“—Yes. I am Kayaba Akihiko. I am also the final boss of the game who awaits you all on the top floor.”
I felt Asuna sway slightly beside me. I extended my right hand to support her without turning my gaze.
“...You've got some strange tastes. To think that the strongest player would suddenly become the most malignant final boss.”
“Don't you think that this is an interesting scenario? I had originally thought that this revelation would incite a wave of shock throughout Aincrad, but I had never thought that I would be found out only three-quarters of the way through the game. I knew that you were this game's most unpredictable factor, but I never imagined that you would have such potential.”
As the creator of this game who imprisoned the minds of ten thousand players, Kayaba Akihiko smiled in a way that I could still remember and shrugged. Kayaba's expressions were totally different from those of Heathcliff the Paladin. But that impenetrable, steely presence was somehow similar to that of the expressionless avatar which had descended upon us two years ago.
Kayaba continued with a bitter smile:
“...I had expected that you would be the player who would stand against me in the end. Out of the ten unique skills, «Dual Blades» is given to the player with the fastest reaction speed, who would then act out the hero's role against the final boss, regardless of whether he wins or loses. But you have shown me strength beyond my expectations, be it your speed or your insight. Well... I suppose that such unpredictable developments are part of the essence of online RPGs....”
At this moment, one of players who was frozen stood up slowly. He was one of the KoB leaders. His seemingly brusque eyes were filled with a tormented agony.
“You...... You...... How dare you take our loyalty — our hopes...... and... and... completely defile them—!”
He raised his huge halberd into the air and launched himself with a scream. There wasn't even any time to try to stop him. We could only watch as he swung his weapon down at Kayaba—
But Kayaba was a step faster. He waved his left hand and quickly manipulated the window that appeared; the man immediately stopped in midair and then fell to the ground with a loud noise. A green outline flashed around his HP bar, indicating paralysis. However, Kayaba didn't stop there and continued to move his hand.
“Ah...Kirito-kun...!”
I turned around and saw Asuna kneeling on the ground. It wasn't just her either, as all the players except Kayaba and I were on the ground, groaning from awkward positions.
After sheathing my blades, I knelt down to prop up Asuna's upper body with my arm and held her hand. Then I looked back at Kayaba.
“...What are you going to do? Are you going to kill us all to hide the truth...?”
“Of course not. I would never do something so unreasonable.”
The man in red smiled and shook his head.
“But since the situation has gotten to this point, I have no other choice. I will move my schedule forward and await for your arrival in the «Scarlet Jade Castle» on the top floor. It's a shame that I must desert the KoB, as well as the other front-line players, that I had carefully cultivated to fight against the powerful mobs on the 90th floor and above. But I believe that all of you should have enough strength to reach the top level. But... before that...”
Kayaba suddenly stopped talking and turned his eyes, which were full of overwhelming will-power, to focus on me. He then drove his sword softly into the obsidian floor, and a sharp yet clear metallic ring resounded across the air.
“Kirito, since you figured out my true identity, I will reward you with an opportunity: you can have a one-on-one duel with me, right here and right now. Of course, I will negate my immortality status. If you win, the game will be cleared immediately, and all the players will be able to log out. What do you say...?”
As soon as she heard this, Asuna began to squirm in my arms, trying desperately to move her paralyzed body as she shook her head.
“No, Kirito-kun...! He's trying to get rid of you first... Right now... Right now you have to back down...!”
My instincts told me that was the best course of action. This guy was an administrator who could intervene with the system. Even if he claimed that it would be a fair fight, there was no way to know whether or not he was somehow manipulating the system. The best choice would be to retreat now and come up with a countermeasure with the others.
“Sorry Kayaba… I will have to deal with you later.”
“As you wish, we shall meet in the one hundredth floor. Just don’t die before you reach me.”
The man smiled, then, with no further words to say, disappeared in a glowing light, leaving no trace of his existence behind. After the revealing conversation, I had no option but to look at my comrades, restless in the ground. Asuna had a relieving expression, perhaps I made the right choice. An absolute silence stained the atmosphere; no one had the bravery to speak a word. Well, almost no one.
“What the hell… Now what?”
Klein exclaimed, breaking the silence. Others started to raise their voice, discussing about the events that just happened. The paralysis that kept their bodies in the ground had already passed, as many stood up with long expressions in their faces. Their hope of leaving this cursed game vanished when the knight in red left the room. I couldn’t hold anymore, someone needed to preserve the hope that kept everything we knew in peace, someone had to take the lead, save everyone.
“Hope has not died yet; we shall keep fighting until this game is over”
I said bluntly as stroke my chest with my right fist. Everything went silent after the sound of my voice. Everyone started at me with incredulous expressions, as if I had done some taboo. One of the high leads of the Knights of the Blood Oath protested back with extreme anxiety.
“Are you serious? We were almost eradicated with this boss; the next levels will be even tougher and just to remind you that we don’t have the Holy Shield with us to guide us any longer”
“We don’t need his skill to complete this game, we have other skills in our side.”
“Kirito-kun…. Are you saying….” Asuna interrupted me as if she knew where my dialogue was heading.
“Yes, the Unique Skills shall coalesce to fight the greatest evil.”
You must be registered for see links
Last edited:
