Hidden Shadows and Broken Bonds

The atmosphere in Heathcliff's meeting room was somber. Seated around the large oak table were Asuna, Shino, and Klein—each one with a different kind of determination in their eyes. Across from them, Heathcliff, the unflinching leader of the Knights of the Blood Oath, calmly laid out his plan.

"The hackers," Heathcliff began, "are a threat we need to neutralize quickly. But Kirito is an even more pressing issue."

Asuna's gaze dropped, conflicted emotions swirling inside her. Kirito, once their ally, was now the focus of their concerns. He knew too much. His strength made him dangerous. And most importantly, he was too close to uncovering the truth about Heathcliff being the Final Boss.

"We need him on our side," Heathcliff said. "He must work with me, or he'll become a threat we can no longer control."

Shino crossed her arms. "And what if he refuses?"

Heathcliff's eyes narrowed. "Then his life will end here in Aincrad. But if he agrees, I'll protect him. He must promise not to reveal my identity. That's the only way."

Klein sighed, his eyes flicking between Asuna and Shino. "We can talk to him. But... can we trust him after everything that's happened?"

Asuna hesitated. "We have to try."

The three of them made their way down the darkened corridors of the Knights of the Blood Oath guild hall. Kirito was being held in the lower levels, chained and weakened. As they reached his cell, they found him sitting against the wall, his eyes dull, his body slumped as though the fight had been drained from him.

Shino was the first to speak, stepping closer to the bars of his cell. "Kirito, we need to talk."

He didn't respond immediately. His eyes flickered toward her but then dropped to the floor again.

Klein crossed his arms. "You've got a chance to make this right," he said, though his voice carried a hint of resentment. "Heathcliff wants to offer you a deal. Work under him—keep the secret about him being the Final Boss—and he'll make sure you don't die in this game."

Kirito's silence stretched on, the weight of the offer hanging in the air. Finally, he lifted his head, his expression unreadable. "Work for Heathcliff?" His voice was low, barely more than a whisper. "You want me to serve the man responsible for trapping us here? For all of this?"

Asuna stepped forward, her voice soft. "Kirito, we don't have a choice. It's the only way... to survive."

Kirito's gaze met hers, and for a moment, something broke between them. His heart, already heavy with betrayal, seemed to shatter further. "Survive?" He shook his head. "You're asking me to betray everything I've fought for."

Before anyone could respond, a strange sensation swept through the room. One by one, the guards outside the guild hall collapsed to the ground, their bodies frozen as though paralyzed.

"What...?" Klein spun around, alarmed. "What's happening?"

Within moments, the paralysis spread to Asuna, Shino, and Klein. Their bodies locked, leaving them unable to move, as if an invisible force had taken control.

"Asuna!" Kirito's voice rose in alarm, though he remained in his weakened state. He hadn't done this. His heart pounded as he looked around, trying to understand.

"What did you do?!" Shino growled, her teeth clenched in frustration. But Kirito wasn't the cause.

Suddenly, footsteps echoed down the hall. A dark figure approached, moving with an eerie calm and authority.

Cid Kirigaya, or Shadow, entered the Knights of the Blood Oath guild building like he owned the place. Dressed in black armor with golden accents and a mask covering his eyes and forehead, he passed the fallen guards without so much as a glance. Their shouts of confusion were meaningless to him.

He moved swiftly through the halls, reaching the cell where Kirito was imprisoned. As he stepped inside, the tension in the room thickened. Asuna, Shino, and Klein watched in helpless confusion as the masked man approached their friend.

Shino's eyes narrowed. "Who... who are you?"

The man paused, his voice deep and cold. "I am Shadow. I've come to save Kirito."

Without another word, Shadow unsheathed his sword, its sharp edge glinting in the dim light. In a swift motion, he cut through the chains that bound Kirito, freeing him from his prison.

Kirito collapsed forward, too weak to stand, but Shadow caught him effortlessly, lifting him onto his shoulder. Asuna, still paralyzed, watched in horror as they began to leave.

"You can't just... take him!" Klein growled, his body still frozen.

Shadow turned back, his voice calm but chilling. "Your days are numbered."

With that, he carried Kirito out of the room, leaving Asuna, Shino, and Klein grinding their teeth in frustration.

As they exited the guild building, Kirito's voice, weak but filled with a quiet acceptance, whispered, "You're... late."

Shadow said nothing, only continuing his silent march.

Meanwhile, on the balcony above, Heathcliff stood gazing out over the guild courtyard. Something was wrong. His sharp eyes caught sight of several guards lying on the ground, paralyzed. And then he saw him—Shadow, a dark figure dressed in black, carrying Kirito's limp form on his shoulder.

"What...?" Heathcliff's voice barely escaped his lips before he called out louder. "Hey! Stop!"

The figure paused, turning just slightly to give Heathcliff a glance. Though his face was hidden behind a mask, the cunning smile that played on his lips was unmistakable.

Without a word, Shadow turned and continued walking, disappearing through the gate. Moments later, he used a Teleport Crystal, vanishing from sight.

Heathcliff rushed back inside, his mind racing. He opened his menu, quickly checking the statuses of Asuna, Shino, and Klein. They were alive but paralyzed—unable to move.

"What the hell is going on?" he muttered, his fingers flying over the interface.

In a moment of desperation, he clicked on the Logout button, hoping to escape and handle the situation from the outside. But nothing happened.

He clicked again. And again. Still, nothing.

Suddenly, a message flashed across his screen:

"The Logout Icon has been permanently removed from your menu."

"No..." Heathcliff's heart raced as he clicked frantically, but the icon was gone. Panic set in. "D-Damn youuuuu.....!"

The realization hit him like a hammer. He had lost control. The game was slipping away from him.

The next day, the Knights of the Blood Oath guild members were released from their paralysis. The fear of having been helpless, lying prone for an entire day, weighed heavily on them. Their once-unshakable confidence had been cracked.

But now, they had a new mission.

Search notices for Kirito and Shadow were plastered across Aincrad, and the hunt began. Klein, especially, was furious. Kirito was free, and that terrified him.

"We have to find him," Klein muttered to his guildmates as they sat in a restaurant on the 35th Floor, Korzha. His eyes flicked nervously to the window. And then he saw him.

Kirito, standing along the road outside, waiting for someone.

"We're not letting him get away this time," Klein growled, rising from his seat. His guild members followed him, and they slipped out of the restaurant, determined to catch their former friend.