Episode 91 — Round Two
Episode 91 — Round Two
Fourteenth Day in the Month of Bush Clover (June 14) in the Year of the Griffon
Front Line Floor 62
Sasha had done well in the dungeon that Bladescape and Klein had cleared with her and then against the tournament quest. Now they were heading to an old grinding location. The small town nearest the dungeon on Floor Thirty-Three came into view. It was completely devoid of anyone but about two dozen NPCs. The forest path leading away from it was clear and so were the multiple warning signs at the start of the path. Each one was about the very skeletons they were after.
The path eventually shifted from wide dirt to barely worn grass, but it was still obvious. The bushes and trees formed the path and made for a nice, calm walk. They hid the ruins and skeleton army ahead very well.
The walk wasn't quiet. Klein and Sasha were talking back and forth, mostly listening to Sasha telling funny or endearing tales of the kids. It was refreshing compared to the boring and quiet hikes the Wondercolts usually did.
Bladescape wasn’t paying attention, not like she usually did. Search picked up the movement inside the bush before her intuition did. She lunged with her left hand and grabbed Klein's armor at the neck and yanked him into her and then behind. He somehow stayed up as he stumbled over. He never had the chance to even ask what was happening as the sword swung out from a bush he had been beside and flashed right in front of his chest.
Time felt like it slowed as Bladescape reacted to the threat and her mind processed everything it could see, hear, feel, and smell at full speed. Her mind was being flooded with natural chemicals and stimulants like Adrenalin to help her survive, but she also felt others like Dopamine and Serotonin kick in. Her mind and virtual body lit up to its full potential as she got high knowing she was about to enter a really good fight. One she was confident in.
Bladescape's right hand reached to a pouch as the figure lost Hide's surprise factor and he stood up fully after his missed swing. He was in a ratty, black brown poncho, hood up, and with a wicked grin on his lips. His arms were wrapped in cloth. Bladescape had seen the same thing before and now that she was fully on alert, she realized what they had walked into. Laughing Coffin were not only in the bushes; they were everywhere. The safe zone their trio was heading to was LC’s camp.
Bladescape grabbed two vials from her pouch and swung her arm up to grab her sword. She could feel the difference in the vial's style to know what she grabbed. As her hand moved past her face, she popped the top of one and stuck it in her mouth, chugging it with her teeth alone. Bladescape grinned back wryly into his hood as she let the empty vial drop from her lips and fastened her grip on Harmonic Salvation's handle. As firm of a grip as she could get and hold the other vial. She saw his eyes flash with a moment of hesitation as she casually dropped the vial from her mouth, fully ready to deal with him.
"TIME FOR ROUND TWO!" Bladescape challenged as she drew Harmonic Salvation. "Let's do this! Last time I was exhausted and down to my last vial of a weak paralyzer. Now I am awake, alert, and armed with more drugs and better equipment." Bladescape heard Klein draw his sword and Sasha gasp as more Laughing Coffin members had to be appearing all around them. Bladescape pressed while they had the advantage of no combat. "So? Are you really that stupid to want more? Fine!"
Bladescape's left hand made it to her crystal pouch and she grabbed three. She jumped back towards where Klein had pulled Sasha to. She needed to give herself room from the first murderer and she visually confirmed the location of a good fifteen more who had either arrived or come out of hiding in trees, bushes, and at least two from behind the big rock off to her right. She also glanced at her hand to see that she had a red, a yellow, and a blue crystal. Bladescape tossed the blue one to Sasha while keeping a hold of the others so she could pocket them.
"TELEPORT!" Bladescape ordered both Sasha and Klein. "Klein, get her out safely. I'll be right behind you."
"Oh no! I am-"
"Teleport! Town of Beginnings!" Sasha yelled before she was encompassed in a glow of blue and gone.
"-not leaving you behind!"
Bladescape used her dexterity in her right hand and popped the top off the other vial, pouring it onto the blade just past the crossguard. She had practiced one handed application of drugs.
"I just applied a drug to my blade!" Bladescape told the Laughing Coffin members as she raised Harmonic Salvation high. "If you want to find out which one I grabbed, come and taste my steel. Consider yourselves warned."
The members were slowly moving towards the two of them in a circle. "Klein!" Bladescape yelled. "I can cover you and disengage. Trust me."
"Fine!" Klein yelled as he grabbed his own blue crystal. "You have sixty seconds or I am going to get as many Clearers as possible to storm this place!"
One of them leaped at Klein, trying to take advantage of his slight distraction. Bladescape lunged left to block him. As she jumped, she drove Harmonic Salvation down, blazing green, where it connected with the sword. Klein flashed blue as he teleported out safely and a blast erupted from the clashing swords. Bladescape had targeted the sword itself, at its weakest point, and as a result the durability of the blade was eliminated and it was split in two for a second before it became polygons.
Bladescape swung at the Laughing Coffin member, but choked up in the swing so it wasn't a wide slash. It caught him in the arm and left a red gash as he cried out and jumped back. His feet didn't catch him as the paralyzer struck and he fell hard.
Bladescape wasn't that lucky though. Saving Klein had put her in a pinch and the original guy was on her. The blade bit into her shoulder. Her armor stopped it from going too far in, but it was in twice the width of the blade. He was grinning at her, absolutely loving the thrill of the chase and kill. His eyes were glowing with the joy he was experiencing. It couldn't be much different than what Bladescape was feeling, except that she wasn't thirsting for their blood.
"Say goodbye," He chuckled. "You are mine to play with until I decide I am done with your body."
Bladescape casually looked at the blade in her shoulder. She grinned back at him. "No play date today. Do you see the paralysis symbol above my health bar?"
That changed his attitude as he glanced up at it. It was flashing as it battled with the antidote vial she had drunk at the start. "WHAT!" He yelled as the paralysis symbol lost to the antidote.
Harmonic Salvation was a big sword, but despite its long length, it only took a quick sweep to sever his leg before he could jump back. Bladescape knocked his sword out of her shoulder as she settled in her next stance.
"I took an anti-drug mix," Bladescape coldly told him and the others. "You all saw me. Good luck going up against the best." She reset with a smile on her face. Fighting other players wasn't fun. Especially knowing they were thirsting for her blood, that they were trying to kill her, but knocking them down a peg, that was fun. She would not go down easily and she would make them rethink the strength of the Assault Team. If they feared the Assault Team, they hopefully would cease their actions. She needed to secure that fear before leaving and Klein had given her a short time frame.
Bladescape was loosely surrounded, but they were waiting for a signal. A man walked into her view from the front, a few feet back from the circle. Bladescape tried to force her body not to, but she visibly shivered. She tried to see his eyes beneath his hood but all she could see was an enthralled grin. It was like they didn't exist. His grin was all that mattered and he was having fun.
"So, the troublesome Wondercolt is once again facing Laughing Coffin," he said with a smooth voice. It was exotic, not a dialect of Japanese, but an accent. "And this time, while it's once again a chance meeting, she has stumbled into our nest. She kicked our nest, so we will respond like the hornets we are." He didn't need to laugh for Bladescape to hear the madness in his voice. He was a vicious killer with no soul and one who knew it and enjoyed it. He knew this feeling not from Aincrad, but from real life.
"I hope your friend, Doombunny, is as good as you are betting on, because I have been doing this longer than she has. I started at the very beginning building that Skill. My poison won't be stopped. But, I might as well tell you my name before we kill you." His blade flashed as he raised it high. It looked like a large meat cleaver, but it was clearly a dagger category weapon. "I am PoH! I started Laughing Coffin, and now it is time for you, Bladescape, to die. It's showtime!"
Bladescape separated her grip, moving her left hand to the pommel of her sword, so that she transitioned from Two-Handed Sword Skills to Greatsword. She initiated Swishing Spadone. It was a sweeping Greatsword Skill that was one of the simplest. It also was a defensive skill, built for the moment the player was surrounded or flanked. It was a simple swing, using the split hand positioning to leverage a quick slash that she could easily use to block, or cut, an opponent. Her right hand directed the blade's path as the point of contact while the left was the driving lever. The skill also had next to no delay, allowing it to be chained, even with the delay, in an almost unending attack. With a few simple steps Bladescape could slip around and protect her rear and any direction she needed.
Sparks flew and metal ground as Bladescape blocked and deflected the attacks from the various angles. Their "all at once" attack was staggered, because they didn't want to run into each other, allowing her to easily address them in quick succession despite being surrounded. Half of them fell, nicked or cut, to the paralysis agent on her blade. The rest jumped far enough back to reset after she clashed weapons with them.
Bladescape let Harmonic Salvation continue in its sweep, rather than fight to stop it, and let go with her left hand. She directed it high, pointing straight up into the sky above her. Her left hand had reached into her pouch and she drew out three crystals. She saw two were green and then that she also had a blue one as she raised them up high.
"The show is almost over!" Bladescape declared as she stared back at the unmoving PoH. "For my last act, I shall disappear!" PoH's grin somehow got more wicked, but he didn't move.
"Teleport! Town-" Bladescape saw it as she gave the command. The thorned spear, which she had fought the first time, came leaping at her out of nowhere. The spear went straight through her armor into her left pectoral, and it was backed by the flying Kurayaro. His grin was different from the others. He wanted revenge for her humiliating him in that battle. He had waited to jump her at the most opportune moment. His face came right up to hers as she defiantly finished the command instead of slipping up, "OF BEGINNINGS!"
Blue light took her away, the imprint of his insane eyes fresh in her vision as the town's teleport plaza came into view. Bladescape felt the dull pressure in her chest as the spear continued to be pushed through her. His laughter was of a pure madman as Bladescape was pulled eye to eye with him.
Bladescape knew her eyes betrayed her, spilling forth what should have been the secret of her shock and then fear. He was here. He had come with her. The teleport crystals had been known to teleport two players, but it was rare to get two players close enough for it to recognize them as one, especially in any emergency. It was always safest to use two crystals even when together. The two players had to be solidly bound. He was gripping her right shoulder pauldron while his spear was thrust halfway through her chest. Now that they were in the Town of Beginnings, he was holding her very tight. The impaled spear was the connection the crystal needed to recognize them as one.
"Pretty necklace," Kurayaro snickered. "It will make a better souvenir than the one I got from the chick on New Year's day. Yeah, I was there at the start of it all."
The mention of the necklace was the focus Bladescape needed. It was her geode. Diemond had made a nearly perfect copy of her real life one. The one that gave her real power. A power that she used to protect people.
"I think you are seeing it wrong," Bladescape snickered back, not breaking away from him or shifting her gaze from his eyes. "It should look like I am wearing two."
"What?" Kurayaro asked, thrown off his insanity trip by the odd statement.
Bladescape rammed the pommel of the still skyward Harmonic Salvation down onto his head. He let go and stumbled back a bit in shock.
"See them now?" Bladescape mocked him.
She never gave him time to answer as he turned to run. He got in a few steps, but Harmonic Salvation was glowing as Bladescape brought the blade savagely down on his shoulders. They were in a safe zone, so it didn't hurt his HP or apply the paralyzer. Instead, the blow created a sort of explosion, face planting him into the stone pavement. It felt good to pound him into the ground, especially since he was one of the first members of Laughing Coffin. Bladescape began to feel warm over the action. A warmth soaked in righteous fury over his crimes. One that was all hers. A gift he had given her for his own misdeeds.
"I'll go get the Army!" Sasha yelled as she sprinted towards the Black Iron Palace.
Klein had been beside Sasha, waiting for Bladescape to appear, but Bladescape wasn't focused on him. She only saw Kurayaro. A murderer who wore a murderer's clothes and who wore the tattoo of the blood cult, Laughing Coffin. His tattoo was on his right forearm and it was visible.
Bladescape swung Harmonic Salvation in a downward slash, brutally driving it into his lower back. His body shuttered and shook under the force as it was stuck between the strike of the heavy blade and the stone. Bladescape stepped forward and brought the blade overhead and drove it straight down in an arch, activating Avalanche. The tip crushed into his head, but there was no damage other than the pain of being struck by a heavy pole because they were in a safe zone.
Yet it was exactly as she had intended it to be. Bladescape was going to punish him before the Army got there. She was going to flog him, with Harmonic Salvation as her switch. She was going to make him feel like he was bleeding from the inside out. The sensation of being hit inside a safe zone wasn't lost. The player only lost the ability to lose their HP. She would make him think his skull was really cracked. She would make him feel like his entire body was broken and shattered. It was the least she could do for him wearing that tattoo.
He was a permanent orange player for a reason. You couldn't, ever, go back to green once you killed a player; ignoring a duel. That was the game system's mark. That tattoo was his own choosing. There was no redeeming him.
Each stroke of her blade was to punish him however she could for that choice. She could personally attest to him attacking her twice and that he was with Laughing Coffin both times. It was what he deserved. It was what she had the right to; to beat him into submission so that he would never again rise to draw blood or harm another being: in virtual reality or in the real world.
"BLADESCAPE!" Klein screamed once more.
Bladescape heard him, but didn't register it. She was focused on his punishment. The past shaped the future. He chose his path. He went against life and love. He wanted to kill. He was a member of an evil army bent on taking over this virtual world. Bent on striking fear into the heart of every player. And he was one who had shattered the trust of the game. They had destroyed the good around them for selfish ambition. They wanted to kill and thought they could get away with it. They thought all of Aincrad was their own to do what they wanted, and Kayaba was their scapegoat.
Bladescape stood over him, sword glowing as she had once again triggered Avalanche. She wasn't sure what stopped her. She was seething with anger that she had driven up inside herself, and she could still kick the last remaining bits of daylight out of him. Klein was screaming her name, but that wasn't what had stopped her. The body laid there under her, unmoving and probably unconscious from the severe mental trauma Bladescape had just unleashed on him.
She realized why she had struck him the second time. And then third. And why she didn't stop after that. SAO was a game, but, now that their very lives depended on clearing it, it was life driven by game parameters. At its root was “ambition.” To survive, a player often had to choose to work long hours in dangerous situations and risk their life to get better, stronger, faster, unlock new Skills, attacks, and all the game had to offer. Bladescape, although she hated admitting it and tried to hide it, was one of the most ambitious players in the game. She just did not broadcast her ambition as egotistical like most gamers did.
How far was Bladescape willing to go? She had just tortured a captured and defenseless opponent. He had struck first, but she continued to strike him well past what could be considered a normal reaction or self-defense. He should be dead, and would be, if the safe zone didn't exist. She would have been a Player Killer and, although the system likely wouldn’t give her one because he was permanently branded, she would have deserved an orange cursor.
She should never get another chance at life. Death here in this game was a fitting ending, not sitting and rotting in a jail cell. Her very core could not be redeemed and it was better off for all if she died in the game. It was the punishment she actually deserved and it was a lot less of a mess to clean up. There was no need for a trial, but justice would prevail.
Bladescape opened her hands, dropping Harmonic Salvation with a clatter and canceling the Sword Skill it was poised to execute. It was all she could do for a second as she regained her mind. She then stepped off to the side and took a few, slow steps back. She could see his body and Harmonic Salvation half laying on his leg. There was no danger of him stealing it. He was out cold.
"You okay?" Klein asked quietly as he materialized by her side. He put his arm around her, anchoring her to him at her waist. "I'm here, like I promised, to catch you or help you up if you fell."
Bladescape realized there was a crowd. A large number of the players who still lived in The Town of Beginnings had come out at the sound of a fight. And they had just seen her beat him, repeatedly, as he laid there.
She wanted to run, yet, at the same time, she wanted to be locked up and left in prison. Her friends were amazing, but she felt like they had given her too much grace and mercy. All she saw was a woman who still knew how to get what she wanted and didn't let anyone or anything stop her. She was just a lot nicer about it now. They called it being driven, but it was the same thing. She had driven the Wondercolts to the top and didn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. How long would the others last before they broke off like Knightstar had?
The sound of heavy metal boots marching caught everyone's attention. The crowd was ordered to split and a large number of Army Soldiers came in.
"I am Korbatz!" he gruffly yelled as he took over. "I'm now in control of the situation along with my men." He pointed at Bladescape. "You there, you and the red samurai are at the center of this all? You captured him?"
"No. Yes. No?" Bladescape said, not sure what the answer was. She was not ready for questioning. She was still trying to sort herself out.
"Out of my way!" a familiar voice order. Through the opening came Thinker, the guild leader, and by his side was Yulier, his second in command. He immediately strode over to Bladescape. "Are you okay?" He kindly asked. Then his face shifted to pure concern. "You, um, have a spear in your… chest. It looks nasty and has to hurt."
Bladescape looked down at her left breast where the spear was stabbed halfway through her body. It was a dull throb because it wasn't actually taking away any health points. She looked over at Harmonic Salvation, partially propped up on the body. Whatever had happened, to the crowd, it looked justified while she had the spear in her chest.
"I want to discuss everything with you in private," Bladescape said to Thinker. "I'm fine. Sore and mentally exhausted, but I will bounce back. Somehow."
"Then let us get lunch," Thinker said. "Your companions can join us of course, my treat. After lunch, we can sort out the final details. However, this appears to be an open and shut case. I saw his tattoo and the woman said you three had been attacked by Laughing Coffin."
"We were attacked by them," Bladescape said with a definitive nod. "I can confirm he is a member of the guild called Laughing Coffin and that he has tried to kill me. Twice. This is his spear in my chest."
That got a lot of whispers flowing back and forth among those who were watching. Particularly the fact that it had happened twice and she could prove it. Or was proof of it.
Bladescape turned to Klein. She flashed him a warm smile. "Klein, just grab the shaft and pull it out. It doesn't hurt. At least not like it looks like it should, the safe zone stops the bulk of the pain. I know the thorns are there, but it's just a dull throb. It will slide out fine."
Klein gingerly put his hand on the wrapped grip of the spear and then his left on her chest. She was wearing strong, well-formed leather plate, but he was clearly aware he was touching what would be her left breast. Bladescape had to resist smilingly as he hesitated because he didn't want to be indecent with her. There was a gentlemanly side to Klein after all.
The pull was swift and clean. Klein drew it straight out and it was a good thing he had braced his hand against her chest as it initially pulled her forward into his palm. However, it was the draw of an expert swordsman, including the proper follow up after it was pulled from her chest: straight behind him, the spear tip having made a smooth but powerful one-eighty flip.
Bladescape nodded to him and he let go. She walked over to the Army soldier holding harmonic salvation. He wasn't too rough with it, but he could have used a little more care. Bladescape took it from him and sheathed it. They had the unconscious body of Kurayaro picked up, but Bladescape stopped them from moving him as she grabbed at his neck. They didn't stop her, presuming she knew what she was doing and she had been doing it before they arrived. Bladescape found a thin chain there and pulled it out from his shirt. It was a simple silver necklace with a monochromatic chrysanthemum dangling from the chain. Bladescape reached around his neck and undid the catch. She pocketed it and walked away.
Klein was still holding the thorned spear. Bladescape snatched it from him before he could give it away. He didn't expect the move, making it easy for her to grab.
"I earned this," Bladescape told him. Klein just nodded silently.
No one disagreed with her and the two of them followed Thinker to the Black Iron Palace.
BLADESCAPE: Level 85 — Two-Handed Sword — Searching — Weapon Defense — Leather Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Sprint — Blade Throwing — Extended Weight Carry — Acrobatics — Greatsword
NATORA: Level 80 — Two-Handed Spear — Purchase Negotiations — Sales Negotiation — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Acrobatics — Armor Pierce — Sprint — Extended Weight Carry
MALUS: Level 80 — One-Handed War Hammer — Heavy Shield — Heavy Metal Armor — First Aid — Extended Weight Carry — Battle Regeneration — Fishing — Search — Martial Arts — Rend — Sprint
THUNDERBORNE: Level 80 — Rapier — Sprint — Acrobatics — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Armor Pierce — Martial Arts — Blade Throwing — Search
KONPEITO: Level 80 — Two-Handed Axe — Cooking — Weapon Defense — Light Metal Armor — Martial Arts — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Music — Blade Throwing — Bard — Extended Weight Carry — Rend
DIEMOND: Level 80 — Mace — Heavy Shield — Sewing — Heavy Metal Armor — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Light Metal Armor Forging — Heavy Metal Armor Forging — Extended Weight Carry — Jewelry Creation — Rend
DOOMBUNNY: Level 81 — One-Handed Dagger — Hide — Fighting Spirit — Blade Throwing — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Familiar Cooperation — Mixing — Listen — Reveal — Main-gauche — Search
KIEFER: Level 79 — One-Handed Curved Sword — Slash Weapon Forging — Light Metal Armor — Weapon Defense — First Aid — Katana — Battle Regeneration — Slash Weapon Forging — Blade Throwing — Armor Pierce
SORYUTO: Level 77 — One-Handed Sword — Shield — Light Metal Armor — Music — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Fighting Spirit — Armor Pierce — Acrobatics — Extended Weight Carry
REISENKI: Level 79 — One-Handed Axe — Heavy Shield — Heavy Metal Armor — Equipment Repair — Metal Equipment Repair — First Aid — Battle Regeneration — Cooking — Metal Refining — One-Hand Weapon Creation
Klein: Level 75 — One-Handed Curved Sword — Katana — Light Metal Armor — Shield — First Aid — Fighting Spirit — Battle Regeneration — Search — Extended Weight Carry — Listening
Sasha: Level 30 — One-Handed Dagger — Cooking — Sewing — Teaching — Family — ?
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Final instance of Harmonic Salvation not capitalised. Other than that, I almost expected her to actually have to kill to defend herself. She's definitely gonna need to talk about that struggle with her anger with someone.
Nice update! And once more Blade manages to escape LC with out too much issue and even managed to capture one! I am curious to see how close she came to taking one of em out permanently. I am also curious if it will ever happen. I mean I could see her participating on the raid on the LC.
Absolutely brutal, Yes it is cruel of her to continually attack the guy, but with no damage done except mental, she's far better than the rest of LC. She also has contributed far more than most players, does this mean she has the right to bully people? Absolutely Not, but everyone has their own limits and when push comes to shove, people will break.
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This was an intentionally brutal chapter. We are just getting warmed up for me, because 75+ I really get to go further with the story laid out and continuing development of Aincrad. I think I have already had Sunset/Bladescape say it multiple times, "they can worry about the damage after they get out. They just need to ensure they get out." lol. It's quite true. I may have an epilogue with a psychiatrist appointment. It seems fun and appropriate.
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Thank you. Some certainly took heavy damage because of the power in her sword. Losing a limb really hurts the HP. Now, you question if a raid on LC will happen and if she will participate. I would like to hear from you why you think it should happen? And why you think she should participate? And the inverse too if you are up for balancing both.
They're surrounded!!!
Good job on outsmarting him Sunset!
It still pains me knowing that players in SAO went as far to form a guild just to kill people...
Aaaand it just got worse...
Good going on teleporting Poh with you Blade.
Even if this is a safe zone, he had it coming for all he's done!!!
Makes me glad SAO isn't real as I'd likely not want to get it at all to begin with.
A momento of what you did in taking down Poh.
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It's Kurayaro, not PoH. PoH was much further away and did not cross weapons with Bladescape. Kurayaro was of the first to join the unofficial official murder guild. They did not make an actual guild named Laughing Coffin, but that is semantics. He was there for their New Year's slaughter.
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Crap...
12044997
It happens. I tried to use his name in there more, but "he" was pretty common. He was not named in early drafts. I had to go in and name him both in the first clash and this one.
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Noted
12044987
I know that query was directed at Twilight_Shimmer, but I'd definitely like to weigh in on that question. Personally, I think participating in such a raid would be exceptionally bad for Bladescape. We've already seen she started getting carried away venting her spleen upon Kurayaro, and when she realised what she was doing, her humours got very dark and fatalistic. If she lost control, or worse, if she accidentally killed someone—even if she convinced herself that they deserved it, much as she tried rationalising with Kurayaro—I think it would destroy her. Depending how black her mood became, I could see her parting from the Wondercolts, unable to face them out of guilt and self-loathing, ending up on the edge of a floor, much as Keita of the Moonlit Black Cats did, and ending up having to be talked down by either Kirito or Klein. Even then, I imagine she might start pushing herself extra hard to clear the game, becoming reckless, and straying into death-seeker territory.
Another encounter with Laughing Coffin. Fortunately, everyone survived and Bladescape managed to capture one of them. Ordinarily, torturing someone else, even a villain, is a bad sign that someone is going down a dark path. But in this case I think we can make an exception since Laughing Coffin had it coming and they were in no danger of dying in the safe zone.
Always an awesome moment for a title drop.
In my opinion that seems like a weird memento. Why would you want to keep a weapon that you were impaled with? I'd be traumatized by that thing if it happened to me, regardless of the outcome.
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My logic on why she would possibly join has multiple reasons. Thie first being as one of the top guilds I will wager she would be one of the first ones approached about the operation to take out the threat of LC, probably by Asuna or Thinker. Second Blade has shown a desire to proect those unable to fight for themselves (at least thats what it feels like to me) Thus to proect others I could see her joining. Now her joining does not mean she need kill any of em, if shes able to disable em well thats fine, but she then needs to make sure no other LC's can use any restoratives on em. I feel Blade would realize the quicker LC is taken care of, the quicker they all have one less threat looming over their heads.
On the other side of the coin, Blades last encounter with LC resulted in her going a little breserk upon arriving in the Town of Beginings. So would so she be able to keep a cool head during the Raid? This question could be a reason why she might not participate for fear of just going nuts and saying "fuck em all" and killing every LC she could get her sword on.
LC is always a rough thing in SAO. But the original anime and LN didn't go into a much detail about what they actually DID. Their mysteriousness and lack of concrete information make them very fluid in what you can do with them.
It's another reason I like progressive, we can see their various attempts at getting people killed, and how they were stopped, most often by pure luck and obscure knowledge. I can drop some examples for ya if you like?
This the lead up to that Kirito memory of assaulting LC?
Ouch, what a brutal and well done chapter! The way in which Bladescape attacked the LC member may be a little malicious, but considering the fact that he tried to kill her twice and she was in a safe zone made her better than the LC, but I’m happy that Blade was able to stop herself before she continued, it was a brutal ending but that kinda showcases how she became a better person considering she was able to stop herself.
I’m excited to see what this incident will have on Blade’s reputation and how things will unravel from here!
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Weird memento, but good reminder to avoid going down the same path again. At least in theory.
Also, I do love my chapter/episode titles. They are intentional. Some are much better than others. I have many fun ones coming up, like Flag of Valor: Kitchen Remix, Do-Re-Mi, Voltage, To Be or Not To Be, and Touch the Stars (a play on the song title from Brave Touch the Sky).
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I'm glad you weighed in on it! That is a very well laid out logic trail. I could follow it easily. It was a joy to read. It certainly is within the realm of possibility.
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Well laid out on both sides. I enjoyed reading it. Both are easily in the realm of possibility for it. Only time will tell.
12045237
I would love more, as I have not had the ability to get the progressives once they were translated to English. I do have plenty of flexibility and have been taking advantage of it. Without going too dark. I could dive into a very deep, deep pit. This is still an adventure story with drama and rated teen. I can explore plenty with that rating and most of it has nothing to do with LC.
12045239
Partially, yes. Kirito does later reflect on the raid on Laughing Coffin's base. It was a key moment in his character development. LC is an interesting aspect of Aincrad and SAO. They defy the norm.
12045245
I'm glad you enjoyed it. It was brutal (and fun) to write, but you pointed out why I did well. I don't torture characters without point. Sometimes it is required, but there always is a point and purpose.
12045359
Reminds me of early BC days in WoW, we alliance always had issues in Ganklethorn due to PvP always being on.
But people deliberately killing people, that's why its called murder IRL. Those people clearly already had a screw loose to begin with.
12045368
They definitely have a screw loose. Being trapped certainly loosened quite a few. Not all screws loosened were turned on their fellow players. Kirito certainly has some of his own. Bladescape does too, as does Malus, Doom, and everyone. LC takes the cake. PoH is an assassin, a true hired killer who is sent into SAO to kill someone. Without him being there, LC probably would not have been formed.
12045356
Well, for starters, very briefly at the end of the floor one boss, after it was defeated a player going by 'Joe' is the one who calls Kirito out on being a Beta Player, inciting the Beater moniker. He is/will be a member of LC. This was probably an attempt to rile up the New Players against the Beta's.
On floor 2, there is an upgrade scam being done by a blacksmith to help fund a party reaching the front line with high tier gear. The method was taught to them by an LC member, I think maybe POH himself. Who also convinced them to go through with it. After it was discovered, 'Joe' ends up trying to incite the clearing group to execute the Blacksmith, who had in fact taken weapons from people using this scam. He also claimed someone died because of this, but had no proof, so was probably just a bluff.
For floor 3, there is a questline which begins on the 3rd floor and ends on the 9th. At the very start is a choice that starts you down two separate paths. Because of info that 'Joe' got from a Beta Tester, Kibaou's guild, the Aincrad Liberation Squad, is trying to do the quest as it apparently has some loot that would be crucial for the boss. This is a lie, and it's used to try and get the ALS to fight with the Dragon Knight's Brigade, the DKB, run by Lind. Kirito was also doing this questline, because he knows it's good EXP. As he was trying to do his own thing, he was ambushed by Morte, a LC member, who challenges him to a Half HP Duel. If he wins, Morte will explain why he is trying to get Kirito to put off finishing the quest that night. If he loses, Kirito has to leave. If he doesn't accept the duel, Morte will sound an alarm, alerting the camp Kirito planned to stealth into. During the duel, spoiler for the duel if you end up reading, Morte plans to use it to try and kill Kirito, specifically, by getting him to just above half HP, then hitting him so hard he drops right to 0. Anyway, Kirito figures it out and holds him off till Morte gets called off. That's when Kirito discovers the two arguing guilds, and decides to go finish his current quest. As doing so makes the camp relocate. Thus foiling LC's plan for the moment to make the guilds fight each other.
Floor 5, there is an item which dropped from the floor boss in the beta, a guild flag. Once registered to a guild, it can be planted into the ground, and in a pretty big range, give multiple buffs to anyone in that guild for as long as it's planted down. But, once registered, it can't be changed to a new guild. 'Joe' gave this info to Kibaou, and, after the higher rank members of his guild vote, they decide to skip a Countdown party which is being held, and go defeat the boss on their own. After learning of this through other means, Kirito has to quickly create a pair of parties to take down the boss first, as the clearing group is currently in a delicate balance between the two guilds, and the flag would upset the balance greatly. After getting the flag, Kirito gives them his two conditions for handing it over, which don't matter right now. After this at the countdown party, POH himself tracks down and intimidates Kirito with a knife to his back, before escaping.
Floor 6, LC is realized to be working for the secret 3rd faction in the multi floor questline, as they use weapons given by this group. While undertaking a questline for this new floor, Kirito and his partner are briefly paralyzed to be transported. Midway through Morte and I THINK 'Joe' ambush and kill the NPC that is taking them. Planning to kill them both, a bit of luck saves them, and after some fighting, Kirito almost kills Morte with a combination of Weak Point Critical, a stab to the Heart, and a True Critical, which is by luck. He is saved by 'Joe', but they lose some of the gear they had in the process. Later, LC set up for the place Kirito and his partner are staying, with the group they chose on floor 3, to be attacked and possibly rendered unlivable afterwards, by blackmailing a separate party into sabotaging the place. POH escapes before Kirito can get there.
Floor 7, nothing related to LC happened here, but there effects on the last floor still have consequences, mainly for an NPC that has been working with Kirito for that multi-floor questline.
12045428
I ripped the wiki apart during research, but it is only so complete. That was succinct and on point. Thank you.
I remember the troublemaker "Joe" from the progressive movie Scherzo of Deep Night. It seemed like it was XaXa and PoH was pushing things from the shadow. I handle the Legend Brave's Scam, but did not call out who the initial troublemaker was. I did sidestep a huge chunk of the Flag of Valor issue.
Morte, I didn't take as being part of LC, ever. I knew he was as problem PK'er in the Beta and Natora had her run in, both in the beta and after the launch. I would not be surprised if it was later confirmed that he is.
12045658
Yeah, I'm pretty sure "Joe"s role is to try and set a precedent for murder among the front liners. But yeah, they have been busy since even the first few floors.
12045694
I doubt it took PoH long to kill his target. Then he just had to sit back and wait, surrounded by a group of people he believes that are trash and should be exterminated. Now he has a way to kill nearly ten thousand without blowback or proof. He will be causing trouble.
12045971
Oh definitely, and it's what he does.
In regards to Progressive, your best bet I would say is finding the PDFs for the 8 current volumes and reading them that way.
12046199
At this point I am so far ahead of the progressives. Still, I will have to see about hunting them down.
12046232
It's worth the time hunting them down, I know when I got the, I got them all in one pack.
I've been thinking about how you're gonna get passed the 75th boss in this version... and the one thing I've come to is that Kirito cannot duel Heathcliff. It's that fight, combined with Skull Reaper, that tips Kirito off to his GM powers.
If I recall, the reason Heathcliff wanted to duel Kirito was because of his Dual Blades skill, so in order to avoid the duel either Kirito needs to be in a headspace where he's comfortable with not accepting, or the skill is never made public to begin with.
So... Perhaps the Wondercolts can tip the scales in the Gleam Eyes fight enough that he doesn't feel using Dual Blades is necessary? Perhaps it'll actually come out in the Skull Reaper fight.
12046401
That is certainly true. Kirito does first get tipped off by Heathcliff using the GM assist to win the duel. If Kirito's skill going public is delayed, it still ends up with the same issue, Heathcliff will want the duel. At least according to your assertions (unless I misread it).
From what I read in the Light Novels, it starts less because of The Gleam Eyes and almost entirely because Asuna wanted a vacation from being Second-in-Command. She wanted to hang with Kirito on a vacation. Heathcliff did not want Kirito to "steal" his officer, hence the duel. That, plus his ego, is why Kirito accepts the duel, so they can be together. Then he loses, joins, Kuradeel seeks revenge and kills Godfree, almost kills Kirito and Asuna, before dying. Then Asuna has the leverage to get the vacation with Kirito she wants.
There are a lot of disruption points which would solve the issue so that Kirito does not see his GM credentials. I believe you will be satisfied, but I understand why you are asking. It is the biggest puzzle, especially since I have been staying to SAO canon for a lot to keep Kirito, Asuna, and the others essentially the same characters because I need that for the last 25 floors.
"I earned this"
He'll yeah she did. Considering she was friggin stabbed by it.
12046435
Alsp yeah its....in the anime kirito actually does state the fact he first started suspecting him was durring there duel.
So without that bit you have a lot longer before kirito even starts suspecting him.
And.....the only other way to keep with Canon up to that fight and still go to the ruby palace from what I remember was said back then in the show was that if kirito lost that Heathcliff would be waiting in the ruby palace since he decided to give them an early chance at floor 75 because kirito found him out.
But that's a route for if you Wana kill kirito.
Just giving my thoughts on that.
12046778
I did still kill Sachi and Yuna. lol. With that said, I do believe all y'all will enjoy my solution. Once you fully understand it. It is really hard to logically give them certain information as the players, and, therefore, the reader. I do have a Heathcliff POV in the works. It is set far, far from where we currently are and well past 75.
12046808
Oooh...oki...is it going to be like...a recap from his pov of events or somthin like that?
12047534
It will be set in the moment. Currently, it is Floor 89. A long way out.
12047653
But less than half the story away if I remember right from your other story.
12047668
Well... floor 83 is an arc of its own, 23 chapters. 86 will be probably be another 7-10. I have 158 secured, so 67, plus another 80+ that may move positions, before we get there. 120 chapters is not more. This is a truly massive project. I expect to get close to 300 episodes by the end.
12047692
Nice!
Also yeah...I semi remembered the spear from your earlier version of this.
Very memorable that it's the first time she was in ACTUAL danger from laughing coffin.
Another encounter with LC is certainly interesting…
But I'm afraid you didn't handle Sunset's freakout after the beatdown very well.
While the question of "was the severity of her freakout natural" is rather subjective (and in my opinion wasn't and was in fact over-exaggerated (like really you deliver a beatdown and now you deserve death?)), the fact that she just bounces back to her usual self right after just sinks the whole situation down to the very bottom.
I understand your points, but things are not resolved. There is no bounce back yet. They are headed to finish it. Serial novel chapter breaks can be difficult some times.
Also, you should definitely check out my recent Ruby Palace Meme blog post if you have not seen it, as it directly addresses this with a very classic meme.
12048037
First: you forgot to make this a reply. Would've seen it sooner otherwise.
Second: yeah I saw the meme, had a laugh, would've been funnier if you'd photoshopped Sunny's head in there.
Third: if there really is no bounce back then I'm afraid you failed to show this. Cause from what I'm reading Blade only seems to be affected by this whole ordeal only for about a single paragraph after the army arrives. She very much acts like her usual self for the rest of the chapter with no indication that she's struggling to keep herself calm or anything of the sort.
12048519
While replying, I hit F12 and then something else, so I lose everything. Not entirely sure what happened because it was refreshing to blank. I just scrolled down and started retyping, completely forgetting to hit "reply". lol
I'm not used not making memes. I should have have snipped her head in. I will remember that. I have one other meme made (absolutely hilarious), but it is for much later as it contain spoilers. Way too early. I need to figure out how to meme more of the story, just for laughs.
Now that you point it out, it was a bad cut point or I should have added more.