Chapter 16: A Joke of Murder
It's been awhile since then, it was the 31st of December, the day before new years, it would be the second time they've witnessed it, the 49th floor boss was defeated on Christmas eve while both queen and Kirito managed to defeat the Christmas event boss, Nicholas The Renegade.
The 50th floor boss raid was coming up some time within the next month, if she remembered, it was the boss where Kirito got the Elucidator, but she wasn't interested in the last attack bonus, she wanted to just have the thing killed so she could summon Manus to Aincard.
Her and Kirito where relaxing in town with the Moonlit Black cats, all of whom managed to get to level 35, not good for front lines, but they can hold their own now much better without them, they even got a new member named Lowe.
After a couple of days they meet up for the boss raid, which was apparently a Six Armed Metallic Buddha statue, which...
She didn't know how to react to that information...
Other then that she got some information on a new guild, a red guild called Laughing Coffin that was founded on the 1st of this month...
'Why would people dedicate their time to killing people...? While I'm not one to talk I did it to get a point across...' She decided that since she maxed out her stealth skill, she should go gather information on the guild since she was able to get out of there if discovered.
And that lead to her current situation of tailing some members through the woods, how did she know they were members? simple, they said so while killing a man, she didn't interfere as that would give away she was tailing them.
What confused her was that one of the members was a green player before remembering that red players can't buy items from towns and can even be killed in them...
'Either they're forcing her into this, or she agreed to this... When I find the base I'll kill all Red players, Imprison orange players, and question green players.' she continued tailing them for two hours before they arrive at a cave dungeon, which following got harder but she managed, suddenly a knife was at her throat and she raised her hands in surrender while dropping stealth.
She gets pushed into the main room of a safe zone and see that there were around 30 to 40 people in cloaks, a few weren't in cloaks, like that woman from before.
She glances around the room she noticed a total of 15 red players, 4 green players, and 13 orange players, totalling at 32 members.
"Well, I feel like I'm at a disadvantage, so I might as well introduce myself, I'm Queen, Front Liner of Aincard, level 63, how about all of you?"
they stay silent, so she speaks again with a smile, "Aw, come on, who so glum pals? I'm just trying to start a friendly converSATION!" she appeared by the leader in her alter form and punch him into the middle of the room, shocking the other members.
"Now, while I'm not opposed to killing, hell, I've done it before in real life, I believe there should always be a cause for such actions, and from what I've heard..." she snaps her fingers and a couple dozen swords appear by her, pointing at each member, "You do it because you can..." she smirks before pointing forwards. "Sword Barrel fully loaded, Open Fire." they launch out and stabs all of the red members in the chest, shortly killing them afterwards.
"Now that the ones deserving to be killed are gone, that leaves me to deal with you lot." she glances over at the orange and green players, the greens were already laying down their weapons while the oranges were hesitant, she summons another round of swords, making everyone else drop their weapons.
"Goodie, heh, look at me, Black Queen herself, taking out a group of murderers and their associates, kind of ironic, huh?" she walks forward and looks at the green members, "you lot, over there." she points to a clear area, "I need to talk to you, but I need to send these guys to prison first." she grabs a crystal from her pocket.
"Not sure you know what this is, but it's a Corridor Crystal, a mass teleport like doorway, and it only goes one way, Black Iron Palace, in there you'll serve the sentence given until green and will be let out, Understood? This is the only chance you have of leaving alive." they all nod in understanding, she opens it and sends them in, she stripped them of their weapons so the guards can handle them.
"Now, you lot." she walks over to the green players who looked terrified, "Ah, don't worry, I got nothing to hurt you for as long as you explain why you're here." they nod and go through their cases.
Just like she thought, Laughing Coffin had Green members to go into town and buy items, and that most of them were forced into it so she decides to help them get rid of the marks and purchased some cosmetics to change their appearance to hide from members that may still be out there.
One of the members caught her interest, a girl with the username Lux, she seemed kind and she invited Lux to hang out with her, which she declined and said she wanted to be alone after that, Queen nods to her before guiding them to the nearest town and purchasing everything they needed before being on her way, but she did friend Lux as she seemed to be a nice girl, just distant.
She got a message from Kirito saying that the boss was defeated and asked for her progress in info gathering for Laughing Coffin, she simply messaged back, 'done, they're in prison, I was enough to deal with them.'
She teleport back to floor 27 and got another message from kirito telling her they've activated the floor 51 teleport while she was away...
She smiles before going to floor 51 and walking to a plot of land that was uninhabited before players got there, she raises her hand and summons Manus using a ton of MP, who created the Black Castle once more.
It would be treated as a dungeon and players would be given a gift in the form of a weapon according to their skills and time they completed it, now that they'll know.
She goes and help Manus level up for the next few months, and said she was on leave due to a personal issue.
It was now April 22nd, And Kirito messaged her that he man need her help, so she asked if she can bring a friend, which he agrees.
They meet up in a town restaurant and catch up and Queen introduces Manus to them as the screen name Manus picked, [Void]...
Real original Manus...
Anyway, it appears that there's been a murder in a safe zone and they wanted her help in solving what happened, they agree to help and begin investigating, starting with the murder weapon, which they went to Agil to have him Identify the weapon, which yielded no results.
"Well, here goes." Kirito flips the weapon that killed a player into reserve grip and tries stabbing his own hand, with Asuna stopped him and Queen slapped him for.
The next day they meet up with one of the victims friends, a girl named Yolko, Kirito and Asuna did most of it but before they left Queen speaks up.
"I know I've been quite this whole time, but I feel like this is important to ask, but do we have a list of suspects other then members of your guild? Anyone that could of wanted the ring for themselves and one of your guild ratted out Griselda taking it? Did anyone in your guild at the time have any sort of connections?"
After a moment of thought Yolko shakes her head, making Queen nod, "Alright, just making sure we aren't against an entire guild here..."
Queen and Manus says their gonna go ask around for more info and do some research while they meet with Schmitt, a lancer for The Divine Dragons Alliance and a previous member of Yolko's old Guild.
When she said that she namely was going to find where the grave of Griselda was as to prepare for any attacks, while she did take care of laughing coffin a few months ago, she heard of other players who tried restarting the guild, for some unknown reason.
She decides to camp out the spot once she found it and sees Schmitt being a bitch, and Yolko and Caynz getting the confession they wanted.
After abit Schmitt gets downed by paralysis and Yolko and Caynz get's held up by the three others, 'it's go time...' Her and Manus jumps down and readies their weapons.
After an intense staring contest the free members of the newly reformed laughing coffin walk off, she gives Manus the signal to track down and kill them once they're out of site.
She turns to the three ex members of Golden Apple and Kirito rides in and makes a fool of himself by falling off the horse, which Queen pulls a white board out of her pocket and writes '10' on and and raises it above her head.
"Yeah... Screw you too Queen... where'd you even get a white board?" she shrugs while putting it away and letting him have the show.
After Grimlock comes and confesses that he hired members of laughing coffin to kill Griselda the other three takes him away, Queen... doesn't know what happened to him, but she thinks they took him to prison...
Queen sighs as before sensing a presence behind her, she turns to see Griselda smiling at them, She stares for a moment before walking off.
"Nope, I've dealt with giant insects, and over grown lizards, but I draw the line at ghost of people in a digital world!" she continues walking while Kirito and Asuna deals with that mess she doesn't even want to think about how is possible.
After that, not much interesting happens, Queen would often go and visit The moonlit Black Cats to see how they were doing, it was now August and the Front Lines were at floor 70, and information about the revived laughing coffin (no one knows that but ex members of the original, The Front liners and her, and she plans too keep it as such) and where their main base was, so they were going to do a siege to annihilate Laughing Coffin, hopefully for good this time.
They make their way to the base and start the siege, The members wouldn't go down without a fight and all members of the raid had to kill at least one person.
While they were distracted, someone tried to get the jump on Kirito, which Queen parried and stabbed, killing the LC member instead.
She glares at them before walking forward with Manus by her side, the other members of LC took this was weakness since they didn't have their guard up.
A few sword swings later, seven LC members were dead, four by Queen and three by Manus.
Queen smirks before stabbing the ground and facing the other members, "If you wanna get to them..." she points at all the members on their side of this raid, "You're gonna have to get through us first!" she points at herself before dashing forward with her weapon at the ready with Manus following behind.
They made easy picking of most of them, but one of them was heading for a member of Kleins guild that was healing up, her eyes glow yellow, "Sword barrel loaded, fire!" a single traced copy of her weapon appeared and stabbed into the head of the LC member, killing them instantly.
She looks at the other members of LC and smirk, this would be the first time she really let loose with her friends watching...
She traced a copy of Soul Reaper into her off hand and grinned, "You say your murderer's? that your top of the field?" She tossed the traced sword into the air while making that blade split into 23 identical copies to hers.
"Allow me to show you... what real murder is..." her hairs turn pale blonde, saying to everyone minus Manus she was taken over by Black Queen while Manus knew she was going all out.
"The world will thrive in never ending darkness..." the lights within the room dimmed and a mass of purple and black energy surrounds Queen.
"My will shall pave a way to victory against even the gods..." the energy starts to condense into her blade while the ground shakes.
"I will cast aside my hate, and store it within this blade..." all of the energy collapses and forms an extended blade around hers, now the room fully darkens and even those with night vision would only see the blade of energy she held now.
"Go forth! And destroy all in my way." a gust of wind blasted a few back and all lights come back, she held her blade behind, ready to swing, "Soul... REAPER!" she swings forward and a mass of black and purple flame like energy fires out and kills every single member of LC remaining.
She waits a moment before all of the traced copies also release the NP on them, completely destroying any trace of LC.
...
"That... Is murder... Where nothing remains and of course..." she laughs slightly, "There's no kill like overkill."
She falls over unconscious, faking of course, and lets Kirito carry her over to her Inn room.
She wakes up after a few hours, acting none the wiser to anything that happened, at least Laughing Coffin should be dealt with now...
Everything continued like normal afterwards, no murder groups and no mass mysterious death due to ghost (She really didn't want to deal with that after killing so many people.
It was now October the 18th, Queen and Manus was taking casual walks through the 74th floor dungeon, they were there for the reason of being part of the 74th boss fight, because this was the day Kirito first revealed his duel wielding to the world of Aincard.
She sighs, this world was starting to get extremely boring, she thought it would be fun but she can't access any of her dungeons from her old world, she can't even have fun killing people because her cursor would go red.
She sits down on a rock and traces a sword to pierce a skeleton trying to stab her, "This is boring, Hey Manus, is there a way to skip worlds?" Manus sits by her and thinks for a moment, "Um... you really just have to die, since your immortal you'll just go to the void and you'll get sent to a random world since you haven't prestige for a World Key."
She thinks for a moment before sighing, "The end of Aincard is on the next floor, and if my guess about this world and my involvement is correct, Kayaba programmed Black Queen to be a player like NPC that would betray the player base at floor 80, but since Kirito figures out Kayaba is Heathcliff after the floor 75 boss fight, he may try to force me onto the player base... what will you do?"
She glances at Manus and saw her smiling with eyes void of emotions, "I shall go where ever you go my love...~"
...
'I have a terrifying yandere goddess as a girlfriend...' Queen sighs before standing up and walking off, another traced weapon stabbing into a Lizard man.
Void speaks up, "but why do you think that Heathcliff will make you out to betray the others?" Queen smiles, "Because... Aincard is a land of swords, why wouldn't a Queen who can summon an infinite amount of sword not be it's ruler and final boss?"
Next time on Fate of a Gamer
"I won't be that unreasonable."
"Where... are we...?"
"That... sounds nice... I wish I could go there..."
Stats
Name: Jeanne Skylark
Level: 83 (9,721/83,000 EXP to next level)
Prestige: 1 (Level 300 for next)
Title: [Ally of The Void] - Permanent, [Wielder of Cross-Calibur] - Permanent
Race: Eldritch Being/Servant (Caster/Avenger)
HP: 19,800/19,800
HPR: 1,150 HP/m
MP: 8,880/8,880
MPR: 2,000 MP/m
Magic Circuit: 370 (A++ Rank)
Affinities: Sword, Energy
Origins: Sword, Energy
STR: 300 (C Rank)
END: 230 (D Rank)
AGI: 300 (C Rank)
MANA: 200 (D Rank)
LUK: 120 (E Rank)
N.P: 100
Points: 0
Money: 172,791,973 Cor
Traits
[Humanoid Eldritch Being] - Trait - Passive/Active
Type: Human/Dragon/Abomination
Due to your nature as a human turned Eldritch being, you can keep a humanoid form and can change into your Eldritch form.
You are immortal, while you can die you can always come back
Eldritch form: x10 STR/AGI/END, x5 MANA, gain [Incomprehensible Existence]
Passives: Mortals who gazes upon your Eldritch form will die from your very existence.
[Infinite Altereactor] - Trait - Passive
Keeps the user in top shape by burning calories into Mana, due to the nature of it becoming Infinite, an Infinite amount of power can be stored within it.
Stored Mana: 1,010,512 MP
Max Output from Altereactor: 20,000 MP per Minute (Level: MAX)
[Avenger] - Trait - Passive/Active
You are a being of hatred, and will stop at nothing until you get revenge for what ever has given you this hatred.
- +10% to all damage
- Alter Form effect x10
[Black Queen] - Trait - Passive
You are The Black Queen, and exist outside the concept of humanity, yet all will hear of you, your Tale is infinite and will allow you to travel to other worlds after death.
- Those who know of you as The Black Queen, will either have -100 or +100 Respect for you
- You can command an army of Void creatures
Items
[Broken Bow - Rank: A+]
A Bow that is specially designed to launch Broken Phantasms over a great distance while they retain the power.
- Bow can only launch broken Phantasms under or equal to Bows Rank
- Bows rank can be upgraded (1)
- Adds 20% extra damage to the Broken Phantasm launched
- Requires Skill [Alteration] to shape Broken Phantasms into arrows
[Cross-Calibur - Rank: A+/A++]
Cross-Calibur: Twin Black Dragon Sword of Promised Victory, The Noble Phantasm of Mysterious Heroine X Alter, it takes the form of The Normal Excalibur but with a faint red glow around it's blade.
N.P Incantation
« I have been waiting for this moment."
"Altereactor, critical limits exceeded. Through my darkness's brilliance, return to elementary particles!"
"...Cross-Calibur! »
N.P Cost: 300 MP
Damage: 500~1,000
Type: Anti-Unit
Range: 1~99
[Oathkeeper and Oathbreaker - Rank: A/A+]
A pair of gloves that powers the wearers hand to hand combat.
- +10 Levels to Hand to hand combat when wore
- +50% Speed with Hand to Hand combat
Damage: 250~500
[Soul Reaper - Rank: A/A+]
The Blade forged from the Will of the Black Queen, It holds untold powers within it if awakened
N.P Incantation
« The world will thrive in never ending darkness."
"My will shall pave a way to victory against even the gods."
"I will cast aside my hate, and store it within this blade."
"Go forth! and destroy all in my way!"
"Soul Reaper! »
N.P Cost: 250 MP
Damage: 400~800
Type: Anti-Army
Range: 1~99
[Dragon's Helm +5 - Rank: C]
A piece of armour crafted by [Queen] that covers the chest of the player.
Durability: 5,000/5,000
DEF: Level x 6 (300)
Enhancement: 3 Durability/2 Toughness
[Dragon's Coat +3 - Rank: C+]
A Coat made from a mix of Dire Wolf and Reptile hide.
Durability: 3,250/3,250
DEF: Level x 2.5 (125)
Enhancements: 1 Durability/2 Toughness
[Blank Gloves +2 - Rank: C]
A pair of black fingerless gloves.
Durability: 1,600/1,600
DEF: 40
Enhancements: 1 Durability/1 Toughness
[Black Pants +3 - Rank: D]
A Pair of black pants.
Durability: 3,600/3,600
DEF: 30
Enhancements: 3 Durability
Skills
SAO Skills
[One-handed Weapon Forging] - 1,000
[Slash Weapon Forging] - 1,000
[Tailoring] - 1,000
[Light Metal Armour Forging] - 1,000
[Martial Arts] -1,000
[Blitz Dash] - 1,000
[Leather Armour] - 1,000
[One-handed Swords] - 1,000
[Carpentry] - 1,000
[Acrobatics] - 1,000
[Equipment Appraisal] - 1,000
[Gamer's Mind - LVMAX - Passive]
Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through. Allows peaceful state of mind. Immunity to psychological mass effect
[Gamer's Body - LVMAX - Passive]
Grants a body that allows for the user to live the real world like a game. Sleeping in a bed restores HP, MP and all mass effects
[Cooking - LVMAX - Passive]
How good one is at cooking.
- +110% speed in cooking
- +220% in taste of cooking
[Patience - LVMAX - Passive]
In your infinite wisdom, you decided to learn one of the greatest virtues, patience, with it, you shall be able to put up with all the bullshit from those around you.
[Incarnation: Sword - LVMAX - Passive]
Due to your Affinity and Origin of Sword, you excel in every aspect of the blade.
- +1,100% Learning Speed of Sword Based Skill
- +550 Effectiveness of Sword Based Skills
[Incarnation: Energy - LVMAX - Passive]
Due to your Affinity and Origin of Energy, you excel in every aspect of Energy itself.
- +1,100% Learning Speed of Energy Based Skills
- +550 Effectiveness of Energy Based Skills
[Stealth - LVMAX - Passive]
The ability to hide from others
- +100% chance to avoid detection if you are above their level
- -0.8% chance of being detected for every level they are above you.
[Alter Form - LVMAX - Transform]
Corrupt yourself and give into the darkness of The Shadows.
- Gain Alter Appearance: Bleached/silvery blonde hair, golden eyes.
- 0%(0%) chance of Alter Ego taking over
-+220%(2,200%) to all stats
Cost: 100 MP activation, 50 MP/m Maintain
[Observe - LV1 0.00% - Active]
Allows one to look into more detail about the subject their looking at.
- can see name, title, Current HP/MP to Max HP/MP, short Bio along with stats and status affects
[Energy Sense - LVMAX - Passive]
A skill that will give you a rough estimate on a persons energy reserves compared to The Gamers.
- Can Sense 200 to 3,000 MP from a person
[Sword Mastery - LVMAX - Passive/Active]|
The Act of the Sword is difficult to master, but rewarding if done so.
- Passively grants +110% to STR and AGI when wielding a sword
- Increase Speed with sword by +220%
- +220% Damage dealt with Swords
[Bow Mastery - LVMAX - Passive]
A skill that allows user to freely handle bows.
- +220% Damage with bow and arrows
- +110% Accuracy when using a bow.
[Hand to Hand Combat - LVMAX(+10) - Passive/Active]
The Art of The Fist, an Elegant yet deadly art to have a means to an end.
- +110%(+121%) to Hand to Hand Combat Speed
- +220%(+242%) To Hand to Hand Combat Damage
[Physical Endurance - LV73 18.32% - Passive]
The body's durability increases, allowing for less damage taken.
- 80.3% decrease in damage taken by Physical attacks
[Fire Resistance - LVMAX - Passive]
The Body's resistance to the element of fire
- 100% decrease in damage taken by Fire based attacks
[Electric Resistance - LVMAX - Passive]
The Body's resistance to the element of Electricity
- 100% decrease in damage taken by electrical based attacks
[Limit Break - LVMAX - Active]
Allows the body to surpass it's own limit for a short time to boost the user, but has backlash.
- 110% increase to three stat
- deals 1% HP to user for every minute in use
MP Cost: 10 MP to cast/1 MP per Minute to maintain
[Unlimited Blade Works - LVMAX- Reality Marble]
The Reality Marble of Shirou Emiya and the Noble Phantasm of the Heroic Spirit EMIYA and his Fate/Extra counterpart, and now it belongs to you.
(due to nature of Reality Marble, can only be used as Alter: Avenger)
"I am the bone of my sword."
"Steel is my body and fire is my blood."
"I have created over a thousand weapons."
"Unaware to the pain."
"Nor aware to victory."
"Went through darkness to forge many weapons."
"My life is regret, my hate is all that's left."
"So as I stand alone, Unlimited Blade Works!"
- Reality Marble pulls in those in combat with the user
- User can store an unlimited amount of blades
Cost: 350 MP per Minute
[Structural analysis - LVMAX - Passive]
The First skill any Magus will learn, as it is the one you can't blow yourself up with, simple, right?
- Takes 0 seconds to fully analyse something if touching
- Takes 0 seconds to fully analyse something with sight
- Automatically Analyse any bladed weapon (wont cost MP)
Cost: 5 MP per Analysis
[Reinforcement - LVMAX - Active]
A Skill that strengthens the the existence of an object, be it a blade, a building, or even air if you have a grasp of it.
- +1,100% sharpness to bladed weapons
- +550% Durability to items
- +275% to strength of object
Cost: 10 MP per Minute
[Alteraction - LVMAX - Active]
allows one to alter the shape of an object depending on their skill.
- 100% change in shape
- 100% change in mass
Cost: 25 MP per change
[Projection (Trace) - LVMAX - Active]
Due to your Incarnation of Sword, you are able to Use Projection to equal the level of the real deal, is easier to trace blades, but other objects are harder.
- +1,100% effectiveness of Tracing Bladed Weapons
- +110% effectiveness of Tracing non-Bladed Weapons
Cost: 5 MP per Trace, 5 MP/m to maintain
[Unlimited Void World - LV93 25.00% - Reality Marble]
The Specialised Reality Marble that belongs to Jeanne Skylark, A world of infinite Magic,
"The Depth of Hated..."
"The Height of Darkness..."
"I have brought to life countless spells."
"Created through Destruction.
"And lost to the living.'
"I've caused pain mastering the unknown."
"So as the lost souls call out..."
- Copies Spells into the Reality Marble
- Drags those within a 500 m radius into the Reality Marble
- Reality Marble cancels all Magic minus the user's
Cost: 400 MP per minute
[Energy Perception - LVMAX - Passive]
A Skill that allows you to mimic types of energies you see or come into contact with
Types of Energies Mimicked: Fire (0.5), Electricity (2), Gasoline (25), Solar (10), Pure Energy [Red](20), Void (200), Spirit (175), Pure Energy [Green](40)
- Chance to Mimic Energy on contact: 100%
- Chance to Mimic Energy on sight: 100%
[Energy Empowerment - LVMAX - Active]
Allows one to strengthen a type of Energy they can mimic.
- +1,100% Power to Energy
- +220% Effectiveness of Energy Type
Cost: 10 MP per minute
[Energy Creation - LVMAX - Active]
Allows you to produce Mimicked types of energies from your body
- can produce 1-550 units of types of energy
- User has absolute control of where element comes from
Cost: [Varies] MP cost
[Alter Lightning - LVMAX - Active]
Shoot out a blast of red lightning.
Chance to shock: 100%
Range: 1-1,100
Dmg: MANAx[Skill Level]
Cost: 5 MP per shot
[Alter Choke - LVMAX - Active]
Allows the user to use Psychokenesis the choke one or more targets.
Targets: 22
Snap DMG: MANA
Cost: 20 MP per second
[Image Fighting - LVMAX - Active]
Relive fights of your past to learn from even more experience.
- Can fight at original or equal level
- Will not gain any EXP minus Skill EXP
Cost: 0 MP per second