1 Second Chance (1)

75th Floor.

Muscular, tall, and physically strong man, with sharp scholarly features and steel-gray hair that had a strand hanging over his forehead. He was wearing armor with the colors of the Knights of the Blood.

In front of him, many players were laying powerlessly on the ground with a Paralysis status effect active next to their HP Gauge.

The only player that was not under the Paralysis effect was he was wearing pants with a black belt that had a large silver buckle, a black V-necked shirt that was worn underneath a black trench-coat with gray lining going down the sleeves, and black boots with silver plates to protect his shins. He had a silver plate worn on the left side of his coat, and a pair of black fingerless gloves. He wore a strap that went over his right shoulder and under it to wrap around his left side.

This Player was Kirito. He was standing in front of Heathcliff as he said "So? Now what? You plan to kill all of us so you can keep your identity from the rest?"

Heathcliff smiled as he said "No way! I will never do something so unfair. Kirito-kun, since you discovered my identity, I have to repay you. Fight me. If you win the game will be cleared and I will allow all players to log out."

Under Heatcliff's words, Kirito's eyes widened, so he had the chance to let everyone... Asuna... out of this place...

He looked at Asuna as she had a worried look "Don't do it Krito-kun! For now... You must stand down." Kirito bit his lip as he remembered so many people suffering and losing their lives trying to see the end of this game...

He slowly turned around as he walked away... Asuna's voice reached his back "You promise to win? You will bring us all out of this world?"

He turned to with a sad smile "Yes. I will end it here."

With that, he walked away toward Heathcliff. But Agil and Kelin refused to just let him go "Stop! Don't do it Kirito!"

"Kirito!"

Kirito slowly unsheathed both of his swords as he said "Agil. Thank you for all the Swordsman support, until know. I know, You gave most of your earnings to the training of the players on the middle floors."

"Klein... I'm sorry for leaving you that day." Kirito closed his eyes as he said.

Klein screamed at Kirito with tears in his eyes "Damn you Kirito! Don't you apologize, do you dare apologize now! I won't forgive you! I won't forgive you until you treat me to a meal in the other world."

Kirito smiled at Klein's words as he said "Got it. See you on the other side." Kirito gave one last look at Asuna before turning back to Heathcliff. "I don't like to ask, but I have requested to make."

Heathcliff didn't seem to mind as he asked with a smile "What is your request?"

"I'm not planning to lose today, but if it comes to that, I want you to prevent from Asuna to commit suicide, even if it's just for a while."

Heathcliff didn't except that he was surprised there for a moment before regaining his smile "Very well. I will prevent her from leaving the town."

Asuna looked at horror at Kirito back as she screamed "Kirito-kun no! That's not fair! You can't do that to me!"

Asuna heart crumbled at the thought of Kirito's death today, but Kirito didn't respond, He was watching Heathcliff adjusted his HP Gague to match Kirito's.

Heathcliff used the GM console and change his status from Immortal object to Mortal object.

Both Kirito and Heathcliff were standing in front of each other, their HP Gague was in the yellow zone.

Unlike their last time, it's going to be a fair fight. Only one winner, in this fight, one of them is going to die.

Kirito took a deep breath before he charged at Heathcliff. He attacked relentlessly while trying to avoid using swords skills! 'He is the one that developed the dual-wielding, he knows all the possible patterns that can be created by the system, so I can only rely on my self to defeat him!"

Seeing Kirito refusing to use Swords Skills Heathcliff smiled widely! Kirito can't find any way to break through his defense accidentally activated sword skill! 27 hit-combo - The Eclipse!"

Heathcliff is the creator of this skill, knew all of the patterns and blocked all of them before Kirito launched forward one last sword skill. Only to strike Heathcliff's shield and break half of his sword.

Kirito was shocked as he closed his eyes 'I'm sorry Asuna, at least you live.'

"Farwell, Kirito-kun." Heathcliff raised his sword as he activated a sword skill that made the sword glow with a red light.

The sword was about to hit Kirito as Asuna's body suddenly covered him, he watched in fear as he threw Dark Repulser and caught her as Heathcliff sword priced through Asuna and Kirito.

Both Kirito and Asuna bodies glowed in white light before they both exploded into thousands of pixels.

- GAMER OVER -

A red message appeared in Kirito eyes, but the unexpected happened, Kirito found himself standing in a white room, there was a game console in front of him and a white figure sitting in front of the game console.

Kirio raised his hand as he said: "I'm alive?"

"Yep, You are alive." Answered the figure in front of him without turning around.

"Who are you? What is this place?" Kirito asked in suspicion. The figure turned around at him as he saw a human figure is depicted in a white, the figure was featureless numbers danced around its body at a constant rate. its voice sounded feminine.

The figure chucked before saying "I'm this world manager, primary driving and management force of this world, Cardinal System."

Kirito furrowed his brows at the figure reveal. "What do you want from me?" Cardinal System chucked again at his words before saying "You lost the love of your life, you lost the chance to get back to your world."

Kirito eyes grown cold at Cardinal words, he didn't need Cardinal to remind him of what he had lost.

Seeing Kirito Reaction Cardinal smiled as it said "Don't get so angry. I bought you here to give you a chance."

Kirito raised his brow at Cardinal words "What do you mean to give me a chance?" Cardinal continued "To regain everything that you have lost. The love of your life, these that lost their lives in front of you. I offer you a second chance at Sword Art Online."

Kirito couldn't believe Cardinal words "What did you just say?" Cardinal smiled at Kirito's expected reaction "What you just heard, I can rewind time itself, to the very day that everything started, the beginning of this game. I will ask you if you are to restart Sword Art online, will you do it?"

Kirito raised his hand as he looked at the ring that was in the left hand with a smile.

"I got your answer. Good Luck, I will be watching, and remember anything that you choose to change this time, will have an impact on the future you know."

Cardinal turned around as he started to tap on the keyboard of the game console. White light surrounded Kirito before he disappeared from the room.

Everything flashed in white color.