Part 25 (2/2)
Heathcliff was glaring at me with an emotionless expression. The players around us didn't move even a muscle. No, it was more accurate to say that they couldn't move.
Asuna took a step forward from beside me. Her eyes didn't contain a trace of emotion, as if they were bottomless voids. She opened her mouth slightly and spoke in a dry and barely audible voice.
”Leader......is this...... true...?”
Heathcliff ignored her question. Instead, he tilted his head slightly and asked me: ”...Just for reference, could you tell me how you figured it out?”
”...The first time I thought that something was off was during our duel, because your speed during that final moment was simply too fast.”
”As I expected. That was a grievous mistake on my part. I was so overwhelmed by your speed that I ended up using the system's a.s.sistance past its normal limits.”
As Heathcliff nodded, his face finally revealed another expression; his lips moved slightly to form a bitter smile.
”I originally expected to reach the ninety-fifth floor before this would be revealed.”
His smile turned into one of authority as he slowly swept his gaze across the players. Then, the red paladin stated confidently: ”-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 ninetieth 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 ident.i.ty, 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.
But...
What did that guy say? That he raised the KoB? That we would surely be able to reach...?
”What a load of c.r.a.p....”
I unconsciously muttered in a dry voice.
This guy confined the minds of ten thousand people in a world he had created, where he had already killed four thousand with electromagnetic waves. He had been watching the players struggle foolishly and pitifully according to the script he had written. This must be the most enjoyable experience available to a game master.
I thought of Asuna's past, which she had shared with me on the twenty-second floor. I remembered the tears she had shed while clutching me. The man before my eyes had created this world for his own joy and hurt Asuna's heart countless times, making it bleed profusely; there was no way I could just back down from this.
”Fine. Let's settle this.”
I nodded slowly.
”Kirito-kun...!”
At Asuna's stricken cry, I dropped my gaze to the figure in my arms. Pain pierced my heart as if my chest had been stabbed through, but somehow I managed to force a smile.
”Sorry. But I can't...run away right now....”
Asuna opened her mouth to say something, but then gave up halfway and tried her best to smile. A single tear rolled down her cheek.
”You weren't planning... on sacrificing yourself...?”
”Of course... I'll definitely win. I'll win and put an end to this world.”
”Okay. I'll trust you.”
Even if I lose and die, you must live on- although I wanted to say that, but I still couldn't force it out. I could only hold Asuna's right hand firmly in its stead.
After I released her hand, I laid Asuna's body down on the obsidian floor and then stood back up. I slowly approached Kayaba, who was silently looking upon us, and drew both my swords with a sharp sound.
”Kirito! Stop-!”
<script>