The heavy rain poured down on Kuza and soaked his cloak. His chest tightened. Airen!

Kuza recalled the plan with a player. The player, brown eyes and black hair, stood in front of Kuza. His arms crossed. A map on the table; a castle figure positioned on the location of where Spectre kept Airen.

“So, that’s their location?”

“Yes. I’ve been there a couple of times.”

“Well, it’s not a surprise for a traitor.”

“Look. I know your mad at me for betraying you, but I’ve changed. She changed me.” Kuza glared at him.

“I know. We have been receiving a few losses thanks to her, but what you’re asking is risky. Especially for us players.”

“That’s why I’m giving you this information and this-,” Kuza opened his inventory. He pulled out a long sword. The sword; red handle, blue iron.

The player gasped, “I-Isn’t that the Sword of Longelous. The item that is supposed to be lost?”

“Yes, but no. I kept this for myself.”

“Kept for yourself or kept it as a trophy.” He raised an eyebrow.

Yes, but I don’t want you to know. “No.”

The player shook his head. “Well, I accept the sword as a sign of agreement but not as a sign of forgiveness. After this war end, I need you to give yourself to the authority for the killing you did.”

I never kill a player in this game. All I did was hold them captive and show them the good thing about this world. Kuza looked at the map.

“Here,” He pointed to a location.

“Gidom?”

“The players. I placed them there. They are not dead yet, only suppressed.”

“How many?”

“500. Enough to fight the final war.”

“What are they doing there?”

Kuza sighed, “I can’t tell you.”

“Why?”

If you knew I forced them to mine material inside the dungeon. This discussion will end here.

“You’ve to find that out yourselves.”

He sighed. “Okay, I’ll order the second team to free them, and here’s the gem.”

The player placed the gem on the table. Kuza took it from the table and stored it inside his inventory.

“Good. Now, Let’s prepare.” Kuza walked toward the door.

“Word of advice.” Kuza stopped. “She’s not worth it.”

Not worth it? You guys are the one who is not worth it! I don’t care if the plan work or not. My mission is to save Airen and kill that son of a bitch. A burning sensation flowed within him. Kuza clenched his fist.

“Kuza,” A vision of a pink lip came into view with her powerful soft voice. It softened his heart.

“She’s worth to me.” Kuza opened the door.

He received a notification and opened it.

[Good news, team two manage to free the captive thanks to your tips. They are now going towards us, but slavery? Are you kidding me? That’s like worst than killing.]

Kuza wrote a reply.

[I’m heading to the castle now.]

He sent it to the player.

I’m on my way Airen. His horse, Herman, galloped under the harsh condition as they headed to the Castle.

Two guards held their shields in front of him. A burning sensation flowed through him.

Skill Activate; Galloping Smash. The robotic voice inside his head flowed the skill into Herman.

Herman smashed into the guards and the wooden door. An army of undead gathered in front of him. Kuza clicked his tongue.

He held his left hand in the air above him. Skill Activate; Aqua Sphera. The skill flowed through his left hand. Two massive water balls formed above him.

“Freeze in hell,” Kuza hurled them toward the undead army. It flooded the area in front of him along with the undead army before freezing them.

“Let’s go, Herman. Hiya,” He squeezed Herman between his legs. Herman let out a loud ear-splitting sound. He sprinted toward the Castle door.

Kuza arrived at the entrance of the Castle. He dismounted from the horse and landed on the ground. The horse disappeared into small lights as it flew into the air.

An image of a black bow with a lion head shelf came into view. Skill Activate; Black Lion Bow. A circle with strange symbols appeared between his hand. Then, it formed the bow. Kuza held the bow with his hand.

“So, you’ve arrived.” The Black Lion spoke inside his mind.

Kuza nodded. We’ll end this today.

“Heh. I never thought you want to come back to your own world. I guess that woman change you.”

I don’t care about returning to the other world! Airen is all I want.

“Heh. Suit yourself.”

Skill Activate: Black Lion Explosive Arrow. Kuza drew the arrow as it formed on the shelf. He fired the arrow at the door. The door exploded and broke open.

Skill Activate: Black Lion Dazzling Star. Kuza fired another arrow. The cloud of smoke covered the attack.

“It’s coming. Dodge it.”

Kuza moved to his left. An arrow passed him at a supersonic speed. A loud boom in the sky, few sparks fell on the ground in front of him.

The cloud of smoke disappeared. A man with a black hood, Spectre, stood beside a cage. He relaxed his hand on his black cloth.

Inside the cage, Airen, long pink hair, red eyes. Her arms chained on the iron bars. She clenched her hands on the bars. The iron bars electrocuted her and pushed her back on the floor.

“Airen!” His heart began to fume.

“Glad you can join us, Kuza,” He formed a sword on his left hand.

“You! Stay away from her!”

“Okay,” Spectre sprung toward him.

Change now!

“You don’t have to tell me.”

The Black Bow turned into two separate weapons. A long sword and a dagger.

Spectre thrust the sword at his chest. Kuza crossed both of his weapons in front of him and formed an X shape. Their weapons clashed.

“Watch out! He's going to kick-.”

A sharp pain coursed through his stomach and cut out the voice of the Black Lion. Kuza dropped his weapons on the floor. His body crashed on the wall before falling to the ground.

“Kuza!” Her voice echoed through the air.

“I’m okay!” His health bar went down to 80%.

Kuza stood up while his arms covered his stomach. Passive Skill Activate: Regeneration. The pain disappeared, and the health bar increased to 95%.

His weapons on the ground. Black Lion. Black Lion disappeared and reappeared on his hand.

“Miss me?”

No!

Kuza widened his legs, held his long sword at the same level as his head, like throwing a spear, and position the dagger in front of his chest.

“Come and get me.”

Spectre smiled. His eyes shined in purple. Dark vines appeared from the ground and worked their way toward Kuza.

Skill Activate: Black Lion Rapid Sword Slash. Kuza cut the vines in rapid succession. Then, he sprinted toward Spectre. His face closed to him.

“Step backward.”

Kuza jumped backward. A rock passed him but changed direction at the last second. It headed straight to Kuza. He shielded himself with his weapons. The rock touched the blade, pushed Kuza, and his feet slid through the floor.

He pushed the rock upward toward the ceiling. It destroyed the beautiful carving above him, and debris began to fall. Kuza jumped backward. The debris crashed to the ground where he once stood.

Kuza landed beside the cage. “Are you alright?”

Airen smiled. “I-, get me out here. I want to kill that motherfucker and you. Why are you so late?”

“Geez, can you give me some rest? I’m fighting Spectre here. Your AI ruler.”

“Not for me. Now get me out of here.”

“Fine.” Always giving me the harsh treatment, I hope you cry when I’m gone.

Skill Activate: Strong Slash. He slashed the lock and cut the chain that bound Airen. Kuza opened his inventory and pulled out a golden sword with a red tilt. Airen widened her eyes.

“I guess this belongs to you?”

Her eyes gleamed, and she took the sword from his hand. “Thank you. I thought I lost it.”

“Then, I’ll be there to pick it up.”

“Stop with the line. We have a bigger problem here.” She stood beside him and pulled the sword from the scabbard. A bright light blinded his view. When it disappeared, her whole appearance changed; breastplate armor, a red leather shirt inside, and a ponytail.

Beautiful as always. “Are you ready, tigress?”

“I’m always ready, don’t be a burden, and let me get capture the second time.”

That’s the last thing on my mind.

Change.

Black Lion turned into a black bow. “This is it, the final battle.”

“Let’s go!” Airen said in a firm tone.

Skill Activate: Flaming Windlance. Kuza released an inferno arrow toward Spectre.

Airen moved behind his attack. Spectre formed a mirror. The mirror copied the attack and released another inferno arrow. Their attacks clashed, and a cloud of black smoke appeared.

Airen headed inside the smoke.

Skill Activate: Doppelganger.

Skill Activate: Invisibility.

Another Kuza formed in front of him. The true Kuza became invisible.

“Go to the left and get his attention.”

The other Kuza nodded and sprinted to the left.

Black Lion. It’s time.

“I heard you loud and clear.” Black Lion became a sword. Kuza opened his inventory and pulled a gem.

“Thank you, old friend.” Kuza placed the gem on the sword.

“I’m burning - it’s hot – the -.”

Skill Activate: Black LLLLLLLLLLLL.

F0rb1dd3n 5k1ll: BlAck Bu&.

“Professor, you there?”

“Yes, you know what you have to do, right?”

“Yes.” Kuza sprinted to the right. Airen crushed on a wall.

Airen!

“Airen!” The other Kuza raced toward her. Spectre appeared beside the other Kuza and slashed his body.

“Gacck!” the other Kazu gasped.

“Now die!” His eyes widened.

“Hehe…,” The other Kuza smiled and vanished.

Now’s my chance.

“Huh?” Spectre looked around, “How-Where did you go?”

“Behind you!” Kuza moved in front of him.

Spectre looked behind. Kuza stabbed his chest. “I said, behind you, not in front of you.”

“H-How?” Blood spilled from his mouth.

“An illusion. I knew you would deflect my attack. That’s why I use an illusion to attack you.”

“Why you!” he kicked him, and Kuza flung toward the wall beside Airen. He fell to the ground.

“Kuza!”

“I’m fine.” Shit! Regen doesn’t kick in.

“Do you think you can kill me with this puny sword?” Spectre pulled out the sword.

“That sword wasn’t supposed to kill you.”

“What?”

“Any seconds now,” Kuza said as he checked his clock.

System Acknowledge.

Spectre stopped. “W-What’s happening?”

Administration Complete.

Link Status: Connect.

Welcome to the System. Kuza.

What is your command?

“D-did you?” Airen stuttered.

“Yes, I’m now the admin.” Kuza stood up. “System: Black Lion.”

Acknowledge.

The Black Lion sword appeared in his hand.

“System: set damage to infinite.”

Apologies, System cannot comprehend.

“Override.”

Denied.

“Override.”

Denied.

“Override!”

Denied.

“Dammit!”

Acknowledge.

Eh?

Weapon damage set to infinite.

Kuza looked at his sword. The infinity symbol appeared on the sword damage point.

“K, K, K, K, Kuza.”

That’s strange. Did she stutter?

“Sorry, my head felt strange,” Her hand placed over her head.

“You! What did you do?” Spectre asked. His body froze to where he stood.

“You’re no longer the admin. I’m the admin.”

Kuza pointed Black Lion at him. Airen placed her hand on his. What?

“Together.”

Kuza closed his eyes. Then, opened it. “Together.”

System Skill: Bond Shredder.

They swung the sword with their might. A slash of bright light headed toward Spectre.

“Nooooooooooooooooo!” It shredded him into pieces.

AI System destroyed.

Log out option available.

Administrator login is available.

System loading….

“Phew! Finally.”

Kuza received a notification.

[We can go home! Thank you, Kuza.]

[Go meet your family.]

“It’s that him? the one who gave you the gem?”

“Yes.”

“I guess this is a goodbye then.”

“Goodbye? I’m staying here.”

“You have to go?”

“Why?”

“Sorry.”

A sharp pain went through him. He looked at his chest.

“Airen?”

“System: Destroy world.”

Acknowledge.

Commencing World Destruction.

“System: Lock all access including Kuza.”

Acknowledge.

She pulled her weapon from him.

“Why?”

“I’m sorry. If the world knew about your involvement with Spectre. They will throw you in jail. I won’t let you rot there.”

“Then, how about you?”

“This world will get destroyed along with me. I’m sorry, I can’t live with you.”

“Wait. I think I can save you.” I won’t lose you again.

“System, Download Airen’s data!”

Denied. Downloading data from the game is a breach of the Terms of Service.

“No! This can’t be happening.”

A warm body touched his body. Airen?

“I-I know it’s late, I know I meant the world for you, but I’m a digital data. I’m not real. Please get someone better than me. I love you, me, a digital data, love you, so please, don’t let this second chance wasted.”

Kuza hugged her back. He squeezed her. You’re my world, my atonement, the one who saves me from my darkness.

“You’re suffocating me.”

“Stop, please, let me have you this moment.”

“O-Okay.”

Kuza drew away from here. He moved his face closed to her.

“Airen, I love you.” Their lips touched.

The view went black. His pod opened. White ceiling, the smell of medicine. Footstep rushed in the distance. He pushed his body upward.

“Doctor, he’s awake.”

The doctor came into his view. “Hey, do you remember, your name?”

“Kuza.”

“Good. Uhh, what’s the last thing you remember from this world.”

“A punch in the face.”

“Um, okay.”

“How about the other world?”

Airen came into his mind.

“A girl.”

His chest tightened, eyes watery, and body bent. I’ll not let this second chance go to waste.