Sailor Moon Fan Fiction / Digimon Fan Fiction / Crossover Fan Fiction ❯ Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden ❯ A New Factor ( Chapter 17 )

I know that it has been months since I have update this series and it is a long story. To shorten in up, I had a different idea than what I’m posting now. However, as I went into ‘deeper thought’ on the idea, there were plenty of ‘plot holes’ in it, so, I had to scrap the idea and I became focused on other stories like Alternating Scale among other things as well as the fact, I wasn’t able to come up with a replacement idea. Until I saw playthroughs of a new mobile game known as Sword Art Online: Integral Factor which inspired this idea. Hopefully, it was worth the wait. Now, before I start, I must give thanks and credit to Belletiger and Kanius as well as Kanius’ YuYuGiDigiMoon fanfiction series, especially his The Invasion of the Rajita story, for giving me permission to use the idea of Valkyrie Sailor Soldiers and everything that’s a part of them in my fanfiction. I would like to give thanks and credit to Kanius and his YuYuGiDigiMoon series, including this author’s Dawn of Chaos story, and LazerWulf for giving me permission to use the idea for their version of Sailor Charon, namely the fact that she is Sailor Pluto’s sister among other things. I would also like to give thanks and credit to Matty G91 and this author’s story of Kamen Rider Lunar for giving me permission to use Kamen Rider Lunar, his looks, and everything about him as well as the UNI-SHOCKER organization.

 

Now, with that out of the way, as they say on SAO: Link Start!

 

I DO NOT OWN Sailor Moon, Sword Art Online, Naruto, Accel World, Digimon series, Yu-Gi-Oh R/GX/5Ds/Zexal/Arc-V, Kingdom Hearts, Hyperdimensional Neptunia series, Gundam series, especially Gundam Build Fighters, Dead or Alive, Ninja Gaiden, Mortal Kombat, Akiba's Trip: Undead & Undressed, Maken-Ki, Tenchi Muyo series, Ronin Warriors, Pretty Cure, Queen’s Blade/Gate, Dragonball Z/GT, Star Trek series, Star Wars, Log Horizon, Sonic the Hedgehog, DC universe, Marvel universe, Assassin’s Creed, Senran Kagura, Sekirei, Monster Musume, Karin/Chibi Vampire, 12 Beast, Stargate series, One Piece, Final Fantasy, Rave Master, Ninjago: Masters of Spinjitzu, Avatar: The Last Airbender/Legend of Korra, Code Lyoko, Transformers, 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, Sword Art Online is owned/licensed by ASCII Media Works, A-1 Pictures Inc., and its various directors/publishers including Reki Kawahara and Tomohiko Itō, Naruto is owned/licensed by Masashi Kishimoto, Yuuto Date, Jump Comics, and Studio Pierrot, Digimon is owned/licensed by Toei Animation and its various directors, including Hiroyuki Kakudo, Yu-Gi-Oh is owned/licensed by Kazuki Takahashi, Toei Animation, and Studio Gallop, Yu-Gi-Oh GX is owned/licensed by Naoyuki Kageyama, Studio Gallop and its various directors, Yu-Gi-Oh 5Ds is owned/licensed by Katsumi Ono and Studio Gallop, 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 Itō!

 

Warning: These stories may and will contain mature level intense violence, blood, 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 these series of stories!

 

Prelude: A castle of stone and metal floating in the sky that consist of one hundred floors. Within this massive structure, there are countless cities, villages, towns, forests, plains, lakes, and whatever you can imagine. There is only one staircase that connects one floor with another and these staircases are located within dangerous mazes filled with monsters. The players with navigate through these floors to the top with nothing than the weapons in their hands. And yes, I said players.

 

This is the world of Aincrad, a floating castle in a virtual sky, and yes, I said VIRTUAL sky. This world and this floating castle world are in a realm made of digital information…the world of Sword Art Online. A world that was supposed to be game, but because a nightmare prison when its creator, Akihiko Kayaba, trapped the ten thousand players within this virtual world and if they die here, they will die in real life. The ten thousand players struggle in this ‘game death’ to reach the top of the floating castle where the final boss and the key to their freedom waits.

 

You may know this story and the stories that come after it, but do you know all of the stories? All of the tales that happened within the floating castle? What about the tales that happened after the floating castle was conquered? There are stories connected to the ‘tale’ of this floating castle, its ‘history’, and its ‘aftermath’, but they weren’t told…until now. These are those stories…

 

Sailor Moon Online: Gaiden

 

Story 17: A New Factor

 

Note: This story takes place after the second arc of SAO Shippuden, but before Alternating Scales and Arc III of SAO Shippuden.

 

March 2026, ALO, Somewhere in-between the Sylph and Salamander territories

 

In the virtual skies of Alfheim Online, ALO for short, we find a familiar blond-haired, green eyed female Sylph player known as Leafa, who IRL is known as Suguha Kirigaya or Sailor Celestial is flying through the virtual skies in her usual manner, but she then hears fighting going on in which she looks down to see two Salamander players ganging up on someone that looks like a rookie player due to their gear looking like that used by a newbie or rookie player.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, annoyed, “Leave it to a pair of Salamanders to pick on a new player.” Leafa then draws her sword and dives down at top speed at the Salamander players who are attacking the newbie player in which he looks like he is on his ‘last legs’ in HP.

 

One of the Salamander players shout out, tauntingly, “You aren’t too bad! But you aren’t good enough!”

 

Leafa then booms out, “Then how about you take me on?!” The Salamander players give looks of surprise and turn around only for Leafa to come in hard with a powerful Horizontal, 1-hit One-Handed Sword Skill, in which due to her speed with her dive and hitting a ‘critical hit’, the Salamander player that Leafa strikes turns into a red Remain Light immediately.

 

The other Salamander player says, shocked, “Shit!”

 

Leafa says, “You, guys, have some nerve! Picking on a newbie player like that!”

 

The remaining Salamander player says, “Isn’t our fault that this guy wandered far away from his home turf? We’re just helping him get back to where he belongs!” The Salamander player attacks Leafa and she fights back against him in which it isn’t an easy fight, but Leafa held the advantage in which she finally strikes home with a combination of a spell to distract him with finishing him off with One-Handed Sword Skill causing him to yelp as he is turned into a Remain Light.

Leafa says, with a glare, “Maybe that you will teach you a lesson on picking on new players, jerk!”

 

Just then a male voice asks, in an amazed and excited tone, “Leafa?!” Leafa turns to the source of the voice to see the male player that they were attacking going over to her and Leafa gets a good look at him.

 

The male player looks to be Gnome with short spiky brown hair, brown-orange eyes, and wearing clothing and gear that’s not entry-level, but it isn’t for ‘mid-to-elite level’ players.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “What the?! A Gnome? What’s he is doing here and with that kind of equipment? And…why am I getting a feeling of déjà vu?” Leafa then says, in a scolding tone, “Hey, pal, what’s a guy like you doing around here…?!”

 

However, the Gnome player says, interrupting, “Leafa, it’s me!”

 

Leafa realizes that this new player was the one that called out to her earlier and Leafa asks, curiously, “Do I know you?”

 

The Gnome player tells Leafa, “Leafa, it’s me. Terra!”

 

Leafa asks, curiously, “Terra?”

 

The Gnome player tells Leafa, “Come on, Leafa, we met on the third floor.”

 

Leafa asks, confused, “Third floor?” Leafa says, with a plain tone, “Look, pal, you must be confusing me with someone else. I never met a Gnome player like you before.”

 

The Gnome player, Terra, responds, “Gnome?”

 

Leafa rolls her eyes and she says, “Yes, Gnome. It is what you are here. Didn’t you read the instructions when you got the game? Geez, I know people that start up the game before getting the instructions…But really, come on!” Leafa then brings up her menu with her left hand causing Terra’s eyes to widen and Leafa then sees him do it with his left hand.

 

Terra whispers to himself, “That’s why it didn’t work before…”

 

Leafa says, with an exasperated sigh, “At least, you seem to know how that works. I guess that you had your Amusphere for a while and have played another VRMMO at least before coming here.”

 

Terra asks, surprised, “Amusphere?”

 

Leafa responds, curiously, “Yeah, Amusphere. The thing that you are using to dive into this virtual world. Geez, have you been living under a virtual rock or something?” Leafa says, shaking her head, “Look, did something happen to you when you dived into ALO? You…”

 

Terra asks, surprised, “Wait! ALO?”

 

Leafa replies, exasperated, “Yeah, ALO! Alfheim Online? The name of this VRMMO…this world that you are in!”

 

Terra says, looking up with confusion in his voice, “But…!!” Leafa then looks up at what Terra is staring at and she notices that Terra is looking at New Aincrad that’s floating in the skies.

 

Leafa says, “Oh, that’s Aincrad. It was created based on the original caste from SAO…” Just then Leafa gains a bit of realization when he looks into the eyes of Terra, with his widening eyes, and quickly realizes that Terra KNOWS Aincrad. Not the one, here, in ALO that’s a re-made ‘duplicate’ of the scene of the ‘death game’, but the one that was at the core of the infamous death game that her brother and a good chunk of her current friends were trapped in for two years. Leafa asks, surprised, “Wait! Are you an SAO survivor?”

 

Terra asks, surprised, “SAO…survivor?”

 

Terra gives a confused look and Leafa looks at him in which she thinks, “Oh, boy. This Terra guy must be a survivor of SAO. I can tell. He KNOWS about Aincrad. I’ve seen that same look in other survivor’s eyes even in a bit of big brother’s, sis’, and the other’s eyes at time when New Aincrad became part of ALO. But by the looks of him, he just started playing ALO. His equipment isn’t newbie, but it isn’t top player…not even ‘mid-rank’ player standards. He is most likely not a member of the SAO ‘Assault Team’ that big brother, sis, Asuna, Klein, and Agil were a part of, but then again, he could have started a new avatar and not transfer his SAO data. Maybe he had a ‘problem’ logging in like when Kazuto first came to ALO in search for Asuna caused when he was logging in while I was logging into ALO which causes him to get trapped in the territory between Sylph and Salamander territory instead of the Spriggan home territory. I would have to talk with big brother and Yui-chan about this.” Leafa looks at Terra, who has quite the confused look on his face, and she thinks, “Maybe he did have a ‘problem’ when he logged in, got flung into this location instead most likely Gnome home territory, and seeing Aincard caused ‘bad SAO memories’ to emerge. I’m going to have to get him somewhere safe.”

 

Terra asks, curiously, “Leafa?”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “But how does he know me? I haven’t seen any avatars that look a lot like mine and he called me by my avatar name. Ugh! I have no idea! Anyway, I’m going to have to treat this ‘sensitively’ since he might be disoriented, and he may be suffering from whatever ‘trauma’ SAO caused him when he got a look at Aincrad.” Leafa tells Terra, “Anyway…Terra, was it? Where do you think that you met me?”

 

Terra tells Leafa, “You really don’t remember? You don’t remember that you met me and Koharu on the third floor when we had mistaken you for a Forest Elf?” Terra then mutters, “You were also saying about being a Sylph and ALO, too…”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, concerned, “Okay, now, I know that this guy has really gotten his marbles crossed! From what he just said, he said that he met me in SAO in this exact avatar! That’s impossible! ALO didn’t start until around a year after SAO started and I joined ALO sometime after it began! I wasn’t in SAO at all! I was planning to use the NervGear that I ‘borrowed’ from Yuto that he was using to try to figure a way to free other friends trapped in SAO, but I never got the chance when big brother and sis defeated Kayaba on Floor Seventy-Five of Aincrad and ended the game before it reached the top floor!” Leafa thinks in her mind, “But he knew I looked like in this avatar and he knew my avatar name exactly! And I know that I didn’t meet a Gnome player or any player for that matter by the name of Terra or any player named Koharu for that matter! Who is this guy?” Leafa tells Terra, a bit nervously, “Okay, Terra, I’m going to need for you to come with me.”

 

Terra says, a bit nervously, “Okay, but you need to tell me what’s going on here.”

 

Leafa says, a bit nervously, “I’ll try my best.” Leafa then spreads her wings and flies up causing Terra’s eyes to widen.

 

Terra asks, “Can all players fly in here?”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “Oh, boy! If he is an SAO survivor, something about our Aincrad must have triggered something bad for him or something. Maybe he didn’t play any VRMMO games until recently or something.” Leafa sighs and she thinks, “Something tells me that this is going to be a long day.”

 

March 2026, ALO, Swilvane

 

Within Swilvane, the capital player city of the Sylphs, we find Leafa inside of her player home with Terra and he is sitting down as well as looking around as Leafa serves him a cup of tea.

 

Terra tells Leafa, a bit nervously, “Thank you.”

 

Leafa says, “No problem.” Leafa thinks in her mind, “I wish that I could get into contact with big brother and Asuna and get Yui-chan down here to figure out what’s going on with Terra-san. They are most likely with Yuuki in a dungeon and that’s why I can’t reach them.”

 

As Terra looks around, he asks, “Is this your place?”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Yes, this is my in-game home, here, in Swilvane.”

 

Terra says, “Swilvane…”

 

Terra takes a sip of the cup of tea and Leafa says, “Terra-san…”

 

Terra asks Leafa, “Yes, Leafa?”

 

Leafa tells Terra, “Terra-san, I think that…that something went wrong when you logged in here. Your memories are jumbled up or something and you are confused.”

 

Terra asks, surprised, “Wait! What?”

 

Leafa says, with a motion to ‘calm down’, “You need to remain calm, but I never went to SAO. My big brother was trapped in SAO, but I was never part of it. You might be confusing me with someone else that you met.”

 

Terra tells Leafa, “No, it was you that I met. I remember what happened. Koharu and I were on the third floor of Aincrad and we were taking part of the Elf Quest. We were chasing after a spy when you dropped in on us literally. We mistook you for a forest elf and you said that you weren’t an elf, but a Sylph mumbling that ‘in ALO’ at least…”

 

As Leafa listened in, she thinks, “Okay, Terra-san really must have his brain scrambled when he logged in or seeing Aincrad in the skies of this world must have brought up trauma that got his memories all messed up! I wish that I had Yui-chan to help, but she is most likely with big brother and the others with Yuuki. I’ll see what I can do to help Terra-san, but I’m not sure.” As Leafa listens to Terra tell a story about how he, another player named Koharu, and Kizmel, a dark elf NPC, journeyed together on the third floor of Aincrad assisting them in their version of War Elf quest in which Leafa and Kizmel made a distraction since Leafa looked like a forest elf due to her blond hair, skin tone, and pointed ears, Kibaou asking them to find out if any items from the part of the War Elf quest are important to beating the boss of the third floor, getting the reward and finding out that the reward for the War Elf quests of this floor doesn’t relate to the floor boss through finding out a fact that he uses poison attacks, a lot, and Terra then says about Leafa staying on the third floor for a while.

 

Terra says, “We asked you why you were here, and you told us that you were looking for your brother?” Leafa’s right eyebrow gives a quirk upwards and Terra says, “You told us that he didn’t know that you were even here, and I think that you meant that he didn’t know that you were in SAO. You said that you were looking everywhere for him on the third floor, but you never found him. When we asked about him, you said that he was a bit older than you and his name is Kazuto…”

 

Leafa then slams her hands onto the table, surprising Terra, and she yells out, sternly, “What kind of game are you playing Terra-san?”

 

Terra asks, surprised, “Game?”

 

Leafa tells Terra, sternly, “Who told you that name?”

 

Terra says, nervously, “You did…”

 

Leafa tells Terra, sternly, “No way! I already told you that I wasn’t part of SAO and I know that I never told you my brother’s real-life name!”

 

Terra asks, surprised, “Real life name?”

 

Leafa says, “That’s right. His name in SAO is one that you know well: Kirito.”

 

Terra asks, stunned, “Kirito?!”

 

Leafa bangs her hands on the table, again, and she yells out, sternly, “Enough of this, Terra-san! What is your game?”

 

Terra tells Leafa, nervously, “You are asking that while we are in a game?”

 

Leafa says, sternly, “I’m not fooling around Terra-san! Tell me the truth!”

 

Terra says, nervously, “I am telling the truth!” Leafa looks into Terra’s eyes and she sighs in which she can see that Terra isn’t lying at all.

 

Leafa tells Terra, “Okay, Terra-san, I believe you…” Terra sighs in relief, but Leafa then says, “But I think that you are very…confused.”

 

Terra asks, surprised, “Confused?”

 

Leafa tells Terra, “I think that something went wrong when you logged into ALO and you got confused. Plus, seeing ALO’s version of Aincrad got you confused…”

 

Terra tells Leafa, “Hold on! You aren’t making any sense Leafa! In fact, this doesn’t make any sense! I was just in Aincrad…trapped in SAO…”

 

Leafa tells Terra, “Terra-san, SAO finished back in November of Twenty-Twenty-Four, two years after it started! It is now March of Twenty-Twenty-Six.”

 

Terra asks, shocked, “What?”

 

Leafa tells Terra, in a pleading tone, “Check your clock.” Terra then checks his in-game clock and he is shocked to see that it is indeed March of 2026 causing him to stand on his feet.

 

Terra says, “No…No, that’s not possible…how can I…how can I be in another virtual world…in the…in the FUTURE?! It…It isn’t possible!” Terra stumbles and he then runs out of Leafa’s house.

 

Leafa yells out, “Wait! Terra-san!” However, Terra is already gone and Leafa runs right after him in which Terra runs through the streets of Swilvane with Leafa running after him in which plenty of the players are surprised to see an Imp player in their territory, but they figure that he is a guest. However, as Leafa runs after Terra, two familiar ALO players take notice of Leafa and Haruka and Makoto, the ALO avatars of our Sailor Scouts of Wind and Lightning, look at each other with curious looks.

 

March 2026, ALO, Fields just outside of Swilvane

 

In the fields that are just outside of Swilvane, Terra is running as hard and as fast as his legs can and shaking his head in disbelief in the whole situation.

 

Terra thinks in his mind, “This can’t be possible. I’ve been transported into another VRMMO in the future? It isn’t possible! But…what this place…these players…the clock…Leafa…. Leafa isn’t lying! But wait! If this is the future, then why doesn’t she remember me? Why does she think that I’m confused? I don’t understand…!!”

 

Just then Leafa’s voice ring out, “Terra-san, wait!” Terra stops in his tracks and looks around to find the source of Leafa’s voice in which he is surprised to see her fly down in front of his eyes. Leafa lands in front of Terra causing him to step back a bit and Leafa says, “You need to calm down, Terra-san. Things are what you believe them to be…!!” But then the whole area starts to shake and Leafa asks, confused, “What the? An earthquake? In VR?” Just then the whole area seems to ‘fizzle’ and ‘shift’ in which another virtual forest seems to ‘mix’ with the virtual forest near Swilvane and Leafa asks, confused, “What’s going on?” Just then a white light erupts and Leafa screams out as she and Terra are engulfed by the light.

 

Unknown time, Unknown location

 

We see Leafa’s face and she moans out as she slowly wakes up in which she looks to see that she is in a town that’s made of ruins.

 

Leafa asks, confused, “W-What?”

 

Just then a female voice shouts out, “She’s awake!” Leafa then looks to see someone that looks like Terra, but he is a human player since he isn’t sporting his elf-like ears anymore, with another female player, a young and pretty teenage girl of mid to late teenage years, with shoulder length black hair with matching bangs, light green eyes, and not entry-level, but beginner level gear and clothing.

 

Leafa asks, “Who are you?”

 

The young teenage girl asks Leafa, confused, “Leafa, don’t you recognize me?”

 

Leafa asks, confused, “Should I?” Leafa stands up in which she looks over herself causing her to gasp in which she asks, “What the?!” Leafa is surprised to find herself dressed in a simple dress and white dress, brown belt across her waist, a sheath for a sword across her waist, white stockings that covers most of her legs, and brown boots on her feet.

 

The young teenage girl looks at the male player and she asks, “Terra, what’s wrong with Leafa?”

 

Leafa asks, confused, “Wait, Terra?” Leafa looks at the male player and an image of the male Imp player, Terra, she met a while before imposes himself over this male player. Leafa then looks around, realizing that her surroundings have changed, and she asks, “Where am I?” Leafa thinks in her mind, curiously, “Wait! This place looks familiar…”

 

The young man, revealed to be Terra, says, “This is Karluin, the main town of the fifth floor of Aincrad.”

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “Karluin?” Leafa looks around and she thinks, “Yes, it looks like the fifth floor. The fifth floor is full of ruins, but…this Karluin…feels different. There is just a ‘darker feel’ to this Karluin. This can’t be the same Karluin that I know. It sounds crazy, but this isn’t the Karluin…No, this isn’t the same Aincrad in ALO.” Leafa then uses her left hand to bring up the menu, but it doesn’t work causing Leafa to be surprised. She tries again, but it doesn’t work.

 

The young girl tells Leafa, “You are using the wrong hand. You need to use your right hand.” Leafa gets a feeling of dread as she repeats the action with her right hand and the menu appears in which she then notices at the corner of her eye, her HP bar doesn’t have a MP bar below it and she also finds that by her hands, there is a level number in the nineties by her name.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, shocked, “There is no MP bar and there is a level number by name! ALO doesn’t have level! It is a skill-based game, not a level game!” She mentally gasps as she goes over the menu and she is shocked to find that there is NO logout button! The feeling of dread grows even stronger in Leafa and she asks, shocked, “Where…Where am I?”

 

The young girl asks, confused, “Huh?”

 

Terra then says, a bit nervously, “This is Karluin, the main town in the fifth floor of Aincrad…in SAO.”

 

Leafa gives a flabbergasted expression and she thinks in her mind, shocked beyond belief, “SAY WHAT?!!!”

 

(A bit later)

 

Right now, within what seems like to Karluin, the main town of the fifth floor of the Aincrad of SWORD ART ONLINE, we find Leafa, Terra, and young girl, known as Koharu, inside of a restaurant/inn known as Tavern Inn Blink & Brink where Terra and Koharu explain their story in SAO to Leafa which causes Leafa to come to an incredible conclusion about her current situation in which she felt that she had somehow traveled into the past.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, stunned, “I can’t believe it! I don’t know how it is possible, but then again, I know that both Terra-san and Koharu-san aren’t playing an elaborate trick on me. Not to insult them, but they don’t to seem to be the ‘type’ for that. As incredible as it seems, it is the only theory that makes any sense…if this whole thing makes any sense at all!”

 

Terra and Koharu see Leafa’s stunned reaction and Koharu asks, curiously, “Leafa?”

 

Leafa focuses on Terra and Koharu and she tells them, nervously, “Terra-san, I need for you and Koharu-san to listen because what I’m going to tell you is unbelievable, but it is the truth.”

 

Koharu asks, confused, “What do you mean?”

 

Leafa replies, “When you said that you met me, you didn’t meet ‘me’ just your world’s version of me.”

 

Terra asks, confused, “Huh?”

 

Leafa says, with a groan, “What I mean is that…How can I say this? I’m not the Leafa that you met on the third floor of THIS Aincrad. She is this world’s…this universe’s version of me. I’m an alternate version of the Leafa that you met from a totally different future…a different version of this universe.”

 

Terra and Koharu give looks of shock and Terra asks, surprised, “Say what?”

 

Leafa says, “Terra-san, I already told you that I never met you in SAO. In fact, I never went to SAO at all. To be honest, I had formulated a plan to get into SAO to help my brother, but he and someone else managed to beat the game just before I could try it…at least in my world. And there is also something else: My brother, my Kirito, my Usagi, and my Asuna never said that they had adventured with a pair of former beta testers who had the avatar names of Koharu and Terra.”

 

Koharu says, confused and shocked, “Wait! That can’t be! We’ve met them! We fought through all of the boss fights thus far with them…!!”

 

Leafa says, holding out her hand and interrupting, “Hold on, Koharu-san! I don’t think that you are wrong! However, as I already said, I don’t think that MY Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna forgotten about you because they would have mentioned you when they told me about their early days in SAO. However, based on what they told me, no one else knew Usagi’s avatar name beyond Kirito and Asuna and several others later on through that horrible ‘death game’. The other players in THAT SAO knew Usagi as the ‘White Swordswoman’ or the ‘White Valkyrie’ later on.”

 

Terra says, “That’s what they are calling Usagi these days.”

 

Leafa says, “Your Usagi, Terra-san.”

 

Koharu asks, confused, “OUR Usagi?”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “That’s right. As amazing as it is and I’m still finding it hard to believe, but I’m another Leafa. One from a different future and a different timeline where you never venture with my brother, Usagi, and Asuna through SAO.” Terra and Koharu give looks of shock and Leafa tells them, “And I know because events are different from what I was told and know than what you have experienced. In my timeline, Diabel died in that first-floor boss battle when Illfang used Kitana sword skills that he didn’t have in the beta.”

 

Terra asks, shocked, “Hold up! Leafa, you know about Illfang?”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Because MY Asuna, Usagi, and big brother told me, as hard as it was…” Leafa thinks in her mind, “Add to the fact that I had gotten a good idea of what happened in SAO during what happened with Sword Art World.” Leafa then says, continuing, “…And in my timeline, you weren’t there to stop him. Diabel died from the surprise of the change of Illfang’s sword skill set. However, here, Terra-san, you saved Diabel.”

 

Terra says, “Yeah, no kidding. It was lucky that I had gotten a preview of Kitana Sword Skills beforehand in the beta and even then, it was too close that I managed to block the attack and save Diabel in time.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “But in the Sword Art Online that I know, that didn’t happen. In THAT SAO, Diabel died that day.” Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly, “And it has scarred big brother and sis to this very day.”

 

Koharu asks, curiously, “So…you are another version of Leafa, the Leafa that we know, from a…alternate universe where we didn’t get trapped in SAO?”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “It looks like it. Let me explain what happened in the SAO that I know.” Soon after, Leafa then explains about the events of her timeline/universe while making sure to keep ‘certain events/situations/knowledge’ out of her explanation.

 

When she is done, Terra asks, shocked, “Wait! The Kayaba in the SAO of your ‘world’ was disguised as a player.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Kayaba disguised himself as a player known as Heathcliff, who head one of the strongest guilds of the SAO ‘Assault Team’ players, Knights of the Blood Oath, of which my Asuna was a part of. His plan was to build up the guild’s strength and just a few floors from the top, ‘betray’ them, and reveal himself as the final boss of the game. It was all for the sake of his stupid ‘story’.”

 

Koharu asks, “Could that mean…that our Kayaba is also here…disguised as a player?”

Leafa says, with a nod, “I would bet money on that Koharu-san.” Leafa then says, “My big brother managed to figure out when he forced Kayaba to use his GM privileges to prevent his game system protection being found out by everyone, but it allowed Kirito, with help from Usagi, to figure it out. After that, the two of them managed to defeat Kayaba after the horrible battle with the floor boss for Aincrad’s seventy-fifth floor.” Leafa says, with a sigh, “The ‘death game’ was finally over, but around four thousand people were dead and many of the rest were scarred forever by it.” Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly, “Including both of my siblings.”

 

Koharu asks, horrified, “Four thousand…dead?”

 

Leafa says, “But it doesn’t have to be this way in THIS SAO, Koharu-san. I have given you advanced knowledge based on what I learned from my big brother, Asuna, Usagi, and all of their friends and fellow SAO survivors…” Leafa then thinks in her mind, “Among ‘other things’, but they don’t need to know that.” Leafa says, “…You could prevent what happened in my timeline’s SAO from happening in yours.”

 

Terra asks, “Shouldn’t you be doing this Leafa?”

 

Leafa responds, “It won’t affect me at all, Terra-san. Remember, I come from a different timeline and all this stuff has already happened. It is the past to me and I can’t change the past.” Leafa thinks in her mind, solemnly, “No matter how much I want to.” Leafa says, “So, what happens to ‘change’ here won’t affect me and even if it did…I don’t give a damn. SAO was a horrible tragedy in more ways than one. SAO nearly ruined what is ‘an incredible new universe’ all because of that ass using something that could bring wonder and joy to people and making a nightmare because of his own stupid selfishness. He murdered so many people with his greed and selfishness. I may not be able to help prevent all the pain and suffering it caused back in my time, but if I can prevent ‘another SAO’ from hurting as many, I will do what it takes. However, it will be all up to you to do that.”

Koharu asks, curiously, “Up to us?”

 

Leafa tells Koharu, “I don’t belong here. I need to get back to my timeline, somehow, especially if the Cardinal System decides to ‘erase’ me.”

 

Terra asks, “Cardinal System? You mean the system that runs SAO?”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “And practically every VRMMO in my timeline, Terra-san. The Cardinal System was created by Kayaba to manage SAO without the need for human input. It is why the game can run so long like this.”

 

Koharu says, “I’ve wondered why SAO kept going on for over two months straight without any human input.”

 

Terra says, with a nod, “Yeah.”

 

Leafa says, “Cardinal can create and manage up to an infinite number of quests because it connects with the internet and creates those quests based on anything that it finds on the internet. In fact, your version of the War Elf questline that you are on could be and most likely is, different from the one that your ‘world’s’ version of Kirito, Usagi, and Asuna are on.”

 

Koharu and Terra are shocked and Koharu says, amazed, “Wow. That’s…incredible.”

 

Terra says, amazed, “Cardinal…If it can manage so many quests, it must be one heck of a system.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Based on what I know and can figure out, it is, but that’s my problem. It manages the game and will see me as a ‘bug’, ‘error’, or something like that. Because ALO uses the same Cardinal System as SAO, it is probably why my avatar is the same…through I don’t know how anything is possible since I traveled into an alternate universe. The items that I had on me in ALO are here, so, there is no problem, but it is the problem of my level. Right now, my level is registered around the mid-nineties.”

 

Terra asks, shocked, “Nineties?”

 

Koharu says, amazed, “That’s incredible.”

 

Leafa says, “And that my problem. It is unnatural.”

 

Koharu asks, curiously, “Unnatural?” Koharu then realizes what Leafa is talking about and she says, with a nod of understanding, “Oh.”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “That’s right. My big brother, in HIS SAO, and Usagi didn’t get to that level until they were near the end of their SAO, which was around Floor Seventy-Five, in which a player with that kind of level with the players only reaching the seventh floor…”

 

Terra says, finishing for Leafa, “…Is possibly an ‘error’ or ‘bug’.”

 

Leafa says, nodding her head, “Exactly, Terra. And that puts me in just as much if not more danger than you. My real self is an alternate universe and my ‘mind’ is trapped in ‘another world’. If I’m ‘deleted’ here, my body could just end up as a vegetable or something!” Leafa flinches from her own words in which Terra and Koharu can’t help to flinch from that. Leafa says, “That’s why I need to find a way back to my world.”

 

Terra says, “But Leafa, we don’t know how…Heck, we don’t know how I got to your world in the first place!”

 

Leafa says, “Good question.” Leafa asks Terra, “But what were you and Koharu-san doing before you found yourself in my world…in ALO?”

 

Terra and Koharu look at each other and Koharu says, “Well, after we had defeated the floor boss for the sixth floor, Pierce the Rogue Manticore, in which we heard about a quest for Argo that he wanted us to check out.”

 

Terra says, continuing the story, “We were exploring the ruins and at one point, we split up to look around.” Koharu nods her head and Terra says, “At one point, I thought I saw something and went in that direction and I found a strange long rectangle stone slab.”

 

Leafa asks, curiously, “Rectangle stone slab?”

 

Terra says, with a nod, “Yeah. It was a huge long black polished stone slab that looked man-made.”

 

Leafa asks, seriously, “Could you take me to it?!”

 

Terra asks, curiously, “Huh?”

 

Koharu asks, curiously, “Why?”

 

Leafa says, “That could be a GM console!”

 

Terra and Koharu gasp and Terra asks, stunned, “Say what?”

 

Leafa tells Terra and Koharu, “It is what its name implies, Terra-san. It is a console that allows access to programming of SAO…as long as you have administrative privileges.” Leafa then says, “My big brother and Asuna found one in their SAO just before the game ended. It was in a secret dungeon under Blackiron Palace on the first floor of Aincrad, but it only opens up once you have reached a certain floor. Around the sixtieth floor since the monsters in there rival the monsters of floors sixty to seventy based on what my big brother told me.”

 

Koharu says, “Oh, wow.”

 

Terra asks Leafa, “But if that’s the true, you said that only those with administrative privileges can use it, what good would it do you?”

 

Leafa tells Terra, with a smile, “I’m guessing that at that moment, you were teleported to the ALO of my world, weren’t you?”

 

Terra says, “Actually, yes.”

 

Leafa tells Terra, “Then that’s my best bet of getting home.” Leafa then says, “Actually, all I need for you is to give me a copy of your map data and I’ll find it myself. This could be very dangerous…”

 

Koharu tells Leafa, shaking her head, “No, Leafa. We’re coming with you.”

 

Leafa tells Koharu, “Koharu-san, I’ll be all right. With my unusual high level…”

 

Koharu tells Leafa, interrupting, “You said that’s your problem and Cardinal’s programming would be targeting you. What if it weakens your level as you search for that GM console? You are going to need help.”

 

Leafa says, “I’ll be fine. I’m good at kendo and in my ALO, they added SAO’s Sword Skills and I am well-versed in them.”

 

Koharu tells Leafa, “Just because you played a game similar to this one doesn’t mean that you are going to be safe, Leafa. You said it yourself. You are just in much danger as we are. You may not be connected to a NervGear like we are, but if you ‘die’ here, you are gone forever!”

 

Leafa says, with a sigh, “You aren’t going to allow me to convince you NOT to come with me.”

Terra says, with a smile, “Not a chance.” Leafa gives an exasperated sigh and she shakes her head having a feeling about this.

 

January 2023 (alternate timeline), SAO/Aincrad, Fifth Floor

 

Within the underground catacombs of the fifth floor of this Aincrad, Leafa, Terra, and Koharu are going through the catacombs while fighting astral and undead monsters along the way.

 

Terra says, “I’m amazed that you aren’t freaking out at this, Leafa.”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “I’ve seen stranger.”

 

Koharu asks, curiously, “Really?”

 

Leafa says, with a kind smile, “It’s complicated. I really don’t want to get into that.” Koharu and Terra look at each other with a curious look, but they decide not to bring up that subject.

 

Terra tells Leafa, “Leafa…”

 

Leafa responds, knowing what Terra is talking about, “Yeah, I know, Terra-san. To be honest, I don’t know how my counterpart here got to SAO in the first place.”

 

Koharu asks, curiously, “Wouldn’t that mean that she used a NervGear?”

 

Leafa tells Koharu, “Remember I mentioned that ALO is another VRMMO game based on the system used by SAO? Have you heard of another VRMMO game while SAO was coming out?”

 

Koharu says, shaking her head, “No.”

 

Leafa says, “That’s because Alfheim Online, ALO, won’t be coming out, as long as many of the events remain the same as in my world, until late this year around November.”

 

Koharu and Terra give looks of shock and Terra asks, surprised, “This year?”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “That’s right. In my world, despite what happened with SAO, people still wanted a Full-Dive VR system and they developed the Amusphere. The Amusphere is actually a remodeled NervGear expect with a lot of safety features.”

 

Terra says, “Because of this.”

 

Leafa says, nodding her head, “That’s right. The Amusphere isn’t as ‘immersive’ as the NervGear, but people felt that it is a good idea that diver should have ‘a foot IRL’. Add to the fact that transmission is lower in frequency than the NervGear, so, ‘microwave brain’ isn’t on the menu.” Leafa says, “However, the Amusphere didn’t come out until May of Twenty-Twenty-Three in my world and also, I didn’t play ALO until January of Twenty-Twenty-Four!”

 

There are gasps of shock from Terra and Koharu and Koharu asks, “Are you saying that our Leafa comes from the future?”

 

Leafa says, “It is a hard to believe and personally, I would be hard pressed to believe it…if I haven’t been through plenty of strange things myself which now includes this. However, based on what you said, it is the only thing that I can think of that my counterpart did. She, somehow, traveled back from sometime in your world’s Twenty-Twenty-Four to around sometime just around the start of SAO, but I can’t see how…” Leafa thinks in her mind, “However, there is one possibility in my mind. But has she already awakened her powers or could it have been involuntary reaction to…something. The only way that I could get an idea is to ask my counterpart, but I shouldn’t push my luck.”

 

Koharu asks, “Is it really possible to travel back in time through VR worlds?”

 

Leafa says, “Well, normally, it shouldn’t be. But based on what you told me, my counterpart, your Leafa, somehow managed to come from the future. Leafa wasn’t ‘born’, at least in my world, until January of Twenty-Twenty-Four. However, Full-Dive VR technology shouldn’t be able to send people back into the past…” Leafa thinks in her mind, “But I’ve got a theory on what did send her back into the past.”

 

Terra asks, “Should we tell Leafa that we know the truth about her?”

 

Leafa says, a bit nervously, “That’s going to lead to some ‘complications’. On how you found out and it might be hard for her to believe that you met an alternate future version of her.”

 

Terra says, a bit nervously, “That’s…a good point.”

 

Koharu says, with a nod, “Yeah. We’re still wrapping our heads around this.” Koharu says, with a smile, “However, it is interesting to know that there are going to be fun worlds out there once we get out.”

 

Leafa gives a smile at this and Leafa says, “However, you have a big job to do.”

 

Terra tells Leafa, “Even through these events happened in your world, how can you be sure that they will happen in ours?”

 

Leafa says, with a plain tone, “Just call it a feeling. I think that having you in SAO makes a difference.”

 

Koharu asks, “What can we do differently than what Kirito and Usagi could?”

 

Terra says, “From what you said, they are the heroes of SAO in your world.”

 

Leafa says, “True, but even they couldn’t save a lot of those lives that were despite trying to save them, especially Usagi. Something tells me that you can. I think in my world that you…Or should I say, my world’s version of you, two, were never around to join up with my big brother because you either missed the opening day or…”

 

Terra says, “We…Our counterparts in your world could have been among the first two thousand victims during the first month.”

 

Koharu gives look of shock and Leafa says, with a smile, “I think that it is the first choice.”

 

Koharu asks, “How can you be so sure?”

 

Leafa asks Koharu and Terra, “Did the two of you have something important that could have made you miss the opening?” Koharu and Terra give looks of surprise, the two of them look at each other, and Leafa says, with a smile, “All that I need to know.”

 

Koharu asks, “So, you feel that our counterparts in your world missed the opening day?”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “I think so. I really don’t think that they could have died so easily because you, two, didn’t die so easily.” Leafa tells the two of them, “I think…No, I KNOW that you can make a difference. If you saved Diabel’s life, you can help so many others.”

 

Terra says, solemnly, “But Diabel…”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Something tells me that he doesn’t die too easily.”

 

Koharu says, with a warm smile, “Yeah, I agree, Leafa.”

 

Terra asks, “But what about our…?”

 

Leafa says, with a shrug, “I…don’t exactly know. Someone told me about time travel and temporal paradoxes and it is this: Don’t really think about them because it is going to hurt your head.”

 

Koharu says, a bit nervously, “Okay…” Koharu and Terra can’t help to wonder if Leafa experience something like this before, but they decide not to say a thing. Soon enough, after a few more astral and undead monster encounters, they arrive in front of a door.

 

Leafa asks Terra, “Is this it?”

 

Terra says, with a nod, “Yeah.” The group approach the door and they find that it is somewhat open in which they peek inside where they find a large black rectangular block with a figure in front of it.

 

Leafa whispers, “That’s it.”

 

Koharu whispers, curiously, “It is?”

 

Leafa says, with a nod, “Yep. That’s GM console all right.”

 

Terra asks, “Is that another player?”

 

Koharu says, “It looks like it…” However, Leafa can’t be so sure since she looks up the color cursor of the figure and she is shocked to see it switch from the green cursor of players into a red cursor of monsters.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, confused, “What the?!”

 

Terra whispers, “Maybe we should see…”

 

Leafa then whispers to Terra and Koharu, interrupting Terra, “No, Terra! You and Koharu stay back! I’ll confront this ‘person’ alone.”

 

Terra and Koharu look at Leafa in confusion and Koharu asks, confused, “But…?”

Leafa tells Koharu, “Just trust me, Koharu. You and Terra stay out of sight.” Terra and Koharu see Leafa’s VERY SERIOUS expression and they decide to trust her as Leafa sneaks into the room while Terra and Koharu stay out of sight in which Leafa walks over to the figure in front of the GM console, but she then kicks a rock that hits the wall causing the figure to notice in which she turns in Leafa’s direction. Leafa thinks in her mind, nervously, “Crap!”

 

The figure says, in a female voice, “Who are you?”

 

Leafa responds, “I should ask you the same question! Who are you? And what are you doing in this dungeon?” Just then Leafa sees the figure’s cursor shifting back and forth between green and red colors.

 

The figure says, with a sinister sly tone, “Oh, well. I guess that they will count you as another ‘casualty’ of this ‘death game’.” The female figure than transforms into Widow, the massive female humanoid spider-like Youma that Sailor Moon, Sailor Mercury, and Sailor Mars fought before, and bares down on Leafa.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, surprised, “Shit! A youma!” Leafa then draws her sword out and she thinks in her mind, “That’s why her cursor was changing. A youma is a monster, but she isn’t a ‘programmed monster’ of SAO. She is the real deal! The system is having trouble of ‘classifying’ her!”

 

Widow yells out, “Time to die, human!” Widow unleashes her webs on Leafa, but she easily cuts through them.

 

Leafa says, with a serious tone, “You are going to need to do better than that!”

 

Widow says, “We’ll see how cocky you are after this!” Widow then lashes out with her spider-like arms with ends acting like spear tips in which Leafa has to dodge and block with her sword.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “Shoot! This isn’t like fighting typical mobs. She is a true REAL monster and while youma aren’t exactly the brightest bulbs in the shed, they aren’t like the VR mob monsters or even bosses that follow set patterns. They are more unpredictable and much more dangerous!” It is that unpredictability that keeps Leafa on her toes against Widow as the two of them fight to a draw within seconds of their battle starting.

 

Koharu’s voice booms out, “Leafa!” Koharu and Terra leap into the room and draw their swords.

 

Leafa yells out, “Stay back! This isn’t any ordinary monster! It isn’t generated by SAO…she is the real deal!”

 

Terra asks, confused, “Real deal?!”

 

Widow shouts out, “Indeed, little human!” Widow then leaps up to the ceiling and unleashes her webs that entrap both Terra and Koharu in which they struggle to get free, but they can’t.

 

Leafa shouts out, concerned, “No!” However, Leafa grunts out as her avatar starts to become ‘staticky’ like an old-fashion television screen when it loses focus on and she falls to her knees.

 

Terra says, worriedly, “Leafa!” Leafa looks at her stats and level in which her HP and level numbers are going wild.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “My stats! It must be the Cardinal! What rotten timing! Damn it!”

 

Widow lands near Terra and Koharu and Widow says, looking at Leafa, “It looks like you are in a bit of a ‘bind’ yourself. I think that I will have some fun.” Widow looks at Terra and Koharu and she says, evilly, “I will slowly ‘drain the life’ out of them until they vanish and the devices attached to their heads fry their pathetic human brains at the same time!”

 

Terra and Koharu gasp in shock and horror and Leafa shouts out, worriedly, “No, you can’t!”

 

Widow shouts out, evilly, “Yes, I can! And I will! And all you can do is watch! I will love to see all of your terrified looks on your faces, but don’t worry, you will be joining them soon enough!” Widow prepares her spider-like arms to strike at Terra and Koharu, who are entrapped by Widow’s webs and unable to fight back, depleting their HP, and ‘killing’ them in the game which will cause their NervGears to fry their minds IRL. Leafa’s mind flashes back to images of seeing what happened when a NervGear fried the brain of a person during the two horrible years of SAO.

 

Leafa thinks in her mind, “No, I can’t let them! I won’t let that happen! I’ve already seen too much death! Too many good people died because of Kayaba’s selfishness and greed! This may not be my world…my SAO, but this is just as real as what happened back home! Terra and Koharu can make a difference and they will make a difference! I won’t them die! I REFUSE TO LET THEM DIE!” Leafa then roars out as she starts to glow and get to her feet in which she is bathed in rainbow light much to the surprise and confusion of everyone else.

 

Widow yells out, confused, “What is this?!” Widow, Terra, and Koharu close their eyes from the intense light and when the light starts to fade, the two humans and one youma look to see Valkyrie Sailor Celestial in place of Leafa.

 

Terra and Koharu gasp in shock and Widow shouts out, stunned, “You are…?!”

 

Sailor Celestial says, seriously, “Your worst nightmare, freak!”

 

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ starts)

 

Sailor Celestial then draws her two swords and quick as a flash, Sailor Celestial cuts off two of Widow’s spider-like arms causing her to howl.

 

Widow shouts out, angrily, “You’ll pay for that!” Widow lashes out with webs, but Sailor Celestial easily cuts the webs in mid-air causing Widow to stumble backwards, however, Sailor Celestial keeps attacking and keeps Widow on the defensive. Widow strikes with her remaining arms, but Sailor Celestial dodges the attacks with ease. Widow shouts out, irritated, “Stay still!”

 

Sailor Celestial shouts out, strongly, “In your dreams!” Sailor Celestial ducks from another attack and then leaps up to ram her armored knee into Widow’s chin causing her to stumble backwards. Sailor Celestial takes her chance and with her Dark Repulser glowing with power, she roars as she slices Widow right through the middle!

 

Widow shouts out, “NO WAY! THIS CAN’T BE…!!!” Widow then explodes into hundreds of data particles as she is defeated.

 

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ ends)

 

Sailor Celestial takes a big sigh, goes over to Terra and Koharu, who are free from Widow’s webs as she is destroyed, and she asks, “Are you okay?”

 

Koharu and Terra nod their heads and Terra asks, “Who are you Leafa?”

 

Sailor Celestial responds, “It is a LONG story of which I can’t say.”

 

Koharu asks, “Why?”

 

Sailor Celestial replies, with a smile, “Big secret. The big ‘super hero’ kind.” Terra and Koharu give looks of shock and Sailor Celestial tells them, with a kind smile, “I wouldn’t go talking about this to my counterpart, here. She might not know that she has special powers. She has ‘realized’ her powers yet.” Terra and Koharu don’t completely understand, but they nod their heads anyway. Sailor Celestial puts her swords away and goes over to the GM console.

 

Terra asks, “Is this…?”

 

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod, “Yeah. It is a GM console for SAO.”

 

Koharu asks, “But doesn’t that mean that only Kayaba…?”

 

Sailor Celestial says, with a nod of her head, “Yeah. He is the only GM around here.” Sailor Celestial then goes over to the GM console and she touches it in which there is a strong glow come from the GM console until a bright flash comes from it causing the three people in the room to cover their eyes for a second. When they are able to open their eyes, again, they see what looks like a gateway in front of them and from that gateway, Sailor Celestial can see the familiar World Tree that’s the center of ALO. Sailor Celestial thinks in her mind, “That’s the World Tree at the center of ALO! But is it my ALO? Well, there is only one way to find out!” Sailor Celestial then goes over to the portal and she stops to look over at Terra and Koharu, who are looking at them intently. Sailor Celestial says, “This is my ride home.”

 

Koharu says, “Goodbye, Leafa.”

 

Terra says, “Good luck.”

 

Sailor Celestial says, with a smile, “Good luck to you, too.” Sailor Celestial then says, “Oh, yeah! There is one more thing I need to tell you about.” Sailor Celestial then goes over in which she whispers something to Terra and Koharu causing them to gain looks of shock and gasp.

 

Terra asks, amazed, “Seriously?!”

 

Sailor Celestial says, with a grin, “Yep. We found out those facts after SAO in my world. If your Kayaba is anything like my Kayaba, this will come in handy, but don’t use it until the time is right. Remember, he has infiltrated the game as a player known as Heathcliff and we are going to start hearing about him if and when the guild the Knights of the Blood Oath start coming around. Hopefully, you’ll prevent that massacre that will happen on floor twenty-five.”

 

Koharu says, “We’ll try our best.”

 

Sailor Celestial says, with a smile, “I know that you’ll do that Koharu-san. Good luck to both of you.” Sailor Celestial then goes to the portal, takes a deep breath, and she then leaps through the portal which vanishes as soon as she appears in which the GM console also vanishes too.

 

Terra says, surprised, “The GM console!”

 

Koharu asks, confused, “What happened to it?”

 

Terra says, “I guess that the Cardinal System thought that GM console was an error.”

 

Koharu says, with a sigh, “That’s too bad.”

 

Terra says, with a smile, “Yeah, but now, we have information that could help us defeat the game.”

 

Koharu asks, “Even if things are only somewhat different than what happened in Leafa’s world, do you think that we can make sure things happening differently than Leafa’s world?”

 

Terra says, “I don’t know, Koharu, but we have to try.”

 

Koharu says, “But there is so much that we have to do.”

 

Terra says, with a nod, “I know, Koharu, but Leafa trusted us to get things done. She believed in us.”

 

Koharu says, with a smile, “You’re right, Terra. We have to try.” Koharu thinks in her mind, with a smile, “Thank you, Leafa. We will do our best to do with what you gave us: Hope.”

 

March 2026, ALO, New Aincrad

 

Inside of New Aincrad, we find ourselves on the twenty-second floor where we find Kirito, Asuna, Usagi, Leafa, and a familiar violet-haired and red eyed female imp, Yuuki, walking down towards Kirito’s and Asuna’s virtual home in New Aincrad.

 

Just then a female voice calls out, curiously, “Excuse me?” The group looks over and Leafa’s eyes widen when she sees two ALO players that are very familiar to her with the first player being a male Imp player that’s an exact duplicate of Terra in his ‘ALO form’ when he first arrived, but this ‘Terra duplicate’ has more high-level gear and equipment on him.

 

The second player is a female player that looks like an Undine version of Koharu with blue eyes and hair and wearing high-level female gear and equipment.

 

Usagi asks, curiously, “Yes?”

 

The Undine version of Koharu asks, looking at Kirito, “Excuse me, is your name Kirito?”

 

Kirito responds, a bit nervously, “Yes…”

 

The ‘Terra duplicate’ responds, with a smile, “I guess that you don’t remember us. We met back during the SAO beta.”

 

There are gasps of shock from Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi and Leafa then asks, “You mean that the two players that big brother helped out on the final day of the beta?”

 

Everyone else looks at Leafa, with Kirito giving a MAJOR look of shock and surprise, and the Undine version of Koharu asks, surprised, “Kirito, is your brother?”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Yep. I’m Leafa, Kirito is my big brother. Well, IRL anyway. When he was able to, he told me a lot about his adventures in SAO including stuff in the beta. That’s how I knew about the event that you mentioned.” Leafa asks, “You are Terra and Koharu, right?”

 

The Undine of Koharu says, with a nod, “Yes, I’m Koharu.”

 

The ‘Terra duplicate’ says, nodding his head, “And I’m Terra.”

 

Usagi asks, “So, you are former beta testers of SAO?”

 

This world’s version of Koharu, who will be called Koharu to differ her from the Koharu that Leafa met in the alternate timeline, says, with a nervous smile, “Well, you couldn’t call me much of a tester since I only got to log in on the final day of the beta.”

 

Asuna asks, curiously, “So…?”

 

This world’s version of Terra, who will be called Terra to differ him from the Terra that Leafa met from the alternate time, says, shaking his head, “No. We’re NOT SAO survivors. On the day that SAO started, Koharu and I had important stuff on that day.” Terra says, with a smile, “Back then, we had hoped that it would cancel at the last second, but it didn’t happen.”

 

Kirito says, “However, there are plenty of us that would say that you were really lucky that it didn’t.”

 

Terra replies, with a smile, “Yeah, you could say that.” Terra says, with a solemn smile, “However, Koharu and I knew people that knew others that were trapped in SAO and didn’t survive.” Everyone else, other than Koharu, nod their heads in understanding, but Usagi gives a mental sigh of relief on knowing these two former beta testers didn’t suffer through SAO.

 

Leafa asks, curiously, “So, what happened after SAO started?”

 

Koharu says, “After SAO started, our parents immediately took our NervGears away and we kept hearing about the horrible things that were happening especially during the first month.”

 

Terra says, “I couldn’t help to wonder how many of those first two thousand people that died were my fellow testers. I had made a few good friends during the beta. I couldn’t help to wonder what happened to them.”

 

Kirito says, with a nod of understanding, “That’s understandable.”

 

Asuna asks, curiously, “You never knew their real names?”

 

Terra says, shaking his head, “Nope.”

 

Leafa asks Terra and Koharu, “How did you meet up in real life?”

 

Koharu says, with a smile, “Terra and I met up at Future Divers. My avatar looked a lot like I do IRL, so, Terra recognized me instantly.”

 

Terra says, with a smile, “We were surprised to see each other.”

 

Koharu says, “I didn’t recognize him at first, but then again, it shouldn’t be surprising.”

 

Kirito says, with a smile, “His avatar was different from how he looked like IRL, so, it isn’t surprising.” Kirito tells Terra and Koharu, “It is nice to see you, again. And personally, I’m glad that people like you didn’t get stuck in that mess.”

 

Terra says, “Thanks, Kirito. Koharu and I heard a lot about you from SAO survivors that we talked to.”

 

Kirito says, with a nervous smile, “I’m not sure how to feel about that.”

 

Asuna says, with a smile, “Well, I would like to hear about what happened when you met Kirito-kun. Oh, I’m Asuna. I’m Kirito-kun’s wife.”

 

Terra and Koharu gasp in shock and Koharu asks, shocked, “M-Married?!”

 

Kirito blushes in embarrassment and Leafa tells Asuna, “I think you keep using when you got married in-game to make big brother blush.”

 

Asuna says, with a giggle, “Maybe.”

 

Usagi says, with a smile, “Kirito and Asuna got ‘married’ in SAO, but technically, they are still boyfriend and girlfriend. I’m Usagi by the way.”

 

Yuuki yells out, excitedly, “And I’m Yuuki!”

 

Terra asks, looking at Yuuki, “Hold on! Aren’t you ‘Absolute Sword’?”

 

Yuuki says, with a nod, “Yep! That’s what players are calling me here!”

 

Koharu says, excitedly, “Oh, wow! This is so exciting!”

 

Leafa asks Terra and Koharu, “Did you start playing ALO because of Aincrad being part of ALO?”

 

Terra says, with a nod, “We started playing ALO around the time that Aincrad became a part of ALO. However, we were part of the Sword Art World project.”

 

Asuna says, nervously, “Oh…”

 

Koharu says, with a smile, “Don’t worry. Future Divers has a brand-new plan and they plan to revamp the idea!”

 

Terra says, nervously, “Koharu…”

 

Koharu says, nervously, “Oops.”

 

Leafa says, with a smile, “Don’t worry, we won’t tell anymore! I’m not sure how big brother can keep a secret since everyone can tell if he is lying…”

 

Kirito yells out, embarrassed tone in his voice, “Hey, Sugu!” Asuna, Yuuki, and Usagi giggle at Kirito’s embarrassment.

 

Asuna asks Terra and Koharu, “Anyway, would you like to join us at our player house?”

 

Yuuki says, “We would love to hear the story on how you met each other and how you met Kirito back in the SAO beta!”

 

Koharu says, with a smile, “Sure!”

 

Leafa asks Terra and Koharu, “Terra, may I ask you and Koharu a question?”

 

Terra asks, curiously, “Yes?”

 

Leafa asks Terra and Koharu, “Have you ever wondered what happened if you ‘important thing’ on the day of the start of SAO got cancelled?”

 

Koharu responds, curious tone in her voice, “Well, we would have been trapped in SAO like your brother.”

 

Terra says, with a smile, “However, I doubt that we could have done anything like your brother or his friend, the ‘White Valkyrie’, did. I mean, they are the ones that conquered SAO!” Kirito and Usagi flinch from Terra’s words.

 

Leafa responds, with a wide smile, “I don’t know. Something tells me if you have been in there, you could have made a big difference.” Everyone else looks at Leafa in surprise and Leafa says, with a warm smile, “Something tells that you and Koharu could have made an important difference to many people there like big brother.”

 

Koharu says, with a smile, “You are just being nice, Leafa.” Soon enough, the group heads off, but Kirito is looking at Leafa intently with a confused look on his face.

 

Usagi whispers to Kirito, “What’s wrong?”

 

Kirito whispers to Usagi, “I never told Sugu about that time in the beta at all.”

 

Asuna, overhearing this, asks, curiously and in a whisper, “Are you sure?”

 

Kirito replies, nodding his head, “I’m certain, Asuna.” That gets them curious on how Leafa knew about that ‘incident’ with Kirito, Terra, and Koharu as well as the feeling that Leafa seems to know more about the two former beta testers than any of them realize.

 

March 2026, Unknown location

 

At a darkened location, a group of figures is looking a holographic screen displaying the events of Sailor Celestial defeating Widow in the alternate SAO.

 

One of the figure says, in a male voice, “Darn! I guess that the old coot is right!”

 

Another figure says, in a male voice, “No important loss. We weren’t invested in this anyway.”

 

A third figure says, with a female voice, “Then one of us shall inform Professor Shigemura-dono that we shall continue with his plans.”

 

The first figure that spoke says, “Agreed. However, we must work slowly. The plan will need around one more month to completion.”

 

The second figure that spoke says, “We have the SAO servers, but the memory within them is fragment due to what happened with Sword Art World.”

 

The first figure says, “Due to Sugou and his ‘antics’…”

 

The third figure, the female figure, says, “However, if anyone can rebuild Aincrad, it is Professor Shigemura. After all, he is the sensei of Kayaba and Sugou after all.”

 

The second figure asks, plainly, “I wonder: Did that girl make any difference in that world?”

 

October 18, 2023 (alternate timeline), SAO/Aincrad, Floor 40

 

Back within the alternate universe, we are inside of that SAO, that ‘other Aincrad’, where we find ourselves within the boss room of Floor 40 of this Aincrad where we find Terra, having higher level equipment and one-handed sword, attacking this world’s version of Heathcliff, looking exactly like the red-clad false knight that was the avatar of the so-called ‘deity’ of SAO that we know, in which he bounces off by a violet force-field and the words ‘immortal object’ appear in the sign beside him much to the shock of the other players within the boss room including this world’s version of Kirito, Asuna, and Usagi.

 

This Kirito, who we will call [Kirito] to differ him from the ‘prime Kirito’, says, shocked, “No way.”

 

This world’s Asuna, who we will call [Asuna] to differ her from the ‘main Asuna’, asks, stunned, “He is designated a system protected object?”

 

Terra says, “That’s right, Asuna.” On the meanwhile, Koharu sneaks into the room and onto the scene in which Terra says, “There are only certain ‘things’ that are protected by the system, here, including buildings, roads, and…”

 

[Kirito] says, his eyes widening, “Game masters…”

 

This world’s Usagi, who we will call [Usagi] to differ her from the moon princess that we know, says, shocked, “Wait…”

 

Terra says, with a nod, “That’s right.” Terra looks at this Heathcliff, who will call [Heathcliff] to differ him from the ‘prime Heathcliff’, and says, “All this time and you didn’t even say hello to your niece…Akihiko Kayaba.”

 

There are gasps of shock and horror from the group of players, minus Koharu, and after several seconds, [Heathcliff] responds, “I would normally ask how you figured it out, but we both know where you got that information.”

 

Terra asks, with a smirk, “Oh? How do you know that a ‘little fairy’ didn’t tell us?”

 

[Heathcliff] doesn’t say a word for several seconds and he then says, “That’s it, huh? Now, I understand. I had wondered who our ‘little visitor’ to this world back in January. I, thank you, for giving me what I need to know Terra.”

 

Koharu thinks in her mind, shocked, “He knows about Leafa?!” However, plenty of the other players are looking between Terra and [Heathcliff] in which they are wondering what they are talking about. Just then they hear a yell of anger and one of the players is charging at [Heathcliff].

 

The player shouts out, angrily, “You, son of a bitch! We believed in you and you played us all along! You’re dead!”

 

[Kirito] shouts out, worriedly, “No, wait!” However, it is too late as [Heathcliff] uses his GM console to paralyze him causing him to collapse to the ground in heap and [Heathcliff] then paralyzes all of the players expect for Terra, Koharu, and [Usagi].

 

[Usagi] says, worriedly, “Everyone!”

 

Koharu asks, worriedly, “What are you doing?”

 

[Heathcliff] says, “Don’t want the knowledge to spread too quickly. Personally, I didn’t think that I would be so exposed so soon, but then again, life is just like an MMO. It is full of surprise twists and turns that you never expect. As such I shall await you at the top of Aincrad.”

 

Terra yells out, strongly, “What makes you think that we are going to let you get away, Kayaba?”

 

[Heathcliff] asks, with a sly smile, “What makes you think that you can stop me?” [Heathcliff] says, “She may have given you ‘inside information’, but I doubt that she knows too much.”

 

Terra says, with a sly smirk, “That’s where you would be wrong.” [Heathcliff] gives a curious look and Terra then shouts out, “Cardinal! System command! Engage emergency GM override! Password: Celestial Silver Millennium!”

 

Just then a female computer voice seems to call out throughout the chamber, “Password accepted! Emergency GM override engaged!”

 

[Heathcliff] gives a rare flabbergasted look and Terra shouts out, “Transfer GM privileges…!!” [Heathcliff] then starts to type on his VR screen, but he is too late as Terra yells out, “…To player Koharu now!” Terra yelps as he is hit with a paralyzing effect, but a group of screens appears in front of Koharu.

 

Koharu yells out, excitedly, “It worked! I have them!”

 

Terra yells out, “Koharu!”

 

Koharu screams out, “Cardinal! System command! Suspend GM privileges for ID Heathcliff! Zero! Zero! Zero! Override zero!” Heathcliff grunt out as his screens vanish and a warning screens appears in front of him telling him that his GM privileges have been suspended. Koharu yells out, excitedly, “I did it! I’ve made him unable to use his GM privileges!”

 

Terra asks, weakly, “Great. Could you also remove the paralysis on us?”

 

Koharu says, nervously, “Um…”

 

Just then a child-like female voice says, “I can help.” Everyone looks to see someone that exactly looks like Yui running up to Koharu.

 

Asuna says, weakly, “Yui-chan…”

 

Koharu asks this world’s version of Yui, who will be called [Yui] to set her apart from her ‘prime’ counterpart, “Yui-chan, what are you doing here?”

 

[Yui] says, “Let me help save mommy and daddy.”

 

Koharu says, with a nod, “Okay.”

 

[Heathcliff] says, drawing his sword from his shield, “I think not.”

 

[Heathcliff] charges in and Terra shouts out, “Watch out!” [Usagi] draws her sword to step in, but just then someone else comes in and forces [Heathcliff] to attack in which his sword clashes with another in which this person/player is revealed to be this world’s Leafa, dressed like the ‘prime’ Leafa when she came into this SAO with Terra with a similar sword.

 

Terra says, surprised, “Leafa!”

 

This universe’s Leafa, known as [Leafa] to keep her ‘apart’ from the Leafa that we know, says, “I’ll hold him off! Free big brother and the others!”

 

[Yui] says, “Koharu!”

 

Koharu says, with a nod after getting over her surprise, “Right!”

 

[Usagi] prepares to join in, but [Leafa] says, “Don’t! You need to protect the others!”

 

[Usagi] says, nervously, “But…!!”

 

[Heathcliff] says, “Bad idea, my dear.”

 

[Leafa] strains to hold back [Heathcliff], but Terra yells out, remembering Leafa in his mind, “You can do it, Leafa! We discovered that there is a strength beyond this ‘death game’! Our own will!” Terra says, “This world isn’t fake, but another world made by human technology! That means that we can influence this world, but you need to believe…No, you need to KNOW that you can win!”

 

[Heathcliff] says, with a sly smile, “Interesting words, but they may be just words.”

 

[Leafa] says, strongly, “Well, I believe in Terra and Koharu, you fiend! Let’s find out!” For several moments, it seems like [Heathcliff] is going to overwhelm [Leafa], but to his rare shock, [Leafa] screams out with power as she starts to push him back, she then throws him backwards as her sword starts to glow and split into two swords, and when [Heathcliff] blocks the attack, he grunts as he is sent skidding back nearly to the wall behind him with a look of pure shock, a rarity for any version of creator of SAO, in which we look to see [Leafa] with a pair of familiar swords: Elucidator and Dark Repulser. [Leafa] is looking on in shock while the players that were paralyzed get to their feet as their paralysis is taken away.

 

Koharu says, excitedly, “We did it!”

 

Terra says, “Great job, Koharu!”

 

Koharu says, looking at [Yui], “Yui-chan was very helpful in that! And we also did something else!” Koharu points ahead and everyone looks to see a sign by [Heathcliff] that says, ‘Changed into mortal object’ as his HP gauge in the yellow in which Koharu says, with a smile, “We got rid of his system projection too!”

 

Terra asks, excitedly, “You mean…?!”

 

Koharu says, with a nod, “Yep! He can be defeated and I also found out that he has himself registered as the final boss of SAO!”

 

There are gasps of shock with those words and [Asuna] asks, overhearing this, “That means…?”

 

Terra says, “When we defeat him, this game is over, but good!”

 

[Heathcliff] says, “Indeed. However, you need to beat me ‘fair and square’. Unless my HP goes to zero in battle, it won’t count.”

 

[Yui] says, “He’s right. He made it that any use of the GM privileges to inflict any stasis conditions to defeat him won’t count and there is a ‘backup final boss’ that you will need to fight on the final floor if that happens.”

 

Koharu says, “I guess that she was right about him.”

 

[Heathcliff] says, “If you wish for final victory, then you must fight me as a warrior should.”

 

Terra says, drawing his swords, “Why should we fight the way that you want? But personally, after all that you have done, I think that it would be ironic that you were beaten at your own ‘death game’.”

 

Koharu says, drawing her sword, “Not alone, Terra.” Terra and Koharu look at each other and after a second, they nod their heads at an unsaid agreement.

 

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ starts)

 

Koharu and Terra then rush forward and Terra yells out, “Leafa, stay with the others!”

 

[Usagi] shouts out, concerned, “Wait!”

 

[Kirito] says, concerned, “It is too dangerous!” However, Terra and Koharu continue their attacks in which [Heathcliff] battles Terra first with [Heathcliff] seemly holding his own against Terra easily.

 

Terra thinks in his mind, “Leafa…The other Leafa told us that the greatest ‘power’ in this or any VR world isn’t any item, weapon, or stats…It is our own will! We have to believe that we can win! We have to KNOW that we won! We have already won!” Soon enough, [Heathcliff] starts to struggle against Terra’s attacks as they seem to come faster and stronger in which Terra hits [Heathcliff’s] shield with such a blow that he is forced to stumble back causing him to give a look of rare shock in which the others are stunned. Terra yells out, strongly, “Switch!” Koharu then leaps forward to attack [Heathcliff] and [Heathcliff] blocks and parries all of Koharu’s blows, but after several seconds, [Heathcliff] starts to struggle with Koharu in which the same result happens much to her surprise.

 

Koharu asks, amazed, “I did it?”

 

The others around are also stunned and [Asuna] says, amazed, “No way…”

 

Terra yells out, “We can do this! Together!”

 

Koharu gets over her surprise and says, with a nod, “Right!” Koharu and Terra charge [Heathcliff] together in which [Heathcliff] blocks Terra’s sword with his sword while blocking Koharu’s sword with his shield, but he is then shocked as Terra and Koharu ram him into the wall of the boss room behind [Heathcliff] causing him to fall to one knee with Terra and Koharu leaping away. Koharu yells out, excitedly, “We got him!”

 

Terra says, with a nod, “Yeah, but it isn’t over yet.”

 

[Heathcliff] says, “Remarkable. How did you acquire such power? It is nothing that you can acquire in the game.”

 

Terra responds, “Our friend told us that the ‘VR world’ isn’t a ‘fake world’. It is just another form of reality. A reality created by human technology. And that means that we can control it with our own will. Humans made this world’s rules and that means that we can overcome them! We overcame SAO itself with our own will, Kayaba! That’s something that you can never control!”

 

[Heathcliff] stays silent in which, much to everyone’s shock and surprise, he starts to laugh, not a maniacal or insane laugh like any classic villain, but a laugh of pure excitement in which Koharu asks, annoyed, “What’s so funny?”

 

[Heathcliff] replies, with a sly smile on his lips, “Forgive, my dear. I wasn’t laughing because I think that it is funny. Far from it. I’m laughing because you are correct and it excites me. You have done the impossible and overcame SAO with your own will. I wish to see the full potential of that power for myself.” [Heathcliff] gets into a defensive stance and he tells Terra and Koharu, “It is as you will. No sword skills. No ‘tricks’. We shall fight to see who’s will is stronger! This shall be a gorgeous final battle! Let’s end this, shall we?”

 

Terra says, strongly, “You got it!” Terra and Koharu charge at [Heathcliff], who charges right back at them, and there is a massive ‘clang’ of metal meeting metal in which, as we leave, we see Terra and Koharu clashing with [Heathcliff] as they prepare to go all-out in this ‘battle royal’ melee with [Kirito], [Usagi], and [Leafa] charging in to help them. How does this battle of this SAO end? Well, that’s a story probably for another day…

 

(Sword Art Online music ‘Swordland’ ends)

 

The End…of the story, but the adventure has just begun…

 

And there we go! I hope that everyone liked this one-shot idea. And to clear things up, this story is based on the new mobile phone game, Sword Art Online: Integral Factor, in which the main character of the story, basically, you, the player, and your partner, Koharu, meet up with that version of Leafa on the third floor of that Aincrad/SAO in which when Koharu accuses her of being a forest elf, Leafa protests in which she mentions being a Sylph and ALO. Well, in the SAO canon timeline, the Amusphere came in around May of 2023, Alfheim Online AKA ALO started in November of 2023, and Suguha Kirigaya AKA Leafa started playing ALO around January of 2024! If that’s not time-travel of a kind or something like that, I don’t know what it is! I hope that’s cleared up, folks. I hope that this was worth the wait. Please read and review and no flames, please! Later and best wishes, Crossover Fans!