Heart Stitches ([SAO] Alice x [Female] Reader]

Chapter 16: Masquerader [part 2]

What Alice was seeing caught her so off guard that the hand she used to cover Silica's eyes fell to her side.

Silica then looks up at Alice's perplexed but shocked face that was looking from her front, so she looks forward to also widen her eyes at the most confusing thing she has ever seen even in here.

Surrounding Kirito was what looked like a dome of air, keeping him out of harms way as he too was stunned, so staying put was what he did, and for the better.

But the players were too busy trying to push as much attacks as they can, not even noticing Kirito's stunned face until fatigue set in for them. They all panted in a small group that surrounded him, finally noticing the soon disappearing doom.

They too were in shock, seeing how he was perfectly fine thanks to whatever that was made them stop, causing Rosalie to growl.

"What the hell?! Just kill him!"
"I cannot allow that, Rosalia.."

A familiar male voice echoed through the wind, everyone turning their heads all around to find no one. It must be the fatigue and stress, but as soon as they stopped looking, someone appeared from under the bridge.

He jumped up onto the walls of the bridge by the time they all stopped looking, only noticing him once he sat down on it. He sat at the front side of Alice, holding one leg up to his torso with the other down, his arm resting on that leg while another held his face up with the bent up leg.

He looked calm, everyone along with Alice seeing that his eyes were closed even when shadows from his hood covered half of his face. But Alice and Kirito already knew who this was, it was the one who saved them what felt like maybe a few weeks ago, Masquerader.

"I see you and your goons are at it again, this time with those I've saved to live longer because of you people, well done, well done"

His tone sounded calm, but Alice could detect a hint of sarcasm as he lifts both his arms and does a slow clap, each becoming more mockingly than the last. He clasps his hands together, a smug smirk coming into place.

He jumps up, jumping down the wall of the bridge, and walk to the center, which is also the front of Kirito.

"My client said that you murdered his guild mates 10 days ago, the Silver Flags, and only the leader survived, can you recall?"

He taps his finger on his hooded temple, everyone still stunned and speechless from the air dome and his sudden appearance that no one even moved a muscle.

"But I never expected for your tactics to be so simple, it's surprising how you succeeded in many murders such as the one I took up"

He shrugs his shoulders, a scoff erupting from Rosalia's throat. Then he takes out a Teleportation Crystal, lifting it high enough to show everyone around him clearly. He looks back at everyone, leaving Rosalia for last, showing the smirk that turned bitter.

"My client spent his entire fortune for this Teleportation Crystal, and he will get his money's worth back. The coordinates were set for the jail area, and all of you bastards will be sent there by yours truly. Be thankful, he didn't want you to be killed, but I can make a few adjustments if you insist"

Rosalia looked enraged, holding her spear towards him in a stance to maybe threaten him. He lowers his crystal, seeing Rosalia clenching her teeth.

"My cursor is green! If you attack me yours will become orange and-"
"Does it look like I care? Do you see any hesitation?"

He speaks in a monotonic tone that still had murderous like intent within, his eyes becoming even darker than the shadows formed from his hood that only Rosalia could see. He walks towards her, everyone becoming more anxious with each step he took forward towards Rosalia.