. Shutting the door, he sighed before pulling the towel around his waist away. Tossing it on the ground beside his bed, he walked towards the wardrobe he hadn't explore yet. Stepping inside, he was greeted with a wardrobe consisting of his favourite colour; black.
Looking through everything, the teen grabbed a pair of boxers alongside a pair of socks. Seeing a pair of jeans that looked like his size, Kazuto grabbed that as well. Quickly sliding the boxers on, the onyx jeans followed them, sliding into place like he had worn them for years. Pulling the socks on, Kazuto was just left shirtless, but that was quickly fixed. Seeing a dark blue shirt, it fitted him perfectly, and the teen walked out. Heading towards his bed, he found the black belt with silver buckle he had removed and added it to his look. Finally, he slipped the hi-top converse he owned onto his feet and tied the shoelaces before tucking them in.
Grabbing the make-shift sheathe, Kazuto slipped it over his shoulder before unzipping his black duffel-bag. Examining its contents, he pulled out the metal cylinder from yesterday and slid it into his pocket. Rifling through the remaining items, the teen spotted the handle of a shinai. Bringing out the handle, Kazuto remembered when he wielded the full weapon itself. The memories it brought with it, however, made him shudder. Placing it back in the bag, the teen produced a set of white earphones and a black iPod. Plugging the earphones into the jack, he let his iPod drop through his shirt before catching it on the other side. Clicking the home button, Kazuto opened the control center and swiped left before hitting play. Dropping one of his most prized possessions into the right-side pocket of his jeans, he smiled before zipping the bag up. Gently placing his hand underneath his steampunk coat, Kazuto lifted it up before folding it neatly and placing it on his arm.
"Alright, let's go." Opening the bedroom door, Kazuto stepped out and headed towards the exit. He was looking forward to the fight. After all, this was the first time he had met another fellow human who could wield magic. Hell, could magic wielders even be called human? First, however, he had a brunette to follow.
"You're ready?" The girl asked as Kazuto reached the door, his hand resting on the handle.
"Yeah." Letting the girl walk past him, he shut the door behind him and heard it automatically locked. "So," Kazuto said as he followed the brunette. "It's pointless if I don't have a way to address you. What's your name?"
"Silica," the girl replied as she stepped into the silver elevator. "What about you?" Silica asked as the teen stepped into the elevator. "What's your name?"
"Kirito," he replied as the girl pushed a button. Feeling the elevator slowly descend, Kirito crossed his arms and leaned against the shiny wall. He was looking forward to the fight.
Yuuki tapped her foot impatiently on the ground before sighing. Looking around, the purple-haired girl watched the crowd sitting in the stands and sighed again. The arena was pretty much a football stadium from what she gathered. Rows of seats slowly raised up from the ground slowly got higher and higher until it reached a large grey box which housed the M.C. The ceiling revealed a bright, sunny sky, the sunlight smiling down on the battlefield. Walking towards the center of the arena, Yuuki stopped as Heathcliff entered and calmly walked towards the center.
"Yuuki," the man nodded before he came to a stop. Heathcliff had donned a red shirt with the jacket from yesterday resting on his shoulders. He also wore black pants, something he hadn't done in years, with black shoes.
"Commander."
"Stay on your toes." Yuuki was surprised that Heathcliff said that, considering that he was the strongest on the fortress, despite his age. "He may not seem like much, but he has power that rivals mine."
"I'm sorry, sir," the girl replied as a door slid open from the other side of the arena. "I can't believe you on that."
"You'll see." Heathcliff turned his head and watched Kirito slowly approach. The teen wore similar clothes to what he wore yesterday, and his posture was the same. The black shinai was still on his back in its makeshift sheathe, minus the black duffel bag. As he came to a stop in front of Yuuki, the girl's eyes narrowed as she noticed that Kirito had earphones in. Straining her ears to hear what he was listening to; the girl was left disappointed as he pulled the iPod out of his pocket and ripped the earphones out from under his jacket. Handing the device to Heathcliff, the teen faced Yuuki and made direct eye contact, unnerving the girl. Yuuki steeled her eyes before facing Heathcliff.
"Here are the rules." As a camera drone came in close to the man's face, screens all around the arena zoomed in on his face. "The fight will end when one fighter surrenders or is unable to fight anymore. Lethal attacks are banned, and any attacks that can cause the other fighter to become physically disabled are also banned." Smiling, Heathcliff clicked his fingers as a timer came up.
10
"Prepare yourself," Yuuki said as she pulled out her simple blade, a purple aura surrounding it temporarily before dispersing violently.
9
"We'll see about that," Kirito replied as he held his hands by his side.
8
Yuuki's eyes narrowed as she slowly settled into her stance. "I hope you aren't underestimating."
7
The teen didn't reply.
6
Making eye contact, Yuuki couldn't help but feel nervous.
5
Kirito slowly pulled out his shinai and held it loosely by his waist.
4
Yuuki eyed Kirito's posture. There were too many holes in his defence.
3
Is it a trap? Or is he taunting me?
2
Kirito sighed before a small smile slowly appeared on his face.
1
Yuuki took a deep breath before looking straight ahead.
GO!
The moment she saw the word GO! Yuuki sprinted forwards with all her speed. Bringing her sword backwards, the girl lunged forwards at the teen who stood there calmly, her wrist twisting slightly as she angled the blade to catch his ribs.
Gotcha, Yuuki thought to herself, a smile forming on her face.
"Too slow." Eyes widening, the girl spun around, raising her blade to defend, only for Kirito's shinai to smash into her gut. Excruciating pain made her want to cry out, but she bit her tongue, hard. Oxygen fleeing her lungs, Yuuki flew backwards and hit the ground roughly. Losing control of her body, she continued rolling, her ragdoll body's limbs flying everywhere. Finally coming to a stop, Yuuki gasped.
"How-!"
*COUGH*
Looking down at her hands, the girl's eyes widened as she saw them splattered with blood- her blood.
How does he have so much power?
Kirito sighed as he watched Yuuki struggle to her feet, her chest heaving as she gasped for air. Holding the shinai by his waist, he watched the girl slowly approach, her face covered by the hair that came loose. When she was about five meters away, Kirito held the shinai up and pointed it directly at the girl, the weapon slightly damaged.
"How?" Yuuki asked as she looked up, a small trail of blood falling from the corner of her mouth. "What is that power?" Coughing again, more blood came out and splattered against the dirt.
"It's better off that you don't know," he replied. Sheathing the weapon, Kirito crossed his arms as he examined Yuuki. "That strike clearly winded you, and you're bleeding from biting your tongue too hard." Sighing, Kirito watched as Yuuki glared at him. "I suggest that you take this seriously if you want a chance to win."
"Fine." Dropping the blade, it was swiftly devoured by a wave of purple as Yuuki closed her eyes and concentrated. Purple and pink energy surrounded her body like writhing tentacles. Opening her eyes, they glowed violet, replacing the usual red. Raising her arm, the aura wrapped like tentacles around it before a new blade slowly materialized. A handle was wrapped in violet leather, a guard at the bottom of the handle to stop the hand from slipping off. The hilt had a rose guard and was also made of a dark purple metal called Ultanium which glowed slightly. The blade was as long as her other blades, also made of Ultanium. The rapier shone brightly as Yuuki raised it, her eyebrows narrowed. "I hope you're prepared. This weapon is not meant to be taken lightly."
"We'll see." Taking the shinai out again, Kirito twirled it effortlessly in his hand before tightening his grip, bringing it to a sudden stop. The girl shuddered slightly as she felt the pressure being produced from the teen clad in black. Smiling, the boy lunged forwards and swung the shinai with incredible speed at Yuuki. Barely reacting in time, Yuuki brought her blade up in a vertical slash and deflected the shinai, leaving a gash in the weapon. Frowning, Kirito spun around and made a strike at Yuuki's legs, only for his shinai to meet her blade. With a dull ring, the teen sighed before jumping backwards, his muscles relaxed. Sensing an opening, Yuuki darted forwards whilst bring her rapier forwards. Jabbing quickly three times forming a triangle, Kirito blocked it all with shinai by tilting it, leaving holes in his black weapon.
"Damn," Kirito muttered as Yuuki continued her advance without hesitation. Ducking underneath a quick thrust from the girl, the teen felt the wind rush over his head, ruffling his hair slightly. Grunting, Kirito thrusted forwards with the shinai, hitting Yuuki in her gut. Pushing forwards, he sent the girl backwards a few meters, but she stopped herself by stabbing into the ground with her new blade. Whilst the girl panted for breath, Kirito was unfazed. Examining the shinai he held so dearly, he sighed, seeing its damaged state.
"Catch." Tossing the weapon effortlessly towards Yuuki, the violet-haired girl yelped before she caught it. Instantly, the shinai pulled her arms down to the dusty ground, but she caught herself before grunting.
"How, can you, carry this thing?" Yuuki grunted as she struggled to hold the weapon, her muscles screaming at her. Finally grasping the handle, she swung it with all her might. The result? A weak-hearted swing that ended in the weapon falling to the ground with a loud thud.
"I added extra weight in it so I could increase my upper-body strength," Kirito replied as he reached inside his steampunk coat. Pulling out a black cylinder, Yuuki was puzzled until he clicked a button on the side. A faint buzz could be heard as a laser the size of a one-handed longswords emerged from the cylinder, glowing a faint silver. "Prepare yourself."
"What?" The girl's eyes widened as Kirito instantaneously appeared in her face, the lightsaber mere inches from her throat, the heat from the laser so intense that she thought her skin would melt. As the wind created backlash that slapped Yuuki in the face, she backed up, stunned, as tendrils of darkness slowly wrapped itself around the blade, creating a blunt weapon.
Thud
Looking up, the last ray of sunlight disappeared as black storm clouds covered the sky. With a flash of blue lightning, rain began to pour down.
"Is this your doing?" She asked Kirito who shrugged.
"I guess I'm not a guess I'm not a huge fan of light." Flicking the blade to one side, the darkness remained around the silver laser, not letting a sliver of light to escape. Tensing slightly, Kirito exhaled then dashed with a short burst of amazing speed, closing the distance between the two fighters. Swinging the blade effortlessly, he found that his sword closed the distance almost twice as fast.
It must be because it's so light, he thought to himself as Yuuki barely raised her sword in defence. Pushing his muscles a little harder, they responded by exerting more force. Forcing Yuuki's blade away, Kirito reversed his grip on the cylinder and raised it vertically in an instant. Within seconds, the girl was on her knees, eyes widened in terror.
"Do you surrender?" Kirito asked quietly, his voice barely a whisper.
"I-I, surrender."
…
Winner – Kirito!
The crowd was silent as they watched the winner crouch down in front of the Absolute Sword. Yuuki had never lost a battle to anyone, and her skill with the blade was never outmatched. Then, without warning, a wave of cheering filled the stadium to the brim.
"Can you stand?" Kirito asked as he looked at Yuuki, the girl still silent.
"How?" She trembled. "How are you so good with your sword?" Standing up whilst clutching her right arm, blood ran down it, droplets falling from the tips of her fingertips.
"…"
"ANSWER ME!" Grabbing Kirito's cost, she shook him furiously, the teen doing nothing to stop her.
"Yuuki." Kirito looked to his right and watched Heathcliff approach, the man adorned in armour. "Go get yourself treated."
"But-."
"Go." Heathcliff's tone made the girl gulp nervously before trudging off.
"So," Kirito clipped the photon sword to his belt before facing the approaching man. "I assume that you want to fight me?"
"I wish to test your strength," the commander replied as he stood up straight, his full height towering over Kirito's lanky form.
"You better not hold back," Kirito replied as he straightened up, meeting Heathcliff eye to eye.
"You better not either."
"You won't be able to withstand it."
"We'll see about that."
Boom! End of chapter one! Now, this is well over 10k words, which, honestly, is a surprise, especially for me. 10k words is usually about 2-5 chapters in a story. Anyhow, like I mentioned up above, some characters personalities are different. Kirito/Kazuto is depressed, but can't help but assist others in their time of need. He also loves fighting strong people, and is usually disappointed when they aren't as strong as he thinks they are. He will acknowledge ones strength if he thinks they have potential. Yuuki is serious whenever she is fighting or outside of the fortress. Apart from that, she's more carefree. Asuna doesn't like fighting and is terrible at it as seen when she fights the bandits. The girl cares more about fashion more than anything. Leafa is clumsy, and has a low pain tolerance, hence why she fainted to a cut on her thigh. Sinon/Shino is cold to strangers, but eventually warms up to others when she gets to know them better. In the next chapter, you'll see her fight, and I promise you. It will be badass. Klein is Klein. What else can I say? He always tries to help people no matter what the situation. Now, about Kayaba and Heathcliff. In this, Heathcliff is the commander of the fortress and Kayaba Akihiko is his brother. Heathcliff will have the same calm personality he does in SAO, and Kayaba will be a scientist. He will experiment and be excited when something new is brought in front of him. He doesn't care for many people, but will do anything to save them.
Now, I've explained the personalities, I can talk about what's been going on. Recently, a relative passed away so I've been holding off on writing anything on my two other stories. I had been working on this, so whenever I got time, I wrote. Now, there may be some mistakes, but I've gone back through and fixed as many as possible.
I'm finished talking now, and I hope you all have a good day!
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Striderm8
Sinon's eyes narrowed as she watched Kirito face off against Heathcliff. Kirito didn't have any ordinary power like the others. His was unique, just like the commander's. Looking down at the bench in front of her, Sinon tapped at the screen, bringing up the different types of magic.
Fire
Water
Air
Ground
Nature
Physical
Unique
Tapping on unique, only one name came up.
Heathcliff
Power - Light
Uses: Can manipulate light into anything at will
Weakness: Unknown
Smirking, the girl looked up as Kirito held his arm out in front of him.
There was no way he could defeat Heathcliff, Sinon thought to herself as the timer began to count down.
She was wrong.
