Sword Art Online: The Crystal Swordsman

The Plunge

"At last, we may finally return to some relaxation." I let out a sigh of relief as I sat upon my throne.

Sinon took up her throne next to mine as the double doors burst open.

"You!!" Sven stormed in with Cobalt at his side.

"Sven. It is good to see you alive and-"

"Don't give me that bullshit! You left us there! You didn't even care about us!" Sven yelled.

"My daughter, the Goddess Athena, saves your life from a treacherous foe and this is how you repay it? For shame." I shook my head.

"You're a terrible king!" Sven yelled.

The people gasped.

"Sven, he led the way back. It's not like we were lost." Cobalt tried to calm his friends nerves.

"Shut up, Cobalt." Sven quieted his friend.

"Sven?" Zuke came thru the open double doors, closing them behind him.

"Zuke! You're okay!" Sven hobbled over and hugged him.

"Uhh, Yeah. There's Respawns in this game. What's all this fuss about?" Zuke asked him.

Sven kind of gulped and looked back at me.

"I was just discussing how I will be temporarily leaving my throne. I must entrust it to someone loyal, someone I trust dearly. And so I have chosen. Fukaziroh." I called and from the sidelines she came.

"Me??" She was also confused.

"She's not even a Spriggan!" Sven yelled.

"Perhaps you should have thought of that before you spoke down to me." I reminded him.

"What about your wife?" Zuke asked.

"Unfortunately I require her presence as well." I assured him.

"And Kirito?" Cobalt asked.

"This mission requires all experienced players." I nodded.

"What's that supposed to mean? I'm not skilled enough?!" Fukaziroh put her hands on her hips.

"This mission is more... covert. Explosives would just blow our cover." I told her honestly.

"Fair enough." She nodded.

"With that being said, I entrust my throne to you. Enjoy the royalty as you see fit but please, nothing permanent." I pointed at her.

"Yes daddy- I mean sir!" Fukaziroh saluted.

Sinon gave her a super dirty look and scoffed as I turned to everyone and smiled.

"Alright gang. Back to Vestige we go." I said and stood up.

"All of us??" Asuna asked.

"I thought only four of us could go at a time." Kirito pointed out.

"What are you hiding K?" Liz crossed her arms.

"I think it's better this way!" Leafa bounced.

"As do I. Everyone ready? Swap!" I said and logged out.

When I spawned within the game, Sinon landed and made the mistake of looking down. She realized we were on the edge of a super tall skyscraper and began to shake wildly from fear. She screamed and almost fell but I gripped her collar. I pulled her in and held her close with some new tactical gear on. She pushed me and I laughed while the others appeared safely on the roof too.

"New getup!" Kirito smiled.

"For a new fight." I smiled back.

"A new fight?" Sinon asked.

"Yes. It's been quite a long time since we've been back here. A lot has changed and you must be ready for new challenges and strategies. Vestige is no longer just a battlefield now. It's a Warzone." I hyped them up.

"Sounds like a hell of a gunfight." Sinon smiled confidently.

"If it's war, I'm in." Lizbeth nodded.

"Let's get our boots on the ground." Kirito smirked.

"Let's win this one!" Sugu cheered.

"Ooh-Rah!" Asuna was getting more familiar with the lingo.

"Then let us begin." I smiled.

From the sky we fell as normal, pulling our shoot before we hit the ground this time. As a group we landed and to me the team looked.

"T minus one minute." I checked my watch and addressed my team.

"What should we expect K?" Sinon asked first.

"Right. Forgive me for being blunt, but this game has advanced far more than you may think. Weapons now have the capability to instantly down you if you aren't paying attention. Assault rifles have evolved to have insanely fast fire rates to pierce armour and melt HP. Tactics are different so please, ask questions often. Otherwise, we may be killed off quickly." I informed them all.

"You don't look fit to slide on a set of armour." Sinon noticed.

"You're very smart, my Sinon. Correct, armour is now applied by sliding on armour plating. The pouch on your chest holds five max. Try to stay topped up." I explain.

"Are SMGs still on the table?" Asuna asked shyly.

"Of course, Asuna. In fact, there is much more variety now. I have faith you'll enjoy what you find." I nodded to her.

"And for me? For someone who prefers... swords?" Kirito asked as well.

"Unfortunately Kirito, the Weapons of Destruction are no longer available to us. It's firearms or bust." I told him.

"Damn.." Kirito clenched his fist.

"We'll find something for you. Now then, a lot has changed and I'm hoping to prepare you for what lies ahead." I began.

"Why do you keep saying, 'a lot has changed'?" Lizbeth asked.

"For starters..." I grabbed my Deagle from my holster and put the barrel to my head.

Before anyone could say anything, I pulled the trigger and everything went black. In an instant, I fell from the sky and landed back in front of them.

"What the-" Liz didn't was caught off guard.

"You can die in the menu now?" Sinon asked.

"Now you're free to kill whoever looks at you dirty." I smirked.

"Interesting.." Kirito pondered.

"I suppose a lot has changed." Lizbeth admitted.

"Rules of engagement have changed too. It'll be fascinating to see how you all handle it." I smirked.

"Rules of engagement?" Sinon asked.

I simply chuckled and looked out to the new land around us.

"You've got a lot to learn." I smiled.

"Time for the real thing." An announcer spoke.

"Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you," I say as our vision goes black.

Our chests felt light as our altitude was immediately raised.

"We're not in Kansas anymore!!" I yelled over the engine of the giant cargo plane.