Unending - a Sword Art Online Fanfic (being rewritten)

Prologue: The Final Match

OK, for those who have read my previous fanfic, welcome back. For those who this is the first time you've read my work, also welcome. This is going to be a SAO Fanfic. For those who weren't too impressed with the anime, grow up and find something better to do with your life. I don't want to see any comments about the story quality of the SAO anime. For those who haven't watched it yet. Watch episodes 1-14 and you won't be sad, keep watching afterwards, well, I promise nothing. But I am rambling on, so back on topic. Get ready for what I think is going to be an epic Fanfic. You've read the description, but nothing will truly prepare you for reading- Unending - a Sword Art Online Fanfic.

Kirito's POV:

Kirito was tired. He and the other members of the front line forces had been almost decimated by the Skull Reaper. Only Heathcliff's shield and the desperate teamwork from every other member of the frontline attack force defeated the nightmarish creature. Still, it had cost far too many lives, eight in total, to win this victory.

"If this boss was so hard, how are we going to beat the other ones still to go?" Came one players voice.

Kirito wasn't paying that much attention though because he had just noticed something that didn't look right. Heathcliff's health bar was, oddly, missing the exact same amount of health that it had during their duel from earlier. It wasn't a smig lower, almost as if it had stopped upon reaching a certain point. Kirito knew he was on to something, but the only way to be sure was to test his theory out.

Kirito suddenly charged at Heathcliff. His sword coming down so fast that there was no way Heathcliff would be able to bring up his shield in time. Suddenly, Kirito froze mid-swing. He just floated there as if he was light as a feather. Heathcliff looked at him as a line of text appeared above his head. It read "Immortal object."

"So now we find out the true." Kirito said. "The reason why you have lasted so long. The source of your strength, is because you are Akihiko Kayaba." The other players gasp in shock at the news, barely able to comprehend that the one who had been pushing them so hard to beat the game was the one who had trapped them in there to begin with.

"Well, done." Heathcliff says to Kirito. "You know, I always knew that the one to unmask me would be you Kirito. Now how about a deal, you and me fight one v. one. If you kill me, you beat the game and everyone goes free. If I kill you, everyone here dies and those not here will still be stuck in this game, and probably will stay that way forever."

Kirito looks at Asuna, she is so exhausted that she is lying on the floor. The others are in a similar state. Asuna looks at him with pleading eyes, begging him not to agree to such terms. If anything happened to him, she would never forgive herself.

Kirito's eyes harden and he looks back at Heathcliff. "Alright, let's fight then."

Asuna's POV:

Asuna watched from her spot on the floor as Kirito's and Heathcliff's weapon clashed again and again. Every so often, one of them would score s hit, but their opponent would simply grunt and keep swinging at them. She gasped however as Kirito swung his dragon-metal sword in a massive downward strike at Heathcliff, who raised his shield at the last moment. Kirito's eyes widened in shock as his sword shattered against the shield. Heathcliff laughed and batted Kirito away with his sword, the resulting slicing wound across Kirito's chest bringing his health down to one point above zero.

Asuna cried out to him to stop, only for him to charge forward, swinging his remaining sword with both hands. Asuna watched as he rolled under the blade that was trying to slice him in half, dodged the shield that swung forward to bash him to death, and swung his sword in an upward arc; the red line that went straight through Heathcliff's body being left as a mark of where his sword had hit. Heathcliff began to disappear. But as he did, he turned and said something to Kirito.

"You are truly a worthy swordsman, and a worthy opponent. Well don..." Then he vanished in a pixelation of sparkles and blocky swirls.

Everyone got up and cheered Kirito, lifting him in the air and tossing him several times before they put him down in front of Asuna.

"You did well." She said, looking up at the slightly taller boy.

"Thank you Asuna. That me..."

"But if you pull a stunt like that again, you will have to answer to me, understood?" She finished sternly.

"Ma'am yes ma'am." He said, the joking mood she heard in his voice and saw in his eyes making Asuna temporarily weak in the knees. Asuna smiled at him and kissed him on the lips. She ignored all the cheers and hoots and simply focused on telling the one she loved how much she loved and had feared for him, with him responding in kind."

They leaned back, taking in each others facial expressions. They were about to continue when Suddenly the ground began to rumble. Asuna looked at Kirito, who had a confused expression on his face as a line if text appeared in mid-air.

"Congratulations. You have beaten the 75th level. Welcome to the 76th level."

The ground shook again as a door on the opposite side from the entrance opened to reveal level 76.

"I thought we had beaten the game now you'd killed Heathcliff." Asuna said, looking out at the desert-like terrain that seemed to cover the 76th floor.

"That is what he said would happen, however I guess that there is a reason why we are still here." Kirito said. Asuna looked over and could see his mind working a mile a minute.

Then a screen popped up in front of them. On it was the face of the game's creator, Akihiko Kayaba. Then Akihiko Kayaba began to speak.

(from screens that popped up all over Aincrad)

"If you are seeing this message, then it means that I am dead, and that you've beaten SAO. You will all be going home... (long pause) ... to whatever level your house is on. You all have done admirably, your reward will come in the form of a certain amount if col for every thousand points you have earned in gameplay up to this moment. The col will appear in your account after this message. For those who wonder what comes next, I doubt you have been to every level of Aincrad, so what are you waiting for? Go out there and explore the great unknown. Good luck!"

(back to Asuna)

Asuna stood in stunned silence, not even bothering to check her col balance. Although, judging from the sharp intake of breath that Kirito took, she guessed that the amount of col he had just received was quite a large amount. She looked over and saw how much money he had now.

"2,952,237 col?" Asuna asked in disbelief. She quickly checked her own money to see a very similar number. She couldn't believe it. She didn't want to believe it.

"Come on." Kirito said as he started out onto the sand. "We need to see if we can get to the teleporter that should be in one of the nearby villages on this level."

Everyone watched as Kirito started onto the sand. Then one by one, starting with Asuna, they all began to follow. Soon everyone had walked out onto the sand and the doorway leading from the previous level closed. It shut with a loud hollow bang, meaning that until they found a teleporter that could send them back down, that they were stuck in the middle of the desert.

Ok. That is my first little piece. Let me know what you think so far. Otherwise, until next time, BYE!!!