The Gunpowder Blade

Fateful Words

"Oh, okay. Well, as long as you make sure she's not to trip, slip, or fall. She will be fine. Just make sure she doesn't make any sudden movements, as the wound might reopen." The receptionist explained. I nodded and walked over to Asada. 

"Ready?" He asked. She nodded. He pushed Asada out of the building while I rolled myself out. Once we got to his car, He helped Asada into the back seat. The came over and helped me into the car. I accepted his help this time instead of rejecting it. It was kind of cute seeing his face turn red, he had gripped my thigh to help me into the car. What a loser, a cute loser. He brought the wheelchairs back into the hospital and returned soon after. Once he got in, he looked to Asada. "How are you doing?" 

"Fine, now. Where's Kazuto?" She asked. Tsuboi and I looked to our feet. 

"Kazuto... went missing last night. He left his phone out in the middle of the lawn. along with a spilled glass of milk. He left no traces as to where he went. We planned to pick you up and go looking for him." I explained. She covered her mouth with tears forming in her eyes. 

"Missing?" She muttered. We nodded in shame. She began bawling. I could feel tears trying to pry their way out of my eye sockets, but for Asada's sake, I kept them from flowing.  

"Do you want to go looking for him? Or are you not able to? Mentally?" I asked. She shook her head. 

"We have to find Kazuto. As soon as possible." She wiped her tears away. Tsuboi grinned his typical grin and started the car, leaving the parking lot.

"Go to this address." I pointed to the coordinates that the voice on the phone said. It was an old abandoned school called "Stephen Griffiths School." It was over by an old mining shaft. He nodded and sped off in the direction of the Kanto Region mountains.

***

Not even 10 minutes from our destination and we're already surrounded by trees. This part of the Kanto Region was known for people hiking and then going missing. We kept following the line that the app provided for us. About 15 minutes later, we arrived at this run down building. All of the windows were beaten in. The entire exterior of the building was covered in graffitti. And the west side of the roof had collapsed. But one thing in particular stood out. There was a jet black Cadilliac Escalade parked to the side of the building. Tsuboi turned to Asada and I. 

"You guys stay here." He asked. 

"No way!" Asada began to unbuckle. Tsuboi grabbed her by the wrist. 

"Yes, you will. What would Kirito say if he knew that I let his his sister and girlfriend, injured, no less, go into a potentially dangerous building? He would kill me, scold you, and cry over you. I don't wanna put him through more heartbreak. So stay here, for his sake." Tsuboi ordered. Asada's wrist still in his hand. She stopped struggling and slid back into her seat. He then looked to me. I nodded. "Asada, can you lift the seats beside you?" 

"Sure, why?" She asked as she reached for the latch under the seats. Once it was open, she looked to Tsuboi.

"Pull out the black thing and hand it to me." He pointed to a long black object lying in the compartment. She did as she was told. Tsuboi carefully slid the black sleeve off of the true object, revealing his Unnamed Katana from Alfheim. 

"Where did you get that?" Asada asked. 

"Kirito showed me this website where you can log in using your SAO, ALO, or GGO user and purchase your main weapon or weapons." He tossed the sleeve next to Asada. 

"So that's where Kazuto got his... What did he call it? Eradicator? Adjudicator? Reciprocator?" Suguha guessed. 

"Its name is Elucidator." Tsuboi corrected. 

"Yeah. That." She nodded. "So you're saying that I can go on and buy my Tempest Sabre? And Asada can go on and buy her Hecate?"

"Yeah." Tsuboi answered. 

"And they're real? Including Asada's gun?" Suguha

"Yeah, I have a buddy who played GGO. He went and bought his Desert Eagle from the game. 5 days later, he's shooting targets in the woods with live ammunition." He explained. 

"I'm gonna do that then." Asada said. 

"Me as well." Suguha shouted soon after. 

"I should probably go. Make sure you guys stay here. Got it?" Tsuboi ordered. We nodded. He opened his car door. Without thinking, I grabbed him by the sleeve. He stopped and turned. "What is it?" I moved my hand to his shirt collar rapidly and pulled him closer. I locked his lips with mine. His lips were soft but firm. It felt like I was kissing an overstuffed pillow. But that's a good thing. I backed away and blushed. He grinned and rubbed the back of his head. 

"Ahem." Asada cleared her throat. Tsuboi's silly expression turned into a determined one. He nodded and got out of the car. He went to the trunk and pulled out a belt. He slid the scabbard onto it and put it on. Once everything is secure, he walked towards the building. 

***

(Tsuboi)

I walked up to the decrepit building. It seemed like it could fall apart at any second. I looked in and saw recently-added steel support beams across the wrecked main floor. Once I walked over the threshold, I immediately felt a certain ungodly presence. It almost felt like I had been in this presence before. But who could this presence belong to? The lingering taste of Suguha's lips seemed to strengthen me, almost like a level up in Sword Art Online. I continued on through the main level, checking every room. There was one door by the entrance that was locked, but it seemed like such a small room. I doubt anything could be in there. 

"Jesus Christ, who the hell would spend money to support this place?" I asked myself as I patted one of the steel support beams. I turned my head and noticed a set of stairs leading to the second floor. Inhaling deeply, I walked towards them. A few of the steps were missing. "Kirito, you owe me big time for this." I walked up the stairs, avoiding places that seemed to be rotting the most. Once I got about halfway up, the stairs became more decayed. I took another step, but all of a sudden, the step below me started to crumble. I looked up and saw that there were only 5 steps left. I bent my knees slightly and pushed myself off the step, flying to the top step. I was about to fall, but I used the strength in my core to keep that from happening. "That was close."

I walked towards the first door. It had a metallic plaque on it, but it was so rusty, I couldn't read any of it. I turned the knob slowly and opened the door, it was an empty classroom. I continued down the hallway, checking all the rooms. Once I was done, I turned back towards the stairs. I heard a subtle thud, like a metal object falling to the floor. I walked faster towards the stairs and stopped at the top. I looked down the 12 steps. I took a deep breath, bent my knees slightly, leaned forward, and launched off of the ground. I landed on the main floor, barely and inch away from the step. 

"Any shorter and I would've broken my ankle." I muttered to myself. I walked back to the entrance and was about to leave. But before I did, I noticed something lying on the ground. It looked to be a lock mechanism from a... door? I looked up to the locked door and noticed the lock was missing. "Shit." I looked to my car and noticed the girls were gone. "Kirito, I swear to god. This had better not have been for nothing." I reached for the doorknob of the previously locked door and turned it cautiously. The door creaked open like a closet in a horror movie. I looked into the room, it was pitch black. There was a light switch next to the door, but I doubted it did anything. Still, I have to try. I flicked the switch. Suddenly, a light turned on inside the room, revealing an intact stairway that led to what seemed to be a basement. 

"Goddammit." I groaned. I stepped onto the first step, checking if the stairs were safe. They didn't even creak. All of a sudden, there was a loud beep coming from the basement. And whispering soon after. I unsheathed my sword and descended the stairs into the dark abyss. Once I reached the bottom, I looked into the surprisingly secluded room. There was nothing except for a door led to what seemed to be another room. Of which is bigger than the one I'm in right now. I walked cautiously over to the door and pressed my ear up to it. Just then, I heard the same beep I heard upstairs. I was about to reach for the knob when I heard those fateful words.

"Link start." 

***

Hey Familia of the Closet! Here is another disgrace that some call a chapter. Hope you all enjoy. Thank you so much for reading. Love you all so much! <3

-Seijirou

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