Chapter 037- Revenge?

The passionate kiss that Rifat and Lisbeth shared on their last journey together marked a turning point in their relationship, as they both realized their true feelings for each other.

Although Lisbeth had some concerns about Rifat having a harem, she ultimately accepted it because of his irresistible charm and the undeniable bond they shared.

It was impossible for anyone who has been with Rifat for a long time to not notice his exceptional looks and charismatic personality, which had undoubtedly captivated Lisbeth's heart.

Spending so much time with him have allowed her to see beyond him just having a harem and made her appreciate the special connection that they have now.

In the end, what mattered most to her was Rifat's loyalty and the love they shared.

.....

---Time Skip---

Heathcliff had lost many of his elite players during boss raids with Rifat. Despite his efforts to be cautious and minimize losses, there were still casualties, and this only fueled his growing hatred towards Rifat.

However, the rare loot dropped from the bosses was essential for his guild's progress and strength, so he had no choice but to continue cooperating with Rifat.

As the opportunity for revenge finally presented itself, Heathcliff's eyes glinted with malice as he quietly muttered to himself, "Finally, this wait is over. Wait for me, Rifat. In this boss raid, it is going to be your death."

.....

Several months have passed since Rifat's last journey with Lisbeth.

During this time, he and his guild have managed to successfully clear one floor after another, finally reaching the 99th floor. With only two more floors to go, they are on the brink of clearing the game and returning to the real world.

After spending over a year in this virtual reality game, even Rifat has contemplated using the backdoor left by Akihiko to return to the real world. However, he ultimately decides against it due to the risks involved.

In the virtual world of Sword Art Online, players have access to a friend list that allows them to see the status of their online friends.

If Rifat were to log out without warning and someone checked his status through the friend list, they would see that he had died, which could cause a panic among his friends and guildmates.

Although he could explain it away as a system error, there's no guarantee that everyone would believe him, especially given the history of the game and the fact that so many players have already died with no exception.

If his friends or guildmates became suspicious of him, it could cause serious problems for Rifat. Some might even accuse him of being involved with Akihiko in trapping the players inside this death game, which would put him in a difficult position.

So, despite his desire to leave the game and return to the real world, Rifat knew that he had to be careful and avoid any situation that could raise suspicion about his true status.

.....

Argo approached Rifat with a serious expression on her face. "Rifat, as you instructed, I've been observing Heathcliff and his guild, and I've noticed that he's been gathering all of his elite players and seems quite restless. It's strange because instead of strategizing for our upcoming boss raid, he's solely focused on gathering his strongest players."

Rifat's eyebrows furrowed in concern. "That's odd. Do you have any idea what he's up to?"

Argo shook her head. "I can't say for sure, but I have a feeling he might be planning something. We need to be careful tomorrow."

Rifat nodded, acknowledging the seriousness of the situation. "Thank you for letting me know, Argo. We'll make sure to keep our guard up."

Rifat is aware of Heathcliff's true identity and upon hearing Argo's report, he quickly deduced Heathcliff's intentions.

With the 99th floor boss cleared, Heathcliff is likely planning to reveal himself as the final boss of the game. However, before doing so, Heathcliff may want to exact revenge on him by killing some of his guild members or even taking Rifat's own life if the opportunity presents itself.

But Rifat has some doubts.

He is uncertain about the restrictions placed on Heathcliff regarding not killing any player actively, and whether or not it will be lifted after this boss raid ends.

This uncertainty creates a sense of unease and the potential for disastrous consequences if the restriction is lifted.

Even without the impenetrable shield of the original, Heathcliff's strength as a boss is unparalleled, making him a formidable opponent for any player, even for those at the maximum level.

If Heathcliff is given the ability to actively attack players, when none of them have even reached the highest level of this game, it could result in significant losses for Rifat's guild.

Rifat understands the gravity of the situation and realizes that he needs to be proactive. His first step is to contact Akihiko to determine if the restriction on Heathcliff will be lifted or not.

Once he has this information, he can create a plan to ensure that his guild can successfully complete the next boss battle and return without much casualty.

.....

(with Heathcliff)

"Attention, everyone! I have an important announcement to make. Tomorrow, we shall finally seek retribution for the wrongs that have been inflicted upon us. I know many of you were angered by Rifat's actions in setting us up during those boss fights and have been eagerly awaiting this day. The wait is finally over."

"I understand your feelings, but I implore you to remain calm until the time is right. Tomorrow, when we face the boss, I urge you to conserve your strength as much as possible. Once the boss has been defeated, we shall launch a surprise attack on Rifat and his guild. This is our chance to vent all the pent-up anger and frustration that we have been harboring for so long."

Heathcliff addressed a group of hundreds of his most skilled guild members with a passionate speech, discussing the plan for tomorrow's boss raid.

Out of the hundreds of players, only fifty will be participating in the raid, while the rest will be waiting in ambush for the right moment to attack Rifat and his guild.

The guild members who were present in the room became overwhelmed with enthusiasm and excitement as they heard the plan. They were eagerly waiting for tomorrow to arrive so that they could exact revenge on Rifat and teach him a lesson he would never forget.

They were determined to take down Rifat and his guild, even if it meant risking their lives in the process. After all, it was because of him that they have lost many of their close friends.

###################################

[A/N: I apologize for the irregular updates. Lately, I have been struggling with laziness and find myself wasting most of my day. Despite my efforts to motivate myself, it is only effective for a short period of time and I often revert back to being unproductive.

I am making an effort to overcome this challenge, but it is proving to be difficult. If not for this issue, even posting one chapter per day let alone three chapters per week would not be a problem for me, even with my classes and studies.

Anyway, enough of my rants.

The first SAO arc is coming to an end and the MC will soon go to Steins Gate to acquire a time machine for himself. This part of the story will likely take around ten chapters. Once this arc is complete, the MC will need to travel to a new world. Below are some options for potential worlds to explore. Which world would you like to see the MC visit next?

1. Death Note

2. High School of the Dead

3. Parasyte: The Maxim]