He didn't think. He simply acted on instinct.
Klein was struggling to keep the floor boss's attention long enough for Asuna to recover. The members of the Fuurinkazan struggled to move the soldiers of the Aincrad Liberation Front. The Gleam Eyes was readying his blade for a chop-
Properly equipped, Kirito reached for the Dark Repulsor as it materialized on his back and charged into the fray. Noticing Klein's health bar in the red, he knocked his friend aside and crossed his swords above him. Blades holding fast agaiunst the pressure of the floor boss's greatsword.
The Black Swordsman rolled to the side letting the mighty weapon fall where he once stood. He sprung forward and sliced deep gouges into the shin of the floor boss. Dodging a kick, he ducked a swing by a hair's breath and attacked once more.
But even as the monster's health bar dipped, Kirito knew he had little chance of succeeding.
This was a floor boss, something that could only be taken on safely with forty-seven beside him. Even at two-thirds of its health, there was no way a single player could defeat it. Kirito new the best he could do was to buy time, but even as the other players fell back to regain their health Kirito knew that he could not let this boss past. Asuna would die if the sword simply grazed her. Klein looked exhausted after hours of leveling in the other areas of the dungeon, and his guildmates did not look much better.
From the start, this was a battle of attrition. Though the boss may die with a party at his back, Kirito had to split his focus too far. Thrust. Dodge. Parry. Slice. Duck. Sword Skill. Side-step. Leap away from the boss's greatsword. Kirito looked up to begin the process anew, only to be blindsided by a colossal fist.
Knocked back, the battle changed flow. Gleam Eyes had the upper-and from the start. For every ten of Kirito's hits, one hit from the boss would match them. There was no tank to rotate aggro. No damage dealers to improve the pace at which the boss's health chipped downwards.
Nobody to assist Kirito in what was quickly becoming a heroic sacrifice, but a sacrifice all the same.
He felt sense of disappointment. As the mass of sharpened steel blitzed towards him, Kirito spared a glance over to the others. Klein, who was unable to look away. Asuna, whose face was ashen. The survivors of the Aincrad Liberation Front, still recovering from the suicide attempt.
Kirito wished desperately he could live. So someday he may see them again.
And somewhere, beyond the blind eternities, his voice was heard.
[Destination]
[Agreement]
And he awoke to a city drowning in rain.
* * * * *
He looked on in horror at Diavel's body. Split in twain by the force of Ilfang's nodachi. Crystals shattered as their plan unraveled.
He screamed Sachi's name as the spear went through her midsection, a gurgle of blood leaving her lips before the end. Crystals shattered.
He roared at Rosalia as Silica collapsed, Pina releasing a mournful cry.
He stood on a beach watching as a horror beyond even that of The Gleam Eyes tore through translucent shields as if they were wet tissue paper. Water flowing like liquid metal, crashing into and slicing through the defenders standing on the beach.
Once more Kirito acted on instinct. He didn't recognize this superhero game. He didn't know why his health-bar was full. He didn't know why he had his weapons and equipment. He did not know why he was still alive.
All he knew was an ever-present terror at the creature looming above the water, and the surety that these people stood no chance against it. Once more his blades left their sheathes. Once more Kirito stood before a monster.
Once more he had no chance of surviving, yet challenged reality nevertheless.
He brought the blade in his left up in the initial position for <<Slant>> and dashed forward. In the span of a breath he crossed two blocks, cutting off the sea monster's charge just as it managed to cut through the front line of players. The abomination reared back as his Dark Repulsor made a diagonal slice through its hide, the legendary weapon negating any defense it could prepare. Even as others backed out, fliers and teleporters disappearing with wounded players, the black steel of the Elucidator sung through the air as he spun around. The tail whistled towards him. A powerful slash aided by the momentum gathered finished the job, and the monster was disarmed of its greatest tool.
The world seemed to freeze. Every player stood silent as if he did something extraordinary.
With so much uncomfortable attention focused on him, he did not see the echo behind the blow. His health dipped orange, and he found himself flying backwards. He passed through a window, but not clipping through static mesh. It shattered underneath him, despite his expectations of an immortal object. So surprised was he that he had only a split second to dodge a wave of pressurized water that pulverized the concrete behind him.
Kirito shifted his weight onto his hands and leapt sideways. He brought his black sword up in a <<Vertical>> just in time to split another blast of water, and jumped out from the building to see a high-level player stagger the boss with a punch. Kirito shot forwards to capitalize on the animation delay, a reflexive "Switch!" escaping his throat.
Suddenly the rain halted, minute droplets piercing through Kirito's avatar as the droplets became floating caltrops. He activated a [[Tribal Talisman]] from his quickslots to turn his health green again, before dispersing the droplets with a <<Crescent Slash>>.
As regeneration began to outpace the damage of the shearing water and a hurricane approached the city, Kirito stood against the tide and began the first strike of twenty-one. A cry of <<STARBURST STREAM>> resounded and a paragon rose from despair.
The world changed forever that day as a Hero saved his homeland. With his aid Kyushu stood tall against the ocean itself.
But this climax was just the impetus for a larger quest, as this Orpheus yearned to see his wife again.
Honestly? I have no excuse. But as it turns out, getting my dream job meant hobbies fell to the side in desperation to keep it. Over the last few months I learned a fairly valuable lesson. I'm worth way more than I give myself credit for, and it's important to rest and recharge with your passions.
In other words, I'm back. (Even though I didn't leave much when I left!)