chapter 39

After they managed to slay- no after Leonard managed to slay the boss monster and cleared the floor- once again the players celebrated, but this time it was much grander than before as there were only twenty-five floors left to go before they actually liberated the whole of Aincrad and freed themselves from the virtual prison that was Sword Art Online.

At the same time, many players also mourned the death of their comrades, throughout the entire fight against the Skull Reaper, ten has lost their lives for the cause of liberating the other eight thousand players.

Now, all the assault teams were standing in front of the monument that recorded down the name of the deceased players in order to pay their respect.

"...we haven't lost these many players since before we reached the 35th floor…" Agil muttered in a low tone.

"Yeah...this is just insane, we lost a total of twenty players to that monster alone...and we have like what?...a quarter left to go?" Klein had a feeling of dread ran down his spine as he imagined what kind of monster could be inhabited in the higher up floors.

"The future does indeed look quite bleak…" Kirito added in.

"Nothing will get in my way as he slaughters my way up to the Ruby Palace…don't worry, with me here- EVERYONE will make it out alive- that I promised." Leonard declared in a serious tone solemnly.

"You are not alone." Sachi who stood next to Leonard took his hand and squeezed it tightly.

"Yeah, you're not alone! The Moonlit Black Cats is with you all the way through!" Keita joined into the conversation.

"Yes...indeed, I am not alone," Leonard said in a low tone of voice as he lay eyes on to the giant stone obelisk that carved down the names of the players that perished.

"...my path to power lies at the end of this road…time to pick up the speed efficiency." Leonard thought as he clenched his fist tightly and the nail sunk into his flesh.

"Leonard…" Sachi was worried as she looked at Leonard dark expression with an evil grin and held her hand onto his ever so tighter.

******

Later that day, when everyone gathered back into their guild base.

Leonard had called in both Kirito and Asuna into the underground meeting area of the guild and locked the door before adding in some soundproofing measure into it to prevent anyone from listening to their conversation.

"What is this all about Leonard?" Kirito asked his friend out of nervousness as he was remaining in silent all these time as he leads the both of them down into the meeting office of the guild.

"Yeah...what's going?...why are you bringing us here?" Asuna too, spoked up with a face full of questions that needed to be answered.

"Just sit down." that was all Leonard said before he went to his chair and sat down, facing the two teenagers and best duo of the guild.

"Okay, mind tell us what is going on? And stop being so mysterious." Asuna placed her on gently on the table and leaned toward Leonard and asked him.

"Yeah tell, us- did something happened? You have never been this secretive before...ever." Kirito added.

"Well...maybe you can tell them...Yui." Leonard did not answer the two teenagers and called out an all too familiar name that the both of them knew- and out from behind Leonard, walked the figure of a little girl with long black hair in a white dress.

"Yui?..." Asuna looked at the little girl with a face filled even with more questions than before- and turned her sight onto Leonard.

"Leonard...what does Yui has anything to do with this important conversation that you called us in for?" Asuna asked him.

"Mommy…" Yui muttered out in a low tone.

"Yes, sweetie- just hold on for a moment ok? Let me have a talk with uncle Leonard, then we'll take you out to play-" Asuna was about to finish the conversation before Yui cut her off.

"No- please listen to me...it was my idea to ask uncle Leonard to bring the both of you here...as I have something I want to tell you…" Yui looked at the both of them with a face full of seriousness while clenched her tiny dedicated fist tightly onto her dress before she opened her mouth and spoke.

Time frozen as Yui spoke, as both Asuna and Kirito listened to the little girl words, their eyes popped wide open and looked at their "daughter" in sheer shock.

While Kirito was stunned by the whole event that was currently played out, Asuna tears were dripping down from her eyes as she kept listening to Yui.

"...I'm sorry...Mommy...Daddy…I didn't mean to hide- it from you."Yui too broke down into tears.

Seeing this Asuna quickly rushed over and hugged her tightly.

"It's alright Yui….you will always be my daughter." Asuna whispered into the little girl ear.

Kirito too soon joined the both of them.

"It changed nothing Yui...we will always be your parents…" Kirito pats the little girl gently on her head as he spoke.

******

An hour before Leonard lead both Kirito and Asuna into the secret chamber of their guild.

Leonard was currently chilling and lazing around in his office, once again looking through the eyes candies shop that is the Multiverse system store.

"Oh~ Ashbringer!!! So...pretty...and is that Frostmourne!!..." Leonard was having a blast reading through the description of the items- while of course- ignoring the price tags as always.

It was then that he noticed the presence of Yui standing beside him.

"What is it Yui?" Leonard looked at the A.I of the little girl that was named Yui.

"uncle...Leonard, can you help me with something…?" she asked him.

"Yeah what is it?" he asked her as he sat up after laying down on the couch for half a day already.

"I think..I'm ready to tell Mommy and Daddy about who I really am now…" she spoke while tightly clenched on her brand new dress that Asuna had bought her previously before they went off to the 75th-floor raid.

"Are you sure about this- you know that your relationship with them might change if you were to tell them right?..." he looked at the girl and told her in a serious tone of voice.

While having an inner monologue of his own.

"Heh, I doubt it would change anything- but if Kirito and Asuna were to have a second thought, well...sorry, but thanks for another loli…no no no! I must not be corrupted! It's three years to the capital! Must repeat that three times!" his inner chibi self repeatedly slapped himself on the face while repeating that godsend phrase.

"I am well prepare…please…" she bowed her head to him.

"...alright, just go wait in the meeting room down in the basement, I'll call them in- but just a head up, don't be sad, even if they were to reject you, I'll-" he was about to finish that sentence- however, Yui seems to have taken it the wrong way and start to get anxious.

"No no! Please don't hurt them!" she protested.

Leonard was of course...speechless…

"Do I look like the type that would beat up my friends?" Leonard inner chibi questioned dejectedly.