In the fields, it's just all peaceful winds passing through the tree branches and leaves floating and flying away by the winds. Suddenly a person's footsteps were passed through quickly. It was a blue-eyed girl who was panting and getting tired due to what she had experienced where she came from.

But then on the path where she was running, a person was teleported in front of her and it was a man with a fedora hat who appeared to be confused about what happened to him because he had his arms covering his face before he turned around and bumped into her.

This bump slowly turned into a fight when the girl screamed out to him as she fought with her serrated edge dagger to try and kill him. The boy dodged its swords before unsheathing his sword, Rosso Forneus. 

He blocks this player's attacks as he sees in his view the player's cursor and his player's name. His player name is Touma.

Touma: 'An orange player?!' In that case...!

He activates his sword skill to collide with her reverse-grip sword skill, it causes the wind to blow past their faces and their swords end up in a deadlock, revealing their faces covered from their outfits. The girl has blonde hair and blue eyes while the boy has black hair with red strands and his eyes are fiery red.

???: Who are you?

Touma: I was asking you the same question!

The two continued to try and overwhelm each other but suddenly an intervention occurred when something landed powerful beside them. She looked at it ready to reap its head off and Y/n was surprised at what it was.

It was a monstrous skeletal centipede with a large forehead, four glowing red eyes, four human mouth parts, multiple legs attached to its long torso, its lower ribcages moving like an insect, the tail has a sharp stinger, and its arms attached to long reaper blades.

It's the top one of the fearful bosses in this world's boss lists, the Skull Reaper. But unlike its predecessor, it appears its size is a juvenile and it's a new breed. It has red colors on its bones, it four bladed arms instead of just two and it looks recently come out of its cocoon shell based on its sticky wet surface on most parts of its body.

Touma: That's the Skull Reaper?! 'I know how Kirito describes the 75th-floor boss might be disgusting but seeing it as an human-insect hybrid base model for a terrifying boss?!'

???: Damn, I thought I'd given that thing the skip. I guess I've got no choice but to take it on.

Touma: Wait, does this type of monster appear in this place?!

???: I'm not interested in talking to the likes of you.

Touma: "Likes of me"?! You got it the wrong way here!

But then the Skull Reaper screeched loudly as it went for a smash attack with its scythes that made him shout to her.

Touma: Look out!

Touma shoved her away as he blocked the attacks with his sword but it was not working as it only pushed him back bit by bit. The girl was confused about his actions towards her, an orange player.

???: W-Why are you...?

Touma: 'If this is the size of the 75th boss, then it has to be nerfed compared to the original. That means I can take it on. Though judging from its glare form before, we've just become its next food on its list.' Listen to me, I can see you can fight with that blade.

???: What are you talking about?

Touma: Can we put aside our differences for now until we reap this thing out of our way?!

???: W-Why do you think I'd join forces with-?

Touma: I'll deal with its arm scythes, you go for its legs!

Just then the boss goes for another bash attack but this time it has its four blades pushing him way back to her side. She asks him again due to how paranoid she is currently.

???: Why would you help me? How do you know I won't just backstab you?

Touma: I don't know! But from those eyes, you want to live on, right?! If you want it then we've got to kill it! I don't need to say it, but I don't want to die either!

She thinks it for a moment but she quickly agrees to his condition based on the situation of what's happening.

???: Okay. I'll help you, just this once.

Touma: Ok. Time to reap its head off!

He holds something in his hand, a small book that is the size of his hand, and the cover is colored red with the title of the book.

BRAVE DRAGON

Tassel: Bon lecture, everyone! I didn't expect to see you here spoiling the fun already. I'll give you a long recap first before you further go on about continuing this chapter segment. Let's rewind it to the 75th floor of this new world where me and this little cute boy are trapped... Aincrad!

https://youtu.be/MF2ICDhd-ok

SWORD ART ONLINE

Aincrad 75th Floor

Labyrinth Floor Boss Room

10-7-24

???: If it's okay for you, I have a favor to ask.

???: What is it?

???: I don't plan to go down easily. But if I die here, at least for a while. I want you to make sure that Asuna can't kill herself.

???: Very well.

Asuna: Kirito, no! That's not... That's not fair!

In a dark room with multiple players paralyzed and down to the floor, The girl Asuna shouted to her beloved man named Kirito. Kirito, a dual-wielding swordsman, looks down at the man before him. In his view, he saw the man's name he favored, Heathcliff. Heathcliff is pressing buttons on his menu and when he's done, it sets him as a mortal object.

Kirito: 'This isn't a duel... It's simply a fight to the death.'

He gripped his sword tightly and Heathcliff unsheathed his sword from his shield as he smiled and Asuna tried to reach him out, tearfully.

Kirito: I'm going to... kill this man!

Asuna's tears are flowing continuously down her cheeks as they hit the floor. Kirito lunges forward, ready to kill the man who has suffered the players for so long with a shout full of determination mixed with spite and hate.

Kirito: AHHHHHHH!!!!!

He fights him with every sword skill he has in his sleeve but Heathcliff knows this game too well as he just grazed his cheek when he tried to stab his head.

Kirito: 'Is he just playing around with me?!'

Kirito then goes for the skill Double Circular but Heathcliff knows this from his smile of confidence. Kirito was getting angrier and angrier as he cancels it out and goes for his killing blow, the Eclipse.

Each slash of his sword is only blocked by Heathcliff's impenetrable shield as Kirito backflips and Heathcliff glared to see his opportunity when his arm was suddenly glitched out and Heathcliff saw this.

The duel was temporarily glitched out and stopped by a massive glitch cracking open the labyrinth's roof. Every player saw this and was in awe-filled curiosity.

In the glitches, it saw another realm with lands crumbling apart, roars of flying dragons and animals crying out on the other side and a dragon left this place before the glitch closed down.

The duel continued and Heathcliff this time was caught off-guard by this phenomenon but his opponent didn't care as his goal was still the same. His defenses are now chipping off by Kirito's counterattacks and this glitch that was happening to the game.

Kirito kept going and Heathcliff's body was now glitched and his defenses were now down. Kirito then goes for the kill with a stab going right through his heart. With no bars hold he pressed on quickly killing him, but it's result was the same glitch that was now infected the game throughout Aincrad.

When Kirito looked in front of him, he saw Heathcliff was gone, no sword or shield was dropped, not even a part of his armor. His avatar glitched a bit too, he was now filled with confusion if he did win the game.

Kirito: Is it... over?

That was all he could say as Asuna was finally embracing him from behind crying.

Asuna: Kirito!

Kirito: Asuna...

Asuna couldn't say any words beside his name and she was only thankful that he was still alive at this point. Kirito just sheathed his blades back as he embraced his girlfriend in his arms. Asuna then wipes her tears with her hands as she embraces back to her boyfriend.

But Kirito was still confused about what transpired during their death battle. The labyrinth glitched out, their avatars glitched out, and there were so many theories and connections topped with more questions that were being made in his head.

Kirito: What about Kayaba- I mean Heathcliff?

Asuna: *sniff* I-I don't know, but I can't spot the commander anywhere.

Kirito: I see... Did I...? Did I defeat him?

One of his friends, Klein finally gets up and comes to his aid after the paralysis effect wears off along with everybody who is affected by this debuff.

Klein: Hey! Hey hey hey! You did it, Kirito!!

Kirito: Klein...

Klein: What's with you? You should be whooping and hollering! You defeated the last boss man!

Klein slapped his back too hard making him wince and almost knocking out the air in him. The others thought so too as they celebrated way too early, but then Klein asked the most important question that has been waiting to say after the creator's "defeat".

Klein: So, um, Kirito...

Kirito: Yeah?

Klein: When are we going back? To the real world, I mean.

Kirito: When? Well, uh...

Everyone else is listening in their conversation, but as seconds go by they slowly realize something within his voice.

Klein: You beat Heathcliff, didn't you? That's game over, isn't it?

Kirito: Heathcliff... I mean, Akihiko Kayaba said that if anyone beat him, the game would be cleared and everyone would be released.

Asuna: Yeah, I heard him say that too. But look, nothing's happening. I've got a bad feeling about this...

Klein: Why isn't this over?! Is there no way of, you know, hurrying things along?

Kirito: If I know Heathcliff- I mean, Kayaba, he would never lie to us. 'But if that's true, why haven't we cleared the game? Is there something else we have to do?'

???: Allow me to explain to clear your confused minds of what is happening.

The labyrinth was boomed out by a majestic voice proclaiming its arrival. Kirito looked around but as he turned back to his friends for a second he found standing in the middle is none other than the Overlord's servant, Black Woz.

Kirito, Klein, Asuna: GAH!

Woz: I apologize for my sudden intervention in your early celebrations but... the game has changed.

This tone made everyone tense and nervous as Woz continued to explain.

Woz: Something has happened in this life-or-death game world that my Overlord saw. I'm pretty sure everyone in this labyrinth room has witnessed their duel before, a strange crack or rather glitch that rips open the game for something else.

They remembered it all too well and saw the glitch in the two duelists' avatars and then the room.

Woz: I'm sorry to say but unfortunately the crisis continues as new threats and allies have come into this world.

Asuna: This is too much...! Does that mean we're going to have to keep fighting?!

Klein: Oh come on! You can't be serious!

Woz: But fear not! The new allies that will come into this world will aid you in completing the mission you have been bestowed upon by players who wish for its game over.

Everyone was feeling out of place as he raised his arm he opened the book, and he read the following words in it.

Woz: One of them is the person who has decided this world's story ending. But he will need the help of the people of this world's power and intelligence to aid him in his quest to free you and your people, your Highness and Majesty.

Woz bowed to Kirito and Asuna who seemed to be flustered by Woz's attitude.

Woz: Though I must warn you all, once the doors are opened towards your next floor, everything will be changed because of the new problem that happened. And for that, I bid farewell and wish luck to all of you, Aincrad's Frontline!

Woz then vanished with his scarf covering him as he vanished in the wind leaving nothing behind. They are all filled with new questions now and curiosity. Agil(Tiffany), the leader of the tank squadron comes to Kirito and reports to him that the door leading to the 76th floor has opened.

Agil: Kirito, that door towards the 76th floor just opened!

Kirito: He was right...

Agil: You gonna go through it?

Asuna: Kirito...

Klein: Kirito...

Everyone else is now looking up to Kirito as he's the one who will be making the decision now.

Kirito: If the game's not just going to come to an end, and if that man's words were right; I guess we've got no choice but to keep going and find the person he says will help us end the story of this world.

Kirito fixes his hair and wipes the sweat that is built up on his forehead and his nose bridge before calling out to the whole remaining Assault Team.

Kirito: Everyone, let's go! To the 76th floor!

Kirito shouted his call resolutely as everyone followed him armed with their weapons that were still in good condition. 

Opening plays

On the 76th floor's nearby plaza, a shop named Fantastic Book Kamiyama is open. Inside is the owner of this store, writing a manuscript for his new chapter in the book he was planning to publish and create. A carved wood was placed his name as the owner of the bookstore. Y/n Touma.

He saw his hand glitching but it was gone as he fixed his fedora hat on his head. He looked out the window to see the skies filled with floating islands and debris of sword statue stones. But then he saw a notification in his view that the players had conquered the 75th floor and were now on the floor he was on.

Y/n: Looks like I was not alone after all this time...

He then gets out of the store for a bit to observe and watch the Assault Team's doing. The Assault Teams explored for a bit and saw a few people trying to buy new homes to stay in. He can hear their chattering about the jumbled data that has been going on to their avatars.

He slides his finger into thin air to summon the menu and checks it out to see what they mean. There are writings that seem familiar to him as he speed reads it with his eyes widened. After that, the jumbled words on his data and menu are back to normal all except those players.

Some person caught his eye when he was looking at them. Kirito and Asuna talking to each other about checking out the item menus. Then he saw someone come out of that item and it was a young child with long black hair.

Yui: Phew...! I finally got out!

Kirito: Y-Yui?!

Asuna: Yui?! Is it you, Yui?!

Yui: Daddy! Mommy! I haven't seen you for so long!

Then someone at the Teleport Gate came out, and it was a pink-haired girl with a shoulder pad and armor breastplate with a ribbon in front of her clothing.

Lisbeth: You're both okay? Thank goodness!

Asuna: Liz?! What are you doing here?!

Lisbeth: "What am I doing here?!" That's not a very nice greeting, is it?

Asuna: Um... Clam down, okay, and just listen.

Asuna calmly tells Liz the unfortunate truth once she is teleported to the 76th floor.

Asuna: Liz, we can't go back to the 75th floor from here.

Lisbeth: W-What...?

Lisbeth then goes sot the Teleport Gate to command to teleport her back to Lindarth on Floor 48. Asuna and Kirito follow her behind and Y/n follows up from afar.

Liz: Teleport: Lindarth!

It glowed her for a bit but then suddenly the effect vanished as she remained on this floor.

Liz: Sheesh, why did you have to scare me like that?! The gate's working just fine, look-

When Liz checks below a notification pops up in jumbled words but Y/n recognizes it as he reads it through the hologram. The three friends' eyes see the jumbled words begin to translate into English and it seems to apply to them as a permanent buff.

Liz: Huh...? What's this...!? Is this...?!

Asuna: Yes. That's what I'm trying to tell you. We can't go back to the lower floors.

Liz: B-But what about Lisbeth's Smithy...!?

Lisbeth was saddened by the fact she couldn't go back to the shop below the floors from where she was stuck in now. Kirito then tried to offer her some materials for smithing and creating weapons on this floor which in Y/n's position would help much more than what they have now.

Kirito: Well, look. I know it's a real pain that we can't go back but there's some pretty cool stuff here on this floor.

Lisbeth: Cool stuff...? What do you mean?

Kirito: Like, I'm sure there are rare metals on the higher floors that you just can't find down below. Plus I'm sure some quests will prove useful to you as a blacksmith...

Lisbeth: ...

Liz seems to hesitate a bit on this offer but for more evidence, he decides to step in and drop items in front of Lisbeth they turn around to see Y/n happily give those items to the poor blacksmith.

Lisbeth: W-What is this?!

Y/n: Um, he said that there is cool stuff here much better than what the lower floors have. So I wanted to prove that by giving you that many items. Look at the contents.

Lisbeth seems to not trust him a bit but even so, she followed his hint and she was shocked at what was inside the items he gave to her.

A ton of money or Col in this game's currency, a lot of common, superior, rare, dungeon, events, and 4-star level ingots found on this floor, stones which are used for upgrading the weapon's durability, a new anvil and blacksmithing hammer that was suitable for her blacksmithing in this floor from now on, and the rest are more materials for creating the weapons that the market NPC in this floor has to offer.

Lisbeth finds this shocking and her eyes widen from the amount of materials he has in his inventory. The couple finds this surprising too and Y/n laughs a bit at this as he was being kind despite their minds thinking that he will become another jealous material for other greedy players.

Y/n: Don't worry, I'm just one level behind you all since I can see that you're still new to this place.

Kirito: "New"? Wait, how long have you been here?

Y/n: Well... Two years and counting.

This made them realize he was also a player that was stuck in this game, but they hadn't heard a player speedruns his way all towards this floor which Asuna asked.

Asuna: How did you manage to get to the 76th floor then?

Y/n: You wouldn't believe me if I told you...

This silences the two as they are suspicious of him, but Liz then breaks it as she just thanked y/n for giving this to her.

Lisbeth: I guess I am right on the frontline now. Dropped and foraged items up here seemed to be pretty different from the ones on the lower floors. Thank you, Asuna and Kirito! I think I'll go and look for a place where I can open a second branch of Lisbeth's Smithy!

Y/n: Um, just put it beside my place. It suits there!

Lisbeth: Oh, why thank you for giving me good info. By the way, I haven't got your name.

Y/n: Oh, I apologize! My name is Y/n Touma or Touma for my username. Here I'll let you see my bio.

Y/n passes on his player bio to them and they find it surprising that he's Level 99 with his EXP bar getting close to the next level, Level 100.

Kirito: A 1h Sword user with a skill named Wonder Ride.

Asuna: A permanent buff that translates all different languages on Floor 76 and above. Seiken: A buff that increases attack every time a player gets hit by enemies' fatal attacks and produces a follow-up attack that heals 60% of their current health.

Lisbeth: Where did he get this kind of buff?

The bio was now gone as they saw Y/n was nowhere to be seen but then they saw him talking to a small blue dragon that seemed familiar to Kirito.

Pina: Ssskraw! Sskraw!

Y/n: So you wanted to find Kirito, right? Why though?

Kirito: Pina, what are you doing here?

Y/n: Wait, you know this cute dragon?

Then they hear a girl running towards Pina exhausted from her running to chase her little pet dragon down.

Silica: Pina! What have I told you about rushing ahead- Oh! Kirito!

Kirito: S-Silica?! You're here too?

Silica: Hee hee... It's been a while, Kirito!

Kirito: H-How did you...?

Silica: I heard the rumors. It seemed that something had happened on the front lines. As soon as I heard that you were here, Kirito, I just had to come here and find you. I can't tell you how much of a relief it is to see that you're all right. Though who is he?

Y/n: Oh, my name is Y/n Touma, you can call me Touma or Y/n. Whatever you prefer. You're so cute, it's rare to find such an adorable like you to pet a much more adorable dragon than I have.

Y/n head pats her like he's being a good brother to her which SIlica finds gentle and giggles at the soft head pat he gives to her.

Silica: Hehe, thank you so much, Y/n. A-Anyway, I've come here to help you, Kirito! I'm I'll get on your nerves from time to time, but I promise to do anything that I can to be useful!

Just then Y/n felt something past his cheeks and he looked to his left and saw the winds calling to him. So Kirito asked him.

Kirito: Y/n? What is the problem?

Y/n: Um, stay with them and find a place to talk to. I'm gonna go follow the wind.

Y/n ran fast out of the place as the winds brought him into the forest near the plaza. There he found a girl standing in the middle of the forest, a player with fairy features, ponytail hair, and green eyes. She senses someone when his elven ears twitch and she looks behind her to see Y/n looking at her with amazement.

???: Um, where am I?

Y/n: I... You're on the 76th floor. Is there something wrong?

Just then he heard footsteps behind him and saw Kirito and Asuna.

Asuna: We heard from Kirito that you just went outside the plaza and went into the forest. What is wrong?

Y/n then steps aside to let Asuna and Kirito see the girl in front of them. The girl's eyes were softened and widened when she looked at Kirito, seemingly feeling like it was his sibling.

???: Brother... is that you?

Kirito: B-Brother?!

Just then the girl gets close to him and holds his hand, with her face filled with happiness and needing a reunion. Asuna was surprised by this and Kirito was still confused.

???: I finally found you, brother!

Y/n: Ok, hold up for a moment! Can you introduce yourself first before going on about finding someone saying that's your brother?

Leafa: Yes! It's me, Suguha Kirigaya! NOW do you believe me? But right now, call me Leafa. It's my avatar's name. So you know what that means right? It means that as of today, I'm an SAO player as well. It's great to be here with my brother again!

Asuna: Hee hee! Welcome, Leafa! Say, how about we head back to town?

Y/n: Welp, as if Kirito's harem isn't gonna add more...

As they helped Leafa guide her back to the Arc Sophia, Y/n sensed it again, the winds were being sucked out by something in the skies. This time, Asuna felt it and looked above to see the sky being cracked open by a little hole.

Asuna: Y/n, Kirito! Up there!

They looked from the hole and it was a girl coming through the hole, Y/n then ran towards it.

Y/n: Come on... Make it...

He caught her in his arms and he slides to slow down which caused his butt to feel hot from the slide and the boots he has to spark a bit. He takes a closer look at her as she wears a small breastplate on her left chest and the gloves seem to be specifying she's a long-range weapon user. She has a small black hair with ribbons tied in front of her hair.

Y/n: 'Where did she come from... That pink guy didn't send me here that way...'

She was finally waking up when she saw him looking at her and then calling out to his friends with her hearing still recovering.

Y/n: Asuna, she's awake.

Asuna: Are you okay?

???: I can't remember anything before I got here. Nothing at all...

Y/n: Well, what's confusing is how you got here when you came out of the sky.

???: Even though you keep saying that, I can't tell if you're right or wrong.

Y/n: *sigh* Guess you just got into this place, huh? Can you try swiping down your finger with your right hand?

???: Like this...? *summons the menu* Eh, what's this?

Y/n: Ok, now try to tap into that blank person.

Sinon: *taps the button* "Sinon"... I think that's my name, maybe...

Asuna: Okay, Sinon. Let's go, we'll get back to the inn Agil bought for us to hang out.

That's how Y/n met up with his new players and friends to help him complete the game and end this game's story. Until he met the mysterious Orange player in the other world called Hollow Area.

To be Continued

Next Time

Chapter 2: Wonders of Hollow Area