Chapter 100 - Taking the Iron Stand

2 March 2024

Black Iron Castle, 1st Floor

POV: Rakuno

I've never really stepped foot into the Black Iron Castle before.

I didn't see the need to. The things that other players have said about the place were never positive.

Their reviews were right. It really was just like the rumours. Cold, black, ominous. The kind of place that you'd hear your own crisp footsteps while walking.

The castle itself was actually just a giant room. Pillars lined up on both sides. A patch of light was located in the center, the only source of lighting among the black walls.

I looked up as I strolled through the chamber. The opening in the ceiling seems to be constructed. Maybe the designers should have just closed the ceiling up and placed lamps instead. But then again, who would come here at night anyway?

At the end of the castle stood the only ever reason anyone would visit this place: a giant board made out of the same material as the Black Iron Castle. From a distance, it looked simple enough to serve no purpose, but it wasn't my first time here.

I stopped in front of the structure known bluntly as the Iron Board, and looked up at the names of players--spaced out equally from each other--written in rows from one end to the other. The Iron Board was only higher than me by a head, having enough height to fit 5 rows of names.

5 rows of 2000 names each, in fact. All 10000 of them arranged in alphabetical order from the far left side of the board to the far right.

Some of the names were striked off; a line being drawn over the name, which indicated that the player with that name had died, or rather, had their HP reduced to 0. There hadn't been anyone who was revived with their name already striked off, and by now, there have been no hope that any of them would come back from their apparent 'deaths'.

Like any other player, I'd already accepted the fact that dying here results in death in the real world. Looking at the Iron Board proved this, even though deep down, I wished it wasn't like this.

I turned right, moving along the names. I was at the center of the Iron Board, where names starting with 'M' were. Going further down the alphabet, I arrived at the section of names starting with 'T'.

It took a while to find that name. I didn't have to confirm the death of the player of that name, but I wanted to. Because it was the only part of her left in this world.

The name of 'Tori' was written in the row that was at my eye level. Sure enough, it was striked off cleanly with a fairly thick line. I stood staring at it, while reaching to touch it gently.

She didn't have to die. She really didn't.

Even though she was my enemy, it didn't feel right to see her dead. I didn't even think I want to see her as an enemy, back when I was held captive by her in Katalysis.

"You done mourning?"

I snapped back out of my trance, turning to see Zenalyth standing right beside me. Maybe I was too into thinking about Tori's death, that I hadn't heard his footsteps.

".....Just a bit more." I replied softly.

He turned to glance at Tori's name, giving a little sigh. "I really would've liked to have a duel with her....."

The spear user turned to the entrance of the Black Iron Castle. "They should be here any minute now."

My hand touching Tori's name curled into a fist. "She didn't deserve this."

He turned back. ".....I know, Raku. I know."

I brought my hand off Tori's name, and turned around to spot Alexis and Meghan walking over.

"You guys!" My eyes lit up. "Why're you here?"

"The SoH are in on this too," Zena gave them a wave. "They're not going to sit out on a chance to fight for what they feel is right."

I gave way to them, as they approached Tori's name. They faces turned solemn as they saw it. All they could do was stare in silence. It took them a minute before Alexis broke the still atmosphere.

"She could have been spared. Even if she was behind everything in Katalysis, Laughing Coffin's still out there. They've simply lost one of their pawns. Who knows how many more they have up their sleeves."

"The assumption is that, there's always a pawn that they can use at anytime," Zena pointed out. "Katalysis won't be their last fuck-up."

"I look forward to their next fuck-up, then." Meghan spat bitterly.

Zena smiled a little, before turning to the entrance again.

"They're here."

Sure enough, Misuko, who was waiting outside the Black Iron Castle, had just entered. A group of players were behind her, and I already knew that they meant business.

Likewise, I could feel the tension rise among us here as well.

"I'm sure you guys already know this, but we're in a safe zone," Zena warned. "If you're thinking of punching them in the face, I suggest dragging them out of the Town of Beginnings first."

"What're you getting at?" Alexis asked, being slightly annoyed.

"This diplomatic conversation that we're about to have cannot become a fuck-up, is all I'm saying," Zena eyed Meghan intently. "I'm imploring you to just watch. Misuko and I will handle it."

"You seem really enthusiastic about this." Meghan crossed her arms.

"Hmm. Let's put it this way. I'm just showing the KoB the non-life threatening way to punish prisoners-of-war." Zena started to walk towards the approaching group.

"Like you, I'm pissed about Tori's death as well."

As Misuko approached us, she nodded at Zena, as if telling him to take over the situation. Zena nodded back, as Misuko turned around to face the ones we're about to confront.

At least, that was what Zena had told me. And that was all he said about it.

In the front of the group was Kira. Behind her were Asuna the Lightning Flash and Kirito the Black Swordsman. Both of them needed no introduction.

I shuddered a little, to think that I could manage a stare-off against Asuna, back when I insisted on talking to Tori. Maybe my unstable emotions were the reason, but I'd feared that she could strike me down if I didn't have enough conviction to get what I wanted done.

It was the complete opposite with Kirito. I'd looked up to him as a role model back in those days when the lower Floors were being cleared. I would notice him from time to time, accompanied with rumours of him being so powerful since he was a solo player. At the back of my mind, I strived to be as strong as him.

Alexis and Meghan didn't hide their softness when they saw Asuna, but reverted back to their stern faces. They probably didn't want to face Asuna in this way.

"As you may have deduced already, we're not trying to start a brawl here," Misuko started off. "We're here to talk. And I believe that you clearly know what we're going to cover today."

Kira, who had been the one who killed Tori with her own hand, stepped right in front of Misuko.

"I'll put this out for everyone. It was my idea to eliminate the leader of Katralis to ensure that no city like that shall ever exist again."

"It is of our opinion that you're about to step over a very thin line," Misuko spoke in a very careful tone. "We understand that Tori's the most dangerous enemy in that city, but wouldn't throwing her into the Black Iron Castle be enough? Like how it's always been with these kinds of players?"

A weird silence blanketed the whole chamber. We were waiting for Kira's response, but she was slowly starting to crack a smile.

Her smile turned into a giggle, as if to laugh at Misuko's argument. Maybe she really was laughing at what she thought was a ridiculous statement.

"How many encounters with orange players would it take for you to realize that they won't stop being a danger to people at all?"

Kira's smile faded, facing us with a grim expression.

"I'm not going to repeat myself again. Katalysis was the last straw."

Misuko's hands curled into fists. "It's not about whether this was the last straw or not. The fact was that you willingly killed a player right in front of us just to prove a senseless point."

She turned to the Iron Board, and pointed at Tori's crossed out name. "How many names are you going to cross out on that wall just to take Laughing Coffin down?"

Silence permeated the chamber again. Kira stared intently at Tori's name, without ever so much of a reaction.

"Only Tori's name.....is enough."

I had expected her to show even a tinge of remorse. Her lack of respect for Tori was starting to disgust me.

"We from Horizon's Edge and Swords of Harmony aren't going to take this lightly," Misuko declared. "Let me be very clear in this warning that I'm about to give you on behalf of the alliance."

She cleared her throat, before continuing.

"There's a difference between killing for the purpose of spreading fear to the enemy, and killing for the sake of what you think should be stopped. Don't get me wrong, both of those reasons for killing are unfathomable. I'm guilty of killing an orange player or two. You know you are too. Everyone here surely feels the same."

"We told ourselves that putting an end to the city of Katalysis would make things right. Hell, after seeing that aftermath, I felt like I was the PKer myself. I regretted having to resort to those measures, even if the enemies didn't want to yield to us till the very end. Those were the 'spoils of war', and I understood, there and then, that they were unavoidable in the operation to finish off Katalysis once and for all."

Her clenched fists shook uncontrollably. I could do nothing but watch her, as she let all her feelings out in front of bunch of people. Her voice was getting shakier, too.

"Having to kill enemies during the invasion was already bad enough," Misuko kept going. "But to execute a captured enemy in front of a crowd just to instill fear into Laughing Coffin was, for the lack of a better word, utterly unforgivable."

Her words hung in the air for a while. Asuna the Lightning Flash started to take steps right in front of Misuko, her face looking like she was ready to put Misuko in her place.

Kira raised her arm before Asuna could go any further. The vice commander of the KoB reluctantly stopped, as the red head turned back to Misuko with a forlorn frown.

"I used to have that naivety a year ago. I used to promise myself that I could stop Laughing Coffin without having to spill a single drop of blood."

"I wanted to save the orange players as well. Long story short, I wanted to save you all."

She closed her eyes, and placed a clenched fist onto her chest.

"But reality's simply a bitch. The past year has taught me that. I realized that to stop Laughing Coffin, sacrifices had to be made, no matter big or small. Have you thought of those who died trying to take Katalysis down, and those who died trying to defend it?"

Her clenched fist shook, as she took a deep breath.

"So I made a conviction. That I will personally kill those despicable leaders of Laughing Coffin. That way, I can save everyone else. But not without casualties.

"And here you are, trying to confront me about this issue. You, who I don't think have enough experience dealing with Laughing Coffin. I have spent.....one whole fucking year.....trying to rid myself of the guilt of seeing countless players die. It doesn't matter whether I killed them or not. It felt like I was going through hell."

Her voice was getting more aggressive. Misuko was looking like she was in a pinch, struggling to continue an argument she couldn't possibly win. Alexis and Meghan watched with pained expressions not willing to accept Kira's reason for holding that trial. But yet, they too couldn't say anything.

I didn't want this tension to escalate either. With the Lightning Flash and the Black Swordsman both watching, even if where we were now is a safe zone, things would still turn more ugly than what was transpiring now.

Kira slowly calmed herself down. "I hope you'll soon see the reality of going against a group of monsters who show no sympathy for the people they kill."

She suddenly looked over us, her eyes slightly widened. Misuko noticed it, and turned around. The rest of us did the same.....except Zena.

.....Where was he?

A figure who I couldn't recognize emerged from the far side of the Iron Board. His hands were cuffed together with heavy-looking black handcuffs. Behind him, Zena took off his hood, as he pushed the restrained player.

It took me a second to see that he had with him a prisoner from the Black Iron Castle. It also took me another second to realize that he had vanished without anyone noticing.

"What's.....going on here?" It was Asuna's turn to get increasingly angry.

Misuko didn't utter a single word, but instead nodded at Zena. Her face didn't look like she was gonna to like what Zena was about to do. My eyes shifted back to Zena, and I almost gasped with a held breath.

His eyes had turned purple again. My gut feeling was screaming that I wasn't going to like what was going to happen soon enough.

Zena nodded back, and turned to Kira.

"I'm here to demonstrate an alternate reality that you can try with prisoners-of-war that you capture, such like this one from in the invasion of Katalysis."

Asuna instantly reached for her weapon, before stopping herself.

"Took you a while to remind yourself that we're literally in a safe zone," Zena scoffed, as he causally pointed at the cuffed player . "Would you mind if I borrow him for a bit?"

His sarcasm rang throughout the castle chamber clearly. He'd already gotten on the nerves of Asuna, possibly Kira, and maybe even Kirito. And if Kira wasn't already pissed enough from her speech from earlier, she wasn't going to show it easily now.

"What are you planning to do with him?"

"Before I answer that, I'm gonna ask you a question," Zena's expression turned firm. "Do you believe in a fate worse than death?"

Kira stared at him with a puzzled look.

"Is that what you mean by 'alternate reality'?"

"Well, death's just an eventuality that you and I will face in our lifetimes, Kira," Zena patted the shoulder of the cuffed player. "For Tori, she just had to face her death way earlier than she would have expected, because you made it happen."

The cuffed player, who none of us knew personally, suddenly had a face full of despair. It seemed like he was one of those orange players who looked up to Tori a lot.

"I already made it clear that it was a necessity for my goal." Kira stood her stand.

"I don't think most of us here subscribe to your ideals," Zena frowned. "It doesn't matter whether it can save everyone else or not; the damage inside here has already been done."

He pointed at the cuffed player, specifically at his head.

"What would happen, if the rest of the prisoners-of war locked up here got news that Tori was killed, just like him?" Zena continued. "You're fucking lucky that the Black Iron Castle exists, I'll tell you this much."

Kira maintained her composure, watching intently at him without another word.

Zena sighed a little under his breath. "Let's just start the demo. As agreed, please lie on the ground."

The cuffed player did as he was told. Meghan and Alexis were watching in complete confusion, as the player simply laid onto the cold, hard ground facing right up at the chamber ceiling.

Zena promptly took his spear out. He spun it like a windmill, probably out of habit, as he held it to aim its blade at the chest of the player.

"It'll only take a while."

I shivered a little, as he spoke with his eyes still coloured prominently purple. Even if I knew that the player wouldn't die, there was something in me that was telling me that Zena was pointing something else out.

PINGZZZ.....!

The blade of Zena's spear struck the player's chest cleanly. As expected, the purple window titled 'Immortal Object' popped up between the blade and the player's chest.

But he wasn't done yet.

The blade seemed to keep on pushing on the purple window, which was persistently displayed, defying Zena the right to deal damage to the player. Zena was now focused on trying to penetrate the blade through the purple window, even though in the eyes of all of us watching, it would be impossible to happen.

I turned to Misuko for a while, who was also watching. She seemed indifferent about this expectation. Somehow, I felt like she knew that something new was going to happen soon.

"No fucking way.....!"

Meghan's shocked exclamation made me turn back to Zena. What I was witnessing right now sent shivers down my spine.

The blade of Zena's spear was now phasing through the purple window slowly, as it shook rather violently. The possibility of it being a glitch was rapidly running through my mind, as I struggled to believe what I was seeing.

As the blade touched the player's chest, he didn't get up, convinced that he wouldn't face any danger. But as the blade gradually went deeper, his face changed drastically, from a normal expression to one that was akin to suffering, to the point that his body was looking like he was convulsing on the ground.

At that point, he tried to get up, but couldn't due to the spear holding firmly down on him. The blade looked like it was stuck into his chest, but the 'cut' it was making wasn't red in colour, but rather had the same purple as the purple window.

All of that was happening to the player without him even losing a pixel of HP. But yet, it looked like he could 'feel' the blade going into him, a sensation that I was sure I wouldn't want to go through, even if it wouldn't kill me.

"That's enough."

Misuko declared, her voice firm and clear. Zena stopped pushing, and started pulling his spear out. The player coughed and choked around, showing signs of having been suffocated, even though he clearly wasn't being held by the neck.

I turned to Kira and Asuna. Both of them looked shocked beyond words, their faces turning almost pale.

"Let's go through the first obvious point that I'm making here," Zena sheathed his spear, as the player recovered from his ordeal. "Did he die from that?"

Kira could only stare at him, unable to form a reply.

"Let's imagine that I made it last for an hour. One. Whole. Fucking. Hour. Would he still die from that?" Zena continued.

Asuna faced Zena with an indignant glare. "Y-Y-You're insane."

Zena made a smile, and pointed at her with his thumb.

"Fantastic. I'm impressed of the audacity that you have to show such irony to this alternative that I've just offered you. A method of torture for whoever you want to punish. Doesn't that, at the very least, sound better than having to kill them?"

Kira was now breathing hard, probably still struggling to comprehend what she had just seen. Maybe she was juggling her conviction and guilt for having killed someone she didn't have to kill, and in public no less.

Anyway, I wanted to confront Zena about this, but I couldn't say that I would have opposed it either. This wasn't only about tormenting someone mentally; in fact, this could go much deeper than that.

Zena half-kneeled beside his victim, and helped him up. "We're done here."

He touched the player's cuffs, and pressed a button on the pop-up window. The cuffs broke and shattered into pixels.

Asuna reached for her weapon again. "You're releasing him?"

"It's compensation for putting up with this," Zena retorted. "It was my promise that I'll set him free if he did as I said."

The player immediately ran off, probably traumatized from what he had gone through.

Zena strolled right in front of Kira, ignoring Asuna's glare.

"So which one's better? Death, or torture? I'd like to know your opinion."

Kira stared at Zena right in the eye.

"You're sickening."

Zena simply stared right back, without any reaction.

"If you're gonna still think that killing Tori's the way to go, you should've just sounded it out."

The redhead shook a little in anger. Zena really had that flair of taunting people at times.

Turning to Meghan and Alexis, they were pretty speechless. I'd never seen them this flabbergasted before.

"I said that I will save everyone else. That includes all of you guys," Kira finally spoke. "But that doesn't mean that I agree with your way of doing things."

"Even though you'd save more lives this way?" Zena asked.

".....My morals aren't aligned with your idea of breaking people. That, in itself, is a worse fate than death."

She turned around to head for the exit. Asuna and Kirito followed suit. It seemed that throughout this ordeal, the Black Swordsman was the only one other than Misuko who looked calm.

"I hope that the next time we meet will be on a more pleasant occasion," Kira said.

"Likewise," Zena replied. "Don't forget to consider this generous piece of advice."

Kira kept on walking, clearly done with being here. As the trio disappeared into the light outside, Misuko relaxed herself, breathing a sigh of relief.

"That's it, I guess."

Zena frowned. "If the KoB doesn't listen, it's on them."

"Well, what can we do at that point?" Misuko stretched herself. "We've taken our stand. Whether they hold another trial or not, it's out of our control."

Meghan and Alexis approached them, as Alexis offered her hand. "Without your help, we wouldn't even have tried to face them."

"Our ideals simply align with each other," Misuko gladly shook on it. "We're just making sure that we meant it. Right, Z-man?"

"Anything for the pay raise." Zena chirped playfully.

"I should double that!" Misuko chuckled. "That demo was your idea."

I looked back at Tori's striked-out name on the Iron Board. For a moment, I could notice something like a spark of reflection streaming along that strike through line.

"Raku! We're going!"

I turned back. Misuko was smiling at me. Zena was feeling pretty sleepy. Alexis and Meghan were already leaving the castle.

I faced Tori's name again, put my feet together, and did a light bow towards it.

It was the last time I was going to see her. But, there wouldn't be a time when I would forget her.

If only I had the chance....to really, really talk to you.....

Leaving my thoughts behind, I turned and never looked back, joining my companions, whom I never knew I needed, out of the Black Iron Castle.

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