Crossover Fan Fiction / Sailor Moon Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Moon Online ❯ Princess versus Paladin ( Chapter 7 )

This is it, everyone! This is the last chapter in the Aincard arc of Sword Art Online for this fanfiction, so, you can expect the big showdown and face off, but it won’t be just Kirito against Heathcliff, folks! However, it doesn’t mean that the story is over, not by a long shot! You do remember that there is the Fairy Dance arc of the first Sword Art Online anime which is also the same name given to the same arc in the manga and light novels, right? So, there is more to come after this chapter is done, everyone!

I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online and anything/anyone that comes from these and other stories that end up in this fanfiction! Sailor Moon is owned/licensed by Naoko Takeuchi and its various studios and publishers and Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itô!

Warning: This story contains intense violence, blood, possible gore, death, mild to explicit suggestive themes, including mind-control and brainwashing, mild to explicit bad language, and mature adult themes/situations!

Second Warning: Some to a lot of OOC (Out of Character) actions and mannerisms in this whole story!

Sailor Moon Online

Chapter 7: Princess versus Paladin

October 20, 2024, Floor 75, Corinea

In Corinea, the main town of Floor 75 of Aincard, there is a huge Colosseum-like stadium where there are crowds in which there are signs in which they say ‘The Living Legend Heathcliff versus the Duel Welding Demon Kirito’ with a member of the Knights of the Blood selling tickets for this ‘event’. Within the Colosseum, Asuna and Kirito are inside one of the ‘fighter areas’ in which Asuna is looking at him exasperated.

Asuna yells out, annoyed, “I can’t believe what an idiot you are! How could you agree to a duel?”

Kirito responds, “Calm down, Asuna! I’m sorry, but it isn’t like he gave me a choice.”

Asuna tells Kirito, “Kirito, when you used your Duel Blades and Usagi used her Mimic ability to replicate your Duel Blades for her use, it wasn’t like anything I’ve ever seen before. However, the commander has his own unique skill.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “I know since I’ve seen it quite a few times myself. The Divine Blade Skill and what it does is that it maximums his defense and offense. His offense is incredible, but his defense is just as incredible and maybe even more so.”

Asuna says, “No one has ever seen the commander’s HP dip down into the yellow zone before. His invincibility is beyond the normal game balance.”

Kirito says, “I know.”

Asuna says, “What if you lose? I don’t care if I don’t get my leave of absence. I care about you having the join the Knights of the Blood Oath without your consent.”

Kirito says, with a smile, “I just can’t lose then.”

Just then another female voice shouts out, “Kirito!”

Kirito thinks in his mind, nervously, “Oh, boy! I was hoping that she wouldn’t come!” Soon after, Kirito and Asuna see Usagi run into the room and remove her hood to show a stunned and cross look on her features.

Usagi yells out, “Kirito, didn’t I beg you not to do anything crazy? What were you thinking?”

Asuna responds, “Not too much, Usagi.”

Kirito says, with a sweat drop, “Ouch. Thanks a lot.”

Asuna says, with a glare, “Well, you should feel bad since you got poor Usagi worried about you. She is our best friend, Kirito. You know darn well that she worries about us!” Asuna tells Usagi, “I’m sorry, Usagi. All I wanted to resolve what I felt was a misunderstanding, but Kirito had to up and accept the commander’s challenge.”

Usagi tells Asuna, “It’s okay, Asuna. I doubt you or I could have stopped him anyway. He’s a fighter and he can’t help himself not to back away from a challenge.”

Kirito says, “I’m right here.”

Asuna asks Kirito, with a smirk, “Oh, are you saying that Usagi is wrong?”

Kirito says, with a sigh, “Nope.” Asuna and Usagi give playful smirks at Kirito, who sighs knowing that they are right about him.

Usagi sighs and she tells Kirito, kindly, “Kirito, just promise me that you will be careful.”

Kirito says, with a grin, “Don’t worry, I’ll be just fine.” As Kirito heads off to meet Heathcliff on the battlefield that they have chosen for their duel, Asuna and Usagi give concern looks.

Usagi thinks in her mind, “I hope that you are right, Kirito. I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Later on, Heathcliff and Kirito are facing each other in the center of the arena.

Heathcliff says, “I’m sorry about this Kirito. I didn’t think that this would be such a ‘big production’. It’s crazy.”

Kirito retorts, “Maybe I can get a cut of the tickets.”

Heathcliff responds, “No. Once you are part of the Knights of the Blood Oath, I’ll consider this your first mission.”

Kirito thinks in his mind, “He is quite confident, but then again, with someone like him and his abilities, he has got the right to brag a little.” Heathcliff brings up his player menu causing a menu prompt with Heathcliff’s duel request in which Kirito accepted and chose First Strike Mode. As the timer goes down, Kirito draws his Elucidator and Dark Repulser from his back while Heathcliff draws his sword from its sheath inside of his large shield. When the duel started, Kirito then attacks with both of his swords, but Heathcliff flawlessly blocks them and swipes at Kirito, who leaps back to dodge. Heathcliff charges in for another attack and Kirito prepares for a strike from his sword, but Heathcliff bashes him with his shield catching Kirito off guard in which he thinks, stunned, “His shield?” Kirito is flung back and rolls across the ground a bit before he stops and leaps to his feet as Heathcliff attacks him again, but Kirito strike back with a Vorpal Strike, a powerful one handed sword skill, in which he strikes Heathcliff’s shield hard in which Heathcliff turns to let Kirito pass on through in which he quickly spins around to face Heathcliff.

Heathcliff says, “Your reaction time is very impressive.”

Kirito says, “And your defense is impregnable.” After a few moments of doing nothing, they move as fast as they can with high speed strikes and blocks with their swords or shield, in the case of Heathcliff. Kirito thinks in his mind, “Not yet! Give it time!” The two of them continue to fight hard and fast with Kirito and Heathcliff knick each other and dropping tiny portions of their HP, but not getting in the strike needed to end this duel.

As Asuna and Usagi continue to watch, Asuna says, “Be careful.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Come on, Kirito. I know that you can do it.” Kirito then unleashes an assault with his Starburst Stream, one of his more powerful Duel Welding Skill’s attacks, and he manages to throw Heathcliff off guard and create an opening.

Kirito thinks in his mind, “Now is my chance!” Kirito then seemly brings on the final blow, but then time seems to stop and Kirito only hits his shield allowing Heathcliff to bypass him and hit him with one strike to end the duel in which the duel ends with the prompt showing Heathcliff as the winner. Kirito is flabbergasted and confused at what happened and he sees Heathcliff looking him with a strong and stern look before he turn and walks away.

Asuna asks, stunned, “Oh no! What happened?” When she looks at Usagi, Asuna is shocked to see Usagi’s eyes are wide and she looks to be in shock in which she asks, “Usagi?”

However, she gets no reply from Usagi as she thinks, stunned, “No way! That’s not possible! That’s faster than the game allows! The only way that he could have done is… but he could have… unless…”

Asuna gently shakes Usagi and she asks, “Usagi?”

Usagi snaps out of her stupor and she asks, “What? Asuna?”

Asuna asks, concerned, “Are you okay?”

Usagi says, with a smile, “I’m fine. I just shocked that Kirito lost.” Asuna feels that there is more that Usagi isn’t telling her, but she decides not to say anything and she nods her head in agreement since she is in shock too. Usagi thinks in her mind, “I can’t tell Asuna. She is very loyal to her guild and its commander in which she really believes in him. Even if she did believe me, she might confront him herself and she could be in trouble. I have to tell Kirito without Asuna knowing. I’m sorry, Asuna, but I can’t put you in danger if I’m right about this and I hope that I’m wrong.” Usagi glances at Heathcliff and she thinks, “Who are you, Heathcliff?” As Usagi looks back at Kirito, she doesn’t notice that Heathcliff is glance in her direction as he is leaving, but then again, this is unnoticed by anyone in which he also secretly smiles as he glances in Usagi’s direction.

October 21, 2024, Floor 50, Algade

Within the spare room that Kirito is ‘hiding out’ since his Duel Blade skill has been exposed to the whole of Aincard and namely, the surviving players of SAO, Usagi, hood down to show her face, and Kirito are talking and what Usagi tells him shocks him to the core.

Kirito asks Usagi, “Are you sure, Usagi?”

Usagi says, “Absolutely, Kirito. I know that you suspect that it was too fast that the game allows.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “I know.”

Usagi says, “The only way that he could have done that is with assistance from the system itself. It is the only way and I should know.”

Kirito says, “You might not have beta Sword Art Online, but you did with other games and tested even prototype games.”

Usagi replies, with a nod, ‘That’s right, Kirito. Some Full Dive game prototypes didn’t get on the shelves and I was the one that tested those that did and didn’t before Sword Art Online.”

Kirito says, nodding his head, “I can understand how and ‘he’ showed you the system assist.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Yeah.”

Flashback; Years ago

Right now, a younger Serena Tsukino, looking like a blond haired Chun Li with a pink version of her outfit is inside of a virtual fighting game prototype and she is getting beaten badly by a fighter that looks like a sinister version of She-Hulk.

Young Serena yells out, fearfully, “She’s too scary!”

Kayaba’s voice rings out, “Princess, this is just a game.”

Young Serena says, nervously, “I know, but the Full-Dive is so real! I’m scared!”
Kayaba responds, “Don’t be scared, my lovely little princess. I’ll help you.” Young Serena yelps as she barely dodges another attack and a strange menu comes up.

Young Serena asks, “What’s this?”

Kayaba replies, “It will help you. Push the button now.” As the attack from her virtual opponent is about to hit, Young Serena hits the young button and whole field becomes a red screen of some kind and Serena looks to see that her opponent is coming towards her.

Young Serena asks, confused, “What’s going on?”

Kayaba responds, “I helped you. Hurry, finish her off, princess!” Young Serena then fights hard and defeats the opponent in which the screen returns to normal with a big screen showing her victory.

Young Serena says, excitedly, “I won!”

Kayaba replies, “Yes, you did.”

Young Serena asks, “What was that?”

Kayaba replies, “That was a system’s ‘Assist Mode’. It is basically allowed you to tap into the game sever to slow down time for everything in the game world expect for you.”

Young Serena asks, with a pout, “I cheated?”

Kayaba responds, “Just bend the rules since this prototype isn’t an official game and I wouldn’t want my princess to get hurt after all.”

Young Serena says, “Oh, Uncle Kayaba, this may very scary, but it is only a game! You can’t really die from a game!”

Kayaba replies, with a sly and kind tone, “I guess not, Serena.” Serena and Kayaba giggle as Serena prepares to log out of the prototype game world and back to the real world.

End Flashback; Return to the Present

In the present, Usagi sighs at the happy memory and wonders what happened to her uncle to drive him to this ‘insanity’, but she shakes it off and she tells Kirito, “Anyway, it was used by a special menu that I used the ‘assist mode’ for the game.”

Kirito says, “I didn’t see Heathcliff do anything and most likely, ‘he’ improved the ‘assist mode’ since you used it. Probably using voice command, but Heathcliff didn’t do a thing.”

Usagi says, “Well, we know one thing. In MMO games, only ‘game masters’ have those types of things in order to make sure that players don’t do anything that would harm the balance of the game, but in SAO, there is only one game master.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “I know, Usagi. However, I can’t be sure on why he would help Heathcliff.”

Usagi says, “I didn’t see him anywhere.”

Kirito says, “He could have been watching from wherever he is and activated it from there.”

Usagi says, “You have a point, but that’s not the way that he works. He makes sure that he everything is done to the upmost possible and he likes to inspect his work personally. He uses the Full-Dive many times to make sure of that Kirito.”
Kirito tells Usagi, “True, Usagi. But he isn’t the person that you knew.”

Usagi says, with a sigh, “You have a point, Kirito.”

Kirito says, “All we do know is that Kayaba helped Heathcliff for some reason or another. I’m not sure if he is aware of it or isn’t. His expression didn’t tell me a thing.”

Usagi tells Kirito, “What we do know is that Heathcliff is something ‘special’ to ‘him’ if he went out of his way to protect him.”

Kirito says, “That means that I being forced into the Knights of the Blood Oath might not be a bad thing. I could keep a close eye on them.”

Usagi tells Kirito, “It might be too dangerous.”

Kirito says, “Maybe, Usagi, but if we want to know why ‘he’ helped Heathcliff, we need to keep a closer eye on him and I have the best chance.”

Usagi says, solemnly, “You may have a good point, but I don’t like it.”

Kirito says, “I’ll make it look like I’m still clueless on what happened, but I’m not sure how long that will last if Heathcliff knows that he has been helped. If Heathcliff and ‘him’ have a connection, we need to find out what.”

Usagi says, nodding her head, “I agree, Kirito, but there is one thing.”

Kirito responds, with a nod, “Right, Usagi. Asuna tries and believes in her commander, so, we can’t tell her. If we do, she may not believe us and if she does, she might confront Heathcliff about it herself and if he does have a ‘connection’ to ‘him’, it could put her in great danger. We should keep this to ourselves for now.”

Usagi says, “I don’t like it, Kirito.”

Kirito responds, “Neither does me, Usagi. However, it is for Asuna’s own good.”

Usagi says, with a nod and solemn tone, “You’re right, Kirito.” Usagi says, “However, I’m going to try to get more information from the outside.”

Kirito says, “I don’t think that you will find anything useful, but keep me posted.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Right.” Usagi says, slightly nervous, “Kirito…”

Kirito asks, “What is it, Usagi?”

Usagi tells Kirito, “Kirito, I think… I think that you should tell Asuna about why you didn’t join guilds until now.”

Kirito asks, shocked, “What?”

Usagi tells Kirito, “Kirito, she will understand. And she can help you through the pain. You need to move on, Kirito.” Usagi says, with a sigh, “Like I’m one to talk. Please, think about it, okay?”

Kirito says, “Okay.”

Usagi says, “We are keeping this secret from her. Maybe we should pay her back with another secret or two.”

Kirito says, with a grin, “Yeah.”

Usagi tells Kirito, “Stay safe, Kirito. And keep a good eye on Asuna for Liz and me.”

Kirito says, “No problem there. Through I doubt that she needs anyone to watch her.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Good point, Kirito.” Usagi smiles and she puts on her hood in which she says, “By the way, if you are going to cuddle, get a room, Kirito.”

Kirito blushes like mad and he yells out, “Usagi!” Usagi giggles as she rushes out of the room and into the streets of Algade.

Usagi thinks in her mind, “I have been hanging out with Mina-chan too long even after all this time here.” Usagi thinks in her mind, as she heads for the teleport gate, “I can’t help Kirito alone with this problem. I need someone. Someone that he and I can trust and I may know exactly who it is.”

October 23, 2024, Floor 47, Hill of Memories

On the Hill of Memories, where she and Kirito helped Silica get the flower needed to revive her pet monster, Pina, the Feathered Dragon, Usagi, with the hood covering her face, is looking like she is waiting for someone. She then hears footsteps and she looks to see Klein walking over to her.

Usagi tells Klein, “Thank you for coming.”

Klein says, “Hey, no problem. Any friend of Kirito’s is a friend of mine.”

Usagi says, with a kind tone, “Thank you.”

Klein asks, “So, what’s the big deal?”

Usagi tells Klein, “Klein-san, I need someone that Kirito trusts who I know that I can trust.”

Klein says, “Kirito and I are buds, but Asuna is closer to him than I am and she is your best friend too.”

Usagi says, shaking her head, “I can’t. This involves something that’s too close to her.”

Klein asks, very curiously, “Really now, Usagi-san?”

Usagi says, with a nod, “That’s right. I need someone that Kirito trusts outside of the Knights of the Blood Oath right now.”

Klein says, “Sounds pretty serious.”

Usagi responds, “It is, Klein-san. I know that your guild is your best friends and I know how you feel about keeping secrets from them. I have eight best girlfriends waiting for me back home and I’ve rarely kept anything from them. But I need you to keep this to yourself and to show you that you have my trust…” Usagi then removes her hood and showing her face to Klein causing his eyes to widen.

Klein thinks in his mind, “Whoa! That’s Usagi-san?! Weird hairstyle, but it does make her very cute.” Klein regains his focus and he asks, “Are you sure about this?”

Usagi says, with a nod, “I know that I can trust you, Klein-san. Kirito trusts you, so, I trust you. I don’t show my face for good reasons.”

Klein says, “Yeah, I know. Your face is actually one of the greatest mysteries here in Aincard. A lot of players wonder what you look like.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, “So I’m a ‘mystery girl’ now? Well, I should have seen that coming.”

Klein says, “Yeah, if those assholes that still hate just because you are ‘his’ niece and the criminal guilds find out, you wouldn’t have much in the way of sleep and if they knew who knew your face, they would go after them like a moth to a flame. This is a really big bit of trust that you are giving me.”
Usagi says, with a nod, “I know that you can help me, Klein-san.”

Klein asks, “So, what’s up?”

Usagi says, “You know what happened to Kirito recently.”

Klein says, “Who doesn’t? Oh, man! Kirito really gets himself into these pinches.”

Usagi tells Klein, “There is more to this than you think, Klein-san.” Klein then listens as Usagi tells about what she and Kirito talked about a few days ago and he is shocked to say the least.

Klein yells out, “Whoa! Are you sure?”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Yep. I should know since I used that kind of thing when I was beta other games before SAO.”

Klein says, “Basically, Heathcliff cheated.”

Usagi says, “Yeah, you can say that. But we have no hard proof. I mean, despite most of the players trusting in me, who would really believe that the strongest player in the game is possibly working for Kayaba? And you can expect, despite our ‘fame’, the word of a so-called ‘beater’ and ‘Kayaba princess’ doesn’t exactly hold much weight.”

Klein says, with a sigh, “Good point. I can see why you want Asuna out of this.”

Usagi says, nodding her head, “Yeah. Kirito and I hate doing this to her, but it is for her own good.” Usagi thinks in her mind, “But man! I feel like a heel!”

Klein asks Usagi, “What do you need me to do?”

Usagi asks, surprised, “You are going to help me?”

Klein says, “As I said, Usagi-san, any friend of Kirito’s is a friend of mine and you showed me what you really look like. That’s a sign of major trust. Anyway, I know that you wouldn’t be doing this unless you feel in your heart you may have a point about what you are saying.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Heathcliff has always bothered me since I was him on the day that the Knights of the Blood Oath were formed. He… gives a weird creepy familiar feeling… It is like I know him or something. I don’t like it. It is really creeps me out.”

Klein asks, “Like you know him how?”

Usagi says, “I really can’t explain it, Klein-san.”

Klein says, “No problem. I’ve always had a few questions about him since he used his Divine Blade ability. That skill is just way too powerful.”

Usagi says, “Well, thanks to Kirito’s and my unique skills becoming public, there is a lot of ‘heat’ off Heathcliff.” Usagi tells Klein, “Klein, I just need for you to watch the Knights of the Blood and all of its members. When you do, report what you find to Kirito and me and when Kirito asks, just tell that I put you up to it.”

Klein says, with a smile, “Don’t worry, I’ll just say that I agreed without hesitation.”

Usagi says, with a smile, “Thank you, Klein-san. But please be careful. If we were right and we are hoping that we won’t be doing anything by yourself will put you in great danger. If anything happened to you, I’m not sure if I could face Kirito ever.”

Klein says, with a grin, “Don’t worry your pretty little head, Usagi-san. I know how to take care of myself.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “I know, Klein-san. You didn’t become the leader of one of the top guilds for nothing.”

Klein says, with a smirk, “I can see why you hide your face. If plenty of the guys knew what you look like, they won’t care if you are Kayaba’s niece, you would be swamped by offers of marriage in just days.”

Usagi says, with a giggle, “I already have someone waiting for me. Even though it has been nearly two years, I know that he is still waiting for me.”

Klein asks, “He must be some guy, huh?”

Usagi says, with a warm smile, “He is, Klein-san. Let’s just say that he is my prince.” Usagi can’t help to feel warm as images of Darien fill her mind and she then is brought of her musing by a ringing tone. Usagi says, as an icon appears in front of her, “I’ve got a message.” Usagi pushes the icon and message window appears in front of her in which her eyes widen and she screams out, shocked, “What?!”

Klein asks, “What’s wrong?”

Usagi says, putting on her hood, “That was from Asuna. Kirito was out being ‘assessed’ by other members of the guild on a training trip, but one of them turned traitor and nearly killed Kirito!”

Klein gasps and he shouts out, stunned, “What?!” However, Usagi rushes off into the distance before Klein can say or do anything in which he says, with a sigh, “Kirito, what the fuck you have gotten your crazy self into this time? Man! Now, I’ve got a bad feeling.” As Klein heads off back to rejoin his friends and guild, he can’t help to feel that Usagi and Kirito are right to suspect something rotten within the Knights of the Blood Oath.

October 25, 2024, Cherry Hill Shrine

Within the Shinto temple home of our Sailor Soldier of Mars, she is praying in front of her Scared Fire and looking for some vision of the future of what will happen to her princess and the survivors of SAO, but so far, her visionary powers have shown her nothing for the nearly past two years that this nightmare has been going on.

Raye thinks in her mind, “Why? Why haven’t you shown me anything? I need to know! Is there anything that we can do? Please tell me anything that’s going to happen, Sacred Fire!” But then Raye gasps as visions of Heathcliff and Kirito fighting each other in an unknown cavernous dungeon and then a horrible vision of Heathcliff striking down our moon princess in her SAO avatar form of Usagi. Raye gasps and she yells out, shocked, “No, Serena! What… What were those visions? What or who is this black duel blading swordsman against some kind of red knight in a duel to the death? And that knight striking down Serena? But she…Wait! Could these be events happening in the game? Or will they be things that will happen? I had better tell the others about this!” Raye then prepares to contact the others about her latest vision and she hopes that nothing horrible is happening in SAO right now.

October 26, 2024, Floor 75, Corinea

Within Corinea, the main town of Floor 75 of Aincard, Usagi and the entire Fuurinkazan guild are discussing something and they are shocked at what they heard.

Klein says, “I can’t believe it! One of the Knights of the Blood is a member of THEM of all people!”

Usagi says, “He killed another member of his former guild all to get to Kirito just because he had beaten him in that duel.”

Klein says, with a snort, “What a piece of work. I can’t believe that they, of all people, let this happen. The Knights of the Blood Oath is the elite guild and I can’t believe that they wouldn’t notice such a thing.”

Usagi says, “Kirito believes that Heathcliff is no fool.”

The whole of the Fuurinkazan looks shocked and Klein asks, “Wait! Are you saying that Heathcliff had a very good idea about Kuradeel?”

Usagi says, with a nod, “I think so. And to be honest, I’m thinking that Kirito is right.”

Klein’s friends are stunned and Klein says, with a nod, “Yeah. Heathcliff doesn’t strike me to be a man that’s a fool at all. However, I don’t think that people are going to want to believe that anything bad is happening in the Knights of the Blood.”

Usagi says, “I know. Many players think that they will be the ones that set us free from this ‘death game’ and they look up to them.”

Klein says, “Yeah, no kidding.” Klein says, with a smile, “Anyway, enough with the bad news, let’s go onto the good news.”

Usagi says, with a smile, “I thought that you would say that.”

Klein says, with a grin, “Man! It’s about time those two tied the knot!”

Usagi says, “They got married two days ago and they just moved into their new home yesterday. It is on the twenty-second floor.”

Klein says, with a grin, “A romantic honeymoon, huh? Kirito, you sly dog!” Klein and his friends share a laugh while Usagi giggles and Klein tells his friends, “Anyway, boys, why don’t we have a toast to the newlyweds!”

“Yeah!” the rest of Klein’s guild yells out in unison.

Klein tells Usagi, “Why don’t you join us, Usagi? You are their best friend after all.”

Usagi says, with a smile, “Sure!” Usagi and the Fuurinkazan guild share a drink and toast to the in-game newlyweds of Kirito and Asuna and for the first time in a long way since being trapped in SAO, Usagi can’t help to feel warm and have fun.

When they were done, Klein says, “Anyway, we should get going. We have a lot of work to do.”

Usagi says, “Kirito and Asuna are not only taking a break from the guild not only to enjoy their honeymoon, but to allow the other players to catch up to them.”

Klein says, with a grin, “Good old Kirito. He had better watch out or his edge will be over.” Klein asks Usagi, “Anyway, Usagi, what will you do?”

Usagi says, “I want to take a breather myself, but I can’t.”

Klein tells Usagi, “Come on, Usagi. If anyone deserves a break, it is you. You have done so much for the players here, you need a breather.”

Usagi says, “I wish that I could say the same, but the people that I love are waiting for me and I always feel that it is never enough. I can’t stop until I find ‘him’ and confront him about this mess and why he did. And if I have to, I need to stop him once and for all.”

Klein tells Usagi, “Usagi-san, even if you find him, you may not like what you find.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “I know, Klein-san. Thank you, but ever since this nightmare started, it has been plaguing me for nearly two years.” Usagi says, “Personally, I never would be doing such a thing like fighting every single day back before this. I would be hanging with my friends and the man that I love so much. And while this was once a great dream, I also dreamed of getting married myself to man that I loved.”

Klein says, with a smile, “Once we get back, you will be able to do that.”

Usagi says, with a grin, “You’re right, Klein-san, but something tells me that I’m going to need to ‘bulk up’ once I get back so my love won’t be afraid of breaking me like a fragile doll.”

Klein says, with a sly smile, “Something tells me that all of us are going to need to get some meat on our bones when we get back.” Usagi smiles at Klein and she heads off out of the restaurant to prepare for another day in SAO in which she looks back at Klein and his friends in which an image of her, as Sailor Moon, and her fellow Scouts come to her mind.

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Don’t worry, girls. I’ll get home someday and hopefully, it will be soon.”

October 30, 2024, Juuban Hospital Ward

Inside of the Juuban Hospital, all the Sailor Scouts and Darien are looking at the pale form of Serena with the NervGear attached to her head and lying down on her hospital in what looks like a coma, but they know that her mind… her spirit is trapped in SAO.

Michelle is looking through her Aqua Mirror and she says, “It seems like she is fine to me. I saw her fighting some monsters at the place that she is in, but she is doing fine.”

Luna and Artemis leap from their ‘hiding place’ in the room and Artemis asks Raye, “Are you sure at what you saw?”

Raye says, with a nod, “Very certain, Artemis.”

Amara says, “A black swordsman with two swords fighting against some red knight and that red knight strike down Dumpling? It has been close to two years since the fire has given you any visions about our princess.”

Raye says, “I know and I’ve got a bad feeling about it giving me visions now of all times, Amara.”

Lita says, slamming her fists together, “We have got to find a way to help her!”

Darien asks Ami, “How is your research going Ami?”

Ami responds, “It is taking much time to decode the coding of ALO and with the limited information that we have on SAO, it is going to be tough to figure out the program that disables the safeties on the NervGear and create the microwaves that fry the users brain.”

Amara says, “Meaning that we are trapped and with no way to help while our princess fights for her life as she has been doing for nearly two years. And she can’t stay on like this forever.”

Darien says, “Neither can the other survivors of SAO. They are being injected with the nutrients and liquids that they need to stay alive, but the body can’t keep going on these alone forever. The Silver Crystal might be helping enhance her ‘life support’, but the crystal can only do so much for her. They don’t have much time. We need to do something radical.”

Ami says, “And that’s why I’ve been working with the Medicuboid technology to figure out a way to infiltrate into SAO.”

Hotaru asks Ami, “Do you think that we can get into SAO to help her?”

Lita says, “News flash. We don’t have SAO avatars.”

Ami says, “True, but we have our ALO avatar data and the skill data is the same.”

Mina says, “Yeah, SAO is a level based MMO and ALO is a hard core skill based MMO with no leveling system.”

Ami says, “Yes, I know, but I have been working on a program to give us a level proportion to the time that we have played on ALO. With our extensive time in ALO, I’m sure that we will have decent levels to handle anything in SAO.”

Amara says, “There is a problem. The Medicuboid technology is similar to the NervGear rather than the Amusphere.”

Ami says, “I’ve put in safety programs to make sure that programming that SAO acts as ‘kill switch’ to the NervGears won’t work with the devices that I’m working on and I’m going to add Amusphere style security systems on it. I’ve been working on it as a side project for some time.”

Mina says, “Whoa, Ami-chan. You have been really working overtime on this.”

Ami responds, “With Serena’s life at stake along with hundreds upon hundreds of others, I had to consider all possibilities. We can’t ‘fight’ the same way that we have done before. We need to do this a different way.”

The other Scouts nod their heads in agreement and Darien thinks in his mind, looking at Serena, “Sere’, just hold on! We’ll get you out of there somehow! I… No, we won’t stop until we bring you home safe and sound!”

November 2, 2024, Floor 1, Town of Beginnings

In front of the church in the Town of Beginnings, Kirito and Asuna, both of whom are wearing casual wear, are with several people along with a lot of pre-teen to young teen children.

The first person is a young woman in her twenties with brown hair and green eyes. She wears rimless, oval glasses, and she is wearing a long navy blue dress with a white collar.

The second person is a young man with umber-brown, wavy hair and brown eyes and he is wearing a teal trench coat, white gloves and gray trousers.

The third person is a young woman of tall stature who has long, silver hair tied up in a ponytail which give off an impression of intelligence, has sky-blue eyes that shine intensely and a sharp, well-featured face in which she is currently wearing an iron-gray cape on her body, under which she wears a dark green coat with leggings well-fitted for her thighs which makes it look similar to a military uniform. She also carries a shortsword on the right side of her waist and a curled up whip on her left. And finally, she also has gold earrings.

The people are assembled outside of a church in the city with a large table and grill with Asuna using her cooking skill to grill some food with the children looking on in amazement.

The young man says, “To think that there is food in this world that can taste so good.” The young man tells Kirito and Asuna, “Asuna, Kirito, you’ve done me and incredible favor here. I’m not sure how to thank you.”

Kirito says, “Hey, it was a pleasure, Thinker. MMO Today has really helped me over the years.”

The young man, responds, with a smile, “That’s a name I haven’t heard in years. All that time, those daily updates felt like a burden. I used to think that doing that kind of thing isn’t what it used to be, but I would take that than running a guild any day.”

Asuna asks, “So, Thinker, what will happen with the Army?”

The young man, Thinker’s, smile vanished, but then a familiar female voice shouts out, “Hey, love birds!” Everyone looks to see Usagi, hood covering her face as usual, walking up to them.

Kirito and Asuna in say in unison, surprised, “Usagi?!”

The young woman with silver hair asks, “Usagi?”

Kirito and Asuna then give nervous looks as the other young woman, the brown haired one in the long blue dress, ask, surprised tone in her voice, “You know the ‘White Valkyrie’?”

Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, “Does everyone else have to call me that? I know that I haven’t been spreading my name around, but this is really getting annoying.”

Kirito and Asuna look at Usagi, she nods her head, and Kirito says, “She has been my best friend for a long time.”

Asuna says, “We met about a month after the game started.”

One of the kids yells out, “Oh, wow! You are best friends of the ‘White Valkyrie’? That’s so cool!”

Another kid shouts out, “She saved me from one of those bullies that wouldn’t listen to Miss Yulier and Mister Thinker.”

Kirito tells Usagi, with a smile, “Why I am not surprised by this? That’s so like you, Usagi.”

Usagi responds, “What can I say? I just don’t like bullies.”

Asuna asks, “What are you doing here?”

Usagi says, “Same old, same old, Asuna. However, I found trouble and I’ve been trying to keep these kids out of trouble.”

The young woman with brown hair says, with a warm smile, “She has been making sure that those goons in the Army haven’t been harassing the kids and she has been guarding those few that go out to earn some money for all of us.”

The young woman with silver hair says, “When I heard that the famous ‘White Valkyrie’ was here, I wanted to go to her to get help before I went to you.”

Usagi says, “Sorry, Yulier-san, I’ve been bouncing between here and the front lines a lot to find any clues on how to get out of here and keeping an eye on the other players. With what I’ve been hearing lately, one can’t be too careful.”

The young woman with silver hair responds, “It’s all right, Valkyrie-san, you have done enough already.”

Thinker responds, “Without your help, we might not have gotten Kibaou and his followers out of the guild so easily.”

Usagi says, with a kind tone, “With someone like Yulier-san, here, I’m more than sure that you could have handled it without my help, Thinker-san.” Usagi says, “Anyway, none of the guild assets were stolen by that jerk and his goon squad after you gave him the boot.” Usagi asks, “So, what will do now?”

Thinker replies, “I was thinking of disbanding the Army.”

There are plenty of shocked looks and Kirito says, “That’s a bold move, Thinker.”

Asuna says, “But I can see where you are going with this.”

Thinker says, “The Army has gotten too big for its own good. I’m thinking of dissolving it to rebuild it as a peaceful and cooperative organization. It would be irresponsible just to get rid of it and just abandon what we have worked for.”

Usagi says, “Yeah, you just got some ‘bad eggs’ into the mix, Thinker-san.”

Yulier, the woman with silver hair, says, “I guess so.”

Kirito then gets an idea and he asks, “Wait? Usagi, you are still looking for clues?”

Usagi says, “Yeah. It is like finding a needle in a world sized haystack, Kirito.”

Kirito tells Usagi, “I think that we may have one for you. There is a dungeon deep under Blackiron Palace where we find a safe zone containing a GM console.”

There are gasps and Yulier asks, “Wait! Are you saying that black stone is console for GM use?”

Asuna says, with a nod, “That’s why there was such a strong boss monster there. It was designed to protect that console from the players, but we can’t access it.”

Usagi asks, solemnly, “But I’m just a player, what can I do?”

Kirito tells Usagi, “Just call it a feeling, Usagi. I think that it is worth a try.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Okay.”

Asuna says, with a smile, “Let’s not worry about that now. Come on, Usagi, join us.”

Usagi says, looking at the food, “Sure, Asuna!” Usagi licks her virtual lips as she joins the others, but she can’t help to keep that GM console on her mind in which she wonders what she will find when she gets to it.

November 3, 2024, Floor 1, Hidden Dungeon

Inside of a hidden dungeon under Blackiron Palace in the Town of Beginnings, Usagi is fighting a lot of Scavenger Toad monsters, which are huge four eyed toad monsters, and Usagi yelps out in a grossed out fashion to show her ‘distaste’ for these monsters as she defeats them using Duel Welding Skill that she replicate due to her Mimic Skill.

Usagi says, “This is so gross.” When Usagi takes out her player menu and look up her items, she discards some items and she says, “Scavenged Toad Meat? Yuck!” Usagi then continues on until she sees the corridor that leads to the safe area with the GM console in which she was told that the boss monster protecting it was ‘erased’, but it doesn’t mean that the system or even her uncle created a new boss monster for it. Usagi takes a deep breath and she says, “Here goes something.” Usagi then takes off at top speed and like a blur, she gets into the safe area, but she moves too fast and she crashes and goes up and over a black craved stone-like in which she lands on the other side of the ‘stone’ with a ‘thud’. Usagi moans and she says, “Ouch. If Kirito and Asuna saw this, they would never let me live it down.” Usagi gets back to her feet, shakes her head, and goes back to the front of the ‘stone’. Usagi asks, “Is this it?” When Usagi touches the stone, it comes to life and lights up causing a holographic-like keypad to appear and a holographic screen causing her to gasp and she asks, “What’s this?” Usagi starts to push buttons on the keyboard and she thinks, “Thank god that Ami-chan, Darien-kun, and Trista-chan helped me learn how to use a computer better than I did before. I wish that they were here now.” The screen is showing a lot of numbers and other forms of data and Usagi says, “This is making my brain hurt.” But then an old fashion log-in screen with an ID and password appears and Usagi asks, “A log-in?” She types in her player name of Usagi and she wonders about the password when she remembers something.

Flashback; Some years ago

A young Serena Tsukino is with a male in a lab coat looking at a log in screen.

The young Serena asks, “Uncle Kayaba, what is this?”

The male in the lab coat responds, “My very secret stuff, my little princess. Stuff that only I can see.”

The young Serena asks, “If this is your secret stuff, then why are letting me look at it?”
The male responds, “That’s because you are special to me, my dear little princess. Just remember, you will always be my ‘Moon Bunny’.”

End Flashback; Return to the Present

Back in the present, as Usagi looked at the screen, she thinks, “Could it be possible?” Usagi then types in ‘Moon Bunny’ for the password and it works! Usagi asks, surprised, “But how?” Usagi then starts to type around and then holographic screen divides into multiple screens in which she says, “My player account is a ‘special account’! Wait a minute! It says here that have things that are similar to GM privileges! I don’t get it! Why?! Well, maybe I can finally do something.” Usagi then starts to type in to access certain areas of the system, but she gets plenty of ‘Access Denied’ on the screen and Usagi says, drolly, “Why am I not surprised? I’m not surprised that he wouldn’t let me access the feature that keeps the Logout features from being put back.” Usagi takes a deep breath and she says, “Let’s see what I can access and I’m really wishing that I had paid attention to Ami-chan when she using her computer to hack into enemy computers and such. I really hope that her ‘spirit’ is really close by.” Usagi then starts to get to work on seeing what she can access with her ‘special account’ that she just found out about.

November 6, 2024, Floor 22, Outskirts of Coral

On a lake on the outskirts of Coral, the main of Floor 22 of Aincard, Kirito is with a man named Nishida, who is an elderly man who got trapped in the game in which he worked for an electronics company that worked with Argus on Sword Art Online before he got trapped in game because he logged in to make sure the networking was perfect, while Asuna and a crowd of people were looking on in which they are trying to fish for a fish known as ‘The King of Lakes’ in a fishing event. However, they got it when the ‘fish’ turned out to be a massive lizard-like fish monster which destroyed the dock when it came out and Kirito is running towards Asuna, Nishida, and the crowd since they ran because they got a look at what it was before Kirito did.

When he stops and hides behind Kirito, he yells at Asuna, “You ran away! You left me to die!”

Asuna gives a nervous smile and Nishida shouts out, fearfully, “Here it comes!”

The King of Lakes walks on the ground with its four legs which are kind of stubby for its size and Kirito says, amazed, “Whoa! It can walk on land? It’s like a crazy lung fish.”

Nishida says, fearfully, “Kirito, it’s coming for us. Do something!”

Just then a female voice shouts out, “Hey, what’s going on here?” Usagi then arrives on the scene, sees the event monster, and she screams out, “What the heck?! What the heck is that major freak out?!”

Asuna asks, “Usagi, what are you doing here?”

Usagi responds, nervously, “Well…” Usagi says, seeing the monster getting closer, “Um, I think that we can talk later. We have an overgrown freak fish about to attack us.” Usagi thinks in her mind, nervously, “Asuna doesn’t look like she has her gear. Guess I have to do it. Why do I have to be the ‘big heroine’?” Usagi sighs, draws Elucidator and Lunar Excelsior, and charges right at The King of Lakes.

Nishida shouts out, “Kirito, you are going to let that cloaked lady get killed?”

Kirito tells Nishida, “Don’t worry, Nishida, she will be just fine.” Usagi then gets in two attacks and the event boss monster turns into data polygons leaving Usagi confused.

Usagi says, amazed, “Wow, that was easy.” When Usagi looks over at the other, she tells them, with a sigh, “I leave you alone for a few days and you are both causing trouble again.” Usagi thinks in her mind, curiously, “Man! This is a reserve! I usually get into trouble and it is either one of the other girls, especially Pyro or Amara-chan saying that to me. This is a real weird twist… and disturbing to.”

Asuna tells Usagi, “I had nothing to do with it, Usagi.”

Kirito yells out, annoyed, “How is it my fault?”

Just then the group of other people and Nishida assemble around Usagi and she says, nervously, “Hello.”

One of them shouts out, “Hey, aren’t you the ‘White Valkyrie’, one of the top members of the assault team that helps out players in trouble?!”

Usagi says, nervously, “Yeah, that’s me.” Soon after, the players start to congratulate and shake hands with Usagi which makes her a bit more nervous for obvious reasons. However, a message posting appears in front of Kirito’s eyes and it mentions that it is from Heathcliff. Later on, Usagi is meeting with Kirito and Asuna at their house on the floor.

When Usagi is done with her story, Kirito asks, amazed, “You have a special account?”

Usagi says, with a nod, “That’s right. I have at least some access that a GM does, but nothing that would get any of us out of here or disable the program that tells the NervGear to fry our brains when we die here.”

Asuna says, “Well, it is at least something, Usagi. It could still be the ‘key’ to get us out of here.”

Usagi asks, “But how? My access is restricted.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “That’s true, but now, we have an access point into the system. We could at least find a way to communicate with the outside world after all this time, Usagi. I have an expertise in computers and computer programming Usagi.”

Usagi asks, “You do?”

Kirito says, “I do, Usagi. I could use your account to attempt to hack into the system and even if we can’t create a way out of here or at least, delete the program that kills us when we die here, we can possibly send a message and even information to the outside world to let them know what’s going on and give them help to find a way to get us out. They haven’t been sleeping on their ass for all of these years and have been working on it, but with Kayaba’s genius, they have got to be hard pressed.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Maybe if we get them more information, we could help them get us out of here!”

Asuna nods her head and she says, with a smile, “Yeah!” Asuna tells Usagi, “Anyway, Usagi, the commander has ordered us to return back. It must be important if he has to interrupt our vacation.”

Usagi says, with a nod, “Okay, I’ll head off back to that room and see what I can do. But be careful.”

Kirito says, “You too Usagi. I’ll join you as soon as we are able.” Usagi nods her head and heads to the Coral Village teleport to get back to the first floor and hidden dungeon with the GM console, but Usagi can’t get rid of the bad feeling that something ‘big’ and horrible is going to happen.

November 7, 2024, Juuban Hospital Ward

Early in the morning, the Sailor Scouts and Darien are assembled together inside of Serena’s hospital room as they look over her.

Michelle says, “She seems to be okay.”

Luna and Artemis come over and Luna asks, “Are you sure, Raye?”

Raye says, with a nod, “I’m sure of it. I can feel it in my heart through I wish that I was wrong. This day, it is going to happen. Something big is going to happen in the world of SAO and our princess will be in mortal danger. We have to be here.”

Amara asks Michelle, “Anything, Michelle?”

Michelle says, looking at her Aqua Mirror, “Nothing so far.”

Lita says, “Let’s hope that it stays that way.”

Raye says, “I really hope so too.”

November 7, 2024, Floor 1, Hidden Dungeon

Later that same day, Usagi is staggering into the safe zone with her health bar cut in half and puts her hands on the GM console causing it to light up.

Usagi says, “That was too close! Either the system or ‘he’ put that new boss monster when it found that it was ‘erased’ through Asuna and Kirito couldn’t seem to tell me why. I have a bad feeling that something horrible happened down here when they rescued Thinker-san.” Usagi says, typing on the keypad, “Whew! My ‘special account’ still works just fine!” Usagi then struggles to figure out a way to access and she says, with a moan, “I wish that Ami-chan was here right now.” Usagi thinks in her mind, “Well, princess, she isn’t… at least not physically. Ami-chan, I hope that your spirit can guild me.” Usagi then continues to work on it until she then creates a screen that shows a large group of players, including Heathcliff, Kirito, and Asuna, fighting against what looks like a massive centipede-like skeleton monster with blades for arms, hands, and legs known as the The Skull Reaper with five health bars. Usagi yells out, stunned, “What?! A boss raid?!” Usagi then goes through her messages on her player menu and she says, “Oh no! I must have been in here at the time! They couldn’t reach me! I have to go help them!” But when she types in, information about the boss comes to Usagi and she gasps as she reads, “The boss room is sealed off until the players are killed or the boss! Oh no! It means I can’t help them!” Usagi then starts to frantically type on the computer keyboard and she says, “I’ve got to help them somehow! Hold on please!” As Usagi continues to watch on in horror as player after player falls and is deleted when they are struck down by The Skull Reaper. Usagi thinks in her mind, horrified, “This is horrible! I should have gone with them! I should have been there! Please stay alive! Kirito! Asuna! I don’t know what would happen if you died on me!” However, Usagi then sees the surviving players managing to defeat the boss monster and the large ‘Congratulations’ sign appear and she says, excitedly, “They did it!” Usagi breathes a sigh of relief and she then realizes that a good number of players died on this day in which she becomes solemn.

Usagi then types of the computer and she then hears Klein’s voice ask, “How many did we lose?”

Usagi asks, surprised, “Klein?” She then looks to see Klein on the screen and Kirito looking over a menu.

Kirito then says, solemnly, “Fourteen of us died.”

She then sees Agil say, “Fourteen? Oh my god.”

The other players become solemn at this and Klein says, “We have got twenty-five more floors to go.”

Agil asks, “Twenty-five more floors? How in the heck are we going to get that far?” Usagi can see the other players looking and mumbling in despair in which she then sees Kirito looking Heathcliff in which she notices his health bar not even done to the yellow.

When she looks to see Kirito pick up his Elucidator on the screen, Usagi asks, “What are you doing, Kirito?” She then sees Kirito strike at Heathcliff, but a violet energy field blocks him and a window ‘Immortal Object’ appear above his head causing Usagi to gasp in shock. Looking at the screen, Usagi notices that the other players are also in shock.

Over the screen, Usagi hears Asuna asks, “An immortal object? Commander Heathcliff, what’s going on here?”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Could it be…?”

Over the screen, Kirito says, “I think that I’ve got the answer to that. The reason that his HP never hits yellow is because that he is protected by the system.” The other players are shocked and Kirito says, “You know, ever since day one, I’ve been wondering: Where is he hiding as he watches everything and control this world? Well, the answer is pretty simple: It’s basically psychology and even a kid knows it.” Kirito then tells Heathcliff, “It’s boring watch someone else play an RPG. By the way, you’ve seen her for all this time and yet, you never even said hello to your niece… Akihiko Kayaba!” There are gasps from the other players with Kirito and Usagi, watching from the safe zone in the hidden dungeon.

There is a moment of silence and Heathcliff responds, “Just for curiosity sake: How did you figure it out?”

Kirito responds, “You can thank Usagi for that one. She helped me figure out at the start of our duel. The move was too fast and Usagi then mention that you couldn’t have done without the system to help you.”

Heathcliff responds, with a smile, “Ah, yes. I should have known that wouldn’t escape her eyes since I used it before when she was beta testing prototype games when she was younger though I have made improvement since my niece last used it.” This was the final nail in the ‘coffin’ and Heathcliff says, “Yes, I am Akihiko Kayaba, the beloved… Actually, more like formerly beloved uncle to Usagi. And it should come as no surprise to you that I am the final boss of the game.”

There are gasps of shock and horror and Usagi thinks in her mind, “I knew it! That’s why! That’s why he made me feel so uncomfortable! He was my uncle all along! Heathcliff is my uncle Kayaba!”

Over the screen, Usagi hears Kirito say, “So the strongest player in the whole game turns out to be the final boss? Kind of cliché?”

Heathcliff responds, with a smile, “Actually, I kind of like that angle.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “It is him! My uncle has always been interested in theatrics!” Usagi’s arms, which were shivering due to shock and surprise, then stop and her hands turn into fists.

Over the screen, Heathcliff, now revealed to be the SAO avatar form of Akihiko Kayaba, tells Kirito, “You know, I expect you to be one to face me at the end. Duel Welding is a rare skill. It was made for the player with the fastest reaction time. He is the hero of this story, the one that faces the ‘demon king’, but you exceed my expectation, I guess that these unexpected twists and turns made RPG MMO fun to play.” In a rage one of the Knights of the Blood members attacks Heathcliff in a rage, but he uses his GM screen to paralyze him and then paralyze everyone else in the room, but him and Kirito.

Over the screen, Usagi sees Kirito holding the paralyzed Asuna and he asks, “What’s the plan? Kill everyone to cover it up?”

Heathcliff responds, “Oh no. That wouldn’t be sporting of me, wouldn’t it? No, I plan to head to the top of the tower and wait for all of you there. I’ll be in the Ruby Palace. I really didn’t think that I would be leaving you so soon. I had developed the Knights of the Blood Oath and other elite players. But… you are strong. However, Kirito, since you are the one that exposed me, you deserve a reward. I’ll give you a chance to fight me one-on-one right here and now. Oh, my immortality will be deactivated. Defeat me and you clear the game in which everyone will be able to log out. No strings attached.”

Usagi thinks in her mind, “Kirito, you can’t! My uncle designed the Duel Welding skill! He knows how it works and without backup, you could lose!” Despite Asuna asking him not to do it, Kirito accepted the challenge since he remembered all of the players that suffered and/or died in this ‘death game’ especially Asuna and Usagi.

Kirito tells Heathcliff, “I have a final request.”

Heathcliff asks, “What is it?”

Kirito says, “I don’t plan on losing, but if I do, I want your word so you fix it that Asuna doesn’t die today and also, you will confront Usagi about what you did and if she wants to fight you, then you let her do it the same way that you did me because I know that when you do, you will fall by her blade.”

Usagi think in her mind, stunned, “What?”

Heathcliff says, “You seem so sure.”

Kirito responds, “It is because I believe in her. I know that if I can’t save Asuna, she can.”

Heathcliff says, with a smile, “Actually, you have a right to believe in her. Let’s just say that my niece is a very special girl.”

Kirito then asks, with a serious tone, “Then why? Why did you do this to her? You could have prevented her from getting the game in the first place or at least let her go! For two long years, she has been suffering more than the rest of us! Every single death tears into her heart and she blames herself since she feels responsible for helping you create this nightmare with her ideas when she was a child! Don’t you fucking care about that?! Answer me, Kayaba!”

Heathcliff stays as silent as he pushes on his menu with a sign popping up saying ‘Changed into a mortal object’ and Heathcliff then says, “Personally, I had wished that my Moonbunny never entered the game in the first place, but I couldn’t be selective on who gets the game and who didn’t as well as if I let her go, how would it be fair to the rest of you?”

Kirito shouts out, angrily, “Fair?! Fair?! She is your niece! Your family! How can you be so cold and callous with the life of a member of your family that once loved you so much you monster?!” At this moment, the rest of the players over there become filled with sympathy for Usagi and rage towards Kayaba, for being so callous to the life of a family member, in which they wished that could help Kirito kill Kayaba and hope that the ‘Black Swordsman rip Kayaba apart’, which was the feeling of many players in that room right now. Kirito tells Kayaba, “If you have any sense of honor, then honor my requests.”

Heathcliff responds, with a nod, “It will be done. I will keep her in Knights of the Blood Oath’s headquarters and make her an immortal object if need be and I will face my niece.”

As Heathcliff and Kirito prepare to face off, Asuna and Usagi, from their separate locations, shout out in unison, “Kirito!” They stare each other down and prepare for their battle and then they leap into action.

Watching on the screen, Usagi says, typing on the screen, “No, Kirito! I… I’ve got to stop them!” As she continues to watch Kirito and Heathcliff battle with Heathcliff clearly having the advantage since he knows the Duel Welding skill and its combos, Usagi frantically tries to figure out a way to reach them when she finally a way to create a corridor there since The Skull Reaper was defeated. She finally activates it when she witness Kirito get nicked by Heathcliff and he unconsciously activates Eclipse, a 27 hit combo and the strongest combo of the Duel Welding Skill, but due to his knowledge, Heathcliff easily dodges and blocks the assault in which Kirito breaks the top of his Dark Repulser on Heathcliff’s shield. Usagi says, shocked, “No, Kirito!” Usagi then pushes the button on the keyboard and creates the corridor in which she leaps in without thinking.

November 7, 2024, Floor 75, Boss Room

Inside of the boss room, Kirito has just broken his Dark Repulser on Heathcliff’s shield and Heathcliff prepares to finish off Kirito as his sword glows.

Heathcliff says, “Game over, Kirito.” He swings, but Asuna, managing to break the paralyzing effect on herself, leaps into take the blow, but the corridor portal opens up in which Usagi leaps out, bashes Kirito and Asuna out of the way, and yells out as Heathcliff’s attack slashes her on the chest in which she is thrown to the ground, face-down, causing critically damage to her.

There are gasps of shock and horror from the other players and Kirito shouts out, horrified, “Usagi!”

Asuna says, looking at Usagi, “Usagi, no!”

As Kirito sees Usagi’s HP falling down towards zero, Kirito looks at Heathcliff and he yells out, “Save her! What are you doing?! She is your niece! Don’t you fucking care about her?!” However, Heathcliff just stands there and does nothing in which Kirito screams out, angrily and desperately, “KAYABA!!!”

November 7, 2024, Juuban Hospital Ward

At this moment, with Serena’s hospital room, Michelle sees the horrible scene on her mirror and she screams out, “Oh no!”

The others gasp and Ami’s computer beeps in which she looks at her in which she says, shocked, “No! No! Serena’s health is falling down to zero! She’ll die any second!”

There are more gasps and Raye says, “No!” Raye tells Serena’s unmoving form, “Don’t give up! Serena, don’t give up!”

Darien takes Serena’s unmoving hand and he says, pleadingly, “My love, don’t leave me. Please Serena… don’t give up!”

The others hold Serena’s other hand and they yell out in unison, “Serena!” Soon after, Darien and the Sailor Scouts glow in which the Sailor Scouts’ planetary sigils appear on their foreheads in which their energy is sent into Serena. And then her broach containing the Silver Crystal bursts to life by opening up and unleashing silver light.

Luna and Artemis are shocked and Artemis says, “The crystal!”

Luna says, “Yes, I know, but the guards…” Just then Luna and Artemis notice some kind of energy field surrounding the room and the two cats see the spirit of Queen Serenity in front of them in which Luna says, stunned, “Queen Serenity…” On the meanwhile, Serena’s forehead gains her golden crescent moon of Eternal Sailor Moon and Queen Serenity in which it glows with a powerful light.

November 7, 2024, Floor 75, Boss Room

Inside of the boss room, it looked Usagi’s death was imminent with Kirito looking at Heathcliff/Kayaba with rage, but the ceiling of the room starts to glow with a bright golden light.

Kirito asks, confused, “What?”

Asuna says, amazed, “Kirito!” Kirito looks to see Usagi’s body glowing as golden orbs of light coming from the glowing ceiling pour into her in which HP bar stops just a few tiny points away from zero before Usagi’s whole body is engulf in bright light.

Kirito asks, “What’s going on here?” Heathcliff doesn’t move, but his expression is one of amazement and awe. Within the golden light, Usagi lifts her head slowly and looks to only see golden light around her.

Usagi asks, weakly, “Am I… dead?”

Just then a familiar female voice shouts out, “No way, Meatball Head, but you are going to be once you get back!” A white gloves hand extends out and Usagi looks up to see the Sailor Scouts, in their Scout forms, and Tuxedo Mask in front of her eyes.

Usagi asks, amazed, “Girls? Darien-kun?”

Sailor Venus asks, “Who were you expecting? Queen Beryl?”

Sailor Mars says, “There is no way that we are going to let you die, here, Meatball Brain!”

Sailor Jupiter says, “No joke, Serena! Get up!”

Sailor Uranus says, “This is just a game! A ‘death game’, yes, but this is still just a game run by a system. It doesn’t have the right to tell you that you are dead or not! You can’t let it end here! Not after all that we’ve been brought! After all that you have been through… Beryl… Doom Phantom… Mistress Nine and Pharaoh Ninety… Neptune and I… Chaos… you can’t let it end here!”

Sailor Saturn says, “Please get up, Serena-hime. We need you.”

Tuxedo Mask says, “My love, you can’t let it end like this. We have been through so much already. Get up, Serena. Get up!” Tuxedo Mask extends his hand and Usagi remembers her days as Sailor Moon and all of her battles.

Usagi thinks in her mind, “They’re right! After all we’ve been through… the battles we have fought… the enemies that we have defeated… the trails that we have gone through… I can’t leave them! I can’t leave my friends and my loved ones! They are all waiting for me! And the people, here in SAO, are counting on me! I can’t let them down! Not here! Not now!” Usagi struggles up and she grabs Tuxedo Mask’s hand in which she yells out as she struggles back up with her golden crescent moon sigil appearing on her forehead. As the light in the boss room dies down, everyone else is able to open their eyes and look in which they gasp what they see.

Klein says, “No way. You have got to be kidding me.” In front of everyone else, Usagi is being support by ‘see-through images’ of the Sailor Scouts and Tuxedo Mask.

Asuna says, shocked, “Those are…”

Usagi, looking at Heathcliff and showing her golden crescent moon sigil on her forehead, says, “No… This isn’t over, uncle.”

Asuna asks, stunned, “Usagi?” Just then Usagi’s HP gauge quickly refills to full and Usagi looks at the others in which they smile as if to say ‘Now win!’

Heathcliff then says, “It has been a long time, my dear. However, I don’t think that you are in the mood of pleasantries. I’m not exactly surprised by that, but I was surprised that you gained the Mimic skill. It was in fact a prototype unique sword skill that I had sealed because the requirement was just too high. You see, only the player with the possibility of infinite potential could use this skill, but then again, I shouldn’t be surprised that you could weld the skill my dear. I mean… You are Sailor Moon after all.”

There are more gasps and Asuna asks, “Sailor Moon?” Usagi is inwardly surprised, but she says nothing while the ‘images’ of Tuxedo Mask and the Sailor Scouts go inside of her and she is bathed in light once more, however, instead of Usagi emerging from the light, Eternal Sailor Moon emerges from the light, but instead of two sets of three small white feathers on the forward portion of her scalp, there is a gorgeous silver crown with a large red heart jewel in the center of the crown in which the heart jewel that has a golden crescent moon in the center of heart jewel.

More gasps come from the other players and Kirito says, stunned, “You have got to be kidding me.”

Sailor Moon tells Heathcliff, “How long have you know?”

Heathcliff responds, “Ever since you became Sailor Moon about four years ago, my dear.” Sailor Moon’s eyes widen and Heathcliff tells Sailor Moon, “My dear, your illusionary powers may hide your faces, but your hairstyle is too unique. Sailor Moon and you sharing the same hairstyle is a bit too obvious my dear.”

Sailor Moon thinks in her mind, drolly, “I’ve should have known.” However, Sailor Moon then remembers all that happened in SAO and she asks, weakly, “Why… This insanity! This madness! How could you!? This was supposed to be a wonderful dream that we were to share with the world and instead, you turned it into a nightmare netherworld! You betrayed our family and the world! How could you do this? How could you commit to this monstrous act, Uncle Kayaba?” Tears were streaming from Sailor Moon’s eyes at her formerly beloved uncle.

Heathcliff replies, “I feel that you aren’t inclinded to listen to my explanation, my dear.”

Sailor Moon then gives a completely out of character deadly glare and she responds, “You’re right, u-Kayaba. I’m not listening to you. Not anymore.” Sailor Moon then glows and Heathcliff glows causing his GM menu to appear and the words ‘Access Denied’ appeared in front of them causing Heathcliff to give a look of surprise in which Sailor Moon says, “I’ve used my powers to temporary deny you your GM privileges. You are now an ‘ordinary player’… Heathcliff.” Sailor Moon then says, “Cardinal! System log in! ID Moonbunny! Password: Castle in the Sky!” Just then a bunch of windows and menus appear around Sailor Moon and Sailor Moon says, “System command: Release paralyzing effect from all players on this floor.” Just then the other players that were paralyzed start moving again.

Agil says, “I can move!”

Klein says, “Same here!”

Asuna asks, shocked, “But how?”

Kirito says, “I don’t know how, but Usagi… Sailor Moon… she has gained control of Sword Art Online!”

There are gasps and Heathcliff says, “Well, not complete control. This is my world after all.”

Sailor Moon says, in an out of character plain tone, “Not when I’m done. System command: Generate object! ID Dark Repulser!” Just then an exact duplicate of Kirito’s Dark Repulser appears in front of Sailor Moon and she takes it into her right hand in which she uses her player menu to bring out her Elucidator and put it into her left hand. Sailor Moon says, “System command: Set pain absorber to minimum levels.” A screen appears with the words ‘Pain Absorber’ and it goes down to minimum levels.

Kirito yells out, shocked, “Shit! I think that she just took a blow to the head!”

Asuna asks, “What’s wrong?”

Kirito says, “The pain absorber is what limits pain signals are sent to our brain when our avatars are damaged. If set to minimum levels, our real bodies could suffer real damage because the brain is being fooled that we are getting injured!”

Klein says, stunned, “You’re kidding!”

Heathcliff tells Sailor Moon, “Very bold and completely unlike you, my dear.”

Sailor Moon responds, her virtual face wet from her virtual tears, “You can thank yourself for that. For two long years, I’ve shed these tears for all of the innocent people that you murdered for the sake of your stupid game! All those good people… all those lost lives… their lost futures… I can… I can… I CAN NEVER FORGIVE YOU!!!”

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ starts)

Sailor Moon, completely out of character, charges at Heathcliff and strikes him with a heavy blow with her new Dark Repulser and Heathcliff blocks with his shield, but the force was so powerful, Heathcliff roars out as he is flung into the wall which greatly cracks from the impact and the words ‘Immortal Object’ appear in violet windows, but they then shatter as quickly as they come. Heathcliff regains his focus in time in order to avoid a side slash from Sailor Moon using her Elucidator which cut a huge trench into the virtual stone wall causing more violet windows with the words ‘Immortal Object’ to shatter.

Agil says, shocked, “No way! Objects like walls in SAO can’t be damaged at all!”

Kirito says, “Not anymore. She isn’t following SAO’s rules anymore.”

Heathcliff is also amazed and he asks, “So, is this power what I see before me the power that you possess? Is this the power of your Imperium Silver Crystal?”

Sailor Moon says, “You should worry about yourself, murderer!” Once again, going completely out of character, Sailor Moon unleashes a barrage with her two swords, using the same Duel Welding Skill that Kirito has due to her Mimic skill, but unlike with Kirito and Heathcliff just moments ago, Sailor Moon combines it with powerful kicks in which she lands a powerful kick to Heathcliff sending him into the ground. Heathcliff rolls and leaps to his feet only to get cut in the face four times by Sailor Moon’s Linear causing his health to drop a little as well as causing him to stumble. Sailor Moon follows that up with a knee thrust that slams into Heathcliff’s shield, but the force is so strong that it sends Heathcliff skidding back a bit.

Heathcliff says, “This strength… it isn’t just yours, is it?”

Sailor Moon says, “No! It’s the strength of the man that I love and my best friends who are waiting for me back home! You can’t win!”

Heathcliff says, “We are going to have to see about that, my dear.” Heathcliff attacks Sailor Moon in which she blocks Heathcliff’s sword with her sword, but she takes a powerful blow from Heathcliff’s shield and knocking her to the ground, however, Sailor Moon turns the tables with a spin kick that sweeps Heathcliff off and his feet and down to the ground in which Sailor Moon rolls backwards and away from her opponent before she leaps to her feet.

Sailor Moon says, “This is the mighty Heathcliff, huh? What a joke if you ask me. Stay down.”

Heathcliff gets to his feet and he says, “If you are trying to insult me, it isn’t working.”

Sailor Moon says, with tears of anger in her eyes, “Insult? I wouldn’t go low as you did, Kayaba. All this for a stupid game! A fucking game! I thought that I knew you, but it looks like I never knew you at all. And now, I see you for what you truly are. A rotten control freak! You had it all and you had to throw it all away from a stupid worthless game that you wanted to control! But seeing you as you are now, I can believe it. The only way that you can keep people in your world is for you to imprison them in it, but then again, this world is empty and worthless much like you are.” Heathcliff’s eyebrow twitches and he doesn’t respond at all instead he attacks Sailor Moon with more fierceness than before through he doesn’t show it in his expression.

Klein says, “Wow. I never that she was such a gifted speaker.”

Agil says, “Doesn’t seem to have affected a guy like him.”

Kirito says, “You’re wrong, Agil. She just struck him right at the core.” Everyone looks at Kirito and he says, “She just hit Kayaba right where it hurt and it hurt him even more because his own formerly beloved niece just said it to his face. Personally, he deserved every single word especially what he did to Usagi.”

Klein says, “You got that right. Anyway, let’s get in there!”

Kirito says, “No, Klein. This is her fight and her fight alone.”

Asuna says, stunned, “Kirito!”

Kirito says, “I don’t want her to die and I know that she won’t die. However, this battle is personal to her. I can tell. She has been suppressing the core of her pain, grief, sorrow, and her anger with her determination for two long years and now, she is letting Kayaba have right now.” As the other players look on as Kayaba and Sailor Moon continue to fight, the duel turns into more of an all-out brawl with Sailor Moon combining Duel Welding with martial arts kicks, punches, and throws in which she is somehow using the ‘strength’ and combat knowledge of her fellow Sailor Scouts to fight against her formerly beloved uncle while Heathcliff manages to use his Divine Blade Skill to barely hold on against Sailor Moon’s assault, nicking her at multiple points in the fight, causing her to winch in pain since the Pain Absorbers at a minimum levels, and showing that he can use unarmed combat with punches to the gut and a punch to Sailor Moon’s face at another point. But neither Sailor Moon or Kayaba back down at all as they continue to give it their all with Kayaba having an impassive and cool expression and Sailor Moon having a completely out of character deadly determined expression on her face.

Asuna thinks in her mind, “Usagi, please…”

Kirito whispers to Asuna, “Asuna, get ready to throw Usagi your rapier at my signal.”

Asuna asks Kirito, “Kirito?”

Kirito responds, “Trust me, Asuna.” Asuna gently nods her head and they continue to watch the intense battle in which Sailor Moon sends a powerful blow to Heathcliff’s shield in which Heathcliff strains against this assault, but he comes back with a powerful knee thrust to Sailor Moon’s gut causing her to gasp as she is sent flying back with her Dark Repulser flying out of her hands.

Heathcliff says, “You mistakenly believed that I just relied on my knowledge of my game, my dear. You made a big mistake.”

Sailor Moon says, “That’s what you think!” Sailor Moon then uses her free hand to perform the Martial Arts Skill Embracer and she hits Heathcliff’s shield which shatters into data polygons from the huge impact!

There are gasps and Agil says, stunned, “His shield!”

Klein says, shocked, “She broke it!” Sailor Moon falls to the ground in front of Heathcliff and like a signal, Kirito charges at top speed, grabbing the fallen Dark Repulser, and attacks Heathcliff with a powerful series of assaults with his two swords.

Kirito says, “This game is over, Kayaba! Starburst Stream!” Kirito then unleashes his signature combo of his Duel Welding Skill, but even without his shield, Heathcliff manages to block the attacks with his sword or dodge them thanks to his knowledge.

Klein asks, shocked, “Kirito, what are you doing?”

Heathcliff says, with a smile, “Poor move Kirito.”

Kirito responds, with a sly smirk, “It would be…If I was trying to hit you and not distract you!” Heathcliff then gives a rare look of shock and he notices a glow in which he glance to see Sailor Moon with Asuna’s rapier, Lambent Light, and she throws it right at Heathcliff in which he has no time to dodge as the blade impales him in the chest causing him to gasp out in shock and pain.

Sailor Moon shouts out, “Kirito, now!” Kirito, not suffering from a post motion delay from using his skill for some unknown reason, drops Dark Repulser, grabs the hilt of Asuna’s sword, and with a mighty yell, he brings Asuna’s sword upwards and cleave Heathcliff in half in which Heathcliff just smiles as if to say ‘Well done’ before lights come out of his body and he shatters into multiple data polygons. However, the light doesn’t stop as it engulfs Kirito.

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ ends)

Asuna and Sailor Moon shout out in unison, “Kirito!” The two of them leap into the light before anyone could stop them and the other players can only shield their eyes from the light. On the meanwhile, through the rest of Aincard, a loud ringing sound is heard forcing the other surviving players to look up into the sky as the words ‘Warning’ and ‘System Announcement’ appear in the skies. Soon after, an emotionless female voice says ‘On November 7, at 2:55 PM, the game has been cleared. Repeat, the game has been cleared.’ At first, the other players couldn’t understand, but they quickly realized that their ordeal is finally over and the players all over Aincard start to cheer and shout in excitement as the day that they had waited for two long years has come: Their freedom from SAO.

November 7, 2024, Unknown location inside the SAO world

Somewhere within the ‘game world’, Sailor Moon opens her eyes to see that she is on an invisible platform on the clouds.

Sailor Moon asks, “What’s going on here? Where am I?”

Just then Asuna’s voice booms, “Usagi!” Sailor Moon turns to see Asuna and Kirito coming towards her.

Sailor Moon asks, “Asuna? Kirito?”

Kirito tells Sailor Moon, “We’re still in SAO, but not on Aincard.” Kirito points in a direction and Asuna and Sailor Moon look to see the massive castle world of Aincard crumbling apart.

Sailor Moon asks, “What’s going on?”

Just then a male voice says, “The end of a story, my moon princess.” Sailor Moon, Kirito, and Asuna whip to the source to see a man in his late twenties with mess brown hair, dark eyes, wearing a long white lab coat over a white shirt with a brown tie, black pants with a matching grey belt, and black plain shoes.

Kirito says, “Kayaba.”

In his true look, Akihiko Kayaba says, “At Argus headquarters, five floors below street level, the SAO mainframe is deleting all the data in its drives. In about ten minutes, this entire world will vanish.”

Kirito asks, “What about the people?”

Asuna asks, “What about the players?”

Kayaba responds, “None of you have to worry, other than yourselves, the other surviving players have been logged out just moments ago after your victory against me.”

Kirito asks, “And what about the people that died? What about them?”

Kayaba replies, plainly, “They will never return. In any world, real or virtual, when you are dead, you are gone.”

Sailor Moon shouts out, with tears of anger and sorrow in her eyes, “And what right did you have to decide that for them?” When Kayaba looks at Sailor Moon, she says, with tears in her eyes, “Why? Why, Uncle Kayaba? How could you? How could you do this? You had no right to take their lives! You had no right to take their futures away! Do you know how much all of us have suffered all these years? Don’t you ever care?! This was supposed to be a new frontier for everyone to enjoy and you have betrayed that I dream that I held in my mind and in my heart when I thought about this game! I… I just don’t understand!”

Kayaba doesn’t say a thing for a moment and he then says, “My darling Moonbunny, I will try not to make any lies or excuses to you. Yes, I have betrayed you in the worst way possible. Your anger towards me is completely justified in that matter. You thought that Sword Art Online was one thing and I had made it into another. Personally, I had wished that you had never come here. However, it is what it is. To be honest, my princess, part of me doesn’t remember why I did all this. It was so long. Before you yell at me some more, despite it being completely justified, let me tell you that before I thought up the Full Dive system, I dreamed of this. A castle in a world not governed by Earthy laws or restrictions was my dream. I poured my heart and spirit into it to make it reality. I created this world and yet, I saw something that greatly surpassed it. My steel castle. I don’t remember how old I was when I dreamed of it. I dreamed of leaving the Earth and flying to that castle. I wanted that more than anything else. I want to believe that it is still out there. That somewhere out there, the castle is still floating out there.”

Sailor Moon says, solemnly, “Baka. Uncle, you are such a baka. For someone so smart, you are so… so stupid! You had a wonderful castle…” Sailor Moon points to herself and then her heart in which she says, “Right here. And you threw it all way for this and dragged ten thousand mainly good and innocent people into your twisted dream. Even if that castle is out there, you will never find it. It will be your punishment for committing this horror.”

Kayaba says, with a nod, “Yes, you are most likely right, my princess. I had thrown away a wonderful castle and its princess, who is right in front of me. And I am not patronizing you, but you, of all people, have a right to condemn me for what I did. I have caused unnecessary pain and given you scars that may never heal in your heart. However, you have to learn something: You are only mortal. Even Sailor Moon can’t save anymore. I had no right to force you to learn that lesson, my princess, but it is a fact of life no matter what reality you are in. When you ascend to your own castle, I hope that you will remember that lesson to heart and become a stronger and better person when you become a true queen.” Sailor Moon’s eyes widen as Asuna and Kirito give confused looks. Kayaba tells her, “By the way, congratulations to you, Kirito, and Asuna, Usagi. You have won the game. Now, I should go.” Kayaba then turns away and he vanishes in a puff of smoke when a virtual wind coms through.

After a few short moments of silence as the last part of Aincard disintegrates into nothingness, Sailor Moon faces Asuna and Kirito and she says, “I guess this is goodbye. Most likely, any second from now, we will be returning to the real world since he took us away to talk to us for a few minutes.”

Asuna tells Sailor Moon, with a warm smile, “No way, Usagi. We can find each other back in the real world.” Asuna says, looking at Kirito, “We can reunite in the real world and have ‘real adventures’ together.”

Kirito says, with a nod, “Yeah.”

Asuna tells Kirito, “Anyway, you never told me your real name, Kirito.”

Kirito’s eyes widen and he says, with a smile, “Kazuto. Kazuto Kirigaya. Last month, I turned sixteen.”

Asuna says, “Kazuto Kirigaya? So, you are younger than me. I’m Asuna Yuuki. I’m seventeen now.”

Kirito says, amazed, “Asuna Yuuki.”

Sailor Moon thinks in her mind, “She used her real name for her avatar name? Wow! Hold on! Where have I heard that name before?”

Kirito and Asuna look at Sailor Moon and Asuna tells Sailor Moon, “Usagi, we would ask your name, but we can understand why you won’t give it.”

Kirito says, “Yeah, you are a big time super heroine after all.”

Sailor Moon says, with a nervous giggle, “I wouldn’t say that. Famous, yes, but ‘big time’? I don’t think so.”

Kirito retorts, teasingly, “And so humble too.”

Sailor Moon says, with a smirk, “Very funny, Kirito.” Sailor Moon then says, with a calm tone, “No, I don’t think that I will hold back my real name from you.” Kirito and Asuna gasp in shock and she says, with a warm smile, “We have been through so much. I can’t keep my secrets from you. You are the best friends that I had in SAO and the only thing that kept me… sane in a way. I don’t know where I would be if it wasn’t for friends like you. I know that I’ll get it from my fellow Scouts especially Sailor Mars, but I don’t care. It is my choice. My real name is… Serena Tsukino.”

Asuna says, amazed, “Serena Tsukino.”

Kirito says, “Calm of the moon. Nice.”

Sailor Moon says, “Thank you, Kirito.”

As they start to glow, Kirito says, “This is it.”

Sailor Moon says, “See you soon.”

Asuna says, “We will…Usagi.” The three of them smile as they vanish in which afterwards, the world of SAO, of Aincard, vanishes forever.

November 7, 2024, Juuban Hospital Ward

Inside of Serena’s hospital room, Darien and the Sailor Scouts are looking at Serena’s form, the golden crescent moon sigil gone from her forehead, as Ami is looking over the computer while Michelle is looking at her mirror.

Amara asks Michelle, “Anything?”

Michelle says, “No, nothing.”

Lita asks, “What’s going on?”

Ami then gasps and Raye asks Ami, “What? What is it?”

Ami says, “The game… has been cleared.”

There are gasps and Mina asks, “What did you say?”

Ami yells out, “The game has just been cleared!” Just then Hotaru notices Serena’s eyebrow twitch.

Hotaru shouts out, surprised, “Her eyebrow just twitched everyone!” Everyone then looks at Serena causing them to gasp in shock and amazement, when they see Serena starts to slowly open her eyes.

Serena thinks in her mind, weakly, “Where… Where am I?” As the fog from her eyes lift, she sees the hospital lights and she thinks, “Lights? Am I in some kind of building now…?” Serena’s eyes then widen when she sees Darien to her right and she couldn’t believe what she is seeing. Serena thinks in her mind, stunned, “D-Darien-kun? Darien-kun? I can’t believe it! Can this be real?” Serena weakly turns her head and her eyes widen to see all of her friends and Sailor Scouts assembled all around her in which they are starting to smile.

Raye then realizes something and she shouts out, “Ami-chan, check the NervGear!”

Ami comes out of her stupor and she responds, “Right!” Serena couldn’t hear them since she hasn’t been using her ears for two long years in which Ami says, “It’s disconnected!”

Lita says, “Get it off her now!” Quickly, Lita, carefully and quickly, removes the NervGear from Serena’s head and she looks at it with her widening eyes.

By this time, the guards have heard the ‘sounds’ coming from the room and they have open the door to gasp to see Serena’s awakened form and Amara shouts at them, “What are you waiting for?! Get the nurses and doctors quick!”

The guards come out of their stupor and one of them replies, nervously, “Right!” The guards then rush to get the doctor and nurses in which the survivors of SAO in this hospital are also waking up since they have been logged out too.

Serena looks at Darien and she tries to say, “D-D…” She winches and she thinks in her mind, “It’s so hard to speak.”

With tears of joy in his eyes, Darien says, with a smile, “Don’t try to talk yet, Meatball Head. I’m right here. I’m here.” Serena then struggles to raise her right hand, which feels like a block of lead to her since she hasn’t been using her body at all for two years, and she manages to touch his face in which he gently grabs her hand.

Serena thinks in her mind, “This is real! This isn’t a dream! It’s real! It’s real! I’m home! I’ve made it home!” Serena then starts to shed tears of joy and she manages to croak out, “G-Girls… Darien-kun…”

The other Scouts, with the two Lunarian felines in the room, who are also shedding tears, assemble around her and Ami says, happily, “We’re here, Serena. We’re right here!”

Lita says, happily, “We knew that you could do it, girl!”

Hotaru says, with a warm smile, “Welcome home, Serena-hime!” Serena can’t help to feel joy at safely arriving back in the real world, but she then thinks about Kirito, Asuna, and the other friends and comrades in SAO.

Serena thinks in her mind, “Kirito! Asuna! The others!”

Serena struggles to a sitting position and Darien says, gently holding her, “No, Sere! Don’t get up!”

Raye says, “Don’t injure yourself, Meatball Head! You just ‘woke up’! Don’t kill yourself just when we got you back!”

Serena says, weakly, “S-Sorry, Pyro…”

Mina says, with tears in her eyes, “We’re just glad that you are okay. You’re finally home, Serena.”

Serena says, with a warm smile and tears of happiness in her eyes, “Home…” Serena then starts to cry and she hugs Darien in which he hugs her gently back to make sure that he doesn’t hurt her weakened body.

Darien says, with a warm loving tone and smile, “Yes, you’re home, Serena. I’m so glad that you are back, my Meatball Head. And I will never let you go again.” The other Scouts smile warmly at this with tears of happiness in their eyes as the doctors and nurses available enter the room to find this scene. Some distance away, looking through a pair of binoculars, with her features mainly covered by shadows, Sailor Nebula looks over the scene.

She lowers the binoculars and she says, a smile seen on her lips, “Welcome home, Serena.” Sailor Nebula then says, with a sigh, “However, you’re battle hasn’t ended. It has only begun.” Sailor Nebula then flies off into the distance to leave our moon princess along with her beloved prince and friends as Serena cries as she is finally reunited with the people that she loves after two long years in the nightmare of Sword Art Online.

And that’s the end… of the Aincard arc, everyone! This story isn’t over yet! We have yet to go into the Fairy Dance Arc of the Sword Art Online and that’s what’s starting in the next chapter, everyone! There are plenty more surprises and twists to come everyone! Now, our moon princess has to recover from her ordeal and prepare for what’s to come since there is another ‘evil organization’ on the loose and there is more! You are going to have read and see to find out, folks! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!