Chapter 25: The Return of the Black Swordsman

The narrow alleys of Korzha on the 35th floor felt eerily silent as Klein and his guild members pursued Kirito. The once-bustling streets twisted into a labyrinth, with tall buildings boxing them in. They had lost sight of him after a few sharp turns, and the maze-like structure of the city left them feeling disoriented.

"This doesn't make sense," one of Klein's guild members muttered as they reached a dead end. "He was just here."

Klein clenched his fist. "We'll split up. He can't have gone far." He gave his guild members a nod, and they each took a different direction, leaving him alone in the alley.

After a few minutes of searching, Klein's heart skipped a beat as he turned a corner and saw Kirito standing in the middle of the alley, waiting for him. His black cloak billowed in the breeze, and his calm expression only fueled Klein's anger.

"You've got nowhere left to run, Kirito," Klein said, gripping his spear tightly. "Surrender, and maybe I'll let you live."

Kirito raised an eyebrow. "Why are you working with Heathcliff?"

Klein's face darkened. "It's not as simple as you think." He stepped forward, his voice lowering as though sharing a secret. "During one of our expeditions, Asuna discovered Heathcliff's true identity. She told Shino and me. We had no choice but to keep it quiet. Heathcliff offered us protection—protection from him, the final boss of this cursed game."

Kirito narrowed his eyes, absorbing the revelation. "So you sold out everyone just to protect yourselves?"

Klein let out a bitter laugh. "We didn't have a choice! It was either comply, or we'd be hunted down." He paused, his gaze hardening. "Besides, Asuna agreed to it first. We all did."

Kirito's voice was cold. "And what about Shino? What does she think of all this?"

Klein's expression shifted, a mix of frustration and resentment surfacing. "Shino is with me now. We've been together for months. You—you tried to come between us!" He pointed an accusing finger at Kirito. "You thought you could take her from me, but in the end, you only disappointed her."

A memory flickered in Kirito's mind, but he pushed it aside, focusing on the moment. "So that's what this is about? Your jealousy?"

"Jealousy?" Klein barked a short laugh. "You don't get it, do you? I loved her, and you—" His grip on his spear tightened. "You don't belong with her!"

Kirito stepped forward, calm and resolute. "This isn't about her. This is about you making deals with the devil. Heathcliff is using all of you, and you're too blind to see it."

Klein's face twisted with rage. "Heathcliff gave us protection! I suggested sending you to deal with those hackers, hoping they'd kill you. It was the perfect plan! But somehow, those hackers saved you!" His eyes flared with anger as he lifted his spear. "I should've finished you off a long time ago."

Klein lunged forward, spear aimed at Kirito's chest. Kirito drew his blade in one fluid motion, parrying the attack with ease. The clash of steel echoed through the alley, the tension between them palpable.

Meanwhile, in the surrounding alleys, Keita and the others stumbled upon Klein's guild members. A brief struggle ensued, and one by one, the guild members fell, overwhelmed by the skill of Kirito's allies.

Klein fought furiously, his attacks driven by a mix of rage and desperation. But as the battle continued, Kirito's calm precision began to wear him down. Step by step, Kirito gained the upper hand, his strikes becoming more relentless.

"You think you can beat me?" Klein growled, sweat dripping down his brow. "I'm protected by Heathcliff. I can't die here!"

Kirito's eyes flashed dangerously. "Is that what he told you?" He sidestepped another of Klein's wild attacks. "Heathcliff's protection can't save you now."

Klein's overconfidence faltered as he noticed his HP bar dropping faster than he anticipated. Panic set in as Kirito's strikes became more brutal, more precise. Klein swung his spear wildly, but Kirito shattered it with a single powerful blow, breaking it into two pieces.

Klein's heart pounded in his chest as he realized the truth. "No… this can't be happening."

Kirito's swords glinted in the dim light as he closed in. "You've been played, Klein. Heathcliff used you. Just like he's using everyone else."

Klein staggered backward, his HP bar nearing zero. "No, I—I can't die. He promised!" He stumbled, trying to escape, but Kirito was relentless, his blades slicing through the air, keeping Klein pinned down.

Finally, Klein fell to his knees, his HP dangerously low. "Please…" he whispered, fear overtaking him. "Don't… don't kill me."

Kirito paused, his expression unreadable. Then, with a swift movement, he knocked Klein unconscious, his HP bar barely above zero.

Breathing heavily, Kirito sheathed his blades and picked up Klein's limp body, slinging him over his shoulder. Without a word, he activated a teleport crystal and vanished from the maze-like streets of Korzha.

Back at his hideout, Kirito tied Klein to a chair in a small, dimly lit room. In another room, the rest of Klein's guild members were also restrained, still unconscious from the earlier fight. Kirito uncorked a small healing potion and poured it on Klein, watching as his health bar slowly climbed back up.

Klein stirred, his eyes fluttering open as the potion took effect. His gaze locked onto Kirito, a mix of confusion and anger clouding his face. "Why… why did you spare me?"

Kirito didn't answer immediately. He simply glanced at Klein, his expression cold and distant. "Stay quiet," he said finally. "You'll live, but only until this is over." With that, he turned and walked out of the room, leaving Klein alone with his thoughts.

Klein let out a long sigh, his body still trembling from the fight. He had no choice but to wait, powerless for now.

Kirito made his way to another room, where his brother, Cid, sat at a table, playing chess against himself. The sound of pieces moving across the board was the only noise in the quiet space.

Kirito approached his brother, his mind still buzzing from the fight. "What's the next move?" he asked, his voice low.

Cid, without looking up, moved a queen into position, a smirk playing on his lips. "Strategy. To reach the king, you need to break through the defenses." He gestured to the pieces on the board. "Lead the pawns into a trap. Change the color of the enemy's pawns… from white to black."

Kirito stared at the chessboard for a moment, understanding dawning on him. A smile crossed his face as he nodded. "I get it."

With a brief word of thanks, Kirito left the room. Cid watched him go, his fingers idly moving another piece on the board. "Checkmate," he whispered, his eyes glinting.

Kirito, now under the guise of Alpha, sent a message to Shino. The message was simple: "I have Klein. If you want him back, meet me at your house on the 22nd floor."

Shino read the message, her heart sinking. She knew it was a trap, but she had no choice. If she told anyone, Klein's life would be at risk. Determined, she steeled herself and prepared for the meeting.